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

Table of Contents Safe Schools, Healthy Schools New American High Schools Sought May Town Meeting: Math & Science Evaluation of K-12 Legislation Enacted in 1994 Community Technology Centers... How Technology Can Expand Learning... New Website for National Assessment (NAEP) After-School Grants Announced Children's Health Insurance Program School-to-Work Discussion Board Currency-Focused Lesson Plan Contest "Kosovo: Humanitarian Crisis" Website Credits

SAFE SCHOOLS, HEALTHY SCHOOLS Last week, Secretary Riley set forth a comprehensive vision of what we must do to help keep our schools safe. Speaking at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, on April 30, he called for restricting handguns sales to people over 21 & tightening loopholes in laws affecting gun shows & automatic weapons such as the TEC DC9. He called on gun owners to protect their families by keeping guns locked up. He asked entertainment & Internet leaders, "Do we really need these violent video games to excite our children in order to gain a profit? Do you really need that extra violent scene in a movie to make a point?" He reminded parents to "slow down your lives & tune in to your children," noting that this can be difficult, particularly during the teenage years, when our young experience "the powerful pull of independence" & are "defining who they are." He continued: "Many parents who work very hard to stay connected to their teenager still find it an uphill battle. But please do not give up. Remember that you are the adults. Don't be afraid to give the child direction & to set reasonable limits. Listen hard to those quiet asides that teenagers often use to tell you what is really going on in their lives." He asked students to "say something when trouble is brewing. In just about every violent school tragedy in this last year, we are told after the fact that kids thought that something was about to happen. Please understand, talking to an adult about your concerns may save lives." He said that "America's public schools are doing many things to help young people stay connected," observing that a growing number of school districts offer peer counseling, character education, community service, & help for students struggling with parents' divorce & other challenges. But, he said, "we must help our schools even more: "We need to help teachers & educators create an environment where every young person feels valued -- where no young person feels left out or isolated.... Again & again, I hear the educators tell me that they simply need more counselors & other adults connecting with their students. And we must do a much better job of connecting mental health services to our schools.... In this time of great plenty, surely all of us together...can find a way to make sure that every student feels he or she is connected to some caring adult in our schools. "And certainly students need to get beyond... stereotypes & respect each other. An integral part of American education has to be a strong focus on building the character & integrity of our young people -- on helping them to learn right from wrong, to appreciate the differences of other students, & to reject doctrines of hate. "America's teachers are not given adequate preparation for the modern American classroom. For first-time teachers, it can be a real struggle. Even the best of teachers acknowledge the challenge. "What else can we do? I ask communities all across the country to hold their own local summits before the next school year, as has been suggested by Tipper Gore." These summits, the Secretary said, "can make sure that there is help available for parents who are worried that their children may be prone to violence, such as anonymous hotlines. They can make sure that community groups work with schools to make sure every child is connected to some adult. They can make sure that all schools have strong, proven prevention programs in place." The full text of the Secretary's remarks, as well as resources & Department efforts to help keep schools & communities safe, can be found at: http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/04-1999/990430.html

NEW AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOLS SOUGHT "The American high school experience," Secretary Riley said in his State of American Education speech this year, "simply has to become more rigorous." That's why the National Association of Secondary School Principals & the Department are co-sponsoring the 1999 New American High Schools Site Identification Competition. The goal of this year's competition is to identify 80-100 "national showcase" high schools -- schools that have undertaken extensive reform efforts to make sure all students meet challenging academic standards & are prepared for college & careers. These New American High Schools are places where innovative instruction, professional development, community service, integrated work-based experience, & community-based partnerships are transforming the high school experience & increasing student achievement. To date, the Department has identified 17 New American High Schools. Any school in the country engaged in comprehensive school reform & able to demonstrate significant achievement across a variety of student outcome measures is encouraged to apply.

MAY TOWN MEETING: MASTERING MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE How can teachers use the study of space & space travel to teach children challenging mathematical & science concepts? That's the focus of the Satellite Town Meeting on Tuesday, May 18, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET. Secretary Riley & guests will discuss ways that educators, scientists, & community leaders can encourage schools to teach challenging mathematics & science using hands-on, project-based, & theme-based approaches. For details & to register, please see: http://www.ed.gov/inits/stm/stm61.html

EVALUATION OF K-12 LEGISLATION ENACTED IN 1994 States & school districts are carrying out reforms supported by federal resources, but the pace must be stepped up & accountability must be strengthened if the achievement gap for at-risk students is to be closed, according to a report released last month. "Federal Legislation Enacted in 1994: An Evaluation of Implementation & Impact" looks at various K-12 programs that reflect the Department's priorities, including programs authorized under the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the Goals 2000: Educate America Act, & the School-to-Work Opportunities Act. The findings in this report, Secretary Riley said, "show us what is working & what still needs to be done." He noted that the report "is helpful as we develop our proposal to reauthorize ESEA this year. Our proposal will move standards into the classroom, strengthen accountability measures, invest in quality teachers, & target resources to students who need them the most -- in order to end the tyranny of low expectations & raise achievement levels for all of our children." The executive summary of the report is available at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/PES/1994legislation.html

COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY CENTERS APPLICATION & WEBSITE Last month, the Department invited applications for the new Community Technology Centers Program (CTC) & requested experts to serve as field readers for the program. Local education agencies, institutions of higher education & community-based organizations are eligible. Also last month, CTC launched a website that offers an overview, answers to frequently asked questions, information on how to apply, workshops for potential applicants (May 7-12), & more. The website & application package (PDF) are at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/AdultEd/CTC/ http://www.ed.gov/GrantApps/#84.341

HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN EXPAND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES "Talk Story: Tech Story CD-ROM" looks at ways technology can expand learning opportunities for underserved populations, with a special focus on children of color, language minority children, & children from low-income families. Featured programs include Star Schools, Regional Technology in Education Consortia, Technology Innovation Challenge Grant, Blue Ribbon Schools, & PBS Mathline. To order a free copy of this CD, or a paper publication & videotape, please complete the online order form: http://psrtec.clmer.csulb.edu/T-story/index.htm

NEW WEBSITE FOR NATIONAL ASSESSMENT (NAEP) Last month, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) issued a new website for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the nation's only ongoing national & state-level assessment of student achievement. Each subject area assessed by NAEP now has its own section, where visitors will find assessment frameworks, guidelines, reports, & data products, as well as current & upcoming assessment activities. The NAEP "Sample Questions Tool" shows the relationship between individual sample test questions, student responses, scoring guides, & performance data. New "audience areas" are designed to help various NAEP data users locate quickly the exact data they want. Special areas for state & local administrators & teachers, for instance, offer customized information, such as suggestions for using sample items in classroom assessments. Additional audience areas are being planned. http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard

AFTER-SCHOOL GRANTS ANNOUNCED Last week, Vice President Gore announced $93 million in new grants to 176 communities nationwide to help create high quality after-school programs. The grants, under the 21st Century Community Learning Center program, will enable schools to stay open longer to provide a safe haven for children, intensive tutoring in basic skills, academic enrichment, drug & violence prevention counseling, & opportunities to participate in other supervised activities, such as band & the arts, technology education programs, & services for children & youth with disabilities. In his fiscal year 2000 budget, President Clinton is requesting $600 million from Congress to help meet the demand & expand the program to serve about 1.5 million children per year. In response to this year's competition, the Department received more than 2,000 applications, requesting nearly $900 million. With the support of the C.S. Mott Foundation, the Department held regional workshops for more than 7,000 potential participants. For more information, please see: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/21stcclc/

CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM Nearly 11 million children in the U.S. are uninsured, even though more than half of these children are eligible for free or low-cost health insurance under Medicaid or the new Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Find out why, & what you can do about it. CHIP provides significant new opportunities for working families to receive free or low-cost health insurance for their children. For more information, see: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OUS/chip/

SCHOOL-TO-WORK DISCUSSION BOARD The School-to-Work website has added a new "discussion board" that makes reading & posting messages easy. Topics being discussed now include... career majors/pathways, educators & school-to-work, employment involvement, general discussion, parents & STW, standards & STW, state news & updates, students & STW, work-based learning.

CURRENCY-FOCUSED LESSON PLAN CONTEST With new $5 & $10 bills scheduled to be issued the spring of 2000, the Treasury Department is inviting educators to submit by May 23, 1999, "currency-focused" lesson plans that have been used successfully in the classroom & that are tied to at least one academic standard (based on standards in the state of the submitting teacher). Entries may be submitted for one of 3 grade levels (Grades 1-3, 4-5, or 6-8) & for one of these subject area categories: math & economics, history & social studies, creative writing, or art. Entries will be judged on creativity, feasibility, & content. The top 3 lesson plans from each group will be published on the Treasury website (http://www.moneyfactory.gov), so that teachers across the country & internationally may use the lessons & create others based on winning ideas. Entries should be no more than 3 typed, single-spaced pages, & should be sent to: New Designs for Your Money, "Currency in the Classroom" Contest, 1801 K Street, NW, Suite 1000L, Washington, DC 20006.

"KOSOVO: HUMANITARIAN CRISIS" WEBSITE The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the foreign assistance & humanitarian relief agency of the federal government, is working with private voluntary organizations (PVOs) to provide relief in the Kosovo region. While USAID is not accepting donations from the public, PVOs are accepting donations & are in need. While USAID cannot endorse a specific organization as a recipient for contributions, individuals who wish to contribute to humanitarian efforts in the Kosovo region are encouraged to select a recipient from the list & send funds directly to that organization.

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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