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Federal Update: April 21, 2014
posted by: Ruthie | April 21, 2014, 05:01 PM   

Department of Education Launches New Efforts to Increase College and Career Readiness
 
In an effort to increase college and career readiness, President Obama recently announced 24 Youth CareerConnect grants, which will provide a total of $107 million to local partnerships of school districts, institutions of higher education, workforce investment boards, and employers, in order to help these entities redesign the teaching and learning experience, insuring youth are prepared with the knowledge, skills, and industry-relevant education needed to get on the pathway to a successful career.
 
The Youth CareerConnect program was established this year by the Labor Department, in collaboration with the Education Department, using one-time revenues from the H-1B visa program. Grants range from $2.2 million to $7 million. The program wholly complementsadditional proposals in the President's Fiscal Year 2015 budget to ensure high school students graduate ready for college and career success and to help the U.S., once again, lead the world in college attainment.
 
In addition to the Youth CareerConnect grant, the Departments of Education and Labor launched the Registered Apprenticeship-College Consortium, a new effort that will allow graduates of registered apprenticeship programs to turn their years of rigorous on-the-job and classroom training into college credits toward an associate's or bachelor's degree.
 
Click here to read more about these initiatives.

U.S. Department of Education Awards More than $33 Million for Physical Education and Nutrition Programs 

The U.S. Department of Education has recently awarded 67 grants, totaling more than $33 million, to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and community-based organizations that plan to implement comprehensive, integrated physical activity and nutrition programs for their students. The goal of these programs is for students to develop an appreciation for lifelong, healthy nutrition and physical education habits, and make progress toward meeting their state standards for physical education. 

Grant recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting their state standards for physical education. 

Click here to view the program guidelines.

Bipartisan Legislation Supporting Charter Schools Passes Through Congressional Committee

The U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee passed two bipartisan bills for improving K-12 education - H.R. 4366, Strengthening Education through Research Act and H.R. 10, The Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act, through committee. They will now be considered by the full U.S. House of Representatives.


The Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act will help encourage the growth of public charter schools by improving programs to better support state efforts to replicate and expand successful charter schools.


Similarly, the Strengthening Education through Research Act, will capitalize on the progress being made by charter schools and other education initiatives by improving the federal research structure and ensuring states have better access to timely, relevant, and useful information that can help raise student achievement.   

Additional witnesses expressed support for both bills, praising their ability to provide ample research, raise student achievement levels, and increase educational equity for minorities and special education.


Click here to view H.R. 4366, Strengthening Education through Research Act.

Click here to view H.R. 10, The Success and Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act.

Click here to view the full hearing.

Department of Education Provides Resources for Teen Dating Violence and Sexual Assault in Schools

Every year, 1 in 10 American teenage students experience physical violence at the hand of a boyfriend or girlfriend. Despite this alarming statistic, many schools do not have the resources to combat these issues.


Schools - where teenagers spend a large portion of their time - are on the frontlines of protecting their students. By both supporting students who have experienced violence and preventing students from committing violence, schools are integral in reversing the tide of violence among American teenagers.

Check out the below resources, released by the Department of Education, for tools to fight this national problem at your school.

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