Public Comment invited for PA's Individuals with Disabilities grant application

Public comment is invited regarding the Department of Education's (Department) proposed grant application under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA-B). The annual grant application provides assurances that the Commonwealth's policies and procedures in effect are consistent with the Federal requirements to ensure that a free appropriate public education is made available to all children with a disability from 3 to 21 years of age, including children who have been suspended or expelled from school. The current policies and procedures are available for viewing at http://www.education.state.pa.us (go to ''Programs,'' go to ''Programs S-Z,'' go to ''Special Education,'' go to ''Funding Sources,'' go to IDEA Policies and Procedures 2009).

 Section 300.165 of 34 CFR (relating to public participation) requires that the State provide notice, opportunity for public comment and conduct public hearings. Each state must publish the proposed IDEA-B application and current policies and procedures related to IDEA-B. Copies of the proposed grant application and the current policies and procedures are available by viewing the documents on http://www.pattan.net/regsforms/IDEA2004.aspx. Alternative formats of the documents (such as, Braille, large print, cassette tape) can be made available to members of the public upon request. Moreover, public comment for the disabled is welcomed in alternative formats such as Braille, taped comments and telephone comments. Persons who are disabled and wish to submit comments by telephone, contact Beth Runkle, (717) 783-2311.

 Written comments will be received until April 29, 2011. The written comments should be directed to Jean B. Inskip or Dr. Ronald Wells, Special Education Advisers, Bureau of Special Education, Department of Education, 333 Market Street, 7th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333.

 Additionally, opportunity for verbal testimony will be held by the Department, Bureau of Special Education, for individuals wishing to present oral testimony on the proposed IDEA-B application and the current policies and procedures. One written copy of oral testimony at the time of presentation would be appreciated. Presentations should be limited to 15 minutes.

 Dates, locations and times for oral testimony regarding the proposed grant application and revised policies and procedures are as follows:

February 28, 2011	PaTTAN—Pittsburgh 3190 William Pitt Way Pittsburgh, PA (4 p.m.—6 p.m.)
March 2, 2011	PaTTAN—Harrisburg 6340 Flank Drive Harrisburg, PA (4 p.m.—6 p.m.)
March 14, 2011	PaTTAN—King of Prussia 200 Anderson Road King of Prussia, PA (4 p.m.—6 p.m.)

 To schedule an opportunity to present oral testimony, or persons with a disability and wish to attend the public testimony and require an accommodation to participate in the proceedings, call Beth Runkle at (717) 783-2311 no later than February 18, 2011.

 Following receipt of all written and oral comments, the Department will consider all comments and make any necessary modifications to the current grant application and to the current policies and procedures before submission of the grant application to the Secretary of the United States Department of Education.

Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The Noyce Scholarship Track provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends, and academic programs for undergraduate STEM majors and post-baccalaureate students holding STEM degrees who earn a teaching credential and commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts. The NSF Teaching Fellowship/Master Teaching Fellowship Track supports STEM professionals who enroll as NSF Teaching Fellows in master's degree programs leading to teacher certification by providing academic courses, professional development, and salary supplements while they are fulfilling a four-year teaching commitment in a high need school district. This track also supports the development of NSF Master Teaching Fellows by providing professional development and salary supplements for exemplary mathematics and science teachers to become Master Teachers in high need school districts. Each track supports Capacity Building Projects to develop the capacity for institutions to provide innovative teacher preparation programs to enable increasing numbers of STEM majors and STEM professionals to become effective K-12 mathematics and science teachers and to develop the capacity to prepare Master science and mathematics teachers.

