This Week In Education: FRITZ: The Week Ahead In Washington

It's called "On The Hill" but it's really much more than that. Fritz Edelstein has all the education news from DC, including stimulus updates, reports and events, and jobs.

Check it out below, and be sure to sign up for the daily version too ([email protected]).

Thanks, Fritz!

[Fritzwire] On the Hill

Fritz Edelstein <[email protected]>

Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 9:52 AM

To: [email protected]

Summary of Senate amended changes to education in Stimulus Bill [To see the list of changes go to Senator Nelson’s senate website excel spreadsheet -- http://bennelson.senate.gov/documents/Nelson-Collins Stimulus Final.xls] :

· The amendment doesn't change the originally proposed spending for special education, untouched at $13 billion, and would provide $1 billion for education technology, the same level as in the original Senate measure. And it would reduce the $13 billion originally slated for Title I just slightly, to $12.4 billion.

· The Senate cut the entire $16 billion in school construction grants, but left bonds that help finance school construction.

· The state stabilization fund, which would have provided $79 billion in relief to local school districts would shrink down to $39 billion. That would include $26.7 billion to local school districts and public colleges and universities, distributed through existing state and federal formulas; $2.5 billion to states as incentive grants as a reward for meeting certain education performance measures; and $9.5 billion in flexible aid to states that could be used for education, but also for other pressing needs, such as public safety

· There are some other reductions from the Senate's original bill. The amendment would provide $1.05 billion for Head Start, reduced from $2 billion in the Senate's original bill, and $50 million for teacher quality state grants, reduced from $100 million.

A summary FY 10 budget should be released at the end of this month.

The full FY 10 budget to be ready in April.

· 1 new hearings, meetings, etc.

· new – Other Information

· new - Job Opportunities

Floor Action:

· Today, Monday, Senate continues debate on the stimulus package and maybe votes on the amended package. Major vote today and anticipated final vote on Tuesday before having to go to a conference with the House.

· House voted to delay the conversion of the television signal to digital until June 2009. Bill now goes to the President for signature.

Committee Action:

Legislation Introduced:

THIS WEEK

NEW -- Today, Monday, February 8, President Obama to hold his first Presidential News Conference at 8 PM (EST).

Today and Tomorrow, February 9 and 10, American Council on Education’s 91^st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. At this meeting of the higher education community, partners will engage in candid conversations about a collective strategy for their future. For more information, go to www.aceannualmeeting.org.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 10, Join the U.S. Department of Education, PTA National President Jan Harp Domene, and multiplatinum recording artist CeCe Peniston, a PTA national ambassadorfor a ribbon-cutting ceremony in celebrating the unveiling of more than 55 pieces of nationally recognized student artwork from the renowned PTA Reflections Program. There will be a reception to follow. To be held from 11 am to NOON at the US Department of Education, LBJ Building, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW. To attend, RSVP to Marilyn Joyner at (202) 401-1669 or [email protected] no later than Friday, February 6, 2009. The exhibit will be open for public viewing through the end of March in celebration of the incredible talent and creativity of our children.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 10, Coalition for Community Schools will be hosting a WEBINAR at 2 PM (ET) entitled Early Chronic Absenteeism – An In-Depth Study of New York City and Baltimore. Featured Presenters: Hedy Chang, Co-Author, Present, Engaged & Accounted For; Kim Nauer, Education Project Director, Center for New York City Affairs The New School; Rachel Durham, Assistant Research Scientist, Baltimore Education Research Consortium; and Charmayne Little, Community Schools Coordinator, Baltimore Public Schools. Space is limited – reserve your seat today by sending an email to [email protected]! RSVP Deadline: Tuesday Feb 3^rd^. (Instructions for participation will be sent out to those who RSVP.)

Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 10 – CITEd’s Moving Forward With Technology Webinar Series, Accessible Instructional Materials 101. IDEA 2004 requires that specialized formats of textbooks and core related instructional materials be provided in a timely manner to students with print disabilities. What are core related instructional materials, specialized formats, and print disabilities? How do teams determine if specialized formats are needed? How do they acquire these materials? Explore the issues related to accessible instructional materials and hear about how the 15 states in the AIM Consortium are working together to address these questions. Presenters: Joy Zabala, Project Manager, AIM Consortium; and Diana Foster Carl, Special Projects Coordinator, AIM Consortium. To register: http://www.cited.org/webinars.html

Wednesday, February 11, House Committee on Education and Labor, Full Committee Markup on "H.R. ___, Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act of 2009," and Consideration of Committee Oversight Plan scheduled at 10:00 a.m. in room 2175 Rayburn H.O.B.

