Bipartisan Support Clear for Early Education at Governors' Gathering

37764 « Examining How Common Core and Indiana's Draft Standards Differ | Main | Draft Indiana Standards Get Chilly Response at Public Hearing »

Cross-posted from the Early Years blog

by Christina Samuels

Washington

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan described early-childhood expansion efforts as an inevitability, not merely an aspiration, during his Sunday presentation to a receptive group of governors gathered here for the winter meeting of the National Governors Association.

Part of Duncan's reasoning: a broad coalition of business leaders, law enforcement officials, parents and school officials are asking for these efforts; kindergarten-readiness assessments are showing that many children are far behind their peers when they start school; and, he said, there's a "enormous and persistent unmet need" for early-childhood programs. 

"This is a parade I think you all want to be in front of, not behind," Duncan told the members of the association's education and workforce committee. Many states and cities have indeed gotten that message, and are pushing ahead on early education.

Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican, asked Duncan for details of the newest round of federal Race to the Top funding geared at supporting early education. Congress allocated $250 million for the program in the budget bill passed earlier this year, and has distributed about a billion dollars among 20 states in previous rounds. Nevada has applied twice for such funding, but its "Silver State Strong" proposal has not been among the winners. 

Duncan said the program will continue to "invest in states" along a "0-to-5 [age] continuum," but did not offer many specifics—perhaps because the Education Department and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services still are trying to nail down exactly what this new competition will look like.

The Education Department has said that this latest grant program will be "distinct" from what has come before, however.  Interested parties can leave comments for how this $250 million grant program should be structured, so be sure to get your thoughts in before the 5 p.m. ET Feb. 26 deadline. (Supporters of Montessori education have made their presence known, as you can see from the comments.)

Education and career training was also at the agenda of the three-day meeting, with Jeffrey M. Immelt, the chief executive officer of General Electric, addressing the state leaders on "training for tomorrow's jobs." 

View the original article here

Gov. Christie Taps David Hespe as New Jersey Education Commissioner

37840 « A Mix of the Common Core and Prior Standards in Indiana Classrooms | Main | Indiana House Repeals Common-Core Adoption; Bill Moves Closer to Gov.'s Desk »

Embattled New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie picked a veteran from the state education department to become the state's next education commissioner.

David Hespe, who will have to be confirmed by the state's senate, served as chief of staff to then-commissioner Chris Cerf during Gov. Christie's first term.

For Hespe, this marks a return to a job he once had. He was education commissioner during Gov. Christine Todd Whitman's administration, and most recently was president of Burlington County College.

The New Jersey Spotlight outlines the challenges ahead for Hespe: common-core implementation, new teacher evaluations tied to test scores, and a fight over control of Newark's schools.

And one other question looms: Will he join the ranks of the Chiefs for Change, as his old boss did?

In the governor's press release, Hespe said: "Through Governor Christie's aggressive reform agenda, New Jersey has made significant strides in ensuring that our children have access to the quality education that they deserve," said David Hespe. "The progress and results we've seen in education over the past years is proof that bold and innovative ideas benefit our students, teachers and families across all levels of education."

View the original article here

Higher Education in Italy

Each year the Italian Ministry of Education establishes a number of quotas for foreigners in the universities of Italy.

First of all, foreign students have the right to enter the course Laurea Triennale (bachelor’s degree), to be given a degree of the 1st level. The basic requirements for entry to this course are 12 years of school education and knowledge of Italian, that is checked by interview.

Laura Triennale lasts 3years and is equivalent to 180 credits. In Italy the universities give for each exam a certain number of credits – CFU. Typically, a CFU is equal to 25 hours of student work (lectures, practice).

In case of the Laurea magistrale (degree of the 2d level) the basic entry requirements are 15 years of school and university education and a good knowledge of Italian. You can choose only the specialty you have studied in your country! The Laurea Magistrale lasts 2 years, and is equivalent to 120 credits (120 CFU).

Italy also has opportunities for higher education in English language, which is the best solution for students who love Italy and want to study in Italy, but don’t speak Italian. Most of these programs have to do with economics and engineering. At the same time the choice of specialties for bachelors is very limited. At present there are only two undergraduate programs in English available to international students – economy (Business and Economics) and biological sciences (Biosciences and Biotechnology).

