Affordable College Plans Continue

As part of this proposal, the President directed the Department of Education to develop a rating system to better inform students and encourage colleges to improve.  The ratings will compare colleges with similar missions and identify those that do the most to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as those that are improving their performance.  In the future, the rating system could steer taxpayer dollars toward high-performing institutions.

Ratings will be based on the theme of college access, such as the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants; college affordability, such as average tuition, scholarships, and loan debt; and outcomes, such as students' graduation and transfer rates, graduate earnings, and advanced degrees of college graduates.

The $1 million prize goes to graduating high school seniors for college scholarships; Houston ISD receives $550,000, while the other three finalists each receive $150,000.

Click here to watch a video on the four finalists, featuring interviews with their superintendents.

Secretary Duncan Announces the 2013 Winner of the Broad Prize for Urban Education

Recently, Secretary Duncan joined philanthropist Eli Broad to announce the Houston Independent School District in Texas as the winner of the 2013 Broad Prize for Urban Education- the largest education prize in America awarded to the most improved urban district. 

Houston, the nation's seventh-largest district, serves more than 200,000 students (88% of whom are African-American or Hispanic, and 80% of whom are low-income). Also, Houston is the first district to be the prize's first two-time winner, besting three other finalists: Corona-Norco Unified and San Diego Unified in southern California and Cumberland County in North Carolina. 

The $1 million prize goes to graduating high school seniors for college scholarships; Houston ISD receives $550,000, while the other three finalists each receive $150,000. 

Click here to watch a video on the four finalists, featuring interviews with their superintendents

Yesterday, the Department of Education awarded 60 grants, totaling $32 million to Local Education Agencies (LEA's) and community-based organizations under the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP).

This PEP program is part of First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative Let's Move! Active Schools, designed to get kids moving before, during, and after school.

"Healthy, active students do better in school and in life," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "These grants will help schools and communities educate students on the value of healthy lifestyles through programs that get kids moving and teach lifelong healthy habits."

In 2013, PEP applicants were invited to align their proposals with seven "design filters" for creating engaging, high-quality physical activity programs. Applicants could also receive points for focusing their efforts on the persistently lowest-achieving schools in their area.

All PEP grant recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting their state standards for physical education. In addition, these programs must undertake 1) instruction in healthy eating habits and good nutrition, and 2) physical fitness activities that include fitness education and assessment.

Click here for additional information on the PEP grant program.

The Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, "Keeping College Within Reach: Simplifying Federal Student Aid," which was scheduled for today, is now rescheduled for next week.

Despite the furlough of 90% of federal employees and the temporary closing of the Department of Education, public schools will continue to operate per usual. Also, the $22 billion in key K-12 formula funding through state Title I, special education and career and technical education grants, given out during the first week of October, will still be distributed.

If the shut down continues, government programs like Race to the Top, investing in Innovation, and Promise Neighborhoods, will be adversely affected. The Department of Education writes. "A protracted delay in Department obligations and payments beyond one week would severely curtail the cash flow to school districts, colleges and universities, and vocational rehabilitation agencies that depend on the Department to support their services."

If the shut down continues, for over three weeks, the American economy is expected to lose $55 billion in revenue, which will directly affect K-12 spending.

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