Washington Update
Volume 8,
Issue 3
Mar. -
Apr. 2006
Dear NAFEPA Members:
"Charting the Course…Implementing NCLB" was the theme of our
32nd Annual NAFEPA Conference, and Carol Brush and the
conference committee certainly provided us with the tools
necessary to proceed. I don’t think you could find another
conference that brought together more of the nationally
recognized leaders in education. Thanks to Carol for her
leadership for the past four years as our vice
president/conference chairperson.
Also, special thanks to all of you who attended the
conference and especially those of you who attended for the
first time. I hope you found the professional development
provided by NAFEPA informative and enlightening. Highlights of
the conference are included in the newsletter, and I appreciate
Everett Mann taking the time to share his thoughts about the
conference with us. We have our 2006 Legislative Position Paper
posted on the web page, and a summary of the main points is in
this newsletter. We thank Dale Zellmer for chairing this
important committee.
Our next task will be to prepare for the reauthorization of
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known now as No
Child Left Behind. Your Executive Committee will take the lead
in this important effort, and we welcome the involvement of all
NAFEPA members.
In the last newsletter I mentioned that the Board of
Directors accepted the recommendation from the membership
committee to name Honorary and Emeritus members. I am pleased
that in this edition we are spotlighting these individuals who
helped to lay the foundation for our association. This year’s
Emeritus members are Carley Ochoa, Ambrosio Melendrez, and Iva
McCants. Our new Honorary members are Jack Jennings and Mary
Jean LeTendre.
At our annual NAFEPA meeting, Past President John Pfaff
presented the slate of officers for the 2006-2008 term of
office. You will find the nominations along with voting
guidelines and ballot in this edition of our newsletter.
Again, thanks to all of you who attended, planned and/or
presented at our recent NAFEPA conference. Everything about the
conference was OUTSTANDING!!!
Bobby Burns
President, NAFEPA
CONFERENCE SUMMARY by
Everett Mann
MARCH 26-29, 2006—Washington DC
Final Brush Paints Outline for NAFEPA
Year 5 NCLB Work
The NAFEPA annual conference "Charting the
Course: Implementing NCLB" was held on March 26-29, 2006 at the
Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Washington, DC. The 400
participants were interested in finding out what has been
learned after four years of implementing NCLB, what lies ahead
for the next year or two (or three) regarding reauthorization,
and finally, what assistance is available from local, state, and
federal educational agencies, professional organizations,
universities, consultants, and publishers. The participants were
not disappointed and rather than trying to report on everything
that happened at the conference, I will highlight what I believe
are a few important points. Also, I would encourage you to grab
your calendars and plan to attend the next NAFEPA Annual
Conference, "NCLB: Today's Challenges, Tomorrow's Opportunities"
- March 11-14, 2007 to be held at the same location.
Conference Highlights
-
Conference presenters commended federal
program administrators and their districts for the work that
they do each day to help every child succeed. There was
general recognition by the speakers at the conference that
although much remains to be done, after four years of
implementing NCLB, gains in student achievement have been
made. A national study that makes this point and provides a
comprehensive look at NCLB implementation is entitled "From
the Capital to the Classroom: Year 4 of the No Child Left
Behind Act." This study can be found on the Center for
Education Policy website which is:
http://www.ctredpol.org.
-
Preparing for reauthorization and the
process of reauthorization will be lengthy. It is quite
possible that it will not occur until after the 2008
presidential election. NAFEPA is working on a
reauthorization position paper. I would encourage you to
send your comments by email to Elizabeth Pinkerton at
elizabeth.pinkerton@frontiernet.net or to President
Bobby Burns at
bburns@calhoun.k12.al.us. In the meantime, review the
NAFEPA 2006 Legislative Position Paper and your state and/or
district legislative positions. Consider the recent federal
changes in NCLB and applicable flexibility agreements, and
determine how they affect your district. Communicate with
your members of Congress so that they know how NCLB affects
the children and staff in your school district. Tell them
what changes you believe are necessary for the law to be
effective.
-
Finally, a few words about the assistance
available to you as a federal programs administrator. The
most encouragement I can offer is that the conversation at
the federal and state levels is about building capacity. I
believe there is a growing realization that states and
districts cannot make additional progress in meeting the
goals of NCLB without support and professional development.
NAFEPA and your state organization play vital roles in this
because they are concerned about both program effectiveness
and fiscal compliance.
