This week the Department celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). To commemorate the occasion, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) launched its new "Lessons for All" IDEA 25th anniversary site. It offers information on the history of the act and its impact on improving results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities; links to IDEA-funded resources; stories from students and community members who have benefited from IDEA; and related news and events. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/IDEA25th/
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/index.html#Publications

In addition, the Department marked the anniversary by releasing the 22nd Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of IDEA. The report identifies progress made in providing education opportunities to children with disabilities. For example, a record 55% of America's students with disabilities are graduating from high school, and more disabled students are attending regular classes alongside nondisabled students than ever. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/Products/OSEP2000AnlRpt/index.html

"Applying for Federal Student Aid: It's Free, Fast, and Easy!" is a videoconference on December 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. (ET). Viewers will learn about filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), using FAFSA on the Web, calculating an expected family contribution (EFC), understanding how schools "package" financial aid, and finding student aid resources and consumer protection information. During the videoconference, viewers may submit questions via email or a toll-free number. http://www.edvideo.ddlomni.com/

"The Kindergarten Year," a report issued today by the National Center for Education Statistics, "clearly shows that kindergarten benefits all children," Secretary Riley said at the press conference. Gary Phillips, Acting Commissioner of Education Statistics, noted that the report contains "mixed news.... The good news is that during kindergarten, all types of students improve their readiness for school. On the other hand, the pattern of group differences entering kindergarten is still there at the end of kindergarten. Furthermore, the gap between at-risk and more advantaged students is reduced for more basic skills, but widened for more complex skills."

The report identifies 4 risk factors for kindergartners: single-parent households, welfare recipients, mother with less than a high school education, and homes where English is not the primary language. Students with 2 or more risk factors enter kindergarten with much lower reading and math skills, but by the end of the year have virtually erased the gaps for the most basic skills. At-risk children remain behind in the more advanced skills such as recognizing words by sight or solving simple math problems. http://nces.ed.gov/Pressrelease/rel2000/12_01_00.asp

"A Developmental Path to Reading," the latest issue of "The ERIC Review," focuses on the path that children typically take when learning to read. It is intended to help parents take steps to ensure that their child will make the transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn" by the end of third grade. It includes information about the role of parents in promoting children's language development, reading tasks that children should accomplish at various levels, difficulties that some children encounter when learning to read, ways parents can work with educators to identify and support high-quality reading programs, and more. http://www.eric.ed.gov/resources/ericreview/vol7no2/splash.html

Twenty-seven New American High Schools were honored at a White House ceremony this week. "Today we recognize quality schools on the cutting edge," Riley said. "New American High Schools achieve exceptional results by setting high expectations and promoting educational excellence." The New American High Schools initiative recognizes pioneering schools nationwide that provide rigorous academic instruction for all students to prepare them for future success. The awards ceremony came at the end of the Department's "High Schools Creating Change" conference, which continued the Department's national dialogue on improving the American high school. A primary focus of that dialogue has been the creation of small, safe, personalized learning environments for students, regardless of the size of the high school they attend. http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/11-2000/113000.html

"Agenda Report: Learning Without Limits" is a blueprint for the federal role in postsecondary education. It offers 12 strategies and 38 steps organized around 5 themes: ensuring all students are prepared to go to college and succeed; examining the roles and responsibilities in paying for college; improving teacher quality; integrating technology and distance education into the curriculum; and revitalizing international education. The Office of Postsecondary Education met with more than 75 groups representing various constituencies to develop the recommendations. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/AgenProj/report/index.html

"Strengthening the U.S. Government's Leadership in Promoting International Education" is the title of a paper on how the federal government and others can raise awareness, strengthen investments, and promote best practices in international education. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/discussion_paper.html

Also, how to "translate unprecedented interest in education and international education into concrete results" is the subject of a commentary piece written by 4 Department officials and published in the November 22 issue of Education Week.

"International Mathematics and Science Achievement from a U.S. Perspective: Results from TIMSS-R" is the topic of an National Center for Education Statistics StatChat Tuesday, December 5, at 2:00 p.m. (ET). The chat coincides with the release of "Pursuing Excellence: Comparisons of International Eighth-Grade Mathematics and Science Achievement from a U.S. Perspective, 1995 and 1999." Co-hosts for this live chat will be Gary Phillips, Acting Commissioner, NCES, and Judith Sunley, Interim Assistant Director for Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation. To participate and to submit questions in advance, please visit http://nces.ed.gov/statchat/index2.asp

A virtual conference on "online student assessment" begins today (December 1) and runs through January 2. It offers handouts, papers, and slides from a November 20 colloquium on online student assessment. Online threaded discussions are also being held. Proceedings from the discussions and the November 20 colloquium will result in a report on the status, trends, and issues related to online student assessment. You are invited to participate in the conference, sponsored by the Department and the Appalachia Regional Educational Laboratory. http://www.ael.org/

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has announced that applications are available for people interested in conducting an NEH Seminar or Institute in Summer 2002. Each summer NEH supports faculty development through residential seminars and institutes to provide teachers opportunities for intensive study of important texts and topics in the humanities. NEH suggests that now is a good time to begin drafting a proposal to direct a seminar or institute or to contact a colleague who might be interested in developing a project. NEH is supporting 30 projects for school teachers and 24 for college and university faculty in 2001. NEH program staff can answer questions, discuss program emphasis, provide samples of successful applications, and comment on an informal draft. For general questions call Joyce Ferguson at (202) 606-8463 or Jean Hughes at (202) 606-8471. Applications will be available (mid-December) at http://www.neh.gov and printed copies can be requested by emailing sem-inst@neh.gov. Lists of past projects are at http://www.neh.gov/projects/si-school.html (school teachers) and http://www.neh.gov/projects/si-university.html (college and university teachers).

Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater has invited students across the U.S. to design a website that will introduce their peers to career possibilities in transportation. The aim is to encourage students to study math and science and consider career opportunities in transportation. The contest theme is "Providing guidance in choosing and pursuing careers in transportation." The contest entry deadline is March 15. Guidelines and information are at http://education.dot.gov

"Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education" is now expanded and updated in 5 subject areas: English and language arts, science, math, technology, and foreign language. This compendium, published by the McREL regional education lab and developed by John Kendall and Robert Marzano, presents standards and benchmarks for primary, upper elementary, middle school, and high school. It synthesizes information from more than 135 documents and reports that address what students should know and be able to do. http://www.mcrel.org/products/standards/contentknowledge.asp

"Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sports" offers 10 strategies for promoting lifelong participation in physical activity and sports. The report also suggests ways that communities, families, schools, media, afterschool programs, youth sports programs, and recreation programs can help implement these strategies. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dash/presphysactrpt/

ED Initiatives is made possible by many contributors, including Douglas Arnold, Robin Chait, Peter Kickbush, Lynn Mahaffie, Jerry Malitz, Tammy McGraw, Kevin Mitchell, Carol Rasco, Juliette Rizzo, Geoffrey Rhodes, Tracy Sisser, Lynn Smarte, David Thomas, Vicki Urquhart, and others.

Have a comment or suggestion on ED Initiatives? Please send it to Kirk Winters in the Office of the Under Secretary at kirk.winters@ed.gov.