FYI
 
 


THE OVAE REVIEW 

January 31, 2006 
Beto Gonzalez, Acting Assistant Secretary 
Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) 
U.S. Department of Education 

Angela Desrochers-Editor 

"The Review" is an update from the Office of the Assistant Secretary at
the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of
Education.


Hurricane Update 
Additional Help for Colleges Affected by Katrina and Rita 
On January 18, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced
the availability of an additional $30 million in education funds-on top
of $200 million appropriated by Congress-to help institutions of higher
education that were directly impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, as
well as other colleges and universities around the country that enrolled
displaced students.  The $30 million is unspent federal financial aid
funding that is being redirected to help the hurricane-affected
institutions.  Secretary Spellings made the announcement following a
meeting at Tulane University with presidents and students of eight New
Orleans area colleges and universities.

"Institutions of higher education are a vital component in the
rebuilding of New Orleans," Spellings said.  "We know that much work
remains to be done, and we stand ready to help the colleges,
universities, and other postsecondary schools that have been deeply
affected by the hurricanes, as well as those schools that rallied to
their aid and took in students in the spirit of cooperation." 

In addition to the $30 million in redirected funds, another $200 million
is available through the Hurricane Education Recovery Act.  Included in
this is $10 million for the 99 postsecondary institutions around the
country that enrolled displaced students following the hurricanes and
$190 million for Louisiana's and Mississippi's boards of higher
education ($95 million each to the Louisiana Board of Regents and the
Mississippi Institutes of Higher Learning).

The Bush Administration and Secretary Spellings have initiated numerous
efforts to benefit students and colleges affected by the hurricanes,
including assistance in repaying student loans and flexibility in
awarding financial aid.  More information about the Hurricane Education
Recovery Act can be found at:
<http://hurricanehelpforschools.gov/index.html>.



Center for Rural Education 

Rural Education Task Force/Center for Rural Education 

On January 20, 2006, seventeen teachers from rural schools in thirteen
states converged on the nation's capital to discuss issues facing rural
teachers and to share promising practices that they use in their
classrooms.  The morning session of the daylong focus group prompted
discussions on the teaching profession - how teachers can balance
work/life; the unique challenges of teaching in rural, often isolated
locations; and professional development.  The afternoon's discussion
centered on students in the rural classroom - how they are motivated,
strengthening parent-teacher relationships in all grade levels, and
preparing rural students for involvement in a global workforce.  

The teachers shared examples of "promising practices" that are used in
their classrooms to help students achieve and to help close the
achievement gap.  Several agreed to be videotaped to share this
information with other rural teachers.  Highlights will be available on
the Center for Rural Education's Web site in the near future.  



Community Colleges 

An Apprenticeship Program with Sound Academics 

People in the trades often opt for that path without considering the
value of a high school diploma and/or the value of higher education or
further academic training.  West Virginia's Marshall Community &
Technical College offers an innovative program targeted to those
generally outside the postsecondary academic mainstream: an Associate in
Applied Science (A.A.S.) Degree in Occupational Development.  This
initiative combines on-the-job training with postsecondary general
education that is provided in the classroom or online-and it involves
business, industry, and labor.

While this kind of degree structure has been in place since 1987, it is
now taking off because of an emphasis in both business and education for
more formal education and the recognized value of postsecondary
education that occurs outside the classroom.  Last summer, while
providing leadership training for the International Union of Painters
and Allied Trades, the participants recognized the value of education
for their members, and the union now has over 50 degree candidates
pursuing an A.A.S. degree.  While teachers see that such students are
often timid beginning the program, once they find out that they can be
successful, they show self-confidence and often an interest in pursuing
higher education and a striving to reach their full potential.

Marshall's degree program consists of three components:  (1) general
education (written and oral communication, quantitative mathematics,
science, computers, and social science, plus seven general education
electives; (2) classroom instruction in the occupation, i.e., 450-750
classroom/laboratory hours of occupational education converted to credit
hours; and (3) on-the-job training, i.e., the total number of contact
hours experienced on the job by the student that may be placed on the
college record. 

The program follows West Virginia's guidelines for occupational
development that include integrating academically sound "registered
apprenticeship programs" (RAPs) that are recommended by the U. S. Bureau
of Apprenticeship and Training (BAT).  This approach enhances RAPs by
adding the general education component, encourages program participants
to adopt a philosophy that embraces the practice of lifelong learning,
and enhances the occupational skills of the workforce and the climate
for economic development.

For more information on Marshall Community & Technical College's
Occupational Development program on the Web, go to:
<http://www.marshall.edu/ctc/>.


