BOISE — A special board meeting to review and approve all proposed rules will be November 1 beginning at 9 a.m. MST via teleconference. To listen to the meeting, call: 877-232-4392 and dial 836928 as the participant code.
The call will originate from the basement conference room in the Len B. Jordan Building in Boise.
Among the rules the Board will consider is a plan to increase high school graduation requirements.
Administrative rules approved by the State Board will be forwarded to the Legislature for final approval.
A complete list of the rules being considered is available on the Board’s website at: http://www.boardofed.idaho.gov/rules/rules.asp.
There are two more trainings for the new English Language Development standards. The "training of trainers" sessions are in Pocatello, November 14-15 and 15-16. For more information please visit: http://www.boardofed.idaho.gov/lep/LEPProfDevelop.asp.
Copies of the ELD standards can be downloaded from the LEP website or ordered through the State Board of Education by emailing Wendy St. Michell at wendy.st.michell@osbe.idaho.gov.
An educator with 20 years of experience has been chosen to lead the State Board of Education’s GEAR UP Idaho program.
Steven Abels, the director of the Individual Occupational Training Program at Sandpoint High School, and a certified career development facilitator, will begin working November 13. Abels brings a wealth of practical experience to the position having worked with numerous federal, state and county agencies including the Veterans Administration, Vocational Rehabilitation, Job Services and private vendors.
GEAR UP is a federally funded grant program that will infuse $18 million into Idaho’s education system, including $9 million in scholarships for financially needy students. The program is aimed at helping low income students become better prepared for higher education.
“I look forward to the opportunity of being the GEAR UP manager for the State of Idaho. Having the ability to offer students the chance to attend college can only lead to a highly skilled workforce and has the potential of increasing the number of students able to continue their education past high school.”
Abels is a passionate advocate for students, teaching them to channel their skills into rewarding careers. He is also the creator of the Career-College Assistance Program at Sandpoint High School which offers guidance to students to gain information about colleges, financial aid and scholarships.
School districts have been sent applications to participate in Gear UP. Schools who sign up for the program will receive $10,000 to design a community based program to improve higher education attendance. Students who participate are eligible to receive a four year, $16,000 total scholarship to the college or university of their choice. For more information on Gear UP, go to http://www.boardofed.idaho.gov/GEAR_UP/index.asp.
How much is a bachelor's degree worth? About $23,000 a year, the government said in a report released Thursday.
That is the average gap in earnings between adults with bachelor's degrees and those with high school diplomas, according to data from the Census Bureau.
College graduates made an average of $51,554 in 2004, the most recent figures available, compared with $28,645 for adults with a high school diploma. High school dropouts earned an average of $19,169 and those with advanced college degrees made an average of $78,093.
Source: Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press Writer/October 26, 2006
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