Dear Education Advocates:
May and June are exciting months in education. This is when we witness a traditional rite of passage for young men and women: high school and college graduations. There is no prouder moment than to see your child, your student, or your friend walk across the stage and receive a diploma or degree that acknowledges their many years of dedication and perseverance. When my daughter received her preschool diploma and proudly announced, “When I grow up I want to be a nurse!” there was no shortage of tears and smiles among the familia, especially from her Aunty Mary, in whose footsteps she wanted to follow.
Amid the congratulatory hugs, there is an abundance of thank yous going around. Thank you to the friends for making the journey a fun one. Thank you to the educators for making you learn—even if you didn’t particularly want to know any more about theorems, atoms, or imperial reorganization. Above all, thanks is given to perhaps the most important people of all—parents.
In a recent blog post, Delia Pompa, Senior Vice President of Programs at NCLR, said, “Experience and research tell us that parents can be the most effective factor in how a child learns.” At NCLR, we see parents as not just recipients of knowledge, but as critical partners in the work that we do. Parents provide the perspective that helps us shape and carry out our policy and programmatic objectives; their voices bring passion and commitment to ensuring that the needs of their children and the community are being met.
In our Common Core State Standards (CCSS) campaign across the states, we are working diligently to reach as many parents as possible to inform them about what the standards are and what they are not. We are encouraging them to become a part of the process by asking the tough questions about implementation and how they can help their children succeed inside and outside the classroom. We recently had the privilege of hosting two parent meetings in partnership with two of our Affiliates in California, El Concilio in Stockton and TODEC Legal Center in Perris.
During the course of these two meetings, we heard parents express their commitment to their children’s education and desire to do all they can to help their children thrive. But many did express their misgivings about the new standards, not because they didn’t agree with them, but because they had not yet learned what the Common Core is or how it works. As Pedro Silva, our California lead in our CCSS campaign, walked them through the facts and nuances of the standards, it became abundantly clear that the goals of our parents resonated with those of the new standards.
Parents want their children to be held to higher, more rigorous standards. They want their children “Que tenga el empeno para aprender” (“to have the commitment to learn”), as one parent stated, and to have “la iniciativa y las ganas para sobresalir” (“to have the drive and the desire to excel”), as another parent stated. Parents talked about wanting their children to accomplish more than they themselves have, and they spoke proudly of those children who are doing well in school, who graduated, and who are now in college and beyond. They raised questions and concerns about things that are not going so well and what they can do to provoke change. Most of all, they recognized and spoke passionately about the role they must play to guide their children through the education pipeline and how they can be more vocal, active partners in the schools their children attend.
We believe in the promise of the Common Core State Standards and believe our Latino children can excel with the new rigorous standards. With parents by our side, we can make this a reality.
Sincerely,
Leticia Bustillos,
Associate Director, Education Policy Project
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The 2014 NCLR Annual Conference
 On July 19–22, NCLR will convene the most influential voices in and working with the Latino community at its preeminent Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The Conference, themed “Think. Create. Aspire.”, will feature more than 60 workshops, four town halls, five key meal events (including the Latinas Brunch and the NCLR Awards Gala), and multiple networking opportunities. Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear and learn from prominent leaders and experts on current issues in education, immigration, health, civil rights, workforce development, and youth leadership, among others topics, impacting the lives of Latinos.
The following education workshops will be featured at Conference:
- Everyone In It Together: Why Parent Engagement Matters
- What If…College? Moving Latino Students to and through Higher Education
- The Escalera Program: A National Learning Community
- Early Childhood Education: A Bridge toward Immigrant Integration
- Step Up to College, Step Into a Career: NCLR’s Campaign for the Effective Implementation of the Common Core
The National Latino Family Expo is free and open to the public. Register now for NCLR’s Annual Conference.
NCLR Hosts Training and Advocacy Days for ECE Fellows
On June 3–4, five fellows from the National Institute for Latino Leaders in Early Childhood Education (NILLECE), gathered at NCLR for two days of training and advocacy. NILLECE is an NCLR initiative that supports reform-minded early childhood education leaders in bridging the gap between policy and practice. The fellows, who represented Wisconsin, California, New Mexico, and Florida, shared policy memos that highlighted recommendations for state and federal officials on expanding access to early childhood education programs. On both days, they met with staff in the following offices:
During their Hill visits, fellows spoke to congressional staff about their experiences working in early childhood education and the innovative programs that their organizations have implemented over the years to optimize educational outcomes for Latino students and families.
