Posts Tagged ‘ARRA’

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Health Information Technology Education Grants Awarded

Friday, July 9th, 2010

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $36 million in grants to five regional community college consortia to develop or improve non-degree health IT training programs that students can complete in six months or less. The grants were funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These grants will be used to establish or expand programs with the goal of training more than 10,500 new health IT professionals annually by 2012. This goal is in response to President Obama’s healthcare reform initiatives, specifically transitioning to electronic health records by 2014.

The grants will also fund the development of model curriculum materials and technical skill assessments based on validated industry standards. These new HIT careers will provide opportunities for students participating in programs of study in both health science and information technology career clusters.

For a listing of the consortia as well as all the individual participating community colleges and funding levels, please visit HHS’s health IT webpage.

By Nancy in News
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House May Move on Education Jobs Fund This Week

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

The House is expected to vote on the Supplemental Appropriations Act this week. There will be two votes – one on the war funding and one on the package of additions/offsets to the Senate bill. The bill contains $10 billion for education jobs and $4.95 billion for Pell grants. In order to pay for these provisions, $12 billion in rescissions must be made including $800 million in education funding:

  • $100 million from FY 10 funding for the Public Charter School program (ESEA Title V, Part B, Subpart 1), reducing funding from $256 million to $156 million
  • $200 million combined from both FY 10 and ARRA funds for the Teacher Incentive Fund, reducing the combined FY 10 and ARRA funding from $600 million to $400 million
  • $500 million from ARRA funds for the Race to the Top program, reducing available funding from $3.4 billion to $2.9 billion

However, the bill still faces opposition from Republican members. House Minority Leader Boehner has said, “We’ve heard all kinds of rumors about how it might be considered, but we are not going to facilitate the passing of tens of billions of dollars of wasteful government spending on the backs of our kids.”

By Nancy in Legislation
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Legislative Update: Education Jobs Fund, Budget, For-Profit Schools

Friday, June 25th, 2010

Education Jobs Fund Shrinking

The House will not take up the emergency was supplemental (which includes the education jobs fund) this week amid reports that Republicans plan to vote “present” on the bill, forcing Democrats to come up with 218 votes in support of the bill. The House has already cut the education jobs fund is down from $23 billion to $10 billion and will offset that spending, however none of that offset will come from ARRA education funds. Despite the offset, Republicans are now saying they will oppose the addition of education jobs fund or other provisions because they want to keep the supplemental just to war and disasters spending.

House Democrats Will Not Pass a Budget

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (MD) announced on Tuesday that rather than passing a budget this year, the House plans to adopt a budget enforcement resolution, which would cut spending even more than the President requested in his budget earlier this year. Hoyer said that until the nation’s deficit is addressed, it “isn’t possible to debate and pass a realistic, long-term budget.” Hoyer wished to see recommendations from the President’s bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which has been charged with balancing the budget by 2015, before proposing a longer term budget. Recommendations are expected in December.

Senate Holds Hearing on For-Profit Schools

Yesterday the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held the first in a series of hearings to address the Federal investment in for-profit education and to find out what is happening to students who enroll in these schools. In his opening remarks, Chairman Tom Harkin (IA) unveiled “Emerging Risk?: An Overview of Growth, Spending, Student Debt and Unanswered Questions in For-Profit Higher Education” a report that investigates the Federal investment in for-profit schools and how these schools are using taxpayer dollars. It also identifies gaps in available information about enrollment, student performance, and loan debt and repayment. Harkin said, “We don’t know how many students graduate, how many get jobs, how schools that are not publicly traded spend their Title IV dollars, and how many for-profit students default over the long term. More broadly, we don’t know exactly what risk we are taking by investing an increasing share of our Federal financial aid dollars in this sector.”

Ranking Member Michael Enzi (WY) agreed that there are some “bad actors” among the for-profit schools, but made the point that “these schools are increasingly reaching more and more Americans who are not served by traditional higher education. They are an essential part of our efforts to provide every American with the skills necessary to be a valuable part of the workforce.” He also quoted Secretary Duncan who gave the keynote address at DeVry’s policy forum last month and said that “for-profit institutions play a vital role in training young people and adults for jobs. They are critical to helping America meet the President’s 2020 goal. They are helping us meet the explosive demand for skills that public institutions cannot always meet.”

By Nancy in Legislation
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Legislative Update: ESEA, Veterans’ Training, Education Jobs Fund

Friday, June 18th, 2010

ESEA Work Continues Slowly in Congress

On Wednesday Democrat and Republican leaders of the House and Senate education committees met with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Melody Barnes, the White House Domestic Policy Adviser, to discuss the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Education Week blogged about the meeting, reporting that Congress is working in a bipartisan manner to get the bill done, but that no one in the meeting would commit to a timeline. While Sen. Tom Harkin (IA) had previously stated his desire to get a draft done by Memorial Day, no firm deadlines came out of this meeting. What I have been hearing from Hill staffers in recent weeks is that Congress intends to release a draft this year, but there is not enough time on the legislative calendar to markup a bill, so the earliest ESEA could be reauthorized is next year.

Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act


Sen. Daniel Akaka (HI), chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, recently introduced S. 3447, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 which would make changes to the Post-9/11 GI bill which currently provides education funding and benefits to veterans. S. 3447 would allow veterans to use their benefits at educational institutions that do not award associate or higher degrees. This would be a change from the current Post-9/11 GI Bill, which does not allow participants to use funds at a non-degree granting institution. This bill would allow veterans to attend postsecondary education institutions that do not grant associate or higher degrees, such as area career technical schools, career schools, and apprenticeship programs. A hearing has been scheduled for July 21 by the Veterans’ Affairs Committee to review the legislation.

Proposed Education Jobs Fund Faces More Obstacles

As Democrats work to secure votes and offsets for the proposed education jobs fund (which would be attached to the emergency war supplemental), time may be running short. “I am becoming increasingly concerned about the lack of progress on the supplemental and strongly urge Congress to complete its work on the request as quickly as possible,” Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Senate Appropriations Committee during testimony Wednesday.

A proposal to use unspent ARRA funds as an offset to the $23 billion education jobs fund seems unlikely. Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (HI) had previously opposed Republican attempts to use stimulus funds to offset spending, and will likely oppose Democratic attempts to do the same now. Because of the push to offset spending (to secure more votes), the fund will probably be smaller than $23 billion. Sen. Tom Harkin (IA), chair of the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, told CQ, “We probably won’t get the full $23 billion, but we may get something.”

By Nancy in Legislation
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Twenty States Win SLDS Grants

Monday, May 24th, 2010

The Institute of Education Sciences announced the winners of the State Longitudinal Data Systems grants last week. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands applied, and 20 states were awarded funding from the $250 million available.  The full list of award winners is:

  • Arkansas- $9.8 million
  • Colorado- $17.4 million
  • Florida – $10.0 million
  • Illinois – $11.9 million
  • Kansas – $9.1 million
  • Maine – $7.3 million
  • Massachusetts – $13.0 million
  • Michigan – $10.6 million
  • Minnesota – $12.4 million
  • Mississippi – $7.6 million
  • New York – $19.7 million
  • Ohio – $5.1 million
  • Oregon – $10.5 million
  • Pennsylvania – $14.3 million
  • South Carolina – $14.9 million
  • Texas – $18.2 million
  • Utah – $9.6 million
  • Virginia – $17.5 million
  • Washington – $17.3 million
  • Wisconsin – $13.8 million

By Nancy in News
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Obama Administration Sees Crucial Role for Manufacturing Sector

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Last week, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner visited the Allegheny Technologies Inc.(ATI)  metals factory in Pittsburgh, PA to highlight the strength of the U.S. manufacturing industry.  “This is a sector that will play a critical role in helping to spur our economic recovery and contribute to our long-term prosperity,” Geithner said. The visit also included meetings with representatives of United Steelworkers and U.S. Steel. ATI produces titanium, zirconium and stainless steel for aircraft frames, jet engines, chemical plants and other industrial uses.

On Friday, President Obama visited Celgard, Inc. in Charlotte, NC, a manufacturing company that is using $50 million in Recovery Act  funding for investments in clean energy. The President stated, “This investment is expected to create nearly 300 jobs for this company, more than a thousand jobs for your contractors and suppliers — and these are all jobs helping America build the batteries that will power cleaner and more efficient cars and trucks.  And through investments like this one across the country, we’re already seeing an incredible transformation.” You can read his full remarks here.

By Nancy in Public Policy
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Obama Administration Releases ESEA Blueprint

Monday, March 15th, 2010

This weekend, the Obama Administration released its blueprint for revising the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) with the goal of raising expectations of students and rewarding schools for producing dramatic gains in student achievement. The blueprint builds on the reforms currently being undertaken through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including:

  • College- and Career-Ready Standards and Assessments
  • Great Teachers and Leaders in Every School
  • Equity and Opportunity for All Students
  • Raise the Bar and Reward Excellence
  • Promote Innovation and Continuous Improvement

Many of these priorities align to the areas of focus in NASDCTEc’s ESEA reauthorization recommendations.

Of particular note in the blueprint is the administration’s plan for funding for assessments in the law, which CTE could be a part of [emphasis added]:

“States will receive formula grants to develop and implement high-quality assessments aligned with college- and career-ready standards in English language arts and mathemat­ics that accurately measure student academic achievement and growth, provide feedback to support and improve teaching, and measure school success and progress. States may also use funds to develop or implement high-quality, rigorous statewide assessments in other academic or career and technical subjects, high school course assessments, English language proficiency assessments, and interim or formative assessments. Beginning in 2015, formula funds will be available only to states that are implementing assessments based on college- and career-ready standards that are common to a significant number of states. The program also will support competitive grants to consortia of states, and to other entities working in partnership with states, for research on, or development and improvement of, additional high-quality assessments to be used by multiple states in such areas as science, history, or foreign languages; high school course assessments in academ­ic and career and technical subjects; universally designed assessments; and assessments for English Learners and students with disabilities.”

