How to choose the best carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates supply the body with the quick energy that’s needed for all its various functions—whether it’s weight lifting or digesting a meal. Not all carbs are created equal, however. Make complex carbohydrates like those found in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes your first choice. They’re high in fiber and nutritional value, and can help you control blood sugar and keep you feeling full longer.
Sweets, soda, and snack foods are packed with simple or refined carbohydrates. They may satisfy your sweet tooth but have little nutritional value and can leave you feeling hungry in just a short time.
4 oz. fresh apple – 32 calories, 8 g. carbs, 6 g. fiber
4 oz. milk chocolate – 104 calories, 12 g. cabs, 1 g. fiber
1 cup brown rice, cooked – 216 calories, 45 g carbs, 4 g. fiber
1 cup white rice, cooked – 205 calories, 44 g. carbs, 1 g. fiber
Romaine Rules:
When it comes to vitamins and minerals, romaine is the winner among lettuce. Its crisp, long leaves are a good source of vitamins K and C, potassium, and fiber. To keep lettuce and other greens fresh longer, wrap them in a damp paper towel and store them in perforated plastic bags in the crisper section of the refrigerator.
Egg-cellent Information:
Store eggs on a shelf inside the refrigerator where the temperature is cooler – not in the door. Hard-boiled eggs do not keep as well as raw eggs, and like any protein should not be kept out of the refrigerator longer than two hours. If you need to restrict eggs in your diet, the fat and cholesterol are found in the egg yolks, not the whites. You can substitute two eggs whites for one whole egg in breads, pancakes, and baked goods.
Greek Salad:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
12 cups romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 green pepper, seeds removed, sliced into thin slices
2 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced
4 (1/4-inch) slices red onion, separated into rings
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
12 Kalamata olives, pitted
½ cup feta cheese
In large bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients. Add lettuce, cucumber, onion, and green pepper. Toss gently until evenly coated with dressing. Divide among 4 plates and garnish with tomatoes and olives. Sprinkle with feta cheese.
Serves 4. Per serving: 335 calories, 8 g. protein, 20 g. carbs, 26 g. fat, 7 g. fiber, 565 mg sodium.
Enjoy!
Karen
Karen J. Mund
Legislative Administrator
Legislative Council
701.328.2919
Fax: 701.328.3615
kmund@nd.gov
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
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
North Dakota Legislative Higher Education Meeting Minutes from April 1, 2010
NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT
Minutes of the
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Thursday, April 1, 2010
House Chamber, State Capitol
Bismarck, North Dakota
Representative Bob Skarphol, Chairman, called
the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
Members present: Representatives Bob
Skarphol, Lois Delmore, Mark A. Dosch, Kathy
Hawken, Brenda Heller, Dennis Johnson, Nancy
Johnson, RaeAnn G. Kelsch, Joe Kroeber, Bob
Martinson, Darrell D. Nottestad, Kenton Onstad, Clark
Williams; Senators John M. Andrist, Tim Flakoll,
Tony S. Grindberg, Karen K. Krebsbach, Dave
Nething, David O'Connell, Larry J. Robinson, Tom
Seymour
Members absent: Representative Ken Svedjan;
Senators Ray Holmberg, Elroy N. Lindaas
Others present: Jim W. Smith, Legislative
Council, Bismarck
Representative David Monson, member of the
Legislative Management, was also in attendance.
See attached appendix for additional persons
present.
It was moved by Senator Robinson, seconded
by Representative Nottestad, and carried on a
voice vote that the minutes of the March 2, 2010,
meeting be approved as distributed.
Chairman Skarphol announced the following
private sector members would be serving on the
Higher Education Roundtable:
• Dr. John T. Hamilton, Williston.
• Mr. Mike Jacobs, Grand Forks.
• Mr. Dave Farnsworth, Bismarck.
• Mr. Bob Wetsch, Mandan.
• Mr. David Batcheller, Fargo.
• Mr. Keith Hovland, Valley City.
• Mr. Don Morton, Fargo.
• Mr. Joe Rothschiller, Dickinson.
• Mr. John Bertel, Fargo.
• Mr. Tom Ross, Minot.
• Mr. Robert Harms, Bismarck.
• Mr. Earl Strinden, Grand Forks.
• Mr. Wayne Biberdorf, Williston.
Chairman Skarphol welcomed the private sector
members of the roundtable in attendance and invited
them to join the committee in discussions regarding
higher education issues. He said additional private
sector members may also be appointed to serve on
the roundtable.
Chairman Skarphol called on Dr. David Breneman,
Professor of Economics and Education, University of
Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, to present
information regarding the future of higher education.
Dr. Breneman said there has been a general decline
in state funding for higher education. However, he
said, some states are increasing funding for student
financial aid programs. He said some state student
financial aid programs are used to encourage
students to remain in the state following graduation
from college.
Dr. Breneman said even though most states have
recently reduced funding for higher education, North
Dakota has provided significant increases in higher
education funding. He said North Dakota has an
opportunity to use its current positive financial
condition to encourage businesses to relocate to the
state, which will encourage more students to remain in
state following graduation from college. He said it is
important to link higher education programs to the
needs of the economy.
Dr. Breneman said financial concerns in other
states will force changes in higher education. He said
reduced funding for higher education will increase the
efficiency and effectiveness of programs. He said
higher education in North Dakota should also be
innovative even though the state is in a positive
financial position.
In response to a question from Mr. Farnsworth,
Dr. Breneman said there are two theories regarding
why the cost of education has increased at a rate
faster than other sectors of the economy. He said the
first theory is that higher education has a greater
percentage of labor costs compared to other
industries. He said the second theory is that higher
education institutions generally spend all funding that
they receive.
In response to a question from Mr. Morton,
Dr. Breneman said some higher education institutions
supplement state support and tuition revenue with
other sources of funding. He said some universities
rely on endowments to provide for a portion of
program costs.
Dr. Breneman said the public perception of higher
education is that higher education institutions are
more focused on finances than educating students.
He said it is important for institutions to demonstrate
that costs can be lowered and efficiencies achieved.
He said an emphasis on institutional missions and
setting priorities for higher education can lead to
greater efficiencies.
In response to a question from Mr. Batcheller,
Dr. Breneman said it is important to use the correct
measures when evaluating the use of performance
Higher Education 2 April 1, 2010
funding. He said student completion rates may be an
effective measure.
In response to a question from Senator Flakoll,
Dr. Breneman said some external factors can
influence academic programs. He said recent
external initiatives have placed an emphasis on
programs involving science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics.
In response to a question from Mr. Farnsworth,
Dr. Breneman said programs should be reviewed to
ensure that workforce demand is present for the
programs. He said students need to be aware of
career opportunities associated with the completion of
an academic program.
In response to a question from Representative
Onstad, Dr. Breneman said collaboration among the
various levels of education is important. He said
students graduating from high school need to be
prepared for college.
Mr. Larry A. Isaak, President, Midwestern Higher
Education Compact, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
presented information regarding college access and
success. He said college access and success are
important because the economy requires an educated
workforce. He said there is global competition for
educated workers.
Mr. Isaak said higher education systems should
place an emphasis on students completing programs.
He said alternative education delivery methods may
be utilized to improve student completions.
A copy of the information presented by Mr. Isaak is
on file in the Legislative Council office.
In response to a question from Senator Andrist,
Mr. Isaak said institutions are under pressure to
increase enrollments, which economically benefits a
community. He said successful colleges in the future
will be sought after due to quality programs and high
completion rates.
In response to a question from Representative
Kelsch, Mr. Isaak said a successful core program
should be the foundation for a four-year degree. He
said program courses beyond the core program need
to be evaluated to determine relevance to the
academic program.
In response to a question from Mr. Farnsworth,
Mr. Isaak said students need to be accountable for
decisions they make. He said an emphasis should be
placed on career advising in high school to help
students understand future career options.
In response to a question from Senator Grindberg,
Mr. Isaak said many online students are also taking
classes on campus. He said charges for online
classes should be set at an appropriate level.
In response to a question from Mr. Hovland,
Mr. Isaak said some higher education institutions will
need to adopt new models of education delivery in
order to maintain revenues and viability.
In response to a question from Dr. Hamilton,
Mr. Isaak said some standardization has occurred in
education programs across institutions. He said a
common course numbering system has provided
consistency in classes at North Dakota University
System institutions.
In response to a question from Mr. Bertel,
Mr. Isaak said higher education governing boards
need to be active in increasing the enrollment of
nontraditional students. He said policies should also
be developed to increase the enrollment of students
that may have some education, but no degree.