Thursday, February 12, House Committee on Education and Labor, Higher Education, Lifelong Learning and Competitiveness Subcommittee -- Hearing on "New Innovations and Best Practices Under the Workforce Investment Act," scheduled at 2:30 p.m. in room 2175 Rayburn H.O.B. Witnesses to be announced.

Friday, February 13, PROMOTING PUBLIC SCHOOL REFORM FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS sponsored by The American Bar Association Commission on Youth at Risk, Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities, Division for Public Education, and Center on Children and the Law. The agenda includes sessions on: Building a Bridge to Keeping Youth in School: Connecting Education and Legal Advocacy; Meeting the Educational Needs of Highly Mobile Students: The Education Rights of Homeless Children and Youth and those in the Child Welfare System; and Student Rights: The First Amendment and Beyond. To be held 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m at the Hynes Convention Center, Room 309, Boston, MA. Register online at www.abanet.org or for more information or to RSVP, please contact Amy Horton-Newell at [email protected] or (202) 662-1693.

February 14-18, The 2009 Annual Meeting of the Association of Teacher Educators will be held at the Hyatt Regency Dallas, Dallas, Texas. The theme for the meeting is The Global Imperative: Educating and Assessing the Whole Child, Teachers and Community and speakers will include Eduardo Sanchez, MD (V.P. and Chief Medical Officer, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, formerly Texas Commissioner of Health); Dr. Alma Allen, Texas House of Representatives; Raymond Simon, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education; National Teacher of the Year Michael Geisen; Ann Lieberman, Senior Scholar, Carnegie Foundation, Advancement for Teaching Kagan Professional Development; and James G. Cibulka, new NCATE President. Additional information and online registration is available at http://www.ate1.org/pubs/2009_Annual_Meetin.cfm.

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND

Thursday, February 19, 2009, Achieve will release "Closing the Expectations Gap," its fourth annual report on the progress of high school reform efforts in all 50 states. The report tracks efforts by states to set expectations for high school graduates that are in line with the demands of college and careers. Achieve's 50-state survey monitors the number of states that have raised their standards and high school graduation requirements to the college and career-ready level and that have P-20 data systems, assessments and accountability systems that support the college and career ready agenda. SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Michael Cohen, president, Achieve; Matthew Gandal, executive vice president, Achieve; and John Kraman, senior policy analyst, Achieve. To be held from 10 to 11:30 AM at the Capital View Conference Center, Chamber Room, (101 Constitution Avenue NW, 9th Floor). For questions about the Event or the report, please contact Sandy Boyd, vice-president, advocacy and outreach, at [email protected] or 202-419-1542.

February 19-21, Schools and the Economy - Schools are looking for ways to save dollars and serve students. School leaders, economic experts and educational visionaries will meet in February to exchange practical solutions for improving public education for all children and learn cost-saving methods for meeting the economic challenges facing schools. Participants will also receive a briefing on President-Elect Obama’s plans for education policy during the economic downturn from Linda Darling-Hammond, currently head of the Obama education policy transition team. This National Conference on Education will be held in San Francisco, Calif., and is sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators. Register at www.aasa.org/nce

Monday, February 23, Did NCLB damage school accountability? Can President Obama mend it? A discussion to focus on Accountability Illusion, to be released by Fordham on February 19, a new study that reveals profound state-to-state differences in implementing NCLB’s “adequate yearly progress” provisions. It will feature four trustees of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute: David Driscoll, Former Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts; Bruno Manno, Senior Program Associate for Education, Annie E. Casey Foundation; Roderick Paige, Co-Founder, Chartwell Education Group and Former U.S. Secretary of Education; and Diane Ravitch, Research Professor, New York University and Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, as well as moderator: Chester E. Finn, Jr., President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and Presenter: Michael J. Petrilli, VP for National Programs & Policy, Thomas B. Fordham Institute. To be held from 4:30 to 5:45 PM at the Fordham Institute, 1016 16^th Street, NW, 7^th Floor. RSVP to Christina Hentges at [email protected] or 202-223-5452.

