Adam Chavarria, executive director of the White House Initiative.
This will be my last message to you as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.
Over the course of my tenure in this office, I have made many friends and developed new relationships—many that will be lasting. I am grateful for the hundreds of acquaintances I encountered along the way. Your friendly smiles, positive thoughts and good wishes were a constant source of strength and encouragement. I was often inspired by your selfless example and tireless efforts to serve our children, youths and families. I am convinced more than ever that it will be you and the diverse group of organizations you each represent that will pave the way to improving the education outcomes for Hispanic children. You all represent a wealth of human capital, ingenuity and experience from which our nation must draw in order to close the academic achievement gap—once and for all. Our nation's prosperity depends on it.
Our work is far from being complete, however, and we face enormous challenges ahead. But, they are not insurmountable. I leave this position with a strong sense of optimism and more encouraged than ever that the educational excellence we seek for all our children is within our reach. I have witnessed it in the work you conduct in communities, cities, and towns all across this great nation. I am grateful for these experiences and will treasure them forever.
I am grateful to President George W. Bush for granting me the opportunity and the privilege to serve the American people in one of the most critical issues of our time. It is a responsibility I took very seriously. There is nothing more profound that can transform the social and economic wellbeing of a child, a family or a community in just one generation than the achievement of a quality education.
I also value and deeply appreciate the dedication and commitment of the White House Initiative staff—past and present—who contributed very significantly to our work. The U.S. Department of Education was also instrumental in helping this office fulfill its mission. Thank you.
Given its priority in my life and career, education reform is not something from which I can easily walk way. I owe it to you, our community, and the nation to continue this work in the future. Until our paths cross again, please accept my best wishes and heartfelt thanks for permitting me to be part of this important journey.
–Adam Chavarria
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings talks to summit participants about No Child Left Behind and the positive impact it has made on education outcomes for Hispanic students Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008, at the White House Initiative's Summit Education Reform and Hispanic Education Attainment.
On Sept. 11, 2008, The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans convened a one-day summit at the U.S. Department of Education. The Summit on Education Reform and Hispanic Education Attainment focused on the promising practices various White House Initiative partners and the Education Department are employing to improve education outcomes for Hispanic students. (See photos.)
Speakers and summit attendees represented a wide cross-section of partner organizations and stakeholder groups, including: representatives from Hispanic parent and family involvement groups; community-based, nonprofit and faith-based organizations; Hispanic-serving schools and school districts; Hispanic Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) associations; the corporate sector; state and federal government; and the Hispanic business community.
Keynote speaker U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings highlighted the impact of No Child Left Behind on education for Hispanic students and lauded the grassroots efforts of White House Initiative partners and conference attendees to reduce the academic achievement gap and increase high school graduation rates and postsecondary degree attainment:
[NCLB] came about because of a rare bipartisan coalition of parents, policymakers, business and civil rights leaders, and practitioners like you. Thanks to your hard work, since 2002, Hispanic students are achieving all-time highs on the Nation's Report Card. Math scores for Hispanic fourth-graders went up 5 points from 2003 to 2007—that's the equivalent to an extra half-year of instruction! Yet, we still have a long road ahead. Today, only about half of our Hispanic students graduate from high school on time. That's unacceptable, especially at a time when 90 percent of our country's fastest-growing jobs require postsecondary education. It's up to all of us to build on the progress we've made by carrying the accountability movement forward.
In addition to the secretary, distinguished speakers included U.S. Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral, who provided the luncheon address, and Under Secretary of Education Sara Martinez Tucker, who gave the welcoming remarks. Also representing the U.S. Department of Education were: Assistant Secretary Lauren M. Maddox, Office of Communications and Outreach; Assistant Secretary Kerri Briggs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; and Assistant Deputy Secretary Doug Mesecar, Office of Innovation and Improvement. Other noted regional and national leaders in education, government, and the corporate, private and nonprofit sectors included: James Montoya, vice president, The College Board; John Winn, chief program officer, National Math and Science Initiative; Charles Hiteshew, chief operating officer, America's Promise Alliance; Augustine Martinez, president and CEO, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Mike Acosta, director, U.S. Mexico Foundation for Science Border Office, Office of University Relations, The University of Texas at El Paso; Eduardo Cancino, superintendent, Hidalgo Independent School District, Texas; and Maria Lopez, director, Institutional Advancement, El Valor.
