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Knowledge Alliance’s Weekly Washington E-Update
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July 14, 2008
Quick Reminders
Next PAG call: July 14 at 3pm EDT
Next Hill Days: July 23-24 contact Kate at [email protected] for info
On the Hill
Updated numbers re FY 2009 Appropriations – As we reported last week, the
mark up (ie drafting) for the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill was
completed in Senate, but the House did not fare so well; partisan politics won the
day. Check out our chart about how our Knowledge Alliance priorities are
faring. For the complete tables go to the ED’s budget tables, showing FY 2009
House Appropriations Subcommittee and Senate Appropriations Committee
action on Labor/HHS/ED appropriations bills.
What’s next for approps? Not much for now. Check out the article below from
Congress Daily about the serious rift in the House. The Senate won’t move until
the House takes action. So as we have been saying for a number of weeks: no
forward action until the spring of 2009.
From congress Daily “…The regular order for the appropriations process inched
closer to oblivion Wednesday as House Appropriations Chairman David Obey
shot down the possibility of any movement from his panel….“There aren’t going
to be any markups,” he said….The rift stems from the fracas that took place
during the House Appropriations Committee markup of the Labor-HHS
appropriations bill just prior to the Independence Day break. At the markup,
Appropriations ranking member Jerry Lewis tried to offer the Interior
appropriations bill as an amendment to the Labor-HHS bill. The move was an
effort to try to force a vote on repealing a restriction on offshore oil drilling.
Republicans have been eyeing the Interior appropriations bill as a vehicle to
advance their energy agenda, including allowing more domestic drilling and
production. In response, Obey angrily adjourned the meeting and said the
appropriations process was done for the year. Obey reiterated that point
Wednesday, when he said there would be no more markups from his panel…”
Reading First Future? This past week we along with a Knowledge Alliance board
member had a series of meetings with key Congressional staffers regarding the
current and future status of Reading First. In a nutshell the outlook is bleak for
Reading First. While the underlying concept of a large federal evidence-based
reading program still seems to be favored, the RF brand has an almost “toxic”
feel in terms of political support. No champions and not much resistence to
major criticisms. The Inspector General’s report coupled with the recent interim
evaluation study trump all other factors. Staff are not hearing much from the folks
at home who are benefitting from the program (and will need to if there is any
hope of reviving the program). Without strong champions in the House or
Senate, the chances of surviving the FY 2009 process are slim. (But ironically a
continuing resolution for FY 2009 approps through next spring has a chance of
saving a portion of the funds). Down the road we think there may be new
opportunities for a Reading First-type of program but of course with a different
name. Check out these recent articles on the RF saga: article in US News and
World Report; opinion piece from the Boston Herald; this USA Today Editorial
Board opinion (though USA Today also ran an opposing opinion piece), Patrick
Riccards’ blog; New America Foundation blog.
No action on Reauthorizations – Ditto from the previous several weeks.
Department of Education (The ED)
Evaluating Online Learning: Challenges and Strategies for Success – ED released
this report, which is “… designed to help school leaders gauge the effectiveness
of online education … focusing on seven evaluations of online learning
programs…”
RFAs in special ed – Check’em out: the National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation’s notice of “Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year
2008.” The National Center for Special Education Research’s request for
applications.
Elsewhere
“Great Public Schools for Every Student by 2020: Achieving A New Balance In The
Federal Role To Transform America's Public Schools” – We mentioned this one
last week and we think it is significant enough to repeat. See the National
Education Association’s new policy plan on the new federal role in education
and check out goal number #5 and the reinvention of education R&D.
Battle in the Ed blogosphere -- Bloggers can get a bit carried away in their
competition for attention and subscribers. Two of our blogger friends in
education --- Andy Rotherham and Alexander Russo --- have been going at
each other for a while but now it is getting down right ugly. Check out these
ugly entries here and here
“The Watch List Top Ed Trends to Keep Your Eye On” Verrrry interesting. See this
list and take note of the fifth trend on innovation. We agree.
Edison’s demise --- Last week we reported the re-branding and re-orienting of
Edison Schools, Chris Whittle’s erstwhile break through school management
effort. We found this blog article by Tom Toch at Ed Sector to be on the mark.
When Chris Whittle came to our Big Ideas retreat in Aspen two years ago, we
were all inspired by his provocative vision for the future…. Hmmm, his vision for
the future on which founded Edison in 1992 did not quite work out.
