North Dakota Chapter of ASPIRE

Greetings North Dakota ASPIRE Members, TRIO Alumni and Friends of ASPIRE,

I just wanted to update you on what’s been happening with education related bills in the North Dakota Legislature as the Session enters its final month.  If you would like to contact members of the Legislature about any of these bills or resolutions, click on the “2011 Legislative Committees” tab for a list of Education and Appropriations committee members, or the “Communicating with your Legislators” tab for contact information on your local legislators.

HB 1003, the Higher Education funding bill, is still in the Senate Appropriations Committee.  It is likely that the difference between the Senate version and the House version will be settled by a conference committee.  Hopefully, the final version will restore the $550,000 in cuts to the need-based North Dakota State Grant Program, and tuition relief close to the Governor’s proposal of no increases at the two-year schools, and a 2.5% cap at the four-year schools.

HB 1036, which authorizes an interim study of the prevalence of developmental education programs at NDUS institutions, passed in the House, and is now on the Senate voting calendar.

HB 1049, which came out of the Tribal and State Relations Committee, authorizes the Department of Public Instruction to study Indian Education issues and implement pilot projects to address problem areas.  The original bill contained a $100,000 allocation which has been removed.  It could be that funding has been added for this appropriation in another bill, but so far it looks like DPI will have to fund these activities out of its regular budget.   The bill has passed in both houses.

HB 1106, pertained to eligibility for the new Academic and Technical Merit Scholarships created by the 2009 Session.  The House reduced the amount of these scholarships from $750 to $500/semester for students maintaining a 2.75 college GPA.  It passed in the House but was defeated in the Senate.  Funding for these scholarships is restored to the original $750/ semester amount by SB 2150 which also mandates that earnings from the Land and Minerals Trust Fund will provide a permanent funding source for these scholarships.  Senate Bill 2150 is now in the House Education Committee.

HB 1214, which authorizes further development of the Statewide Longitudinal Data System was passed by the House and the Senate.  However, the House has refused to concur on changes to the bill made in the Senate, so the bill now goes to a conference committee.

HB 1363, which would provide grants to nonbeneficiary students attending the state’s Tribal Colleges.  The House passed this bill but reduced the appropriations for it from $1,200,000 to $1,000,000.  It is now in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

HCR 3004,  this concurrent resolution which would have authorized an interim study of Indian education issues, including a fair and equitable allocation of all state and federal educational funding was defeated in the House.

HCR 3046, calls for an amendment to the state’s constitution to create a K-20 department of education headed by a commissioner appointed by the Governor.  This new department would put the functions of the Department of Public Instruction, and the NDUS under one umbrella and would eliminate the State Board of Higher Education.  If passed by both houses of the Legislature it will be voted on during the next general election. It passed in the House by a vote of 52 to 40.  The Senate Education Committee will begin hearings on this bill on Monday, April 4th.

HB 2300 – This bill would create a Commission on Higher Education Funding which would look at ways to implement  some level of completion-based funding for NDUS institutions.  The Senate Education Committee made some changes to the composition of the commission, including the addition of one additional legislator from the minority party, and a non-voting member recommended by the NDUS staff senate.  These amendments and the entire bill were passed by the Senate.  It received a DO PASS recommendation from the House Education Committee and is on the House voting calendar.

SB 2351 – This bill authorizes a temporary cap on NDUS student fee increases at 1%, and calls for an interim study of student fees.  Having passed the Senate, it is now on the House calendar.

Greetings ND ASPIRE Members, TRIO Alumni, and Friends of ASPIRE ,

House Bill 1003, the ND Higher Education funding bill is now being considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee.  As you may recall, the House made over $32 Million in cuts to the proposed Higher Education budget including  $6.6 Million to offset a freeze on tuition and fees at NDUS 2-year institutions, and a 2.5% cap on increases at NDUS 4-year institutions, plus over  $550, 000 from the need-based North Dakota State Grant Program which is awarded to low income students attending ALL North Dakota public and private colleges and universities.