Conference sessions addressed a range of topics, including: education reform; early childhood development; academic preparation and college completion; Hispanic family involvement; and Hispanic education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Speakers and presenters highlighted the work that is being done by their respective organizations to improve education outcomes and close the achievement gap for Hispanic students. Department officials focused on the positive impact of No Child Left Behind on academic achievement, while educators and school administrators revealed the promising practices they are employing and that are making a difference in their communities.
The White House Initiative also presented its culminating report, A Summary of Activities, Accomplishments and Hispanic Education Attainment: 2001-08, to Secretary Spellings.
The summit, part of the White House Initiative's plan to showcase the work of the department and community was a resounding success, with more than 230 participants converging in the Nation's Capital. According to White House Initiative Executive Director Adam Chavarria:
Education reform, particularly the NCLB and the America COMPETES Act, has been instrumental in helping close the achievement gap for Hispanic students in the early grades; however, much more work remains to be done, particularly at the high school and postsecondary levels. This summit highlighted the substantive progress we have encountered to date and the work that still remains to ensure that Hispanic American students receive a high-quality education, graduate from high school, and attain a postsecondary degree.
The summit was well received by participants. Many in the education community were quick to laud the accomplishments of the White House Initiative and the scope of the one-day event: "On behalf of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the very comprehensive and informative summit which you sponsored yesterday. I was delighted with the ... presentations, and my colleagues and I have brought back many great ideas to follow up with here in our state." Others expressed their sincere gratitude for the content and resources that were shared: "Thank you for having this conference. It's the best that I've attended because [it] focused a lot on parental involvement. Most education conferences or summits talk little of parental involvement, and it's ... great to see an actual parent speaking." In sum, in the words of yet another participant: "It was an inspiring experience and we sincerely enjoyed sharing with others our commitment to improving the educational outcomes of the Hispanic community."
To read and download the summit program and speaker presentations, visit http://www.yesican.gov/news/2008-summit/program.html.
To better inform its partners and constituents of the work of the office since its inception in January 2001, the White House Initiative released A Summary of Activities, Accomplishments and Hispanic Education Attainment: 2001-08 at its Sept. 11, 2008, Summit on Education Reform and Hispanic Education Attainment held at the U.S. Department of Education. The comprehensive report summarizes the activities conducted by the White House Initiative over the span of seven years. It also encompasses the work of the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans (the commission), as well as its recommendations and their implementation.
Executive Order 13230 established the commission and the White House Initiative at the U.S. Department of Education. The White House Initiative was designated as the office that would provide staff support and assistance to the commission in fulfilling its charge to examine the underlying causes of the education achievement gap existing between Hispanic American students and their peers. The commission's work resulted in two reports, the second and final of which was submitted to President George W. Bush in March 2003. The final report contained six recommendations for increasing the education achievement of Hispanic Americans.
The newly released report summarizes the ways in which the White House Initiative has worked to meet the recommendations set forth in the commission's final report. It includes information on its partnership network, outreach activities, community resources and publications. Also included is information on No Child Left Behind's impact on Hispanic education, and the state of Hispanic education today.
The report was released to White House Initiative partners and a wide range of stakeholders at the Sept. 11 event. The White House Initiative's partners are composed of more than 400 Hispanic parent and family involvement groups; community, nonprofit and faith-based organizations; Hispanic-serving schools and school districts; the corporate sector and the Hispanic business community; local, state and federal agencies; Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs); and local, state and regional Hispanic organizations.
To order free copies of the White House Initiative report A Summary of Activities, Accomplishments and Hispanic Education Attainment: 2001-08, visit www.yesican.gov, or call 1-877-4ED-PUBS with identification number ED004468P, while supplies last.
To read and download the report, visit http://www.yesican.gov/publications/pdf/summary-activities.pdf [PDF, 1.5M].
