November 2005 Policy Brief

At a Chief State School Officers' forum on rural education, Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education Beto Gonzalez announced the creation of the Center for Rural Education to consider the unique challenges facing rural schools. "I am committed to addressing the needs of our students, educators, and parents in rural America," Secretary Spellings said in a statement. "This new center will take a leadership role in advancing the cause of rural education." The center will be housed in the Department's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) and will work in tandem with the existing Secretary's Task Force for Rural Education. Former U.S. Commissioner of Education William Smith will serve as the center's director. It is estimated that nearly 42 percent of the country's public schools are in rural communities or small towns. For more information, go to www.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/rural.

The U.S. Department of Education recently launched a new feature on its Web site that gives teachers the opportunity to post their questions and comments directly to Secretary Spellings and subsequently receive answers.

Teachers Ask the Secretary—an interactive, online service at www.ed.gov/teachersask —allows users to learn about a wide range of teacher-related topics, including teacher quality, professional development and state academic standards.

Are teachers with experience in Title I schools eligible for loan forgiveness?
Can teachers be reimbursed for out-of-pocket classroom expenses?
Why is it not mandatory for children to attend kindergarten?
Does No Child Left Behind (NCLB) allow adjustments for testing special education students?
How does NCLB prioritize art and music instruction?
Will salaries increase to help meet the teacher shortage?
What efforts are in place to acculturate new teachers?

Teachers Ask the Secretary is the latest in a series of interactive Web resources for educators, which also include online courses and an electronic bulletin of Department-sponsored events and efforts. The resources are part of the U.S. Department of Education's Teacher-to-Teacher Initiative, a comprehensive program that offers professional development, research-based classroom strategies and national recognition of stellar educators.

U.S. Department of Education, The Achiever [November-December, 2005]

FEDERAL REPORT ON ADULT LITERACY

According to a new nationwide report, adult literacy rates remain unchanged over the past decade. The report also found that high school graduates' ability to interpret certain types of written materials actually fell over that time. The study, National Assessment of Adult Literacy, found that literacy remained mostly unchanged in two categories measuring the ability to understand basic literature and documents. The study was administered by the U.S. Department of Education's (DOE) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). However, the DOE also cautioned against drawing "overbroad conclusions from the data, noting that the trends were influenced by demographic changes, especially in immigration, as well as in differences between how the two different studies were conducted." Read about key findings in this report here.

ECS Issue Paper: Diversifying Teacher Compensation
The Education Commission of the States and The Teacher Commission have jointly released an issue paper entitled Diversifying Teacher Compensation. The paper reports on efforts under way across the nation to rethink and redesign teacher pay systems. The paper contains current and emerging state policy trends; a brief review of research findings and lessons learned; and an analysis of the challenges involved in moving from a compensation structure based solely on degrees and experience to one based on some measure of performance. Read the report here. Source: Education Commission of the States, Press Release [December 1, 2005]

EdTrust Report: Funding Gap 2005
The Education Trust has published a special report, The Funding Gap 2005, which indicates that most states significantly shortchange poor and minority children when it comes to funding the schools they attend. The report states that the U.S. spends $900 less per pupil on students educated in our nation's poorest school districts than those educated in the wealthiest. In some states, this funding gap exceeds $1,000 per pupil. Read the press release here. Source: The Education Trust [December 22, 2005]

STATE BY STATE. . .

Denver Teachers: More Money for Better Results
In November, Denver voters agreed to spend an extra $25 million in property taxes to pay successful teachers more money. Denver's plan could boost the salaries of some teachers by 40% over a 25-year career. It is the first comprehensive pay reform adopted by a large school district. Read more here. Source: USA Today [January 4, 2006]

CA Schools May Gain Billions from Surprise Surplus
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed boosting education funding in the 2007 budget year by $4.3 billion, nearly $1.7 billion of which would apply toward what education leaders say is a $5.5 billion debt stemming from a loan made to the administration two years ago to help ease a budget crisis. The new funding would support arts and physical education programs, teacher recruitment and after-school initiatives.
Source: ASCD Smart Briefs [January 4, 2006]