Tuesday, February 24, President Barack Obama plans to address Congress for the first time on Feb. 24, five weeks after his inauguration. White House officials say that Obama's speech to a joint session of the House and Senate will have the trappings of a State of the Union address, but it will not be considered one. His first State of the Union speech won't come until next January.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009, High School Renewal: Big Success for San Diego’s Small Schools. Educators are grappling with the challenge of improving secondary schools and assuring that all of America’s students receive a quality education that prepares them for college and the twenty-first-century workplace. As policymakers—including the new administration and Congress—look ahead to legislative opportunities to support this work, their efforts must be informed by schools’ experiences and best practices. San Diego’s High School Renewal initiative is designed around the idea that students learn and perform better in smaller, more personalized learning environments. In 2004, as part of the initiative, the San Diego Unified School District closed three low-performing, large high schools and opened a total of fourteen small high schools on these campuses. Each of these schools is designed to improve academic rigor, raise expectations for all students, increase the number of college-ready high school graduates, increase personalization and student engagement, and improve students’ connections to postsecondary and work opportunities. Please join the Alliance for Excellent Education for an informative look at San Diego’s initiative and the experiences of two of its high schools—the School of International Business and the Stanley E. Foster Construction Technology Academy. The discussion will focus on the challenges of high school redesign, policies and practices to successfully overcome those challenges, and the implications of these experiences for national and federal efforts to improve America’s high schools. Presenters: Ana Diaz-Booz, Principal, School of International Business; Libia Gil, Senior Fellow, American Institutes for Research; Glenn Hillegas, Former Principal, Stanley E. Foster Construction Technology Academy; and Ash Vasudeva, Deputy Director, Stanford Redesign Network, Stanford University. To be held from 9:30 to 11:30 am, location to be announced. Space for this event is limited; RSVPs will be accepted on a “first-come” basis. Acceptances ONLY with subject line “RSVP: February 25 Breakfast” to [email protected] or contact Shawnice Hood at (202) 828-0828 no later than Monday, February 23, 2009. Location details will be shared with those who RSVP as soon as it becomes available.

Thursday, February 26, Rethinking Education Schools for a New Era: An Address by James G. Cibulka, President of NCATE. For years, colleges of education have come under fire from critics on the left and right who have charged them with mediocrity, ideological agendas, and a failure to recruit and prepare excellent educators. Meanwhile, the national teaching landscape in the last decade has been altered by innovations like High Tech High, a California K–12 school that created its own college of education; New York’s Hunter College, which partners with charter school providers to offer a novel teacher preparation program; and organizations like Teach For America and the New Teacher Project, which have supplied thousands of teachers nationwide. What is the future of teacher preparation and colleges of education in this changing landscape? Can education schools transform themselves to meet the demands of the twenty-first century? James G. Cibulka, president of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the professional accrediting organization for schools, colleges, and departments of education in the United States, and former dean of the College of Education, at the University of Kentucky, will sketch his vision for the role of colleges of education in this new era. To be held from 4 to 5:30 PM at AEI, 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., 12^th Floor. Please register for this event online at http://www.aei.org/event1870

March 1-3, 2009 - 18th Annual National Conference on Family Literacy: "Family Literacy — Family Progress". Check their Web site for frequent updates at www.famlit.org/conference. It is being held at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Florida. Proposals for presentations are welcome from literacy practitioners and educators, program administrators and school leaders, public and school librarians, parent and community liaisons, researchers, and professional development specialists. Lead presenters receive a 50% discount on their Conference registration. Proposals are accepted online only through October 20. For more guidelines, go to www.famlit.org/conference. NCFL is now accepting nominations for the 2009 Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year. The winner will receive $7,500 for his or her family literacy program, as well as a free trip to the 2009 National Conference on Family Literacy in Florida. Several finalists will receive a $500 scholarship. Programs are encouraged to nominate exemplary family educators online at www.famlit.org/ToyotaTeacher. The deadline to submit nominations is December 5.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 & March 17, Technology-Supported Writing Interventions, Join Dr. Peterson-Karlan of Illinois State University as he discusses evidence-based tools for supporting and improving the planning, organization, drafting, editing, and revising skills of students who struggle to write. Space is limited – Go to: http://www.cited.org/webinars.html to register Note: February's sessions on Accessible Instructional Materials are full. The recording will be available in the Archive following the webinar for those who were unable to register

Wednesday, March 4, Webinar -- Schools and community organizations can reap huge benefits by tapping the creative, enthusiastic and insightful ideas and voices of young people. This webinar will explore the powerful benefits of engaging and empowering youth voice within their organizational leadership teams. The session will include methods for training and preparing young people to take on leadership roles and examples shared on how young people have impacted boards and advisory committees, policy and legislative initiatives, and community planning and development. Specific examples of how to set up a Youth Advisory Board will be examined and the benefits of participation will be voiced by young people currently active on Youth Advisory Boards. Go to www.nylc.org to sign up now.

