# *Up-to-Date with DATE*

Important News and Information from OVAE's Division of Academic and
Technical Education (DATE)

February/March 2008

Editor: Ellen Kelly-Holland (<ellen.holland@ed.gov>)

Correspondents: Nancy Essey and Clara Lawson-Holmes

## 

## Message from the Director

The entire DATE team bids a fond farewell to Bonnie Marmor, State
Director for Career and Technical Education, who is retiring from the
Florida Department of Education on March 31, 2008. DATE staff will miss
Bonnie's extensive experience and wonderful insights that always
contributed to more thoughtful discussions and better approaches for
serving career and technical education students in Florida and across
the nation. We will miss Bonnie's calm disposition and cheerful manner.
We wish Bonnie all the best for an enjoyable retirement!

Sharon Lee Miller

Director, DATE

***New Perkins IV Consolidated Annual Report (CAR)***

A notice inviting public comment on the new Consolidated Annual Report
(CAR) form on which states will report data under the Carl D. Perkins
Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) has been posted
by the department in the [Federal Register]{.underline}. Please visit:
<http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20081800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/08-648.pdf/>

Requests for copies of the proposed information collection may be
accessed from [http://edicsweb.ed.gov](http://edicsweb.ed.gov/), by
selecting the ''Browse Pending Collections'' link and clicking on link
number 3576. When you access the information collection, click on
''Download Attachments'' to view the CAR form.

Please take time to review the new CAR and let us know your thoughts
about how it can be improved!

***Estimated State Allocations for FY 2008 Perkins IV Grant Awards***

A memo from Assistant Secretary Troy Justesen was issued last week with
estimated state allocations for FY 2008 Perkins IV grant awards. The
memo will be posted shortly to OVAE's Web site. Meanwhile, if you need a
copy, please contact Carole Gisriel at <carole.gisriel@ed.gov> or (202)
245-7719.

Questions about your state's allocations may be directed to Andy Johnson
at <andrew.johnson@ed.gov> or (202) 245-7786.

***FY 2004-2005 Report to Congress***

The FY 2004-05 report to Congress on states' performance under the Carl
D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III)
has been posted to OVAE's Web site at
<http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/ovae/2005perkins.pdf>

***Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) Review***

DATE staff are finalizing their reviews of state's FY 2006-07
Consolidated Annual Reports (CAR). As in year's past, each state will
receive a letter from Sharon Miller with the results of its CAR review.
The letter will note any issues and/or deficiencies that might result in
special conditions being attached to a state's July 1, 2008, Perkins
grant awards. Letters will be issued in mid-March.

**Financial Management Workshop Planned**

DATE staff members are planning a financial management workshop on
September 11, 2008, in Mystic, CT, to coincide with the 2008 National
Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium
(NASDCTEc) meeting. The workshop will provide a forum for state CTE
directors and their financial management personnel to develop a better
understanding of the financial processes and requirements of the U.S.
Department of Education. Tentative topics on the agenda include
financial reporting, maintenance of effort/matching, GAPS drawdowns,
time distribution, and indirect costs. A Save-the-Date notice and
tentative agenda will be issued within the next few months.

For more information, contact either Nancy Essey at <nancy.essey@ed.gov>
on (202) 245-7789 or Sterling August at <sterling.august@ed.gov> on
(202) 245-6046.

## OVAE Morning Planned for NASDCTEc Spring Meeting 

The morning session on April 2^nd^ of the NASDCTEc spring meeting will
be devoted to OVAE's implementation of the Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV). Agenda items include:

-   *Breakfast and Open Dialogue* moderated by Sharon Lee Miller,
    Director of the Division of Academic and Technical Education

-   *Discussion* with Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult
    Education Troy Justesen

-   *Accountability Panel Discussion* moderated by John Haigh, Chief of
    the Accountability and Performance Branch

-   *State Administration Update* moderated by Edward Smith, Branch
    Chief, Program Administration

-   *Program Initiatives Update* moderated by Scott Hess, Branch Chief,
    College and Career Transitions

-   *Community College Initiative Update* by Pat Stanley, Deputy
    Assistant Secretary

For more information about this morning session, contact Nancy Brooks at
<nancy.brooks@ed.gov> or (202) 245-7774, or Steve Frank at
<steve.frank@ed.gov> or (202) 245-6051.

