A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

A weekly look at progress on the Secretary's priorities

GOALS 2000

Last week, President Clinton & Secretary Riley discussed Goals 2000 & other topics with the corporate board of the New American Schools Development Corporation (NASDC). Goals 2000 funds are supporting NASDC schools in several states.

Based on peer reviewer recommendations, Delaware's state plan has been approved, bringing the total of states with approved plans to 13. Thirty-one states have received second-year funding under Goals 2000. (To receive second- year funding, states submit an application describing how funds will be used for local reform, pre-service training, & professional development. Accompanying the application is either the state's comprehensive reform plan or a report on progress the state has made toward developing such a plan.)

SCHOOL-TO-WORK

Twenty-seven states have been awarded School- to-Work Implementation Grants. To receive these grants, each state submitted (and had approved) an application that included a plan for building its own statewide school-to- work system. These states, as well as 8 additional states that applied for Implementation Grants, are eligible for waivers of certain Labor & Education laws & regulations.

Earlier this month at a major trade show in Chicago, the National Printing Skill & Knowledge Standards Project announced the availability of three printing skill standards booklets: PrePress/Imaging, Press, & Finishing/Distribution. Over 1,200 production personnel were involved in the final, nationwide validation of the skill standards.

The printing standards project is one of 22 projects developing voluntary "occupational skill standards" for competencies in industries (with funding from the U.S. Departments of Education & Labor). Seventeen projects have produced final standards:

agricultural biotechnology, air conditioning/heating, automobile, bioscience, chemical, computer-aided- drafting, electrical construction, electronics A (entry-level technician), electronics B (information specialist, pre-post sales, manufacturing specialist, & team leader) hazardous materials, hospitality & tourism, human services, laundry, metal working, photonics, printing, retail trade & welding-level I.

Five projects have produced draft standards:

advanced manufacturing, chemical, grocers industry, health care, & human services.

All 22 projects are expected to have final standards, as well as assessment & certification procedures, by the fall of 1996.

CONSOLIDATED PLANS

Under a provision of Title XIV of the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA), states are allowed to file one consolidated plan -- instead of separate plans -- for how they'll use resources from up to 13 federal programs. The idea is that this will help states coordinate federal funds and use them more effectively. Because time was short for preparing plans in fiscal year 1995, states were invited to file *preliminary* consolidated plans. Forty-eight states, D.C. & Puerto Rico submitted such plans, some of which included as many as 13 federal programs -- IASA programs, school-to-work programs under the Perkins Act, and others. The Department will issue guidance on the format for this year's consolidated plans in early December. Important source documents are notices in the Federal Register dated January 13 and June 15, 1995, as well as information mailed to school superintendents by the Secretary in March 1995. Several states & a number of school districts are also taking advantage of a provision in Title XIV allowing local school districts to file consolidated plans with their states.

DIRECT LENDING

As Congress entered the final stages of the budget reconciliation process, Members were given first-hand information about the success of the new Direct Loan Program. Three independent evaluations released this year -- and an ongoing evaluation performed for the Department by MACRO International -- found the response to the Direct Loan program (by financial aid directors, college presidents and students) to be overwhelmingly positive. (The independent evaluations were conducted by the Association of Community College Trustees, Education Daily, and the General Accounting Office). Typical of the reactions was this one - - from the Director of Student Financial Planning at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO (a second-year Direct Loan school):

"Direct Loans are everything they promised to be. In fact, they are the answer to my students' and institution's needs. They are easy to administer and extremely effective for both students and institutions alike. Direct Loans are incredible!"

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Action is expected this fall on the Administration's legislative proposal for improving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Act, which helps serve the nation's 5.4 million children with disabilities, would be improved based on six principles: aligning IDEA with state & local education improvement efforts, improving results for students with disabilities through higher expectations and meaningful access to the general curriculum (to the maximum extent appropriate), addressing individual needs in the least restrictive environment for the student, providing families & teachers -- those closest to students -- with the knowledge & training to effectively support student learning, focusing on teaching and learning, and strengthening early intervention to help ensure that every child starts school ready to learn.

BUDGET

On Thursday & Friday (October 26 & 27), the House & Senate, respectively, passed their versions of the 1996 Reconciliation bill. The education provisions differ significantly, and these differences will be worked out in conference, which is scheduled to begin this week.

The Department is operating under a continuing resolution which runs through November 13. There are several scenarios that could keep the Department operating after that. Without a final fiscal year 1996 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, Congress must (at least) pass an extension of the continuing resolution for the Department to operate. It is possible that the Department may be under a continuing resolution for all of fiscal year 1996.

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[Past Issues of ED Initiatives]

Last Updated -- Nov. 6, 1995, (pjk)