Read about OVAE and other Department of Education announcements, including administrative changes and grant information. From the field, see Publications and Websites and Articles and Media Information.

Department News

Hansen Releases New Guide to Federal Education Funding
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Bill Hansen released a new guide to education funding to help better explain the Bush administration's financial commitment to the nation's schools and students.

Adult Literacy Research Network
This new research network, charged to determine scientifically-based reading instructional methods, will design, develop, implement and study the effectiveness of adult literacy interventions for low-literate adults.

Paige Signs Memorandum of Understanding with his Counterpart from Singapore
Education officials in the U.S. and Singapore have signed a cooperative agreement to improve math and science education by exchanging curricula and teaching strategies.

Talk of the Nation
Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico was the featured guest on National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation's back to school series, answering questions about the future of vocational education. Check out the September 4 program, 3rd segment.

New State Scholars Initiative
U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today joined President Bush to unveil a new partnership among the business community and high schools, colleges and universities, and non-profit and other organizations to encourage students to take more -- and more rigorous courses -- to better prepare them for postsecondary education and the workplace.

New Director of OVAE's Policy Analysis Staff
Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico is pleased to announce the addition of Daniel F. Bonner to the Office of Vocational and Adult Education. Mr. Bonner will bring a wealth of experience as the new Director of the Policy Analysis Staff, particularly as we begin our work on reauthorization of Perkins and WIA.

"No Child Left Behind" Highly Qualified Teachers
Vocational education teachers who teach core academic courses are covered by the definition of a "highly qualified teacher" according to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as amended by "No Child Left Behind."

Smaller Learning Communities Program Grantees
The Department of Education has announced the list of grantees who received a 2001 Smaller Learning Communities award.

Technology Briefs for "No Child Left Behind"
The Northeast and Islands Regional Technology Consortium (NEIRTEC) has created a series of "Technology Briefs for NCLB planners." The topics were selected to reflect the U.S. Department of Education requirements for state and local applications, and they provide NCLB planners with effective strategies, key questions to consider, and selected resources that will inform the application and planning process.

Kentucky Doing More
Adult education enrollments are up 23% over the last two years and GEDs are up 11% in 2001.

"No Child Left Behind" Best Practices
The American Association of School Administrators has compiled web tools and resources for implementing the ESEA 2001.

White House Conference on Character and Community
Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico recently attended the White House Conference on Character and Community, hosted by First Lady Laura Bush. During his remarks, President Bush recognized the public schools as, "the most important institutions in democracy."

$15M in CTC Grants Available
Community Technology Centers (CTC) grants totaling $15M are available for eligible applicants, the Department announced June 4. The CTC program helps eligible applicants create or expand centers to provide disadvantaged residents of economically distressed urban or rural communities access to technology and the training to use it. This year's competition requires applicants to offer adult education and family literacy activities through technology and the Internet. Approximately 83 grants are expected and the deadline for applications for this competition is July 19. Download notice and application forms.

OVAE Seeking Field Readers for Grant Competition
OVAE is seeking applications from individuals interested in serving as Field Readers for its FY2002 Community Technology Centers (CTC) Grants Competition.

Richard LaPointe Tapped as New Director of High School, Postsecondary Education and Career Education
Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico is pleased to announce that Richard La Pointe will be joining our staff. Richard has been appointed to the position of Director, Division of High School, Postsecondary and Career Education. As such, he will serve as the principal program advisor to the Office of the Assistant Secretary on matters related to high school, postsecondary and career education programs under the overall purview of the OVAE. Richard has had an extensive career at the Department of Education. He has held various positions in Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Office of Postsecondary Education, and the Office of the Secretary and is currently working for the Deputy Secretary. Richard also served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, President of a major, not-for-profit literacy organization, and Superintendent of Public Instruction for the Commonwealth of Virginia. He holds a Ph.D and Masters degree from U.C.L.A. and an A.B. from the University of California, Berkeley. While in Federal service he earned a certificate in Management from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Keenan Named New Director of Division of Adult Education and Literacy
Cheryl L. Keenan, former Director of the Bureau of Adult Basic and Literacy Education in the State of Pennsylvania, has been selected as the new Director of the Division of Adult Education and Literacy (DAEL) (Press Release). Kennan has served on numerous state and national committees and task forces in the areas of adult education reform, workforce development, program accountability, research, and special initiatives. She has also played a pivotal role in shaping and implementing the new requirements in Title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and will provide a wealth of experience, insight, and vision to the Division and OVAE as reauthorization activities are conducted relative to the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act section of WIA.

