/PRNewswire/ -- The nation's community colleges are taking a major step forward in redefining what "success" means for their institutions with the naming this week of 40 pilot colleges to test drive a new Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA), a national system designed to provide accurate data, operational transparency, and the ability for colleges to benchmark student progress and completion data against peer institutions.
The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in collaboration with the Association of Community College Trustees and the College Board, is developing the VFA, with funding from Lumina Foundation for Education and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The pilot colleges include 37 institutions, two state-wide systems and one multi-college district in 29 states. (Complete list follows.) Starting in mid-January 2011, the VFA pilot colleges will test a series of custom metrics that community college professionals developed over the last several months. The project fills what community college advocates have seen as a void in measures appropriate to the unique two-year college mission.
"Many traditional measures of institutional effectiveness don't work well for community colleges," said Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). "For example, most are pegged to full-time students, and the majority of community college students attend part-time. Our overarching goal is to develop measures appropriate to our mission that clearly tell students and policy makers how we're doing."
VFA pilot colleges will work from a draft technical manual developed by four VFA working groups, a technical committee, and a national steering committee made up of veteran research experts and educators from within the college community. (See link to VFA website for a list of participants.) Project leaders are developing the VFA in stages so that they can release and test core measures for which there is broad consensus on technical definitions and available data. Additional measures will be proposed as the participants report outcomes and assess how well they gauge institutional effectiveness.
"Pilot testing is a critical part of developing the VFA," said Kent Phillippe, AACC's associate vice president of research and student success and director of the VFA initiative. "We want to learn from the pilots the utility of the measures and feasibility of reporting this data for all types of community colleges."
Late in January, AACC will make available all the resources provided to the pilots so that any institution will be able to calculate the proposed VFA measures, understand the pilot testing process and learn more about the VFA. Added to the pilot testing, AACC will develop mock-ups for what could be built as the VFA data collection and display tool, and share the preliminary designs during the AACC annual meeting and via virtual meetings in the second half of 2011.
Pending outcomes of the pilot testing, reaction to the VFA among AACC member institutions and future funding, a full-scale roll-out to the nation's close to 1,200 community, junior and technical colleges could take place starting in 2012.
"The Obama administration and others are focused on greater numbers of student completions and demonstrable measures for how we gauge student success. VFA is the community college response that says, 'We accept that challenge,'" Bumphus added.
Pilot colleges are: Baltimore City Community College (Baltimore, MD), Bevill State Community College (Jasper, AL), Bunker Hill Community College (Boston, MA), Burlington County College (Pemberton, NJ), Central Community College (Grand Island, NE), College of Lake County (Grayslake, IL), College of Western Idaho (Nampa, ID), Community College of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh, PA), Dallas County Community College District (Dallas, TX), DeKalb Technical College (Clarkston, GA), Flathead Valley Community College (Kalispell, MT), Fox Valley Technical College (Appleton, WI), Genesee Community College (Batavia, NY), Greenville Technical College (Greenville, SC), Hudson County Community College (Jersey City, NJ), Independence Community College (Independence, KS), Jackson Community College (Jackson, MI), Kentucky Community and Technical College System (Versailles, KY), Lane Community College (Eugene, OR), Louisiana Community and Technical College System (Baton Rouge, LA), Mid-Plains Community College (North Platte, NE), Milwaukee Area Technical College (Milwaukee, WI), Montgomery College (Rockville, MD), Montgomery County Community College (Blue Bell, PA),Norwalk Community College (Norwalk, CT), Oklahoma City Community College (Oklahoma City, OK), Parkland College (Champaign, IL), Passaic County Community College (Paterson, NJ), Pima County Community College District (Tucson, AZ), Pitt Community College (Winterville, NC), Raritan Valley Community College (Somerville, NJ), Renton Technical College (Renton, WA), Rochester Community and Technical College (Rochester, MN), Salt Lake Community College (Salt Lake City, UT), Tidewater Community College (Norfolk, VA), Waubonsee Community College (Sugar Grove, IL), Wenatchee Valley College (Wenatchee, WA), Western Iowa Tech Community College (Sioux City, IA), Western Nebraska Community College (Scottsbluff, NE), and Western Wyoming Community College (Rock Springs, WY).