As part of her welcoming remarks, Under Secretary Sara Martinez Tucker introduced a new U.S. Department of Education Web site—College.gov—to attendees of the White House Initiative's Sept. 11, 2008, Summit on Education Reform and Hispanic Education Attainment.
The new site—part of Secretary Spellings' Action Plan for Higher Education that calls for expanding the accessibility, affordability and accountability of higher education for more Americans—aims to motivate students with inspirational stories and information about planning, preparing and paying for college. Designed with students' input and participation, College.gov was created to be a go-to online resource for credible information about college that also provides real life experiences of peers who are already attending college.
After showing a brief video clip about the site, Under Secretary Tucker explained the Department's reasoning behind its decision to create and launch the interactive online resource:
Secretary Spellings has made college accessibility, affordability and accountability a priority and a key part of the national dialogue on education and global competitiveness. As we have traveled around the country and talked with students and their families, we heard over and over again how helpful it would be to have a one-stop shop for reliable information from the department about planning for college and advice from fellow students who overcame challenges to attend college. We hope this site assists in filling that information gap and helps more students attend college and pursue the American Dream.
College.gov was officially launched on Sept. 17, 2008, during a discussion with students at The David A. Stein Riverdale/ Kingsbridge Academy MS/HS 141 in Bronx, N.Y. It has the following unique features:
To learn more about this new site, visit www.college.gov.
More than 20 education officials, White House Initiative partners and representatives of national and regional Hispanic-serving organizations convened at the U.S. Department of Education on Sept. 12, 2008, to discuss innovations in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for Hispanics and postsecondary degree attainment in those fields.
As a follow-up to the White House Initiative's April 2007 American Competitiveness Initiative Conference held at The University of Texas at El Paso, the working group met to discuss the steps that must be taken to respond to America's need for more mathematicians, scientists and engineers to compete effectively in a global economy.
The discussion centered around plans to undertake joint efforts to expand STEM opportunities in the Hispanic community, the federal government and the private sector. As part of these efforts, participants in the group brainstormed ways in which they can work together to expand their understanding and awareness of key national STEM efforts and forums convened on this topic across the country and in Washington, D.C.
Of particular interest was a 15-minute briefing on the National Mathematics Advisory Panel's findings, as well as several new resources, including the Math Panel's final report, Foundations for Success: The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, its newly released parent brochure Counting on Excellence, and its corresponding Web site—www.ed.gov/MathPanel—that provides information about the panel's work.
Along the same lines of math and science education, Anthony Fowler, director, Interagency Affairs, Office of Communications and Outreach, U.S. Department of Education, spoke about interagency efforts to identify and streamline more than 200 math and science programs administered across the federal government. In addition, Blanca Rodriguez, senior policy analyst, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of Education, spoke about the Department's grants and how to use and navigate the system.
The White House Initiative anticipates that this group of stakeholders will grow and assume an expanding role in helping fill the nation's need for talent in the STEM fields.
For information about the American Competitiveness Initiative and the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education and Science Act (America COMPETES Act), visit http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/index.html and http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/08/20070809-6.html.
President George W. Bush stands backstage with Yadira Vieyra, a Georgetown University student, who was among those in attendance Thursday, April 24, 2008, at the White House Summit on Inner-City Children and Faith-Based Schools. White House photo by Chris Greenberg.
On Wednesday, April 30, 2008, the White House convened a summit on inner-city children and faith-based schools to highlight the need to preserve the critically important educational alternatives for underserved students attending chronically underperforming schools. President Bush announced the summit in his 2008 State of the Union as an opportunity to help increase awareness of the challenges faced by low-income students in the inner cities and address the role of nonpublic schools, including faith-based schools, in meeting the needs of low-income, inner-city students.
The event brought together educators, policymakers and community leaders to develop local strategies to keep the doors of inner-city faith-based schools open to America's disadvantaged students. Several key facts were highlighted:
Nonpublic schools, including faith-based schools, have helped educate generations of low-income students, but they are disappearing at an alarming rate, due mainly to financial reasons. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, from 2000 to 2006, nearly 1,200 inner-city faith-based schools closed, displacing 425,000 students. This is especially troubling for minority students.