March 10-12, 2009 -- CoSN Annual Conference: Leadership, Policy & Innovation In Collaborative World. The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) announced that bestselling authors Don Tapscott, Clayton Christianson and Michael Horn will deliver keynote addresses at its 14th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference at the Hilton Austin Hotel in Austin, TX. Opening keynoter Don Tapscott is a thought leader on the strategic value and impact of information technology and the Net Generation that has Grown Up Digital. In a follow-up to his seminal work Growing Up Digital, his new book Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing the World revisits the Net Generation as the eldest of its members turns 30, enters the workforce and marketplace, and establishes their roles as life-long learners and contributors to society. Closing keynote speakers Clayton M. Christensen and Michael B. Horn are co-authors of Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns. Their keynote explores why "can't schools customize their teaching?" The current education system, "designed for standardization," must by its nature ignore the individual needs of each student. The answer to this problem, according to Christianson and Horn, is "disruptive innovation," a principle introduced (and initially applied to business) by Christensen, a Harvard Business School Professor, in The Innovator's Dilemma. The idea is that an audience in need will benefit from even a faulty opportunity to fulfill that need; in education, the demand for individual instruction could be met through infinitely customizable online computer-based instruction.

March 18-21, National Youth Leadership Council invites you to attend the 20th Annual National Service-Learning Conference (NSLC) at the Nashville Convention Center. The conference is the largest gathering of youths and practitioners involved in the service-learning movement, drawing attendees from across the United States and at least 20 other countries each year. Through three days of general sessions, featured forums, and service-learning projects, the conference engages participants in local, national, and global issues that service-learning addresses. It provides networking opportunities with service-learning leaders through more than 150 experiential workshops, receptions, and informal meetings. For more information go to www.nylc.org

April 1-3 (Denver, Colorado), Urban Teacher Partnership (UTP)* 2^nd Annual Summit -- Great Teachers for Our City Schools: A National Summit on Recruiting, Preparing and Retaining Quality Urban Teachers. A call for presentations in the areas of Teacher Preparation, Teacher Recruitment and Teacher Retention with a deadline of January 9, 2009. Go to http://www.mscd.edu/~utp/. You can also register on this website. Focus of the conference is to provide an opportunity for leaders of state and local P-16 partnerships, urban district teachers and administrators, college and university faculty and administrators, researchers, and education policy analysts from around the country to share promising practices, discuss current knowledge, and strengthen our local and national commitment to quality teachers and student achievement in urban and high-needs schools. For additional information, contact Isabella Muturi Sauve at the Urban Teacher Partnership, Metropolitan State College of Denver, at 303-352-4956 or [email protected]

April 2-4 (New Orleans), National Afterschool Association Convention, Web Site: http://www.naaconvention.org

April 16-17, the annual National Conference on Summer Learning in Chicago, Illinois. This is the only national conference dedicated to summer learning, and learn how to build, strengthen and expand summer programs. For information and conference registration go to: http://www.summerlearning.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=427

April 17-18, 2009, Increasing Student Achievement: Using Data to Lead Change, Spring 2009 K-12 Leadership Institute, Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California. Presented by Johns Hopkins University School of Education’s Center for Data-Driven Reform in Education. Please join leading education researchers and district and school leaders at a two-day institute to: * Learn to use your school’s data in a continuous improvement process; * Examine why using research-proven interventions are your best bet for school improvement; * Step through a process of continuous improvement, from goal setting to selecting interventions; * Bring your school’s data to engage in an evidence-based process that’s customized for you; and * Network with other district and school leaders.

On-line registration is available at: http://www.cddre.org/institute.html

April 17-19, The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) will hold its 9th Annual National Teacher Advancement Program (TAP)™ Conference at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in Los Angeles, California. The National TAP Conference will be held in conjunction with the Milken National Education Conference (NEC)—an annual gathering to welcome the newest class of Milken Educator Award recipients and distinguished representatives from academia, government, business and the community to discuss solutions to America’s biggest challenges in education. The theme of this year's conference is Comprehensive Teacher Quality Reform: Policy and Practice for a New Era. Participants will include more than 600 school-based practitioners implementing TAP's comprehensive teacher quality reforms. More information and registration at www.talentedteachers.org.

