National Governors Association selects Alabama for workforce development grant
Alabama has been selected by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices as one of six states to participate in a policy academy focused on work-based learning aimed at producing a skilled workforce, Governor Kay Ivey announced on Monday According to a new release from Ivey, work-based learning blends work experience and applied learning to develop foundational and technical skills in hopes of expanding a person’s education, career and employment opportunities. “When I announced my Strong Start, Strong Finish education initiative, I made clear my desire to give Alabamians the best opportunities possible to obtain the skills necessary to be competitive in the workforce,” Ivey said. “I am thankful to the National Governors Association for choosing Alabama to work collaboratively with other states to develop concrete plans to develop our workforce.” As part of the NGA policy academy, Alabama along with Idaho, Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina and Rhode Island, will share best practices; develop plans to identify and scale high-quality programs; and develop policies to support and sustain work-based learning initiatives. Specifically, a focus will be placed on creating opportunities for youth and young adults, ages 16 -29, to get hands-on experience in STEM industries, such as advanced manufacturing, health care, information technology and energy. “As our automotive, aerospace and technology sectors continue to expand, it is critical that Alabama begins preparing our people now for the work that surely is to come to our state,” Ivey continued. “Workforce development is a key factor in attracting new businesses and a critical component for encouraging existing firms to expand. Developing quality workers is so important. I am ever so grateful to those who helped secure this grant for Alabama; their work is going to help put other Alabamians to work.” The NGA work-based learning policy academy is funded by the Siemens Foundation. Alabama was only one of six states to be chosen from 16 applicant states.
Robert Bentley to chair Education Workforce Committee during NGA winter conference
Governor Robert Bentley will join 45 of his gubernatorial colleagues from across the country in Washington, D.C. this weekend for the National Governors Association (NGA) winter conference. There, Bentley and the other state governors will discuss a wide range of topics that are important to the future of the State of Alabama. Items on the agenda include: health care, energy, early childhood education, transportation,infrastructure, homeland security, cybersecurity, public safety, health care reform, conservation management and species preservation. At the conference, Bentley will also serve as chair of the NGA Education and Workforce Committee — a topic that will open this year’s conference — along with his co-chair Washington-state Democrat, Governor Jay Inslee. “Throughout my term as Governor, I have advocated for a strong foundation for children with Alabama’s high quality First Class Pre-K program,” Bentley said in a news release. “This year, I have the great opportunity to chair the Education and Workforce Committee, and am very excited to help lead this session.” Bentley continued, “Every child deserves the opportunity to have a high quality education. I am looking forward to working with other governors as we make early childhood education a priority and continue to advocate for state control and federal support in education decisions, so that all our students can achieve their goals and prosper as adult citizens.” Alabama has seen tremendous success in early childhood education through the high quality First Class Pre-K program. Bentley will share results proven in Alabama’s Pre-K students and his plan to continue expanding the reach of Pre-K. Bentley will also discuss integrating successful components of the Pre-K model through the third grade. Directly following the session, the governors will meet to adopt their new policy positions, including one that makes early education a priority. President Donald Trump will meet with the Bentley and the other governors Monday morning to discuss several important policy issues.
Email insights: Robert Bentley named vice chair of NGA Education and Workforce Committee
Gov. Robert Bentley‘s media office said Monday that on Saturday he was picked as vice chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) Education and Workforce Committee by NGA Chairman Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and NGA Vice Chairman Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe during the 2015 NGA Summer Conference in West Virginia. According to the NGA website, “The Education and Workforce Committee has jurisdiction over issues in the area of education (including early childhood, K-12, and post-secondary) as well as in the areas of workforce development. Members of the committee ensure that the governors’ views are represented in the shaping of federal policy.” The Education and Workforce Committee handles issues dealing with education related to early childhood, K-12 and post-secondary as well as workforce development. Members of the committee ensure that governors’ views are represented in the shaping of federal policy. “Education and workforce development are very important issues to me, and I look forward to serving on the NGA Education and Workforce Committee,” Governor Bentley said. “Alabama has made significant strides in preparing students for success in college and their careers. As governors, we are uniquely positioned to influence federal legislation and regulations that affect education and workforce policies. I look forward to sharing Alabama’s success in the area of workforce development with other governors.” In 2014, Governor Bentley created the Alabama Workforce Council to advise and support members of the State School Board, the Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System, presidents of Alabama’s four-year institutions and the Superintendent of the Department of Education on ways to more closely tailor the state’s workforce education programs with the workforce needs of new and existing Alabama business and industry. During the 2015 Regular Session, Governor Bentley supported and signed legislation aimed at streamlining workforce development efforts across state government, creating a one-stop-shop for job creation and meeting industries’ needs.