Also in Italy there is a number of courses lasting 5 or 6 years for a more complete professional training. It’s called Laurea a ciclo unico and provides the following fields: Medicine and Surgery (6 years) Dentistry (5 years) Veterinary Medicine (5 years), Pharmaceuticals (5 years) Architecture (5 years), Engineering Design (5 years), Law (5 years).

View the original article here

The Producers of the In View Series Announce Plans for New Series Devoted to Education

    BOCA RATON, FL, June 28, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Although the state of public education has suffered in recent years, the In View series will highlight places across the country where public schools do a great job of preparing young people for the future. Between college preparatory classes and vocational training, many high schools across the country offer students opportunities and tools to help them in the excuse of their lives. Prior to high schools and middle schools across the country often offer students new technologies and programs that prepare students for the rigors of high school and daily life. At all levels of education, dedicated teachers and educators across the country toil for meager pay to give students quality educations and prepare them for success later in life.

In View hosted by Larry King, an educational TV series distributed across the United States on cable channels and cable networks, reviews interesting and encouraging stories from all areas of American life. The In View show features economic stories, business stories, technology stories, environmental stories, health stories, medical stories and more. The show's producers find intriguing examples of progress, success, advancement and achievement in all parts of the United States and Canada.

The In View series hosted by Larry King will take a look at what high-performing public schools and private schools, at all levels, and teachers are doing to engage students and get them excited about learning. Many of the best schools and educators instill a thirst for knowledge in students that drives students to succeed throughout their scholastic careers. The In View TV series will showcase how leading schools help students reach their full potential.

---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com

# # #

Read more Press Releases from Manuela Corrales:

View the original article here

Kaplan Higher Education Campuses to Take Part in Second National Serve-a-Thon on April 26

    CHICAGO, IL, April 25, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- On Friday, April 26, more than 1,000 team members from Kaplan Higher Education Campuses will participate in a nationwide Serve-a-thon to help make a collective difference at its nearly 50 locations in 15 states. From sorting, cooking and serving food to those in need to cleaning up area parks and natural resources to helping young and old smile, thousands of man hours will be invested in giving back and showing a commitment to each local community.

Each campus and administrative office selected its own organization to support to ensure a meaningful contribution and lasting impression. Many of the supported organizations rely on the efforts of local volunteers such as those from KHEC to successfully run their programs and achieve their respective missions.

While KHEC schools and administrative offices support their communities throughout the year, in October 2012, the organization held its first national Serve-a-thon with every location devoting the same day to service. As a result of the impactful event, KHEC's Serve-a-thon now is scheduled to occur twice a year and the next one is planned for the fall of 2013.

About Kaplan Higher Education Campuses
Kaplan Higher Education Campuses provides career-focused education to more than 21,000 students and helps prepare them to enter the workforce in some of the fastest-growing industries. Its nearly 50 locations in 15 states offer certificates, diplomas and degrees in allied health, business, criminal justice, information technology, legal, nursing and other in-demand fields. KHEC includes Kaplan College, Kaplan Career Institute, Bauder College, TESST College of Technology and Texas School of Business campuses and is owned by Kaplan, Inc. Kaplan, Inc., a leading international provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses, is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO) and its largest division. For more information, visit www.kaplan.edu.

---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com

# # #

Read more Press Releases from Andrea Roebker:

View the original article here

Kind Attention President Obama and all Education Leaders: Any Wonder that a Mother Does not Need to be an Expert on Wisdom to Raise a Wise Child?

    RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ, May 04, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- "But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." - Genesis 2:17

This is exactly what happened. The real pure self died and was replaced by a phony self image. Before eating the fruit of knowledge Adam and Eve were totally lost in the moment, unaware of their own self identity; living in wisdom. Their self image all of a sudden made them aware of their own powerlessness; their helplessness and total dependence on God. It introduced greed, jealousy, fear, longing, ambition; in fact all the attributes of ignorance. From being pure man became impure.