April 30 – May 2, Education Writers Association Annual Meeting to be held at the Madison Hotel in Washington, DC. More information to follow. Speakers and registration information will be posted at www.ewa.org and http://www.ewa.org/desktopdefault.aspx?page_id=118&resource_id=4003

May 28, American Enterprise Institute present an all-day forum entitled: Educational Innovation and Philadelphia's School of the Future. Grand claims about the transformative power of technology in education are common, yet decades of high school redesign have yielded mixed results. One of the most widely touted efforts to tackle these challenges has been the School of the Future in the Philadelphia School District, created in 2006 through a partnership with the Microsoft Corporation. This $63 million school incorporated new technologies in areas such as data and curriculum management, virtual simulations and mentoring, and personalized instruction intended to fundamentally change how students learn in high school. National Public Radio touted the school as “the next big thing,” and Education Week described it as “a new high-tech school [that is] strutting its stuff.” AEI and Microsoft have assembled a select team of analysts to explore how this pioneering effort is unfolding on the ground and the lessons it holds for the use of technology and high school redesign. New research will examine key elements of the School of the Future—including its genesis, design, flaws, and implications—and what it can teach about broader questions regarding educational innovation, public-private partnerships, and the integration of technology in the classroom. At this AEI conference, researchers will present their findings, and an array of discussants will respond. To be held from 9:00 a.m.–3:45 p.m. at 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., the Wohlstetter Conference Center, Twelfth Floor. To attend RSVP to: www.aei.org/event1865. For more information, contact Thomas Gift at [email protected] or 202.862.5822.

June 21-24, 2009, 9^th Annual National Charter Schools Conference -- “Charter Schools: Leading Change in Public Education” being held in

Washington D.C; You can register for the meeting online by going to http://www.nationalcharterconference.org. If you have questions write or call: [email protected] OR call (954) 481-8960.

June 21-26, 2009, 14th Special Education Law Symposium - Balancing Change and Continuity will be held on the campus at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. You can register online by going to http://www.lehigh.edu/education/law. If you have questions write or call: [email protected] or 610.758.3226.

July 7-9 – National Meeting on 21^st Century Community Learning Centers program, Nashville, Tennessee. More information to follow.

Other Information

· Former education secretary Margaret Spellings has said she'll remain in Washington, D.C. until 2010 in order to "continue to be part of the warriors in common cause for leaving no child behind," according to USA TODAY. Spellings, whose younger daughter will finish high school in the area during this time, plans to carry out her work through public speaking and as a consultant. In her final months in the Department of Education, Spellings relaxed the stringent guidelines of NCLB for some states in an effort to tweak the law that critics claim has fallen short of its goals. Spellings told USA TODAY that she expects her successor, Arne Duncan, will keep the "core goals" of NCLB intact, and stated her willingness to work with the Obama administration, should they seek her help.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-02-01-spellings_N.htm [PEN Weekly]

· Expanded Learning Opportunities: Re-branding Afterschool for the 21^st Century by Bob Stonehill and Fritz Edelstein was published as a commentary on Education Week Online on Wednesday, February 4. “It is now time to change the brand name to better capture the expansion and evolution of experiences now being offered. Afterschool no longer adequately describes the depth and breadth; in fact, it no longer even correctly captures the time and place. In essence, the field has outgrown the term as it has matured and diversified, and a new brand for its offerings can better capture the expanded universe of activities, experiences, opportunities, partners, and programs…”

· Excelencia in Education is now accepting nominations for the 2009 Examples of Excelencia, a national initiative to identify and promote programs and departments with significant evidence of improving educational achievement for Latino students in higher education. We invite you to submit your on-line nomination of programs and departments making a positive difference for Latino students at the Associate, Baccalaureate, and Graduate levels. The 2009 Examples of Excelencia will be announced at the Celebración de Excelencia in September, 2009. Selected programs will receive a financial award of $5,000, recognition at special events and inclusion in our repository of programs that are effective in serving Latino students that is distributed to a national audience. DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: May 15, 2009. Go to: http://www.edexcelencia.org/

· What do you think students would say about their educational experience? Their schools? What suggestions might they have to fix this broken educational system? One thing is certain: they have a different perspective than the politicians and educators who make the policy decisions. To get their perspective, we've been asking them what advice they have for President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan. This week, we're bringing you five new pieces from college and high school students in San Francisco, San Antonio, and New York City. We invite you to listen to the students' advice online here: www.EdAdviceForObama.org/students. Our education advice series continues to grow in size and popularity, and I'm excited to share with you news that 24 of the pieces have been included in a new book titled, The Obama Education Plan. It's an Education Week Guide that outlines the Obama-Biden plan, offers commentary and stories of best practices and of course, features our education advice series! To order the book go to: http://www.merrow.org/ed_advice/news/#link

Job Opportunities

· Citizen Schools , Campus Director, New York City -- This is an instructional leadership and management role for individuals with at least two years of highly successful teaching in a low-income environment, ideally with students in the middle grades. Charged with the management of a campus site serving about 100 middle-school students, Campus Directors are responsible for the supervision and coaching of 5-7 professional educators, as well as recruiting, selecting, and supervising approximately 30 volunteers from the local community. Campus Directors are also responsible for budget management, event planning, and have the opportunity to lead an annual fundraising campaign. While not required, fluency in Spanish will be highly advantageous in this role. Successful Campus Directors are well-positioned for more senior leadership roles in national non-profits, charter management organizations, school districts, and also the private sector. Interested applicants should apply immediately by submitting a resume and detailed cover letter using the link below. Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The start date for this position will be in June 2009. To apply go to: http://tbe.taleo.net/NA6/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=CITIZENSCHOOLS&cws=1&rid=193