NCLR Spreads Efforts in Support of the Common Core State Standards
This month NCLR continued its efforts in the media to promote and advocate for the Common Core State Standards. Here are some featured media postings:
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Report on Promise Neighborhoods Program Released
The Government Accountability Office released a report on the Promise Neighborhoods program, which examined (1) the extent to which the Department of Education’s (DOE) strategy for awarding grants aligns with program goals, if at all; (2) how the DOE aligns Promise Neighborhoods efforts with other related programs; (3) how the DOE evaluates grantees’ efforts; and (4) the extent to which Promise Neighborhoods grants have enabled collaboration at the local level, if at all, and the results of such collaboration.
The report found that the grants do encourage collaboration across organizations, but it also found that the DOE does not have a system to effectively evaluate the program and the reliability of the data that its grant recipients collect. Since 2012, three NCLR Affiliates have been recipients of Promise Neighborhood grant awards: Youth Policy Institute (YPI) in Los Angeles, Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in San Francisco, and Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation in Brooklyn.
President Announces New STEM Initiatives
At the White House Science Fair on May 27, President Obama announced several new  initiatives around STEM education as part of his “Educate to Innovate” campaign. The initiative would include a $35 million grant program to train STEM teachers, expand the STEM AmeriCorps program, and add a new STEM mentoring program. More information about Educate to Innovate can be foundhere.
NCLR is committed to supporting greater numbers of Latinos accessing the STEM workforce, as Latino representation in the field stands at 7%. With the generous support of Shell, NCLR is launching an innovative STEM curriculum that seeks to bolster Latino representation in STEM fields. Aligned to the Common Core State Standards and culturally relevant to Latino youth, Escalera STEM leads students to develop a STEM mindset, one that encourages problem-solving, creativity, and, ultimately, innovation. For more information on NCLR’s work in STEM education, please contact Juliana Ospina at jospina@nclr.org.
Some Movement On FY 2015 Budget
The Senate Appropriations Committee released its approved 302(b) allocations for FY 2015. The allocation for the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Subcommittee is $156.773 billion, which is level funded compared to the final FY 2014 funding level. The Senate allocation is $1.08 billion more than the House allocation of $155.693 billion.
On June 10, the LHHS Subcommittee marked up a FY 2015 LHHS appropriations bill, which passed without amendments. Although a full committee markup of the bill was expected to happen on June 12, Chairman Tom Harkin (D–IA) said that the markup would not take place and that there are no plans for when the markup might occur.
The Senate is expected to bring a “minibus” package of  appropriations bills to the Senate floor next week, including agriculture; commerce, justice, science; and transportation and housing and urban development.
Senate Takes On Student Loan Issues
On June 11, the Senate failed to reach cloture to advance Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D–MA) student loan bill to the Senate floor. The cloture vote for S. 2432, the “Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act,” was 56 to 38. The bill would allow student loan borrowers to refinance their federal student loans and private education loans at the present interest rates offered on undergraduate, graduate, and PLUS loans. The bill would offset the cost of refinancing federal student loans by including a new minimum tax for adjusted gross income between $1 million and $2 million. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) said the bill may be brought up again later this session.
Additionally the Senate Committee on the Budget had held a hearing on June 4 on “The Impact of Student Loan Debt on Borrowers and the Economy,” where Sen. Warren’s student loan bill was examined. Democrats discussed how the proposal would allow student loan borrowers to refinance their student loans at lower interest rates. Republicans suggested that it would add to the deficit. Several stated that Congress should instead address what they defined as “the root of the problem,” which is rising college costs.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) proposed a discussion draft to the Senate HELP Committee, to reauthorize the HEA (Higher Education Act). NCLR sent a letter of support in response, and hopes that Congress will continue to work on addressing issues of student loans and the rising cost of college.
Higher Education Bills Released
On June 25, HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D–IA) released a draft proposal for reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA), named “The Higher Education Affordability Act.” Chairman Harkin has asked for feedback on the bill from interested stakeholders and submissions should be sent to HEAA2014@help.senate.gov by August 29, 2014. NCLR is pleased to see the Senate moving forward with HEA reauthorization and hopes to continue working with them as they finalize a bill.
On June 24, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R–MN) and Higher Education Subcommittee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R–NC) released a white paper outlining principles that will guide the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Two days later on June 26, Chairman Kline introduced the first three bills in a series of bills to reauthorize the Higher Education Act:
House Moves Forward on “FIRST Act”
 On May 28, the House Science Committee passed the “Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology (FIRST) Act of 2014” (H.R. 4186) by a vote of 20 to 16. The bill reauthorizes some federal scientific research programs, including programs administered by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in the America COMPETES Act. The committee began marking up the bill on May 20; amendments were debated, but roll-call votes on the amendments and final passage were postponed. A summary of the amendments introduced during the markup can be found here.