It spite of having acquired the forbidden knowledge; God is giving us clues on how man can still become pure again. He is telling us that He made us in His Own Image. Thus by understanding the very nature of God we will understand our very own human nature.

God is showing us Who He is. God is the Word and the Word is God.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1

Thus God does not just have wisdom, God is Wisdom. Wisdom is an innate, effortless and integral part of God. So for man it is not about having the knowledge of wisdom, it is about becoming wisdom.

The very nature of wisdom is such that it exist as an integral part of the human self. There is no such thing as wisdom being an independent entity. Wisdom is the very human nature of the pure man. Wisdom exists as man.

Somehow man got obsessed with trying to know and have the knowledge of wisdom; all man needs is to simply get what God is saying about wisdom. Pure man is wisdom and wisdom is man! It is as simple as that. This very clear understanding of wisdom is all that is needed to put man and society on a path to wisdom. Wisdom is an effortless biochemical/emotional condition of the pure brain. All we need to do to acquire wisdom is to make man pure. Pure man is a projection of a pure brain; a pure brain is an emotional baggage free brain. To acquire wisdom man must make sure that his brain is free of all emotional baggage.

Wisdom education is not about acquiring the knowledge of wisdom, it is about a healthy upbringing and brain therapy that makes sure the brain is free of all emotional baggage.

God is also saying that knowledge can be a trap and certainly our half baked knowledge of wisdom is a deadly trap! It is amazing how our wisdom experts have missed the true message of God. Wisdom is not confusing if only we can follow the message of God.

It even does not matter for man to even know what is wisdom, as long as his brain is pure/emotionally-healthy/free-of-all-emotional baggage; man will be wise.
For further reading please Google:

4th r foundation

www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release-service/293491

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=r ... CV3pjSUe9A

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=r ... JZWV2bE08g

Please check out our YouTube videos here:

"Message to President Obama..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=objrnqUnIBsfeature=channel_video_title

"If you are thinking of a divorce"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPfR7u9VyjMfeature=channel_video_title

"Who am I"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erEEZ3CebVYfeature=channel_video_title

"Practical application of quantification of the Mind"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmzwj-W8Mwwfeature=channel_video_title

"A Message for Bill Gates"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLc4jzuPS98feature=channel_video_title

Please email this Press Release to our President, your Senator, Congressman, Education Secretary and All Those Connected With Education and the Neuroscience Project. Pleas Spread the Word That it is now up to our Leaders to fix the Mess in Education and in all Life.

The 4th R Foundation is a non-profit education research foundation that researches informal/emotional intelligence education, human nature, brain, mind, conscientiousness, self, wisdom, life coaching, adult reeducation, shyness, self image, emotional brain baggage etc.

View the original article here

An Open Letter to President Obama and His Education and Brain Initiative Team. Brain Education is Critically Urgent and Absolutely Essential; it is an Emergency That Requires Immediate Action

Nielsen Study: African American Income, Education Exceeds Expectations

    NASHVILLE, TN, May 28, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- As the economy begins to regain some traction, it has become apparent the African American population is now an economic force to be reckoned with. Their buying power is projected to be $1.1 trillion by 2015. According to the Nielsen Company study, "African-American Consumers: Still Vital, Still Growing," this population's growth outpaces the rest of the population by 30 percent. And, the demographic is increasingly younger, is more educated and has higher incomes than is commonly believed. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of African Americans attending some college or earning degrees has grown: 45 percent of men; 54 percent of women. Households earning $75,000 or more grew by more than 60 percent, faster than the rest of the population. African American's average income nationwide is $47,290.

Increasing income and education have caused notable on-line trends. During July 2011 there were 23.9 million active Black Internet users: 76 percent visited social networking sites; 54 percent visited a travel site. Mass merchandisers gained 50 percent of the on-line users, the other 50 percent spent time on current events and global news sites. While on-line nearly 13 percent made airline purchases or reservations; just under 10 percent made hotel reservations.