CTE may also benefit from the proposed grant program to increase access to accelerated learning opportunities  that help students prepare for, or directly provide, college-level work such as dual enrollment and early-college programs.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will testify before both the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the House Education and Labor Committee on Wednesday to discuss the blueprint.

By Nancy in Legislation, Public Policy
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Meet the Press Discussion on Education Reform

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

The discussion about education reform took center stage on Meet the Press on Sunday November 15.  There was a freewheeling, 25 minute  discussion between moderator David Gregory and guests Arne Duncan, Newt Gingrich and Al Sharpton.  Duncan, Gingrich, and Sharpton have been touring schools across the country to find out what works, what needs to change and what students expect in the classroom.  This bi-partisan group has embarked on this journey together to show that politics should not get in the way of the important need to reform education. 

Although there was no specific mention of CTE during the discussion this conversation touched on a number of topics that are important to all sectors of education.  This includes the role of charter schools, the importance of accountability, the goals of the Race to the Top fund, the challenge and impact of drop outs, teacher recruitment, and the importance of setting expectations for students, parents, teachers, and all who are involved in the education system.  The panelists also talked specifically about what they learned from visits they made to schools in Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Tucson. 

If you would like to watch this interview you can see it on the Meet the Press website at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/#33948109

By admin in Legislation, Public Policy
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ED Stakeholders Forum: Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation, and SFSF Phase II

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education hosted the second in a series of monthly Education Stakeholders Forums, where they share updates and information about timely education issues with representatives from schools, organizations, state and local governments, and other interested individuals.  This month’s forum focused on the Race to the Top funds, the Investing in Innovation grants, and the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Part II requirements.

Deputy Secretary Tony Miller reiterated that all of these programs will take into account efforts to address the Department’s four reform areas — standards and assessments, effective teachers, data systems, and struggling schools — when considering grant applications.

Joanne Weiss, Director of the Race to the Top Program, explained that states will have two opportunities to apply for funding – once in the fall of 2009 and once in the spring of 2010.  This gives states who do not win a grant in during the first application period to apply again next year.  States that win a grant will not be eligible to apply during the second application period.  She also outlined the proposed priorities for applicants which were released in the Federal Register last week.

Jim Shelton, Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement, spoke about the Investing in Innovation grants.  The key design principles for these grants include: outcomes, evidence, learning, sustainability, and scalability.

Ann Whalen, Special Assistant to the Secretary, reviewed the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Phase II reporting requirements.  These proposed metrics include 3 descriptors and 30 indicators in the categories of Equity in Teacher Distribution (8), Improving Collection and Use of Data (2), Standards and Assessments (14), and Support for Struggling Schools (9).  More information on these proposed requirements can be found in last week’s Federal Register.

The Department also provided stakeholders with a concise summary of all of the ED ARRA grants, which you can read here.

By Nancy in Public Policy
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ED releases ARRA grant applications, more to come

Monday, July 27th, 2009

The Education Department July 24 released draft language for its $4.35 billion centerpiece education reform grant program, among others; and announced its plans to soon follow up with guidance and applications for the remaining federal grants under the FY 2009 and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
The language in the programs’ guidance and applications establish the expectations and parameters in which the education community, including CTE, must adhere to in order to compete for the unprecedented amount of funding the Obama Administration is injecting into the education system over the next several years. Stakeholders speculate that the language will reflect a framework for the Obama Administration’s plans for the reauthorization of the No Child left Behind Act.
President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the draft application for the Race to the Top Fund via a live Web cast today. The public has 30 days to comment on the fund’s proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria. ED plans to offer grants in two phases. Phase one will open late in calendar year 2009. Phase two will open in late spring 2010.
ED also released applications for the $315 million from the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems program, which would fund states that expand data systems to track students’ achievement from pre-K through postsecondary and link their achievement to teachers and principals. Applications for these funds are being posted today.
Finally, ED also published proposed requirements, definitions, and approval criteria for Phase two of the $48 billion State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, which permits states to apply funding to some education-related use. Phase two provides access to $12 billion, the remaining amount offered to states after phase one. The public has 30 days to comment on the proposal.
In coming weeks, ED said it will publish draft regulations on the:
•$650 million Investing in Innovation Fund, which supports partnerships among school districts and nonprofits to launch or expand research-based innovative programs that help close the achievement gap and improve academic achievement overall.
•$297 million Teacher Incentive Fund, which targets programs in which states and districts create or expand performance pay and teacher advancement models that reward teachers and principals for increases in student achievement and the number of effective educators working with traditionally underperforming students.
•$3.5 billion Title I School Improvement Grants. ED would support states’ efforts in reform efforts implemented in struggling schools and that focus on implementing turnaround models in the lowest-performing schools. Secretary Duncan set a goal of turning around the bottom 5 percent of schools in the next five years.
•$919 million State Educational Technology Grants, which could be used to bring technology equipment into the classroom.
ED will host a Webinar 2 p.m. today to review ARRA programs funded through ED. Public is welcome to participate. Registration is required.

By Erin in Legislation, Public Policy
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