1. Budget and Appropriations
-Education community digested and began to respond to the release of the Obama Administration’s detailed FY 2010 budget proposal last week (see 5/8 ed report and chart for details)
-Despite overall increased ed spending, notable criticism and concern has emerged around spending freezes and transitions to competitive grant based funding for longtime ed programs.
-Breakdown of many aspects of the proposal that the ed world has to be happy about (mentioned last week): funding for early-childhood ed. programs and grants; Teacher Incentive Fund growth; Pell Grant; Title 1 School Improvement funding.
-Disappointments for some ed. groups: Afterschool/Career and Technical ed. program spending frozen at FY 2009 level; IDEA funding frozen at FY 2009 level; STEM funding frozen.
-Congress’ view of the administration’s proposal is still unclear.
-Overall, sobering for those with high expectation on the heels of unprecedented stimulus funding for education—a realization that these investments will not all be long term and sustained.
2. Secretary Duncan Addresses Innovation Funding at Brookings Institution
-Duncan articulated his vision for use of innovation funding generated by the stimulus.
-Recognized that much of $ given to states to stabilize and prevent job loss but still hopeful that some will also achieve innovation: “Race to the Top” fund; What Works Innovation Fund.
-Participants expressed concerns that money will go to existing programs rather than reform initiatives.
3. House Educational and Labor Committee Holds Hearing on High School Reform
-“America’s Competitiveness through High School Reform”—focused on how addressing drop-out crisis connects to strengthening American economic competitiveness
-Bi-partisan panel of congressmen and six experts testified
-Alarming statistics presented and general recognition of the crisis’ extent
-Experts agreed that increased federal investment in high school reform must be included in ESEA reauthorization
-Highlighted “high,common standards that are tied to college-and work-readiness” (the growing chant for national standards!) as critical to high school reform.
4. In Brief, headings include
-EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MEETS WITH STAKEHOLDERS ON ENHANCING EDUCATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY (EETT) STIMULUS SPENDING
-SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE IN EDUCATION (SEE) HOLDS BRIEFING ON NEW RESEARCH ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MATH CURRICULA
-NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION (NSBA) AND CENTER FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION (CPA) HOLD BRIEFING ON GROWTH MODELS
-NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD HOLDS MEETING ON BUDGET
-BROOKINGS HOLDS DISCUSSION OF HIGH SCHOOLS’ ROLES IN ENCOURAGING POSTSECONDARY STUDY
-HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING ON CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS
-HOUSE SCIENCE AND TECH COMMITTEE HOLDS HEARING ON FY 2010 BUDGET
-OBAMA ADMINISTRATION SELECTS SUPREET ANAND FOR ELL POST
Refer to attached report itself for more details surrounding areas of interest above. Be sure to also scan sections #5 (“New Publications”) and #6 (“In the News”), for articles of interest.
