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Posts Tagged ‘STEM’

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Race to the Top Creates Focus on STEM Initiatives

Friday, September 10th, 2010

With the announcement of the 10 Race to the Top Finalists comes an increased emphasis on STEM education improvement. The U.S. Department of Education classified STEM as a “competitive preference priority” on the Race to the Top application in the hopes of encouraging states to increase these types of programs.

A recent blog from Education Week, STEM Education to Get Boost From Race to Top Winners, highlights this focus on STEM by providing examples of how select states are using their grants to implement new STEM initiatives, including:

STEM is one CTE area that is in high demand for students as well as qualified teachers. A recent report from Georgetown University stated that by 2018 there will be 8 million STEM jobs available. In addition, a report from the National Association for Alternative Certification, focusing on the need for qualified STEM teachers, noted that, “Just 23% of 12th grade students scored at or above the proficient level in math on the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).”

Both of these statistics show the need for enhanced STEM initiatives. With the Race to the Top grant money, states will be able to provide additional funding for these types of programs in the hopes of addressing the current and future needs of STEM in both education and the workforce.

By admin in News, Public Policy
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Legislative Update: Education Jobs, Veteran’s Training Bill, For-Profit Recruitment, STEM Education Bill

Friday, August 6th, 2010

Education Jobs Clears the Senate

The Senate voted yesterday to pass the Murray-Harkin amendment, which includes $10 billion for education jobs and $16.1 billion for federal Medicaid payments. The amendment passed 61-39, with Senators Collins and Snowe the only Republicans to join all Democrats in voting for it. The House is scheduled to convene at 10 a.m. on Tuesday for a vote on the bill..

Veteran Employment Assistance Act

The Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs approved S. 3234, Veteran Employment Assistance Act of 2010, which would improve employment, training, and placement services furnished to veterans, especially those serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The bill will now be reported to the full Senate for consideration.

Senate HELP Hearing on For-Profit Schools

On Wednesday the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing on “For-Profit Schools: The Student Recruitment Experience.” The Committee heard from Gregory Kutz of GAO who recently conducted an investigation into the recruitment process at proprietary schools and found that the abuses are systemic and that oversight is lax. Joshua Pruyn, a former admissions representative at Westwood College, also testified about enrollment quotas imposed on reps, awards given for enrolling students, and the psychological games they were encouraged to play with prospective students.

21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (CA) introduced H.R. 6078, the 21st Century STEM for Girls and Underrepresented Minorities Act. This bill would amend ESEA to provide grants to LEAs to encourage girls and underrepresented minorities to pursue studies and careers in STEM.

By admin in Legislation
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Duncan Touts CTE in Speech at National Press Club

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

duncan-arne-sec_-of-ed_-3-09At a luncheon today at the National Press Club, during which he announced the finalists for round two of Race to the Top, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan spoke about the education reforms that the Obama Administration is undertaking, and what lies ahead for federal education policy. Secretary Duncan stressed that as the United States lags behind other nations in science, math and college completion, that we must educate our way to a better economy. Some strategies for improving student achievement and restoring the United States’ position as first in the world in college graduates include federal incentives such as Race to the Top, Investing in Innovation grants, and the Teacher Incentive Fund; a change in ESEA accountability systems; and common standards, as well as the curriculum and assessments to accompany new standards.

During the Q&A portion of the event, a question was submitted that asked whether the United States needed more CTE. The Secretary responded that yes, students will benefit from programs such as apprenticeships that allow students to “work with their hands,” that provide a range of options, and that give students a reason to stay in school.  He went on to remind the audience that CTE does not happen just at the secondary level, and that community colleges play a vital role in training students in emerging fields such as STEM and green technologies.

By admin in Public Policy
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Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow Grants Available

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

The Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education recently announced a notice inviting applications in the Federal Register for the Teachers for a Competitive Tomorrow (TCT) program. The TCT program will award up to four discretionary grants  to institutions of higher education to build partnerships with eligible recipients that will develop and implement 2-or 3-year part-time master’s degree programs in STEM or critical foreign language education for teachers in order to enhance the teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills; or to develop and implement programs for professionals in STEM or critical foreign language education that lead to a master’s degree in teaching that results in teacher certification.

Eligible applicants must enter into a partnership that includes:

  1. The eligible recipient;
  2. A department within the eligible applicant that provides a program of study in STEM or a critical foreign language; and a school, department, or program of education within the eligible applicant, or a two year institution of higher education that has a teacher preparation offering or a dual enrollment program with the eligible applicant; or
  3. A department or school within the eligible applicant with a competency based degree program (in STEM or a critical foreign language) that includes teacher certification; and
  4. Not less than one high-need LEA and a public school or a consortium of public schools served by the agency. A partnership may include a nonprofit organization that has a demonstrated record of providing expertise or support to meet the purposes of this initiative.