Assistant Secretary's Testimony Stresses Four Main Education Principles
Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico, Ed.D., presented testimony on "High School and Transition Into the Workforce" before the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies. Dr. D'Amico directs the Office of Vocational and Adult Education. She testified along with four other U.S. Department of Education Assistant Secretaries: Sally Stroup, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education; Bob Pasternack, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Russ Whitehurst, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Education Research and Improvement and Susan Neuman, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. The testimony emphasized the Administration's four key education principles, which include closing the achievement gap, focusing on what works, providing greater flexibility in the delivery of education, and providing both parents and students with options.

View the webcast of April 4th, "Preparing America's Future: The High School Symposium," at the National Research and Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education website. Once in the website, click on "Professional Development Speaker Series" and scroll down to "Archived Webcasts." You can also download the Microsoft Word document for all the details. A series of commissioned papers on the symposium are available online.

Assistant Secretary D'Amico Appoints a Special Assistant for Community Colleges and a Communications Director
Asst. Secretary Carol D'Amico has appointed Joan Athen as the new Special Assistant for Community Colleges. Athen comes with 23 years of experience as an entrepreneur in the telecommunications industry. Before joining OVAE, Athen was a founding member of JA Associates, LLC., a consulting company specializing in providing start-up support to small businesses. She is also the former Chair of the Maryland Association of Community College Trustees and is former Board Chair and Vice Chair of Howard Community College. Athen was born in Washington, DC, and currently resides in Maryland.

Asst. Secretary D'Amico also just appointed Amy Horton as OVAE's new Communications Director in the Office of the Assistant Secretary. Horton comes to OVAE from the House Government Reform Committee, Subcommittee on Criminal Justice Drug Policy and Human Resources, where she served as the Subcommittee Deputy Staff Director. Prior to working for the Subcommittee, Amy worked as the Legislative Director/Counsel to U.S. Representative Mark Souder (R-IN). She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Denison University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Indiana University.

Assistant Secretary D'Amico visits schools nationwide to promote "No Child Left Behind"
Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico launched a series of site visits to promote President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" legislation. While visiting her home state of Indiana as well as stops in Florida, and Maryland Assistant Secretary D'Amico took time to talk with students, teachers, and legislators about the issues most important to them.

Secretary and OVAE Staff Celebrate Success of Groundhog Job Shadow Day
Secretary Rod Paige and OVAE staff joined mentors throughout the country on February 1st by hosting 24 junior high and high school students. Groundhog Job Shadow Day was created to provide these young people with an opportunity to see a normal work day in the life of a public service professional. A wonderful day was experienced by everyone!

Federal Student Aid for 2002-2003 School Year is Now Available
Students can now apply for an estimated $49.4 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds available for postsecondary study. Approximately 8.2 million students are expected to receive some form of this financial aid. Complete information is available at the "Financial Aid" section of the ED website.

President Bush Signs Historic Education Bill
President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 on January 8, 2002. This legislation is considered the broadest rewriting of federal education policy since 1965. Complete information is available on the "No Child Left Behind" homepage.

Congress Boosts FY 2002 Adult Education Appropriations
Congress approved a boost of $35 million (or 6.48 percent) in adult education state grants on December 18, 2001, when work on the FY 2002 appropriations drew to a close. From the state grant amount of $575 million, some $70 million is reserved for English Literacy/Civics education. In addition to the $575 million, the final appropriations agreement continues the Community Technology Centers (CTC) program at $32.4 million and keeps the program in the Department of Education's budget.

Remarks by Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico at the ACTE Convention, 2001
Read Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico's address to the Association for Career and Technical Education's (ACTE) 2001 Convention as she speaks on the challenges facing educators, the work of her office to prepare students for the future, and the four core principles of the Bush Administration regarding education.

OVAE's Website Getting a Facelift!
The OVAE website is going through many improvements these days. At OVAE, we want our website to be a true portal to high school, community college, and adult education for students, educators, researchers, and our other visitors—-a place where information is at your fingertips. To achieve this goal, we're adding more information for each program, changing the navigation to make existing information easier to find, and making it easier for our visitors to communicate with us and with each other. As content changes, the OVAE Website will also change its appearance to complement the "look and feel" of the new ED Website. The OVAE Website's informational and physical changes will occur gradually over the next few months, so check back often to see our progress and access the best that OVAE has to offer!

Publications and Websites

All Over the Map: State Policies to Improve the High School
This Institute for Educational Leadership report highlights trends, assumptions, and tensions that key state education policy provisions hold for high schools.

