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Federal Update: January 29, 2012
posted by: Ruthie | January 29, 2013, 06:58 PM   

Federal Lawmakers Recognize National School Choice Week

This week, as we celebrate National School Choice Week, several federal elected officials have taken time to recognize the grassroots movement aimed at providing educational options for all stakeholders. U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Chairman Todd Rokita (R-IN) released the following statement in recognition of National School Choice Week:

"By expanding opportunities for school choice, we can encourage parents and local communities to take greater responsibility for their children's education. As we work to empower parents and improve our education system, our goal must be to ensure that schools and local communities in every state have the opportunity to find the solutions that work best for them..."

Click here to read the full statement.

National School Choice Week has been recognized by members of Congress as well as several state governors and elected officials. Visit the National School Choice Week website for coverage.



Department of Education Emphasizes Schools' Obligation to Provide Extracurricular Activities for Students with Disabilities

On Friday, the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights issued guidance, clarifying mandatory obligation for schools to provide students with disabilities equal access to extracurricular athletic activities. Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, school must provide the disabled students with the same access to the health and social benefits of athletics, although the sports require modification.

"Sports can provide invaluable lessons in discipline, selflessness, passion and courage, and this guidance will help schools ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to benefit from the life lessons they can learn on the playing field or on the court," said Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Examples of modification include the allowance of a visual cue alongside a starter pistol to allow a student with a hearing impairment who is fast enough to qualify for the track team the opportunity to compete. Another example is the waiver of a rule requiring the "two-hand touch" finish in swim events so that a one-armed swimmer with the requisite ability can participate at swim meets.

"Participation in extracurricular athletics can be a critical part of a student's overall educational experience," said Seth Galanter, acting assistant secretary for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). "Schools must ensure equal access to that rewarding experience for students with disabilities."



National Center for Education Statistics Latest Report is Good News

According to the new report by the National Center for Education Statistics, after three decades of stagnation, the 78.2% on-time graduation rate for high school students during the 2009-10 school year was the highest it's been since at least 1974.

Statistics show that the high school graduation rates are up for all ethnic groups in 2010. Hispanic have made the biggest gains as their graduation rate has jumped almost 10 points since 2006.

While the numbers have jumped, the U.S. high school dropout rate is still unsustainably high for a knowledge-based economy and still unacceptably high in our African-American, Latino, and Native-American communities.

"As President Obama said in yesterday's Inaugural address, our journey to equality of opportunity is not yet complete," said a Department of Education announcement. "But as this report shows, we are making progress in our schools toward living up to the American creed of equal opportunity for all."



Department of Education Hosts Inaugural Open House

In honor of the 2013 Presidential Inauguration, Department of Education and Secretary Arne Duncan hosted an open house in an effort to engage the education community and showcase various goals for President Obama's second term.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan began by stating to the crowd, "This term we are not looking to what we can do that changes education for the next four years, but what will change education for the next four decades."

With this tenacious aspiration in mind, Secretary Duncan preceded to outline the main initiatives of the Obama administration's second term. The first goal was to navigate and dissipate school violence nationwide. The second goal was to widen education's scope, making it a "cradle to career" endeavor. The third goal was to connect K-12 education to higher education, graduating students with greater career and college readiness.

Lastly, Duncan's final goal was to raise the bar for the teaching profession, ensuring quality teachers. "Great teachers are the key to the future of education," Duncan affirmed.
Overall, the Department of Education plans to continue its focus on education reform and various projects to increase federal funding.
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