***State Scholars Summit Planned***

## ***OVAE, in collaboration with the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE) will host a* National Summit on Academic Rigor and Relevance *on April 29-30, 2008,*** ***at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers in Boston, MA. The purpose of the summit is two-fold: (1) to examine the role and effectiveness of the business community in driving national education reform conversations; and (2) to discuss policies and reform efforts to increase academic rigor and relevance in high school.***

## 

## ***All states have been invited to send one six-member team to the summit. Twenty-three states have registered teams so far: AR, AZ, CT, FL, IA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, NE, NH, NM, OK, SD, TN, UT, VA, WV, and WY. The first 40 states to register a team will be provided honoraria, which will cover registration fees, meals, and lodging for up to two nights for each team member.*** 

For more information, please contact Nancy Brooks at
<nancy.brooks@ed.gov> or (202) 245-7774, or Terese Rainwater at
<trainwater@wiche.edu> or (303) 541-0225.

***New DVD to Guide Eighth Grade Students into Rigorous Math Programs***

The Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE), as part
of the State Scholars Initiative, has produced a 17-minute DVD *Do the
Math* that encourages 8th graders to register for a rigorous high school
course of study. This informational video contains interviews with a
wide range of professionals that include Nobel Prize-winning physicist
Leon Lederman (also an SSI Advisory Board member), a TV sports reporter,
an MIT robot-inventor, a fashion designer, an award-winning composer, a
Princeton sociologist (the first in her family to go to college) and
others.  Participants were asked to tell students in real-life terms why
a rigorous course of study that includes math, science, social studies,
English, and foreign language is so important today, and so critical to
their own professional work.  In addition, high school students in
several SSI states were asked to reflect on their dreams for the future
and how a rigorous course of study like SSI's could help them achieve
those dreams. The DVD is available as a streamed video and as a pod
cast. Please visit: <http://www.wiche.edu/statescholars/dvd/>

For news about other SSI programs and products, please see the latest
edition of the SSI newsletter at:
<http://www.wiche.edu/statescholars/newsletter/>

***Career Pathway Plan Presented to DOT/ Maritime Groups***

Gisela Harkin, OVAE's Career Development Program Officer, will address
The Ship Operations Cooperative Program Conference on the topic *Career
Pathway Plan of Study for Learners, Parents, Counselors, and Teachers
within the Transportation Cluster*.

The Ship Operations Cooperative Program is an industry-government
partnership sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and
Maritime Administration. They are hosting the conference on April 1-2,
2008, at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies in
Linthicum Heights, Maryland. The goal of the conference is to connect
people and institutions that share common interests in promoting
maritime education and examine ways to increase awareness about the
career opportunities for graduates of these programs within the maritime
industry.

For further information on the transportation cluster, please contact
Gisela Harkin at: <Gisela.Harkin@ed.gov> or (202) 245-7796**.**

***Perkins Monitoring Team Visits Utah in March***

The monitoring team will conduct a full site visit to Utah the week of
March 3-7, 2008. After this visit, the monitoring team will take a
long-deserved break---although they will be reading five-year state
plans!---until June.

For further information, please contact Andy Johnson at:
<Andrew.johnson@ed.gov> or (202) 245-7786.

## OVAE Participates in the National Council of Rehabilitation Educators 2008 Spring Conference

Scott Hess, Chief of DATE's College and Career Transition Branch and
Edward Smith, Chief of DATE's Program Administration Branch addressed
the National Council of Rehabilitation Educators 2008 Spring Conference
in San Antonio, TX, on February 14, 2008. They addressed the topic of
*Sixteen Career Clusters: An Important Tool in the Development of a
Successful Transition Plan for Students with Disabilities.*

The session presented the efforts of OVAE, in collaboration with the
Department's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
(OSERS), to adapt the career cluster model for use with students with
disabilities and their parents, vocational rehabilitation (VR)
counselors, and special education educators. The 16 career clusters,
with their emphasis on programs of study, are invaluable tools that can
assist VR counselors, transition coordinators, and special education
educators in developing transition plans for students who are eligible
for services provided by state VR agencies.