· Director, Government Relations for the National Association of State Boards of Education in Alexandria, VA. The Director of Government Relations, working in close partnership with the NASBE leadership team and members of the NASBE Governmental Affairs Committee, leads federal advocacy efforts on behalf of state boards of education. To be successful, the Director must be pro-active, high-energy, and able to develop strong bipartisan relationships with the staff and Members of Congress, the Administration, and relevant education advocacy organizations and coalitions. The position requires a strong membership service ethic, including steady coordination and frequent communication with the NASBE membership. Success of the position will be judged by the visibility of the public policy priorities of NASBE and state boards of education, the improvement of NASBE advocacy tactics and tools, and the improvement and strengthening of relationships across the political spectrum. The Director of Government Relations position is intended to further the aims of NASBE and its members as follows (in order of importance): (1) Manage all NASBE federal government relations initiatives, including staffing the NASBE Government Affairs Committee (comprised of state board of education members from across the nation); representing NASBE on coalitions, advisory groups, alliances, and related groups; and keeping NASBE leadership and membership informed in a timely manner of pending issues; (2) Lead the development and implementation of an annual legislative and regulatory advocacy strategy. Achieve solid knowledge of the work of NASBE and state boards of education and facilitate contacts between NASBE leadership and members and the Administration and the Congress so that policy goals can be achieved; (3) Keep abreast of and report on all relevant federal legislative and regulatory activities and appropriations and analyze the impact of such proposals; (4) Create written summaries, briefs, testimony, correspondence, and related documents supporting the NASBE advocacy agenda and keep key members and constituencies informed; (5) Organize and manage the annual Washington, DC-based NASBE Legislative Conference; (6) Support other major NASBE member activities as needed, including the annual conference, study group and committee meetings, and policy-focused NASBE programmatic work; (7) Work closely and collaboratively with the Executive Director, the Deputy Executive Director, and other NASBE staff to contribute to the short and long term planning, development, and operation of NASBE; and (8) Participate in ad hoc duties at the discretion of the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director. Qualified applicants will bring: (a) Relevant experience in K-12 education advocacy at the national and/or state-level, preferably including 5-7+ years of Capitol Hill, association, or advocacy experience; (b) Strong strategic focus with a proven track record of developing and implementing complex public policy and legislative advocacy programs; (c) Exceptional member service orientation and skills, including a willingness to embrace a member-centric association culture; (d) Superior collaborative and interpersonal skills; proven ability to work on a bipartisan basis; (e) An ability to synthesize complex information into focused public policy materials and to quickly grasp policy issues affecting public education; (f) Strong written and oral communication and presentation skills – and ability to juggle multiple tasks and work under tight time-lines; (g) bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree, with concentration in public policy, education policy, or related field preferred. Please send cover letter and resume to: Director, Government Relations Position, NASBE, 277 S Washington St., Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22314, Or via e-mail: [email protected]. Salary $75-80,000.

· Managing Director, Collaborative Communications Group, Washington, DC. The Managing Director will lead an internal review process, in close collaboration with the Partners and Leadership Team, to develop an integrated plan to support growth and best performance and to achieve the Company’s goals and to address new priorities. S/he will work with the leadership team to assure that the outcomes of operations achieve the Company’s strategic programmatic goals, and to strengthen internal management and team building, that enhance productivity and performance. S/he will implement new models of operation, as necessary, and facilitate required cultural changes. The Managing Director is expected to build on and reinforce a culture of accountability, productivity, and teamwork. The Managing Director will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Company to ensure that the planning, execution and administration of all projects, initiatives, shared services and systems are in alignment and are highly functioning. The Partners and Managing Director will work together on organizational strategy and update each other on external trends and internal operational issues. The Managing Director will assure that the Company’s leadership team has full access to all of the information and circumstances necessary for effective oversight of the Company. The position will also collaborate and support the leadership team’s efforts to concentrate on market and business development, institutional strategy, team identification and capacity building, and forming external relationships to bolster the Company’s positioning and growth strategies. firm with a business development and impact focus, and a passionate commitment to the mission and purpose of public education. The Managing Director should care deeply about making a measurable and sustainable difference in the lives of the people working in and served by this organization, and about strengthening the quality of public education and community life. S/he should possess the confidence, knowledge, and wisdom to work effectively and creatively toward Collaborative’s goals. Candidates should have proficiency in management, organization development, implementation and measurement, communications, human resources, and budgeting and finance. Candidates should have the ability to align operations and systems in pursuit of overall institutional goals and to manage a complex, diverse organization in a progressive, entrepreneurial and consistent manner. The ability to attract, assess, and retain the best staff available is crucial. Candidates must have a keen grasp of the major political, economic, social, and cultural issues facing public education today. The Managing Director must have the skills to assure that Collaborative’s strategy is highly responsive to the changing external landscape and to opportunities to bring about positive change. The Managing Director must have superior presentation of written and oral communications skills. Resumes and cover letters will be reviewed as received. They may be submitted, in confidence, via email or mail. Kris Kurtenbach, Collaborative Communications Group, Inc., 1029 Vermont Ave., NW, Ninth Floor, Washington, DC, 20005 or Kurtenbach@collaborativecommunications.com. . Contact information: info@collaborativecommunications.com

