White House Listens to Arizona

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Guest Blogger

More than 350 community leaders came together last Saturday in Phoenix for the White House’s Hispanic Community Action Summit at the ASU-Downtown Campus. Arizona civic leaders joined in thought-provoking discussions and analysis of a wide-range of policy areas, but on display was the kind of interactive conversations that make our democracy work.

The event examined issues important to all Arizonans.  At the Summit, DREAM Act advocates who attended were passionate about their desire to achieve the American Dream.  They participated in meaningful dialogue with business and civic leaders, educators and students covering a wide range of topics in the daylong session.

In addition to discussions regarding comprehensive immigration reform, thirty-three other issues were explored in small groups. Productive solutions were presented throughout the day in round-table settings that focused on job creation, economic development, health care, education and the current state of the Arizona housing market, among others.

High-level White House officials sought a local perspective on solving these issues and it quickly became apparent that the concerns are not solely Hispanic challenges; they are Arizona challenges; they are American challenges.

The visitors from Washington D.C. as well as the participants in each of the discussion groups, young and old alike shared their insights, knowledge, and expertise.  There truly was a two-way flow of information.

The meeting was about Arizona achieving its brightest future. Almost half of Arizona’s K-12 student population is Hispanic.  With Latinos making up the fastest-growing community in Arizona and the United States, we must be better positioned to succeed academically and economically if Arizona is to compete both nationally and globally.

Kent Paredes Scribner, Ph. D.
Superintendent, Phoenix Union High School District

Scribner serves on the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, and was one of the co-hosts of the Summit.

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Duncan Tells Teachers To Lead the Transformation of Teaching

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Guest Blogger
Arne Duncan speaks with teachers

Secretary Duncan speaks with the new Teach Plus Teaching Policy Fellows. Official Department of Education photo by Joshua Hoover.

“Teacher voice is needed in order for real reform to take place,” Secretary Arne Duncan told the leaders of Teach Plus on Tuesday.

Teach Plus is a national nonprofit teacher leader organization that was celebrating its expansion to the nation’s capital.  The event was the first formal activity for a group of 25 high-performing teachers from the D.C. area. As the inaugural class of Teaching Policy Fellows, they will participate in leadership opportunities designed to amplify the voice of effective classroom teachers.

Secretary Duncan at the Teach Plus event

Official Department of Education photo by Joshua Hoover.

Before the launch event, Duncan met privately with the Fellows and encouraged them to get involved and drive the change happening in the profession. He called on the cohort to make the most of the experience and really be leaders in transforming the teaching profession in their school, district, and nation.

When Duncan spoke to the group of 150 teachers and education leaders, he encouraged them to rebuild the profession so that schools meet the needs of students and teachers.  He urged educators to take responsibility for the growth of all children, including those with special needs and those who come from challenging environments in urban cities and rural areas.  “Teachers need to stop saying these kids and start staying our kids,” he said.

Clearly, the teaching profession is at a crossroads.  At that moment in time, I was humbled to be in the presence of such a committed and accomplished group of Teach Plus educators. Teach Plus aims to improve outcomes for children by ensuring that a greater proportion of students have access to effective, experienced teachers.  Now more than ever, we need teacher leaders like the Teach Plus Fellows and others who are totally committed to the potential of all students and who are not afraid to lead radical transformation within our profession.

Shakera Walker

Shakera Walker is a 2011 Washington Teaching Ambassador Fellow and Teach Plus Policy Fellow Alumni who teaches kindergarten in Boston, Mass.

Read the Teaching Ambassador Fellows’ recent article, Teachers Want to Lead the Transformation of their Profession.

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Call with Education Grantmakers

Posted on February 2, 2012 by jreeves

On January 31, the Department of Education hosted its quarterly conference call for education funders. Secretary Arne Duncan addressed the Department’s priorities as highlighted in the President’s State of the Union address, providing more details on the Administration’s initiatives to promote college affordability, a robust and respected teaching profession, and career-oriented education and training that will lead to employment. The Secretary also discussed the progress of Race to the Top states and the effective involvement of the funder community in support of statewide efforts, as well as the application process for states pursuing ESEA flexibility.

Read the transcript, or listen to the call Audio icon.

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Join Arne for a Twitter Town Hall on Hispanic Education

Posted on February 2, 2012 by dterry

To follow up on the President’s State of the Union Address—in which critical topics like college affordability, dropout rates, teachers, and job training were addressed—Secretary Duncan will engage with the Hispanic community through a Twitter town hall at 3:00 p.m. ET on February 8.  The conversation on Twitter will be conducted in both English and Spanish and will be moderated by José Rico, executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

Twitter users can ask questions in advance and during the town hall by using the hashtag #HispanicED.  The town hall will be streamed live on Arne’s Facebook Page and ED’s Ustream page.

