On Wednesday, Secretary Paige announced...
* 3 regional conferences for improving America's schools,
based on President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" plan for
comprehensive education reform.
* 7 regional public forums to help the Department gather
information on the current status & needs of special
education across the country in connection with the
upcoming reauthorization of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Details are in 2 press releases (below).
==> A NEWLY REDESIGNED U.S. Department of Education (ED) *website*
will be launched the week of October 15. The new design will
offer improved navigation and searching, among other features.
A snapshot is at www.ed.gov. All information at the current
ED website will be available in the new design. For details,
please visit us next week at www.ed.gov.
http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/10-2001/10122001-new.html
=================================================
Paige Announces Regional Education Conferences in
Mobile, Reno & San Antonio -- October 10, 2001
=================================================
U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today announced that the U.S.
Department of Education will host three regional conferences for
improving America's schools, based on President Bush's "No Child
Left Behind" plan for comprehensive education reform.
The 3-day conferences will take place Oct. 17-19 in Mobile, AL;
Nov. 13-15 in Reno, NV; & Dec. 17-19 in San Antonio, TX. Teachers,
parents, school counselors, state & local education officials,
federal program coordinators & others will attend.
"President Bush has a bold strategy for reforming our schools &
fundamentally changing the culture of education in this country,"
Paige said. "His No Child Left Behind plan -- the impetus for the
soon-to-be finalized Elementary & Secondary Education Act -- will
bring much-needed change to schools in this great nation so that we
can offer every child a quality education."
In Mobile, Paige will address participants on Thursday, Oct. 18,
during the 8 a.m. morning plenary session (South Exhibit Hall).
The conference takes place at the Mobile Convention Center, &
nearly 1,000 educators are expected to attend. Reid Lyon, director
of the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development & an
advisor to President Bush on research & child development, will
speak during Friday's luncheon session.
The 3-day meeting is organized as follows:
* Day one: U.S. Department of Education priorities &
initiatives, reauthorization of the Elementary & Secondary
education Act, & federal program-specific workshops;
* Day two: in-depth Education Reform Institutes on crosscutting
education topics including research & practitioner
perspectives; &,
* Day three: Critical Issues & Special Interest Seminars.
President Bush's proposals are centered around teaching the core
academic subjects with methods & materials based on scientific
research, improving reading instruction & advancing early childhood
cognitive development, accountability for student achievement,
increasing flexibility for states & school districts, & expanding
parental options. The conferences are designed to help inform &
prepare participants for upcoming legislative & programmatic
changes & to present a forum for educators to convey how the
department can better assist those working at the state & local
levels.
Participants in the Mobile conference will include educators,
parents & government leaders from Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware,
the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
Students from Mobile area schools will provide entertainment during
breaks, exhibit their artwork at the conference site, & serve as
guides during the October conference.
For more information on the conferences, visit
http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/iasconferences
==================================================
Education Department Hosts Seven Forums Around the
Country on Special Education -- October 10, 2001
==================================================
The first in a series of public meetings with special education
experts, educators, parents & advocates is being held today in Salt
Lake City by the U.S. Department of Education & hosted by Assistant
Secretary for Special Education & Rehabilitative Services Robert
Pasternack.
The seven regional public forums allow the department to gather
information on the current status & needs of special education
across the country in connection with the upcoming reauthorization
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Passed in 1975 to offer America's 6 million students with
disabilities a "free, appropriate public education," IDEA is due
for reauthorization next year in Congress. President Bush & U.S.
Secretary of Education Rod Paige have pledged to use the upcoming
reauthorization as an opportunity to focus on giving students with
disabilities access to a quality education & leaving no child
behind.
In testimony last week before Congress, Paige declared that
President Bush & he are "determined to ensure that every child gets
a sound education."
"All parents have the right to expect high standards in educating
their children," Paige told lawmakers. "We can accept no less.
This also means excuses are not good enough: We need results. It
means raising average performance is not enough: We need to look at
all children to ensure that they are learning."
In a further effort to improve IDEA, President Bush has created the
President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education to study
federal, state & local special education programs. The commission,
chaired by former Iowa governor Terry Branstad, will deliver
recommendations to the president no later than April 30, 2002.
To provide the public with opportunities to offer comments, the
department's Office of Special Education Programs has scheduled the
following forums:
* Salt Lake City, UT: Oct 10
* Mobile, AL: Oct 16 & 19
* Minneapolis, MN: Oct 23
* Providence, RI: Nov 5
* Reno, NV: Nov 15
* Washington, DC: Dec 6
* San Antonio, TX: Dec 19
"We have committed to get the input of educators, parents,
disability advocates & others to improve the educational
opportunities of students with special needs," Pasternack said.
The forums in Mobile, Reno & San Antonio will be held in
conjunction with the Education Department's regional Improving
America's Schools Conferences where department officials annually
meet with local & state educators to discuss federal education
programs.
For more information on the forums, visit the Office of Special
Education Program's Web site at
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/OSEP/New/. Below is a complete
list of the forums.
Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA) Reauthorization Public Forums
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
==> OCT. 10 -- SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Location: Salt Lake City Marriott City Center
220 South State Street
Salt Lake City, UT
Phone: 801-961-8700
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. & 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center (RRC)
==> OCT. 16 & 19 -- MOBILE, AL
Oct. 16
Location: Mobile Convention Center, Room 204A
One South Water Street
Mobile, AL
Phone: 334-208-2100
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. & 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Oct. 19
Location: IAS Conference
Mobile Convention Center, Room 204A
One South Water Street
Mobile, AL
Phone: 334-208-2100
Time: 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Host: Southeast RRC
==> OCT. 23 -- MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Location: PACER Center
8161 Normandale Boulevard
Bloomington, MN
Phone: 952-838-9000
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. & 6:00-8:00 p.m
Host: Great Lakes Area RRC, PACER Center
==> NOV. 5 -- PROVIDENCE, RI
Location: Sheraton Providence Airport Hotel
1850 Post Road
Warwick, RI
Phone: 401-824-0614
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. & 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Northeast RRC
==> NOV. 15 -- RENO, NV
Location: IAS Conference
John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel
1100 Nugget Avenue, Pavilion B
Sparks, NV
Phone: 778-356-3300
Times: 9:30-11:30 a.m., 1:30-4:30 p.m. & 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Western RRC
==> DEC. 6 -- WASHINGTON, D.C.
Location: Academy for Educational Development
Greeley Hall-3rd Floor
1875 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC
Phone: 202-884-8215
Times: 1:30-4:30 p.m. & 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Mid-South RRC & Federal Resource Center
==> DEC. 19 -- SAN ANTONIO, TX
Location: IAS Conference
San Antonio Convention Center, Room 214B
200 East Market
San Antonio, TX
Phone: 210-207-8500
Times: 9:30-11:30 a.m., 1:30-4:30 p.m., & 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Host: Southeast RRC
===========================================================
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U.S. Department of Education
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