The Competitive Wire
Arlington ISD Accepting Applications
The Arlington ISD Board of Trustees is accepting applications through Monday, May 3 for the Citizens Advisory Committee – Financial Futures Committee. Applications will be considered until all members have been appointed by the Board.
Since its inception in 1992, the Financial Futures Committee (previously named the Citizens Budget Review Committee) has provided the AISD Board of Trustees (“Board”) with valuable input from the community through insight into the community’s expectations. The Board believes the function of the Financial Futures Committee (“FFC”) is vital to the Board, AISD administration, and taxpayers.
The Citizens Advisory Committee (“CAC”) is currently fulfilling its charge from the Board, and its final report to the Board is scheduled for May 6, 2010, which is the proposed date for the Board to appoint the 2010-2011 FFC. The Board is considering extending the CAC’s service through the Board’s meeting on June 17, 2010 and revising the CAC’s charge to include the responsibilities that the Board would include in its charge to the 2010-2011 FFC.
The CAC-FFC will be comprised of a maximum of 31 members to be appointed by the Board. Individuals currently serving on the CAC are asked to continue their service by applying for membership on the CAC-FFC. Employee representatives will be added to the CAC.
All applications must be submitted on line with an initial deadline of May 3, 2010. The Board will continue to accept applications until all appointments have been made. The Board will appoint members to the CAC-FFC at its regularly scheduled meeting on May 6, 2010. The Board will also appoint the CAC-FFC Chairperson and Spokesperson.
Individuals interested in serving on the CAC-FFC must apply on line.
Please contact AISD Trustees , or with any questions you have regarding the CAC-FFC.
Center Supports STEM Education
The Center for a Competitive Workforce is currently working with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for a Competitive Workforce to build awareness of the newly formed Business & Industry STEM Education Coalition. This Coalition is comprised of national industry professional societies, philanthropic and education organizations.
The Coalition has three priority areas:
- Students: Bring proven project‐based, hands‐on STEM experiential student learning activities to a national scale and ensure that they are sustained and aligned with national goals for STEM education.
- Teachers: Recruit, train and retain effective teachers
- Employers: Identify early and nurture students with aptitudes for STEM and then attract students to and retain them in STEM career tracks, particularly students from groups that are underrepresented in the STEM workforce.
Many coalition members have been involved in exceptional activities within the STEM community that we encourage all of you to consider. They include but are not limited to:
National Lab Day (http://www.nationallabday.org/)
National Lab Day is more than just a day. It's a nationwide initiative to build local communities of support that will foster ongoing collaborations among volunteers, students and educators. On May 12th, 2010 this collaboration will be celebrated with National Lab Day activities across the country.
U.S. Science & Engineering Festival (http://www.usasciencefestival.org/)
The Inaugural USA Science & Engineering Festival will be the country’s first national science festival and will descend on the Washington, D.C. area in the Fall of 2010. The culmination of the Festival will be a two-day Expo (Oct. 23-24) in the nation’s capital that will give over 500 science & engineering organizations from all over the United States the opportunity to present themselves with a hands-on, fun science activity to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
The Common Core Standards Movement (http://www.corestandards.org/)
Governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia committed to developing a common core of state standards in English-language arts and mathematics for grades K-12. This is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).
Educate to Innovate (http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/educate-innovate)
President Obama has launched an “Educate to Innovate” campaign to improve the participation and performance of America’s students in STEM. This campaign will include efforts not only from the Federal Government but also from leading companies, foundations, non-profits, and science and engineering societies to work with young people across America to excel in science and math.
Change the Equation (no website yet)
This organization was inspired by the Educate to Innovate Campaign. Five leading business and thought leaders (Sally Ride, Craig Barrett, Ursula Burns, Glen Britt, and Antonio Perez) are heading up an effort to increase private and philanthropic involvement in support of STEM teaching and learning.
Thanks as always for your support and we hope that you will be engaged in some of the STEM activities.
New School Standards Raise the Education Bar
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
WASHINGTON - The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) today released the first official public draft of the K-12 standards as part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, a process being led by Governors and state commissioners of education from 48 states, 2 territories and the District of Columbia (Texas and Alaska are not participating). These draft standards, developed together with teachers, school administrators and experts, seek to provide a clear and consistent framework to prepare our children for college and the workforce.
