A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

A biweekly look at progress on the Secretary's priorities

Table of Contents Religious Expression... Master the Foundations of Mathematics... Prepared For & Able to Afford 2 Years of College All Classrooms Connected to the Internet... A Talented, Dedicated, Well-Prepared Teacher in Every Classroom Every School Strong, Safe, Drug-Free & Disciplined Blue Ribbon Schools Town Meeting... Workforce Investment Mcguire Confirmed as OERI Assistant Secretary New Online Credits

RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS Last week, President Clinton announced the release of "Religious Expression in Public Schools" (May 1998), an update of the August 1995 guidelines addressing the extent to which religious expression & activity are permitted in public schools. The 1998 guidelines are identical to those issued in 1995, except for changes in the sections on religious excusals & student garb (made to reflect the Supreme Court decision in Boerne v. Flores). The guidelines, writes Secretary Riley in an introductory letter, "allow school districts to avoid contentious disputes by developing a common understanding among students, teachers, parents & the broader community that the First Amendment does in fact provide ample room for religious expression by students while at the same time maintaining freedom from government sponsored religion." The Secretary encourages... school districts to use these guidelines to revise or develop their own district-wide policies regarding religious expression principals & administrators to make sure that teachers are fully informed about the guidelines schools to inform parents & students about religious expression in school using these guidelines. The letter & guidelines are at: http://www.ed.gov/Speeches/08-1995/religion.html

HELPING ALL CHILDREN MASTER THE FOUNDATIONS OF MATHEMATICS BY THE END OF 8TH GRADE A new website, "Making Schools Work for Every Child," is designed to assist educators in creating equitable classrooms where every child can succeed. It offers journal articles, essays, & other math & science resources to help... teachers & administrators acknowledge children's diverse strengths, identify inequities, & improve instruction for students with varied needs strengthen the preparation of teachers, guidance counselors, & administrators identify school structures & mechanisms that promote or inhibit the participation of members from diverse communities examine school, district, state, & federal policies. The website is a collaborative effort between the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (ENC) & the Equity Task Force of the National Network of Eisenhower Regional Consortia & Clearinghouse. It's available at: http://www.enc.org/from_equity/

ALL STUDENTS PREPARED FOR & ABLE TO AFFORD 2 YEARS OF COLLEGE Thousands of low-income students in 32 states will have access to advanced placement (AP) tests under the first-ever AP grants awarded to states, Secretary Riley announced last month. Most colleges & universities award college credit to students who pass AP tests, saving tuition costs & allowing students to be accepted more readily by the college of their choice. For more information, please see: http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/05-1998/appr.html

ALL CLASSROOMS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET; ALL STUDENTS TECHNOLOGY LITERATE On June 10-12 in Los Angeles, "The White House Internet Summit: Focus on Digital Media Content for Children & Teens" will offer panel discussions, speakers, breakout sessions, & continuous demonstrations highlighting the benefits of children & teens using the Internet. Registration is $75. Panel discussions will be webcast live June 11-12. The conference is being hosted by the White House, Commerce Department's National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA), & the Annenberg Incubator Project. For details, please see: http://whis.ec2.edu

A TALENTED, DEDICATED, WELL-PREPARED TEACHER IN EVERY CLASSROOM Six schools & two school districts were honored last month for outstanding teacher development programs under the Department's National Awards Program for Model Professional Development. At one school, Shallowford Falls Elementary School (Marietta, GA)... Staff teams meet regularly to examine individual teacher needs & determine the best ways to address those needs. Professional development activities include overnight staff retreats & small, focused study groups. Teachers try new practices in their classrooms & then examine the results with other teachers. The school has a low teacher turnover rate in part because new staff are hired through an interview process that involves teachers. Veteran teachers also help new staff members incorporate effective strategies into their practice. Other schools receiving the award were... Ganado Intermediate School in Ganado, AZ; Montview Elementary School in Aurora, CO; Hungerford School, Staten Island, NY; International High School at LaGuardia College, Long Island City, NY; Geneva City School District, Geneva, NY; & H.D. Hilley Elementary School in El Paso, TX, and Lewisville Independent School District in Lewisville, TX. To be recognized under the program, now in its second year, schools & districts must demonstrate that their professional development programs improve teacher effectiveness & student learning & are consistent with principles for professional development that are based on the best available research & exemplary practice. For more information, including brief descriptions of the professional development efforts of these schools & districts, please see: http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/05-1998/profdev.html

EVERY SCHOOL STRONG, SAFE, DRUG-FREE & DISCIPLINED Visit the new School Construction homepage for an updated overview of the President's proposal to help states & school districts build & renovate public schools, plus information on... how school modernization bonds could help schools in your area the need for a national school construction program the impact of inadequate school facilities on student learning the National Clearinghouse on Educational Facilities & more.

BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS Last month, Secretary Riley announced 166 public & private secondary schools selected as the 1997-98 Blue Ribbon Schools. Each of the schools has... high student retention & graduation rates challenging standards & curriculum excellent teaching & an environment that strengthens teacher skills & improvement school, family & community partnerships sustained high student achievement or significant improvement in student achievement. The schools were nominated by state education agencies, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Department of Defense, & the Council for American Private Education. Each selected school conducted a thorough self-evaluation involving administrators, teachers, students, parents & community representatives in completing their nomination forms. For more information, please see: http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/05-1998/brs98d.html http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/BlueRibbonSchools/

TOWN MEETING ON "BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY" This month's Satellite Town Meeting, "Designs for Learning: Building Schools for the 21st Century," will be broadcast live from Zebulon B. Vance High School in Charlotte, NC, on Tuesday, June 16th, from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. Charlotte-Mecklenberg Schools will be featured, & a panel of local educators, parents, & citizens will join Secretary Riley to discuss how school buildings can be created to... serve also as community centers, as sites for after-school programs, & for other purposes maximize student safety & discipline anticipate telecommunications & technology needs. For more information please call 1-800-USA-LEARN or visit: http://www.ed.gov/inits/stm/

WORKFORCE INVESTMENT Last month, the Senate passed the Workforce Investment Partnership Act of 1998, legislation that includes the President's proposals to reform our employment & training system. The legislation... creates strong accountability provisions for vocational & adult education while streamlining both programs streamlines services by consolidating current training programs & by creating a nationwide system of One-Stop Career Centers enhances accountability & requires training providers to be certified increases flexibility, allowing states & local areas to implement innovative job-training programs improves the vocational rehabilitation program includes the Youth Opportunity Areas initiative, to create jobs & opportunities for out-of-school youth in high poverty areas. The bill has been referred to a House-Senate Conference Committee, which will resolve the differences between this measure & the version that passed the House on May 16, 1997. For the President's statement on Senate passage of this legislation, please see: http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/05-1998/wh-055.html

MCGUIRE CONFIRMED AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF OERI Cyril Kent McGuire was confirmed last month by the Senate as Assistant Secretary for the Department's Office of Educational Research & Improvement (OERI). McGuire will oversee a $400 million budget & 350 full-time staff. OERI funds research & demonstration projects to improve education, & collects & disseminates statistical information on the condition of education. McGuire, of Moorestown, NJ, joins the Department after serving as program officer of the education portfolio for the Pew Charitable Trusts in Philadelphia. For more information, please see: http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/05-1998/mcguire.html

NEW ONLINE PBS LiteracyLink offers a catalogue of peer-reviewed instructional websites. State-of-the-art materials can be searched by instructional area, and a bimonthly question & answer forum, adult education & literacy success stories, & other video & online resources can help adult students advance their GED & workplace skills. LiteracyLink is funded by the Department's Star Schools Program. http://www.pbs.org/literacy Como Ayudarle a su Hijo con la Tarea Escolar," the Spanish version of "Helping Your Child with Homework, provides practical ideas for helping children complete homework assignments successfully. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/TareaEscolar/ Strengthening Your Child's Academic Future tells why higher academic standards are important & provides sample questions parents can ask teachers & administrators to find out about the academic expectations in their children's schools. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Strengthen/ The Safe & Drug-Free Schools Recognition Program Application Package is online. This program will identify schools that are doing an exemplary job of creating safe schools. http://www.ed.gov/News/index.html Linking the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) & the Third International Mathematics and Science (TIMSS) Study: 8th-Grade Results compares state 8th-grade mathematics & science performance for each of 44 states & jurisdictions participating in NAEP with that of 41 nations who participated in TIMSS. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/linking98/index.html

Have a comment or suggestion on ED Initiatives? Please send it to Kirk Winters in the Office of the Under Secretary at kirk.winters@ed.gov.

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