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

A biweekly look at progress on the Secretary's priorities

Table of Contents High Standards for All Students Helping All Children Read Well... Helping All Children Master the Foundations of Mathematics... All Classrooms Connected to the Internet... A Better Deal for Students Making All Schools Strong, Safe, Drug-Free & Disciplined Year 2000: Challenge for the Education Community "President's Trip to Africa" Website Students Participating in Lunar Prospector Mission Science: Including Students with Disabilities... Senate Budget Committee Action Credits

HIGH STANDARDS FOR ALL STUDENTS The application package for state education agencies to apply for funds under the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) program is now available on the new CSRD website. Under the program, states will provide competitive grants to school districts on behalf of specific schools that are ready to adopt comprehensive, research-based reforms to help students reach high standards. The focus of the program is schoolwide change in schools where the need to improve student achievement is greatest, particularly Title I schools. To qualify, schools must thoughtfully integrate key elements into their comprehensive reform efforts -- elements that include curriculum & instruction, student assessment, teacher professional development, parent involvement & school management, and they must draw on high-quality assistance from outside partners experienced in schoolwide reform. Schools are encouraged to consider including in their comprehensive school reform efforts successful models that have well- researched & well-documented designs for schoolwide change & that have been replicated with proven results. The minimum award for school grants is $50,000 per year, renewable for up to 2 years. For more information, including state allocations, guidance, & frequently asked questions, please see, email or call: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/compreform/ compreform@ed.gov (202) 205-4292 or 1-800-USA LEARN.

HELPING ALL CHILDREN READ WELL BY THE END OF 3rd GRADE "The majority of reading problems faced by today's adolescents & adults could have been avoided or resolved in the early years of childhood," according to a report released this week by the National Research Council (NRC), "Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children." Secretary Riley said in response, "I hope this report will help end the reading wars & focus America's schools on what works in teaching reading." He also noted that the report underscores the need for the President's Class Size Reduction initiative (http://www.ed.gov/updates/inits98/) & the America Reads Challenge (http://www.ed.gov/inits/americareads/). The executive summary of the nearly 400-page prepublication NRC report, the Secretary's full statement & an image version of the report can be accessed at: http://www.ed.gov/inits/americareads/ReadDiff/index.html

HELPING ALL CHILDREN MASTER THE FOUNDATIONS OF MATHEMATICS BY THE END OF 8th GRADE Improving Mathematics in Middle School: Lessons from TIMSS & Related Research, a report written by University of Pittsburgh professor of mathematics education & cognitive studies Edward Silver, was released last week. It recommends that the U.S... Make a serious national commitment to improve mathematics learning by all students. Make the school mathematics curriculum more ambitious & enhance classroom instruction. Invest in teacher professional development & capacity building. For the full report, as well as other TIMSS information, please see: http://www.ed.gov/inits.html#2

ALL CLASSROOMS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET; ALL STUDENTS TECHNOLOGICALLY LITERATE The Technology Innovation Challenge Grants program published its Notice Inviting Applications for 1998 awards in the March 5 Federal Register. This year the program will focus on professional development by providing support to consortia that have developed programs, or are adapting or expanding existing programs, for technology training for teachers & other educators. In each consortium a participating local education agency must submit the application on behalf of the consortium & serve as the fiscal agent for the grant. The application package (available online March 31), questions & answers, relevant Federal Register notices & other information are at: http://www.ed.gov/Technology/challenge/ MORE THAN 40,000 APPLICATIONS have been received by the Schools & Libraries Corporation (SLC) from schools, school districts, libraries & states seeking telecommunications discounts under the $2.25 billion E-rate fund. March 17 was the last day for applicants to submit Form 470 in time to have it posted for the required 28 days prior to submitting the Form 471 by April 15. All Forms 470 & 471 received by April 15 will be treated as if they arrived on the same day, while forms arriving after that date will be treated on a first-come first-served basis. For more information, please see: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/