Adult Education and Literacy 
National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) Report Released 
American adults can read a newspaper or magazine about as well as they
could a decade ago, but have made significant strides in performing
literacy tasks that involve computation, according to the first national
study of adult literacy since 1992. 

The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), released on December
15, 2005, by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), found
little change between 1992 and 2003 in adults' ability to read and
understand sentences and paragraphs or to understand documents such as
job applications.

"One adult unable to read is one too many in America," said U.S.
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, who announced plans to
coordinate adult education efforts in 2006 across multiple federal
agencies. "We must take a comprehensive and preventive approach,
beginning with elementary schools and with special emphasis in our high
schools.  We must focus resources toward proven, research-based methods
to ensure that all adults have the necessary literacy skills to be
successful."

African Americans scored higher in 2003 than in 1992 in all three
categories, increasing 16 points in quantitative, eight points in
document literacy and six points in prose literacy.  Overall, adults
have improved in document and quantitative literacy, with a smaller
percentage of adults in 2003 in the Below Basic category as compared to
1992. Whites, African Americans and Asian/Pacific Islanders have
improved in all three measures of literacy, with a smaller percentage in
2003 in the Below Basic category as compared to 1992. 

Hispanic adults showed a decrease in scores for both prose and document
literacy and a higher percentage in the Below Basic category.  The
report also showed that five percent of U.S. adults, about 11 million
people, were termed "nonliterate" in English, meaning interviewers could
not communicate with them or that they were unable to answer a minimum
number of questions.

NAAL in 2003 assessed a nationally representative sample of more than
19,000 Americans age 16 and older, most in their homes and some in
prisons.  NCES, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education's
Institute of Education Sciences, conducted the assessment in both 1992
and 2003. 

NAAL uses three categories to define English-language literacy: prose,
document and quantitative.  Prose literacy includes the skills needed to
understand continuous text, such as newspaper articles.  Document
literacy is the ability to understand the content and structure of
documents such as prescription drug labels.  Quantitative literacy
involves using numbers in text, such as computing and comparing the cost
per ounce of food items.

NAAL reports literacy in each category using a 0-500 scale score.
Scores are then grouped in four literacy levels: Below Basic, Basic,
Intermediate and Proficient.  Below Basic is the lowest level and
indicates having "no more than the most simple and concrete literacy
skills."  Those who can perform "complex and challenging" tasks are
considered at the Proficient level.

The report, A First Look at the Literacy of America's Adults in the 21st
Century, analyzed literacy results based on a variety of factors,
including race/ethnicity, gender, age, and level of educational
attainment.  A companion report, Key Concepts and Features of the 2003
National Assessment of Adult Literacy, describes the assessment's key
features and major data types.  It was also released on the 15th.

Other report highlights: 

	*       White adults' scores were up nine points in
quantitative, but were unchanged in prose and document literacy. 
	*       Hispanic adults' scores declined in prose and document
literacy 18 points and 14 points, respectively, but were unchanged in
quantitative literacy. 

	*       Asian/Pacific Islanders' scores increased 16 points in
prose literacy, but were unchanged in document and quantitative
literacy. 

	*       Among those who spoke only Spanish before starting
school, scores were down 17 points in prose and document literacy
between 1992 and 2003. 

To put its findings in perspective, NAAL also reported on U.S.
population changes between 1992 and 2003.  During the decade, the
percentage of white adults decreased from 77 to 70 percent, while the
percentage of Hispanic adults increased from eight to 12 percent.  The
percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander adults doubled (to 4 percent).  The
percentage of adults who spoke only English before starting school
decreased from 86 to 81 percent.

To view the reports and for more information, visit
<http://nces.ed.gov/naal>. 



Secondary, Career, and Technical Education 

Perkins Data Quality Institute (DQI) to be Held In Washington DC 

OVAE will provide training via the Perkins Data Quality Institute (DQI),
to be held in Washington, D.C., from noon on February 8 to noon on
February 10, 2006.  The prospective agenda and logistical information
can be found at the Peer Collaborative Resource Network (PCRN) Web site
(www.edcountability.net <http://www.edcountability.net>).  

There will be five objectives, but standardizing definitions and
measures for the Perkins core indicators of performance will be the
ultimate goal.  The institute will feature federal and state panelists
who will discuss their strategies and tools for ongoing improvements in
program and data quality.

This DQI training will continue with regional meetings to be held in
June 2006.  One regional meeting will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, on
June 14-16, following the Fourth Annual Career Clusters Initiative (go
to www.careertech.org <http://www.careertech.org> for information), and
another will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 21-23.  The PCRN Web
site contains more detailed information about these regional meetings.