In response to a question from Representative
Skarphol, Mr. Isaak said the Legislative Assembly
should define state priorities for higher education and
communicate the priorities to colleges and
universities. He said measures should be used to
determine the success of meeting the goals and
priorities.
Mr. Morton said it is important for institutions to
have the ability to quickly determine when an initiative
is not successful.
Representative Kelsch said policies for education
should recognize an increased level of diversity in
student populations.
Mr. Isaak said special initiatives may be developed
to address unique needs of education in the state. He
said an initiative could be developed to improve
completion rates of students from certain ethnic
backgrounds.
Mr. Isaak said it is important to be aware of the
competition in higher education and the workforce.
He said the competition for an educated workforce is
now global.
Mr. Hovland said the state needs to react quickly to
changes and adapt to the future environment of
education.
Chairman Skarphol asked the private sector
members of the Higher Education Roundtable to
consult with their colleagues to determine areas of
higher education to review at future meetings.
The committee recessed for lunch at 11:50 a.m.
and reconvened at 12:45 p.m.
Mr. William G. Goetz, Chancellor, North Dakota
University System, presented information regarding
the University System strategic plan. He presented
the following strategic plan goals and objectives:
State Board of Higher Education
Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives
Goal #1 - The University System is accessible--a view held
by all North Dakotans.
• Increase the percentage of recent North Dakota high
school graduates enrolled in the University System by five
percentage points.
• Increase the percentage of North Dakota's total young
adult population (aged 25 to 34) enrolled in University
System institutions for credit to 6 percent.
• Increase the percentage of North Dakota's total population
(aged 35 to 44) enrolled in University System institutions
for credit to 2 percent.
• Increase the total number of certificates and associate and
baccalaureate degrees awarded by 4 percent.
• Increase the total number of graduate and professional
degrees awarded by 3 percent.
• The percentage of family income in North Dakota needed
to pay for community college after deducting grant aid will
decrease to the national average.
Higher Education 3 April 1, 2010
Goal #2 - North Dakotans recognize that the University
System is affordable at a level that can be sustained.
• North Dakota will rank in the top 20 percent of states in per
capita support for higher education--a level that is both
achievable and sustainable.
• North Dakota will rank in the top 10 percent of the most
productive states in total funding per degree/certificate.
• State strategic plan guides allocation of resources to
achieve the vision.
Goal #3 - The University System increases the overall
vitality of the state through exceptional education,
research, training, and service.
• Increase completions in targeted, high-potential programs.
• Increase the number of certificates and associate degrees
awarded in vocational and technical fields at community
colleges by 5 percent.
• Rank first in the nation for the percentage of degrees and
certificates awarded in science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics fields.
• University System students will perform at or above the
national average on all nationally recognized examinations.
• University System students will exceed the national
average first-time pass rates on all professional licensure
examinations.
• University of North Dakota and North Dakota State
University research will, at a minimum, demonstrate overall
progress on several research criteria based on an external
evaluation, including collaborations in and outside North
Dakota, patents, proposals, publications, and new faculty
hires.
• The centers of excellence will, at a minimum, meet
expectations according to the criteria established by the
Centers of Excellence Commission for annual review.
• University System alumni and students will report levels of
satisfaction with preparation in their selected major,
acquisition of specific skills, and technology knowledge and
abilities that exceed the national average.
• Employers will report high/increased levels of satisfaction
with the preparation of recently hired University System
graduates benchmarked against historical trends.
• Increase the number of businesses served by TrainND
workforce training by at least 4 percent.
Goal #4 - The 11 institutions comprising the University
System work together to achieve the vision effectively.
• The University System will report the number of students
who successfully transfer into a degree program at another
University System institution.
• University System institutions will benchmark the number
of student credit-hours delivered to students attending
another University System institution against historical
data.
• Integrate the role of each University System institution
within the overall system mission and strategic plan.
• Increase awareness of the University System and its
institutions through a common, consistent message.
• Increase State Board of Higher Education opportunity for
discussion of strategic policy topics.
A copy of the information presented by Mr. Goetz
is on file in the Legislative Council office.
Mr. Farnsworth suggested that an objective be
added to the University System strategic plan to
strengthen partnerships with private industry.
In response to a question from Mr. Farnsworth,
Mr. Goetz said institutions have been asked to
increase resources dedicated to career counseling
and advising. He said higher education needs to work
collaboratively with elementary and secondary
education to address career advising issues.
In response to a question from Mr. Batcheller,
Mr. Goetz said the University System strategic plan
could more clearly emphasize the need for increased
cooperation with the private sector for research
activities, including additional research activity
incentives.
Mr. Wetsch suggested information be provided to
the Higher Education Roundtable members regarding
academic programs at each institution, including
student enrollment in each program.
In response to a question from Representative
Dosch, Mr. Goetz said the University System strategic
plan includes expanding education delivery methods
as well as increasing the use of technology.
The Legislative Council staff presented a
memorandum entitled Department of Commerce Draft
Economic Development Strategic Plan and State
Board of Higher Education Strategic Plan. The
memorandum provides information regarding
University System strategic plan objectives that are
related to strategies of the Department of Commerce
draft economic development strategic plan.
Chairman Skarphol asked the private sector
members of the Higher Education Roundtable to
provide suggestions at future meetings for improving
efficiency in education.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m., subject
to the call of the chair.
___________________________________________
Brady A. Larson
Fiscal Analyst
___________________________________________
Allen H. Knudson
Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor
ATTACH:1
Minutes of the
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Thursday, April 1, 2010
House Chamber, State Capitol
Bismarck, North Dakota
Representative Bob Skarphol, Chairman, called
the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
Members present: Representatives Bob
Skarphol, Lois Delmore, Mark A. Dosch, Kathy
Hawken, Brenda Heller, Dennis Johnson, Nancy
Johnson, RaeAnn G. Kelsch, Joe Kroeber, Bob
Martinson, Darrell D. Nottestad, Kenton Onstad, Clark
Williams; Senators John M. Andrist, Tim Flakoll,
Tony S. Grindberg, Karen K. Krebsbach, Dave
Nething, David O'Connell, Larry J. Robinson, Tom
Seymour
Members absent: Representative Ken Svedjan;
Senators Ray Holmberg, Elroy N. Lindaas
Others present: Jim W. Smith, Legislative
Council, Bismarck
Representative David Monson, member of the
Legislative Management, was also in attendance.
See attached appendix for additional persons
present.
It was moved by Senator Robinson, seconded
by Representative Nottestad, and carried on a
voice vote that the minutes of the March 2, 2010,
meeting be approved as distributed.
Chairman Skarphol announced the following
private sector members would be serving on the
Higher Education Roundtable:
• Dr. John T. Hamilton, Williston.
• Mr. Mike Jacobs, Grand Forks.
• Mr. Dave Farnsworth, Bismarck.
• Mr. Bob Wetsch, Mandan.
• Mr. David Batcheller, Fargo.
• Mr. Keith Hovland, Valley City.
• Mr. Don Morton, Fargo.
• Mr. Joe Rothschiller, Dickinson.
• Mr. John Bertel, Fargo.
• Mr. Tom Ross, Minot.
• Mr. Robert Harms, Bismarck.
• Mr. Earl Strinden, Grand Forks.
• Mr. Wayne Biberdorf, Williston.
Chairman Skarphol welcomed the private sector
members of the roundtable in attendance and invited
them to join the committee in discussions regarding
higher education issues. He said additional private
sector members may also be appointed to serve on
the roundtable.
Chairman Skarphol called on Dr. David Breneman,
Professor of Economics and Education, University of
Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, to present
information regarding the future of higher education.
Dr. Breneman said there has been a general decline
in state funding for higher education. However, he
said, some states are increasing funding for student
financial aid programs. He said some state student
financial aid programs are used to encourage
students to remain in the state following graduation
from college.
Dr. Breneman said even though most states have
recently reduced funding for higher education, North
Dakota has provided significant increases in higher
education funding. He said North Dakota has an
opportunity to use its current positive financial
condition to encourage businesses to relocate to the
state, which will encourage more students to remain in
state following graduation from college. He said it is
important to link higher education programs to the
needs of the economy.
Dr. Breneman said financial concerns in other
states will force changes in higher education. He said
reduced funding for higher education will increase the
efficiency and effectiveness of programs. He said
higher education in North Dakota should also be
innovative even though the state is in a positive
financial position.