Please consider contacting your district senators about  these cuts, particularly those on Senate Appropriations.  Click on the tab for 2011 Legislative Committees for a list of Senate Appropriations members.

Mary Fredricks

Greetings ND ASPIRE Members, Alumni, and Friends of ASPIRE,

As you may know, Friday, February 25^th was, “Crossover Day” in the 2011 ND Legislative Session. This is the date when bills originating in the House must either be voted down, or approved by the House and passed on to the Senate for its consideration.  The same is true for bills that were introduced in the Senate.  Crossover date for study resolutions, and constitutional amendments is not until March 9^th.

Legislators are now enjoying a break until Wednesday, March 2^nd, so this is a good time for me to update you on the progress of the bills that I have been following.  If you would like to contact members of House Appropriations, House Education, Senate Appropriations, or Senate Education about these bills, please click on the “2011 Legislative Committees Tab” for a list of committee members.

HB 1003 – House Appropriations – Education and Environment Division cut the Governor’s appropriations bill for the North Dakota University System by over $30 Million, including $6,640,563 Million which would have been used to cap tuition rate increases at 2.5%, as well as $553,546 from the North Dakota State Grant Program which many of our students receive. The Governor’s $5 Million completion-based funding line item was deleted entirely.  Senate Appropriations Committee hearings on the NDUS Budget will be held March 9-11.

HB 1049 – This bill which authorizes the Department of Public instruction to study Indian education issues, and asked for a $100,000 appropriation to develop pilot projects to address problem areas, passed in the House by a vote of 91- 2. However, the appropriation for it was reduced to $25,000. This bill is now in the Senate Education Committee.

HB 1214 – This bill passed the House by a vote of 92 – 0. It deals with the membership of the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) Committee, and the management of privacy and other issues related to the SLDS.  North Dakota’s SLDS will collect and manage education, workforce, and other pertinent data, to enhance policy decision-making.  It will now be heard by the Senate Education Committee.

SB 2058 – This bill would have used the earnings from the Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund to support the Academic and Technical Merit Scholarship Program passed by the 2009 Session.  Although it was defeated, these scholarships could still be funded by earnings from the Land and Minerals Trust Fund, as the Governor has recommended.

SB 2300 – This bill to create the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education Funding to study the merits of completion-based funding for the North Dakota University System, passed the Senate by a vote of 45-1.  This is a very important initiative for the Governor, who testified in favor of it before Senate Education.  Completion-based  funding is designed to reward institutions based on their performance on a number of metrics, including the number of degrees awarded, the number of on-time graduations, the number of degrees awarded to low – income students, and an increase in the number of students retained beyond their first year. It will now be considered by the House Education Committee.

SB 2351- This bill calls for an interim study of student fees throughout the NDUS system in order to determine their impact on affordability. It is now in the House Education Committee.

HCR 3004 – This resolution calls for an interim study of Indian education issues, including a fair and equitable allocation of all state and federal educational funding. It has been placed on the House calendar and should be voted on by that body in the near future.

HCR 3046 – This resolution calls for the creation of a ND Department of Education which would include primary, secondary, and higher education under one umbrella, overseen by a Commissioner appointed by the Governor, and also an eleven member commission appointed by the Governor and approved by the Legislature.  If passed, it would have to be approved by the voters in 2012.  It was introduced on February 23^rd and referred to the House Education Committee for their consideration.

Have a great week!  See you at the ND ASPIRE Conference in a couple of weeks.

Mary Fredricks

Greetings ND ASPIRE Members, Alumni, and Friends of ASPIRE,

I wanted to update you on the status of the bills that I reported on in my last blog post on January 18^th, along with one new bill of interest. The Senate Education Committee will begin hearings on SB 2300, a bill to create the Commission on Higher Education Funding on February 9. If you would like to contact members of House Appropriations, House Education, and Senate Education about these bills, please click on the “2011 Legislative Committees Tab” above for a list of committee members.

