Washington Update
Volume 8,
Issue 5
July -
August 2006
Dear NAFEPA Members:
Thank You! These words do not begin to
adequately express my thoughts as I wrap up two years of serving
as President of the National Association of Federal Education
Program Administrators (NAFEPA). Our association, through the
leadership of our Board of Directors, has accomplished much
during the past two years. We have experienced an increase of
16% in our membership, and we have continued to improve the
services we provide. Our newsletter has taken on a more
professional look with color and articles related to federal
education programs from our members as well as legal
consultants. A feature we added two years ago is now a regular
source of up-to-date information related to federal education
programs. Our members continue to comment on the timeliness of
the Monday Morning News published weekly by Elizabeth Pinkerton,
our NAFEPA consultant and sent out to the Board of Directors.
The NAFEPA website has also received a face lift and many new
features have been added including our “Members Only” section.
In this section our members find reports and presentations from
our partners such as the legal staff of Brustein and Manasevit.
During the past two years we have
increased our number of affiliate states by six. We now have
five states that have 100 or more member/subscribers (Alabama,
Arkansas, California, Michigan, and Texas), and they each have
two representatives on the NAFEPA Board of Directors.
NAFEPA has developed strong partnerships
with several publishing companies allowing our members to
receive substantial discounts on their publications. We have
also partnered with Brustein and Manasevit, the Georgetown law
firm that covers federal educational issues.
The Board of Directors has increased our
number of scholarships to three, and we have increased the
amount of the scholarships to $1,500 for each student.
We send our very big thanks to two
exceptional people at this time. Carol Brush has served as
NAFEPA vice president for the past four years. In her position,
Carol served as the committee chair for the annual conference
and was responsible for every detail of the last four
conferences from inviting speakers to selecting menus. Paul
Zinni has served for the past four years as a board
representative on the executive committee. Paul also was the
chair of the publications committee assisting with all
publications. Paul and Carol both are the type of people that
never meet a stranger, and d they have both been instrumental in
much of the planning for NAFEPA. Both have added much to the
executive committee and the board of directors by their insight
and willingness to share ideas.
And, finally, a heartfelt thanks to you
the members/subscribers of NAFEPA. You have supported me and the
goals we’ve shared for our association. It's been a great two
years. I thank you, and I look forward to the next two years!
Bobby Burns
President, NAFEPA
2007 - Annual Spring
Conference, March 11-14 - 2007
Crystal City Hyatt-Washington DC
My Four Years as Vice President by Carol
Brush
President Bobby Burns asked me to reflect upon my four years
as NAFEPA vice president and my responsibilities for the annual
NAFEPA conference. My handy thesaurus defines “reflect” as: to
reveal, expose, chew on, exhibit, echo, think about, ponder,
mull over, wonder about, and point toward. So here goes with my
summary of the past four years as your vice president –
2002-2006:
Reveal… The conference committee believed that it was
important to focus our conference agendas on the No Child
Left Behind law and its implementation. Local school
districts needed information about the content of the law and
what federal education personnel would need to do to implement
the requirements, especially highly qualified teachers, choice,
and supplemental educational services. Over the past four years,
NAFEPA has tried to be the leading national organization in
providing up-to-date NCLB information and support to local
school districts that have the responsibility for implementing
the law. We have used our general and breakout sessions at the
conference to provide opportunities for participants to meet our
educational colleagues who develop, interpret, and audit the law
and its corresponding guidance and regulations.
Expose… This past year, 2006, the conference committee
believed that we needed to openly discuss the issues that
directly affect student achievement in our schools. Our speakers
(Kati Haycock, James Comer, Glenn Singleton, and Brooke Haycock)
shared the latest research on student achievement and addressed
how our subgroup populations are not achieving as they should.
This issue of academic improvement for all students needs to be
a continual focus of NAFEPA until all our subgroup populations
meet state standards and adequate yearly progress.
Chew on… One of the things about conference planning
is deciding what to serve to the participants at a reasonable
cost. One year we stopped the continental breakfast, and people
did comment about that! We chewed on that concept and decided it
was better to feed everyone, and the continental breakfasts
continued to be part of the NAFEPA offerings. We received a
thumbs down response for fish at dinner, so chicken now gets a
heads up at every conference! I believe we do a pretty good job
on the menus, especially when we followed up with a performance
of the “Capital Steps.”