In response to a question from Mr. Farnsworth,
Dr. Breneman said there are two theories regarding
why the cost of education has increased at a rate
faster than other sectors of the economy. He said the
first theory is that higher education has a greater
percentage of labor costs compared to other
industries. He said the second theory is that higher
education institutions generally spend all funding that
they receive.
In response to a question from Mr. Morton,
Dr. Breneman said some higher education institutions
supplement state support and tuition revenue with
other sources of funding. He said some universities
rely on endowments to provide for a portion of
program costs.
Dr. Breneman said the public perception of higher
education is that higher education institutions are
more focused on finances than educating students.
He said it is important for institutions to demonstrate
that costs can be lowered and efficiencies achieved.
He said an emphasis on institutional missions and
setting priorities for higher education can lead to
greater efficiencies.
In response to a question from Mr. Batcheller,
Dr. Breneman said it is important to use the correct
measures when evaluating the use of performance
Higher Education 2 April 1, 2010
funding. He said student completion rates may be an
effective measure.
In response to a question from Senator Flakoll,
Dr. Breneman said some external factors can
influence academic programs. He said recent
external initiatives have placed an emphasis on
programs involving science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics.
In response to a question from Mr. Farnsworth,
Dr. Breneman said programs should be reviewed to
ensure that workforce demand is present for the
programs. He said students need to be aware of
career opportunities associated with the completion of
an academic program.
In response to a question from Representative
Onstad, Dr. Breneman said collaboration among the
various levels of education is important. He said
students graduating from high school need to be
prepared for college.
Mr. Larry A. Isaak, President, Midwestern Higher
Education Compact, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
presented information regarding college access and
success. He said college access and success are
important because the economy requires an educated
workforce. He said there is global competition for
educated workers.
Mr. Isaak said higher education systems should
place an emphasis on students completing programs.
He said alternative education delivery methods may
be utilized to improve student completions.
A copy of the information presented by Mr. Isaak is
on file in the Legislative Council office.
In response to a question from Senator Andrist,
Mr. Isaak said institutions are under pressure to
increase enrollments, which economically benefits a
community. He said successful colleges in the future
will be sought after due to quality programs and high
completion rates.
In response to a question from Representative
Kelsch, Mr. Isaak said a successful core program
should be the foundation for a four-year degree. He
said program courses beyond the core program need
to be evaluated to determine relevance to the
academic program.
In response to a question from Mr. Farnsworth,
Mr. Isaak said students need to be accountable for
decisions they make. He said an emphasis should be
placed on career advising in high school to help
students understand future career options.
In response to a question from Senator Grindberg,
Mr. Isaak said many online students are also taking
classes on campus. He said charges for online
classes should be set at an appropriate level.
In response to a question from Mr. Hovland,
Mr. Isaak said some higher education institutions will
need to adopt new models of education delivery in
order to maintain revenues and viability.
In response to a question from Dr. Hamilton,
Mr. Isaak said some standardization has occurred in
education programs across institutions. He said a
common course numbering system has provided
consistency in classes at North Dakota University
System institutions.
In response to a question from Mr. Bertel,
Mr. Isaak said higher education governing boards
need to be active in increasing the enrollment of
nontraditional students. He said policies should also
be developed to increase the enrollment of students
that may have some education, but no degree.
In response to a question from Representative
Skarphol, Mr. Isaak said the Legislative Assembly
should define state priorities for higher education and
communicate the priorities to colleges and
universities. He said measures should be used to
determine the success of meeting the goals and
priorities.
Mr. Morton said it is important for institutions to
have the ability to quickly determine when an initiative
is not successful.
Representative Kelsch said policies for education
should recognize an increased level of diversity in
student populations.
Mr. Isaak said special initiatives may be developed
to address unique needs of education in the state. He
said an initiative could be developed to improve
completion rates of students from certain ethnic
backgrounds.
Mr. Isaak said it is important to be aware of the
competition in higher education and the workforce.
He said the competition for an educated workforce is
now global.
Mr. Hovland said the state needs to react quickly to
changes and adapt to the future environment of
education.
Chairman Skarphol asked the private sector
members of the Higher Education Roundtable to
consult with their colleagues to determine areas of
higher education to review at future meetings.
The committee recessed for lunch at 11:50 a.m.
and reconvened at 12:45 p.m.
Mr. William G. Goetz, Chancellor, North Dakota
University System, presented information regarding
the University System strategic plan. He presented
the following strategic plan goals and objectives:
State Board of Higher Education
Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives
Goal #1 - The University System is accessible--a view held
by all North Dakotans.
• Increase the percentage of recent North Dakota high
school graduates enrolled in the University System by five
percentage points.
• Increase the percentage of North Dakota's total young
adult population (aged 25 to 34) enrolled in University
System institutions for credit to 6 percent.
• Increase the percentage of North Dakota's total population
(aged 35 to 44) enrolled in University System institutions
for credit to 2 percent.
• Increase the total number of certificates and associate and
baccalaureate degrees awarded by 4 percent.
• Increase the total number of graduate and professional
degrees awarded by 3 percent.
• The percentage of family income in North Dakota needed
to pay for community college after deducting grant aid will
decrease to the national average.
Higher Education 3 April 1, 2010
Goal #2 - North Dakotans recognize that the University
System is affordable at a level that can be sustained.
• North Dakota will rank in the top 20 percent of states in per
capita support for higher education--a level that is both
achievable and sustainable.
• North Dakota will rank in the top 10 percent of the most
productive states in total funding per degree/certificate.
• State strategic plan guides allocation of resources to
achieve the vision.
Goal #3 - The University System increases the overall
vitality of the state through exceptional education,
research, training, and service.
• Increase completions in targeted, high-potential programs.
• Increase the number of certificates and associate degrees
awarded in vocational and technical fields at community
colleges by 5 percent.
• Rank first in the nation for the percentage of degrees and
certificates awarded in science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics fields.
• University System students will perform at or above the
national average on all nationally recognized examinations.
• University System students will exceed the national
average first-time pass rates on all professional licensure
examinations.
• University of North Dakota and North Dakota State
University research will, at a minimum, demonstrate overall
progress on several research criteria based on an external
evaluation, including collaborations in and outside North
Dakota, patents, proposals, publications, and new faculty
hires.
• The centers of excellence will, at a minimum, meet
expectations according to the criteria established by the
Centers of Excellence Commission for annual review.
• University System alumni and students will report levels of
satisfaction with preparation in their selected major,
acquisition of specific skills, and technology knowledge and
abilities that exceed the national average.
• Employers will report high/increased levels of satisfaction
with the preparation of recently hired University System
graduates benchmarked against historical trends.
• Increase the number of businesses served by TrainND
workforce training by at least 4 percent.
Goal #4 - The 11 institutions comprising the University
System work together to achieve the vision effectively.
• The University System will report the number of students
who successfully transfer into a degree program at another
University System institution.
• University System institutions will benchmark the number
of student credit-hours delivered to students attending
another University System institution against historical
data.
• Integrate the role of each University System institution
within the overall system mission and strategic plan.
• Increase awareness of the University System and its
institutions through a common, consistent message.
• Increase State Board of Higher Education opportunity for
discussion of strategic policy topics.
A copy of the information presented by Mr. Goetz
is on file in the Legislative Council office.
Mr. Farnsworth suggested that an objective be
added to the University System strategic plan to
strengthen partnerships with private industry.
In response to a question from Mr. Farnsworth,
Mr. Goetz said institutions have been asked to
increase resources dedicated to career counseling
and advising. He said higher education needs to work
collaboratively with elementary and secondary
education to address career advising issues.
In response to a question from Mr. Batcheller,
Mr. Goetz said the University System strategic plan
could more clearly emphasize the need for increased
cooperation with the private sector for research
activities, including additional research activity
incentives.
Mr. Wetsch suggested information be provided to
the Higher Education Roundtable members regarding
academic programs at each institution, including
student enrollment in each program.
In response to a question from Representative
Dosch, Mr. Goetz said the University System strategic
plan includes expanding education delivery methods
as well as increasing the use of technology.
The Legislative Council staff presented a
memorandum entitled Department of Commerce Draft
Economic Development Strategic Plan and State
Board of Higher Education Strategic Plan. The
memorandum provides information regarding
University System strategic plan objectives that are
related to strategies of the Department of Commerce
draft economic development strategic plan.
Chairman Skarphol asked the private sector
members of the Higher Education Roundtable to
provide suggestions at future meetings for improving
efficiency in education.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:45 p.m., subject
to the call of the chair.