HB 1003 –This is the Governor’s appropriations bill for the North Dakota University System which includes a $5 Million allocation for completion-based funding.  It is still being heard by the House Appropriations – Education and Environment Division.

HB 1036 – This bill authorizes an interim study on the prevalence of developmental education at NDUS institutions.  This bill is still being considered by House Education.

HB 1049 – This bill authorizes the Department of Public instruction to study Indian education issues and appropriates money to develop pilot projects to address problem areas.  This bill is still being considered by House Education.

HB 1214 – This bill pertains to the membership of the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) Committee, and the management of privacy and other issues related to the SLDS.   Development of such data systems is part of the education reform agenda in a number of states and the concept has been endorsed by the U.S. Secretary of Education.   North Dakota’s SLDS will collect and manage education, workforce, and other pertinent data, to enhance policy decision-making.  It is still in House Education.

HB 1301 – This bill calls for an appropriation to offset the impact of freezing tuition at Spring 2011 levels at all NDUS institutions.  This bill received a DO NOT PASS recommendation from House Education, and was defeated in the House by a vote of 19 yeas, to 73 nays.

HB 1385 – This bill would allow ND citizens who are 55 or older to take undergraduate classes at NDUS institutions tuition free. This bill is still being heard by House Education.

SB 2058 – This bill would allow approximately $10 Million per year from the State Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund to go towards the support of the new Academic and Technical Scholarship program which was created by the Legislature in 2009.   This bill is still being considered by Senate Education.

SB 2300 – Passage of this bill will create the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education Funding to implement some level of completion-based funding for the North Dakota University System.  Some of the  proposed outcomes that the Commission would try to bring about via completion-based funding include, increases in the number of degrees awarded, the number of on-time graduations, the number of degrees awarded to low – income students, and an increase in the number of students retained beyond their first year.

SCR 4004 – Senate Concurrent Resolution calls for an amendment to the ND Constitution to make the State Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund a permanent source of funding for the new Academic and Technical Merit Scholarship program.   This bill received a DO NOT PASS recommendation from Senate Education and was defeated in the Senate by a vote of 17 to 29. Opponents to this bill  felt that the flexibility for making future decisions about the State Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund would be lost by amending the ND Constitution in this way.

One final note – Senate bill 2338 would have appropriated money for public pre-school pilot programs at various locations in the state, in order to gauge the feasibility of establishing public pre-school statewide.  Although not related to higher education directly, the availability of public pre-school could not only benefit low income children, but also many low income students who struggle with childcare options.  Unfortunately, this bill was defeated in the Senate by of vote of 17 to 29.

Have a great day!  I am looking forward to seeing all of you at the ND ASPIRE State Conference in Bismarck on March 13-15.  Mary Fredricks, ND ASPIRE State Initiative

Greetings ND ASPIRE Members, Alumni, and Friends of ASPIRE,

Activity in the ND Legislature has been brisk with over 200 new bills introduced this week.  Things are particularly busy for the House and Senate standing committees who are now holding hearings on the bills assigned to them by either the full House or Senate.  Here are some of the education-related bills and the standing committees to which they have been assigned.  To find out which legislators are serving on House Appropriations, House Education, and Senate Education, click on the tab “2011 Legislative Committees Tab”.        Mary Fredricks

HB 1003 – (House Appropriations – Education and Environment Division) This is the Governor’s appropriation bill for the North Dakota University System which includes a $5 Million allocation for completion-based funding.  Representatives from the various campuses are providing testimony about appropriations included in the bill for their specific campuses.   In regards to completion-based funding, it could have either a positive or a negative impact on disadvantaged students depending upon how it is implemented.

HB 1036 – (House Education Committee) – This bill being authorizes an interim study on the prevalence of developmental education at NDUS institutions.  Many legislators think that providing developmental education at the postsecondary level is costly and should be reduced. If approved this study will take place during the 2011-2012 Legislative Interim and may result in the drafting of legislation to address the issue during the 2013 Session.

