Education

Upward mobility and opportunity have long been the hallmarks of American society, as generation after generation surpassed their parents’ achievements.  But declining high school graduation rates threaten this progress, especially for young Americans of color.

 First Focus and The Promise of Michigan's Children believe America can improve graduation rates and restore access to the American dream by strengthening policies and programs to meet the needs of students in and outside the classroom.

Specific policy priorities for 2007 include:

  • Convene Public/Private Partnerships to Help Kids Succeed.
  • Expand Coordination of Support Services.
  • Strengthen Graduation Accountability.
  • Increase Teacher and Teaching Quality.
  • Increase Federal NCLB Funding.

See below for more on NCLB.  For more on other priorities, click here.

 

No Child Left Behind 

First Focus and The Promise of Michigan's Children are concentrating efforts on a number of amendments to No Child Left Behind, including the following Congressional acts:

Full Service Community Schools Act (H.R. 2323; S. 1391)

Please encourage your Congressperson to co-sponsor this important piece of legislation that would help to more effectively serve the multiple needs facing our students.  

The Full Service Community Schools Act (HR 2323) would make grants available to local partnerships between school districts and community-based organizations as well as state collaboratives for purposes of coordinating educational and social service programs at a full-service school site. These services may include: early childhood programs; literacy/reading programs for youth and families; parenting education activities; community service; job training/career counseling services; youth development; nutrition services; primary health and dental care; and mental health preventive and treatment services. The legislation would authorize $200 million for Fiscal Year 2008, with 75 percent of the funds allocated for local grants, 20 percent to state grants, and the remaining funds used for technical assistance and evaluation.  

For a one-page summary of the legislation Click here. 

Keeping Parents and Communities Engaged Act

The purpose of the Keeping PACE Act (Keeping Parents and Communities Engaged) is to strengthen parent and community engagement in schools as a way to strengthen student performance and increase graduation rates. Grants would be provided to states for three purposes:
  • subgrants to schools/school districts for Parent and Community Outreach Coordinators
  • subgrants to community based organizations to link services to children, their families, and their schools
  • subgrants to consortia (a local educational agency, mayor, and one or more non-profit) to renovate school facilities to maximize their use by the community.

 

The cost of the legislation is $260 million per year for 5 years ($1.3 billion total).  

Strengthening Community Engagement in Title I

In addition to the Keeping PACE Act and the Full Service Community Schools Act, this proposal endorsed by a number of national organizations (YMCA of the USA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and others) would strengthen community engagement in Title I through a number of amendments, including the following: 
  • Including an assessment of the non-academic factors influencing student achievement and a community engagement strategy as part of the State educational agency plan and local educational agency plan
  • Including community engagement strategies as part of the NCLB accountability system
  • Development of a Community Involvement policy by each Title I local educational agency

 

 

Graduation Promise Act (S. 1185; H.R.2928 )

GPA authorizes a $2.4 billion High School Improvement and Dropout Reduction Fund to support states in their efforts to turn around low performing high schools. Funds would be used by states to create systems for identifying the challenges facing low-performing high schools and providing them with the resources needed to improve. GPA also authorizes $60 million in competitive grants for the development and implementation of successful school models for struggling students and high school dropouts. It also authorizes $40 million in competitive grants to states to design and align state policies toward improving outcomes for high school students.  

Click here to find out how you can support this key legislation.

 

Tom Osborne Federal Youth Coordination Act (PL 109-365)

 

In response to the 2003 report issued by the White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth, which found that about 10 million teens across the country are at serious risk of not becoming productive adults, the 109th Congress passed the Tom Osborne Federal Youth Coordination Act (PL 109-365), and the President signed into law on October 17, 2006. The Federal Youth Coordination Act creates the Federal Youth Development Council, and required only a modest $1 million appropriation to implement.  Despite this, Congress has so far failed to commit funding for the Council.

To find out what you can do to ensure that the Council is funded, download the July 19, 2007 edition of Issues for Michigan's Children by clicking here.

Michigan Alternative Education Summit draws attention from Congress

The Michigan Alternative Education Summit, a newly formed coalition of leaders of associations and agencies, which includes the participation of Michigan’s Children, shares a common purpose in providing services to alternative education students and their families.  These efforts have included service providers beyond Education, as it is only by working together that Michigan will be able to protect and enhance the services that are provided to at risk youth.  This group has just completed an effort to create a statement on the unintended, negative consequences that the No Child Left Behind Act has created for school districts providing alternative education services.  This document was requested by and has been submitted to Congressman Kildee as well as other leaders in Congress working on the re-authorization of NCLB.

 

To download a copy of the Summit’s Statement, click here.

 

Take Action to expand the McKinney-Vento Act During the No Child Left Behind Reauthorization now!

Children and youth in foster care encounter numerous barriers to school success.  The reauthorization of the federal Title X, Part C of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Act provides an opportunity to not only help schools better understand the unique situations and experiences of children in foster care, but will also hold child welfare agencies accountable for the educational needs and outcomes of the children and youth they are serving.   

For more information about this key legislation and how you can help, download our July 11, 2007 Action Alert by clicking here.