Before the newly elected members of Congress begin work, the current Congress must return to Washington to complete some unfinished business. Among the work to be done is to wrap up the annual appropriations bills that fund all aspects of the federal government, including education programs.
While future funding of the Race to the Top (RTTT) program will be debated in the lame duck session and the new Congress, the already awarded Race to the Top funds may be in jeopardy in some states.
If you've tried to find information on the U.S. Department of Education's website in the past and found it cumbersome, you weren’t the only one. The Department recently launched a new web site that promises to bring together much of the formerly hidden data, and to combine it in a way that users can line up data about specific states.
With such a large investment in Title 1 school improvement grants, it's worth taking a look into where these funds are going and how they are being spent. Based on an intensive review of the data available from states, here are ten things worth knowing about this important new funding source.
Includes articles analyzing how Title 1 school improvement grant money is being used, information about the Department of Education's new data site, the questionable future of RTTT winning states, and more!
ICW's chairman Bill Shore wrote in November 8th's Herald Sun that, "The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been at the forefront of efforts to reform K-12 education so that every child is prepared for higher education or productive careers. Regardless of where students attend school, they should expect a top-notch education in order to ensure a brighter future for themselves, their families and their communities."
Though Mobile County, AL schools have made significant strides over the last couple of years, especially in the elementary schools, ICW's Domenic Giandomenico and other officials told more than 400 people gathered in downtown Mobile on November 4th that work needs to be done to make sure more students actually graduate from high school prepared to enter the workforce.
In a 21st century economy, a country needs a 21st century education system. And the U.S. doesn’t have one. That’s the synopsis of “Waiting for Superman”, a documentary that follows several children and parents in their quest for a better education and outlines the case for reform and the obstacles preventing it.
ICW has just released a new toolkit aimed for businesspeople interested in engaging in education reform, The “Superman” Approach: A Business Leader’s Guide to Effective Education Reform.
Stay up-to-date on important education summits and conferences in the D.C. area.
The Institute for a Competitive Workforce will hold its annual education and workforce summit on September 17 & 18 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC. Details to come.