HB 1049 – (House Education Committee) – This bill authorizes the Department of Public instruction to study Indian education issues and appropriates money to develop pilot projects to address problem areas.

HB 1301 – (House Education Committee ) – This bill calls for an appropriation to offset the impact of freezing tuition at Spring 2011 levels at all NDUS institutions.

HB 1385 (House Education Committee) – This bill would allow ND citizens who are 55 or older to take undergraduate classes at NDUS institutions tuition free.

SB 2058 (House Education Committee) – This bill to take approximately $10 Million per year from the State Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund to pay for the new Academic and Technical Scholarship program which was created by the Legislature in 2009.   The Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund was created by the Legislature some years back to help school districts who had experienced large declines in student enrollments.

SCR 4004 (Senate Education Committee) – Senate Concurrent Resolution calls for an amendment to the ND Constitution to make the State Foundation Aid Stabilization Fund a permanent source of funding for the new Academic and Technical Merit Scholarship program.

Greetings North Dakota ASPIRE Members,

I hope that your holiday preparations are going well and that you will all have the opportunity to spend time with friends and loved ones in the coming weeks.

As you may know, the Organizational Session of the 2011 ND Legislature was held in Bismarck on December 6-8.  This is the time when legislators elect their session leaders, and get their standing committee assignments so they can hopefully “hit the ground running” when the Session convenes on Tuesday, January 4, 2011. A big part of the Organizational Session was Governor Dalrymple’s budget address which described his state spending priorities for the upcoming biennium.  Some of you may have heard and read about the Governor’s remarks in the media. Of course, legislators will have their own ideas about spending priorities, so coming up with a state budget that everyone can more or less agree on will be the main task of the Legislative Session. Below are some higher education highlights from the Governor’s remarks.

Completion-Based Funding – As I listened to the Governor’s budget address, I was particularly interested in what he had to say about his desire to move towards a higher education funding methodology based on student outcomes rather than on enrollment numbers, as is currently the case.  By funding institutions based on student outcomes, the Governor hopes the North Dakota University System can increase the number of degrees completed, the number of students who complete their degrees within two or four years, the completion rate among low income students, as well as the transfer rate between two and four-year institutions.  This idea is not new to our state; in fact it is part of a national trend towards reform in higher education funding which is already being implemented in states such as Ohio, Indiana, and Texas.  So why is this relevant to ND TRIO programs?

Relevance to ND TRIO- Well, first of all the good news about a completion-based funding strategy is that it would focus attention on student retention, ompletion, and potentially on students who are the most “at-risk”.  For example, the fact that the Governor specifically states that North Dakota needs to increase the number of low income students who complete degrees is a positive sign.  However, wise implementation of such a funding strategy needs to account for the differing missions of our ND institutions.  Such a funding strategy cannot be implemented in the same way at open access community colleges, as it is at four-year and research institutions because of the differences in the student populations that are served.  Because TRIO professionals could help  campus and state policymakers craft completion-based funding strategies that increase student success, it makes sense for us to be part of the debate. 

Financial Aid – While it is certainly a positive sign that topics like retention, completion, and the needs of low income students seem to be on the Governor’s radar screen, I was disappointed by his recommendations in the area of financial aid. He did not recommend a $300,000 funding request from the NDUS to fund financial aid and other resources to help adult learners return to college and complete degrees. Neither did the Governor recommend an increase for the need-based State Grant Program which remains at the 2009-2011 levels($600 per student/semester).   However, he did recommend a substantial increase in merit-based financial aid.  In the next biennium, the Governor is asking the Legislature to allow $10 Million from the Land and Minerals Trust Fund to pay for the Academic and Technical Scholarship Program. To be eligible for this scholarship, students must have earned a 24 or higher on the ACT, or a equivalent score on the  Workkeys assessment, plus a 3.0 high school GPA. More information on these scholarships can be found at http://www.dpi.state.nd.us/resource/act/brochure.pdf