The NGA Center and CCSSO have received feedback from national organizations representing, but not limited to teachers, postsecondary education (including community colleges), civil rights groups, English language learners, and students with disabilities. The NGA Center and CCSSO encourage those interested in the standards to provide further feedback by Friday, April 2, 2010, at www.corestandards.org.
“We are pleased to release the K-12 standards today and to begin reviewing comments from the public,” said Dane Linn, director of the NGA Center’s Education Division. “These standards build upon the goals articulated in the college- and career-readiness standards released last year and will ensure our students are prepared to compete and succeed in a global economy. We look forward to working with educators, leaders and state board members in the states as they consider adopting these standards that will guide their educational programs.”
“The feedback and comments states and our additional stakeholders have provided us are solidifying these standards into the better standards our students need,” stated Gene Wilhoit, executive director of CCSSO. “We will continue to work diligently and tirelessly to ensure these standards are where they need to be, and today we are asking the public to help us do just that.”
These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education careers so that they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. The standards are:
- Aligned with college and work expectations;
- Clear, understandable and consistent;
- Include rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills;
- Build upon strengths and lessons of current state standards;
- Informed by other top performing countries, so that all students are prepared to succeed in our global economy and society; and
- Evidence- and research-based.
The draft K-12 standards are now available for public comment. For more information, visit www.corestandards.org.
President Obama Champions Education at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
On March 1, 2010, President Barack Obama was joined by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and General Colin Powell and his wife, Alma Powell at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to announce new efforts to help reduce dropout rates and prepare students for college and careers. America’s Promise Alliance has spearheaded a new initiative called GradNation - a 10-year campaign to rejuvenate the nation’s efforts to decrease calamitous dropout rates and ensure our children graduate with the skills they need to succeed in college and beyond. In his speech, President Obama challenged states to identify low-performing schools with graduation rates lower than 60% and to implement drastic measures to improve them.
He suggested strategies such as, “transforming schools from top to bottom by bringing in a new principal, and training teachers to use more effective techniques in the classroom.” He also recognized that in certain cases, “closing a school for a time and reopening it under new management, or even shutting it down entirely and sending its students to a better school” could be the best way of addressing a chronically low-performing school.
Watch the video of President Obama’s speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the White House website. The transcript is available as well.
Allan Crawford Selected to Attend U.S. Chamber Business LEADs Seminar in Washington, D.C.
Allan Crawford, Director of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s Center for a Competitive Workforce, was selected by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce to attend the Business LEADs Institute, a three-day seminar in Washington, DC on February 22-24, 2010. Selected for his leadership in the community, Mr. Crawford will join 34 other business leaders from around the nation to learn how the business community can utilize its assets to drive positive transformation in communities across America in education and workforce training.
“Educating and training Americans for the jobs of the 21st century is essential to long-term economic growth in this country,” said Arthur J. Rothkopf, senior vice president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “This program will allow the business community to play an active role in improving student success and the United State’s ability to compete globally.”
The seminar, part of a $2.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is one of five Business LEADs Institutes which will develop and train a network of business leaders on education issues, network organization, and communications to empower them to be effective advocates for improving America’s education system.
“Mr. Crawford has proven to be deeply committed to the success of his community and its citizens,” said Rothkopf. “The Business LEADs program will provide leaders like Mr. Crawford with the knowledge and resources to help prepare the next generation of young people for a rapidly changing world.”
The Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW) is the non profit, non partisan, 501(c)3 affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. ICW promotes the rigorous educational standards and effective job training systems needed to preserve the strength of America’s greatest economic resource, its workforce.
The U.S. Chamber is the world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.
Project WISH Receives 2009 Transitional Workforce Award
The Arlington Chamber of Commerce is a proud partner in Project WISH (Workforce Innovative Solutions to Homelessness). At the 2009 Annual Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Conference, Project WISH received the Texas Transitional Workforce Award. The award recognizes a private sector employer or employer consortium whose efforts and initiatives had a positive effect on transitional workers, resulting in benefits to employers, other workers, and the community.
