Hi, all. Today's report features education:
- The President met with Colorado eighth graders and discussed the budget agreement that kept open national parks and monuments, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that the students had come to visit, and the need to fund America's schools.
- On Saturday, the President highlighted keeping national sites open with a surprise visit to the Lincoln Memorial.
- A number of federal agencies have created learning resources that can help teachers create Earth Day lessons. Topics include the environment, climate change, geology, oceans, and more.
- Education Secretary Duncan told the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ (HACU) National Capitol Forum that America’s ability to answer President Obama’s call to “out-innovate, out-educate and out-build” the rest of the world is inextricably linked to the future of the Latino community. He answered questions from the audience and spoke of the importance of being multilingual in our 21st century global economy.
- Secretary Duncan talked about the TEACH recruitment campaign at Loyola University, pointing out that over the next decade we will need nearly 1.7 million extraordinary new teachers to replace the retiring teachers of the baby boomer generation and to meet the demands of a growing population. He said that while African Americans make up 17 percent of our nation’s student body, only 7 percent of teachers are African American. Additionally, Latino students comprise 21 percent of American students while only 7 percent of teachers are of Latino descent.
- The White House and the U.S. Department of Education announced the six high schools selected as finalists for this year’s Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. The Get Schooled Foundation will now work with each school to produce a video for the online voting portion of the challenge.
White House, April 11, 2011:
President Obama Surprises Colorado Middle Schoolers
President Obama surprises eighth graders from Altona Middle School in Longmont, CO on the South Lawn of the White House. President Obama cited a letter from one of the student's mothers in his remarks after reaching a deal with Congressional leaders to prevent a government shutdown. April 11, 2011.
Seattle PI, April 11, 2011:
Obama surprises Colorado students during DC trip
.... Obama had mentioned the students and their trip in a speech he delivered late Friday night after lawmakers reached a deal to keep the government running. He spoke about a letter he received from Shalini Schane, whose son was among the students planning to come to Washington. Schane wrote to the president about the fundraisers and projects the students did to prepare for the trip, and their appointment to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
"She asked those of us in Washington to get past our petty grievances and make things right," Obama said Friday.
With more budget battles in store, Obama told the students and their teachers that education remains a priority and is an area where he wants to increase investments, not make cuts.
USA Today, April 11, 2011:
Obama greets 8th-graders on White House visit
.... "We need to make sure we have small schools, make sure that these people go to college," Obama told more than 50 students from Altona Middle School in Colorado. "Our attitude is schools should have more money."
It's the second photo-opp in three days designed to highlight the budget agreement that averted a government shutdown; Saturday, Obama visited the Lincoln Memorial.
The students from Longmont, Colo. -- north of Denver -- lined up on bleachers set up on the South Lawn of the White House. They all screamed and applauded when the president appeared on the driveway.
From the pool report:
"You're all from Colorado?" Obama said. "You brought the good weather with you?"
He touched (the teacher's) shoulder and said the reason they were there is because "she wrote this wonderful letter ... and explained how wonderful your trip was." ....
A math teacher with a white Altona T-shirt told the president, "These kids are so intelligent, they are the future and we can't cut spending on education."
Obama said he agreed with her and said, "One of the debates we're going to have is what do we spend money on. ... We need to make sure we have small schools, make sure that these people go to college. ... Our attitude is schools should have more money."
Here's what Obama said Friday night about this class:
A few days ago, I received a letter from a mother in Longmont, Colo. Over the year, her son's eighth-grade class saved up money and worked on projects so that next week they could take a class trip to Washington, D.C. They even have an appointment to lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The mother wrote that for the last few days, the kids in her son's class had been worried and upset that they might have to cancel their trip because of a shutdown. She asked those of us in Washington to get past our petty grievances and make things right. And she said, "Remember, the future of this country is not for us. It's for our children."
AP, April 9, 2011:
Raw Video: Obama Visits Lincoln Memorial
President Barack Obama made the short trip from the White House to the Lincoln Memorial on Saturday to make clear that national parks and monuments are open for business.
Department of Education, April 11, 2011:
Earth Day
Earth Day 2011 is just around the corner, but there’s still time to check out the following resources that can help teachers and learners prepare for the April 22 celebration.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Earth Day page has great resources on how to be more environmentally friendly, including lesson plans for teachers. The EPA is seeking participants in their photo and video projects, and they’ve provided an interactive map to help you find Earth Day activities in your community where you can attend an event or volunteer.
A number of federal agencies have created learning resources that can help teachers create Earth Day lessons. Topics include the environment, climate change, geology, oceans, and more.
Join the conversation in the comments below. Let us know if you have anything special planned for this year’s Earth Day.
Department of Education, April 11, 2011:
Secretary Duncan at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Posted by Ida Eblinger Kelley, Director of Hispanic Outreach and Communications at the U.S. Department of Education
America’s ability to answer President Obama’s call to “out-innovate, out-educate and out-build” the rest of the world is inextricably linked to the future of the Latino community, said Secretary Duncan in a speech last week at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ (HACU) National Capitol Forum in Washington, DC.
Nearly 150 presidents and other leaders from Hispanic-serving institutions gathered at the 16th Annual Forum to discuss initiatives to ensure greater college access and completion for the country’s Latino population. Secretary Duncan answered questions from the audience and spoke of the importance of being multilingual in our 21st century global economy. Duncan explained that during his time overseeing Chicago Public Schools, that the district made important investments in Chinese language instruction, a program that also benefited many bilingual Latino students.
