Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, February 10, 2012

U.S. Department of Education Blog

U.S. Department of Education:

Senior U.S. Education Officials Darnieder and White to Participate in National Council for Community and Education Partnerships Workshop

U.S. Department of Education officials Greg Darnieder, senior advisor to the Secretary of Education on the College Access Initiative, and John White, deputy assistant secretary for rural outreach, will participate in the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships Workshop on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 13-14 at the New York City Hilton Hotel.

Charleston School District Among Over 40 Districts Surveyed in New Study on School Improvement Grant Funding Release Today by Council of Great City Schools

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Executive Director of the Council of Great City Schools Mike Casserly will hold a press conference call at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 10, to discuss a report released by the Council on the impact of the School Improvement Grant (SIG) program in urban districts.

HBCU Executive Director John Wilson to Deliver Keynote Remarks at 2012 Annual Carver-Washington Scholarship Awards Breakfast in Baltimore

John Silvanus Wilson, Jr., executive director, White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) will deliver keynote remarks at the 2012 Annual Carver-Washington Scholarship Awards Breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 11 in Baltimore.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Executive Director of Council of Great City Schools’ Mike Casserly to Hold a Press Call on Report Outlining School Improvement Grants’ Impact in Urban Districts

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Executive Director of the Council of Great City Schools Mike Casserly will hold a press conference call at 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 10, to discuss a report released by the Council on the impact of the School Improvement Grant (SIG) program in urban districts.

Assistant Deputy Secretary Jim Shelton to Give Keynote Remarks at 4th Annual Black Male Summit at Morehouse College in Atlanta

Assistant Deputy Secretary Jim Shelton will give keynote remarks at the 4th Annual Black Male Summit at Morehouse College in Atlanta on Friday, Feb. 10. He will discuss the critical role of creating birth through college and career pathways in ensuring excellence and equity in education for African-American males.

Conference Call with Senior Administration Officials to Discuss the President's Announcement on No Child Left Behind Reforms

Washington, DC — Today, at 2:45PM, Cecilia Munoz, Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will host an on-the-record conference call to discuss the President's announcement that ten states have agreed to implement bold reforms around standards and accountability will receive flexibility from the most burdensome mandates of the federal

Education Secretary Duncan to Host Twitter Town Hall on Hispanic Educational Excellence

Following President Obama's State of the Union Address—in which critical topics like college affordability, dropout rates, teachers, and job training were addressed—U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will engage with the Hispanic community through a twitter town hall at 3:00 p.m. ET on February 8. The conversation will be conducted in both English and Spanish.

White House Initiative Executive Director to Address President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

John S. Wilson Jr., the executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, will address the President's Board of Advisors on Tuesday, Feb. 7, to relay the year's report and give updates on the Initiative. Wilson will also lead the board in drafting a report on the results of participation in HBCU programs.

Under Secretary Kanter to Participate in Discussion on Open Educational Resources in Higher Education at Center for American Progress

U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter will be the featured speaker at a discussion on open educational resources on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 10 a.m. ET in Washington, D.C. More than 100 representatives from the higher education community are expected to attend the discussion, sponsored by the Center for American Progress and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning.

Vice President Biden, Education Under Secretary Kanter to Discuss College Affordability at Florida State University

Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter will visit Florida State University at 11 a.m. today to discuss the importance of tackling rising college costs to ensure America’s students and workers can obtain the education and training they need so that we have a workforce prepared for the jobs of the 21st century.

U.S. Secretary of Education to Visit Ballou High School During Teach For America Week

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will visit Ballou High School in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, as part of Teach for America Week. He will discuss the importance of hard work and a good education, and the need for quality teachers, especially African Americans, to join those already in the classrooms.

Vice President Biden, U.S. Education Secretary Duncan, Sen. Kerry, and Rep. Hoyer to Visit Florida, Massachusetts and Maryland to Amplify President's College Affordability Plan

Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and his senior staff, Sen. John Kerry, and Rep. Steny Hoyer will visit three states on Monday, Feb. 6—Florida, Massachusetts and Maryland—to promote access and affordability in higher education by asking states to rein in rising college costs.

Vice President Biden to Discuss College Affordability in Tallahassee, Florida

WASHINGTON, DC - On Monday, February 6, Vice President Biden and Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter will visit Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida to discuss the importance of tackling rising college costs to ensure America’s students and workers can obtain the education and training they need so that we have a workforce prepared for the jobs of the 21st century.

Assistant Secretary Brenda Dann-Messier to Give Opening Remarks at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship Meeting

Brenda Dann-Messier, assistant secretary of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, will give opening remarks at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship (ACA) meeting Thursday, Feb. 2, at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will take place at Department of Labor’s Frances Perkins Building. Dann-Messier will discuss how the U.S.

Education Secretary, FCC Chairman to Headline Digital Learning Day Town Hall; 20,000 Students, Teachers Expected Online

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski will participate Wednesday in the first national Digital Learning Day, a nationwide celebration of innovative teaching and learning through digital media and technology.

Under Secretary Martha Kanter to Participate on College Affordability Panel in Baltimore

U.S. Under Secretary Martha Kanter will join U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes and a student representative at the University of Maryland in Baltimore at 12:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 31 for a panel discussion with students on college affordability.

Under Secretary Martha Kanter to Participate on College Affordability Panel in Baltimore

U.S. Under Secretary Martha Kanter will join U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes and a student representative at the University of Maryland in Baltimore at 12:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 31 for a panel discussion with students on college affordability.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan to Celebrate Launch of Teach Plus D.C. and Inaugural Class of Teaching Policy Fellows

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will give remarks at the event launching Teach Plus in Washington, D.C. at 5:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Jan. 31, in Washington, D.C. The launch event will also introduce the first cohort of the D.C. program’s Teaching Policy Fellows – 25 high performing teachers from D.C. public and charter schools.

Senior Administration Officials Host Conference Call to Discuss the President's Proposals to Make College More Affordable

Washington, DC — TODAY, 3:00PM, Cecilia Munoz, Director of the Domestic Policy Council at the White House, and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will host an on-the-record conference call to discuss the Administration's proposals to keep college affordable and within reach for all Americans.

Education Secretary Duncan to Address the Department's College Completion Symposium: "Evidence-Action-Innovation"

The U.S. Department of Education is convening a one-day symposium on college completion on Monday, Jan. 30, for 50 of the nation’s leading researchers, policy experts, and practitioners from 30 postsecondary institutions to identify evidence-based best practices that work to increase college completion.