At this year's NAFEPA annual conference, we had
speakers address closing the achievement gap from many different
perspectives based on the latest research. Presenters from the
U.S. Department of Education spoke on Title I allocations,
funding opportunities. Speakers from the Office of Safe and Drug
Free Schools and Title III English Language Learners also
presented a variety of issues. Other USDE presenters and a legal
consultant spoke about the renewed focus on compliance and
enforcement, and vendor displays had information to supplement
the presentations and support our work. As we look toward the
future, NAFEPA is exploring collaborations with other
businesses, professional organizations and universities. Make
sure, as a federal programs leader in your district, that you
are knowledgeable about these efforts and take advantage of
them.
I hope these highlighted points from our NAFEPA
Annual Conference help you think about your federal programs
work as you complete this year and plan for next year. Thank you
to Carol Brush for her role as conference chair, for framing our
NCLB discussion during the past four years, and for leading us
toward our goal of helping every child succeed.
2006 LEGISLATIVE POSITION
PAPER
National
Association of Federal Education Program Administrators
NAFEPA - www.nafepa.org
Legislative Committee: Dale
Zellmer (Minnesota), Chair; Margaret Mastin (Alabama); Terry
Larsen (California); Donald Miller (Florida); Chrisandra
Richardson (Maryland); Joan Fitton (Massachusetts); Glenda
Virden (Michigan); Peggy Rogers (Mississippi); Helen Adams
(North Carolina); Everett Mann (Ohio); Ambrosio Melendrez
(Texas);Bobby Burns (Alabama), NAFEPA President:
NO CHILD
LEFT BEHIND: "The Journey Continues"
Implementation and Pending Reauthorization
Four years have passed since
the President signed the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
States and school districts have systematically worked to
improve instruction and learning for all students.
While our NAFEPA organization
continues to be fully committed to the goals of No Child Left
Behind, we propose a series of improvements to NCLB for
Congress and the Executive Branch to consider. Our intent is not
to relieve states and districts of their duty to ensure that
every child receives an excellent education. We remain committed
to provide every child a high quality education based on
standards while ensuring the elimination of the achievement gap
that exists among groups of students. The fulfillment of the
promise inherent within NCLB requires a true collaborative
partnership between all stakeholders including federal, state,
and local governments, schools and school districts, students
and families. The key points of our Position Paper are organized
under the following headings:
MAIN ELEMENTS
1.
Accountability
-
Implement a growth model
to determine the degree of academic progress
-
Approve an alternative
assessment system for English language learners and students
with disabilities that takes into consideration the
developmental needs of children and the research on language
acquisition
-
Design an accountability
system where every student counts the same number of times
2.
School and District Improvement
-
Allow a district
identified for improvement to provide supplemental
educational services if there is evidence that overall
student achievement in the district is improving
-
Designate schools in need
of improvement only after the same subgroup fails to make
adequate yearly progress (AYP) in the same subject for two
consecutive years
-
Implement in year three -
Corrective Action, a “demonstration of progress” phase
3.
Supplemental Educational Services (SES) and School Choice
-
Target school choice and
supplemental educational services to the specific subgroups
that fall short of their AYP targets
-
Provide LEAs flexibility
to implement one or the other program in the first year of
sanctions
-
Require SES providers to
employ only highly qualified teachers
-
Allow districts to access
a portion of the required set aside for implementation
expenses
-
Increase the allowable
carryover for districts incurring SES charges
4.
Federal Support
(Note: The
Support Pages for the Position Paper are available on the web
page:
www.nafepa.org)
MEMBERS—New, Honorary, and Emeritus
Welcome To Our New
NAFEPA
Members!
Alabama: Mary Rose
Cameron, Cherry Parker, Elizabeth Thomas; Sharon Lessly, Kendall
Ainsworth, Carol Evans, Lauren Coby; California: Vivian
Boyd, Maureen Bradford, Lynda Christian, Sharon Jeffrey, Cynthia
Rodriguez; Florida: Mary Alcock, Catherine Caudill, Brian Curry,
Frank Darden, Jeff Eakins, Linda Fife, Elizabeth Horvath;
Georgia: Kanikie Doyle; Illinois: Hilda Rivera;
Louisiana: Wilbert Ocmond; Michigan: Walter Milton;
Mississippi: Nadene Arrington, Marsha Bond, Charles Dubra,
Benny Montgomery, Debra Spiers, YaMika Thomas; New Jersey:
Lonnie Hughes, Howard Myers; Nevada: Denean Adams, Lynn Rauh,
Nicole Rourke, Mary Horner; New York: Jim Frenchak, Betty
Rea, John Williams, Kathleen Tom Reycraft; North Carolina:
Linda Bellamy, Teresa Cronin, Lillian Jarman; Ohio: Diana
Diefenbacher, Rebecca Ruckel; Oregon: Deb Carroll, Ray
Demarco, Susan Kosmala; Pennsylvania: William Backall,
Virginia Carr, Jim Sheffer; South Carolina: Elaine Bilton,
Jane Harrelson, Angelia Scott; Tennessee: Stacy Pearson;
Texas: Rebecca Brandon; Virginia: Johnetta Smith,
Jack Kopcak, Elizabeth Lewis; Wisconsin: Maxine Hough,
Timothy Miller; Washington: Bob Harmon.