2020 Visions: Transforming Education and Training Through Advanced Technologies
ED and the U.S. Department of Commerce have released a report consisting of 14 essays written on how technology could revolutionize education. Suggestions included virtual mentors, a digital environment paced entirely by the individual student, and computer simulations. Neither department endorses these ideas as the future of technology in education, but considers the report an exercise in thinking out of the box.

Pathways to Parent Leadership
Action Alliance for Children profiles nine California programs that are successfully training parent leaders.

National PTA Schools of Excellence
The National PTA has created a new program to recognize schools where superintendents, principals, teachers, parents and community members work together for student success.

"Is a Bachelor's Degree the Gateway to the American Dream?"
On September 24th, NCCTE sponsored a live webcast in which a panel of experts debated issues related to preparing students for life and work. The full discussion is available at the NCCTE website.

Teacher Retention a Serious Problem
The National Commission on Teaching & America's Future has released a report showing that the nation's teacher shortage is caused more by retention problems than recruiting problems, with attrition rates highest in the fields of mathematics, science and special education.

New Website for Adult Learning Community.
OVAE has launched Community Partnerships for Adult Learning which offers information to help adult educators form new partnerships or to enhance existing ones. It features a ToolBox of how-to's, research, and related websites, organized by topic.

Adult Education Report to Congress and Vocational Education Report to Congress
These Reports to Congress, which summarize accountability data by state for program year 1999-2000, have been posted. 2000-2001 data will be available in the fall of 2002.

Business Leaders' Reform Toolkit
The Business Roundtable has an online toolkit to help business leaders engage in community school reform partnerships focused on President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind initiative.

Girls Still Behind in Vocational Education
A new study from the National Women's Law Center finds that girls face discrimination and harassment in high school vocational programs.

Quality Initiative Materials Online
Initiative overview, panel presentations, guidebook, and the template from the May Quality Initiative Institute are now available online at the Peer Collaborative Resource Network.

Washington Post Features New Adult Education Website
The Washington Post Online now features a site dedicated to Adult Education and Training. The new site contains news, articles, online interviews, career information and special features related to adult education.

Fastest-Growing Career Paths for the Next Decade
What are the fastest growing career paths of the next decade? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics computer engineers and software specialists top the list. Other occupations making the national listing are speech-language pathologists, health aids and medical assistants. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry created their own list of the 25 fastest growing occupations, which includes several of the careers listed at the national level and additions such as special education teachers, respiratory therapists, and emergency medical technicians. Both lists reflect the national trend that the vast majority of careers in the next decade require some form of postsecondary education.

Adult Literacy and the American Dream is now available from CAAL
The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) recently published "Adult Literacy and the American Dream" by Forrest Chisman. The paper is available via the "Occasional Papers" section of the CAAL website and may be used free of charge if used in any planning, advocacy, or program development purposes.

Access Your State's Latest Legislature Information
The National Conference of State Legislature's web site "State Legislatures Online" offers information on each state. If you go to "State Legislature Online" (there is a link on the right-hand navigational bar), you can access information on any state and read the latest news on what that state is doing in adult and continuing education, state statutes, bill status and content, committee membership, as well as contact information, reports and legislative studies, and much more.

Dropout Rates Remain Stable Over Last Decade
While progress was made during the 1970s and 1980s in reducing high school dropout rates and increasing high school completion rates, these rates have remained comparatively stable during the 1990s, according to the new report "Dropout Rates in the United States" from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

The report provides a clear picture of dropout rates in this country. Information is presented on statistics for three different measures: event dropout rates, status dropout rates, and high school completion rates. The report also provides state and regional data and examines the characteristics of high school dropouts and those who finished high school (in 2000). More information, including how to access the report electronically, is available through the NCES website.

Professional Development Speaker Series Webcasts Available
The National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education's Professional Development Speaker Series is designed to create an interactive learning environment and to enrich the professional development experiences of secondary and postsecondary career and technical educators across the country. All presentations will be available via both live and archived webcasts. Upcoming webcasts (3:00-4:30 EST):

• Live from Washington, DC, Week of January 14 (Date and time TBA), Policy Issues for Career and Technical Education During the Next Decade and Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO): Their Role and Impact in Student Development and Achievement.
• Debra D. Bragg and Carrie Brown, January 25, 2002, Tech Prep Evaluation Community College and Beyond: A Longitudinal Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment Outcomes for Tech-Prep Participants and Non-Participants.

Articles

Can IBM Reinvent Education? (The World & I, December 2002)
Working with teachers, IBM has committed substantial resources toward "Learning Village" software that helps teachers create meaningful lesson plans that engage students in learning.