Awards will range from $200,000–$250,000. The deadline to apply is July 30, 2010.

By admin in Public Policy
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Legislative Update: America COMPETES Act, Community College Grants, America RISING Act

Friday, June 4th, 2010

America COMPETES Act

On May 28th, the House of Representatives passed a five-year reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act with a bipartisan vote of 262-150. Over 750 organizations have endorsed COMPETES, including: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Information Technology Industry Council, the American Chemical Society, the Business Roundtable, the Council on Competitiveness, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the National Venture Capital Association, TechAmerica, and the Biotechnology Industry Organization.

Community College and Career Training Grant program

The House passed an amended version of H.R. 4213, American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010 by a vote of 215-204.  The House bill included a provision related the Community College and Career Training Grant program under the Trade Act of 1974.  The provisions included in the bill would expand the program by authorizing such grants to also benefit individuals who are eligible for unemployment insurance, who are likely to be eligible for unemployment insurance or who have exhausted their unemployment insurance. Additionally, the provisions would: (1) clarify that only public and non-profit educational institutions are eligible for grants; (2) authorize the Department of Labor to spend up to five percent of program funds to administer, evaluate and establish reporting systems for the program; and (3) give the Department of Labor more flexibility by allowing it to obligate grant funds in the year that they are appropriated as well as the subsequent fiscal year.

America RISING Act of 2010

Rep. Laura Richardson introduced H.R. 5472, America RISING Act of 2010 which would establish a grant program for stipends to assist in the cost of compensation paid by employers to certain recent college graduates and to provide funding for their further education in subjects relating to STEM.

By admin in Legislation
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Thirty-Five States and D.C. Apply For Round Two of Race to the Top

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Yesterday was the deadline for states to apply for the second round of the Race to the Top grants and the number of applications was down to 36 from 41 in round one. Grants from this fund will be awarded to states that “have raised student performance in the past and have the capacity to accelerate achievement gains with innovative reforms.”  In their applications states must outline their plans for reform in these four areas: college- and career-ready standards and assessments, highly effective educators, data systems that support student achievement, and turning around their lowest-performing schools. States will also get competitive preference if they have a comprehensive STEM plan in place.

There is $3.4 billion available to states in this phase of the completion, and 10 to 15 states could win grants. The winners will be announced by the end of September. The Department of Education awarded a total of $600 million to round one winners Delaware and Tennessee in March.

By admin in Public Policy
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Legislative Update: Education Jobs Fund, America COMPETES Act

Friday, May 21st, 2010

Education Jobs Fund

We have been updating you over the last several weeks about the status of the Education Jobs Fund in both the House and the Senate.  To recap, both chambers are proposing a $23 billion jobs fund to protect teachers’ jobs, programs and essential services.  The House Appropriations Committee plans to markup the House version of the emergency supplemental appropriations bill soon.  It is Chairman Obey’s preference that this bill include the $23 billion education jobs fund.  However, he will only put the $23 billion in the supplemental bill if he believes there is sufficient support to pass it on the House floor. In the Senate, Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Labor, HHS, and Education subcommittee plans to introduce the education jobs fund as an amendment on the floor during their vote on the emergency supplemental appropriations.

Earlier this week we sent out an action alert urging you to contact your Representatives and asking them to support the inclusion of the education jobs fund in the House emergency supplemental appropriations bill. We had originally heard that the bill would be marked up after the Memorial Day recess, but the latest word is that the markup is scheduled for next Thursday, May 27th. Please call your member of Congress today!

America COMPETES Act

Two weeks ago we told you that the House intended to consider the America COMPETES Act before the Memorial Day recess. The AP is now reporting that Republicans have “united to derail” the reauthorization of the bill. The bill was brought up for a vote under the House’s suspension process, which limits floor debate, prohibits all floor amendments, and requires a two-thirds vote for final passage, however the bill failed by a vote of 261-148.

Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas, ranking Republican member of the House Science and Technology Committee said the bill “continues to take us in a much more costly direction and authorizes a number of new programs which have little to do with prioritizing investments” in science and technology.