“Texas employers that use valuable services available from their local workforce development boards have a distinct advantage in the marketplace,” said TWC Commissioner Representing the Public Andres Alcantar. “I’d like to congratulate Project WISH and Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County for their contribution to their region and the state of Texas.”
Over the past two years, more than 500 homeless individuals have entered full-time employment and more than 70 percent have been able to retain those jobs as a result of the efforts of the Project WISH Employer Consortium in the Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County area. This group of 20 employers has held job fairs, organized job clubs, and offered job readiness counseling and assistance to more than 1,632 homeless individuals who participated in Project WISH programs. Job fair participants were required to attend a pre-job fair readiness workshop and were given certificates for free interview-appropriate clothing provided by the First Street United Methodist Mission. Project WISH employers set aside certain positions or gave interview preference for program participants. Project WISH provides seven workshops each week at seven different locations to a variety of homeless populations, providing employment services to some of the most challenging job placement candidates.
For more information on Project WISH, and other programs offered by Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County in partnership with the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, please visit their their website at www.workforcesolutions.net
U.S. Chamber ICW Releases Leaders and Laggards Report Card
On Monday, November 9th, the U.S. Chamber's Institute for a Competitive Workforce, the Center for American Progress, and Frederick M. Hess with the American Enterprise Institute released, Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Innovation.
In this new report, they examine how states are creating the systems and opportunities necessary for educators and reformers to deliver schooling equal to the 21st century's challenges and demands. For the purposes of this report, they define innovation as leveraging new tools, talent, and management strategies to craft smart solutions. They evaluated all 50 states and Washington, D.C., in eight areas:
School Management (including the strength of charter school laws)
Finance (including state financial data accessibility)
Staffing: Hiring & Evaluation (including alternative certification for teachers)
Staffing: Removing Ineffective Teachers (including the percentage of principals who report barriers to the removal of poor-performing teachers)
Data (including such measures as state-collected college student remediation data)
Technology (including students per Internet-connected computer)
Pipeline to Postsecondary (including the percentage of schools reporting dual-enrollment programs)
State Reform Environment (an ungraded category that includes data on the presence of reform groups and participation in international assessments)
For more information, please visit the interactive website that accompanies the report at www.uschamber.com/reportcard. Also provided is a list of Frequently Asked Questions and a Detailed Methodology.
New Facts from the Center for a Competitive Workforce
Did you Know...America’s workforce is facing a current and growing crisis?
90% of the fastest growing jobs will require some form of postsecondary education.
Business is spending billions each year to train new employees and remediate the educational skill gaps of those already in the workforce.
The American workforce is aging - 78 million baby boomers are set to retire over the next several decades.
The current lack of U.S.-trained scientists and engineers is a direct threat to the leadership of U.S. innovation.
Want to do more to support America’s Workforce? Be a part of creating results through the Arlington Chamber’s Center for a Competitive Workforce. Contact for more information.
Voters Approve 2009 Arlington ISD Bond Package
Voters approved the $197.5 million bond election earlier today. Proceeds of the bond issue will be used by the AISD to purchase buses, fine arts instruments and uniforms, and technology hardware; to construct one new elementary in east Arlington and classroom additions at two east Arlington elementaries and Lamar High School; and to expand the cafeteria at Arlington High School. Bond proceeds will also be used for safety and security upgrades and facilities upgrades throughout the district.
Click here for more information.
Secretary Locke Announces Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced today his plans to create a new Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Department of Commerce and launch a National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Both substantial new initiatives will help leverage the entire federal government on behalf of promoting entrepreneurship in America. The new office is expected to announce additional initiatives in the coming months.
“We're not lacking for groundbreaking ideas in this country; nor are we short on smart entrepreneurs willing to take risks,” Locke said at the Inc. 500/5000 Conference today. “What we need to do is get better at connecting the great ideas to the great company builders. And I think The Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship is a big step in the right direction.” - Secretary Locke
The mission of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship is to unleash and maximize the economic potential of new ideas by removing barriers to entrepreneurship and the development of high-growth and innovation-based businesses. The office will report directly to Locke and focus specifically on identifying issues and programs most important to entrepreneurs. Working closely with the White House and other federal agencies, this new office will drive policies that help entrepreneurs translate new ideas, products and services into economic growth.
