Legislative Update
November 10, 2009 This update is a report on what is in process, with many of the elements to be finalized over the coming weeks. This includes the funding for the 2010-2011 school year, possible action on several proposals impacting literacy, finalizing regulations by the US Department of Education impacting use of stimulus funds, and discussions on the core standards.
Also, in the “next steps” section of this update see several items pertaining to IRA and sharing of information. We will be hosting a webinar on November 17th providing IRA state and local councils with information on the opportunities presented as a part of the Innovation Fund section of the stimulus. On February 4th and 5th is the next IRA Legislative Mini-Workshop. Plus, sign up for specialized distribution lists on Early Childhood and Literacy Policy, K-4 and Literacy Policy, Adolescent Literacy Policy, Adult Basic and Literacy Policy, and Teacher Education and Literacy Policy. Details:
November 2, 2009
Comprehensive Literacy Bill update
The IRA has been working with several groups for years on an adolescent literacy bill. Last year, with the collapse of Reading First, it became clear that no stand alone adolescent literacy bill would pass. So a K-4 literacy section was added. Then, with the election of President Obama, we were asked to include an age 0 - 5 literacy section. Now the proposal is Age 0 to grade 12. It has three basic sections - age 0-5, K - 4, and 5 -12.
The House and Senate education committees have been working at introducing this measure with different levels of intensity. That has changed, in the past two weeks both chambers have become fully engaged. Drafts have been discussed, criticism raised, counter offers made, and finally the phrase, "well we can fix it later" has become the operational comment.
As of right now, it is looking like sometime in the next two weeks - or even this week, the bills might be introduced. But then again...it hasn't happened yet.
Rich Long
Legislative update:
Sept. 30, 2009
Legislative Update, August 18
This update covers: Appropriations and School Improvement; Vouchers; Race to the Top and Stimulus Funds; Common Core Standards; Comprehensive Literacy Bill; Proposed Changes to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Contained in the Adult Education and Economic Growth Act Of 2009; and The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 to Help Fund Early Learning; Legislative Workshops for 2009-2010
Vouchers:
Washington, DC schools
Members (including IRA) of the National Coalition for Public Education (NCPE) sent a letter on July 15, 2009 to Congress requesting that Members oppose the expansion of the Washington DC Voucher Program in HR 3170, the Financial Services and General Government Act of 2010
The current version of HR 3170 limits vouchers to those students who received scholarships in the 2009-2010 school year. The bill requires schools to obtain certificates of occupancy and hire teachers with bachelor’s degrees. NCPE members oppose continuation of the expired voucher program and oppose providing vouchers for any new students.
NCPE urges Congress to reject any motion to recommit that would extend the program, whether the extension includes opening the program to new students, siblings of current voucher students, increasing funding, or any other extension.
Department of Education studies concluded that the voucher program has had no effect on the academic achievement of students from “schools in need of improvement." These studies further found that students in the voucher program were less likely to have access to key services (ESL, etc.) than students who were not part of the program.
NCPE believes that instead of sending federal money to private schools, money should instead be invested in the public schools. Read full letter here: http://sites.google.com/site/iralatupdate/vouchers
SUCCESS IN THE MIDDLE ACT
(H.R. 3006/S. 1362)
Problem: Many middle grades (5-8) students do not receive the appropriate instruction and other supports to be successful in the rigorous high school coursework that will prepare them for college and the workforce.
“The middle grades will play a pivotal role in enabling the nation to reach President Obama’s goal of graduating all students from high school prepared for college or advanced career training. In high poverty neighborhoods, in particular, our research and school improvement work indicate that students’ middle grades experiences have tremendous impact on the extent to which they will close achievement gaps, graduate from high school, and be prepared for college.” Putting Middle Grade Students on the Graduation Path (Balfanz, 2009)
Common Standards
frequently asked questions:
Forty-nine states/territories join common core state standards initiative
NGA Center, CCSSO Convene State-led Process to Develop Common
English-language arts and Mathematics Standards
http://sites.google.com/site/iralatupdate/nga-common-standards-press-release-june-1-2009
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May 29th IRA Legislative Update
with information on the stimulus, budget, national standards, and upcoming legislative action go to:
http://sites.google.com/site/iralatupdate/Home/current-legislative-update
Comprehensive Literacy Bill -- Draft
Click on "subpage" below to see legislative proposals from the last Congress that are being discussed as a core recommendation in a literacy agenda for the new Congress. After you read the bills please give us your comments in comment section on that page. Thanks.
