Sample Elert

NASDCTEc News

Deadlines, Deadlines, Deadlines: don’t miss out!

Submissions of Award Nominations March 1, 2002
Host Site Proposals for Fall 2003 Conference March 1, 2002
NASDCTEc 2003 Officer Nominations: Deadline Extended March 15, 2002
Spring Conference Registration (Hotel & NASDCTEc) April 2, 2002
Changes to you members contact information for the NASDCTEc directory April 2, 2002

For more information on any of the deadlines listed above, please contact Angela King (aking@nasdvtec.org).

Publications

Teachers Should Be Careful Not To Place Minority Students In Special Education

It is commonly known that a disproportionate number of minority students are placed in special education programs. A new study put out by the National Academies’ National Research Council advocates for better screening strategies and higher quality instruction in the general classroom before students are labeled as needing special education. The study calls for improved preparation of teachers so that they can better distinguish students that require special education from those that are atypical learners or have not received adequate preparation for learning with their peers. The report also advocates developing better screening methods to identify early gifted minority students because they are underrepresented in a similar manner to the way in which minority students in special education are overrepresented. For the full report, go to: http://www4.nationalacademies.org/news.nsf/isbn/0309074398?OpenDocument

Thirteen New Studies On School Reform

The Education Policy Studies Laboratory at Arizona State University has produced 13 literature reviews on a variety of topics in education reform. These studies generally break down into three categories: (1) institutions and structural reforms, such as smaller class sizes; (2) teachers issues ranging from professional development to the role of teacher unions; and (3) alternatives to the public education system, such as vouchers and having for-profit companies manage schools. To read any of these literature reviews, visit http://www.asu.edu/educ/epsl/Reports/epru/EPRU%202002-101/epru-2002-101.htm

Research On Minority Student Achievement

The Annenberg Institute recently hosted a meeting on closing the achievement gap in secondary schools. At the meeting, Annenberg staff shared a list (http://www.annenberginstitute.org/convening/gap_resources.html) of research resources that educators can use when determining how best to close the achievement gap in their schools.

Teacher Education Improves Education In The Classroom

According to a new study (http://www.aera.net/communications/news/020128.htm) put out by the American Educational Research Association, there are six aspects of professional development that assist teachers in learning more skills that they can use in the classroom. They are:

The Case For Performance Based Testing

An recent article (http://glef.org/assessoverview.html) put out by the George Lucas Educational Foundation makes the case for moving towards more performance based testing in schools. Performance assessments can be linked to standards so that teachers can ensure that students are learning what they need to and at the same time students are more engaged and are better prepared for the types of assessments they will receive in their professional lives.

Career Clusters Piece From The National Dissemination Center

This new paper (http://www.nccte.org/publications/infosynthesis/highlightzone/highlight06/index.asp#bottom) attempts to answer a range of questions about career clusters, such as: What are career clusters? What do career clusters mean to you? How are career clusters organized? What information can a cluster framework provide? What is the bottom line? In answering the bottom line question, the author states that “Career clusters don’t replace viable occupationally specific CTE programs. Rather, they are a tool to broaden the scope of CTE beyond the traditional areas….”

Second National WIB Survey Report

The National Leadership Institute for Workforce Excellence has completed its second nationwide survey ( of Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs). The WIB report attempted to survey WIBs across the nation to determine how well they are operating and identify areas where they might be having difficulties. Comparing the results from the previous survey, it is clear that WIBs are making progress. 94% of those surveyed say that the Board has a clear vision versus only 63% saying that last year. For the full report, go to http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/wdc/pubs/FinalWIBSurvey.pdf

No Child Left Behind Act Information On The Web

The Department of Education added a new link to their web site (www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/esea/index.html) to provide information about No Child Left Behind. The site outlines the provisions of the law, gives a summary of the law, and lists the possible funding increase amounts for states.

New Study Out On Auto Careers

According to the new study (www.autoretailing.org/release3.htm) released by Automotive Retailing Today, only 2 percent of the teenagers surveyed are considering a career in the auto industry. However, after being told that top salaries in the auto field could be as much as $100,000 per year, 65 percent indicated that they might consider it.