The office will focus on the following areas:
Encouraging Entrepreneurs through Education, Training, and Mentoring
Improving Access to Capital
Accelerating Technology Commercialization of Federal R&D
Strengthening Interagency Collaboration and Coordination
Providing Data, Research, and Technical Resources for Entrepreneurs
Exploring Policy Incentives to Support Entrepreneurs and Investors
For more information, please visit the Department of Commerce's website at www.commerce.gov
Global Entrepreneurship Wekk 2009
For one week, millions of young people around the world will join a growing movement of entrepreneurial people, to generate new ideas and to seek better ways of doing things. Countries across six continents are coming together to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative to inspire young people to embrace innovation, imagination and creativity; to think big, to turn their ideas into reality and to make their mark.
From 16 - 22 November 2009, Global Entrepreneurship Week will connect young people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self-starters and innovators. Students, educators, entrepreneurs, business leaders, employees, non-profit leaders, government officials and many others will participate in a range of activities, from online to face-to-face, and from large-scale competitions and events to intimate networking gatherings.
Through this initiative, the next generation of entrepreneurs will be inspired and can emerge. In doing so, they will begin to acquire the knowledge, skills and networks needed to grow innovative, sustainable enterprises that have a positive impact on their lives, their families and communities.
In 2009, we aim to unleash young people's ideas around the issues that matter most to society, from poverty reduction through to climate change, and to foster a global culture which recognizes entrepreneurs as drivers of economic and social prosperity.
Seven days, four goals:
Inspire. We introduce entrepreneurship to young people under the age of thirty who otherwise might not have considered it as a career path.
Connect. We network young people and organizations across national boundaries to discover new ideas at the intersection of cultures and disciplines.
Mentor. We enlist active and inspiring entrepreneurs around the world to coach and mentor the next generation of enterprise talent as they pursue their dreams.
Engage. We demonstrate to opinion leaders and policymakers how entrepreneurship is central to a nation's economic health and culture, and give them the opportunity to learn about each other's entrepreneurial policies and practices.
For more information on Global Entrepreneurship Week, and to find out ways to participate, please visit www.unleashingideas.org
Live Healthy North Texas
The Arlington Chamber is pleased to inform you about an innovative web based, and teamwork driven program that will motivate and teach individuals and organizations how to make positive and lasting changes to achieve a healthy lifestyle through increased physical activity, improved diet, and weight loss over the course of 100 days.
As part of Live Healthy America, an overall national program, Live Healthy North Texas’ goal is to increase awareness of obesity, overweight, and associated conditions and to provide the tools, resources, and technology to assist individuals, organizations, and corporations in creating a culture of wellness.
Live Healthy America Executive Director Troy Vincent will be in Arlington on Tuesday October 13th to host a presentation for Chamber member companies from 1:00 to 2:30 at the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. If you are interested in learning more about the Live Healthy program, please contact me directly at 817-543-4293 or acrawford@arlingtontx.com.
For more information please visit the Live Healthy North Texas website at www.livehealthynorthtexas.org
Richard Florida kicks off Maverick Speaker Series
Bestselling author, creative thinker and urban theorist Richard Florida kicks off the 2009-10 Maverick Speakers Series Friday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. in Texas Hall as he speaks on “Creative Class Consumption.”
Dr. Florida wrote the global best-seller The Rise of the Creative Class. His latest book, Who’s Your City?, is also a national and international best-seller and was an Amazon.com book of the month.
Florida is one of the world’s leading public intellectuals on economic competitiveness, demographic trends, and cultural and technological innovation. He recently was named one of Esquire Magazine’s Best and Brightest.
His ideas on the “creative class,” commercial innovation and regional development have been featured in major ad campaigns from BMW and Apple, and are being used globally to change the way regions and nations do business and transform their economies.
Florida is director of the Martin Prosperity Institute and professor of business and creativity at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Rutgers College and his Ph.D. from Columbia University.
All Maverick Speakers Series lectures are free, but tickets are required.
Arlington ISD Board approves $197.5 million package
Arlington ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approves bond issue election for $197.5 million
During a called meeting, the AISD Board of Trustees approved a bond issue election totaling $197.5 million to be included in the general election scheduled for Nov. 3, 2009. Proceeds of the bond issue will be used by the AISD to construct a new elementary school and additions at multiple facilities, purchase buses, renovate instructional facilities, as well as replace aging technology.