___________________________________________
Brady A. Larson
Fiscal Analyst
___________________________________________
Allen H. Knudson
Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor
ATTACH:1
Monday, April 19, 2010
A Medicare Update
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. The Continuing Extension Act of 2010 Extends Zero Percent Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Update
4. Fifth National Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) Education Call on HIPAA Version 5010
5. April 21, 2010 Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) Webinar Available
6. April 2010 Quarterly Provider Specific File Update
7. Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System – April News
8. New from the Medicare Learning Network
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.
April 28, 2010 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST: Nationwide RAC 101 Call, 1-877-251-0301
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. The Continuing Extension Act of 2010 Extends Zero Percent Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Update
On April 15, 2010, President Obama signed into law the “Continuing Extension Act of 2010.” This law extends through May 31, 2010, the zero percent update to the MPFS that was in effect for claims with dates of service January 1, 2010 through March 31, 2010. The law is retroactive to April 1, 2010. Consequently, effective immediately, claims with dates of service April 1 and later, which were being held by Medicare contractors, are being released for processing and payment. Please keep in mind that the statutory payment floors still apply and, therefore, clean electronic claims cannot be paid before 14 calendar days after the date they are received by Medicare contractors (29 calendar days for clean paper claims).
Given the uncertainty regarding MPFS claims with dates of service June 1, 2010, and later, please watch your listservs and your contractor’s website for more information.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Fifth National Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) Education Call on HIPAA Version 5010
5010: Taking EDI to the Next Level
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting its fifth national provider call regarding the implementation of HIPAA Version 5010. There will be a brief presentation given by CMS followed by a Q&A session with CMS subject matter experts. Please note that this call is geared towards vendors, clearinghouses, and providers who are performing their own development of 5010.
Subject: Medicare Fee-For-Service Implementation of HIPAA version 5010 For Eligibility Inquiry and Response, 270/271 Transaction
Agenda:
· General Overview
· Medicare Specific Changes
o Service Type Codes
o Patient Matching Rules
o Error Handling
o Response Changes
· Timelines and Deadlines
· What you need to do to prepare
· 270/271 Errata
· Q & A
Conference call details:
Date: April 28, 2010
Conference Title: HIPAA Version 5010 national provider call: CMS’ discussion of Eligibility Inquiry and Response, 270/271 Transaction
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET
In order to receive the call-in information, you must register for the call. It is important to note that if you are planning to sit in with a group, only one person needs to register to receive the call-in data. This registration is solely to reserve a phone line, NOT to allow participation.
Registration will close at 2:00 p.m. ET on April 27, 2010, or when available space has been filled. No exceptions will be made, so please be sure to register prior to this time.
1. To register for the call participants need to go to:
http://www.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/042810
If you have trouble accessing this link, copy and paste it into your web browser.
2. Fill in all required data.
3. Verify your time zone is displayed correctly the drop down box.
4. Click "Register".
You will be taken to the “Thank you for registering” page and will receive a confirmation email shortly thereafter. Note: Please print and save this page, in the event that your server blocks the confirmation emails. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check your spam/junk mail filter as it may have been directed there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. April 21, 2010 Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) Webinar Available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has called a public meeting of the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) on Wednesday, April 21, 2010. The Committee generally provides advice and recommendations concerning the adequacy of scientific evidence needed to determine whether certain medical items and services can be covered under the Medicare statute. This meeting will examine currently available evidence on the use of Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer. This meeting is open to the public in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)).
CMS is hosting a webinar for this meeting. Webinar participants will be able to view presentations and will be connected to live audio. However, live video will not be streamed. Attendance is limited and requires registration. Registration will be closed at 5pm eastern time on April 19, 2010. Participants should be advised that the webinar is a listening only session; that is, no questions or interactions will be permitted and all lines will be muted.
Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Time: 7:50am -8:00am, Eastern (Webinar Login)
8:00am-4:30pm, Eastern (Live MEDCAC Meeting)
Please register by going to this link (there is no cost to register):
https://webinar.cms.hhs.gov/_a7/medcacprostate421/event/registration.html
You will be required to develop a password. Passwords must be 8-32 characters, and contain at least one capital letter and one number.
Thank you,
The MEDCAC Team
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. April 2010 Quarterly Provider Specific File Update
The April 2010 quarterly Provider Specific Files (PSF) SAS data files are now available on the CMS website at: http://www.cms.gov/ProspMedicareFeeSvcPmtGen/04_psf_SAS.asp in the Downloads section. If you use the Provider Specific SAS File data, please go to the page above and download the latest version of the PSF Files. Note: These are the quarterly data sets for the Provider Specific Data for Public Use in SAS Format.
The April 2010 quarterly Provider Specific Files (PSF) Text data files are now available on the CMS website at: http://www.cms.gov/ProspMedicareFeeSvcPmtGen/03_psf_text.asp in the Downloads section. If you use the Provider Specific Text File data, please go to the page above and download the latest versions of the PSF Files. Note: These are the quarterly data sets for the Provider Specific Data for Public Use in text format.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7. Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System – April News
1. The Five-Star provider preview reports will be available no later than Friday, April 16, 2010. Providers can access the report from the Minimum Data Set (MDS) State Welcome pages available at the State servers for submission of Minimum Data Set data.
Provider Preview access information:
· Visit the MDS State Welcome page available on the State servers where you submit MDS data to review your results.
· To access these reports, select the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) Reporting link located at the bottom of the login page.
· Once in the CASPER Reporting system,
i. Click on the 'Folders' button and access the Five-Star Report in your 'st LTC facid' folder,
ii. Where st is the 2-digit postal code of the state in which your facility is located, and
iii. Facid is the state assigned facid of your facility.
2. The helpline will be available from April 14 - 29, 2010 for questions and concerns about the April data. Alternatively, providers can write to BetterCare@cms.hhs.gov.
3. Nursing Home Compare will update with April’s Five-Star data on Thursday, April 22, 2010.
4. Please visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CertificationandComplianc/13_FSQRS.asp for the latest Five-Star Quality Rating system information.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. New from the Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Fraud and Abuse Web-based Training Course has been revised and is now available - The course provides information helpful for Medicare providers and suppliers involved in providing and billing for services to people with Medicare. This activity provides information that will increase awareness of Medicare fraud and abuse; provide information regarding correct billing practices, and help Medicare providers, suppliers and staff to file claims correctly. The course offers continuing education credits; please see the course description page for details. To access the course, go to the MLN Products page at http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/ , and select the web-based training modules link in the "Related Links Inside CMS" section. Once the web-based training courses page is displayed, select the Medicare Fraud and Abuse WBT from the list provided.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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. The Continuing Extension Act of 2010 Extends Zero Percent Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Update
4. Fifth National Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) Education Call on HIPAA Version 5010
5. April 21, 2010 Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) Webinar Available
6. April 2010 Quarterly Provider Specific File Update
7. Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System – April News
8. New from the Medicare Learning Network
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.
April 28, 2010 1:00pm - 2:30pm EST: Nationwide RAC 101 Call, 1-877-251-0301
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. The Continuing Extension Act of 2010 Extends Zero Percent Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Update
On April 15, 2010, President Obama signed into law the “Continuing Extension Act of 2010.” This law extends through May 31, 2010, the zero percent update to the MPFS that was in effect for claims with dates of service January 1, 2010 through March 31, 2010. The law is retroactive to April 1, 2010. Consequently, effective immediately, claims with dates of service April 1 and later, which were being held by Medicare contractors, are being released for processing and payment. Please keep in mind that the statutory payment floors still apply and, therefore, clean electronic claims cannot be paid before 14 calendar days after the date they are received by Medicare contractors (29 calendar days for clean paper claims).
Given the uncertainty regarding MPFS claims with dates of service June 1, 2010, and later, please watch your listservs and your contractor’s website for more information.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Fifth National Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) Education Call on HIPAA Version 5010
5010: Taking EDI to the Next Level
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting its fifth national provider call regarding the implementation of HIPAA Version 5010. There will be a brief presentation given by CMS followed by a Q&A session with CMS subject matter experts. Please note that this call is geared towards vendors, clearinghouses, and providers who are performing their own development of 5010.
Subject: Medicare Fee-For-Service Implementation of HIPAA version 5010 For Eligibility Inquiry and Response, 270/271 Transaction
Agenda:
· General Overview
· Medicare Specific Changes
o Service Type Codes
o Patient Matching Rules
o Error Handling
o Response Changes
· Timelines and Deadlines
· What you need to do to prepare
· 270/271 Errata
· Q & A
Conference call details:
Date: April 28, 2010
Conference Title: HIPAA Version 5010 national provider call: CMS’ discussion of Eligibility Inquiry and Response, 270/271 Transaction
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET
In order to receive the call-in information, you must register for the call. It is important to note that if you are planning to sit in with a group, only one person needs to register to receive the call-in data. This registration is solely to reserve a phone line, NOT to allow participation.