Governor Takes New Jersey Down Testing Road Less Traveled (Education Week, 12/4/02)
Spurred by the No Child Left Behind Act, New Jersey is developing new tests that combine standardized and performance-based assessment.

Tougher Standards for Vocational Students (Boston Globe, 12/1/02)
Massachusetts would like to integrate strong English and math curricula into state vocational programs, and strengthen the occupational portion of the curriculum as well. Access the article through the Boston Globe Archives.

Educational Research in the Spotlight (American Educational Research Association, November 2002)
The November issue of AERA's ER Online focuses on educational research and its importance in the No Child Left Behind Act.

Parents' Guide (National Education Association, 2002)
The National Education Association has developed a guide for parents on choosing supplemental education services for struggling students as specified in the No Child Left Behind Act.

Education Scholars Finding New "Value" in Student Test Data (Education Week, 11/20/02)
Value-added analysis of student achievement attempts to track individual student progress, and also can measure an individual teacher's effectiveness. More states are adopting value-added techniques to give greater depth to test score data.

Pennsylvania Raising Teacher Standards (Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/15/02)
The Pennsylvania Board of Education has adopted new requirements for the designation of "highly qualified" teachers as specified in the No Child Left Behind Act.

Success for Some (New York Times, 11/10/02)
Educational reform programs are proliferating, but only a few have shown concrete, statistically valid results. This article looks at the strengths and weaknesses of three programs shown effective by research.

Voters Support Education Initiatives (Christian Science Monitor, 11/07/02)
Voters agreed to several statewide education initiatives in the recent elections, even though they may involve considerable cost.

Regional Teacher's License Contemplated (Education Week, 11/06/02)
Officials in Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia are working on a regional teacher's license that would allow teachers to move freely among schools in the region.

High School? Business School! (Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/06/02)
Cherry Hill High School students (New Jersey) take college-level courses through an innovative program that matches empty college course seats with interested high schoolers.

Abandoning What Doesn't Work (AASA School Administrator, November 2002)
School administrators and teachers can improve the way schools function by adopting the business practice of regularly clearing out procedures and practices that are no longer working.

Three Schools, One Building, Many Reforms (Christian Science Monitor, 10/22/02)
Administrators, teachers and students try to make reform work as a Colorado High School breaks up into three separate schools.

Instruction Front and Center (Harvard Education Letter, September/October, 2002)
An analysis of Chicago school reform shows that when instruction is the central principle, student learning improves.

Schools Turn to Public Partnerships (Pennsylvania Times Leader, 08/25/02)
Schools are recruiting parents and community members to lend their time and expertise to public school issues.

Educational Improvement Linked to Trusting School Communities (Education Week, 10/16/02)
Research in Chicago schools shows that trust among principals, teachers and parents is a key ingredient in school reform.

Americans in Urban Areas Concerned About Schools (School Communities That Work, October 2002)
The Annenberg Institute for School Reform conducted a survey among Americans who live in urban areas and found there is widespread agreement that urban schools need improvement; that improvement should be coordinated at the district level; that urban schools need better teachers; and that schools should be safe, drug-free and in good physical condition.

Web Shines Light on Schoolwork (Minnesota Star-Tribune, 10/15/02)
Some Minnesota school districts are posting class attendance, assignments, and grades online, giving parents an extra tool to monitor their children's learning and behavior at school.

First Early College High Schools Announced (Jobs for the Future, 10/09/02)
Three sites have been selected for the Early College High School Initiative, designed to increase the number of low-income, minority students who are the first in their family to earn a Bachelor's degree.

Adult Literacy Students Bloom (Washington Times, 10/4/02)
Adult literacy students in Washington, DC find a new world open to them when they learn to read.

Putting the "Parent Piece" in Schools (Education Week, 10/2/02)
Two California school districts are making parent participation a top priority.

Pitching Technical Careers (Christian Science Monitor, 10/1/02)
Mack Truck makes a high-tech pitch to high school students on pursuing technical careers.

Technology in Schools (Education World, 9/18/02)
Technology teachers from around the country discuss their roles and responsibilities in an Education World article on whether the state of technology in education is improving.

Data Making a Difference (Education World, 9/17/02)
More administrators are using data to spot the strengths and weaknesses in their schools, and adjust strategies accordingly.

Teacher Quality Encouraged; Debated (Boston Globe, 9/22/02)
The Carnegie Corporation of New York is launching a teacher quality initiative that focuses more on professionalism. Schools of Education applaud the effort, but note that the issue of teacher quality is complicated.