For more information on this effort, contact Scott Hess at:
<scott.hess@ed.gov> or (202) 245-7772.

***Agricultural Education News***

On February 19, 2008, Larry Case, National FFA Advisor and CEO,
represented the National FFA Organization at the American Society of
Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) during their annual awards
luncheon where they were recognized as the 2007-2008 recipient of the
Carl F. Hertz Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award.

This award is presented to an individual or group in appreciation for
their service to agriculture other than directly in the farm management
and rural appraisal professions. Former recipients have included:
Orville G. Bentley, first Assistant Secretary for Science and Education;
Earl O. Heady, White House Committee on Domestic Affairs for expertise
on agricultural development issues under LBJ; Dean Kleckner, president
of the American Farm Bureau Federation; John Block, Secretary of
Agriculture and James R. Moseley, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture at the
U.S. Department of Agriculture; and Congressmen Charles Stenholm and
Richard Lugar, all great leaders of agriculture from many walks of life.
This award is a testament to the work of all agricultural education
professionals across our nation committed to providing strong local and
state programs.

For more information on the award, contact Larry Case at
<larry.case@ed.gov> or (202) 245-7779.

***Mark Your Calendar!***

***Note: Events listed below are sponsored or funded by OVAE, or are
events at which OVAE will present.***

+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| ### Event Title/Sponsor     | ### Dates/Location | ### DAT            |
|                             |                    | E Point of Contact |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| Monitoring team visit to    | March 3-7, 2008    | <andr              |
| the state of Utah           | Salt Lake City,    | ew.johnson@ed.gov> |
|                             | Utah               |                    |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| 2008 State CTE Director's   | March 29 - April   | <na                |
| Spring Meeting --           | 2, 2008            | ncy.brooks@ed.gov> |
| *NASDCTEc*                  |                    |                    |
|                             | Washington, DC     | <s                 |
|                             |                    | teve.frank@ed.gov> |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| The Ship Operations         | April 1-2, 2008    | <gis               |
| Cooperative Program         | Linthicum Heights, | ela.harkin@ed.gov> |
| Conference - *Maritime      | MD                 |                    |
| Institute of Technology and |                    |                    |
| Graduate Studies*           |                    |                    |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| State Scholars Initiative   | April 29-30, 2008  | [nancy.brooks@     |
| (SSI) Institute -- *Western |                    | ed.gov](mailto:ell |
| Interstate Commission on    | Boston, MA         | en.holland@ed.gov) |
| Higher Education (WICHE)*   |                    |                    |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| 28^th^ Annual Conference of | May 20-23, 2008    | <                  |
| the National Association    |                    | john.haigh@ed.gov> |
| for Career and Technical    | Boise, ID          |                    |
| Education Information --    |                    |                    |
| *NASDCTEc/NACTEI*           |                    |                    |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| 2008 International          | May 25-28, 2008    | <ell               |
| Conference on Teaching and  |                    | en.holland@ed.gov> |
| Leadership Development -    | Austin, TX         |                    |
| *National Institute for     |                    |                    |
| Staff and Organizational    |                    |                    |
| Development (NISOD)*        |                    |                    |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| 6^th^ Annual Career         | June 16-18, 2008   | <                  |
| Clusters Institute --       | Atlanta, GA        | scott.hess@ed.gov> |
| *NASDCTEc*                  |                    |                    |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+
| Financial Management        | September 11, 2008 | <n                 |
| Institute (FMI)             | Mystic, CT         | ancy.essey@ed.gov> |
+-----------------------------+--------------------+--------------------+

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