Ann Eubank: Why the Senate should pass SB101 rejecting Common Core
One of the biggest frauds ever perpetrated on the American people is the Common Core State Standards Initiative. There could be nothing farther from the truth than the assertion that proponents constantly use “that it was state-led.” The standards actually were written by five people in a back room, led by David Coleman of Achieve, who has a degree in philosophy but no classroom experience. Instead of raising academic standards as it was touted to do, it was designed by statists inside the federal education bureaucracy to be one great big sociology experiment on our children. What accounts for Common Core Standards being accepted by 45 states are not actual facts that prove that they were “rigorous,” or that they led to “critical thinking,” but instead by a great deal of money from the Race to the Top Federal grants and wealthy private corporatists. Republican governors were suckered into adopting CCSS by the Department of Education dangling the proverbial carrot of money only if they agreed to 1) accept a common set of standards, 2) implement charter schools, and 3) set up a data collection system. At a time of severe financial crisis in many states, any money source was acceptable regardless of requirements. Very few states actually received money to help implement the standards. The main draw for the states was the illegal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Waiver. The onerous NCLB annual yearly progress goals were due and a big percentage of states were going to be penalized millions of education dollars they could not afford. So, they signed on the bottom line, “sight unseen.” Most signed on before the standards were even written. The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers own and have a copyright on the Common Core State Standards. Contrary to frequent statements that our state could change the standards to become “Alabama standards,” not much “modification” could be done to them. Each state was allowed a 15 percent addition to the standards. However, this 15 percent would not be tested on the required national assessments. After all, if each state’s standards varied 15 percent how could they be “common” to the entire nation? All across the United States the Common Core State Standards are a failure in both implementation and assessment. That has spawned stop Common Core groups in every state. Countless academics have speculated that it will slow learning by two years. I wonder, is that why President Barack Obama now wants two years of community college to be free? Are we just extending high school to recover the length of the time lost with the implementation of Common Core? There are now more than 20 states that have either passed, or are attempting to pass bills in their respective state legislatures to withdraw from the Common Core State Standards. Alabama is one of them. Our parents and teachers, who are brave enough to go against the culture of intimidation, are fighting for their children’s minds. Supporters commonly misrepresent the fact that parents support high academic standards and therefore they support Common Core. Parents do support high standards for our children; however, a majority of parents at this point do not support CCSSI. Standards and assessments drive the curriculum, materials and textbooks. Parents are often shocked at their content. They are appalled at what their children are learning in the classroom and the homework they are bringing home. That’s why it’s so important that the Alabama State Senate takes up and passes Senate Bill 101 repealing Common Core Standards in Alabama. The only way is for Republicans to return to their conservative roots and repeal the Common Core State Standards, and then put a stop to the Department of Education from interfering with the local control of education. That’s why I encourage everyone to write and call their state senator: Tell them they must pass Senate Bill 101 to repeal Common Core and restore common sense to education. Ann Eubank is co-chair of Rainy Day Patriots (Jefferson/Shelby County), and the legislative chair of the Alabama Legislative Watchdogs. Ann is a frequent visitor of the statehouse and has bridged the gap between strong advocate and respected resource for members. She is also a member of the Alabamians United for Excellence in Education Taskforce and several other Stop Common Core groups.