The Secretary noted that in many countries such as China, children aren’t just learning one additional language, but are often becoming trilingual, and that for Americans to compete in a globally-connected world we must invest early in language instruction as part of a well-rounded education.
Secretary Duncan also answered questions about the DREAM Act—a bill that failed to pass Congress last year, and had it been adopted would have opened the doors of higher education and military service to young people brought to America without documentation by their parents while they were children. Duncan voiced his strong support for Congress to continue working on a solution:
“There are thousands of hard-working, patriotic, young people who are leaders in their communities and who are looking for an opportunity to attend college or serve our country in the military, but they cannot, through no fault of their own. We need the talent and skills of all of these students.”
There are currently more than 12 million Latino students in America’s public schools, making up more than 1 in 5 (22 percent) of all pre-K-12 public school students. Only about half of Latino children earn their high school diploma on time, and those who do finish high school are only half as likely as their peers to be prepared for college. The Department of Education continues to work with students, parents, families, teachers, education leaders, governors, mayors, and organizations such as the HACU to ensure that we are all sharing responsibility in helping Latino students win the future.
Department of Education, April 11, 2011:
Recruiting the Next Generation of Outstanding Teachers
Speaking in front of a crowded Loyola University performance hall last Friday, Secretary Duncan made it clear that the United States needs to recruit the best and brightest young people to become the next generation of outstanding teachers.
The Secretary made three stops in New Orleans on Friday, and the purpose of the visit to Loyola’s campus was to hold a TEACH town hall that highlighted and honored excellent educators from the New Orleans area. In attendance were high school and college students, educators, Leigh Torrence of the New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, and administrators from Loyola, Tulane, and local school districts.
Secretary Duncan noted that the United States hires about 200,000 new teachers every year, and that over the next decade we will need nearly 1.7 million extraordinary new teachers to replace the retiring teachers of the baby boomer generation, and to meet the demands of a growing population. Duncan also pointed out that while African Americans make up 17 percent of our nation’s student body, only 7 percent of teachers are African American. Additionally, Latino students comprise 21 percent of American students while only 7 percent of teachers are of Latino descent.
The TEACH campaign seeks to not only recruit more teachers in all communities, but it is also designed to raise the profile of the teaching profession nationwide. We at ED know that teaching is a challenging, rewarding, and honorable profession, which is why we need more young people to give teaching some serious thought.
Check out TEACH.gov for more information, or become a fan of TEACH.gov on Facebook.
White House, April 8, 2011:
Announcing the Finalists for the 2011 Race to the Top Commencement Challenge
White House staffers Lauren Paige and Gannet Tseggai call the six finalists in the Race to the Top Commencement Challenge to let them know their school has been selected as a finalist.
Department of Education, April 11, 2011:
White House, Department of Education Announce 2011 Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge Finalists
Six Public High Schools Selected to Compete for Presidential Commencement Address; Finalists Enter Next Phase of Competition Led by the Get Schooled Foundation
... (The) White House and the U.S. Department of Education announced the six high schools selected as finalists for this year’s Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge. As part of the next step of the Commencement Challenge, the Get Schooled Foundation will now work with each school to produce a video for the online voting portion of the challenge.
The President set a goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020 and the Commencement Challenge invited the nation’s public high schools to submit applications that demonstrate their commitment to preparing students for college and a career. Hundreds of applications were received and were judged based on the schools’ performance, essay questions and supplemental data. The six finalists were selected for their creativity in engaging and supporting students, academic results, and progress in preparing students to graduate college and career ready.
Finalists:
• Bridgeport High School (Bridgeport, Washington)
• Wayne Early Middle College High School (Goldsboro, North Carolina)
• Booker T. Washington High School (Memphis, Tennessee)
• Science Park High School (Newark, New Jersey)
• Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, School for Creative and Performing Arts (Pittsburgh, PA)
• High Tech High International (San Diego, CA)
“I want to congratulate the six finalists for all they’ve done to prepare their students for college and careers, and I want to thank all of the schools that applied,” said President Obama. “I look forward to meeting the students and teachers of the winning school at their commencement.”
“I am humbled by the hundreds of extraordinary applications we received this year and more importantly, by the tremendous work our nation’s public high schools are doing to ensure that our students are graduating ready to go on to college and careers,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “The Challenge continues to be a wonderful opportunity to share stories of success from our nation’s public high schools and put a spotlight on the tough and exceptional work they do every day.”
Over the next few weeks, each school’s students will work with The Get Schooled Foundation, which includes Viacom among its founding partners, to create a short video highlighting how the school best fulfills the Challenge’s criteria. The six videos, along with portions of each school’s written application, will be featured on the White House website in the coming weeks and the public will have an opportunity to vote for the three schools they think best meet the President’s goal. The President will select a national winner from these three finalists and will visit the winning high school to deliver the commencement later this spring.
“Providing support for students across the country is essential to ensuring the long-term competitiveness of our future workforce. At Viacom, we are proud to use our powerful brands as a platform to motivate our audiences to get involved in their local communities to help improve education. Viacom and The Get Schooled Foundation are very pleased to work with the White House again on this important initiative,” said Carl Folta, Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Viacom....