Since 1970, the minority population at Catholic schools, for example, has increased by 250 percent, and the non-Catholic population in those schools has increased by more than 500 percent.
To continue the promise of a quality education for every student, leaders, policymakers, parents, educators and administrators must pursue innovative solutions to improve public education and keep high-performing faith-based schools open as valuable education alternatives.
Among the events held during the day was a lunch plenary session on education options and America's cities, moderated by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, and a panel on public policy options, moderated by Deputy Secretary Ray Simon.
To read President Bush's remarks, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/04/20080424-2.html.
To read and download the corresponding fact sheets from the summit, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/education/whschoolsummit/index.html.
On Tuesday, April 29, 2008, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, joined by U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, marked the 25th anniversary of A Nation at Risk by discussing global competitiveness and the importance of math and science at the National Academies' convocation, "Rising Above the Gathering Storm Two Years Later: Accelerating Progress Toward a Brighter Economic Future," in Washington, D.C.
In her remarks, the secretary lauded the gains made by the No Child Left Behind Act—such as improved accountability and the use of disaggregated data to close the achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students—and acknowledged the hard work of the National Math Panel in producing its comprehensive report on math education.
Thanks to No Child Left Behind, we are now holding schools accountable for the achievement of every single child, beginning in elementary school. Just as you use data to guide improvement in business, science, and medicine, we're now beginning to use it to improve education and to close the untenable achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students.
With regard to the National Math Panel's report, she stated:
Recently, I was proud to receive the final report of the National Math Panel, which the president created by executive order as part of his American Competitiveness Initiative. The panel included some of the finest minds in our nation, who spent more than two years at work. They reviewed more than 16,000 research publications on what students must learn, by when, to develop solid math skills. The next step is to make sure that teachers have access to this information—the research that helps them work more effectively.
Secretary Spellings also urged Congress to fund the America COMPETES Act to fund programs such as Math Now to help elementary and middle-school students acquire early math skills, Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate (AP/IB), and the Adjunct Teacher Corps to encourage math and science professionals to serve as high school teachers.
To read the Secretary's full remarks, visit: http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/04/04292008a.html.
On Tuesday, April 22, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced proposed new regulations to strengthen and clarify No Child Left Behind (NCLB) during a press conference held at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit. The proposed regulations focus on improved accountability and transparency, uniform and disaggregated graduation rates, and improved parental notification for supplemental educational services and public school choice.
With regard to improved accountability and transparency, the proposed regulations would outline the criteria that states must meet to incorporate individual student progress into the state's definition of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Also proposed is the strengthening of restructuring interventions to make them more rigorous and to include the reasons for the school being in restructuring.
On the subject of proposed regulations for uniform and disaggregated graduation rates, Secretary Spellings announced that the U.S. Department of Education would build on the work of the National Governor's Association to establish a uniform graduate rate that shows how many incoming freshman in a given high school graduate within four years. All states would use the same formula to calculate how many students graduate from high school on time and how many drop out. The data would then be made public so that educators and parents can compare how students of every race, background and income level are performing:
Over their lifetimes, dropouts from the class of 2007 alone will cost our nation more than 300 billion dollars in lost wages, lost taxes and lost productivity. Increasing graduation rates by just five percent, for male students alone, would save us nearly eight billion dollars each year in crime-related costs.
On the topic of school choice, Spellings is proposing rules to ensure parents are notified in a clear and timely way about their public school choice and supplemental educational services (SES) options. The proposed regulations will ensure that states make more information available to the public about what tutoring providers are available, how these providers are approved and monitored, and most importantly, how effective they are in helping students improve:
Research has shown that effective tutoring programs can reduce the achievement gap by 10 to 15 percent. The problem is, these options will not make a difference if parents don't know they're available. I hope these proposed regulations will assist parents in getting the extra help their children may need to succeed.
The regulations proposed by the secretary are published online in the April 22 Federal Register for public comment. Hard copies of the Federal Register will be available Wednesday, April 23.
