NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
May 3, 2010
For more information contact
Sara Otte Coleman, Director, Tourism Division
North Dakota Department of Commerce
www.ndtourism.com
701-328-2525
North Dakota Tourism’s virtual contest celebrates N.D.’s legendary adventures and Tourism Week
Travel North Dakota…IMRU? contest offers chance to win a North Dakota vacation package
Bismarck, N.D. – Travelers, residents and fans of North Dakota who share videos or stories with photos of their Legendary North Dakota adventures May 8-16 can win a week-long North Dakota vacation.
The Travel North Dakota. .. . . IMRU? contest, sponsored by North Dakota Tourism, is part of North Dakota Tourism Week. The contest is open to anyone that would like to share their Legendary North Dakota adventures by submitting videos or stories with photos on the Web site, RULegendary.com.
All entries received May 8-16 will be entered for a drawing to win the new North Dakota Trail of Legends tour package.
The all-inclusive, seven-day package offers a comprehensive, guided tour of some of the most magnificent sights in western North Dakota. The tour begins in Williston, continues to Theodore Roosevelt National State Park, on to the Bismarck/Washburn area, then to New Town and finishes back in Williston.
“As travelers plan their vacations, they like to hear about other people’s experiences and find out what there is to see and do,” said Sara Otte Coleman, director of North Dakota Tourism. “Many people have had Legendary experiences while traveling throughout North Dakota, and our RULegendary Web site is the place travelers can go to hear first-hand about what makes North Dakota adventures so memorable.”
RU Legendary and the Travel North Dakota. .. . IMRU? contest is an extension of North Dakota Tourism’s I am Legendary. RU? advertising campaign theme. Otte Coleman adds, “RU Legendary and the Travel North Dakota. . . IMRU? contest personalize the experiences found in North Dakota and allow travelers to wear their experiences like a badge of distinction.”
Share your legendary experiences at RULegendary.com.
For more information about North Dakota Tourism visit NDtourism.com or call 800-435-5663.
###
North Dakota has been designated the most affordable state to visit by AAA.
Professor Emeritus -- Dr. Tom Seymour from West Fargo, North Dakota -- Professor, Minot State University, MSU Faculty Regents Award (2015) -- PAST Peer Reviewer (Higher Learning Commission - Chicago); - Author and Presenter Board of Directors, SRT Communications, Inc and Minot City Alderman - Ward 5 (2010-June, 2016) PAST - Editor-in-Chief (North Dakota State Senator (2002-2010) 2017-Cass County Electric Cooperative- Board of Directors
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
State of North Dakota 2011-2013 Budget Guidelines by Governor Hoeven Released on May 5
April 22, 2010
MEMO TO: Legislators
FROM: Sheila Peterson, Director of Fiscal Management
SUBJECT: Budget Guidelines
Governor John Hoeven will release the guidelines for preparation of the 2011-13 budget requests on May 5, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. in the Pioneer Room of the State Capitol.
Also, Pam Sharp, Director of OMB, will be providing a status report of the General Fund.
Finally, I will provide an overview of technical issues relating to the budget process and the electronic budget system.
Director
MEMO TO: Legislators
FROM: Sheila Peterson, Director of Fiscal Management
SUBJECT: Budget Guidelines
Governor John Hoeven will release the guidelines for preparation of the 2011-13 budget requests on May 5, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. in the Pioneer Room of the State Capitol.
Also, Pam Sharp, Director of OMB, will be providing a status report of the General Fund.
Finally, I will provide an overview of technical issues relating to the budget process and the electronic budget system.
Director
Review of Facebook's Privacy Settings
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Medicare Information - CMS
Hello Everyone,
Please enjoy the information contained in this edition of Frontier Focus. Please be sure to share it with your members, colleagues, providers and office billing staff. Thank you for your continued efforts to broadcast Medicare information to the providers in Region VIII.
Table of Contents
1. Update on Claims Processing for Ordering/Referring Providers
2. CMS Announces Series of Nationwide RAC 101 Calls
3. New from the Medicare Learning Network
4. Update to Guidance on Standardized Medigap Policy (Plan N)
5. Press Release -- Four States (MO, NM, OR, WA) & PR to Receive Federal Matching Funds for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program
6. Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) Public Meeting Agendas for Supply and Other and Orthotics and Prosthetics
7. Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System Payment - Update for Rate Year Beginning July 1, 2010 (RY 2011)
8. Pricer Updates for Inpatient PPS Personal Computer, Skilled Nursing Facility, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS
9. A new "twist" in the law makes it easier to save on your prescription drug costs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Update on Claims Processing for Ordering/Referring Providers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will delay until January 3, 2011, the implementation of Phase 2 of Change Request (CR) 6417 (Expansion of the Current Scope of Editing for Ordering/Referring Providers for Claims Processed by Medicare Carriers and Part B Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs)) and CR 6421 (Expansion of the Current Scope of Editing for Ordering/Referring Providers for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Supplier Claims Processed by Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME MACs)).
This delay will give physicians and non-physician practitioners who order items or services for Medicare beneficiaries or who refer Medicare beneficiaries to other Medicare providers or suppliers sufficient time to enroll in Medicare or take the action necessary to establish a current enrollment record in Medicare prior to Phase 2 implementation.