School Choice Under "No Child Left Behind" (The Catalyst, September 2002)
The "No Child Left Behind" initiative requires that school districts give parents a choice to move their children from underperforming schools. Chicago and other districts are trying to implement the policy while retaining control over placement.

Business Refocusing Education Dollars (USA Today, 9/18/02)
Some businesses are using concrete results to decide where and how to fund education activities.

Politics in Urban City Schools (Washington Post, 9/10/02)
Tension between elected school boards and superintendents in the nation's urban school districts may be working against student interests.

City Districts Seek Licensed Teachers (Education Week, 9/11/02)
The "No Child Left Behind" initiative aims for a highly qualified teacher in every classroom, and urban school districts are working to meet that standard.

High School Plus (Ford Foundation, September, 2002)
High schools located on community college campuses, integrated into college life, and offering an Associate's degree after five years are proving effective for average students once at risk of dropping out. (You must search for the publication on the website.)

Quality Teachers in Demand (Christian Science Monitor, 8/26/02)
Standards for teachers are rising at the same time many districts face a teacher shortage.

Challenging Math and Science Program Helps Minority Students Achieve (Christian Science Monitor, 7/30/02)
An intensive summer program at Phillips Academy in Massachusetts helps talented minority students from across the country realize their potential.

School Climate Helps Reform (Harvard Education Letter, July/August 2002)
Trust--between principals and teachers, among teachers, and between school and community--is an important element in successful school reform.

Community Technology Centers Provide Needed Access.
Examples of how Community Technology Centers (CTCs) provide young people in underserved communities with technology access and skills. View information about OVAE's work with CTCs.

Divide is More Than Digital. (Wired, 7/15/02)
Disadvantaged teens are learning computer skills but often lack career and networking know-how.

Degrees and Dollars (Christian Science Monitor, 7/18/02)
College and graduate degrees are becoming more important for ensuring a good income.

Teens Trade Summer Jobs for College Prep (Christian Science Monitor, 7/5/02)
As the country grows more affluent, teens are using summer time to strengthen their college chances.

Moving from Input to Outcomes
Ruth Stiehl talks about reconstructing community college curriculum with student outcomes as the basis of all teaching and learning.

Early College High Schools
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is sponsoring an initiative to increase high school and college graduation rates for underserved youth by developing "early college high schools," where students graduate with both a high school diploma and two years of college credit (or a college level Associate of Arts degree).

European Vocational Education Conference
Delegates from 29 European countries met in Brussels in early June to discuss improving the quality and performance of vocational education and training in Europe.

Senator Glenn Lauds Service-Learning Service-learning can help disengaged students connect academics with the real-world and fuel their curiosity for learning, according to former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn.

Beyond Babysitting
(Christian Science Monitor, 6/24/02). Young teens are becoming increasing entrepreneurial, starting their own businesses in place of traditional summer lawn-mowing and babysitting jobs.

UNEVOC Bulletin Online
The most recent bulletin from UNESCO's International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training is now available online.

Not Bilingual, But Alingual
A new class of American citizens born to immigrant parents are fluent in neither their parents' language nor English. Read the article in the June 9, 2002 edition of the Washington Post.

Girls Get High-Tech Options
Oklahoma GirlTech helps girls and adult women explore nontraditional career options.

Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico Featured in April's Edition of Techniques
Recently, Assistant Secretary Carol D'Amico sat down with Techniques, a publication of the Association of Career and Technical Education, to discuss her prior experience at Ivy Tech State College, the role of career and technical education in addressing the demands of the new economy, and how OVAE is "Preparing America's Future."

Career and Technical Educators Receive National Awards
Awards On January 4th, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) announced the winners of national awards in education . Coleen Cly Keffeler, a school-to-careers coordinator at Sturgis Brown High School in Sturgis, SD, was named national Teacher of the Year. Robert J. Kemmery, Jr., principal of Eastern Technical High School in Baltimore, MD, was named Outstanding Career and Technical Educator. Billie Sue Burris, a computer information systems instructor and department chair at Quapaw Technical Institute in Hot Springs, AR, was named Outstanding New Career and Technical Teacher.

Exemplary Programs and Promising Practices Awards to be Announced
The National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education's (NCCTE) "Exemplary Programs and Promising Practices 2001 Awards" was announced at the ACTE Convention General Session on Saturday, December 15, in New Orleans. The sharing and celebrating of outstanding programs is one of the Center's ways of providing the field with information about programs that work. Awards will be made for outstanding programs at the secondary and postsecondary levels. For names and profiles on the winning programs, go to NCCTE's website . Additional information is also available at ACTE's website.