Economic Stimulus Primer
Emergency Education Money Flows to States
How the money will flow
What you can do with the money
How other states are using the money
IRA resources May 2009
Awarding of First Half of the Title I ARRA grant ($5 Billion)
announced April 1st, 2009
(Funds in the first round will be released within two weeks of an application's approval. A second round of stabilization funds will be released later in the year. A third round of funding, the Race to the Top competitive grant program will reward states that have made the most progress on reforms.) http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.html
How IRA Members Can Use
Economic Stimulus Money To Improve Schools And Councils
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Notable Dates:
Oct. 13, 2009- 8 pm EST- webinar on local use of stimulus
(register: irawash@reading.org)
Oct 21, 2009 - Public comment deadline core standards (www.corestandards.org)
2009- 2010 Government Relations Workshops
October 8 – 9, 2009
February 4 – 5, 2010
June 20 – 21, 2010
for registration details see: Government Relations Workshops
News:
November 6, 2009
LEARN Act
NCEE releases first WWC Intervention Report in the Adolescent Literacy Topic Area
The What Works Clearinghouse's first intervention report under one of
its new topic areas, adolescent literacy, found potentially positive
effects for a reading program designed for students in elementary
through high school whose reading achievement is below proficiency.
The Clearinghouse's review on the effectiveness of "Read 180" found
this reading program to have potentially positive effects on
comprehension and general literacy achievement. To view the intervention report, please visit:
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/adolescent_literacy/read180/
October 30, 2009
National Academy of Education Releases White Paper
on Teacher Quality
October 2009
Charter Schools
The Manhattan Institute is a conservative think tank and given the US Department of Education's emphasis on charter schools this report may be of interest.
Rich
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Everyone Wins: How Charter Schools Benefit All New York City Public School Students, By Marcus A. Winters
The Manhattan Institute's Center for Civic Innovation released a report by Marcus A. Winters about charter schools' impact on the academic achievement of public school students. "Everyone Wins: How Charter Schools Benefit All New York City Public School Students" is the first report to focus on the effect that charter competition has had on the math and reading proficiency of students who remain in a New York City public school. The findings show that even those students who remain in New York City's public schools benefit from charter schools' expansion.
IN THE PRESS; An Interview with Marcus Winters: The Current Status of Charter Schools, EdNews.org, 10-29-09 Data proves charter schools work, Washington Examiner, 10-28-09 How Charters Help Kids 'Left Behind', New York Post, 10-28-09 Good for Some, Good for All: Anti-Charter School Diehards are Stripped of their Last Argument, New York Daily News, 10-28-09 Charters' + Effect, New York Post, 10-28-2009. Study: Charter Schools Don't Hurt Other School Scores, WNYC News, 10-28-09
October 30, 2009
from Equity Express-
Math, Reading Gaps Among States Make the Case for Common Standards
This week's analysis from the National Center for Education Statistics flags wide disparities in state standards for reading and mathematics. "We're lying to our children when we tell them they're proficient, but they're not achieving at a level that will prepare them for success once they graduate," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement.
The report, "Mapping State Proficiency Standards onto NAEP Scales: 2005-2007," reveals huge differences in what states deem adequate in reading and math, as shown in this graph.
Too many states take the challenge out of reading. In fact, the NCES report notes that 31 states have fourth-grade reading proficiency standards lower than NAEP's Basic level.
Oct 22, 2009
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Says Colleges of Education Must Improve for Reforms to Succeed
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today called for America’s colleges of education to dramatically change how they prepare the next generation of teachers so that they are ready to prepare their future students for success in college and careers.
Noting that America’s schools will need to hire up to 200,000 first-time teachers annually for the next five years, Duncan said that those new teachers need the knowledge and skill to prepare students for success in the global economy.