Twenty-Five Years Of Educating Children With Disabilities

The American Youth Policy Forum and the Center on Education Policy have co-authored a new report (www.aypf.org) on education for children with disabilities. The paper outlines the successes and the challenges that remain. For example, the goal of ensuring public education for students with disabilities has largely been met; however, ensuring that they receive a quality education still needs to be realized.

State Accountability Measures

The January edition of the Education Commission of the States State Notes provides an overview of the accountability measures being used by different states, including a state-by-state chart that shows what states are using what measures. To download a copy, visit http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/32/12/3212.doc

GAO Report On WIA

The General Accounting Office (GAO) recently released their report “The Workforce Investment Act: Improvements Needed in Performance Measures to Provide a More Accurate Picture of WIA’s Effectiveness.” The report discusses the challenges and limitations of relying on data to tell the complete story of WIA’s effectiveness. For example, the report points out that it is not possible to compare WIA implementation across states due to differences in data collection. For a copy of the report, visit http://www.gao.gov/ and access the GAO reports page and then enter GAO-02-275 in the Find GAO reports search box.

Questions On The Charter School Debate

The Education Commission of the States has released a new publication (http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/31/88/3188.htm) on charter schools that serves as a ‘clearinghouse’ for previous studies on various aspects of the charter school debate.

Patterns In Adult Education

The National Center for Education Statistics has a new report (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002119) out, entitled “Participation Trends and Patterns in Adult Education: 1991-1999.” The report uses survey data on adult education from the National Household Education Survey to look at participation rates. Adult education rose overall for the time period studied with 46 percent of adults participating in 1999.

New Paper Analyzing No Child Left Behind

Earlier this month, the Fordham Foundation hosted a conference on the newly passed No Child Left Behind Act. For the conference, several researchers wrote papers analyzing the law and its accountability requirements. The papers, still in draft form, are available at: http://www.edexcellence.net/NCLBconference/NCLBconferenceindex.html#Papers.

State Challenges To Implement No Child Left Behind

The Education Commission of the States, in conjunction with several associations, has put together a comprehensive report (http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/32/37/3237.doc) about No Child Left Behind and what it will take for states to be ready to comply with the law. The report notes that only 15 states currently have testing programs that meet the law’s requirements.

Facts, Figures and Other Good Stuff

The American Diploma Project Attempts To Tie Curriculum To The Workplace And College Admission

The American Diploma Project, a collaboration among Achieve, Inc, Education Trust, the Fordham Foundation, and the National Alliance of Business, is attempting to develop benchmarks in math and English based on college requirements and workplace skills. For the two- year project, five states were selected (Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Texas). In the first year, research will be conducted to see what skills high school graduates need to succeed in college and work through consultation with postsecondary providers and the National Alliance of Business. States will then work to align their standards more closely with the new benchmarks. In the second year, the project will work to develop national benchmarks that all states can use. For more information, go to: http://www.achieve.org/achieve.nsf/DiplomaProject?OpenForm

Many Americans Want To See More Spending On Education

The Committee for Education Funding commissioned a poll (http://www.cef.org/press/researchrelease12feb.doc) earlier this month to try to gauge how Americans feel about government spending as we head back into a deficit. 67% of the respondents indicated that they would support increases in education funding even if it would mean a larger deficit. Spending for the war on terrorism was the only item to garner more support with 78% of respondents supporting increases there even in the face of a deficit.

Voc Ed Teachers Most Likely To Use Distance Learning

According to a new National Center for Education Statistics study concerning distance learning, postsecondary vocational education classes are the most likely subject matter to be taught using distance learning with 9.1 percent of voc ed practitioners using distance learning. Business faculty came in at a close second with 8.7 percent. Life sciences, at 3.2 percent, had the lowest percentage of educators using distance learning. The data for the report came from the 1999 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty. To read the entire report, visit http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002155

New Education Law May Mean Unsolicited Mail For Parents

A small portion of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 signed by President Bush earlier this month could have the unintended consequences of extraordinary amounts of mail to students and their families. According to the Act, any military recruiter or higher education provider can get the telephone numbers and addresses of any high school student at a school receiving federal aid.