Registration will close at 2:00 p.m. ET on April 27, 2010, or when available space has been filled. No exceptions will be made, so please be sure to register prior to this time.
1. To register for the call participants need to go to:
http://www.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/042810
If you have trouble accessing this link, copy and paste it into your web browser.
2. Fill in all required data.
3. Verify your time zone is displayed correctly the drop down box.
4. Click "Register".
You will be taken to the “Thank you for registering” page and will receive a confirmation email shortly thereafter. Note: Please print and save this page, in the event that your server blocks the confirmation emails. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check your spam/junk mail filter as it may have been directed there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. April 21, 2010 Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) Webinar Available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has called a public meeting of the Medicare Evidence Development & Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) on Wednesday, April 21, 2010. The Committee generally provides advice and recommendations concerning the adequacy of scientific evidence needed to determine whether certain medical items and services can be covered under the Medicare statute. This meeting will examine currently available evidence on the use of Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer. This meeting is open to the public in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2, section 10(a)).
CMS is hosting a webinar for this meeting. Webinar participants will be able to view presentations and will be connected to live audio. However, live video will not be streamed. Attendance is limited and requires registration. Registration will be closed at 5pm eastern time on April 19, 2010. Participants should be advised that the webinar is a listening only session; that is, no questions or interactions will be permitted and all lines will be muted.
Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Time: 7:50am -8:00am, Eastern (Webinar Login)
8:00am-4:30pm, Eastern (Live MEDCAC Meeting)
Please register by going to this link (there is no cost to register):
https://webinar.cms.hhs.gov/_a7/medcacprostate421/event/registration.html
You will be required to develop a password. Passwords must be 8-32 characters, and contain at least one capital letter and one number.
Thank you,
The MEDCAC Team
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. April 2010 Quarterly Provider Specific File Update
The April 2010 quarterly Provider Specific Files (PSF) SAS data files are now available on the CMS website at: http://www.cms.gov/ProspMedicareFeeSvcPmtGen/04_psf_SAS.asp in the Downloads section. If you use the Provider Specific SAS File data, please go to the page above and download the latest version of the PSF Files. Note: These are the quarterly data sets for the Provider Specific Data for Public Use in SAS Format.
The April 2010 quarterly Provider Specific Files (PSF) Text data files are now available on the CMS website at: http://www.cms.gov/ProspMedicareFeeSvcPmtGen/03_psf_text.asp in the Downloads section. If you use the Provider Specific Text File data, please go to the page above and download the latest versions of the PSF Files. Note: These are the quarterly data sets for the Provider Specific Data for Public Use in text format.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7. Nursing Home Five-Star Quality Rating System – April News
1. The Five-Star provider preview reports will be available no later than Friday, April 16, 2010. Providers can access the report from the Minimum Data Set (MDS) State Welcome pages available at the State servers for submission of Minimum Data Set data.
Provider Preview access information:
· Visit the MDS State Welcome page available on the State servers where you submit MDS data to review your results.
· To access these reports, select the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) Reporting link located at the bottom of the login page.
· Once in the CASPER Reporting system,
i. Click on the 'Folders' button and access the Five-Star Report in your 'st LTC facid' folder,
ii. Where st is the 2-digit postal code of the state in which your facility is located, and
iii. Facid is the state assigned facid of your facility.
2. The helpline will be available from April 14 - 29, 2010 for questions and concerns about the April data. Alternatively, providers can write to BetterCare@cms.hhs.gov.
3. Nursing Home Compare will update with April’s Five-Star data on Thursday, April 22, 2010.
4. Please visit http://www.cms.hhs.gov/CertificationandComplianc/13_FSQRS.asp for the latest Five-Star Quality Rating system information.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. New from the Medicare Learning Network
The Medicare Fraud and Abuse Web-based Training Course has been revised and is now available - The course provides information helpful for Medicare providers and suppliers involved in providing and billing for services to people with Medicare. This activity provides information that will increase awareness of Medicare fraud and abuse; provide information regarding correct billing practices, and help Medicare providers, suppliers and staff to file claims correctly. The course offers continuing education credits; please see the course description page for details. To access the course, go to the MLN Products page at http://www.cms.gov/MLNProducts/ , and select the web-based training modules link in the "Related Links Inside CMS" section. Once the web-based training courses page is displayed, select the Medicare Fraud and Abuse WBT from the list provided.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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, April 18, 2010
PC Mike Review of the iPad
After five days, here’s my list of iPad joys and disappointments
vote
nowBuzz up!It’s now been five full days with the iPad, a lot of hours reading, consuming media and using it pretty much 10 hours a day and I’m now ready to talk about my joys and disappointments.
Before doing so, let me say loud and clear that I really do love this thing.
I am glad I bought it and am even more glad that I have the 3G unit on order for later this month. I think that it is every bit as revolutionary as the iPhone was three years ago and that, when tech history is written, the iPad will be the single device that most changes the way we use media.
In the first three days, Apple sold more than 450,000 of them. That’s huge. It’s selling faster than the iPhone did in 2007.
For the first few days, I’ve struggled with trying to describe just what it is. The iPad is much more than a smartphone. It’s way more than an iTouch on steroids. But it’s somewhat less than a laptop.
Here’s what I’ve settled on: It’s a media consumption device that also does e-mail and some essential but elementary computing tasks. And as a media consumption device, it takes web surfing, e-book reading and video watching to a whole new level.
I’m using it to manage my calendar and schedule better than I ever have before, handle e-mail, blog, Tweet, update Facebook and read more newspapers and online videos than ever before.
But it comes with a steep cost. Besides the price of the device, from $499 to $699 for the WiFi unit, and $130 more for the coming 3g version, the apps that make it so cool will soon drain your wallet.
Right now, the iPad only works on WiFi networks. That 3G AT&T version won’t be out for a few weeks yet.
But I have found a perfectly adequare workarounf. If you have the Novatel MiFi 2200 Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot Modem from Verizon, you can create a 3G network of your own on the Verizon network and thus, use that iPad anywhere. Downside is you’ll have to pay Verizon a monthly fee, starting at $39, for that service. But since Verizon arguably has the nation’s best 3g coverage, that MiFi card is an attractive solution for many.
Now that the initial rush of giddiness is wearing off, I do have some disappointments to list. Here are my top five in order of importance:
No Flash – Steve Jobs must be a prideful, stubborn man. That is the only explanation that explains his refusal to include the Net’s video standard on what otherwise would be the best web browsing tool anywhere. Yes, Flash is a memory hog. But the fact is maybe 80% of all the websites that use video use Flash. That is a huge problem for serious iPad users. No Hulu. Very limited TV shows or newspaper videos. Not having Flash is so huge it’s almost a reason NOT to buy an iPad. Almost
No Printing – I’m sure there will come some cumbersome third party app-like workaround just for the iPad. But it’s not out yet and because printing is not native, whatever app eventually comes out will be far from seamless. I really would like to print out e-mail and web pages, Pages documents and e-mail attachments. I can’t, at least without jumping through a lot of hoops like e-mailing it to a computer and printing it out there.
Expensive apps – The apps for the iPad are, by and large, way more expensive than the apps for the iPhone. The Wall Street Journal costs $4.99 a week. Most magazines are $5 an issue. There are a lot of double digit apps. Apple’s iWork suite of Pages, Keynote and Numbers costs $30. When the AT&T 3G version comes out in a couple weeks, unlimited access will be $30 a month. The iPad is like a slot machine. I spent nearly $100 on apps the first weekend I had the iPad. To be sure, there are lots of free apps. There are cool weather apps, USA Today is free for now, so are some games. But by and large, compared to the iPhone, I’ve found the iPad apps to be costly.
No Camera – Come on, Jobs, how much more difficult would it have been to add a front facing camera? A camera would have made this the perfect video conferencing tool.
Skimpy built-in apps – What happened to stocks and the clock apps? Those are the two standard iPhone apps I miss the most. The clocks app was a great alarm clock.
So there you have it. Except for the lack of Flash and printing, the others are NBD. Still, their absence is irritating and disappointing.
I’m sure I’ll get over it and all five will eventually come to a solution or be made irrelevant by future improvements. Apple has already announced plans to solve one long time iPhone gripe that has carried over to the iPad… the lack of multitasking. That will be fixed with the update to the iPhone 4.0 operating system this summer. Multitasking will come to the iPad by software update this fall.