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Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Community Colleges in 29 States to Pilot New Accountability System
Monday, January 10, 2011
Dr. John Barge Becomes Georgia?s 21st State School Superintendent
Dr. John D. Barge was sworn into office today as Georgia's 21st State School Superintendent. A life-long public school educator, Dr. Barge brings years of experience and common sense approaches to improving Georgia's schools.
"It's an honor and privilege to serve as State School Superintendent," said Superintendent Barge. "I am excited about this new challenge and will hit the ground running to build a strong foundation to positively benefit our students, teachers and communities. As a parent with a child in public schools and as one who has served at virtually every level in public education, I am keenly aware of the challenges we face as a state and the challenges our students, teachers and local administrators are facing. I am committed to ensuring that the Georgia Department of Education is a service agency and is communicating directly with educators in our local districts."
Prior to his becoming State School Superintendent, Dr. Barge served as the Director of Secondary Curriculum & Instruction with the Bartow County School System.
Bio
Dr. John Barge was born and raised in Cobb County, Georgia, graduated from Campbell High School in 1984, and attended Berry College in Rome, Georgia on academic and journalism scholarships where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1988.
Dr. Barge has earned three advanced degrees, a master?s degree and a specialist's degree from the State University of West Georgia and his doctorate degree in educational leadership from the University of Georgia. In his 20 years in education, Dr. Barge has served as a high school English teacher, middle school Spanish teacher, assistant principal, and principal. He also served as the State Director of Career, Technical and Agriculture Education for the Georgia Department of Education. John has been recognized as a STAR teacher in 1996, as Georgia?s Assistant Principal of the Year in 2001, and received the Berry College Alumni Association?s Distinguished Achievement Award in 2005.
John and his wife Loraine, long-time Floyd County residents, have been married for 19 years. They have a 14 year-old daughter who attends public school in Floyd County.
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Clayton State University Campus Closed on Tuesday, January 11
The main campus of Clayton State University, located in Morrow, Ga., and the University's instructional site in Peachtree City, Ga., Clayton State -- Fayette, will be closed due to inclement weather on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011.
This marks the first time in more than 15 years that weather has closed the University on consecutive days. As a result, the first day of classes for the spring 2011 semester is still on hold, as are deadlines for the acadmeic drop/add periods, late registration and late fee payments. Decisions on these latter issues will be made on the morning that classes resume.
Further information about Clayton State’s plans for Wednesday, Jan. 12, will be available later on the University’s web page (www.clayton.edu)
In addition, the following electronic media outlets will be contacted in regard to Clayton State’s status:
WSB-AM, B-98.5 FM, KISS 104.1 FM, 97.1 The River, 95.5 The Beat, WXIA-TV, WGST-AM, WKLS-FM, WMXV-FM, WPCH-FM, WSTR-FM, WSB-TV, WAGA-TV, WGCL-TV, WWLG-FM, WIGO-AM.
A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
Gordon Classes Cancelled Tuesday
Classes at all Gordon College locations are cancelled for Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 due to the continuing weather situation.
Only staff who are essential to the function of the college are expected to report Tuesday.
The campus is expected to be open Wednesday, Jan. 12.
“We want our students, staff and faculty to be safe,” said Gordon President Shelley Nickel of the campus closing. “Closing the campus for an additional period of time was the best choice for us to help ensure that safety.”
Since Monday was to be the first day of spring semester, many students have questions concerning registration, tuition payment and drop/add days.
Late registration (both on-line and on-campus) and drop/add will be extended through 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14. Payment for tuition and fees is due in full by 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14.
Ashworth High School Changes Name to James Madison High School
/PRNewswire/ -- Ashworth College, (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu) an internationally recognized online education company, has announced that its high school division, Ashworth High School, will return to its former moniker James Madison High School, effective January 2011. This announcement coincides with the 15th anniversary of the original James Madison High School brand.