Quote on Completion-Based Funding and Link to Budget Address – Below you will find the portion of the Governor’s budget address that I have been discussing.  Also, here is the link to the full address on the Governor’s website, see the section on “Higher Education” http://governor.nd.gov/events/2011-2013-executive-budget-address:

“Finally, our budget includes $5 million for a new and exciting approach to higher education funding, an approach based on the actual educational outcomes desired by education leaders and the citizens of North Dakota. In the new biennium, the Board of Higher Education will be asked to develop a new methodology to distribute funds to campuses based on meaningful educational results, such as an increase in the number of degrees awarded; an increase in the number of students graduating on time; the number of degrees completed by low income students; and the number of students transferring from two to four year schools.

I will ask the Board of Higher Education to work with me in establishing a new Commission on Higher Education Funding to develop recommendations to improve the equity, the transparency, and the effectiveness of higher education funding.”

Happy Holidays!  Mary

Greetings North Dakota ASPIRE!

The following is a copy of the State Initiative report that I gave at the ND ASPIRE State Meeting in Cheyenne on October 10^th, 2010.  It contains information on the Interim Education, Higher Education, and Workforce committees, as well as links to the National Governors’ Association Core State Standards website, legislative recommendations from the ND Youth Council, legislative recommendations from the ND Commission on Education Improvement, and revised 1^st year college placement policies adopted by the North Dakota State Board of Education on June 17^th, 2010.   Please let me know if you have  any names for our  ND TRIO Alumni and Friends E-Mail List so that we can increase the number of advocates who receive our ND Legislative Updates and Action Alerts.   You may also invite people  to submit their contact information via the CONTACT tab on the ND ASPIRE homepage at www.ndaspire.org.   Once I receive their contact information, I will send them a Welcome message and a brief explanation. Mary

******************************************************************

During the 2009-2010 Legislative Interim the State Initiative has been monitoring the work of the Interim Education, Higher Education and Workforce committees because of its relevance to North Dakota ASPIRE.  The 2009 Legislature asked these committees to study particular issues, and draft bills pertinent to them for the 2011 Session.  These committees will be wrapping up there work by the end of October.

 The 2011 Organizational Session will be held Dec. 6th-8th, 2010 and the Session itself will begin on Jan. 4^th and run until April 27^th.   During the organizational session legislators will be assigned to the standing committees in their respective houses, and bills coming from interim committees, the executive (including the North Dakota State University System), will also be filed.  Once the Session begins, legislators will be allowed to introduce new bills until Jan. 17^th in the House, and Jan. 24^th in the Senate.  February 25^this “Crossover Day” the day when all bills originating in the Senate must be sent to the House, and vice versa.  The North Dakota Legislative Action Blog will begin publishing information on draft bills as early as late November and continue this effort throughout the 2011 Session.  Please watch for our e-mail alerts!

Interim Committee Highlights

  The Interim Education Committee spent the majority of its time studying school approval and accreditation criteria and the consequences to schools and school districts that fail to meet these criteria. They also heard from American Indian school administrators and community leaders regarding governance and finance issues faced by schools in their communities.  To date I am unsure what the Committee’s recommendations on these issues might be, since it has not yet completed its bill drafts for the 2011 Session.

 The Committee also received a report from the North Dakota Commission on Education Improvement on that group’s examination of graduation requirements, curricular standards, assessments, and recommendations for improving student performance and instructional quality, including a report on the ND Academic Merit and Career and Technical Scholarship programs. 