“By almost any standard, many if not most of the nation’s 1,450 schools, colleges, and departments of education are doing a mediocre job of preparing teachers for the realities of the 21st century classroom,” Duncan said in a major speech at Teachers College, Columbia University. “America’s university-based teacher preparation programs need revolutionary change--not evolutionary tinkering.”
http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/10/10222009a.html
Oct 6, 2009
Head Start's New Director
After two years without one, the Office of Head Start will soon have an appointed director: Yvette Sanchez Fuentes, executive director of the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, says she will take the post on October 13th. She was appointed by Carmen Nazario, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families at HHS.
http://www.nhsa.org/news_release_1022009
August 6, 2009
Department of Education Budget Tables
http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/tables.html?src=rt
Tables illustrate key aspects of the Department of Education Budget: FY 2010 Congressional Action (last updated 08/04/2009), in PDF [84KB] and MS Excel [370KB]. This detailed table shows the amounts provided for the programs and activities of the Department of Education at each major step in the FY 2010 legislative process. It also shows funding provided in FY 2009 appropriations and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the amounts requested in the President's FY 2010 Budget.
July 22, 2009
HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES THE EARLY LEARNING CHALLENGE FUND
The Committee on Education & Labor in the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Early Learning Challenge Fund legislation. After many years of flat federal funding, the Early Learning Challenge Fund presents a significant opportunity to improve the quality of early childhood programs across all settings for children birth to kindergarten. For a summary of the legislation, go to last week's update at www.naeyc.org/policy/federal/07_17_09 Read NAEYC's press release at www.naeyc.org/newsroom/pressreleases/20090721
House floor action could occur before the Congressional August recess. The Senate Committee is likely to take up the bill when it gets back in early September.
Duncan Unveils Race to the Top funds
June 19, 2009
($350 million of the $4.35 billion fund will be used to help states develop common academic assessments.)
President Obama Addresses Muslim World Obama's June 4, 2009 speech addresses literacy and
on-line learning for teachers:
“…..the United States will partner with any Muslim-majority country to support expanded literacy for girls, and to help young women pursue employment through micro-financing that helps people live their dreams…..On education, we will expand exchange programs, and increase scholarships, like the one that brought my father to America, while encouraging more Americans to study in Muslim communities. And we will match promising Muslim students with internships in America; invest in on-line learning for teachers and children around the world; and create a new online network, so a teenager in Kansas can communicate instantly with a teenager in Cairo.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060401117.html?hpid=topnews
Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education
US Department of Education
Dr. Thelma Melendez is currently serving as the Superintendent of Schools in the Pomona Unified School District in Pomona, CA. Her work on improving teaching and learning, and accelerating student performance, also includes work with the Stupski Educational Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation. She has written numerous articles for national education publications, and is an accomplished speaker on the role of school administrators, the achievement gap, women in education, and the issues of race and class. She earned a Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, at UCLA, a Doctorate in Philosophy at the University of Southern California, participated in several graduate programs in school administration and leadership, and was a Broad Urban Superintendents Academy fellow.
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Community College Chancellor Nominated for Under Secretary of Education, 4-2-09
President Barack Obama intends to nominate Martha J. Kanter, chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District in California, for under secretary of education, the White House announced Tuesday.
Report Details Leading Adolescent Literacy Programs in Five U.S. States
Boston, Mass. — A new Issues & Answers Report published by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) describes efforts by five states—Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Rhode Island—to improve adolescent literacy. Highlighting common challenges and lessons, the report examines how each state has engaged key stakeholders, set rigorous goals and standards, aligned resources to support adolescent literacy goals, built educator capacity, and used data to measure progress.http://www.relnei.org/news.press.adolescentliteracy.php |
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PowerPoints:
IRA economic stimulus MN presentations (5-09)
stimulus PPT 5/09 MN
US ED PowerPoint (4-3-09)
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/presentation/index.html
Webcast: http://www.connectlive.com/events/deptedu/
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Reports and Resources:
State Involvement in RTI (posted 8-17-09)
- The State Database from National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI)
The State Database provides resources on a number of topics related to response to intervention (RTI). The resources, which range from policy documents and briefs to trainings and tools, were developed by states, districts, or territories, in the U.S. who are in different stages of implementing Response to Intervention. Resources were compiled by NCRTI in an effort to share examples and information across states. They were gathered from public sources (e.g., websites, SPPs, APRs) and are intended only to provide examples – not recommendations – of RTI implementation in the field. http://state.rti4success.org/index.php
In the State Chart, you can see the answer from all states on these four questions: Does the State have a State RTI framework? Does the state have RTI Components in its SPP? Does the state have an RTI related SPDG? What does the state allow for SLD?
http://state.rti4success.org/index.php?option=com_chart
- IES’s "The Status of State-level Response to Intervention Policies and Procedures in the West Region States and Five Other States."