Exhibit… Sponsors and exhibitors are an important part
of our conferences as their financial contributions allow us to
enhance the quality of our conference agendas. The average
presenter costs have significantly risen over the past four
years, so to keep the costs reasonable for attendees and
maintain our ability to compete for high qualify presenters, we
rely on sponsors and exhibitors for their assistance. We have
tried a variety of ways to provide a vehicle for our sponsors
and exhibitors to promote their materials and services. We need
to continue to appreciate their support for our organization and
define ways to support their efforts to promote their products.
Echo… The first conference I chaired in March of 2002
was truly a volunteer effort. The following year, we hired A+
Events to provide all of the technical support to our conference
committee, but especially to the attendees. A+ Events, under the
direction of Lisa Brandes, has been of tremendous help to NAFEPA,
and the group does great work! I truly believe that hiring A+
Events has increased our conference attendance and the
professionalism of our program, and we have been able to smooth
out our registration process and make it easier for our
participants. I am echoing the positive comments that I have
heard from our members about A+ Events as well as our conference
evaluations.
Think About, Ponder, Mull Over… I believe that NAFEPA
has done a great job in providing high quality conferences for
our members and attendees. We have tried to meet the many
requests from participants about location, presenters, food, and
program topics. The feedback has been very good, and
participants have been very positive about our topics and the
many opportunities they have to network with other federal
education program directors. We have addressed some hard issues
and tried to bring forth solutions that are practical and
effective.
Point Forward… As I finish up my term as vice
president, I want to thank the Executive Committee and Board of
Directors for all of their help and support. As NAFEPA looks
forward, I know that Rick Carder, as the new vice president,
will provide the NAFEPA members with many great conferences in
the years to come
A Summary of The No Child
Left Behind Commission
by Elizabeth Pinkerton
With much information about
the new NCLB Commission floating around in the summer of 2006,
we thought NAFEPA members might find it useful to have some of
the important pieces in one place and easily obtainable for
future reference. Although we had assumed that efforts would be
starting up this fall for the reauthorization of the No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001, it is anticipated now that the process
will be delayed. It is likely that we will not see significant
action until 2009.
What this means is that a law
intended for a five year implementation will continue pretty
much as it is with some minor changes for a ten year period. In
view of that recent development, the best information for NAFEPA
members right now is the work of the newly formed Commission on
NCLB that was very active in the summer of 2006. I highly advise
members to print out the advisories from the web page and keep
them handy so that there will be no surprises when certain
topics make headlines in the future. Members may also want to
keep track of future hearings on other topics, and we hope that
some of you will want to present papers that express your views
to the Commission. If you do so, please share them with us, and
we will place them on our NAFEPA web page (members’ only page).
Dr. Terry Larsen of Alhambra
Unified School District in California has been very helpful in
passing information on to the NAFEPA Board of Directors, and
because of his frequent messages, our Board has been able to
stay on top of all that happened in 2006. Hearings were held on
these topics: Rural Schools, Parental and Grassroots
Perspectives, Early Childhood Education, English Language
Learners, Students with Disabilities, and High School and
College Readiness, all topics of great interest to NAFEPA
members.
What is the Commission on
No Child Left Behind?
The Commission on No Child Left Behind is an independent,
bipartisan effort to improve the No Child Left Behind Act and
ensure it is a more useful force in closing the achievement gap
that separates disadvantaged children and their peers. The
Commission is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the John
D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Carnegie Corporation
of New York, and the Spencer Foundation. In 2006 the Commission
began the process of analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of
the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The Commission report to
Congress, the U. S. Department of Education, state and local
stakeholders, parents, and the general public with
recommendations to ensure that the law is an effective tool in
spurring academic achievement and closing the achievement gap.
The Commission functions under the umbrella of the Aspen
Institute that supports 15 policy programs that are directed by
leading policymakers and practitioners. The Institute programs
cover topics such as international peace and security, democracy
and citizenship; economic opportunity; social innovation through
business; the nonprofit sector; and community initiatives for
children and families.
What will be in the
Commission’s Report?
The Commission plans to identify NCLB successes and
provisions of the law that need to be changed or eliminated.
Following the hearings, analysis, and research, the Commission
will report to Congress and the Administration with its
recommendations in 2007. These topics will be in the report:
-
Analysis of the impact of
Federal, State, and local statutory, regulatory, and
administrative requirements on the
effectiveness of improving academic achievement and closing
the achievement gap.
-
Review of the experiences
of State and local governments, principals, and teachers in
complying with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended by the Improving America’s Schools Act and
the No Child Left Behind Act.
-
Review of State and local
data management systems in collecting pertinent student
achievement data and measuring academic achievement.
-
Examination of available
research and information on the effectiveness of
accountability systems in public education.