“The Forum on Leveraging a Legacy of Leadership in Mathematics and Science
Education” Knowledge Alliance Member Edvantia is convening this forum on July
16 to celebrate 10 years of the nation’s Rural Systemic Initiative (RSI) projects,
funded by the National Science Foundation. Some of us will definitely be there.
register here.
“Better Test Scores…Who gets credit for the improvement in D.C. public school
test results?” Many interesting transformational things are happening in the DC
public schools right now including a surprisingly significant increase in test scores.
See this Wash Post editorial about the good news and about who can/should
claim credit.
“The Impact of High-Stakes Testing on Student Proficiency in Low-Stakes Subjects:
Results of Florida’s A+ Accountability Program” See this new study from the
Manhattan Institute on Florida’s seemingly positive findings that “there is a strong
correlation effect between math and reading gains and science proficiency…”
hmmm…is this a stretch?
Prez Campaign
Campaign education plans -- Check out the campaign web sites for ed plans for
McCain here and Obama here (see page 14). Also check out Ed Week’s
comparisons.
Is Voting Genetic? -- The decision to vote is partly genetic, according to a
recently published study. Researchers identified a link between two specific
genes and political participation. These are the first results ever to link specific
genes to political behavior….
Who’ll be the Vice President nominees? -- The New York Times put together this
guide about possible candidates. What do you think? Do you have better
candidates in mind?
People and Organizations
Here is what Roll Call had to say about a legend’s return to the Hill “… Though
he didn’t ride in on a white horse, Sen. Edward Kennedy (Mass.) was received as
the Democrats’ knight in shining armor Wednesday when he returned to the
chamber for the first time since being diagnosed with a brain tumor in order to
cast a decisive vote on a stalled Medicare bill…”
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine was elected Chair of the Southern Regional
Education Board. SREB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works with
leaders and policy-makers in 16 member states to improve pre-K through
postsecondary education.
Our colleague, Sarah Friedman, has stepped down as the director of the
Appalachia Regional Educational Lab at CNA to take the position of Associate
Director for the Health Care Operations and Policy Research Center at CNA.
Ellen Mandinach has accepted the position of Acting REL Director. Best wishes
to both of them!
Margaret Honey, our good friend and colleague formerly of EDC and now
formerly of Wireless Generation, tell us that she is taking something of a breather,
hanging her shingle and doing some consulting work for a while. Go for it,
Margaret!
Question of the Week
Send to answers to The Sourcerer
Links
Calendars
House 2008 Schedule
Senate 2008 Schedule
Knowledge Alliance calendar for 2008
Favorite Education Blogs
The Knowledge-able Sourcerer
Flypaper
The Gadfly
John Merrow
NCLB NCLB Act II
NSBA's BoardBuzz
Principal's Policy Blog
Roy Romer
Swift & Change Able
This Week in Education
Edbizbuzz
Eduflak
a new blog aggregator for edublogs
SchoolNet.com's new portal
Eduwonkette
Education Wonks
ASCD blog
NEA NCLB
Prez Campaign blogs and web sites
Dates conventions
Ed Week’s comparisons
Campaign K12
Barack Obama Education Platform
John McCain Education Platform
<!--[if !vml]--> <!--[endif]-->Every Child Matters
On the Issues.org
Ed in O8
Knowledge Alliance
Home page
“Putting the Edge Back Knowledge” wiki
Past Knowledge-able Source editions
(Password protected---see John Waters at [email protected])
Knowledge Alliance Advocacy Tools
(Password protected---see John Waters at [email protected])
Department of Ed
Home Page
Budget
President's FY 2009 Budget Justifications for education
Institute of Education Science
Grants
News
Elementary & Secondary Ed
Staff contact info, telephone# and email
Congress
Senate home page
Senate HELP Committee
Senate Appropriations Committee
House home page
House Education and Labor Committee
House Appropriations Committee
Congressional Budget Office
Thomas---federal legislative info
Information about advocacy
Congressional Resources for the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
of 2007 Legislation <http://lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov/110-81.pdf> : Public
Law 110-80, Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 Legislation
<http://lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov/lda.html> : Public Law 104 - 64, Lobbying
Disclosure Act of 1995 Senate Guidance
<http://www.senate.gov/legislative/resources/pdf/S1guidance.pdf> House
Guidance <http://lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov/amended_lda_guide.html> :
Amended Guide to the Lobbying Disclosure Act Office of the Clerk
<http://lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov/amended_lda_guide.html> Article from
ASAE: Top Ten Myths about 501(c)(3) Lobbying and Political Activity:
http://www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/whitepaperdetail.cfm?ItemN
umber=