Although enrolled in Medicare, many physicians and non-physician practitioners who are eligible to order items or services or refer Medicare beneficiaries to other Medicare providers or suppliers for services do not have current enrollment records in Medicare. A current enrollment record is one that is in the Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) and contains the National Provider Identifier (NPI). Under Phase 2 of the above referenced CRs, a physician or non-physician practitioner who orders or refers and who does not have a current enrollment record that contains the NPI will cause the claim submitted by the Part B provider/supplier who furnished the ordered or referred item or service to be rejected.
CMS continues to urge physicians and non-physician practitioners who are enrolled in Medicare but who have not updated their Medicare enrollment record since November 2003 to update their enrollment record now. If these physicians and non-physician practitioners have no changes to their enrollment data, they need to submit an initial enrollment application which will establish a current enrollment record in PECOS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. CMS Announces Series of Nationwide RAC 101 Calls
Please visit the CMS RAC website at http://www.cms.gov/rac/03_recentupdates.asp for more information.
May 4, 2010 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST: Nationwide RAC 101 Call for Home Health and Hospice Providers, 1-877-251-0301
May 5, 2010 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST: Nationwide RAC 101 Call for DMEPOS, 1-877-251-0301
May 12, 2010 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST: Nationwide RAC 101 Call for Physicians, 1-877-251-0301
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. New from the Medicare Learning Network
The April 2010 Edition of the Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Catalog of Products is now available and may be accessed at http://www.cms.gov/MLNproducts on the CMS website. The MLN Products Catalog is an interactive downloadable document that lists all Medicare Learning Network products by media format. The catalog has been revised to provide new customer-friendly links that are embedded within the document. All product titles and the word "download" when selected, will link you to the online version of the product. The word "hard copy" when selected, will automatically link you to the MLN Product Ordering page. To access the catalog, click on the link called MLN Product Catalog.
# # # # #
The revised Rehabilitation Therapy Information Resource for Medicare Fact Sheet (April 2010) is now available in downloadable format from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Medicare Learning Network at http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/Rehab_Therapy_Fact_Sheet.pdf on the CMS website. This fact sheet provides guidance and resources related to rehabilitation therapy services, coverage requirements, and payment systems.
# # # # #
The revised “Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Fact Sheet” (January 2010), which provides general information about the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, coverage of clinical laboratory services, and how payment rates are set, is now available in print format from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Learning Network. To place your order, visit http://www.cms.gov/MLNGenInfo , scroll down to “Related Links Inside CMS” and select “MLN Product Ordering Page.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Update to Guidance on Standardized Medigap Policy (Plan N)
CMS recently issued guidance on a new standardized Medigap policy (Plan N) that will become effective June 1, 2010. Based on inquiries received from the provider community since the guidance was released, we have made several clarifying changes which have resulted in the original guidance being replaced with the attached.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Press Release -- Four States (MO, NM, OR, WA) & PR to Receive Federal Matching Funds for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program
MEDICAID NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: CMS Office of Media Affairs
April 26, 2010 (202) 690-6145
Four States (MO, NM, OR, WA) and Puerto Rico to Receive Federal Matching Funds for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program
In another key step to further states’ role in developing a robust U.S. health information technology (HIT) infrastructure, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today additional federal matching funds for certain state planning activities necessary to implement the electronic health record (EHR) incentive program established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).
EHRs will improve the quality of health care for the citizens of the recipient states and Puerto Rico and make their care more efficient. The records make it easier for the many providers who may be treating a Medicaid patient to coordinate care. Additionally, EHRs make it easier for patients to access the information they need to make decisions about their health care.
This batch is part of a rolling announcement we began in November 2009. To date, including these latest matching funds, we will have awarded a total of $58.38 million to 35 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Missouri: $1.53 million
New Mexico: $405,000
Oregon: $3.53 million
Puerto Rico: $1.80 million
Washington: $967,000
Subtotal: $8.23 million
Total awards to date: $58.38 million
Additional information on implementation of the Medicaid-related provisions of the Recovery Act’s EHR incentive payment program may be found at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Recovery/11_HealthIT.asp#TopOfPage
The press releases issued today (4/26) are available at: https://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) Public Meeting Agendas for Supply and Other and Orthotics and Prosthetics
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is pleased to announce the scheduled release of the May 25, 26, 27, 2010 HCPCS Public Meeting Agendas for Supply and Other and Orthotics and Prosthetics. These documents and the links for the corresponding public meeting registrations are located on the HCPCS website at http://www.cms.gov/MedHCPCSGenInfo/08_HCPCSPublicMeetings.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7. Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System Payment - Update for Rate Year Beginning July 1, 2010 (RY 2011)
CMS-1424-N published at the Office of the Federal Register on April 30, 2010. This notice updates the payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient psychiatric hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs). These changes are applicable to IPF discharges occurring during the rate year beginning July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. We are also responding to comments on the IPF PPS teaching adjustment and the market basket, which we received in response to our May 2009 IPF PPS notice with request for comments. To view this notice, go to (http://www.cms.gov/InpatientPsychFacilPPS/IPFPPSRN/itemdetail.asp?itemID=CMS1235018).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. Pricer Updates for Inpatient PPS Personal Computer, Skilled Nursing Facility, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS
Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS) Personal Computer (PC) Pricer Updated
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Inpatient PPS PC Pricer has been updated on the web for FY 2010 claims with corrected provider data from April 2010. Go to the Inpatient PPS PC Pricer page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/03_inpatient.asp, under the Downloads section, and download the latest version of the PC Pricer.