For more information on how the proposed regulations will strengthen NCLB, to read Secretary Spellings' full remarks and corresponding documents pertaining to the announcement, or to view the Federal Register notice, visit http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/reg/proposal/
President George W. Bush and President Felipe Calderón of Mexico shake hands in their first meeting to discuss issues Monday, April 21, 2008, during the 2008 North American Leaders' Summit in New Orleans. White House photo by Chris Greenberg.
President George W. Bush joined President Felipe Calderón of Mexico in New Orleans on Monday, April 21, 2008, for the reopening of the Mexican consulate. The president took a few moments during the opening ceremony to recap the diplomatic ties and history between New Orleans and Mexico, and to praise the Mexican president for continuing to show support for the U.S. and a city still striving to overcome the devastation of Hurricane Katrina:
New Orleans has had a long tradition of diplomatic ties with Mexico. In 1824, New Orleans … became the first site of the … first Mexican consulate in the United States. Unfortunately, the consulate was closed in 2002. Today we're reopening the consulate. And it's a good sign, because we celebrate the values that cause Mexico and the United States to be friends--values like family, and faith and culture. We celebrate the enduring and close partnership between our countries. Mexico and the United States are working together to build a future of prosperity and opportunity for people on both sides of the border.
The opening of the consulate took place during the North American Leaders' Summit on April 21-22 in New Orleans. Hosted by President Bush, this fourth meeting of North American leaders since 2005 continued its work on Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) initiatives. It also served as an opportunity for the three leaders to discuss hemispheric and global issues of importance to North America.
According to a joint statement released April 22, presidents Bush and Calderón, along with Canadian Prime Minister Stephan Harper, stated:
As continental neighbors and partners committed to democratic government, the rule of law and respect for individual rights and freedoms, Canada, Mexico and the United States have shared interests in keeping North America secure, prosperous and competitive in today's global environment. We met … to discuss how we might collaborate further to achieve these goals, as well as to discuss our hemispheric and global interests and concerns. The Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) … helps us to identify and pursue practical solutions to shared challenges in North America in a way that respects our individual and sovereign interests. … [It] complements the success of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has helped to triple trade since 1993 among our three countries …. NAFTA has offered our consumers a greater variety of better and less expensive goods and services, encouraged our businesses to increase investment throughout North America, and helped to create millions of new jobs in all three countries. NAFTA is key to maintaining North America's competitive edge in an increasingly complex, fast-paced and connected global marketplace.
Among the topics discussed during the two-day event were: economic competitiveness; smarter and more secure borders; environmental protection; improved access to safe food and health and consumer products; and improved response to emergencies.
For more information on the North American Leader's Summit, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/naleaders/.
To read the entire joint statement, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/04/20080422-4.html.
For the president's full remarks at the reopening of the Mexican consulate, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/04/20080421-2.html.
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced on Thursday, March 13, the release of Foundations for Success, the final report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (Math Panel). Created in April 2006 by President George W. Bush, the panel worked for more than two years reviewing the best available scientific evidence to advance the teaching and learning of mathematics.
The report offers a timeline of when students must master critical topics rather than defining methods for teaching; thereby acknowledging teachers best suited to determine how to teach a given concept or skill. The panel determined that students need to develop a rapid recall of math facts in the early grades, continuing on to master fractions in middle school. After laying this foundation, students will then be ready for rigorous algebra courses in high school or earlier.
According to Secretary Spellings:
This report represents the first comprehensive analysis of math education to be based on sound science. The National Math Advisory Panel's findings and recommendations make very clear what must be done to help our children succeed in math. We must teach number and math concepts early, we must help students believe they can improve their math skills and we must ensure they fully comprehend algebra concepts by the time they graduate from high school. The Panel's extensive work will benefit generations of American students.
The secretary will convene a national summit based on the recommendation of the Math Panel. For more information on the panel and its findings, visit www.ed.gov/MathPanel.