Gary Keisling, Ashworth College Chairman and CEO, commented on the name change: "The initial decision to become Ashworth High School back in 2007 was to begin unifying our schools under the Ashworth umbrella. While Ashworth High School has been successful for us, one of the reasons for the change rests with our students who have indicated a strong connection with the James Madison name, which in itself, is a name that is steeped in tradition."
Keisling went on to emphasize that the change was in name only and that existing students could continue to depend on the school's prestigious SACS CASI regional accreditation and national DETC accreditation and its quality curriculum during this transition and into the future.
In the coming months, the company will continue to focus its growth efforts on maximizing the strong reputation they have built for providing students with a superior educational experience and, through technology, engaging its students in an increased sense of community. James Madison students will play a prominent role in the school's online student community as well as various social sites (Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, etc.) where students have the opportunity to directly interact with instructors and peers.
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Majority of States Receive Below Average Grades on Education Reform Laws
Georgia's grade is a 'C' for laws governing charter schools.
New report finds that even with federal prodding, most laws fall flat.
/PRNewswire/ -- Only 11 states and the District of Columbia have charter school laws that do not require significant improvements in order to allow for the effective creation and growth of these innovative school options, according to a new study and legislative blueprint released today by The Center for Education Reform (CER). Of the rest, 14 states received a grade of 'C,' and 15 a 'D' or 'F' for their laws governing charter schools in CER's Charter School Laws Across the States.
According to the report, excitement over charter schools—which dramatically increased after both 'Race to the Top' and the release of 2010's critically-acclaimed film Waiting for Superman—has not been matched by substantive improvements to state-level public policy related to these schools. The result, CER says, is increased waiting lists at charter schools and lost years for far too many children who seek access to better learning environments.
"In November, voters across the nation voted overwhelmingly for dramatic and immediate change in state legislative bodies, and a key component of their choices was education reform," said Jeanne Allen, president of The Center for Education Reform. "As lawmakers across the country map out their legislative agendas for 2011, they should match their election-year promises with policy improvements that will allow for the true expansion of charter schools across the nation."
In the 12th edition of Charter School Laws Across the States, CER identifies three specific priorities that lawmakers must incorporate into their 2011 law changes:
Authorizer Reform. One of the hallmarks of a great charter school law is the ability for multiple entities—including universities, mayors, and independent state charter school boards—to allow for the creation of charter schools. Far too many states place authorizing power solely in the hands of local school boards, which have no incentive to allow charter schools.
Cap Removal. In many states, random and arbitrary caps—or limits—are placed on the number of schools that can operate or the number of students who can access charter schools. CER said that eliminating these capricious caps—along with authorizer reform—is a healthy blueprint for charter law improvement.
Funding Equity. Despite the fact that charter schools are public schools, the average charter school receives more than a thousand dollars less, per student, than a conventional public school. This historically inequitable funding formula—embraced by many states—immediately places charter schools, which face higher accountability measures, at a disadvantage.
"By introducing legislation that permits multiple charter school authorizers, eliminates unnecessary caps that only serve to punish children and provides equitable funding for charter schools, the country can witness a new renaissance in American education flourish in this next decade," Allen said.
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Sunday, January 9, 2011
Clayton State University Campus Closed on Monday, January 10
The main campus of Clayton State University, located in Morrow, Ga., and the University's instructional site in Peachtree City, Ga., Clayton State -- Fayette, will be closed due to inclement weather on Monday, Jan. 10, 2011.
Scheduled as the first day of classes for the spring 2011 semester, Monday wasalsoscheduledto mark the first 2011 Young People's Concert at the University's Spivey Hall. However, wit hthe University closed, the concert is cancelled and all school groups and individuals will be refunded.