Skilled Nursing Facilities Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) Personal Computer (PC) Pricer Files Updated for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Due to receiving corrected quarterly provider data for April 2010, the FY 2010 SNF PPS PC Pricer has been updated on the page: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/04_SNF.asp, under the “Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF PPS) PC Pricer.” Please go to the page above and download the latest version of the PC Pricer with the revised Provider data.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Personal Computer (PC) Pricer Updates
The FY 2010 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) PC Pricer has been updated with April provider data and calculation logic for the Health Care Reform Act. The PC Pricer is ready for download from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) web page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/06_IRF.asp. If you use the IRF PPS PC Pricer, please go to the page above and download the latest version of the 2010 Pricer, posted 4/28/10, in the Downloads section.
Rate Year (RY) 2010 Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (PPS) Personal Computer (PC) Pricers Updated
The Inpatient Psychiatric Facility (IPF) PPS PC Pricer for RY 2010 has been updated with April 2010 provider data. The version for RY 2010 has been made available on the CMS website. If you use the IPF PPS PC Pricer for RY 2010, please go to the page, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/09_inppsy.asp, and download the latest versions of the IPF PPS 2010 PC Pricer, posted 04/28/2010.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9. A new "twist" in the law makes it easier to save on your prescription drug costs.
http://www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp/
Under a new law, more Medicare beneficiaries could qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs because some things no longer count as income and resources. The Extra Help is estimated to be worth an average of $3,900 per year. To qualify for the Extra Help, a person must be on Medicare, have limited income and resources, and reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please enjoy the information contained in this edition of Frontier Focus. Please be sure to share it with your members, colleagues, providers and office billing staff. Thank you for your continued efforts to broadcast Medicare information to the providers in Region VIII.
Table of Contents
1. Update on Claims Processing for Ordering/Referring Providers
2. CMS Announces Series of Nationwide RAC 101 Calls
3. New from the Medicare Learning Network
4. Update to Guidance on Standardized Medigap Policy (Plan N)
5. Press Release -- Four States (MO, NM, OR, WA) & PR to Receive Federal Matching Funds for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program
6. Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) Public Meeting Agendas for Supply and Other and Orthotics and Prosthetics
7. Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System Payment - Update for Rate Year Beginning July 1, 2010 (RY 2011)
8. Pricer Updates for Inpatient PPS Personal Computer, Skilled Nursing Facility, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS
9. A new "twist" in the law makes it easier to save on your prescription drug costs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. Update on Claims Processing for Ordering/Referring Providers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will delay until January 3, 2011, the implementation of Phase 2 of Change Request (CR) 6417 (Expansion of the Current Scope of Editing for Ordering/Referring Providers for Claims Processed by Medicare Carriers and Part B Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs)) and CR 6421 (Expansion of the Current Scope of Editing for Ordering/Referring Providers for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Supplier Claims Processed by Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME MACs)).
This delay will give physicians and non-physician practitioners who order items or services for Medicare beneficiaries or who refer Medicare beneficiaries to other Medicare providers or suppliers sufficient time to enroll in Medicare or take the action necessary to establish a current enrollment record in Medicare prior to Phase 2 implementation.
Although enrolled in Medicare, many physicians and non-physician practitioners who are eligible to order items or services or refer Medicare beneficiaries to other Medicare providers or suppliers for services do not have current enrollment records in Medicare. A current enrollment record is one that is in the Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) and contains the National Provider Identifier (NPI). Under Phase 2 of the above referenced CRs, a physician or non-physician practitioner who orders or refers and who does not have a current enrollment record that contains the NPI will cause the claim submitted by the Part B provider/supplier who furnished the ordered or referred item or service to be rejected.
CMS continues to urge physicians and non-physician practitioners who are enrolled in Medicare but who have not updated their Medicare enrollment record since November 2003 to update their enrollment record now. If these physicians and non-physician practitioners have no changes to their enrollment data, they need to submit an initial enrollment application which will establish a current enrollment record in PECOS.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. CMS Announces Series of Nationwide RAC 101 Calls
Please visit the CMS RAC website at http://www.cms.gov/rac/03_recentupdates.asp for more information.
May 4, 2010 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST: Nationwide RAC 101 Call for Home Health and Hospice Providers, 1-877-251-0301
May 5, 2010 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST: Nationwide RAC 101 Call for DMEPOS, 1-877-251-0301
May 12, 2010 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST: Nationwide RAC 101 Call for Physicians, 1-877-251-0301
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. New from the Medicare Learning Network
The April 2010 Edition of the Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Catalog of Products is now available and may be accessed at http://www.cms.gov/MLNproducts on the CMS website. The MLN Products Catalog is an interactive downloadable document that lists all Medicare Learning Network products by media format. The catalog has been revised to provide new customer-friendly links that are embedded within the document. All product titles and the word "download" when selected, will link you to the online version of the product. The word "hard copy" when selected, will automatically link you to the MLN Product Ordering page. To access the catalog, click on the link called MLN Product Catalog.