· Assistant Director of the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance in Washington, D.C. The primary purpose of the Committee is to make recommendations that will maintain and increase access to postsecondary education for low- and moderate-income students. The Committee has been recently reauthorized with expanded charges, including a study of federal regulations in higher education, an annual report on the adequacy of need-based grant aid for low- and moderate-income students and on their enrollment and persistence rates, and a continuing role in monitoring and analyzing the simplification of financial aid forms and processes. An Assistant Director may be expected to perform any of the following tasks: (1) Assist with and conduct congressionally requested studies; (2) Review and analyze federal regulations related to student aid; (3) Assist in the planning and preparation of all Committee meetings and hearings; (4) Develop background papers and analyses on issues related to college access and persistence; (5) Work with other staff in the development of current Committee reports and projects; (6) Represent the Advisory Committee by attending and presenting at local and national meetings sponsored by Congress, the Department of Education, and the higher education community; and (7) Monitor, analyze, and evaluate federal, state, and institutional student assistance programs. Minimum Qualifications: Proven communication skills—both written and oral; At least a master’s degree, with strong research and analytical skills; Interest in education policy, financial aid, and/or college access and persistence. Preferred Additional Qualifications: Background in education policy, particularly policies related to access and financial aid; Understanding of the federal legislative and regulatory processes; Knowledge of federal, state, and institutional need-based student aid programs; and Familiarity with SPSS and statistical software packages. Other Key Information: A background investigation is required; and Relocation expenses will not be paid. For full consideration, please send resume, cover letter, a short writing sample, and three references to: Tracy D. Jones, Search Coordinator -- [email protected]. NO PHONE CALLS. E-MAIL APPLICATIONS ONLY.

· Part time Position: SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR THE FAIR SENTENCING OF CHILDREN in Washington DC. The National Coordinator for the Fair Sentencing of Children (NCFSC) works to reform the sentencing of juveniles to life without the possibility of parole (JLWOP) in the United States. The National Coordinator works with advocates across the United States, and in Washington, D.C., and is advised by the Advisory Committee for the Fair Sentencing of Children, comprised of professionals working with: the American Civil Liberties Union, the Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts, Equal Justice Initiative, Human Rights Watch, the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, the National Center for Youth Law, the National Juvenile Justice Network, and the Youth Justice Coalition. DESCRIPTION: The Special Assistant to the NCFSC will report directly to the National Coordinator, be based in the National Coordinator’s Washington, DC office and will provide critical assistance for 20 hours per week including, but not limited to: Program support tasks including, preparing, formatting and distributing documents such as press releases, reports, tables, charts, briefing papers, op eds, publications, advocacy documents, and web content; assisting with research, electronic clipping, wires and translations; preparing for and taking minutes at meetings; assisting with travel arrangements and follow-up; recruiting and coordinating interns; and recording finances including completing expense forms; Assistance with Advisory Committee matters and fundraising tasks; Administrative tasks including, word processing; photocopying; filing; faxing; answering phones; processing incoming mail; maintaining contact lists and databases; retrieving and responding to requests for information ; and other substantive tasks as may be assigned based on demonstrated abilities. QUALIFICATIONS: The candidate must have office/administration experience, demonstrated organizational skills and excellent computer skills. Strong interest in criminal justice issues, particularly reform to harsh juvenile sentencing practices in the United States, racial discrimination in juvenile justice, and / or human rights in the United States and a bachelor’s degree are required. Ability to work during weekends on occasion is preferred. Work and/or internship experience in juvenile justice is highly desirable, as is familiarity with Web 2.0. Proficiency in Spanish is a plus. SALARY: Salary for 20 hours per week is $17,000 per annum plus a 22% payment for self-secured benefits, including medical insurance. PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY (no calls or email inquiries, please) by emailing in a single submission: a letter of interest, your resume, names or letters of at least three references, and a brief, unedited writing sample no later than February 2, 2009 to ncfscassistant@gmail.com use “Assistant to NCFSC” as the subject of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed.