Link to Full Announcement

NSF Publication 11-517

HS STEM Career Development Grants

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology Directorate (S&T),Office of University Programs (UP) is announcing the fifth annual competition for the Homeland Security Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (HS-STEM) Career Development Grants (CDG). The CDG program enables U.S. accredited four-year colleges and universities with existing and/or proposed programs in homeland security-related science, technology, engineering or mathematics to award undergraduate scholarships and/or graduate fellowships to qualified students (refer to Section IV.C.5.c.ii) who intend to pursue homeland security scientific, technology, engineering, or mathematic careers. DHS S&T invites applications to this program from U.S. accredited four-year colleges and universities with HS-STEM curricula. Note: HS-STEM curricula are homeland security specific programs of study or concentrations within existing and/or proposed science,technology, engineering, or mathematics programs. These curricula may lead to majors, minors, certificates, or recognized concentrations in HS-STEM. DHS will support only those homeland security programs that are based on existing and/or proposed accredited science, technology, engineering, or mathematics curricula.As part of the mission, DHS S&T is responsible for providing U.S. leadership in homeland security related science and technology to protect the Nation from terrorist threats and the consequences of natural disasters. The CDG program attempts to create early and ongoing synergies between the homeland security professional and scientific communities and students studying in HS-STEM fields at the U.S. accredited four-year colleges and universities, and to ensure a steady flow of homeland security researchers and practitioners for the future.

NIAID Science Education Awards (R25)

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) encourages applications from organizations that focus on the development of science education for K-12 students. It is expected that these education programs will provide outreach to a large audience of students at a national level, directly or through their teachers, using approaches where successes can be measured.

Link to Full Announcement

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-11-086.html

$3 million for GED testing program

The American Council on Education has announced a $3 million grant from the MetLife Foundation to develop a national GED testing program.

The GED 21st Century Initiative will seek to achieve three high-impact outcomes: delivery of a more rigorous GED test aligned with the Common Core State Standards; implementation of a national preparation program featuring customized instruction; and support for a transition network that connects GED test-takers to career and postsecondary opportunities. The initiative will be piloted in New York City's District 79, where it will focus on providing GED candidates with the best possibility of achieving measurable gains in math and reading regardless of their initial proficiency level. The pilot was announced last week in New York City by ACE president Molly Corbett Broad, MetLife Foundation president and CEO Dennis White, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and New York City schools chancellor Joel Klein. MRDC, a nonpartisan education and social policy research firm, will serve as evaluation partner for the pilot.

"More than thirty-six million Americans lack a high school diploma or its equivalent, and every year more than 1.3 million students drop out of high school," said Broad. "We must reach adult learners and help them achieve, in a reasonable amount of time, the credentials needed to move on to postsecondary education or training and ultimately to family-sustaining careers."

“GED Testing Service Receives $3 Million Grant From MetLife Foundation.” American Council on Education Press Release 12/09/10.

Innovative Teachers

The 2011 PBS Teachers Innovation Awards runs January 11, 2011 - March 31, 2011.

Winners will be notified by May 31, 2011.

The top TWELVE winners, one from each of 12 subject/grade groupings, will participate in a week long "Innovation Immersion Experience" at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan from July 31 – August 5, 2011, plus receive a FREE PBS TeacherLine professional development course.

McDaniel family establishes "Pay It Forward Fund" with Erie Community Foundation

"Retaining local talent in northwest PA is crucial to the vitality of our region," said Mike Batchelor, president of The Erie Community Foundation. "With that goal in mind, the Charles McDaniel family of North East recently established a Pay It Forward (PIF) Fund at The Erie Community Foundation to help curb “brain drain” in northwest Pennsylvania and encourage acts of kindness along the way."

Awards will be administered through the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership (ERCGP) and will benefit individuals who live and work in Erie, Crawford and/or Warren counties.

Through the Pay It Forward Fund, grants to pay down student loan principal will be made on behalf of award winners to their lending institutions. To be eligible for a Pay It Forward award, individuals must be recent college graduates who have earned a Bachelor’s degree, are committed to living and working in northwest Pennsylvania and have plans to “pay it forward” through future philanthropy, acts of kindness or community service.

The first award is expected to be announced in November 2011, with applications due in September of that year.