- This report describes how nine states define and support RTI at the state level. The study addresses the following research questions: How is RTI defined in the nine study states, and how are RTI efforts supported at the state level? What considerations do state respondents report about developing state RTI policies and procedures, and how have their states addressed them?
- http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/pdf/REL_2009077.pdf
IES’s upcoming report, "The Key Features of State Response to Intervention (RtI) Initiatives in the Northeast and Islands," will provide an analysis of the RTI-related initiatives, policies, regulations, and structures for support currently in effect in all nine REL-NEI jurisdictions. The project will consist of a scan of the web sites across all nine of the REI-NEI jurisdictions using a common set of key words to collect their current policies, regulations, and guidance documents related to RTI. http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/projects/project.asp?projectID=212
Advocacy Toolkit- Adult Literacy
The National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) has launched its new online Advocacy Clearinghouse and Toolkit (www.ncladvocacy.org). Developed with an aim to change the conversation about adult education in the U.S., the Toolkit provides adult education and literacy advocates with the tools and knowledge to raise awareness and speak for the needs of 30+ million Americans with limited literacy and the 11+ million who cannot communicate in English.
Containing dozens of resources, facts, and reports provided by member organizations of the NCL, the Advocacy Clearinghouse and Toolkit is a “one-stop shop” for all advocates interested in improving adult education. This project has been generously supported by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, which invests millions of dollars each year in literacy programs that help individuals reach their full potential. http://ncladvocacy.org/toolkit.html
The National Association for the Education of Young Children -ARRA funds and professional development
Economic Stimulus Primer
Emergency Education Money Flows to States
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
ED ARRA webpage:
EducationCounsel's ARRA 4-2-09 Getting Behind the Numbers:
Learning Point ARRA webpage:
Learning Point's one-stop for developments/current information:
• A section on the four assurances that states are required to address in their applications for funds under the SFSF.
• Fund Finder tool calculates the funds a school district will receive under Title I and IDEA.
• Research and Policy Update addresses The Recovery and Reinvestment Act: Opportunities and Strategies to Advance Teacher Effectiveness.
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
School Improvement Funds Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and the Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations
ARRA will provide more than $4.5 billion to states and school districts to provide extra assistance to schools that have failed to meet achievement targets under NCLB. The issue brief, Big Money for School Improvement: Title I School Improvement Funds Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and the Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations, outlines how Title I school improvement funds are distributed to school districts and what types of activities those funds can support. See www.cep-dc.org under “What’s New.” (http://www.cep-dc.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=document_ext.showDocumentByID&nodeID=1&DocumentID=264
Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel (NELP), National Institute for Literacy, January 8, 2009.
Full report:
http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/pdf/NELPReport09.pdf
Executive summary:
http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/pdf/NELPSummary.pdf
International Reading Association RTI Commission Report http://www.reading.org/General/Publications/ReadingToday/RTY-0902-rti.aspx
The charge of the International Reading Association RTI Commission is to link the talents of IRA members with opportunities for involvement in implementation and professional development. Cochairs are Marjorie Y. Lipson, University of Vermont, and Karen K. Wixson, University of Michigan. Interested in participating in RTI-related activities? Contact IRA at irawash@reading.org or 202.624.8800 for the name of your RTI Commission state IRA council representative.
Quality Counts 2009 report card available now
Quality Counts 2009, the nationwide report card on the continual push for K-12 school improvement, includes a special focus on how English-language learners are putting schools to the test. The report is available online at Education Week during a site-wide open house through January 19.
Full report:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2009/01/08/index.html
Executive summary:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/01/08/17execsum.h28.html?print=1
Center on Education Policy commissions key issue papers
as a set of recommendations for President Obama and the new Congress. Papers issued to date are available here:
http://www.cep-dc.org/
New! Advocacy Manual updated
Advocacy how-to for literacy education, including communicating with Congress and media tips:
PowerPoint on Motivating LAT members
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