Executive Director Adam Chavarria delivers his remarks Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008, alongside Dr. Magdalena de la Teja (seated left), dean of student services, Austin Community College, and Belinda Dominguez (seated right), president, San Antonio TACHE Chapter, at the 33rd Annual TACHE State Conference in Austin, Texas.
On Feb. 14, Adam Chavarria, executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, delivered remarks at the 33rd annual state conference for the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE), in which he shared the history of the White House Initiative and addressed the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 on Hispanic student education attainment. Chavarria spoke at length about the latest national reading and math scores for Hispanic nine- and 13-year-olds and how those scores reflect the narrowing of the achievement gap between Hispanic students and their non-Hispanic peers.
In his remarks, Chavarria applauded the efforts of Hispanic-serving organizations nationwide to inform parents about the rights and options available to them under the law and encourage them to become more involved in their children's education.
[The White House Initiative has] ... encountered and enlisted a range of stakeholders that were doing their part to improve Hispanic education outcomes. In many respects, the work that these organizations are conducting and the experience they possess represent assets from which we can draw to supplement and sustain a national effort to close the achievement gap for Hispanic Americans. And they can be found in communities, cities and towns all across the country. ... Other stakeholders are bridging K-12 schools and school districts with institutions of higher education and industry. They represent another important resource in the community that is helping to inspire, prepare and enroll more Hispanic youths in institutions of higher education, particularly in the STEM fields.
Continuing the theme of parental involvement and Hispanic education attainment, Chavarria urged audience members to continue to work together for continued positive results:
By working together, these organizations can help children start school ready to read and learn from the moment they enter their first classroom. They can reach parents, families and children among the congregations that they seek to help and support. They can help prepare, retain, and graduate more Hispanic students from institutions of higher education. They can help prepare more qualified teachers, especially in math and science. They can form more partnerships with public schools and community colleges. They can build more alliances with the business community and Hispanic science and technology organizations and associations. They can also combine their efforts to work closely with key federal agencies to advance the nation's supply of human talent and innovative research.
A White House Initiative summit for stakeholder groups and partner organizations aimed at highlighting the office's activities since it's inception in 2001 will be held later this year in Washington, D.C.
On March 5, the White House Initiative, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Communications and Outreach and Latino Art Beat—a Chicago-based nonprofit arts organization that awards scholarships to high school students through its art competitions—sponsored the Department's first-ever Hispanic student art exhibit.
More than 200 people attended the event, including federal employees and officials, high school students and their teachers, community leaders, reporters, and representatives from Congress and the District of Columbia's mayor's office. Talented student musicians from the Duke Ellington School of Performing Arts entertained attendees with jazz and music by Carlos Santana, and Latino Art Beat's five talented national winners gave remarks on their inspiration and aspirations before the ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked the 70-piece exhibit's official opening.
A longtime partner of the White House Initiative, Latino Art Beat serves to advance the arts and arts in education, and promotes postsecondary access and degree attainment throughout its annual "What Hispanic Culture Means to Me" competition. Since 1998, the organization has awarded almost $2 million in college scholarships, monetary prizes and college credit courses to its regional and national winners. For more information about Latino Art Beat, visit http://www.latinoartbeat.com/home.htm 
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President George W. Bush delivers his State of the Union Monday, Jan. 28, 2008, at the U.S. Capitol. White House photo by David Bohrer.
On Jan. 28, President George W. Bush delivered his State of the Union, in which he addressed the progress of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the need for its reauthorization. He also announced the Pell Grants for Kids Program, which would offer scholarships to low-income children in underperforming schools, including high schools with significant dropout rates, and would help with the costs of attending an out-of-district public school or nearby private or faith-based school.
In his speech, President Bush urged the members of Congress to work together to reauthorize the education reform legislation known as NCLB:
Six years ago, we came together to pass [NCLB], and today no one can deny its results. Last year, fourth- and eighth-graders achieved the highest math scores on record. Reading scores are on the rise. African American and Hispanic students posted all-time highs. Now we must work together to increase accountability, add flexibility for states and districts, reduce the number of high school dropouts, provide extra help for struggling schools. Members of Congress: The No Child Left Behind Act is a bipartisan achievement. It is succeeding. And we owe it to America's children, their parents, and their teachers to strengthen this good law.