# # # # #
The revised Rehabilitation Therapy Information Resource for Medicare Fact Sheet (April 2010) is now available in downloadable format from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Medicare Learning Network at http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/Rehab_Therapy_Fact_Sheet.pdf on the CMS website. This fact sheet provides guidance and resources related to rehabilitation therapy services, coverage requirements, and payment systems.
# # # # #
The revised “Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Fact Sheet” (January 2010), which provides general information about the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, coverage of clinical laboratory services, and how payment rates are set, is now available in print format from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Learning Network. To place your order, visit http://www.cms.gov/MLNGenInfo , scroll down to “Related Links Inside CMS” and select “MLN Product Ordering Page.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Update to Guidance on Standardized Medigap Policy (Plan N)
CMS recently issued guidance on a new standardized Medigap policy (Plan N) that will become effective June 1, 2010. Based on inquiries received from the provider community since the guidance was released, we have made several clarifying changes which have resulted in the original guidance being replaced with the attached.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Press Release -- Four States (MO, NM, OR, WA) & PR to Receive Federal Matching Funds for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program
MEDICAID NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: CMS Office of Media Affairs
April 26, 2010 (202) 690-6145
Four States (MO, NM, OR, WA) and Puerto Rico to Receive Federal Matching Funds for Electronic Health Record Incentives Program
In another key step to further states’ role in developing a robust U.S. health information technology (HIT) infrastructure, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today additional federal matching funds for certain state planning activities necessary to implement the electronic health record (EHR) incentive program established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).
EHRs will improve the quality of health care for the citizens of the recipient states and Puerto Rico and make their care more efficient. The records make it easier for the many providers who may be treating a Medicaid patient to coordinate care. Additionally, EHRs make it easier for patients to access the information they need to make decisions about their health care.
This batch is part of a rolling announcement we began in November 2009. To date, including these latest matching funds, we will have awarded a total of $58.38 million to 35 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Missouri: $1.53 million
New Mexico: $405,000
Oregon: $3.53 million
Puerto Rico: $1.80 million
Washington: $967,000
Subtotal: $8.23 million
Total awards to date: $58.38 million
Additional information on implementation of the Medicaid-related provisions of the Recovery Act’s EHR incentive payment program may be found at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Recovery/11_HealthIT.asp#TopOfPage
The press releases issued today (4/26) are available at: https://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) Public Meeting Agendas for Supply and Other and Orthotics and Prosthetics
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is pleased to announce the scheduled release of the May 25, 26, 27, 2010 HCPCS Public Meeting Agendas for Supply and Other and Orthotics and Prosthetics. These documents and the links for the corresponding public meeting registrations are located on the HCPCS website at http://www.cms.gov/MedHCPCSGenInfo/08_HCPCSPublicMeetings.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7. Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System Payment - Update for Rate Year Beginning July 1, 2010 (RY 2011)
CMS-1424-N published at the Office of the Federal Register on April 30, 2010. This notice updates the payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient psychiatric hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs). These changes are applicable to IPF discharges occurring during the rate year beginning July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. We are also responding to comments on the IPF PPS teaching adjustment and the market basket, which we received in response to our May 2009 IPF PPS notice with request for comments. To view this notice, go to (http://www.cms.gov/InpatientPsychFacilPPS/IPFPPSRN/itemdetail.asp?itemID=CMS1235018).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. Pricer Updates for Inpatient PPS Personal Computer, Skilled Nursing Facility, and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS
Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (PPS) Personal Computer (PC) Pricer Updated
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Inpatient PPS PC Pricer has been updated on the web for FY 2010 claims with corrected provider data from April 2010. Go to the Inpatient PPS PC Pricer page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/03_inpatient.asp, under the Downloads section, and download the latest version of the PC Pricer.
Skilled Nursing Facilities Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) Personal Computer (PC) Pricer Files Updated for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Due to receiving corrected quarterly provider data for April 2010, the FY 2010 SNF PPS PC Pricer has been updated on the page: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/04_SNF.asp, under the “Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF PPS) PC Pricer.” Please go to the page above and download the latest version of the PC Pricer with the revised Provider data.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Personal Computer (PC) Pricer Updates
The FY 2010 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) PC Pricer has been updated with April provider data and calculation logic for the Health Care Reform Act. The PC Pricer is ready for download from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) web page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/06_IRF.asp. If you use the IRF PPS PC Pricer, please go to the page above and download the latest version of the 2010 Pricer, posted 4/28/10, in the Downloads section.