The iPad is not perfect. But it’s mighty cool anyway.
Here’s my NBC-TV PCMike segment:
This article was posted by Tech Reporter Mike Wendland. It has been archieved under Apple/Mac News, NBC PCMike, What I'm Thinkin'.
Close Forgot password?Please put in your email: Send me my password! Close message
Login •This blog post•All blog postsSubscribe to this blog post's comments through...
•••••••• RSS Feed
Subscribe via email
Subscribe Subscribe to this blog's comments through...
RSS Feed
Subscribe via email
Subscribe
Follow the discussion Comment (1)
Logging you in...
Close Login to IntenseDebate
Or create an account
Username or Email: Password: Forgot login?
OpenID Cancel Login
Close WordPress.com Username or Email: Password: Lost your password?
Cancel Login
Close Login with your OpenID
Or create an account using OpenID
OpenID URL: Back Cancel Login
Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout •Logged in as Admin options
Disable comments for this blog post
Save settings
Sort by: Date Rating Last Activity
vote
nowBuzz up!It’s now been five full days with the iPad, a lot of hours reading, consuming media and using it pretty much 10 hours a day and I’m now ready to talk about my joys and disappointments.
Before doing so, let me say loud and clear that I really do love this thing.
I am glad I bought it and am even more glad that I have the 3G unit on order for later this month. I think that it is every bit as revolutionary as the iPhone was three years ago and that, when tech history is written, the iPad will be the single device that most changes the way we use media.
In the first three days, Apple sold more than 450,000 of them. That’s huge. It’s selling faster than the iPhone did in 2007.
For the first few days, I’ve struggled with trying to describe just what it is. The iPad is much more than a smartphone. It’s way more than an iTouch on steroids. But it’s somewhat less than a laptop.
Here’s what I’ve settled on: It’s a media consumption device that also does e-mail and some essential but elementary computing tasks. And as a media consumption device, it takes web surfing, e-book reading and video watching to a whole new level.
I’m using it to manage my calendar and schedule better than I ever have before, handle e-mail, blog, Tweet, update Facebook and read more newspapers and online videos than ever before.
But it comes with a steep cost. Besides the price of the device, from $499 to $699 for the WiFi unit, and $130 more for the coming 3g version, the apps that make it so cool will soon drain your wallet.
Right now, the iPad only works on WiFi networks. That 3G AT&T version won’t be out for a few weeks yet.
But I have found a perfectly adequare workarounf. If you have the Novatel MiFi 2200 Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot Modem from Verizon, you can create a 3G network of your own on the Verizon network and thus, use that iPad anywhere. Downside is you’ll have to pay Verizon a monthly fee, starting at $39, for that service. But since Verizon arguably has the nation’s best 3g coverage, that MiFi card is an attractive solution for many.
Now that the initial rush of giddiness is wearing off, I do have some disappointments to list. Here are my top five in order of importance:
No Flash – Steve Jobs must be a prideful, stubborn man. That is the only explanation that explains his refusal to include the Net’s video standard on what otherwise would be the best web browsing tool anywhere. Yes, Flash is a memory hog. But the fact is maybe 80% of all the websites that use video use Flash. That is a huge problem for serious iPad users. No Hulu. Very limited TV shows or newspaper videos. Not having Flash is so huge it’s almost a reason NOT to buy an iPad. Almost
No Printing – I’m sure there will come some cumbersome third party app-like workaround just for the iPad. But it’s not out yet and because printing is not native, whatever app eventually comes out will be far from seamless. I really would like to print out e-mail and web pages, Pages documents and e-mail attachments. I can’t, at least without jumping through a lot of hoops like e-mailing it to a computer and printing it out there.
Expensive apps – The apps for the iPad are, by and large, way more expensive than the apps for the iPhone. The Wall Street Journal costs $4.99 a week. Most magazines are $5 an issue. There are a lot of double digit apps. Apple’s iWork suite of Pages, Keynote and Numbers costs $30. When the AT&T 3G version comes out in a couple weeks, unlimited access will be $30 a month. The iPad is like a slot machine. I spent nearly $100 on apps the first weekend I had the iPad. To be sure, there are lots of free apps. There are cool weather apps, USA Today is free for now, so are some games. But by and large, compared to the iPhone, I’ve found the iPad apps to be costly.
No Camera – Come on, Jobs, how much more difficult would it have been to add a front facing camera? A camera would have made this the perfect video conferencing tool.
Skimpy built-in apps – What happened to stocks and the clock apps? Those are the two standard iPhone apps I miss the most. The clocks app was a great alarm clock.
So there you have it. Except for the lack of Flash and printing, the others are NBD. Still, their absence is irritating and disappointing.
I’m sure I’ll get over it and all five will eventually come to a solution or be made irrelevant by future improvements. Apple has already announced plans to solve one long time iPhone gripe that has carried over to the iPad… the lack of multitasking. That will be fixed with the update to the iPhone 4.0 operating system this summer. Multitasking will come to the iPad by software update this fall.
The iPad is not perfect. But it’s mighty cool anyway.
Here’s my NBC-TV PCMike segment:
This article was posted by Tech Reporter Mike Wendland. It has been archieved under Apple/Mac News, NBC PCMike, What I'm Thinkin'.
Close Forgot password?Please put in your email: Send me my password! Close message
Login •This blog post•All blog postsSubscribe to this blog post's comments through...
•••••••• RSS Feed
Subscribe via email
Subscribe Subscribe to this blog's comments through...
RSS Feed
Subscribe via email
Subscribe
Follow the discussion Comment (1)
Logging you in...
Close Login to IntenseDebate
Or create an account
Username or Email: Password: Forgot login?
OpenID Cancel Login
Close WordPress.com Username or Email: Password: Lost your password?
Cancel Login
Close Login with your OpenID
Or create an account using OpenID
OpenID URL: Back Cancel Login
Dashboard | Edit profile | Logout •Logged in as Admin options
Disable comments for this blog post
Save settings
Sort by: Date Rating Last Activity
North Dakota's Legislative Meetings -- A Directory
Copy and Paste the URL into your browser.................
Review the North Dakota Legislative Meetings:
http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009/interim-info/minutes/index.html
Review the North Dakota Legislative Meetings:
http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009/interim-info/minutes/index.html
Saturday, April 17, 2010
United States Education Review
ED REVIEW
April 16, 2010
...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
______________________________________________________________________
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION
At a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing this week on the Department’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2011, Secretary Duncan began his remarks by drawing members’ attention to the looming financial shortfall that states and school districts face, even as the U.S. economy recovers. “We are gravely concerned that the kind of state and local budget threats our schools face today will put our hard-earned reforms at risk,” he stated. “Every day brings reports of layoffs, program cuts, class time reductions, and class size increases.” Potentially hundreds of thousands of educators and other personnel could be laid off if action is not taken quickly to help states and districts cover shortfalls. Mass layoffs “not only create hardships for educators who lose their jobs and the children they teach, but the damage ripples through the economy as a whole. Literally, tens of millions of students will experience budget cuts in one way or another.” The Secretary urged members to consider another round of emergency support for America’s schools, similar to the aid provided to states through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). “If we do not help avert this state and local budget crisis,” he warned, “we could impede reform and fail another generation of children.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/news/speeches/2010/04/04142010.html. (Note: Video of the hearing is available at http://appropriations.senate.gov/ht-labor.cfm?method=hearings.view&id=e58c8b62-a941-4981-922e-4fef7322868b.)
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH (RACE TO THE TOP)
“Now that we have announced the Phase 1 winners of Race to the Top, it is worth stepping back and analyzing why our two winners -- Delaware and Tennessee -- did so well,” Secretary Duncan articulated in a blog entry at http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/lessons-from-phase-1-of-race-to-the-top/. “The data confirm that no single factor can make or break any particular application but rather a combination of a successful track record, bold reforms, broad buy-in, and statewide impact is the key to success. It is easy to be bold if no one buys in, and it is easy to get buy-in if you are not bold. Neither matter much at all if you are not successful in reaching the kids in the classroom, and the bottom line is you must show results. To win Race to the Top you need it all, and that requires courage, commitment, and capacity.”
The Secretary noted that the winning states “built on their unique strengths and track records, rather than trying to manufacture a reform agenda from whole cloth.” Delaware is building on its Vision 2015 blueprint, and Tennessee is focusing on its value-added assessment system. He also praised the winners for securing “broad support through a combination of changing their state laws and coalition building among districts, unions, businesses, advocacy groups, and local philanthropies.”