Meet
the 2006 Honorary Members of NAFEPA:
Jack
Jennings, President and CEO of the Center on Education Policy
"The NAFEPA organization is especially needed today, as
national policies and federal programs become more significant
in schools. I have always felt close to NAFEPA members because,
in my view, they and I usually shared the same goal—trying to
improve education for all children. Thanks."
Mary Jean Le
Tendre, Former Title I Director, U. S. Department of Education
"I have always felt a special affiliation with your organization
and its members. You provided support and encouragement as we
have been companions on the journey of providing leadership and
educational assistance to our nation's neediest children. You
continue to make sure that our children are not left behind. You
pick up those who have fallen by the wayside. America needs more
men and women who stand up for and reach out to the weak and the
poor. I am honored to have received this special recognition and
to have a special association with NAFEPA."
Meet
the 2006 Emeritus Members of NAFEPA:
Carley
Ochoa, Past President, NAFEPA
"Having spent my life in the field of education, I have
belonged to many organizations, but two of those are near and
dear to my heart—the California Association (CAASFEP) and NAFEPA.
I was privileged to be president of both those organizations,
and I treasure the memories of those actions that most benefited
the children of California and the nation. I am doubly honored
to be granted emeritus standing. Throughout my tenure in the
Riverside, California schools, I was always secure in the
knowledge that we had a network to help us do our job. Thanks,
NAFEPA!! I am now retired and living in the lovely state of
North Carolina. You may have heard of the adage, "you can take
the girl out of Title I, but you can't take Title I out of the
girl." Well, that's true. I continue to follow the program
goals and give my advice when I see a need to do so. My husband
is also retired. We have both our children living nearby, and we
fully enjoy our grandson, Blaine, who is now 16 and a junior in
high school."
Ambrosio
Melendrez, Past President, NAFEPA
"I have been a member of NAFEPA since 1984. I served on the
Board of Directors from 1986-1996 and was NAFEPA president from
1990-92. I continue as an active member and am currently serving
on the NAFEPA legislative committee. I was the federal programs
administrator for the Crystal City and Austin school districts
and a Title I and migrant education program specialist at the
Texas Education Agency. I also served as a program director for
the WestEd Regional Educational Laboratory in California from
1995-98 and was the project administrator for the Taylor
Accelerated Schools Project in Taylor, Texas from 1999-2001.
From 2001-04 I served as a program coordinator with the
Southwest Center for Accelerated Schools at the University of
Texas. I am currently an educational consultant specializing in
program planning, grant-writing, and the implementation of
federally funded education programs."
Iva McCants,
NAFEPA’s First Treasurer
CHECK YOUR LABEL TO SEE
IF YOU ARE OVERDUE - IF YOU ARE, IT IS TIME TO RENEW!
When you go to
www.nafepa.org, here is the special and secret code
that allows you to enter the new "members only" pages:
esea1965nclb. Please remember to keep this code confidential so
that only NAFEPA members have access. The code may change from
time to time. If you have difficulty gaining access, email
Elizabeth at
elizabeth.pinkerton@frontiernet.net.
VISITS TO
THE HILL
Election
of NAFEPA Officers 2006-2008
The following
NAFEPA members were nominated to serve as the officers of NAFEPA
for the term that begins on October 1, 2006.
 President: Bobby Burns, Deputy Superintendent, Calhoun
County School District, Alabama. Mr. Burns served as the NAFEPA
representative from Alabama and was elected Member at Large to
NAFEPA’s Executive Committee. He was elected as president of
NAFEPA in 2004, and he has now been nominated for a second term.