Rate Year (RY) 2010 Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Prospective Payment System (PPS) Personal Computer (PC) Pricers Updated
The Inpatient Psychiatric Facility (IPF) PPS PC Pricer for RY 2010 has been updated with April 2010 provider data. The version for RY 2010 has been made available on the CMS website. If you use the IPF PPS PC Pricer for RY 2010, please go to the page, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PCPricer/09_inppsy.asp, and download the latest versions of the IPF PPS 2010 PC Pricer, posted 04/28/2010.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9. A new "twist" in the law makes it easier to save on your prescription drug costs.
http://www.ssa.gov/prescriptionhelp/
Under a new law, more Medicare beneficiaries could qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs because some things no longer count as income and resources. The Extra Help is estimated to be worth an average of $3,900 per year. To qualify for the Extra Help, a person must be on Medicare, have limited income and resources, and reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sunday, May 2, 2010
United States Education Review
ED REVIEW
April 30, 2010
...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
______________________________________________________________________
STRENGTHENING TITLE IX
On April 20, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary Duncan, and Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Chairwoman of the White House Council on Women and Girls, announced that the Administration had issued a “Dear Colleague” letter that withdraws a 2005 interpretation of Title IX policy. Enacted in 1972, Title IX mandates that any educational institution receiving federal aid for programs and activities cannot discriminate on the basis of sex. For several decades, the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has provided three options to determine whether athletic programs at schools comply with Title IX: (1) match the proportion of female athletes to the proportion of women on campus; (2) show a history and continuing practice of increasing sports for women; (3) or prove the school has met the interest and ability of women to participate in athletics. Under the third option, the 2005 ruling allowed schools to use a survey to prove a lack of athletic interest. The “Dear Colleague” letter clarifies that OCR requires schools to use multiple indicators to assess athletic interests and abilities and does not consider survey results, alone, to be sufficient evidence to justify an imbalance in women’s sports. The letter also offers recommendations for effective procedures for collecting, maintaining, and evaluating information on students’ interests and abilities, including technical assistance on the non-discriminatory design and implementation of surveys as one indicator among others. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/04/04202010a.html. (Note: Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali’s blog entry at http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/strengthening-title-ix/ includes links to OCR’s reading room [which has the letter and questions and answers], a fact sheet, and Secretary Duncan’s remarks.)
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH
Today, the Department officially launched the Promise Neighborhoods program, the first federal initiative to put education at the center of comprehensive efforts to fight poverty in both urban and rural areas. The $10 million in grants available this fiscal year will support non-profit organizations with one-year of funding to plan for the implementation of cradle-to-career services designed to improve educational outcomes for students within distressed neighborhoods. “The Promise Neighborhoods program brings all of the Department’s strategies together -- high-quality early learning programs, high-quality schools, and comprehensive supports -- to ensure that students are safe, healthy, and successful, Secretary Duncan said. “These services must be comprehensive, and they must put education at the center.” This program is based on the experience of programs such as the Harlem Children’s Zone, which serves a nearly 100-block area in New York City and has boosted student outcomes dramatically. The Department intends to make up to 20 planning grants, ranging between $400,000 and $500,000, with applications due June 25. Today’s release of applications for planning grants is just the first step in a multi-year process. President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal includes $210 million for five-year implementation grants and more one-year planning grants. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/. (Note: In support, the Department’s Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) will conduct several webinars. Registration is required to participate. To register, see https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=207396&sessionid=1&key=15FEF9CB3F97B7B6064F1D1160373A4A&sourcepage=register.)
The Department has posted slides from last week’s technical assistance workshops in Minneapolis for both the Race to the Top State Competition (http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/ta-workshop-201004.pdf) and the Race to the Top Assessment Program (http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-assessment/assessment-workshop.pdf).
Applicants for the Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund will find new resources online to assist them with the application process, including archived informational webinars, application tips, additional addenda to the Frequently Asked Questions, an overview of the matching requirement, a revised application package (with a more user-friendly version of the required Applicant Information Sheet, as well as a notice of the new closing date: May 12), and a paper on evidence and evaluation requirements and selection criteria. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/.
Also, 12 national foundations have committed $500 million in 2010 to leverage the Department’s $650 million i3 Fund aimed at similarly aligned investments, making more than $1 billion available to help expand promising innovations in education. The foundations’ investments are a continuation of long-standing efforts to foster the education innovation sector. Those efforts include programs that revamp educator training, spur integrated technology tools for teaching and learning, and create capacity for alternative high schools. While each foundation will maintain independence in determining which programs to fund, the combined resources available to non-profit organizations, state and local education agencies, traditional public schools, and public charter schools will catalyze and grow cutting-edge ideas. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/04/04292010a.html.
In the next couple of months, the Department’s Risk Management Service (RMS) will be coordinating a second series of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) technical assistance webinars. Information and registration for the 2010 RMS series will be available at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/rms-web-conferences.html. Meanwhile, an ARRA webinar schedule, with links to archived ARRA webinars, is posted at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/web-conferences.html.
______________________________________________________________________
TEACHER OF THE YEAR
On April 29, in a Rose Garden ceremony with President Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and Secretary Duncan, high school language arts teacher Sarah Brown Wessling of Iowa was named the 2010 National Teacher of the Year. A National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)-certified teacher and an 11-year veteran of teaching, Wessling is chairwoman of Johnston High School’s English Department. She is the 60th recipient of the award. The National Teacher of the Year program -- a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers sponsored by the ING Foundation -- designates an outstanding representative from among the 56 State Teachers of the Year (representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, outlying territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity). The winner is selected by a panel of 15 leading national education organizations. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-rose-garden.