Helping To Demystify Standards For Parents

The Family Involvement Network of Educators has two new programs (‘Standards in Practice’ and ‘Parents as Standards Bearers’) to help teachers and parents better understand standards based education. ‘Standards in Practice’ is geared towards teachers and tries to help them understand how to analyze their classroom assignments and see if they meet the needs of the new standards. ‘Parents as Standards Bearers’ helps parents understand standards better, which in turn will make them better advocates for helping to improve schools. For more information, go to http://gseweb.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/Forum/forum3/spotlight.html

Increasing Female Role Models In Computer Networking

The National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology, and Science received a grant from the Cisco Learning Institute’s Gender Initiative to help to increase the number of female role models in Cisco Networking Academy Programs in the U.S. For more information, visit, http://www.gender.ciscolearning.org/

Beltway News

Welfare Reform Reauthorization In Full Swing

The Bush Administration and Congress have reopened the debate on welfare reform with the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Act. Representative Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) has introduced the Next Step in Reforming Welfare Act (H.R. 3625), the House Democrats proposal for the continuation of welfare reform. Representative Cardin, while introducing his bill, stated “(t)his legislation is the next step in welfare reform. Since 1996, when we ended a welfare system that did little to encourage personal responsibility, we’ve made tremendous strides in moving people from welfare. We now need to turn our attention to reducing poverty levels and promoting advancement in the workforce…(H.R. 3625 would) continue the expectation that welfare recipients move toward employment, but it would do more to help them escape poverty and move up the ladder, a true measure of the success of welfare reform.”

Representative Cardin’s bill focuses on eight steps to ensure welfare recipients move off of welfare roles and out of poverty through hard work and employment. These steps are:

In addition to these eight steps, H.R. 3625 also has several changes that directly effect career technical education, including increasing the time welfare recipients can receive vocational education, counted as a work activity, from 12 months to 24 months. This has been a change that the career technical education community has been advocating for quite some time.

Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) has also introduced legislation to make changes to TANF’s cap on education and training. Representative Woolsey has introduced the Education Counts Act of 2002 (H.R. 3730), which extends the amount of for time education or training to 48 months, and expands the definition to include postsecondary education. Both bills can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov. The Senate has yet to introduce TANF legislation, but it is expected that the Democratic proposals in the Senate will be very similar to Representative Cardin’s, with an emphasis on poverty reduction and expansion of education.

President Bush has also released an outline of his welfare reform initiative, which he believes “builds on the success of the historic 1996 welfare reform law.” The President’s proposal has four broad themes:

Additional information regarding the Administration’s welfare reform/TANF proposal can be found at www.whitehouse.gov or www.hhs.gov.

Funding Data For ESEA Available

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has released two reports examining funding under ESEA and its impact on Local Education Agencies (LEAs). The first report breaks down how much each LEA received in Title I funds for FY01, projections for FY02, and the poverty level for each LEA. The chart, in a PDF file, can be found at http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/107th/education/nclb/district.pdf.

The second report projects the impact of transferability in ESEA, which allows up to 50% of funds in four programs (Innovative Strategies, Education Technology, Teacher Quality, and Safe and Drug-Free Schools) to be used in any of these four programs or in Title I. The chart, using projected funds to LEAs for FY02, shows the lump sum each LEA would have if 50% of the funds for these four programs were taken to be transferred elsewhere. The chart, also in a PDF file, can be downloaded at http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/107th/education/nclb/transferability.pdf.

Secretary Paige Unveils Dept Of Ed Strategic Plan

Last month, the Department of Education unveiled its draft strategic plan (http://www.ed.gov/pubs/stratplan2002-07/index.html). According to the Secretary, the plan takes into account the principles of the No Child left Behind Act and the Department’s mission of “To ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation.” The plan outlines six major goals, with objectives to be met under each of these goals. They are: (1) create a culture of achievement; (2) improve student achievement; (3) develop safe schools and strong Character; (4) transform education into an evidence-based field; (5) enhance the quality of and access to postsecondary and adult education and (6) establish management excellence.