By admin in Legislation
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Legislative Update: America COMPETES Act, Education Jobs Bill

Friday, May 7th, 2010

House Committee Approves America COMPETES Act

Last week the House Committee on Science and Technology marked up H.R. 5116, America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010, and approved it by a vote of 29 to 8. Originally authorized in 2007, the reauthorized bill seeks to strengthen science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education in order to maintain the United States’ global economic leadership. The bill would coordinate STEM programs across federal agencies and encourage more participation by females and underrepresented groups. The bill would also focus on the challenges faced by rural school districts, which often have less access to high speed Internet and lab resources.

The bill now goes to the full House for approval. Chairman Bart Gordon’s (TN) goal is to get the legislation through the House before the Memorial Day recess. Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation also held a hearing to consider the reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act.

The bill has been endorsed by several business leaders including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable and the National Association of Manufacturers.

Education Jobs Fund

Senator Tom Harkin told Congressional Quarterly May 4 that a Senate floor vote on S. 3206, Keep Our Educators Working Act of 2010, may come in the next few weeks, but “there is not a committed time for a vote.”

The Education Commission of the States has put together a resource that provides a chart of the approximate amount of funding each state could receive under the education jobs fund and the approximate number of education jobs created or saved by the fund. Both of these charts break down the estimates by secondary and postsecondary distributions. 

By admin in Legislation
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Aerospace Industry Faces Shortage of Workers, CTE Offers Solution

Monday, April 26th, 2010

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s 2009 Survey of Aerospace Student At­titudes found that the aerospace industry has not fully recovered from jobs losses of the 1990s and is still facing a shortage of workers. Employment in the industry fell by over 600,000 jobs between 1989 and 2007, and approximately 26 percent of workers were eligible to retire by 2008.

However, degrees awarded for a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate in aerospace engineering have been increasing since 2000. The study also found that 92 per­cent of the students became interested in aerospace during the K-12 years.  CTE provides a great opportunity for students with an interest in the aerospace industry to explore this further in relevant and hands-on courses.

In related news, Representative Suzanne Kosmas of Florida introduced H.R. 5093, the Space to Schools Act which would provide incentives to retiring or displaced NASA employees with STEM backgrounds to pursue careers as elementary, secondary, or K-12 career technical education (though the bill uses the word “vocation”) teachers. This bill would provide eligible participants with a stipend of up to a $5,000 to be used towards obtaining licensing or certification for teaching. Participants who commit to working in a high need school for at least three years will be eligible for a $5,000 bonus. Having former NASA professionals in the classroom would be a great boon to CTE students who wish to pursue careers in the aerospace industry.

By admin in Legislation, Public Policy
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Obama Administration Wants Your Input on Advanced Manufacturing

Monday, April 12th, 2010

As we told you last week, the Obama Administration is focused on the key role that manufacturing can play in revitalizing the economy.  On Wednesday, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology launched a website to gather input from the public about the future of advanced manufacturing. There you can answer any of the ten questions posed:

Support for new manufacturing technologies

1. Are public-private partnerships (e.g., consortia), in which government jointly funds projects with industry and often academia, a good mechanism to support new manufacturing technologies that are beyond the reach of individual firms? If not, why not?

2. Some advocate the expansion of the mission of the national laboratories to include R&D challenges relevant to a broad range of manufacturing industries. Is this an appropriate strategy? If not, why not?

3. At some federal agencies, an “innovation budget” is established to promote breakthrough discoveries. Should such a budget be established for advanced manufacturing technology? If not, why not?

Support for new manufacturing firms

4. Given the success of some government-industry-university innovation clusters, should the federal government take the lead in establishing additional clusters to support new manufacturing firms, in particular? If not, why not?

5. Should the federal government assist in the formation and advancement of small firms in the advanced manufacturing sector? If not, why not?

6. Do you believe that potentially valuable research at universities is not being fully utilized by industry?  If so, why does this occur, and should federal agencies increase the emphasis on translational research to address this issue? If not, why not?

Support for existing manufacturing firms

7. Should the federal government help form public-private partnerships to perform research on “horizontal,” cross-cutting technology platforms (e.g., modeling, simulation) that are essential, but beyond the reach of individual firms? If not, why not?

8. Should the government generate an international benchmarking effort to compare US manufacturing infrastructures (i.e., technology platforms) with those of competing nations? If not, why not?

9. Should government, in partnership with industry, sponsor programs in manufacturing training and certification at community colleges, technical schools, and colleges to enhance the nation’s workforce? If not, why not?

A national manufacturing strategy

10. Should the President create a national science– and technology–based manufacturing strategy as a pillar of US economic policy? If not, why not? If so, which actions should have highest priority? Which of these are most cost-effective?

You can submit responses to any of the questions by 5:00 p.m. EDT Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at http://pcast.ideascale.com.

By admin in Public Policy
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