The Interim Higher Education Committee spent a lot of time studying different higher education finance models, including performance funding based on institutional productivity in the areas of research, student access, success, and workforce training.  They brought in several consultants to talk about higher education finance, andto talk about other states’ experience with performance-based funding.  Interim Higher Education also reconvened the Higher Education Roundtable made up of 42 representatives, from business, industry, the State Board, public and private higher education institutions, and the executive branch.  The Roundtable is to make recommendations on how the state’s higher education system can be responsive to the state’s future needs.  As you may recall this was also the intent of the first Higher Education Roundtablewhich met from 1999 through the early 2000’s.   To find out whether there are members of your community on the Roundtable, a list of Roundtablemembers can be found in the 9/13/10 minutes of the Higher Education at :  http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009/interim-info/minutes/he091310minutes.pdf  At its next meeting in October, Interim Higher Education will receive a report from the North Dakota State University System on the number of Academic Merit and Career and Technical scholarships awarded in 2010, along with demographic information about the recipients.  They will also complete their bill drafts at that time.

The Legislature created the Academic Merit and Career and Technical scholarship programs in 2009.  During the Interim, the Workforce Committee has been looking at ways to provide a permanent funding source for the scholarships to avoid having to pass an appropriation for them every two years.

As part of its deliberations, Interim Workforce interviewed an administrator from the Wyoming Department of Education on that state’s Hathaway Scholarship Program, funded by Wyoming’s Permanent Mineral Trust Fund.  In 2005 the Wyoming Legislature created a $400 Million permanent endowment to provide scholarships to Wyoming high school graduates who attend college in the state. Although the Hathaway Program is a merit-based program based on GPA, and ACT requirements, it does provide support at three different achievement levels, unlike the North Dakota program which awards only the top students.    In your handout you will find a comparison of the Wyoming and North Dakota Programs.  Another positive aspect of the Wyoming program is that GED students and part-time students can also receive awards. (Students with 2.5 GPA’s and composite ACT scores of 19 receive $800/semester for 8 full-time semesters as long as they maintain a cumulative college GPA of 2.25; students with high school GPA’s of 3.0 and an ACT of 21 receive $1200/semester for 8 full-time semesters as long as they maintain 2.5  cumulative college GPA, and students with a 3.5 high school GPA and a 25 ACT score receive $1600/semester for 8 full-time semesters as long as they maintain cumulative college GPA of 2.5.  Scholarships are also available to GED students with (scores 500 or above who have received an ACT of 19 or above), part-time students, and students who have been home-schooled.) 

Unfortunately no changes were made to the ACT or GPA requirements for the ND Academic Merit and Career and Technical scholarships during the Legislative Interim so that more students could receive support.   This program is primarily a workforce tool to encourage high achieving students to attend college in North Dakota in hopes that they join the state’s workforce after completing post-secondary education.  (The minimum requirements that a student must meet in order to qualify include a 24 ACT, a 3.0 high school GPA for the academic scholarship, and a minimum score of five on three of the WorkKeys tests and a 3.0 high school GPA, and a college GPA of 2.75.  GED students and part-time students are not eligible. Students who do qualify are awarded $750/semester for 8 full-time semesters in which they maintain the 2.75 cumulative colleges GPA.)  

 Proponents of the North Dakota Academic Merit and Career and Technical Scholarship programs estimate that they will cost $10 Million and $16 Million respectively in 2011-2012, and 2012-2013.   At their meeting on Sept. 27^th, Interim Workforce discussed a bill draft which would allow earnings from the foundation aid stabilization fund to pay for the scholarships for the next two academic years. Proponents of this plan argue that the fund has rarely been used for its intended purpose, (to help schools deal with large drops in enrollment) therefore, it is justifiable to use the earnings to support the new scholarships.  To supplement the revenue from this source, the $7 Million has been included in the upcoming budget for the North Dakota State University System.  Interim Workforce also discussed a draft resolution to amend the state constitution during the 2011 Session so that the earnings from the foundation aid stabilization fund will automatically go to the Academic Merit and Career and Technical scholarship program without the need for an appropriation.    If passed, the constitutional amendment will be put to the voters in 2012.     

