[NIFL-WORKPLACE:19] Thursday Notes 1/4/2001

From: H. A. C. Watson (haw6@psu.edu)
Date: Wed Jan 03 2001 - 10:15:51 EST


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>From the Desk of Ronald S. Pugsley, Director, DAEL
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
Editor: Sarah Newcomb Production: Rose Tilghman
January 4, 2001
___________________________________

Houston's Rod Paige Nominated for Secretary of Education

President-elect Bush announced December 30 that Houston school
superintendent Rod Paige is his choice for Secretary of Education. Upon his
confirmation, Paige, 67, will be the first African-American Secretary of
Education. Paige's work in raising test scores and improving performance
through assessment in Houston schools has drawn support and national
attention. Paige attended segregated schools, graduating from Jackson State
University in 1955 and earning Master's and Doctor's degrees from Indiana
University. Prior to serving in Houston, Paige was dean of the College of
Education at Texas Southern University.

Transition Liaisons Named

With just a short time before the transfer of power from the current to the
new Administration, the Bush transition team has assigned staff to review
pressing issues in each agency to ensure that the transition runs smoothly.
Among the transition liaisons for the Department are: Margaret LaMontagne,
senior advisor, Texas governor's office; William Hansen, executive director,
Education Finance Council; Sandy Kress, partner in a Washington law firm;
Sarah Youssef, policy staff, Bush-Cheney 2000; Christine Wolfe, House
Education and the Workforce Committee; Becky Campoverde, communications
director, House Education and the Workforce Committee; and Nina Rees, senior
education policy analyst, the Heritage Foundation. LaMontagne heads the
liaison team.

Coffman New MO State Director

Steve Coffman, a former vocational dean with East Central College in Union,
Missouri became Missouri's State Director of Adult Education, replacing Jon
Warren, on November 6. In his former position, Coffman says he "saw the
results of those...served by adult education...and became very familiar"
with the program. Coffman plans to use his experience in strategic planning,
collaboration, and consulting as he directs the adult education office. He
began a lifelong education career as a junior high school, high school and
university instructor. Contact  scoffman@mail.dese.state.mo.us

BEST Prototype Moves Ahead

Work, funded by the Division of Adult Education and Literacy, is moving
forward in developing a computer-assisted Basic English Skills Test (BEST).
The new C-BEST test is scheduled to be available in the fall of 2002. The
test will help limited English proficient learners show what they can do in
English in a shorter time than the original BEST test required. An earlier
project funded by a Division contract created the computer test prototype.
The Center for Applied Linguistics, our contractor, will be developing test
items and studying their validity and reliability during 2001. See updates
on test development posted at http://www.cal.org/best/compbest.htm

____________________________________________________________________________
A Fact Sheet from the Division of Adult Education and Literacy
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
OVAE Homepage http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/



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