Federal Update - January 30, 2009
Brought
to you by your voice at the national level,
the Association of American
Educators.
States' Teacher Review Systems Score Poorly According to National Report
Schools' Share of Stimulus Package Comes with Strings
Vote on EFCA in Senate by Summer
Solving Education Crisis Part of Broader Economic Recovery, says President Obama
Summer Programs for School Teachers for 2009
States' Teacher Review Systems Score Poorly, According to National Report
"A new report released today by the not-for-profit, non-partisan National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) finds that the laws and regulations of a majority of states discourage promising new teachers from sticking with the profession, while doing little to identify and move out ineffective teachers.
"NCTQ President Kate Walsh said, 'The third through fifth years of teaching represent an opportunity lost for teacher quality. That's certainly when teachers begin to add real value, and it's also when they tend to make decisions about staying or leaving. States can help districts do much more to ensure that the right teachers stay and the right teachers leave.'"
For more information:
http://www.nctq.org/stpy08/pressreleases/stpy_national.pdf
http://www.nctq.org/stpy08/
Schools' Share of Stimulus Package Comes with Strings
"The USA's public schools stand to be the biggest winners in Congress' $825 billion economic stimulus plan unveiled last week. Schools are scheduled to receive nearly $142 billion over the next two years, and the stimulus could bring school advocates closer than ever to a long-sought dream: full funding of the No Child Left Behind law and other huge federal programs.
"But tucked into the text of the proposal's 328 pages are a few surprises: If they want the money - and they certainly do - schools must spend at least a portion of it on a few of education advocates' long-sought dreams. In particular, they must develop:
For more information:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-01-19-school-stimulus_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Vote on EFCA in Senate by Summer
"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Senate will likely turn its attention this summer to the Employee Free Choice Act.
"The legislation would allow workers interested in forming a union to simply sign a card, returning to a system that had been in place for decades, until business persuaded Congress to require secret-ballot elections."
For more information:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jan/27/reid-vote-card-check-bill-labor-priority-likely-su/
Solving Education Crisis Part of Broader Economic Recovery, says President Obama
In his inaugural speech, President Barack Obama "cited the shortcomings of the nation's schools as one part of the broader economic crisis and called on Americans to come together to tackle the country's challenges in a spirit of public service and personal accountability.
"In the days leading up to the inauguration, superintendents, academics, and others in the education policy world descended on Washington to celebrate the occasion. Many have emphasized the need for lawmakers and organizations along the policy spectrum to work collaboratively on the issues facing America's schools, particularly the achievement gaps between poor and minority students and their more advantaged peers."
For more information:
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/01/20/19inaugweb.h28.html?r=22994989
Summer Programs for School Teachers for 2009
Each summer the National Endowment for the Humanities supports rigorous national seminars, institutes, and workshops for American school teachers. Program participants receive stipends to help defray travel and living expenses.
SEMINARS AND INSTITUTES
Application Deadline is March 2, 2009
Seminars and Institutes are 2-6 week projects which take place in the United States and abroad. They are intended to deepen the participants' understanding of important subjects in the humanities. For a complete list of the 31 projects offered in the summer of 2009, along with eligibility requirements and contact information for the directors, go to the NEH website at: www.neh.gov/projects/si-school.html.
Many of these projects will take place on American campuses; others will be held in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, South Africa, and China.
LANDMARKS OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE
Application Deadline is March 16, 2009
Landmarks of American History and Culture are 1-week workshops which take place at sites of historical or cultural significance across the nation. They provide teachers with the opportunity to engage in intensive study and discussion of important topics in American history and culture. For a complete list of the 20 projects offered in the summer of 2009, along with eligibility requirements and contact information for the directors, go to the NEH website at: www.neh.gov/projects/landmarks-school.html.
Project directors will provide details about their projects, along with application guidelines. NEH staff does not send out this information. For general information about these programs, contact NEH by e-mail at sem-inst@neh.gov; for information about other NEH programs, go to the NEH website at www.neh.gov.