-
Examination of available
research and information on State and local assessment
systems as compared to national and international standards.
-
Recommendations regarding
how Federal resources can best be used to improve
educational results for all students.
-
Analysis of how the
Federal Government can help States and local education
agencies improve the recruitment and retention of highly
qualified personnel.
What are the principles
that guide the work of the Commission?
-
All children can learn and
should be expected to reach high standards.
-
Accountability for public
education systems in the United States must improve to
enable students to excel.
-
The achievement gap
between disadvantaged students and their non disadvantaged
peers must be eliminated to ensure that all children have
the opportunity to succeed.
-
Education results for all
students must improve in order for the United States to
remain competitive in the global marketplace.
-
Parents have a right to
expect their children to be taught by a highly qualified
teacher.
-
Teachers have the right to
be treated like professionals, including access to sound
working conditions and high quality preparation and ongoing
professional development opportunities.
-
Education reform must be
coupled with additional resources, but Federal, State, and
local resources must be used more efficiently and
effectively to ensure results in return for the increased
investment.
Who are the NCLB
Commissioners?
Co-Chairs of the Commission
are Tommy G. Thompson (former Wisconsin governor
and Secretary of Health and Human Services, 2000-2005) and
Roy E. Barnes (former Georgia state legislator and
governor, 1999-2003). These are the NCLB Commissioners:
-
Dr. Craig Barrett
– Chairman of the Board, Intel Corporation
-
Dr. Christopher
Edley, Jr., Dean and Professor, University of
California, School of Law
-
Dr. Eugene Garcia,
Dean of School of Education, Arizona State University
-
Dr. Judith E.
Heumann, World Bank’s Advisor on Disabilities and
Development; former U. S. D. E. Asst. Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitation
-
Mr. Thomas Y.
Hobart, Jr., former president, New York State United
Teachers
-
Ms. Jaymie Reeber
Kosa, Middle school teacher, Windsor-Plainsboro
School District, Princeton, New Jersey
-
Ms. Andrea Messina,
Vice Chair, Charlotte County School Board, Florida
-
Dr. J. Michael Ortiz,
President, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
-
Dr. James Pughsley,
Former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Superintendent, Charlotte,
North Carolina
-
Mr. Edward B. Rust
Jr., Chairman and CEO, State Farm Insurance
Companies
-
Dr. John Theodore
Sanders, Executive Director of Cardean Learning
Group, Co-chair National Commission on Teaching and
America’s Future
-
Ms. Jennifer Smith,
Executive Director of the Principals; Leadership, District
of Columbia Public Schools Institute
-
Dr. Ed Sontag,
Senior Advisor and acting Deputy Director, Center for
Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Birth
Defects and Developmental Disabilities
On the NCLB
Commission web page you can find the
press releases and
advisories from 2006.
This is a listing of what you will find on that web page:
February
2006
News Release: Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and Governor Roy
E. Barnes Announce Commission on No Child Left Behind (Tuesday,
February 14, 2006)
March 2006
Bi-Partisan Commission on No Child Left Behind Convenes
for Organizational Meeting (March 7, 2006)
April 2006
Press Release: NCLB Commission Collects Recommendations at
First Hearing (April 11, 2006)
Press Release: NCLB Commission announces dates and locations for
remaining field hearings (April 17, 2006)
Statement from Sec. Thompson and Gov. Barnes on AP NCLB Article (April
18, 2006)
May 2006
Media Advisory: Commission to Hold Second Hearing in
Connecticut (May 1, 2006)
Press Release: Commission Hears Testimony in Connecticut on
Legal Suit Over Testing (May 9, 2006)
Advisory: Commission will hold third hearing in Atlanta,
Georgia (May 16, 2006)
Release: Improving Achievement for All Students: Is NCLB
Accountability Producing Results? (May 22, 2006)
June 2006
Advisory: Commission will hold fourth hearing in Madison,
Wisconsin (June 5, 2006)
Release: Successful Interventions: Helping Schools Achieve