To be eligible for the award, applicants must:
• Have a student loan of $500 or greater.
• Have completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Live and work in northwest PA (Erie, Crawford and/or Warren counties).
• Have completed his/her Bachelor’s degree within the past five years.

Interested applicants and donors click here to send an email to learn more.

Dell Social Innovation Competition

The RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas and Dell invite college students from around the world who want to improve areas of critical human need through innovation to enter the Dell Social Innovation Competition.

The competition provides a vehicle for taking student innovations from idea to reality and offers a real-world exercise for perfecting students' skills in project/business planning and development, presenting their ideas to investors, and building resource networks. Undergraduate and graduate-level students from any university or college in the world are eligible to enter. The individual or team must be comprised of students currently attending a university. (Students who graduated in December 2010 are eligible to enter.) Team size is not restricted. Contestants must be actively involved in the venture. Teams can seek advice from mentors or outside experts, but the venture must be entirely student-led. Team members must be principal owners of the venture.

The venture should exist primarily to address a significant social problem. The mission and practices of the venture must incorporate a quantifiable social return. Whether it is a for-profit business or a nonprofit organization, the venture must be financially viable; be scalable and take into account the potential for growth; and, If already in existence, must not have been in operation for more than three years. Visit the competition Web site for complete program information and entry guidelines. Link to Complete RFP

InvenTeam grants

The Lemelson-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Program, which is funded by the Lemelson Foundation and administered by MIT's School of Engineering, created the InvenTeam initiative to provide high school students in the United States with the opportunity to cultivate their creativity and to experience invention.

InvenTeams are comprised of high school students, teachers, and mentors who invent technological solutions to real-world problems.

InvenTeam students rely on inquiry and hands-on problem solving as they apply lessons from science, technology, engineering, and math to develop invention prototypes. InvenTeam projects span many fields, from assistive devices to environmental technologies and consumer goods. Applicants are encouraged to consider the needs of the world's poorest people (those earning $2 or less per day) when considering ideas.

Up to thirty-five finalists will be selected from the initial pool of applicants to continue to the next level. The high school teachers of these teams receive Excite Awards and are invited to EurekaFest, a multi-day event celebrating invention at MIT in June. Travel, food, and lodging are provided. Up to fifteen teams will be selected from the finalists to receive grants of up to $10,000 each for the 2011-12 academic year. Grant funds may be used for research, materials, and learning experiences related to the project. Any teacher who facilitates an extracurricular project may allot up to $2,000 of an InvenTeam grant toward a teacher's stipend.

Science, math, and technology teachers at public, private, and vocational high schools are eligible to apply. An InvenTeam can be composed of a small group of students as an extracurricular activity or an entire class. The optimal size for teams is considered to be five to fifteen students. The teacher, assisted by students, is required to apply for the grant. The teacher also recruits students, monitors funds, and supports students through the process.

For the 2011-12 InvenTeams program, the early feedback deadline is March 18, 2011, while the initial application deadline is April 22, 2011.

Visit the MIT Web site for complete program guidelines and information on previous team projects. Link to Complete RFP

SBIR Programs Open

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program at the Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) provides awards up to $1.05 million to small business firms and partners for the research and development (R&D) of commercially viable education technology products or tools. The program accepts proposals to develop products to improve student learning or to improve teacher efficiency in regular education delivery settings, products to improve outcomes among infants or toddlers in early intervention settings or K-12 students in special education settings, or tools used by researchers in the field of education.

FISCAL YEAR 2011 PROGRAM SOLICITATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

The Institute has released two Fiscal Year 2011 Fast-Track (Phase I and Phase II) solicitations.