The Board's decision was made following an extensive study conducted by a 34-member Bond Advisory Committee, comprised of community members, parents and business representatives that began meeting on April 20, 2009.
Based on an $100,000 home, property owners in the AISD would see a tax increase of $40 per year for six years, if the bond were to pass.
Passage of the $197.5 million bond issue would fund:
Transportation: $13,313,092
120 buses
Fine Arts: $8,270,364
Band & orchestra instruments, uniforms for the fine arts programs and other fine arts equipment
Technology: $60,036,000
Replacement computers, network equipment, printers, projection systems, and software
Facilities: $115,876,067
Roofing, flooring, mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades, new science labs for each high school, and new construction (one new elementary, additions at two elementaries and Lamar High School, and expansion of Arlington HS cafeteria)
Bond election information will be posted on the district's Web site shortly.
College.gov - Reach your college dream
www.college.gov - the go-to source for information and resources about planning, preparing and paying for post-secondary education.
The future belongs to the nation that best educates its citizens—and my fellow Americans, we have everything we need to be that nation.—President Barack Obama
Everyone is college material. College.gov conveys that postsecondary education is an achievable goal for anyone, regardless of income, ethnicity, age or gender. This unique Web site motivates students with inspirational stories and information about planning, preparing and paying for college. With students’ input and participation, College.gov was created for high school students and their families as a comprehensive online resource with the help and tools students need to get started.
Identifying the Benefits of More Education:
Millions of high school graduates are discouraged from pursuing education beyond high school. This has a significant impact on their future—and America’s future economic prosperity. About 90 percent of the fastest-growing jobs will require some postsecondary education. Without proper information and support, students may not realize the benefits of higher education, and the nation may never realize the benefits of their talents.
Expanding Accessible Information:
The Department of Education is committed to expanding the accessibility, affordability and accountability of higher education for more Americans. The Department listened to students and families from across the country who expressed the need for a single source to deliver accurate and trustworthy information about postsecondary education in a user-friendly way.
Focusing on Students:
Create and inspire hope that college is possible;
Engage students by building a site that they can relate; and
Inform, guide and activate students by giving them the tools and resources necessary to plan for and get to college.
Delivering Unique Features:
Inspiring videos of college students sharing their stories and experiences as to how they overcame obstacles to achieve their college dreams
Fresh design picked by students that boasts a non-government look-and-feel
A feature which allows students to upload their own “I’m going” billboard to the home page
An interactive tool for students to create an “I’m going” personalized roadmap which details the steps to take to get to college
Content organized and presented in a way for students to easily find the answers to their higher education questions: Why Go? What to Do? and How to Pay?
Links to valuable online resources, such as College Navigator (school search site), Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and FAFSA4caster
U.S. Dept. of Education Announces “Race to the Top” Fund Details
President Obama joined Secretary Duncan at the Department’s headquarters to announce the publishing of a Notice of Proposed Priorities (NPP) in the Federal Register for the $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” Fund. This largest-ever federal investment in education reform will reward eligible states for past accomplishments and create incentives for future improvement in four areas of reform:
adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace
building data systems that measure student success and inform educators how they can improve their practices
recruiting, developing, retaining, and rewarding effective teachers and principals, and
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turning around the nation’s lowest-performing schools
The public has 30 days to comment on the Fund’s proposed priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria. The Department plans to make grants in two phases. Phase 1 will open late in calendar year 2009. Phase 2 will open in late spring 2010.
In addition, the Department will release fact sheets on approximately $9 billion in new grants to states and school districts, including two formula grants (Title I School Improvement Grants and State Educational Technology Grants) and four competitive grants (“Race to the Top,” the “Investing in Innovation” Fund, the Teacher Incentive Fund, and State Longitudinal Data Systems; a new notice inviting applications for State Longitudinal Data System grants; and a letter from the Secretary explaining how the programs work together.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO: http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/07/07242009.html
Recovery Act Creates Employment Opportunities
Did you know that you can search online now for federal Recovery-related jobs, career planning and many kinds of financial opportunities offered by the U.S. government? USAJOBS is the official job site of the U.S. Federal Government. It’s your one-stop source for Federal jobs and employment information. In addition to the variety to jobs, you can find no more rewarding work than providing vital services to the American people.
