ED Initiatives...

A biweekly look at progress on the Secretary's priorities

Table of Contents High Standards for All Students America Goes Back to School A Talented, Teacher... Two Years of College... All Classrooms Connected to the Internet... Improving America's Schools Conferences Distinguished Principals Honored New Online Credits

HIGH STANDARDS FOR ALL STUDENTS Last week, the Senate approved the President's voluntary national testing initiative for 4th- grade reading & 8th-grade math (87-13). The amendment, which was part of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, authorizes an independent, bipartisan commission -- the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) -- to oversee development of the tests. Two hours after the vote, the Senate narrowly passed another amendment (51-49), known as "the Gorton Amendment," that would eliminate funding for many federal elementary & secondary education programs & send the funds in block grants to school districts. By block granting these funds, the amendment would, in effect, eliminate funding for development of the voluntary national tests. It would also shift funds away from America's neediest children -- children in low-income homes & communities, children who are behind in math & reading, children with limited English proficiency, for instance -- and it would spread the resources across *all* school districts, including wealthier school districts. It would halt funds for federal programs that support education technology, charter schools, Goals 2000, professional development, safe & drug-free schools, Title I, bilingual education, school to work & other initiatives. In a statement on September 16, the President threatened to "use my veto power to make sure that no...provision [such as the Gorton Amendment] becomes the law of the land." Today the House passed its version of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, which would stop funding for the development of voluntary national tests (295-125). The President said in a September 16 statement that such a vote would be "unacceptable & it will not stand." The Senate & House are expected to go to conference committee soon to resolve their differences on the appropriations bills. Additional information on the voluntary national tests & proposed block grants can be found in 2 letters that Secretary Riley sent to Congress at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OLCA/ The President's statements & Department press releases will be available at: http://www.ed.gov/news.html#pr

AMERICA GOES BACK TO SCHOOL As part of the 1997 America Goes Back to School initiative, NASA is offering 10 one-hour "web chats with NASA experts" during the last week of September. Beginning Monday, September 29, students & teachers across the U.S. will be able to communicate online with... an astrophysicist & a research scientist in extra-vehicular activity (space walks), engineers who worked on the Pathfinder mission to Mars, shuttle astronauts describing their missions & some of the most fascinating experiments ever done in space, scientists & engineers who make out-of-this-world aircraft, and scientists who study our changing planet and how humans contribute to those changes. For the schedule & additional information, please see: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/activities/chats/index.html For more information on America Goes Back to School, see: http://www.ed.gov/Family/agbts/

A TALENTED, DEDICATED, WELL-PREPARED TEACHER IN EVERY CLASSROOM To develop strong backgrounds in subjects they will teach, students participating in the Cincinnati Initiative for Teacher Education earn bachelor's degrees from both the college of arts & sciences and the college of education. During their 4th year, they complete education course work & observe, tutor & teach in K-12 classrooms. During the 5th year, they serve a year-long internship, with 36 weeks of student teaching & continued professional development. They are supported during the internship by "professional practice teams" at each of the 9 competitively-selected professional development schools -- teams comprised of a lead teacher, 3-4 mentor teachers, 3-4 interns, and a university faculty member. Of the students who graduate from the program, which is a partnership between the University of Cincinnati & the Cincinnati public schools, 20% are students of color and 27% go on to teach in the Cincinnati public schools.

TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE & LIFELONG LEARNING FOR ALL STUDENTS If you're interested in national efforts to transform student financial aid & postsecondary student services, you may want to subscribe to "Project EASI InfoNet," a free information service offering periodic e-mail updates on the status & progress of Project EASI. Initiated by Secretary Riley in August 1995, Project EASI (Easy Access for Students and Institutions) brings together government, business & education leaders in an effort to transform the administration of student financial aid & improve customer access to information & funding for education beyond high school. When fully implemented, Project EASI will assist students & their families in planning for postsecondary education, choosing among alternatives & financing these choices. To receive Project EASI InfoNet, simply fill out the subscription form on the initiative's web site: http://easi.ed.gov

ALL CLASSROOMS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET; ALL STUDENTS TECHNOLOGICALLY LITERATE On September 15, Secretary Riley announced the award of $18.5 million for 19 grants to school district partnerships that are demonstrating how today's advanced technologies can bring schools & communities into the information age. Located in 14 states, these 19 new Technology Innovation Challenge Grant partnerships involve partners in more than 165 school districts, 68 business firms, and 44 colleges & universities. More than 100 community organizations will support their efforts, with business & community partners generating matching commitments valued at more than $56 million. The Clinton Administration has asked Congress for $75 million to invest in Technology Innovation Challenge Grants in 1998, an increase from the fiscal year 1997 appropriation of $57 million. The Gorton Amendment would eliminate funding for the program, cancel the 1998 grant competition & force termination of 62 Challenge Grants in 33 states this school year. For more information on past Technology Innovation Challenge Grants, please see: http://www.ed.gov/Technology/challenge/

IMPROVING AMERICA'S SCHOOLS CONFERENCES For teachers & principals, state & local education officials, technical assistance providers, U.S. Department of Education grantees, and others who will be unable to attend the Department's Regional Conferences on Improving America's Schools (October 16-18 in San Diego, November 16-18 in Dallas & December 14-16 in Washington, D.C.), several conference sessions will be "netcast" live over the Internet & will be accessible as on demand archives. For details on the netcast (available beginning October 1) -- as well as information on conference goals, highlights, registration & more -- please see: http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/iasconferences/ Also at this web site are links to background materials & resources related to challenges that, along with the Improving America's Schools Act, will be the focus of the conference... setting & reaching high standards creating a better school environment assessing student achievement mastering reading mastering the foundations of mathematics exploring public school options promoting & managing change in schools & communities recruiting, preparing & retaining excellent teachers involving families & communities in education using technology as a tool for education reform facilitating higher education, work transitions & lifelong learning.

DISTINGUISHED PRINCIPALS HONORED Last week, 60 outstanding elementary & middle school principals from across the nation, as well as U.S. schools abroad, were named as 1997 National Distinguished Principals by the U.S. Department of Education and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP). They were selected by NAESP affiliates in all 50 states & D.C. and by committees representing private & overseas schools. Names of these principals, who will be honored September 26 at an awards banquet in Washington, D.C., are listed at: http://www.naesp.org/97ndps.htm

NEW ONLINE The transcript from a briefing & discussion on voluntary national tests (August 19) includes presentations by Secretary Riley & Acting Deputy Secretary Marshall Smith. http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/09-1997/textspec.html "A Back-to-School Special Report on the Baby Boom Echo: Here Come the Teenagers" tells that school enrollments (K-12) this fall surpass last fall's all-time high of more than 51 million students & that increases can be expected over the next decade, peaking at 54.3 million in 2007. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/bbecho/ 200 organizations have been added to the Educational Resource Organizations Directory (EROD), which is intended to help you identify & contact organizations that provide information and assistance on a broad range of education-related topics. http://www.ed.gov/Programs/ERODmap.html Recent legislative proposals, congressional testimony, & FAQs on assorted education -- including education provisions in the balanced budget reconciliation bill signed into law by the President last month -- have been added to the Office of Legislation & Congressional Affairs (OLCA) home page. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OLCA/ "Crime Prevention at Your Fingertips: Federal Internet, Clearinghouse and Resource Center Directory" is a compilation of resources most often used by communities implementing crime prevention strategies. (Published by the President's Crime Prevention Council.) http://www.nal.usda.gov/pavnet/whitehouse/crimepre.html (For paper copies, please call 202-395-5556.)

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.

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