President Releases Executive Order on Federal Student Loan Repayments
On June 9, President Barack Obama issued an executive order directing the Secretaries of Education and the Treasury to work collaboratively to increase awareness of repayment options for borrowers and develop a pilot project to test the effectiveness of loan counseling resources. He also asked the Department of Education to propose regulations within the next year to expand the Pay As You Earn plan, which caps student loan payments at 10% of a borrower’s monthly income and forgives loans after 20 years, and to develop new communication strategies for borrowers to better understand their options for paying back student loans. NCLR is pleased that the president has moved forward on addressing the student loan issue and awaits Congress to do so as well.
Proposed College Ratings System Delayed
U.S. Department of Education Deputy Under Secretary Jamienne Studley announced in a blog post that the department has delayed the timeline for the administration’s proposed college rating system. The department had originally stated that they expected to publish a draft plan this spring, but Studley said they will now release a proposal this fall and a final version before the 2015–16 school year.
Workforce Investment Act Passes Senate Floor
 On June 25, the Senate passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WOIA), a bipartisan bill, by a majority vote of 95-3. The bill was acompromise between the leadership of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) and the House Education and the Workforce Committee, on a reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act, after resolving differences between the SKILLS Act which passed the House in 2013, and the Workforce Investment Act of 2013 which was reported by the Senate HELP Committee in 2013. In response, NCLR sent a letter of support to congratulate some Senate HELP and House Education and the Workforce Committee leaders on the passage of the bill and encouraging stronger congressional investment in the fast-growing Latino workforce.
New Round of GEAR UP Announced
The U.S. Department of Education announced a new round of GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grants, which are partnership grants and state grants. There is $75 million available in this competition, which will prioritize applications that coordinate with Promise Zones. Applications are due July 7, 2014.
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NCLR Meets with New York City Legislatures on Common Core
On May 27–29, NCLR organized a briefing with state legislators and officials of the education department in New York City and Albany to present its CCSS campaign efforts and, discuss best practices to ensure that all students have access to college and career-ready standards. Legislators provided NCLR feedback on their concerns as well as that of the New York public, in response to the implementation of the Common Core. Officials involved were:
NCLR Presents to Parents in California on Common Core
On May 29 and June 12, NCLR and Affiliates El Concilio and TODEC Legal Center organized .jpg) two community presentations with 100 migrant Spanish-speaking parents in Stockton and Riverside, California to discuss how the Common Core will better prepare Latino and immigrant students for college and the workforce. They highlighted the standards’ focus on analytical and critical thinking, the connection of curricula to the real world, and the opportunities they give educators and parents to effectively assess a child’s academic progress. Most of the attendees, who were learning about the standards for the first time, had wards mainly in the K–12 school system. NCLR shared bilingual resources with the participating parents with communication tips on how to engage with school administrators, teachers, and counselors at their ward’s school.
NCLR Webinar on the Impact of the Common Core on New York’s Latinos
On June 18, NCLR held a webinar titled “New York: Common Core State Standards and Their Impact on the Latino Community.” It is the second of an ongoing series of webinars for NCLR’s Step Up, Step In Common Core campaign. It was moderated by Rafael Collazo, Director of Political Campaigns, NCLR, and featured panelists Vanessa Ramos, Senior Director of Policy at the Community for Hispanic Families and Children (an NCLR Affiliate), and Dr. Vashti Acosta, Principal of Amber Charter School (an NCLR Affiliate), in New York City.
The presentation detailed how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards could promote college readiness, increase college retention and job-readiness, better support ELL students, and engage parents.
For additional presentation materials, please contact learn@nclr.org.
NCLR Latino Leadership Briefing in Arizona
NCLR co-hosted a Latino Leadership briefing on June 26, in Tucson, Arizona, titled “Arizona’s College- and Career-Ready Standards: An Opportunity for Latino Success” to discuss strategies to support the successful implementation of the CCSS. The briefing was moderated by Leticia de la Vara, Senior Strategist, NCLR, and featured panelists from the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Chicanos Por La Causa (an NCLR Affiliate), Sahuarita Unified School District, and CE Rose Elementary School. It was primarily attended by school administrators and business and community leaders who shared their perspectives on the potential of the higher standards to increase Latino student success rates.
As Arizona's schools prepare to start another academic year, it is important to keep community members engaged and parents informed of ways they can effectively advocate for the success of their state’s standards.
NCLR to Organize CCSS Town Hall in New York
 On July 12, NCLR will co-organize a town hall with the New York Urban Leaguefocusing on the current issues developing within the state’s education system from prekindergarten to high school and beyond. The town hall will:
Educate on what the Common Core State Standards are
Empower parents to be more involved, which is key to children’s overall academic success
Share programmatic opportunities available for English language learners
The session will be held at Alianza Dominicana in Washington Heights, New York, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Spanish translation will be provided. Please see the event flyer for more details! |
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