Continuing the theme of education reform, Bush said:
We must also do more to help children when their schools do not measure up. Thanks to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships ... more than 2,600 of the poorest children in our Nation's Capital have found new hope at a faith-based or other nonpublic school. Sadly, these schools are disappearing at an alarming rate in many of America's inner cities. ... To open the doors of these schools to more children, I ask you to support a new $300 million program called Pell Grants for Kids. We have seen how Pell Grants help low-income college students realize their full potential. Together, we've expanded the size and reach of these grants. Now let us apply that same spirit to help liberate poor children trapped in failing public schools.
A White House summit aimed at strengthening faith-based and other nonpublic schools was announced and will take place sometime this year.
To read the president's full remarks, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/01/20080128-13.html.
For more information about the Pell Grants for Kids Program, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/stateoftheunion/2008/initiatives/education.html.
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings delivered remarks on No Child Left Behind and the Bush administration's K-12 priorities for 2008, and introduced a powerful new information resource from the U.S. Department of Education at the National Press Club Newsmaker Luncheon on Jan. 10, in Washington, D.C.
On the topic of NCLB, Spellings was clear about the president and the U.S. Department of Education's priorities:
We must stay true to the core principles of reform: annual testing; publishing data; helping students and schools that fall behind; and holding ourselves accountable for our goal of all children achieving. ... We must make sure educators have the best ways to chart student progress over time the flexibility to improve struggling schools and more accurate ways to measure dropout rates. We must make sure students who need extra help can access free tutoring.
Spellings also announced the launch of U.S. Department of Education's "National Dashboard: Mapping Educational Progress 2008." The online resource, available at provides a state-by-state breakdown of data—collected in the six years since NCLB was enacted—that shows how well schools are performing nationwide. Parents, educators, administrators and policymakers can select their state from a dropdown menu, and a PDF booklet highlights how well that state is performing on key indicators such as student achievement, high school graduation rates, state participation in flexibility options, the number of Limited English Proficient students, and more.
To read the secretary's full remarks, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/01/01102008.html.
For more information about the National Dashboard, visit http://www.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/results/progress/index.html.
Two White House Initiative staff members were invited to the Jan. 23 launch of ConCiencia, the Self Reliance Foundation (SRF) and the Hispanic Communications Network's (HCN) Spanish-language newswire service, which is funded by the National Science Foundation.
Audience members for the event included two staff from the White House Initiative, Glorimar Maldonado Nosal, marketing-communications manager, and Annette Rodriguez, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute fellow. Also present were members from the local Hispanic media, Latino community leaders, advocacy groups, and educational and scientific organizations, amoung others. Keynote speakers included Hispanic Heritage Foundation's 2006 Scientist of the Year, Ines Cifuentes, and Xavier Serbia, financial editor for Siempre Mujer magazine, news writer for Yahoo! Finance and a former Menudo member. A video message from Olga Tañon, Grammy- and Hispanic Grammy-winning artist, addressed attendees about the importance of the new venture.
During the launch, Carlos Alcazar, HCN president, as well as other speakers expressed the belief that ConCiencia, a much needed service in the Latino community, will awaken and instill in Hispanic youths and adults a passion for the sciences, because the newswire will feature stories that empower, entertain and directly impact the community.
Science news disseminated through the newswire service will be gathered from federal research agencies, scientific societies and their publications, and English-language science news services. Distribution includes a variety of channels, including print, radio and the World Wide Web. For more information on ConCiencia or to begin receiving its news products, contact Duly Fernandez at 202-360-4052 or duly.fernandez@hcnmedia.com.
WHI staffers (left to right) Linda Bugg, Annette Rodriguez and Glorimar Maldonado Nosal (far left) manage a busy table during the morning networking session. Photo by Leslie B. Williams.
On Sept. 24, more than 800 individuals representing over 500 faith-based and community organizations nationwide attended the first-ever Conference on Youth and Education in the Hispanic Community at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.