Registration for the Washington, D.C., institute ended on January 19.
For more information about the DQI meetings, please contact Jay Savage
at (202) 245-6612; jay.savage at ed.gov <mailto:jay.savage at ed.gov>.

Business and Education Leaders Collaborate on State Scholars Initiative 
U. S. Department of Education Assembles High Level Advisory Board 

Deputy Secretary of Education Ray Simon convened the first advisory
board meeting of the State Scholars Initiative in Arlington, Virginia,
on January 12, 2006.  This federal investment in school reform relies on
the business community's involvement in encouraging middle school and
high school students across the country to take rigorous coursework.  At
the core of the program is a college preparatory core course of study,
which includes four years of English, three years of math (including
Algebra I and II, and geometry), three years of science (including
biology, chemistry, and physics), three and one half years of social
studies, and two years of a language other than English.  

In remarks during the board meeting, Deputy Secretary Simon stated,
"We're losing the global race and may not be able to recover.  We need
to take the great high schools from all over the nation and bring them
to critical mass.  The State Scholars Initiative can help do that."  He
continued, saying that this program is a favorite of the President's and
that it ranks high on his and Secretary Margaret Spelling's agenda for
the department. 

A major topic on the agenda was aligning the State Scholars Initiative
with other national high school reform efforts, including those of
Achieve, American Diploma Project, Gates Focus, Jobs for the Future
Early College, and the National Governors Association.  The advisory
board's expertise is broad and includes business and education
executives from Achieve, Business-Higher Education Forum, Business
Roundtable, Community College of Denver, Ed Trust, Education Commission
of the States, National Governors Association, North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction, Southern Regional Education Board, Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board, U. S. Chamber of Commerce, University of
Alaska, and the XAP Corporation.  

The Initiative's next major stride will be publishing a Request for
Proposals to identify eight to twelve new states to join the existing
network of 14 states, which includes Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut,
Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
Mississippi, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Washington.  The Western
Interstate Commission for Higher Education is managing the State
Scholars Initiative for the department (www.wiche.edu/statescholars
<http://www.wiche.edu/statescholars>.)  

Contact: U. S. Department of Education, Nancy Smith Brooks,
202-245-7774. 


Budget 

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 
  
On December 30, 2005, President Bush signed into law the Departments of
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2006, which provides funding for Department of
Education (ED) programs for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006.  For detailed budget
information please visit the ED budget tables at
<http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget06/06action.xls>.  



Other Department News 

"American Stars of Teaching" Nominations Open 

The U.S. Department of Education is accepting nominations for its 2006
"American Stars of Teaching" awards, which recognize teachers who are
improving student achievement -- using innovative strategies -- and
making a difference in the lives of their students. Anyone can nominate
an American Star.  After the Department receives a nomination, a
verification form is sent to the teacher's principal.  The deadline is
April 15.  For more information please go to
http://www.teacherquality.us/TeacherToTeacher/AmericanStars.asp.  (For
the latest news and information, subscribe to Teacher Updates at
<http://www.teacherquality.us/>.)

What Works Clearinghouse Launches New Help Desk to Assist Educational
Policymakers, Practitioners, and Researchers to Advance Evidence-Based
Education: 

The What Works Clearinghouse of the U.S. Department of Education's
Institute of Education Sciences announces the launch of an
Evidence-Based Education Help Desk. The Help Desk's mission is to
provide policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with practical,
easy-to-use resources to advance evidence-based education.
Specifically, the Help Desk offers resources to assist in conducting
rigorous evaluations of educational programs, sponsoring such
evaluations, and identifying and implementing evidence-based programs. 

Users access the Help Desk through a Web site
(http://whatworkshelpdesk.ed.gov) <http://whatworkshelpdesk.ed.gov>
supported by knowledgeable moderators who are available by phone or via
e-mail to help users navigate the available resources and to point them
to specific items addressing their needs. 

Help Desk resources include practical, how-to guides, such as "Key Items
to Get Right When Conducting a Randomized Controlled Trial in Education"
and "Identifying and Implementing Evidence-Based Educational Practices:
A User-Friendly Guide." 

The Help Desk is managed by the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy
<http://www.excelgov.org/evidence>, in partnership with the What Works
Clearinghouse <http://whatworks.ed.gov>, under a subcontract with the
Institute of Education Sciences
<http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ies/index.html?src=oc>. 








Angela Desrochers 
Communications 
Office of Vocational and Adult Education 
U.S. Department of Education 
Potomac Center Plaza 
550 12th Street SW  
Washington DC  20202-7100 
Phone-(202) 245-7722 
Fax-(202) 245-7837 

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