To give you some idea of how many students may benefit from the Academic Merit and Career and Technical scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic years, here are some statistics.  This information is also in your handout.  As you may recall, all NorthDakota juniors were tested via the ACT or WorkKeys  test in April 2010, to determine eligibility for the scholarship programs.   Approximately 7400  juniors were tested, with 7018 of those taking the ACT, and 375 students taking WorkKeys.   Twenty-five percent (1743 )  of those taking the ACT achieved an ACT score of 24 or higher.   Fifty-two students, or 14% of those who took the WorkKeys test qualified for the scholarship.   So out of nearly 7400 students tested, roughly 24% (1795) achieved a qualifying score.

Interim Workforce also heard a report from the North Dakota Youth Council a 16 member advisory group consisting of youth ages 17-24 which was created by the 2009 Legislature.  The Lt. Governor and four legislators also serve on the Council.  Group members were appointed by the Governor in September 2009 and since that time the Governor’s  Senior Education Policy Advisor, Kayla Effertz,  has been  overseeing its work.  The Youth Council, also known as Youth Forward  was asked to develop  recommendations on how to meet the challenges faced by North Dakota youth in education, employment,  healthcare, and recreation.   The Youth Council’s recommendations were well received by  Interim Workforce who heard their final report on Sept. 27^th.  It is highly likely that bills to implement Youth Council recommendations will be sponsored by Workforce.  In your handout you will find a list of Youth Council recommendations for education.  Note the similarity to TRIO best practices.   The recommendations are as follows:

•  Establish a “Virtual High School for Scholars” in order to increase the number of dual-credit and AP course offerings
•  Implement student-to-student peer education programs on campuses and in high schools to increase retention rates
•  Grant credit to student mentors involved in these programs
•  Require a first-year experience course for college freshmen that includes a peer mentoring component and approval of a plan of study by an academic advisor
•  Provide a sustainable funding source for the Academic Merit and Career and Technical scholarship programs
•  Embed financial literacy into the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary curriculum.  

For more information on the Youth Council Report and its members, a link to the Youth Forward website can be found at   http://ndyouthforward.wordpress.com/youth-council/

Since recommendations from the North Dakota Commission on Education Improvementare having a significant impact on NorthDakota’s education landscape, I wanted to share with you a summary of recommendations made by the Commission at the joint meeting of Interim Higher Education and the Higher Education Roundtable on Sept. 13^th.  These are in your handout, as well.  (1.) The Commission is recommending that North Dakota continue to work with other states to implement common core standards and assessments for K-12 education in the areas of language arts, mathematics, physical science and social studies. As you may know, this was an effort spearheaded by the National Governor’s Association.   North Dakota was one of 48 states and two territories who participated in the development of the standards on a voluntary basis.  The final version of the standards was released in June, 2010.  For more information on the standards here is a link to the Common Core Standards website:   http://www.corestandards.org/.

(2.) For the upcoming biennium, the ND Commission on Education Improvement is recommending that the Legislature fund two pilot projects to improve language arts alignment between high schools and institutions of higher education. (3.)In addition the Commission has recommended that the Legislature also provide funding to expand the ND Center for Distance Education, including an expansion of online AP and dual credit offering, and (4.) and appropriations  for tuition subsidies to ND high school students enrolling in online classes, (5.) a recommendation that a permanent funding source be established for the ND Academic Merit and Career and Technical scholarships, and finally (6.) that the NDUS adopt and continuously monitor certain uniform standards for placement in 1^st year college courses, including an 18 ACT for placement in English 110 at 2 and 4 year colleges, a 21 ACT for placement in Math 103 at 2 year colleges, and a 22 at four-year colleges, and a suggested 21 ACT at both 2 and 4 year institutions for placement in introductory Social Science courses, and a suggested 24 ACT at both 2 and 4 year colleges for placement in introductory  Physical  Science courses.  Actually, the State Board of Higher Education did adopt these uniform placement standards at its June 17^th meeting.  According to the minutes for the June 17^th minutes of the State Board of Higher Education, and scheduled to go into effect in fall 2012.  Students aged 25 and older are exempt from these recommendations.  See pages 4-5 of the June 17^th , 2010 minutes of the State Board of Higher Education for a complete description of the new policies on admissions and developmental courses  contained in sections 402.1.1,402.1.2, 402.2, and 403.9 of the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education Policy Manual. http://www.ndus.edu/uploads/document-library/2376/6-17-10-SBHE-WEB-MINUTES.PDF 