“The bottom line is that we had many strong applications, but every state has room to improve, including the two winners,” the Secretary concluded. “The point of Race to the Top is to challenge ourselves and each other to get better -- not in one or two areas of reform…but in every area of reform simultaneously. The single most important investment we can make as a nation is to ensure that every child gets the best education possible. We have no time to waste. The Race to the Top continues.”
Applications for Phase 2 of Race to the Top are due June 1.
Videos of the 16 Phase 1 finalists presenting and responding to questions from peer reviewers are now posted with states’ Phase 1 applications, score sheets, and reviewers’ comments and scores at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/phase1-applications/.
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH (ASSESSMENT)
Secretary Duncan has set aside up to $350 million of Race to the Top funds to support a consortia of states in developing and implementing a new generation of assessments. The Race to the Top Assessment program is designed to fill an urgent need in the nation’s education system: the need for valid and instructionally useful assessments that provide accurate information about what students know and can do and that are anchored in standards designed to enable every student to gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in college or the workplace by the time he or she graduates from high school.
In addition to funding the development of a new generation of statewide standardized assessments to replace states’ current tests, the Department will award up to $30 million of the $350 million to fund better assessments for high schools. These “end-of-course” tests will support high school improvement efforts in consortium states by promoting broader, more equitable access to rigorous courses and a diverse set of course offerings in both academic and career-technical areas.
To provide expert and public input to its notice, the Department hosted 10 public meetings to learn and facilitate the sharing of information with states and the public. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-assessment/. (Note: A technical assistance workshop for potential applicants and partners has been scheduled for April 22 in Minneapolis.)
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH (INVESTING IN INNOVATION)
Webinar recordings of the Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund’s three pre-application workshops are available at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/resources.html. The purpose of these workshops was to offer technical assistance to interested applicants for the scale-up, validation, and development grants. More than 1,000 attendees participated in the workshops, and over 2,000 attendees participated remotely through the webinar.
The deadline for all applications is May 11.
Also, with a $1.4 million grant from the Kellogg Foundation, the Rural School and Community Trust is providing customized technical assistance for rural school districts seeking i3 Fund grants. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.wkkf.org/news/articles/2010/04/rural-school-districts-eligible-for-federal-assistance.aspx.
______________________________________________________________________
DIGEST OF EDUCATION STATISTICS
The “Digest of Education Statistics, 2009,” from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), is the 45th in a series of publications initiated in 1962. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education -- from pre-kindergarten through graduate school -- drawn from government and private sources, but especially from surveys and other activities led by NCES. The digest contains data on the number of schools, students, and teachers, as well as statistics on educational attainment, finances, libraries, technology, and international comparisons. One sample finding: the status dropout rate -- that is, the percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds not enrolled in school and who have not received either a diploma or an equivalency credential -- declined from 13% in 1988 to 8% in 2008, while the percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds who completed high school in 2009 was almost the same as it was in 1999 (89% and 88%, respectively). FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010013.
Other new statistical reports:
· “Interim Report on the Evaluation of the Department’s Growth Model Pilot Project” (http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/disadv/growth-model-pilot/).
· “Trends in the Use of School Choice, 1993-2007” (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010004).
· “Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2008; Graduation Rates, 2002 and 2005 Cohorts; and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2008” (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010152).
______________________________________________________________________
ODDS AND ENDS
· The White House has announced six high schools as finalists for the first annual Race to the Top
High School Commencement Challenge. Over the next few weeks, each school’s students will work with the Get Schooled Foundation to create a brief video highlighting how their school best fulfills the challenge’s criteria. The videos, with portions of each school’s written application, will be featured on the White House web site, and the public will have the opportunity to vote on the three schools they think best meet the President’s goal. The President will select a winner from the three finalists, visiting that school to deliver the commencement address later this spring. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-department-education-announce-race-top-high-school-commencement-ch-0.
· The Department has produced a series of videos that illustrate how several districts have successfully turned around persistently low-performing schools using the four models endorsed by the agency’s $4 billion School Improvement Grants (SIG) program. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/03/whats-possible-turning-around-americas-lowest-achieving-schools/.
· Last week, Secretary Duncan and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Melody Barnes participated in a live chat with HuffPost College. They answered a wide range of higher education questions, including: (1) How does the White House plan to encourage high school minority students to pursue higher education?, (2) How can the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), which takes effect in 2014, help students who are in college today?, and (3) What can the federal government do about the ever-increasing cost of higher education? The questions came from HuffPost College’s network of college newspaper sites across the U.S. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/09/watch-huffpost-college-an_n_532143.html.
· In response to requests from administrators, the Department’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) is establishing an official process which would allow leaders from a limited number of schools and districts to obtain Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission information for their students. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/finaid/info/apply/fafsa-project.html.
· The Department’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) recently awarded three new Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) grants, totaling some $137,000, to school districts in Alabama, California, and New Mexico to assist with recovery efforts following a middle school shooting and a series of student suicides. These grants supply funding to respond to a traumatic event and re-establish a safe learning environment. This fiscal year, OSDFS has awarded more than $1.1 million to 10 grantees. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/programs/dvppserv/.
______________________________________________________________________
QUOTE TO NOTE
“The case for a well-rounded curriculum begins with a disappointing reality: many schools today are falling far short of providing an engaging, content-rich curriculum. Instead, students are often saddled with boring textbooks, dummied-down to the lowest common denominator. It is no wonder that much of today’s curriculum fails to spark student curiosity or stimulate a love of learning…. In the coming debate over ESEA reauthorization, I believe that arts education can help build the case for the importance of a well-rounded curriculum in at least three ways. First, the arts significantly boost student achievement, reduce discipline problems, and increase the odds students will go on to graduate from college. Second, the arts are essential to stimulating the creativity and innovation that will prove critical to young Americans competing in the global economy. And lastly, the arts are valuable for their own sake, and they empower students to create and appreciate aesthetic works. As First Lady Michelle Obama sums up, both she and the President believe “strongly that arts education is essential for building innovative thinkers who will be our nation’s leaders for tomorrow.”
-- Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (4/9/10), before the Arts Education Partnership National Forum
______________________________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS
Department officials will travel to Alaska (April 16), Oklahoma (April 19), South Dakota (April 28), and New Mexico (May 3) to strengthen government-to-government relations with Indian tribes. The consultations are in response to President Obama’s November 5, 2009, Presidential Memorandum and Executive Order 13175, which directs agencies to develop a plan of actions for providing regular and meaningful consultation and strengthening of relationships with tribes. Specifically, the meetings will seek feedback from tribal leaders on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.edtribalconsultations.org/.
The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services will hold a series of Listening and Learning About Early Learning meetings in April and May. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/listening-and-learning-about-early-learning-tour-announced-for-dc-denver-orlando-and-chicago/.
Over the next two weeks, the Department will exhibit at the National Afterschool Association’s Annual Convention in Washington, DC (April 19-21), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ Annual Meeting in San Diego (April 21-24), and the National Council on Educating Black Children’s Annual Convention in Las Vegas (April 28-May 1). If you are attending any 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 s
April 16, 2010
...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
______________________________________________________________________
EMERGENCY SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION
At a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing this week on the Department’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2011, Secretary Duncan began his remarks by drawing members’ attention to the looming financial shortfall that states and school districts face, even as the U.S. economy recovers. “We are gravely concerned that the kind of state and local budget threats our schools face today will put our hard-earned reforms at risk,” he stated. “Every day brings reports of layoffs, program cuts, class time reductions, and class size increases.” Potentially hundreds of thousands of educators and other personnel could be laid off if action is not taken quickly to help states and districts cover shortfalls. Mass layoffs “not only create hardships for educators who lose their jobs and the children they teach, but the damage ripples through the economy as a whole. Literally, tens of millions of students will experience budget cuts in one way or another.” The Secretary urged members to consider another round of emergency support for America’s schools, similar to the aid provided to states through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). “If we do not help avert this state and local budget crisis,” he warned, “we could impede reform and fail another generation of children.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/news/speeches/2010/04/04142010.html. (Note: Video of the hearing is available at http://appropriations.senate.gov/ht-labor.cfm?method=hearings.view&id=e58c8b62-a941-4981-922e-4fef7322868b.)