Career technical education is not mentioned explicitly in these goals, but is mentioned throughout the document. In general, the strategic plan states that the principles of No Child Left Behind (specifically the “Four Pillars” of (1) closing the achievement gap; (2) focusing on what works; (3) reducing bureaucracy, increasing flexibility; and (4) increasing options for students) are to be incorporated into the upcoming reauthorization of career technical education legislation, as well as the reauthorizations of higher education and special education. The Strategic Plan proposes to expand choices for students and parents in career technical education. The final mention of career technical education is the Department’s goal to ensure that scientifically based research is included in reauthorization.

Supreme Court Looks At Vouchers

On February 20th, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a case that might well determine the future of vouchers. The case centers on the voucher program in Cleveland that was struck down last year by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. Ohio officials have appealed the case to the Supreme Court hoping that they will allow the voucher program to be reinstated. A victory at the Supreme Court could mean a revival of vouchers in other areas. To try to inform the public on the key issues in the voucher debate, Rethinking Schools Online has provided a variety of resources on its website. To read more about the voucher debate, visit http://www.rethinkingschools.org/SpecPub/voucher.htm

Federal Student Aid Programs Have Too Many Regulations

The House Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness is trying to streamline the Federal student aid procedures, so they decided to ask what burdensome regulations could be made less cumbersome. They received over 3,000 responses that they have distilled into a one-page chart noting approximately 60 different issues. For more information and a look at the chart, visit http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/107th/education/fedup/index.htm

Funding Alerts

Need Tips On How To Obtain Funding?

The Public Education Network (PEN) has a new publication (http://www.publiceducation.org/cgibin/downloadmanager/publications/p98.asp) about how to be successful at winning grants. According to the publication, grantmakers are eager for the opportunity to fund new and creative ideas, and teachers can do several things to give their proposals an edge. Among the strategies for success are: match your idea with the funder’s priorities; clearly explain the need and provide a solution; show benefits and focus on results.

Excellence In Teacher Cabinet Grant Program

Curriculum Associates is accepting applications from educators seeking funding for a creative teaching project for the upcoming school year. Grants will be awarded to three teachers who have developed projects that make classrooms creative and improve learning through the use of a variety of teaching tools. Grants are for $1000 with a $500 gift certificate for Curriculum Associates products. Proposals must be received by March 15, 2002. http://www.curriculumassociates.com/cabinet/default.asp

Funding For Postsecondary Improvement Programs

The US Department of Education is seeking applications to improve postsecondary education opportunities through the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE). Particular consideration will be given to programs that improve the quality of K-12 teaching through new models of teacher preparation, promote innovative curriculum reforms, provide cost-effective ways of providing postsecondary instruction, and promote equal access to postsecondary education for underrepresented student groups. The fund has $9.9 million available for up to 65 awards ranging from $50,000 to $275,000 each. Pre-applications are due March 12 and final applications are due May 24. For more information, visit http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/FIPSE/

USA Today Is Looking For Outstanding Teachers

USA Today is conducting its fifth annual “All-USA Teacher Team” which recognizes the outstanding teaching efforts of 20 educators nationwide. In order to be nominated, an individual must be a certified teacher working full-time in K-12 with at least four years of experience. Nominations must be received by June 29, 2002. For more information, visit http://www.usatoday.com/life/academic/teachteam2002.htm

Excellence In Education Prize

The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation is soliciting nominations for its distinguished education scholarship. The $25,000 prize will go to a scholar who has made major contributions to education reform through research and analysis. The nomination deadline is May 31, 2002. For more information, visit http://www.edexcellence.net/fordhamprizes/fordhamprizes.html

OTHER NEWS

Jailing Parents For Educational Neglect

In Florida, educators have teamed up with prosecutors to take parents of truant elementary students to jail. In the case of excessive absences, parents have a hearing before a judge where they are usually given probation. If parents break the probation, then they might be sentenced to 30 to 60 days in jail. Educators are hoping that this will send a strong message to parents and children about the importance of going to school. http://www.sptimes.com/2002/01/28/news_pf/TampaBay/Last_resort_against_t.shtml