The Nielsen Company study, commissioned by the National Newspaper Publishers Association, sheds light on the economic potential of African Americans and the important trends in this community. The report's findings will be presented at the June conference of the National Association of Black Accountants conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

So what does this all mean in business terms? It means African Americans wield tremendous buying power. The Nielsen study showed numerous shopping trends, mostly for household, health and beauty, travel, smart phones and child related items. They have an average of four television sets per household and prefer premium cable channels. Forty-four percent of all new mobile phones purchased by African-Americans are smartphones. Sixty-eight percent used their smartphones for shopping information.

"The Nielsen report is very encouraging because it shows the African American population is a tremendous financial asset to this country's economic recovery," says Calvin Harris, Jr., President & CEO of the National Association of Black Accountants.

There are 43 million African Americans in the United States, 13.7 percent of the total population, the second largest racial minority in the country. The median age is 32 and 47 percent are under 35 years of age. Even with this awesome buying power most mainstream advertisers are not inclusive, do not include African Americans in media and marketing plans and have underestimated the market size.

The Nielsen study offers an in-depth analysis of African-American buying habits, observes trends and provides great insight into a market segment that deserves far more attention from the corporate sector. Many organizations should revisit their outreach efforts to harness the potential of this under-appreciated market. Those efforts could become a significant pathway to economic sustainability in America.

Communications Strategies is a full service public relations and public affairs firm. An award-winning firm, we belong to PRSA and the Better Business Bureau.

---
Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com

# # #

Read more Press Releases from Peter Woolfolk:

View the original article here

Central Louisiana Technical Community College and Upper Iowa University sign partnership to help students continue college education

Administrators sign an articulation agreement between Central Louisiana Technical Community College (CLTCC) and Upper Iowa University (UIU) to help CLTCC students more easily complete bachelor's degrees. Signing on were (from left) Chief Academic/Student Affairs Officer Carol Hebert and Chancellor Dr. Rodney Ellis from CLTCC, and Wayne Converse, director of military affairs and business development, and Meredith Lachney, admissions advisor from UIU.

ALEXANDRIA, La. (June 13, 2013) -- Central Louisiana Technical Community College, Alexandria, and Upper Iowa University, which has its primary campus in Fayette, Iowa, have affirmed a partnership to provide a course-by-course articulation agreement that allows for a seamless transfer process for learners at CLTCC who want to further their education through Upper Iowa University.

Upper Iowa University has a location for teaching courses at the Learning Center for Rapides Parish in Alexandria.

"We consider UIU to be a great option for a four-year university in the Alexandria area, and this partnership further solidifies our commitment to the Rapides Parish and to CLTCC students," said Wayne Converse, director of military affairs and business development at Upper Iowa University. "This partnership is not only important for the two institutions but, more importantly, for our students."

"Our goal is to help all students access an affordable degree program at Upper Iowa University," said UIU President William R. Duffy II, Ed.D, Ed. S. "We are committed to partnerships like this to help us serve the educational needs of students. We look forward to working closely with students from CLTCC."

Upper Iowa University has been offering classes in Alexandria since 2005. On-site classes are taught in the evenings and are offered in eight-week terms. For more information, visit www.uiu.edu/alexandria.

"We look forward to working with Central Louisiana Technical Community College as this partnership allows us to further educate and meet the demands of Central Louisiana's non-traditional adult students," added Meredith Latchney, admissions advisor at the UIU-Alexandria center.

Central Louisiana Technical Community College is comprised of six campuses and serves about 1,600 students each semester as part of Louisiana's post-secondary technical education system. The Louisiana Community and Technical College System is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE), with the CLTCC offering 36 programs.

About Upper Iowa University
Founded in 1857, Upper Iowa University is a private, not-for-profit university providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs and leadership development opportunities to some 6,200 students—nationally and internationally—at its Fayette campus and learning centers worldwide. Upper Iowa University is a recognized innovator in offering accredited, quality programs through flexible, multiple delivery systems, including online and independent study. UIU has been named to the top 15% of military-friendly schools by G.I. Jobs for four consecutive years and named as a top military-friendly university for five consecutive years by Military Advanced Education. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked UIU among the best online education programs for bachelor's degrees and the MBA. In addition, the publication ranked those programs in its first-ever list of best online programs for veterans. For more information, visit www.uiu.edu.

View the original article here