Academic Success (June 9, 2006)
Advisory: NCLB Commission to Begin Summer Roundtable Series (June
20, 2006)
Release: Commission Gains Parental and Grassroots
Perspectives on NCLB (June 21, 2006)
Advisory: Commission to Host Panel on Rural Schools (June
26, 2006)
Release: Commission Learns of Challenges Facing Rural Schools (June
29, 2006)
July 2006
Advisory: NCLB Commission Holds Panel on Early Childhood
Education (July 14, 2006)
Advisory: NCLB Commission Holds Panel on English Language
Learners (July 18, 2006)
Release: NCLB Commission Receives Recommendations on ELLs (July
21, 2006)
Release: NCLB Commission Hears Importance of Early Childhood
Ed (July 21, 2006)
Advisory: NCLB Commission Holds Panel on Children with
Disabilities (July 28, 2006)
August 2006
Advisory: NCLB Commission Holds Panel on High Schools and
College Readiness (August 1, 2006)
Release: Commission Hears about Impact of NCLB on Children
with Disabilities (August 7, 2006)
Release: Commission Collects Recommendations on How NCLB Can
Help High Schools (August 7, 2006)
Release: Commission Announces Remaining Hearing Schedule (August
21, 2006)
Advisory: Commission to Discuss Standards at Hearing in
Massachusetts (August 22, 2006)
Welcome to Our New NAFEPA Members
CALIFORNIA:
Victor Aquirre, Parvin Ahmadi, Susan Alvarez-St. Sauver, Randhir
Bains, Adrienne Balcazar, Carla Bason, Mareta Bassett, Maggie
Bloetscher, Shannon Bloodworth, Judy Burson, Yolanda Cabrera,
Cindi Chandler, Judy Chase, Patricia Cole-Genzuk, Cindy Cordova,
Dorothy Crass, Orlino David, Charlene Davis, Jennifer Davis,
Christina DeWaal, Gina Di Prima, Cathy Doyle, Ingrid Ellerbe,
Lisette Estrella-Henderson, Erica Farrar, Christina Faulkner,
Carol Flores Beck, Nancy Gamache, Martha Gomez, Valaida Gory,
Patricia Graham, Shirley Gudal, Ana Gutierrez, Jim Hahn, Rick
Hall, Kathleen Harvey, Carol Hennessey, Nadia Hillman, Katey
Hoehn, Kathy Hollis, Linda Jackson, Brenda Jerez, Carolyn
Johnson, Diann Kitamura, Darci Knight, Debra LaVoi, Debbie
Layton, Amy Lee, Michelle Leggett, Chun-Wu Li, Lori Lopez, Nancy
Lynch, Gail Lyon, Todd Macy, Tom Mancuso, Gigi Marchini, Maria
Susana Mascia, Sarita Mehtani, Sylvia Mendez, Marilynn Milligan,
Joan Morris, Darlene Mosher, MaryLou Munoz-Gomez, Ann Nelson,
Kathryn Nutley, Michael O-Laughlin, Lyn Potter, Rudy Puente,
Taffra Purnsely, Linda Quemada, Linda Ramirez, Luz Rascon, Nia
Rashidchi, Steve Rees, Marilyn Samson, Louise Santana, Karen
Schauer, Robin Schmitt, Jodi Sevilla, Jane Shamieh, Payula
Simpfendefer, Jim Simpson, Carolyn Skolnik, Kristin Stadler,
Richard Stotler, Donna Stout, Lola Taylor, Claudia Tobey,
Maureen Tureen, Toni Ungs, Christa Wallis, Lola Westphal,
Darrell Wilson, Pamela Wong-Kline, Tricha Wylie, Bill Zeller. COLORADO: Mary McGrane;
MASSACHUSETTS: Steven
O'Brien; VIRGINIA: Bythella Hickman
We also
welcome these members to the NAFEPA Board of Directors:
Minerva Meija Kong, Arizona; Mary McGrane, Colorado; Robert
Pugh, Florida;
Jacqueline Hopkins, South Carolina; Mitzi Doggett, Texas
CONGRATULATIONS TO TEXAS FOR HAVING REACHED THE 100 MEMBER
MARKER.
TEXAS NOW HAS TWO MEMBERS ON THE NAFEPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS!
CHECK YOUR
LABEL TO SEE IF YOU ARE OVERDUE . IF YOU ARE, IT IS TIME TO
RENEW!
When you go to www.nafepa.org,
this is the special and secret code that allows you to enter the
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.
Annual
NAFEPA DC Conference
March 11-14, 2007 - Crystal City Hyatt
These are some of the presenters:
Dr. Pedro Noguera,
professor, Steinhardt School of Education, New York University;
one of the leading urban sociologists whose scholarship and
research focus on ways in which schools are influenced by the
social and economic conditions in the urban environment.
Dr. Brian McNulty, Vice President, Leadership Development
for the Center for Performance Assessment; his work and writing
have been featured in leading journals and newspapers.
Alex Nock, Director of the Commission on No Child Left
Behind, the bipartisan, independent effort to improve the impact
of NCLB on student achievement. (See pages 3-5 of this
newsletter.)
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.
Click here
for printable version in .pdf format.
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