 Vice President: Rick Carder, Director. State & Federal
Programs, Grant Union High School District, California. Mr,
Carder is presently a California representative on the Board of
Directors and a Member at Large on the Executive Committee where
he chairs the Membership Committee.
 Treasurer: Randy Thudin, Principal, Cloquet School
District, Minnesota. Mr. Thudin served as NAFEPA secretary and
was elected as treasurer in 2004. He was the Minnesota
representative on the NAFEPA Board of Directors prior to serving
in an elective office. He has been nominated for a second term
as treasurer.
 Secretary: Debra Baros, Assistant Superintendent., Cuero
School District, Texas. Ms. Baros was the Texas representative
on the Board of Directors and was elected secretary in 2004. She
has been nominated for a second term in that position.
Past President: John Pfaff
Your BALLOT is in this newsletter. Ballots must be returned
to Elizabeth Pinkerton by June 1, 2006. Results of the election
will be announced in the July newsletter. The new officers begin
their terms on October 1, 2006.
NAFEPA
Conference— Capitol Hill Visits—March 2006
Staff of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein,
Olyvia Rodriguez, Legislative Assistant, Education
NAFEPA representatives:
Rick Carder, Grant Joint Union High School District; Carolyn
Jones, Hayward Unified School District; Sharon Jeffrey, Hayward
Unified School District; Vicki Bartelt, Ontario-Montclair School
District; Lisa Rivero, Fontana Unified School District; Maureen
Bradford, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District -
Our meeting with Olyvia Rodriguez, Legislative Assistant for
Education, was extremely positive and supportive. We got off to
a great start when Olyvia immediately recognized Maureen
Bradford, who had been her elementary teacher in Southern
California. Olyvia opened our meeting by expressing Senator
Feinstein’s concern about No Child Left Behind not being fully
funded. She said: "The Senator is extremely concerned about all
the mandates SEAs and LEAs must implement without complete
funding." This comment on funding was unsolicited by our group.
However, we did support her comments.
We presented Olyvia with the
NAFEPA and CAASFEP legislative position papers. Our focus was to
provide Senator Feinstein with the national perspective and then
focus on issues that are being faced in California.
Accountability was discussed in depth including moving toward a
“growth” model and the 100% proficiency goal of 2013-14. We
expressed a great concern about not having a common definition
for proficiency nationwide. We also pointed out the use of
scientific based research as noted in the CAASFEP paper from Dr.
Linn and David Shreve, since scientific based research is one of
the four pillars of the No Child Left Behind legislation. We
also discussed increasing the subgroup percentages for the ELL
and Special Needs students who take alternative assessments and
the challenges with alternative schools.
Olyvia took notes during our
half hour meeting and took particular notice of the lack of LEA
control over supplemental educational providers. We presented
the most recent investigation that uncovered serious issues with
providers in New York City. We also asked that the Senator push
allow LEAs to have more authority in dealing with providers and
in determining “lack of capacity” based on health and safety
code requirements. In regard to school improvement sanctions, we
requested that the Senator work to allow schools identified to
remain in this status for a minimum of three years. This would
give a school the opportunity to implement and evaluate progress
over time. Finally, we left Olyvia with two issues for Senator
Feinstein that must be addressed by the U. S. Department of
Education. First, that the Department develops a transparent and
uniform process regarding waivers and implementation
regulations. Secondly, that all stakeholders must be involved in
the Negotiated Rule Making process prior to release of the
reauthorized law. By Rick Carder
Minnesota Teams Visit Ten
Congressional Offices
We primarily met with the Education Legislative
Assistants. However, we did have one office that would not
schedule a meeting with us since there was no one on the team
from that Congressional office. We even stopped and tried to see
him, but to no avail (we did leave the packet, which given his
interest in education probably went directly in the shredder).
All of our other meetings were good - a couple even excellent.
We did sense a definite
interest in NCLB and in efforts for reform. Our Legislative
paper was also well received. Since my return, two of the
offices have contacted me for additional information that they
were intending to use in some education visits during their
recess. By Dale Zellmer
NAFEPA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS—STATE REPRESENTATIVES
CHECK YOUR MEMBERSHIP DUE
DATE ON THE LABEL OF THIS NEWSLETTER!
If you are OVERDUE—— this is your last newsletter.
We do not want to lose you as a NAFEPA member, so we hope to
hear from you soon.
This newsletter was prepared by: Elizabeth Pinkerton
If you are in an unaffiliated state, contact me
elizabeth.pinkerton@frontiernet.net
if you need
additional information.
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