______________________________________________________________________
AAPI INITIATIVE
In advance of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders recently announced the Administration’s efforts to improve the lives of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities underserved by federal resources. The Initiative will collaborate with agency officials and community leaders in roundtable discussions on education opportunities, employment issues, and health disparities. Experts with hands-on experience will advise federal agencies on critical issues and share innovative models of proven practices. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/asian-americans-initiative/. (Note: AAPI key facts and figures are at http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/asian-americans-initiative/keyfacts.html, and a summary of critical issues facing AAPIs is at http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/asian-americans-initiative/criticalissues.html.)
______________________________________________________________________
FINANCIAL CAPABILITY
This week, at an event hosted at the Treasury, the Departments of Education and Treasury recognized high scoring students in the National Financial Capability Challenge. The Challenge, which was unveiled in December, is designed to increase the financial knowledge and capability of high school-aged youth. Over 76,000 high school students and 2,500 educators across the country participated in the Challenge. Scores were generally low. Participants scored 70% on average, demonstrating that students are not yet achieving the grade when it comes to understanding how to manage money. Idaho, South Dakota, and Wyoming had the highest average scores, and Iowa, Virginia, and Wisconsin had the highest student participation rates. The greatest number of participating schools and teachers were from Pennsylvania. To build on the progress made with this year’s Challenge, Secretary Duncan and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner set a goal of increasing student participation, by 15% next year. Also, recognizing that participation averaged only one teacher per school, they urged this year’s participating teachers to become ambassadors for financial education and recruit teachers to participate next year. And, they committed to tracking and recognizing year-to-year improvements among schools. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.challenge.treas.gov/. (Note: An op-ed regarding the Challenge, penned by Secretary Duncan, Secretary Geithner, and Valerie Garrett, is available at http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/huffington-post-op-ed-using-education-to-cope-with-a-complex-economy/.)
______________________________________________________________________
ODDS AND ENDS
· Secretary Duncan answered questions about standardized assessments and the cost of college, among other topics, at an education town hall meeting in Atlanta sponsored by CNN. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/cnn-town-hall-on-fixing-america%e2%80%99s-schools/.
· Last week, the Secretary addressed the Council for Exceptional Children’s annual convention. “Virtually everyone professes to believe that all children deserve a world-class education,” he stated. “Yet, today, a significant gap between our aspirations and reality persists. And here is the harder, unspoken truth: subtle, unexpressed prejudices and lingering roadblocks still prevent children with disabilities from receiving the world-class education they deserve.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/news/speeches/2010/04/04212010.html.
· The Department, U.S. Secret Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation have released a study of targeted violence incidents on U.S. campuses of higher learning. Overall, 272 incidents were identified through a comprehensive search of nearly 115,000 results in open source reporting from 1990 to 2008. The findings are pertinent and far-reaching, and incidents studied include all kinds of targeted violence, ranging from domestic violence to serial killers. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/campus-attacks.pdf.
· “Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: Fall 2008,” prepared by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), presents new data on the availability and use of educational technology, including information on computer hardware and Internet access, the availability of staff to help integrate technology into instruction and provide timely technical support, and perceptions of educational technology issues at the school and district level. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010034.
· Later this spring, the Department will invite public comment on proposed rules that would require postsecondary career and vocational programs to prepare students for “gainful employment” in a recognized occupation in order to be eligible for federal grants and loans. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/aol-news-op-ed-debate-we-only-want-to-make-sure-schools-deliver-results/.
______________________________________________________________________
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I was deeply saddened by the passing of Dorothy Height. Dr. Height understood that the civil rights movement started at the schoolhouse door. During the civil rights movement, she organized women of many races and faiths to support the freedom schools in Mississippi. She maintained her commitment to education by working closely with several of my predecessors in efforts to increase parental involvement in schools and close the achievement gap. President Obama and I believe that education is the civil rights issue of our time. Today, we lost a great partner in our work to reform schools.”
-- Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (4/20/10), in a statement on the passing of Dr. Dorothy Height
______________________________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS
The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services will hold two more Listening and Learning About Early Learning meetings next month. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/topic/early-learning/.
Over the next two weeks, the Department will exhibit for National Public Service Recognition Week on the National Mall (May 6-8) and for the Joint Services Open House at Andrews Air Force Base (May 14-16). If you are attending either of these events, please stop by the Department’s booth.
______________________________________________________________________
Please feel free to contact the Office of Communications and Outreach with any questions:
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs -- Stacey Jordan, (202) 401-0026, mailto:Stacey.Jordan@ed.gov
Program Analyst -- Adam Honeysett, (202) 401-3003, mailto:Adam.Honeysett@ed.gov
To be added or removed from distribution, or submit comments (we welcome your feedback!),
contact Adam Honeysett. Or, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/edreview/.