Hospitality Business Alliance Summer Institutes

The Hospitality Business Alliance is offering 12 different summer institutes for high school teachers. The institutes, which range from basic to mastery level courses, provide teachers with an opportunity to enhance their current knowledge and develop professionally. For more information on the institutes, please visit http://learnovation.com/hba/summerinstitutes.htm

New Online Automotive Training Program

The Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair now offers online training in safety and pollution prevention to all of the automotive vocational technical schools in the U.S. The training will help to ensure that teachers and students have adequate training to prevent injury and to protect the environment. For more information, visit www.ccar-traininglink.org

News From State Capitals: Region 1

We are pleased to introduce a new section of the E-lert this month with relevant news from the state capitals. This section is designed to provide an overview of some of the major legislative and policy developments in the states. We focus on one of the NASDCTEc regions each month beginning with region I (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). We hope that this may help you use some of this information to advocate for (or against) similar actions that may be going on in your state legislatures.

Connecticut: New Task Force To Look At CTE

Last month the governor of Connecticut created a taskforce to ensure that the vocational-technical schools in the state are meeting the needs of the high tech sector. The task force has the task of developing both long and short-term goals to ensure that the curriculum represents the skills needed for today’s workforce.

Connecticut: Legislation To Reduce CTE Requirements

Legislation introduced in the Connecticut General Assembly would cut the vocational education requirements for high school students. The current law requires that no high school student shall graduate without at least one credit in the arts or in vocational education. The proposed legislation cuts out vocational education and replaces it with a requirement for at least one credit in the arts or one half credit in the arts and one half credit in arts-related multimedia communications technology.

Massachusetts: Tougher Standards For CTE Teachers

In Massachusetts, the State Education Commissioner is spearheading an effort to implement tougher standards for CTE teachers. Currently, CTE teachers are tested in the subject that they teach, but the state commissioner wants to start making sure that CTE teachers pass a basic English skills test on top of their subject matter certification. The rationale, according to the state commissioner, is that students have to pass English and math assessments to graduate from high school and in order to help them do that all of their teachers, vocational and academic, should have basic English skills. The proposal has met with strong resistance from state and local CTE educators.

Massachusetts: Legislation To Merge Vocational Schools

The state department of education is working with the Massachusetts legislature to draft legislation that would merge several vocational schools in the state and create a comprehensive vocational high school. Currently, the region’s vocational schools are outgrowing their facilities and the new comprehensive school would streamline service offerings and combine the curriculum of the three schools. The state department of education is an enthusiastic supporter of the plan because officials believe that it will allow Massachusetts to have more state of the art vocational education offerings available to their students.

Massachusetts: Dual Enrollment Programs Cut

Massachusetts had a fully-funded dual enrollment program for high school students taking classes at community colleges. The program enabled many students to earn their high school diploma and up to two years of college credit at the same time. Because of the budget deficit in Massachusetts, legislators were forced to cut the funding for the program leaving many students caught between high school and college with little notice.

Rhode Island: Legislation To Increase Voc Ed Funding

Rhode Island has ten vocational schools, but at present only two of them are fully funded by the state. Lawmakers are hoping to change that situation by introducing legislation that would fully fund all ten schools from the state coffers. The proposal, however, faces an uphill battle due to the recent economic downturn. Even if legislators wanted to support it the current budget shortfall makes it almost impossible to implement.

Maine: Proposed Commission To Study Possible Voc Ed Programs

Legislation proposed in the Maine legislature would create a commission to study the feasibility of establishing a 4-year CTE program in the state. The Commission would consist of three members each from the Maine House and Senate.

Vermont: Encouraging Dual Enrollment

The Vermont General Assembly has introduced legislation that would encourage dual enrollment. The legislation, if passed, would mandate that students at secondary schools in Vermont could take classes at postsecondary institutions if the class is not available to them at the secondary level. The secondary and the postsecondary institution would accept the class for credit and secondary students taking postsecondary classes would be exempt from paying postsecondary tuition. The legislation would appropriate approximately $300,000 to pay for the new program.