· The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) in Washington is seeking a new Director of Research and Evaluation. Go to www.ihep.org for information on the Institute. Apply at [email protected]. No closing date.

· The University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education Invites applications for The Katzman/Ernst Chair in Educational Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Innovation. This individual will serve as a catalyst for transforming education, the Rossier School of Education (RSOE) plans to create a center that will reinvent what it means to be a school in the 21^st century. The center will focus on innovations that will look radically different from the status quo in terms of the boundaries between school, home and community; the utilization of diverse types of personnel and technology; the structure of schooling (e.g. calendar, grades); and the physical environment in which schooling takes place, to name just a few examples. It also will (a) rethink curriculum, for K-12 students and for those who will teach them, and (b) make effective use of technology for innovative teaching and learning. This, an unprecedented position within a school of education. The individual recruited for this important position will be an intellectual leader and an entrepreneur in information technologies, including advanced electronic media, telecommunications and related satellite technology. He or she will be able to identify and implement programs and projects at the national level to improve elementary and post-elementary education. This person will be a visionary leader who will convene and lead a group of multidisciplinary scholars — from across the USC campus and beyond, and from such fields as business, engineering, cinematic arts, communication. As well, she or he will establish a collaborative network of education providers in a range of settings and roles, from public and charter school operators to leaders in for-profit educational-services companies. This position is to begin August 15, 2008, if possible. Applicants should send a CV, a cover letter outlining qualifications, experience and career goals, and the names of three references. They should be addressed to Associate Dean Rodney Goodyear c/o Cecilia Olmos, Administrative Services Coordinator, Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California, Waite Phillips Hall 1100, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0031. Review of applications will begin 05/15/2008 and continue until the positions are filled.

· Learning Point Associates is seeking a Senior Policy Associate to contribute to and lead challenging high-profile work in educator quality, as well as guide staff on performance and project development. The position’s primary office location is in our Washington, DC, office and will require up to 25 percent travel (local and national). Learning Point Associates is working to ensure that all of the pieces are in place—from teacher preparation and mentoring programs to professional development and compensation—to help teachers be the best they can be and make a difference for every child. Through our partnership in the National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality and our contributions to the Center for Educator Compensation Reform, Learning Point Associates staff works to do the following: identify gaps and compile sources on teacher shortages, mobility, and quality ; convene education leaders to address emerging policy issues; conduct rigorous research studies to transform policy and practice; evaluate teacher quality initiatives; and provide online teacher quality resources. The individual’s responsibilities include: Manage projects with national implications and be responsible for new project development, and supervising two to three staff members; Lead policy research and evaluation projects in educator quality, collaborate with other researchers and subject-matter experts, and serve as a mentor to staff in reporting, interpreting, and documenting study results; Develop and maintain networks of contacts in state and national policy organizations; Lead and facilitate state and national conversations on education topics focusing on teacher quality and leadership; Influence the public conversation on teacher quality and leadership by writing for peer-reviewed publications, submitting commentaries, presenting at national conferences, and responding to requests by the education media; Collaborate with other senior staff on project management, financial management, quality assurance, or business development; Provide guidance and coaching to assigned staff related to performance and career development; and Lead team in writing proposals, grants, and evaluation reports. Qualifications include: Master's degree in education policy, leadership, education evaluation, research methods, psychology, or related field required; doctorate degree preferred; Minimum of 5 years of project and staff management experience; Significant experience in the education policy arena; Demonstrated knowledge of the main issues facing teachers and school leaders working in high-needs schools and districts; Demonstrated knowledge of the main issues facing federal and state policymakers working to develop educator quality policy solutions; Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills for use in conducting education policy research and/or evaluations; Strong knowledge of SPSS; Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook; and the Internet; Strong communication skills, both written and oral; familiarity with American Psychological Association (APA) style preferred; Ability to work in a collaborative, team-based environment both with staff internally and other individuals externally, prioritizing multiple objectives to meet project deadlines; and Strong communication/presentation skills with the ability to work with a variety of constituencies as well as to provide guidance and supervision to internal staff. To be considered, include a cover letter, resume, salary requirements, and a writing sample of 3 to 5 pages of your analytic work. Please send your writing sample to [email protected].