• Solicitation # ED-IES-11-0009 is a request for proposals for the research and development of education technology products used by students or teachers (or other instructional personnel) or for the research and development of education technology tools used by researchers.
  This solicitation can be found at: https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=89f8c19f6be3f4c296178385731bf49b&tab=core&_cview=0
  The due date and time for the receipt of proposals is 11 A.M. EST on January 18, 2011.
• Solicitation #ED-IES-11-R-0014 is a request for proposals for the research and development of technology products used by children, students, or teachers (or other instructional personnel or service providers) in special education.
  This solicitation can be found at: https://www.fbo.gov/?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=60ef9f4664901460d375833585fd680c&tab=core&_cview=0
  The due date and time for the receipt of proposals is 11 A.M. EST on January 20, 2011.

Toyota International Teacher Program

IIE is currently accepting applications for the inaugural Toyota International Teacher Program to South Africa, scheduled for July 24 – August 10, 2011! The deadline to apply is January 23, 2011, 11:59 PM (EST). Please read through the application instructions carefully before starting the online application. Click here to apply online.

The Toyota International Teacher Program values diversity and encourages educators of all backgrounds, subjects, and school types to apply for this unique professional development opportunity.

National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards

The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities is pleased to present the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards to outstanding after-school and out-of-school programs that are transforming the lives of young people. Programs that receive the award exemplify how arts and humanities programs outside of the regular school day enrich the lives of young people throughout the country by teaching new skills, nurturing creativity, and building self-confidence. These programs offer high-quality and intensive instruction on weekends, afternoons, and summer vacations, providing a safe and productive space for young people in the hours when they are often the most vulnerable. Their carefully focused projects supplement in-school curricula with exposure to a wide variety of artistic and scholastic pursuits. Arts and humanities education has always been a priority for the President’s Committee and is a major focus of the Committee’s ongoing efforts. We are proud of the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award's long record of success in acknowledging and supporting these inspiring programs.

NIH Academic Career Award

Purpose. The purpose of the NIH Academic Career Award (K07) is to provide support to increase the pool of individuals with academic and research expertise to become academic researchers and to enhance the educational or research capacity at the grantee sponsoring grantee institution. The Academic Career Award supports K07 Development awards for more junior level candidates and K07 Leadership awards for more senior individuals with acknowledged scientific expertise and leadership skills. Prospective candidates are encouraged to contact the relevant NIH staff for IC-specific programmatic and budgetary information: Table of Institute and Center Contacts. Mechanism of Support. This FOA will utilize the K07 award mechanism Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards. Awards issued under this FOA are contingent upon the availability of funds and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Link to Full Announcement

http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-058.html

Gannon offers programming contest for students

[From ErieBlogs] High school students who enjoy computing are encouraged to enter Gannon University’s Computer Programming Contest.

The contest is designed as an incentive for students to learn more about programming and to reward quality work. Cash prizes of $300 for first place, $150 for second, $100 for third and $50 for honorable mention will be offered.

Online registration will begin Jan. 5, 2011. Final project submissions are due Feb. 15. There is no cost to enter.

Students can enter individually or as a group and must have a sponsoring teacher. The sponsoring teacher can be any teacher/instructor who is familiar with the student’s or group’s programming skills.

More about the contest’s requirements

Entries can be written in a high-level programming language such as Visual BASIC, C++ or Java, as long as it is executable on a PC running a LINUX or Windows operating system. Games are acceptable as entries.

All entries must be accompanied by clear documentation of:

• The problem the program is intended to solve.
• Instruction of program installation and deployment or complete installation package.
• Operation instruction.

Submissions will be judged on their functionality, design style, user interface and graphic interaction, completeness of documentation of system and platform requirement, clearness of instruction on how to execute the application and the percentage of self-developed code.

For more information on the contest or guidelines, contact Theresa M. Vitolo, Ph.D., chair and associate professor, Gannon University department of computer and information science, at 814-871-7126, or visit http://www.gannon.edu/programcontest.