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH (RACE TO THE TOP)
“Now that we have announced the Phase 1 winners of Race to the Top, it is worth stepping back and analyzing why our two winners -- Delaware and Tennessee -- did so well,” Secretary Duncan articulated in a blog entry at http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/lessons-from-phase-1-of-race-to-the-top/. “The data confirm that no single factor can make or break any particular application but rather a combination of a successful track record, bold reforms, broad buy-in, and statewide impact is the key to success. It is easy to be bold if no one buys in, and it is easy to get buy-in if you are not bold. Neither matter much at all if you are not successful in reaching the kids in the classroom, and the bottom line is you must show results. To win Race to the Top you need it all, and that requires courage, commitment, and capacity.”
The Secretary noted that the winning states “built on their unique strengths and track records, rather than trying to manufacture a reform agenda from whole cloth.” Delaware is building on its Vision 2015 blueprint, and Tennessee is focusing on its value-added assessment system. He also praised the winners for securing “broad support through a combination of changing their state laws and coalition building among districts, unions, businesses, advocacy groups, and local philanthropies.”
“The bottom line is that we had many strong applications, but every state has room to improve, including the two winners,” the Secretary concluded. “The point of Race to the Top is to challenge ourselves and each other to get better -- not in one or two areas of reform…but in every area of reform simultaneously. The single most important investment we can make as a nation is to ensure that every child gets the best education possible. We have no time to waste. The Race to the Top continues.”
Applications for Phase 2 of Race to the Top are due June 1.
Videos of the 16 Phase 1 finalists presenting and responding to questions from peer reviewers are now posted with states’ Phase 1 applications, score sheets, and reviewers’ comments and scores at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop/phase1-applications/.
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH (ASSESSMENT)
Secretary Duncan has set aside up to $350 million of Race to the Top funds to support a consortia of states in developing and implementing a new generation of assessments. The Race to the Top Assessment program is designed to fill an urgent need in the nation’s education system: the need for valid and instructionally useful assessments that provide accurate information about what students know and can do and that are anchored in standards designed to enable every student to gain the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in college or the workplace by the time he or she graduates from high school.
In addition to funding the development of a new generation of statewide standardized assessments to replace states’ current tests, the Department will award up to $30 million of the $350 million to fund better assessments for high schools. These “end-of-course” tests will support high school improvement efforts in consortium states by promoting broader, more equitable access to rigorous courses and a diverse set of course offerings in both academic and career-technical areas.
To provide expert and public input to its notice, the Department hosted 10 public meetings to learn and facilitate the sharing of information with states and the public. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-assessment/. (Note: A technical assistance workshop for potential applicants and partners has been scheduled for April 22 in Minneapolis.)
______________________________________________________________________
ARRA OUTREACH (INVESTING IN INNOVATION)
Webinar recordings of the Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund’s three pre-application workshops are available at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/innovation/resources.html. The purpose of these workshops was to offer technical assistance to interested applicants for the scale-up, validation, and development grants. More than 1,000 attendees participated in the workshops, and over 2,000 attendees participated remotely through the webinar.
The deadline for all applications is May 11.
Also, with a $1.4 million grant from the Kellogg Foundation, the Rural School and Community Trust is providing customized technical assistance for rural school districts seeking i3 Fund grants. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.wkkf.org/news/articles/2010/04/rural-school-districts-eligible-for-federal-assistance.aspx.
______________________________________________________________________
DIGEST OF EDUCATION STATISTICS
The “Digest of Education Statistics, 2009,” from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), is the 45th in a series of publications initiated in 1962. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education -- from pre-kindergarten through graduate school -- drawn from government and private sources, but especially from surveys and other activities led by NCES. The digest contains data on the number of schools, students, and teachers, as well as statistics on educational attainment, finances, libraries, technology, and international comparisons. One sample finding: the status dropout rate -- that is, the percentage of 16- to 24-year-olds not enrolled in school and who have not received either a diploma or an equivalency credential -- declined from 13% in 1988 to 8% in 2008, while the percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds who completed high school in 2009 was almost the same as it was in 1999 (89% and 88%, respectively). FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010013.
Other new statistical reports:
· “Interim Report on the Evaluation of the Department’s Growth Model Pilot Project” (http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/disadv/growth-model-pilot/).
· “Trends in the Use of School Choice, 1993-2007” (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010004).
· “Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2008; Graduation Rates, 2002 and 2005 Cohorts; and Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2008” (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010152).
______________________________________________________________________
ODDS AND ENDS
· The White House has announced six high schools as finalists for the first annual Race to the Top
High School Commencement Challenge. Over the next few weeks, each school’s students will work with the Get Schooled Foundation to create a brief video highlighting how their school best fulfills the challenge’s criteria. The videos, with portions of each school’s written application, will be featured on the White House web site, and the public will have the opportunity to vote on the three schools they think best meet the President’s goal. The President will select a winner from the three finalists, visiting that school to deliver the commencement address later this spring. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-department-education-announce-race-top-high-school-commencement-ch-0.
· The Department has produced a series of videos that illustrate how several districts have successfully turned around persistently low-performing schools using the four models endorsed by the agency’s $4 billion School Improvement Grants (SIG) program. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/03/whats-possible-turning-around-americas-lowest-achieving-schools/.
· Last week, Secretary Duncan and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Melody Barnes participated in a live chat with HuffPost College. They answered a wide range of higher education questions, including: (1) How does the White House plan to encourage high school minority students to pursue higher education?, (2) How can the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), which takes effect in 2014, help students who are in college today?, and (3) What can the federal government do about the ever-increasing cost of higher education? The questions came from HuffPost College’s network of college newspaper sites across the U.S. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/09/watch-huffpost-college-an_n_532143.html.
· In response to requests from administrators, the Department’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) is establishing an official process which would allow leaders from a limited number of schools and districts to obtain Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission information for their students. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/finaid/info/apply/fafsa-project.html.
· The Department’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) recently awarded three new Project School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) grants, totaling some $137,000, to school districts in Alabama, California, and New Mexico to assist with recovery efforts following a middle school shooting and a series of student suicides. These grants supply funding to respond to a traumatic event and re-establish a safe learning environment. This fiscal year, OSDFS has awarded more than $1.1 million to 10 grantees. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www2.ed.gov/programs/dvppserv/.
______________________________________________________________________
QUOTE TO NOTE
“The case for a well-rounded curriculum begins with a disappointing reality: many schools today are falling far short of providing an engaging, content-rich curriculum. Instead, students are often saddled with boring textbooks, dummied-down to the lowest common denominator. It is no wonder that much of today’s curriculum fails to spark student curiosity or stimulate a love of learning…. In the coming debate over ESEA reauthorization, I believe that arts education can help build the case for the importance of a well-rounded curriculum in at least three ways. First, the arts significantly boost student achievement, reduce discipline problems, and increase the odds students will go on to graduate from college. Second, the arts are essential to stimulating the creativity and innovation that will prove critical to young Americans competing in the global economy. And lastly, the arts are valuable for their own sake, and they empower students to create and appreciate aesthetic works. As First Lady Michelle Obama sums up, both she and the President believe “strongly that arts education is essential for building innovative thinkers who will be our nation’s leaders for tomorrow.”
-- Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (4/9/10), before the Arts Education Partnership National Forum
______________________________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS
Department officials will travel to Alaska (April 16), Oklahoma (April 19), South Dakota (April 28), and New Mexico (May 3) to strengthen government-to-government relations with Indian tribes. The consultations are in response to President Obama’s November 5, 2009, Presidential Memorandum and Executive Order 13175, which directs agencies to develop a plan of actions for providing regular and meaningful consultation and strengthening of relationships with tribes. Specifically, the meetings will seek feedback from tribal leaders on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.edtribalconsultations.org/.
The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services will hold a series of Listening and Learning About Early Learning meetings in April and May. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/blog/2010/04/listening-and-learning-about-early-learning-tour-announced-for-dc-denver-orlando-and-chicago/.
Over the next two weeks, the Department will exhibit at the National Afterschool Association’s Annual Convention in Washington, DC (April 19-21), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ Annual Meeting in San Diego (April 21-24), and the National Council on Educating Black Children’s Annual Convention in Las Vegas (April 28-May 1). If you are attending any 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 s
Friday, April 16, 2010
North Dakota Council on the Arts -- Meetings
The North Dakota Council on the Arts invites you to share your opinions by
attending one of four regional public meetings to be held the week of April 19th!
(food and beverages provided at each meeting)
For more information, email jwebb@nd.gov, or call (701) 328-7592.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 9.0.801 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2808 - Release Date: 04/13/10 01:32:
attending one of four regional public meetings to be held the week of April 19th!
(food and beverages provided at each meeting)
For more information, email jwebb@nd.gov, or call (701) 328-7592.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 9.0.801 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2808 - Release Date: 04/13/10 01:32:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)