US Department of Education

Paleontology Portal

Invites students to discover prehistoric life in the U.S. by state and time period, see famous fossil localities and assemblages, and search fossil images and paleontology collections from participating museums. Find field guides, maps, curricula, and K-12 resources. Learn about about careers in paleontology. (University of California Museum of Paleontology, National Science Foundation)

Categories: Education

TV Show November 18: Paying for College

In an era when what students know is the most important factor in determining success, postsecondary education has never been more critical. Although two thirds of high-growth, high wage jobs require a college degree, only a third of Americans have one. Ninety percent of the fastest-growing jobs in the knowledge-driven economy will require postsecondary education but more than 60 percent of Americans ages 25-64 have no postsecondary education credential.

Categories: Education

Tucker Exits ED

Secretary Spellings announced that Sara Martinez Tucker will leave her position as under secretary at the U.S. Department of Education effective November 21.

Categories: Education

Ensuring Uninterrupted Access to Federal Student Aid

The Department is ensuring students and their families continue to have uninterrupted and timely access to Federal student loans by taking steps to maintain stability in student lending through both the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and Direct Loan Program.

Categories: Education

Special Ed Technical Assistance Center Grant

The U.S. Office of Special Education Programs announced a $1.6 million grant to the University of Oregon to lead a joint effort to continue the work of a technical assistance center aimed at helping address the needs of behavior-challenged students with disabilities.

Categories: Education

New Website to Help Immigrants Learn English

The Department launched U.S.A. Learns, a free Web site to help immigrants learn English.

Categories: Education

New Grant Opportunities

Notices inviting applications have been issued recently under ED programs that include the following: Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) Fellowship, Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program, and Regional Technical Assistance and Continuing Education (TACE) Centers.

Webcast: Final Regulations to Strengthen No Child Left Behind

Today at 1:00 pm ET, officials from the U.S. Department of Education are participating in a live webcast to discuss the final regulations for Title I announced by the Secretary on October 28. You may ask questions via email prior to and during the live event. If you have a question or comment, please email it to NCLBquestions@connectlive.com.

Categories: Education

National Assessment Board Members Announced

Secretary Spellings announced the appointment and re-appointment of six National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) members. The 24-member governing board develops policy guidance for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the only continuing assessment of what students have learned in various subjects.

Categories: Education

Final Regulations to Strengthen NCLB

Secretary Spellings announced final regulations to strengthen and clarify No Child Left Behind (NCLB), focusing on improved accountability and transparency, uniform and disaggregated graduation rates and improved parental notification for Supplemental Education Services and public school choice. The Secretary made the announcement while speaking to educators, state and local policymakers and business leaders at South Carolina Educational Television in Columbia, S.C.

Categories: Education

New Policy Document on Charter Schools

The Department has released a new publication on creating and maintaining successful charter schools, summarizing its vision for the future of the charter school sector in the U.S. and outlining steps to happen to achieve that vision.

Categories: Education

Statement on Federal Student Loans

Continuing constraints in our capital markets have posed challenges for students and student lenders throughout the last year. We recognize that education is the foundation of a strong American workforce and we must not let challenges in our capital markets hinder our students' opportunities.

Categories: Education

Study to Help Improve Distribution of English Language Acquisition Funds

ED announced that it has awarded a $754,415 contract to the National Academy of Sciences to study how best to distribute Title III English Language Acquisition state grant funds.

Categories: Education

Performance Pay for Teachers

Secretary Spellings hosted a roundtable discussion on performance pay for educators with policymakers, researchers and state and local education leaders from across the nation at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.

Categories: Education

Spellings Speaks at National Math Panel Forum

Secretary Spellings delivered the luncheon keynote at the National Math Panel Forum in Washington, D.C. The forum brought together more than 300 educators and policymakers from across the U.S. in a two-day event to share ideas on how to improve mathematics education in America.

Categories: Education

Warder Exits ED, Leaves FSA in Hands of Manning

Secretary Spellings announced several top personnel changes at the U.S. Department of Education. Lawrence A. Warder will be leaving two positions he has held -- acting chief operating officer of Federal Student Aid (FSA) and chief financial officer -- effective October 10 and returning home to Texas. James Manning, deputy chief operating officer of Federal Student Aid, will move into the position of acting chief operating officer and Thomas Skelly, director of budget service, will be designated the authority for the position of chief financial officer. Additionally, Secretary Spellings announced that Danny Harris, deputy chief financial officer, will serve as chief information officer.

Categories: Education

Spellings Addresses Kennedy Forum

Secretary Spellings delivered a speech, "Educating America: The Will and the Way Forward," at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum at Harvard University.

Categories: Education

Back to School Book Donation

Deputy Secretary Simon and First Book Senior Vice President Lynda Lancaster today announced the availability of free books through the 2008 Back to School Book Donation. Mark Bounds, deputy state superintendent, and Nancy J. McGinley, Charleston County, S.C., superintendent of schools, joined them for the announcement at Jennie Moore Elementary School, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. The initiative will make available more than 300,000 new Random House books, which will be distributed nationally to schools, libraries and literacy organizations serving low-income youth.

Categories: Education

Doing What Works: How to Organize Your Teaching

Visitors to the U.S. Department of Education's "Doing What Works" Web site can find out the answers to these questions and much more. Enjoy an engaging and interactive experience with Psychology of Learning: How to Organize Your Teaching, the latest addition to the site, which will empower educators and administrators with research-based strategies to help instructors organize their teaching and improve student learning.

Categories: Education

Spellings Speaks at Jobs for Graduates Symposium

Secretary Spellings delivered remarks at the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) symposium "Closing the Achievement Gap in Education and Employment Outcomes for At-Risk Minority Youth" at the Columbus Club at Union Station in Washington, D.C. The symposium, lead by Chair of the JAG Board of Directors and Maine Governor John Baldacci, provides a forum for policymakers and education experts to discuss proven solutions and advance efforts to close achievement gaps.

Categories: Education