The one-day event, sponsored by the White House Faith-Based and Community Initiatives office and the U.S. Department of Education, featured Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, as well as other well-known and well-respected leaders from: the U.S. departments of Housing and Urban Development, Justice and Education; the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans; the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC); the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (Hispanic CREO); Esperanza; and Urban Strategies.
Concurrent technical workshops covered a variety of topics, including accessing federal grants and contracts, supplemental educational services and choice, and parental and family involvement, among others.
A video message from President Bush addressed conference attendees, lauding them for their outreach efforts to the Hispanic community and encouraging them to continue in the good work they are doing.
In addition, networking sessions scheduled throughout the day provided ample opportunities for attendees to obtain information from exhibiting federal agencies and establish fledgling partnerships with other grassroots organizations.
In an ongoing effort to bring useful and practical information to its nationwide network, the Partnership for Hispanic Family Learning, the White House Initiative invited its partners to learn more about First Book, a White House Initiative partner and nonprofit organization that has distributed more than 50 million new books to children from low-income families since its founding in 1992.
The conference call, which took place at 3 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007, had more than one dozen participants, including representatives from the Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network, the Cuban American National Council, and the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition. Prior to the call, participants received an electronic copy of the First Book PowerPoint presentation used during the event.
Chandler Arnold, senior vice president of First Book and executive director of First Book Marketplace, and Rachael Voorhees, director of the First Book Literacy Registry, discussed the history of the organization and how it distributes books in partnership with a broad range of tutoring and mentoring initiatives, after-school programs, shelters, libraries, clinics, migrant worker camps, and other educational initiatives. Distribution avenues available to First Book include: First Book Marketplace, an online store; First Book National Book Bank, the method for distributing educational materials and large donations; and First Book Advisory Boards, committees of local volunteers that raise funds to provide book grants to local programs.
During the presentation, Arnold and Voorhees relayed to conference call participants how their organizations may take advantage of the resources—including a variety of Spanish and bilingual offerings—available from First Book. In addition, Arnold and Voorhees relayed the eligibility requirements for accessing First Books programs and services.
As an added bonus, the presentation also highlighted First Book's annual celebration of El Día de Los Niños (Children's Day), in which numerous groups nationwide host First Book virtual book drives to promote literacy.
For more information on First Book, visit http://www.firstbook.org.
The Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students (OELA) of the U.S. Department of Education hosted its sixth annual summit from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29, through Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, at the Hilton Washington in Washington, D.C.
Since 2002, OELA has hosted the annual "Celebrate Our Rising Stars" Summit in an effort to make the hope of No Child Left Behind a reality. According to Kathleen Leos, former assistant deputy secretary and director of OELA, "Every English Language Learner [ELL] has the right to experience success in school, and it is the responsibility of every educator to ensure that right." (Leos resigned from the Department in late October.) The "Celebrate Our Rising Stars" summits sought to equip educators of all levels with essential elements for ELL success while offering training in effective methods and practices for that success to be realized.
Summit VI provided educators with information, best practices and the latest research through informative sessions that: engaged experts in the field; facilitated dialogue among teachers and policymakers at the local, state and national levels; and provided networking opportunities to participants.
For more information on OELA, visit http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/index.html.
The Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students (OELA) of the U.S. Department of Education will host its sixth annual summit from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29, through Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, at the Hilton Washington in Washington, D.C.
Since 2002, OELA has hosted the annual "Celebrate Our Rising Stars" Summit in an effort to make the hope of No Child Left Behind a reality. According to Kathleen Leos, assistant deputy secretary and director of OELA, "Every English Language Learner [ELL] has the right to experience success in school, and it is the responsibility of every educator to ensure that right." The "Celebrate Our Rising Stars" summits seek to equip educators of all levels with essential elements for ELL success while offering training in effective methods and practices for that success to be realized.
Summit VI will provide educators with information, best practices and the latest research through informative sessions that: engage experts in the field; facilitate dialogue among teachers and policymakers at the local, state and national levels; and provide networking opportunities to participants.
For more information on the summit, visit http://www.oelasummit.org/.