Bezos Scholars Program

[From Philanthropy News Digest]

The Bezos Scholars Program @ the Aspen Institute seeks twelve top public high school juniors and twelve dynamic educators to receive seven-day, all-expenses-paid scholarships to attend the Aspen Ideas Festival, June 26 to July 2, 2011, in Aspen, Colorado. The program was created by the Bezos Family Foundation to help cultivate the next generation of leaders.

The program seeks independent thinkers, demonstrated leaders, and engaged community members. Past Bezos Scholars have met with retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Secretaries of Education Arne Duncan and Margaret Spellings, oceanographer Sylvia Earle, inventor Dean Kamen, Tom's Shoe's founder Tom Mycoskie, and journalist Thomas Friedman, among other notables.

Following attendance at the Aspen Ideas Festival, the student and educator teams will return home and create Local Ideas Festivals in their schools.

To be eligible for the program, the student and educator team must be from a public high school (including charter and magnet schools) at which at least 25 percent of students are eligible for the free/reduced lunch program. The school must offer Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or the opportunity to take college/community college courses.

Student applicants must be public high school juniors during the 2010-11 academic year who: demonstrate leadership in school and community, have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have scored exceptionally well on PSAT/SAT/or ACT,are enrolled in Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/college classes, and are legal U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.

Visit the Bezos Family Foundation Web site to review the school and scholar criteria, view videos, and download the , program flyer, application form, and an FAQ.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Research Experience for Teachers in Engineering / Computer Science

The Directorate for Engineering (ENG) and the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science program supports the active involvement of K-12 science, technology, engineering, computer and information science, and mathematics (STEM) teachers and community college faculty in engineering and computer science research in order to bring knowledge of engineering, computer science, and technological innovation into their classrooms. The goal is to help build long-term collaborative partnerships between K-12 STEM teachers, community college faculty, and the NSF university research community by involving the teachers and community college faculty in engineering and computer science research and helping them translate their research experiences and new knowledge into classroom activities. Partnerships with inner city schools or other high needs schools are especially encouraged, as is participation by underrepresented minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. This announcement features two mechanisms for support of in-service and pre-service K-12 STEM teachers and community college faculty: RET supplements to ongoing ENG or CISE awards and new RET Site awards. RET supplements may be included in proposals for new or renewed NSF Directorate for Engineering (ENG) or CISE grants or as supplements to ongoing NSF ENG or CISE funded projects. RET in Engineering and Computer Science Sites are based on independent proposals from engineering or computer and information science departments, schools or colleges to initiate and conduct research participation projects for a number of K-12 STEM teachers and/or community college faculty.

NSF Publication 11-509

Lumina Foundation Education grants

[From Philanthropy News Digest]

The Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation for Education has announced third-quarter grants totaling more than $25 million to organizations in twenty states and the District of Columbia working to enhance college access and success.

The grants will support efforts to prepare students academically, financially, and socially for success beyond high school; improve college completion rates; and increase higher education productivity and capacity to serve more students. Grant recipients include Washington, D.C.-based HCM Strategists, which was awarded more than $2.8 million to manage state contracts and coordinate technical support for Lumina's productivity initiative; the Education Trust, which received almost $1.8 million to support the next phase of the Access to Success initiative; and the Rutgers University Foundation, which received $799,700 to help adults finish their degrees online through a state workforce development system.

The foundation also awarded $800,000 to the American Association of Community Colleges to build on community college programs with proven success, $252,300 to the Brookings Institute to improve public-institution and state financial aid policies, and $800,000 to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Foundation to strengthen the RAPID completion program.

"In striving to reach Lumina's Big Goal of increasing the percentage of Americans who hold high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025, we've learned very quickly that Lumina is-and must be-more than just a grant making organization," said Jamie Merisotis, the foundation's president and CEO. "We increasingly recognize that, as an independent foundation pursuing a vital mission, we must also be a leadership organization."

For a complete list of third-quarter grants, visit the Lumina Foundation Web site.

“Lumina Foundation for Education Announces Third-Quarter Grants.” Lumina Foundation for Education Press Release 11/30/10.