USAJOBS provides access to more than 30,000 job listings daily as well as applications, forms, and employment fact sheets. Job postings are updated daily and are available to job seekers in a variety of formats to ensure accessibility for those with differing physical and technological capabilities. You can search for jobs by location, job category, and agency. Use the “Jobs in Demand” feature to identify positions that agencies are trying to fill quickly. These listings link directly to the announcements, which allow you to complete and submit your application online.
CareerOneStop is a U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored web site that offers career resources and workforce information to job seekers, students, businesses, and workforce professionals to foster talent development in a global economy. CareerOneStop also includes America’s Career InfoNet, a user friendly occupation and industry information web site that helps individuals explore career opportunities to make informed employment and education choices. The site features salary data, career videos, education resources, self-assessment tools, career exploration assistance, and other resources that support talent development in today’s fast-paced global marketplace.
Investing in Education: The American Graduation Initiative
As part of his effort to build a stronger foundation that will allow us to lead in the global economy, the President announced today a historic initiative to strengthen our nation’s community colleges, and called for five million additional graduates by 2020. Speaking at Macomb Community College in Michigan, the President stressed the importance of education to America’s prosperity:
“But we also have to ensure that we’re educating and preparing our people for the new jobs of the 21st century. We’ve got to prepare our people with the skills they need to compete in this global economy. Time and again, when we placed our bet for the future on education, we have prospered as a result—by tapping the incredible innovative and generative potential of a skilled American workforce.” President Obama
The Council of Economic Advisers’ recent report about the future of the U.S. labor market describes a shift towards jobs that require greater analytical and interactive skills, and the benefits of higher education. It is expected that jobs requiring at least an associate degree will grow twice as fast as jobs requiring only a high school education. The President understands that education is fundamental to reviving our economy and strengthening our workforce, which is why he is committed to increasing graduation rates, and has asked every American to commit to at least one year of higher education:
“But today I’m announcing the most significant down payment yet on reaching the goal of having the highest college graduation rate of any nation in the world. We’re going to achieve this in the next 10 years. And it’s called the American Graduation Initiative. It will reform and strengthen community colleges like this one from coast to coast so they get the resources that students and schools need—and the results workers and businesses demand. Through this plan, we seek to help an additional 5 million Americans earn degrees and certificates in the next decade.” President Obama
You may remember Dr. Biden recently spoke about the critical role of community colleges in our higher education system. Community colleges are rapidly growing, and are needed now more than ever to keep America competitive. The American Graduation Initiative will build on the strengths of community colleges and launch new initiatives and reforms that will increase their effectiveness and impact by figuring out what works and what doesn’t, modernize facilities, increase graduation rates, and expand and create new online learning opportunities.
*Read the White House fact sheet on the American Graduation Initiative.
The Initiative is estimated to cost $12 billion over the next decade, but the President has outlined a plan to pay for it by cutting waste, while increasing Pell Grant scholarships and reducing the deficit.
“Not since the passage of the original GI Bill and the work of President Truman’s Commission on Higher Education—which helped to double the number of community colleges and increase by seven-fold enrollment in those colleges—have we taken such a historic step on behalf of community colleges in America.” President Obama
Welcome to the Competitive Wire
Welcome to the Competitive Wire, a blog of the Arlington Chamber’s Center for a Competitive Workforce. We will be using this space to discuss issues, news, trends, and ideas in education and workforce development. Currently, the Center for a Competitive Workforce promotes high educational standards and effective workforce training systems in alignment with today’s rigorous employer demands to ensure that businesses have access - today and tomorrow - to an educated skilled workforce through talent, culture and leadership development initiatives. Working through strategic partners, including local independent school districts, colleges, universities, and workforce development boards, in alignment with business and industry demands, provides education and training programs to develop the workforce of the 21st century.
Education and Workforce Links
- Arlington Independent School District
- Tarrant County College Southeast
- University of Texas at Arlington
- Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County
- The Center for Continuing Education and Workforce Development
- Texas Workforce Commission
- Work In Texas
- U.S. Department of Labor