Further information about Clayton State’s plans for Tuesday, Jan. 11, will be available later on the University’s web page (www.clayton.edu)
In addition, the following electronic media outlets will be contacted in regard to Clayton State’s status:
WSB-AM, B-98.5 FM, KISS 104.1 FM, 97.1 The River, 95.5 The Beat, WXIA-TV, WGST-AM, WKLS-FM, WMXV-FM, WPCH-FM, WSTR-FM, WSB-TV, WAGA-TV, WGCL-TV, WWLG-FM, WIGO-AM.
A unit of the University System of Georgia, Clayton State University is an outstanding comprehensive metropolitan university located 15 miles southeast of downtown Atlanta.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Fayette County Board Member Smith Elected to Statewide Post
Fayette County Board of Education member Terri Smith has been elected as a District Director for the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA).
As a District Director, Smith will serve on the association’s Board of Directors representing GSBA’s District 6, which includes the school systems of Bremen City, Carroll County, Carrollton City, Clayton County, Coweta County, Douglas County, Fayette County, Griffin-Spalding County, Heard County, Henry County, Meriwether County, Pike County, Thomaston-Upson County, and Troup County.
District Directors are elected for three-year terms at district meetings by a majority of the district members present and voting. The Board of Directors manages the affairs and business transactions of the association, and employs the executive director.
"We are extremely pleased to have Terri Smith join our Board of Directors," said GSBA Executive Director Jeannie M. (Sis) Henry. "This is an important role and one that demands high levels of leadership."
GSBA is an advocate of public education and supports the uniquely American tradition of citizen control of public school systems. GSBA is a voluntary, statewide organization that provides professional services and training to the state's local boards of education, and represents the collective resolve of local boards in the governance of public education. GSBA has provided service to public education in Georgia for over 50 years.
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Thursday, January 6, 2011
American CyberSystems Offers $5,000 College Scholarship to YWCA of Greater Atlanta's Teen Girls in Technology Program
/PRNewswire/ -- American CyberSystems, Inc. (ACS), a major sponsor of the YWCA of Greater Atlanta's Teen Girls in Technology (TGI Tech) program, announced today that it is offering a $5,000 scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to a high school graduate and TGI Tech participant looking to major in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) in college. TGI Tech is a program dedicated to preparing young women for non-traditional careers with a STEM focus.
"This scholarship can help to open the door for a program participant whose goal is to immerse herself in non-traditional learning subjects. The opportunity to go to college is something some of these girls may not have without outside assistance, such as the generous scholarship provided by American CyberSystems," said Judy Brown-Fears, TGI Tech program director.
The TGI Tech program is introduced to middle school students and continues through high school. American CyberSystems President Raj Sardana and his wife, Nita Sardana, have sponsored TGI Tech since 2006. ACS encourages its employees to take an active role in strengthening the community by supporting teen technology education and mentoring.
ACS funded a TGI Tech field trip last year to the Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida. The trip exposed participants to the importance that women have in the NASA program and also provided the opportunity to experience science and technology in action.
"TGI Tech serves as a valuable learning tool for girls in their formative years," Nita Sardana commented. "Having two daughters currently pursuing degrees in college, we understand the importance of introducing technology at a young age."
"ACS provides leading-edge information technology solutions and understands how very important it is to foster IT careers for girls today so we can fill the pipeline with skilled professionals for the future," Raj Sardana said. "These same students may one day be ACS consultants working at Fortune 100 companies here in Atlanta."
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Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Ribbon Cutting Scheduled to Open Southern Polytechnic State University's New $30 Million Engineering Technology Center
/PRNewswire/ -- Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) President Lisa A. Rossbacher and other dignitaries will cut the ribbon to open SPSU's new $30 million Engineering Technology Center (ETC) at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11.
Lee Rhyant, the recently retired executive vice president and Marietta site general manager for Lockheed Martin, will deliver remarks to assembled faculty, staff, students, alumni and guests inside the building following the ribbon-cutting.
SPSU is the only public university in Georgia offering a degree in mechatronics engineering – the integration of mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines with an infusion of computer science and software engineering. The ETC will house this program, in addition to all of the other engineering and engineering technology programs in SPSU's School of Engineering Technology & Management and Division of Engineering. All told, SPSU offers a total of 13 undergraduate engineering and engineering technology degree programs, and three graduate engineering and engineering technology programs.