A BETTER DEAL FOR STUDENTS A bill to reauthorize the Higher Education Act (HEA) was voted out of the Committee on Education & the Workforce this week. It includes the President's High Hopes for College Initiative, which passed the Committee with bipartisan support. Earlier this week, Secretary Riley sent to House Members a letter outlining the Administration's priorities for the reauthorization, which include... Making college more affordable while protecting taxpayers by reducing the interest rate on student loans & making guarantee agencies more accountable. Helping more low-income Americans prepare for & go to college by enacting the High Hopes for College initiative & recruiting more high quality teachers. Simplifying the student aid process for students, families & schools by changing the treatment of assets in the financial aid formula, adopting a performance based approach to institutions, providing student aid applications earlier, & redesigning applications so they're easier to fill out. The Senate is expected to mark up its version of the bill in the coming weeks. The Secretary's letter is at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/PPI/Reauthor/

MAKING ALL SCHOOLS STRONG, SAFE, DRUG-FREE & DISCIPLINED Violence & Discipline Problems in U.S. Public Schools: 1996- 97, released on March 19 by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), reveals that... 43% of U.S. elementary & secondary school principals reported no incidents of crime in their schools. 47% reported incidents such as theft/larceny, vandalism, physical attacks and/or fights without a weapon. 10% reported 1 or more serious violent crimes, such as rape or sexual battery, suicide, robbery, physical attacks or fights with a weapon. "This report presents the first hard look at recent statistics telling us how much violence occurs in our nation's schools," Secretary Riley said. It is the first of 5 reports on school safety & violence prevention efforts to be released within the next year. The full report & the President's remarks at a school safety event that day are at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/violence/index.html

YEAR 2000: CHALLENGE FOR THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY On January 1, 2000, will your school district be able to receive transfers of funds from your state department of education, the U.S. Department of Education, and other sources? If your computers & software use a 2-digit year instead of a 4-digit year, your schools may be unable to register students, order supplies, process payrolls & perform other routine functions. For information on what the Department is doing to be ready for the Year 2000, please see: http://www.ed.gov/y2k. If you have a question about Year 2000, please email... y2k@ed.gov (for issues related to elementary & secondary education & all other non-postsecondary education programs). ope.y2k@ed.gov (for issues involving postsecondary education programs).

"PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO AFRICA" WEBSITE A special White House website will make extensive coverage of the President's trip to Africa immediately available, beginning March 23. The site will offer daily updates, photos, the President's remarks, press briefings & background materials on countries visited, issues addressed, & government partnership programs with African nations. A special feature, "Follow the President," will assist teachers & parents in helping children understand geographical, social & cultural aspects of the trip. Developed in partnership with the Peace Corps's "World Wise Schools" program, Follow the President will include maps, interactive learning games & learning activities for students in Grades 3-5, 6-9 and 10-12.

STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN LUNAR PROSPECTOR MISSION Middle & high school students are assuming the role of mission teams, researching live data from the moon & collaborating with NASA scientists as part of MoonLink, the Internet-based education program of the Lunar Prospector Mission launched January 6, 1998. The mission is mapping the moon & examining its composition, magnetic & gravity fields, & other features in order to understand its origin, evolution & current state. The program culminates with students reporting their findings to -- & getting feedback from -- Prospector scientists. Schools can still participate in the program. For information, please see: http://www.moonlink.com/

SCIENCE: INCLUDING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES & INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY From April 3 to May 5, a web-based workshop, "Science for All: Including Students with Disabilities & Integrating Technology," is being offered to help K-8 teachers, science specialists & special education teachers learn ways to... integrate technology into science instruction. strengthen inquiry-based science units & activities, plus effective adaptations & modifications for including students with disabilities. For registration & other information on the workshop, sponsored by the National Center to Improve Practice (NCIP) & the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative, see: http://www2.edc.org/fsc/

SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE ACTION On March 18, the Senate Budget Committee adopted a new budget resolution that would guide 1999 appropriations & authorizations. It appears that the Committee's Budget Resolution generally agrees with the President's commitment to use any budget surplus to "save Social Security first" & to make sure that any tax cuts are paid for with reductions in spending. However, the resolution would provide no funding for any of the President's new education initiatives, such as reducing class size, hiring additional teachers, expanding & strengthening after-school programs, or supporting school renovation & construction. Also, the resolution assumes cuts in current programs in order to fund other Committee priorities. The resolution is scheduled for consideration by the full Senate next week.

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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