David Terry is Deputy Director of ED’s Information Resource Center

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Don’t Forget Your 1098-E Tax Form When Filing Your Taxes

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Guest Blogger

If you made payments on your federal student loans during 2011, you may be eligible to deduct a portion of the interest you paid on your federal tax return.  Student loan interest payments are reported on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1098-E, Student Loan Interest Statement (commonly called the 1098-E).

Your student loan servicer (the entity you make payments to) will provide you a copy of your 1098-E.  Your servicer may send you your 1098-E via U.S. Postal Service or electronically.  Check with your servicer if you haven’t yet received your 1098-E for 2011.  If you had multiple loan servicers in 2011, you will receive a separate 1098-E from each servicer.

If you’re not sure who your loan servicer is, you can look it up on www.nslds.ed.gov or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243; TTY 1-800-730-8913). To see a list of Federal Student Aid servicers for the Direct Loan Program and for FFEL Program Loans purchased by the U.S. Department of Education, go to our Loan Servicer page.

For more information about student loan interest deduction, visit the IRS’s Tax Benefits for Education: Information Center.

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Race to the Top: Voices From the States

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Guest Blogger

Last month, state and local leaders from the 11 states and the District of Columbia receiving funds from Phases 1 and 2 of the U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top program met in Washington, D.C.  Participants explored teacher and leader effectiveness initiatives in the context of college- and career-ready standards.  They focused on how to:

    • better support teachers and principals as they work with their students to meet new, higher standards;
    • create reforms that are sustainable and improve over time; and
    • collaborate across agencies to meet Race to the Top goals.

Reflecting on more than a year’s experience with implementing the program, the officials agreed that their Race to the Top efforts sometimes have been challenging but are clearly worth it.  They see their reforms as a significant opportunity to better prepare students to succeed in college and careers.

“It’s the right work to do,” said Mitchell Chester, commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  “It’s clearly an ambitious agenda, and one that requires substantial effort and a willingness to rethink how we do school … but it is the right work to do.”

Watch “Race to the Top: Voices from the States:”


Click here for an alternate version of the video with an accessible player.

Learn more about Race to the Top.

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Obama in Michigan: Views from a Teacher and Parent

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Guest Blogger

“… The degree you earn from Michigan will be the best tool you have to achieve that basic American promise … be part of something that is adding value to this country and maybe changing the world.  …That’s what the American Dream is all about.  

My grandfather got the chance to go to college because this country decided that every returning veteran of World War II should be able to afford it.  My mother was able to raise two kids by herself because she was able to get grants and work her way through school.  I am only standing here today because scholarships and student loans gave me a shot at a decent education.”

When President Obama spoke these words to the crowd at the University of Michigan on Friday, he described the situation of many students in the audience who struggle to pay for the education they’ll need to participate in the American Dream. Like the President, I have two daughters of whom I am very proud, and both are fortunate to attend the University of Michigan.

Tracey with Secretary Duncan in Michigan

Tracey with Secretary Duncan at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor before President Obama's speech.

As a high school teacher in Ann Arbor and a single parent who is solely responsible for my daughters’ tuition bills, I welcome the President’s plans in the “Blueprint for an America Built to Last” to make college more affordable for families like ours. Everyday I worry about the debt my girls will have when they graduate. Expanding work study opportunities and keeping interest rates low on federal loans will be crucial to my daughters’ and other students’ ability to finish college. As the President said, “… In this economy, there is no greater predictor of individual success than a good education.”

Fortunately, thanks to the President’s support for manufacturing and the auto industry, the Michigan economy is starting to recover, and I agree with the President that the United States has to continue to be a country where everybody has a chance to succeed, and affordable education is the key to that goal.

As a 2010 Classroom Teaching Ambassador Fellow with the Department of Education, I have experienced Secretary Duncan and President Obama’s commitment to having teachers at the table in policy discussions.  Through the fellowship, I have had unique opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations with diverse groups of educators and policy makers. These were all great experiences.  When I met President Obama after the speech, and he thanked me for my work, I was immensely grateful both for the chance of a lifetime and for an administration that clearly values teachers and education.

Tracey Van Dusen

Tracey Van Dusen is a 2010 Classroom Teaching Ambassador Fellow who teaches AP Government and American Studies at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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