In addition to classrooms, faculty offices, computer labs and an auditorium, the three-story, 120,000 square foot structure features a large number of highly specialized spaces: an energy/HVAC lab, a fluid mechanics lab, a strength-of-materials lab, a metrology lab, an electromagnetics lab, a computer-integrated manufacturing lab, an automotive lab, engineering graphics labs, a biomedical lab and a machine shop, to name a few.
The campus' newest facility, designed by architect Cooper Carry, sports a striking light show in the main lobby and is on track to receive silver-level LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, as are all recent additions to the SPSU campus.
Students will begin attending classes and labs in the new facility with the start of the spring semester on Jan. 10.
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Tuesday, January 4, 2011
UGA 8th in Kiplinger’s annual best value ranking
The University of Georgia is eighth in the latest ranking of the nation’s best values in public higher education by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.
The 2011 ranking marks the eighth consecutive year UGA has ranked among the magazine’s top 10 values. The university has been in the magazine’s top 20 every year since the magazine began publishing its best value rankings in 1998.
The rankings appear in Kiplinger’s February 2011 issue and online at www.kiplinger.com/tools/colleges. The magazine takes data on more than 500 public institutions and sorts the schools based on quality measures such as the admission rate, test scores of incoming freshmen and graduation rates. To create the list of 100 top values, the magazine then factors in cost data such as tuition, fees and financial aid to come up with a list of institutions that “deliver a stellar education at an affordable price.”
“Schools like these on the Kiplinger 100 list prove graduates can enter the workforce with a great education—and without a huge cloud of debt,” said Kiplinger’s Editor Janet Bodnar.
The magazine notes the average debt at graduation for UGA students is $14,766, the third lowest among top 10 schools. The magazine calculates total annual in-state cost for UGA students at $18,226 and total annual cost for out-of-state students at $36,436. For out-of-state students, the university ranks 19th on the list of 100 best values.
Two other University System of Georgia institutions are in the magazine’s top 100 for in-state students—Georgia Institute of Technology, ranked 16th, and Georgia College and State University, ranked 100th.
The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill tops the magazine’s list for the 10th time. Other institutions in this year’s top 10 are: the University of Florida (2nd), University of Virginia (3rd), College of William and Mary (4th), University of Maryland, College Park (5th), State University of New York at Binghamton (6th), SUNY Geneseo (7th), University of Wisconsin-Madison (9th) and University of Washington (10th).
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Monday, January 3, 2011
Summer Scholars Research Program for High School Students Offered by Emory's Winship Cancer Institute
The Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is hoping to groom the next generation of researchers, physicians, nurses, and health care professionals. Winship is currently accepting applications for its Winship Summer Scholars Research Program from high school students who are interested in an immersion into the research world of cancer
The Winship Summer Scholars Program begins June 6, 2011, and ends July 15, 2011. Deadline for applications is February 11, 2011.
“This program provides a genuine experience in a biomedical research laboratory for high school students who have a keen interest in science,” says Mary Jo Lechowicz, MD, assistant professor of hematology and medical oncology at Emory and director of the Winship Summer Scholars program.
The Winship Summer Scholars Research Program (WSSRP) consists of both academic and practicum components, and is available to students who are rising seniors attending any high school in the greater Atlanta area.
“At the completion of the program,” says Lechowicz, “students will have experienced the rich, interdisciplinary nature of biomedical research and will have an authentic understanding of the process of science.”
Students accepted into the program will be assigned to work with a research scientist or clinical oncologist who is actively engaged in research at Emory University School of Medicine. Students will work in a professional setting with their faculty mentors, as well as with laboratory technicians and graduate students, in their assigned lab. Participants will learn about the research interests of their faculty mentor and will be assigned to a specific question or problem relating to that interest.
For more information, or to apply to the Winship Summer Scholars Research Program, contact: Beverly Jones, 404-778-2249 or beverly.jones@emory.edu.