This newsletter contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites
April 30, 2010
...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
______________________________________________________________________
STRENGTHENING TITLE IX
On April 20, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary Duncan, and Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Chairwoman of the White House Council on Women and Girls, announced that the Administration had issued a “Dear Colleague” letter that withdraws a 2005 interpretation of Title IX policy. Enacted in 1972, Title IX mandates that any educational institution receiving federal aid for programs and activities cannot discriminate on the basis of sex. For several decades, the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has provided three options to determine whether athletic programs at schools comply with Title IX: (1) match the proportion of female athletes to the proportion of women on campus; (2) show a history and continuing practice of increasing sports for women; (3) or prove the school has met the interest and ability of women to participate in athletics. Under the third option, the 2005 ruling allowed schools to use a survey to prove a lack of athletic interest. The “Dear Colleague” letter clarifies that OCR requires schools to use multiple indicators to assess athletic interests and abilities and does not consider survey results, alone, to be sufficient evidence to justify an imbalance in women’s sports. The letter also offers recommendations for effective procedures for collecting, maintaining, and evaluating information on students’ interests and abilities, including technical assistance on the non-discriminatory design and implementation of surveys as one indicator among others. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/04/04202010a.html. (Note: Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali’s blog entry at http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/strengthening-title-ix/ includes links to OCR’s reading room [which has the letter and questions and answers], a fact sheet, and Secretary Duncan’s remarks.)
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH
Today, the Department officially launched the Promise Neighborhoods program, the first federal initiative to put education at the center of comprehensive efforts to fight poverty in both urban and rural areas. The $10 million in grants available this fiscal year will support non-profit organizations with one-year of funding to plan for the implementation of cradle-to-career services designed to improve educational outcomes for students within distressed neighborhoods. “The Promise Neighborhoods program brings all of the Department’s strategies together -- high-quality early learning programs, high-quality schools, and comprehensive supports -- to ensure that students are safe, healthy, and successful, Secretary Duncan said. “These services must be comprehensive, and they must put education at the center.” This program is based on the experience of programs such as the Harlem Children’s Zone, which serves a nearly 100-block area in New York City and has boosted student outcomes dramatically. The Department intends to make up to 20 planning grants, ranging between $400,000 and $500,000, with applications due June 25. Today’s release of applications for planning grants is just the first step in a multi-year process. President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal includes $210 million for five-year implementation grants and more one-year planning grants. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/programs/promiseneighborhoods/. (Note: In support, the Department’s Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) will conduct several webinars. Registration is required to participate. To register, see https://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/EventLobbyServlet?target=registration.jsp&eventid=207396&sessionid=1&key=15FEF9CB3F97B7B6064F1D1160373A4A&sourcepage=register.)
The Department has posted slides from last week’s technical assistance workshops in Minneapolis for both the Race to the Top State Competition (http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/ta-workshop-201004.pdf) and the Race to the Top Assessment Program (http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-assessment/assessment-workshop.pdf).
Applicants for the Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund will find new resources online to assist them with the application process, including archived informational webinars, application tips, additional addenda to the Frequently Asked Questions, an overview of the matching requirement, a revised application package (with a more user-friendly version of the required Applicant Information Sheet, as well as a notice of the new closing date: May 12), and a paper on evidence and evaluation requirements and selection criteria. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/.
Also, 12 national foundations have committed $500 million in 2010 to leverage the Department’s $650 million i3 Fund aimed at similarly aligned investments, making more than $1 billion available to help expand promising innovations in education. The foundations’ investments are a continuation of long-standing efforts to foster the education innovation sector. Those efforts include programs that revamp educator training, spur integrated technology tools for teaching and learning, and create capacity for alternative high schools. While each foundation will maintain independence in determining which programs to fund, the combined resources available to non-profit organizations, state and local education agencies, traditional public schools, and public charter schools will catalyze and grow cutting-edge ideas. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/04/04292010a.html.
In the next couple of months, the Department’s Risk Management Service (RMS) will be coordinating a second series of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) technical assistance webinars. Information and registration for the 2010 RMS series will be available at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/rms-web-conferences.html. Meanwhile, an ARRA webinar schedule, with links to archived ARRA webinars, is posted at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/web-conferences.html.
______________________________________________________________________
TEACHER OF THE YEAR
On April 29, in a Rose Garden ceremony with President Obama, Dr. Jill Biden, and Secretary Duncan, high school language arts teacher Sarah Brown Wessling of Iowa was named the 2010 National Teacher of the Year. A National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)-certified teacher and an 11-year veteran of teaching, Wessling is chairwoman of Johnston High School’s English Department. She is the 60th recipient of the award. The National Teacher of the Year program -- a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers sponsored by the ING Foundation -- designates an outstanding representative from among the 56 State Teachers of the Year (representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, outlying territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity). The winner is selected by a panel of 15 leading national education organizations. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-rose-garden.
______________________________________________________________________
AAPI INITIATIVE
In advance of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders recently announced the Administration’s efforts to improve the lives of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities underserved by federal resources. The Initiative will collaborate with agency officials and community leaders in roundtable discussions on education opportunities, employment issues, and health disparities. Experts with hands-on experience will advise federal agencies on critical issues and share innovative models of proven practices. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/asian-americans-initiative/. (Note: AAPI key facts and figures are at http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/asian-americans-initiative/keyfacts.html, and a summary of critical issues facing AAPIs is at http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/list/asian-americans-initiative/criticalissues.html.)
