NCSL EDUCATION PROJECTS AND SERVICES
The NCSL Education Program collects information relating to all state and federal education issues, including school readiness, K-12 education, postsecondary education and adult learning. The program tracks legislative action in the states, identifies new and important research and the effects on public policy, and disseminates information on sucessful state innovations. Legislators and staff may contact NCSL staff for information about an education issue, to pursue involvement in any of our special projects, or to arrange for technical assistance in your state.
CURRENT PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES
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Education Finance
NCSL provides legislators and legislative staff with a wide variety of timely and useful information, including school funding formulas, adequacy, equity, special education finance, links between finance and student achievement, and many others.
Staff Contact: Daniel Thatcher
Teaching Quality
NCSL tracks state teaching quality initiatives and connects legislators to the latest research and reform efforts. We work closely with the major organizations around the country that are engaged in the issue.
Staff Contact: Michelle Exstrom
Maintaining Access and Affordability in Tough Economic Times.
Supported by the Lumina and Ford Foundations, this effort is taking a critical look at the way states support higher education. A Blue Ribbon Commission of state legislators is examining options for states. Recommendations will be debated and discussed throughout 2006 and 2007.
Staff Contact: Julie Davis Bell
Engaging Latinos Communities for Education (ENLACE)
With support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, NCSL is working with state legislators to develop models that improve college access and success, especially for underrepresented populations.
Staff Contact: Carlos Valverde
After-School Programs
Funded by the Mott Foundation, this project tracks and analyzes state activity on after-school and extra learning programs.
Staff Contact: Jennifer Stedron, Heather Chikoore
School Leadership
Under the Wallace Foundation's "Leaders Count" initiative, NCSL is part of the State Action for Education Leadership Project (SAELP) that works with state policy reforms to increase the number and quality of school leaders nationwide.
Staff Contact: Sara Vitaska
Education for the 21st Century
We are engaged in several activities that examine how state education policies might change to better support our global economy.
Staff Contact: Heather Chikoore
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Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN)
Co-sponsored by NCSL and ECS, LESN provides professional development and networking opportunities for education staff through a web page, listserve, newsletter, meetings and seminars. Staff Contact: Sara Vitaska
No Child Left Behind
NCSL closely tracks state and federal activity related to the implementation of NCSL and provides materials and information to legislators and staff. Staff Contact: David Shreve
Education Bill Tracking Database
The database contains summaries of more than 1,000 legislative actions on education from 2002 through the present. Searches can be performed by issue area, keyword, bill number or year. Staff Contact: Lamar Bailey
NCSL Education Committee
The committee studies federal and state education issues, and provides a forum for discussion between legislators and legislative staff and sets NCSL's federal policy agenda.
Staff Contact: Jennifer Stedron, Michelle Exstrom, David Shreve, Robert Strange
High School Redesign
Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this project focuses on the redesign of America's high schools to ensure all students achieve at high levels.
Staff Contact. Sunny Deye
Education Technology
Supported by the NCSL Foundation for State Legislatures, this project brings together private sector representatives, legislators, and legislative staff to examine trends and issues in education technology. A series of papers and meeting sessions will investigate new and emerging issues.
Staff Contact: Heather Chikoore
IDEA Partnership
This partnership brings NCSL together with other state and local policymakers regarding issues of special ed policy and funding.
Staff Contact: Jennifer Stedron
Legislative Education Chairs Network
A joint effort of NCSL and ECS the network provides chairs of education committees a forum to discuss current policy trends through a web page, listserve, newsletter and an annual seminar.
Staff Contact Julie Davis Bell
Improving Outcomes for Students: Linking Research and Policy
This partnership with the US Deptment of Education's Institute of Education Sciences provides opportunities for Legislators and staff to study important education research and discuss the implications for policy.
Staff Contact: Julie Davis Bell, Michelle Exstrom |
Opportunities for States
NCSL Staff are available to provide information, in-state support and testimony to state legislatures on all these issues. We can also help conduct audits or inventories of current policy and practice. Please contact us if we can assist your state.
Regular Meetings
The NCSL Education Program hosts meetings of the NCSL Standing Committee on Education; the Annual Education Finance Seminar; legislative education chairs and staff seminars; and the NCSL Annual Meeting. Throughout the year we also sponsor a variety of focused issue workshops, such as the higher institute and teaching quality seminar.
Publications
The NCSL Education Program produces publications that address topics of interest to state legislators and legislative staff. Recent topics include teachers, school leadership, high school reform, higher education, technology and the NCLB Task Force Report. For a full listing of publications, go to the NCSL web site www.ncsl.org/public/catalog/catdir.htm
EDUCATION STAFF
DENVER OFFICE
Julie Davis Bell - higher eduction
Lamar Bailey - alternative education, class size, charter schools, school choice, vouchers, school safety, character education, civics education and patriotism, community service, compulsory education, discipline, expulsion, parental involvement, reading, religion in schools, school calendar, suspension, social promotion, school safety, testing, truancy, general legislative tracking
Sunny Deye - dropouts, K-16 issues, middle schools, high school reform, remedial education
Michelle Exstrom - teaching quality, NCSL Education Committee
Heather Chikoore - science, math and technology, after school programs, time & learning
Barbara Houlik - general education program support
Erica Mancha Cordova- bilingual education, home schooling
Jennifer Stedron - school readiness, kindergarten, special education, after-school programs, time and learning, NCSL Education Committee
Vincent Badolato - higher education, community colleges, adult learning
Daniel Thatcher - No Child Left Behind, school finance
Carlos Valverde - achievement gap, college access, college prep, scholarships/financial aid, undocumented students
Sara Vitaska - school leadership, governance, Legislative Education Staff Network (LESN)
WASHINGTON, D.C., OFFICE
David Shreve - federal education issues, special education, NCLB, NCSL Education Committee
Robert Strange - Learn, Work & Earn Project, NCSL State-Federal Relations Division
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