______________________________________________________________________
FINANCIAL CAPABILITY
This week, at an event hosted at the Treasury, the Departments of Education and Treasury recognized high scoring students in the National Financial Capability Challenge. The Challenge, which was unveiled in December, is designed to increase the financial knowledge and capability of high school-aged youth. Over 76,000 high school students and 2,500 educators across the country participated in the Challenge. Scores were generally low. Participants scored 70% on average, demonstrating that students are not yet achieving the grade when it comes to understanding how to manage money. Idaho, South Dakota, and Wyoming had the highest average scores, and Iowa, Virginia, and Wisconsin had the highest student participation rates. The greatest number of participating schools and teachers were from Pennsylvania. To build on the progress made with this year’s Challenge, Secretary Duncan and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner set a goal of increasing student participation, by 15% next year. Also, recognizing that participation averaged only one teacher per school, they urged this year’s participating teachers to become ambassadors for financial education and recruit teachers to participate next year. And, they committed to tracking and recognizing year-to-year improvements among schools. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.challenge.treas.gov/. (Note: An op-ed regarding the Challenge, penned by Secretary Duncan, Secretary Geithner, and Valerie Garrett, is available at http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/huffington-post-op-ed-using-education-to-cope-with-a-complex-economy/.)
______________________________________________________________________
ODDS AND ENDS
· Secretary Duncan answered questions about standardized assessments and the cost of college, among other topics, at an education town hall meeting in Atlanta sponsored by CNN. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/cnn-town-hall-on-fixing-america%e2%80%99s-schools/.
· Last week, the Secretary addressed the Council for Exceptional Children’s annual convention. “Virtually everyone professes to believe that all children deserve a world-class education,” he stated. “Yet, today, a significant gap between our aspirations and reality persists. And here is the harder, unspoken truth: subtle, unexpressed prejudices and lingering roadblocks still prevent children with disabilities from receiving the world-class education they deserve.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/news/speeches/2010/04/04212010.html.
· The Department, U.S. Secret Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation have released a study of targeted violence incidents on U.S. campuses of higher learning. Overall, 272 incidents were identified through a comprehensive search of nearly 115,000 results in open source reporting from 1990 to 2008. The findings are pertinent and far-reaching, and incidents studied include all kinds of targeted violence, ranging from domestic violence to serial killers. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/campus-attacks.pdf.
· “Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: Fall 2008,” prepared by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), presents new data on the availability and use of educational technology, including information on computer hardware and Internet access, the availability of staff to help integrate technology into instruction and provide timely technical support, and perceptions of educational technology issues at the school and district level. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010034.
· Later this spring, the Department will invite public comment on proposed rules that would require postsecondary career and vocational programs to prepare students for “gainful employment” in a recognized occupation in order to be eligible for federal grants and loans. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/aol-news-op-ed-debate-we-only-want-to-make-sure-schools-deliver-results/.
______________________________________________________________________
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I was deeply saddened by the passing of Dorothy Height. Dr. Height understood that the civil rights movement started at the schoolhouse door. During the civil rights movement, she organized women of many races and faiths to support the freedom schools in Mississippi. She maintained her commitment to education by working closely with several of my predecessors in efforts to increase parental involvement in schools and close the achievement gap. President Obama and I believe that education is the civil rights issue of our time. Today, we lost a great partner in our work to reform schools.”
-- Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (4/20/10), in a statement on the passing of Dr. Dorothy Height
______________________________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS
The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services will hold two more Listening and Learning About Early Learning meetings next month. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/topic/early-learning/.
Over the next two weeks, the Department will exhibit for National Public Service Recognition Week on the National Mall (May 6-8) and for the Joint Services Open House at Andrews Air Force Base (May 14-16). If you are attending either of these events, please stop by the Department’s booth.
______________________________________________________________________
Please feel free to contact the Office of Communications and Outreach with any questions:
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs -- Stacey Jordan, (202) 401-0026, mailto:Stacey.Jordan@ed.gov
Program Analyst -- Adam Honeysett, (202) 401-3003, mailto:Adam.Honeysett@ed.gov
To be added or removed from distribution, or submit comments (we welcome your feedback!),
contact Adam Honeysett. Or, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/edreview/.
This newsletter contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The North Dakota K-12 Education Commission to Meet May 3 in Fargo
COMMISSION ON EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT TO
MEET IN FARGO
BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Commission on Education Improvement will meet in Fargo, Monday, May 3, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Millennium Room at the Skills and Technology Center, located at 1305 19th Avenue North in Fargo. The public is welcome to attend the meeting and will have an opportunity to provide input at 1 p.m.
Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple chairs the commission, comprised of administrators, educators, legislators and business leaders from across the state, working together to address educational issues in North Dakota’s schools.
MEET IN FARGO
BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Commission on Education Improvement will meet in Fargo, Monday, May 3, beginning at 9 a.m. in the Millennium Room at the Skills and Technology Center, located at 1305 19th Avenue North in Fargo. The public is welcome to attend the meeting and will have an opportunity to provide input at 1 p.m.
Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple chairs the commission, comprised of administrators, educators, legislators and business leaders from across the state, working together to address educational issues in North Dakota’s schools.
The North Dakota May Legislative Calendar
Yes, Copy and Paste the URL into your Browser:
The North Dakota Legislative Calendar...........
http://www.legis.nd.gov/docs/pdf/eventsnews.pdf
The North Dakota Legislative Calendar...........
http://www.legis.nd.gov/docs/pdf/eventsnews.pdf
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