We can expect that many Commission for Education Improvement  recommendations will be included in bills introduced during the 2011 Session.

Elaine’s Philosophical Notions on Advocacy and Other Indefinable Nouns

Interestingly enough, much like leadership, it is my belief that there is no one definite pattern to define advocacy.   People are always striving to define these two words…… with much jumping on and off bandwagons……seeking advice from gurus who surely must have the answers as they have attained either fame or wealth in these areas…….. but even with the best of advice,  effective advocacy can seem shrouded in mystery.  Because my two cents has been requested on this topic here goes…………

Successful advocacy can be done in a variety of ways, but at the heart of this skill is the ability to communicate effectively with all types of people.  Now communication itself is an interesting skill, as it involves both the ability to change your language patterns to those best understood by the listener as well as noticing how the listener reacts to your language both in verbal and non-verbal language.   Advocacy involves not only communicating with those in positions of power (to get them to make policies in line with your cause) but also involves communicating with others who will help support your advocacy efforts.  In either case, the following basic rules may be worthy of your consideration.

Rules of the Advocacy Road

1.  Do Your Homework:  both on issues and personal traits/values (as the two are greatly entwined in all people- head and heart both impact decisions, for good or for bad……..).  This is often the most difficult and most neglected part of advocacy.  It is not so difficult to research information on a topic  or issue once, but to do it on a continual basis so that you are “up” on every twist and turn (of all those bandwagons that come whizzing by at sporadic intervals) of issues surrounding a topic takes a lot of time and energy!  But it hugely increases your opportunity to become a part of Policy Making 101 (which is a whole other dissertation).  Homework concerning personal traits or values is critical because developing communications which will “grab” the attention of your audience involves knowing how they think/what their values are/etc.  It will greatly assist you to try to find out about them personally so that you might tailor your presentation to their style and thinking.

2.  Be Forthright in your presentation and Sincere about the cause for which you advocate (schmoozing is so common that it will be accepted by your audience and at first sincerity may not be recognized or rewarded — but sooner or later it generally draws respect— and even if it doesn’t you have the satisfaction of knowing you spoke from the heart).

3.  Courtesy pays in spades…….when in doubt always default to the more formal courtesies (let them tell you it’s not necessary, it increases the warmth of the communication right away).   Examples:  be early for appointments; be kind/respectful to your audience and anyone else who has helped you organize the event (schedulers, secretaries, aides, assistants, etc.) shake hands.  address with title,  hold doors, dress appropriately, say thank you, ALWAYS FOLLOW UP with a thank you note or better yet additional information regarding issues you talked about.

4.  Pay Attention and Use Your Head.  Usually we all love the sound of our own voice, and so when we get done speaking our piece it is easy to feel like we have accomplished our goal.  However, in advocacy, that is just the beginning……the most important part of advocacy follows talking and that is the ability to listen, watch, and gauge reaction.  Most advocacy is actually a form of educating someone else about your topic, and education is a give and take situation which involves listening to responses and judging how to form your next communication so that the audience is learning.

Well, that’s it in a nutshell, as TRIO personnel we have many worthy students and families for which to advocate!  Go forth and do good advocacy deeds!

Example Letter

Dear…………….

Describe yourself and how you relate to TRIO Programs (student, family member, target school administrator, college administrator, etc.).  Then please tell your personal experience or observations of TRIO services which have stimulated educational success of a student or students (be as specific as possible about what the services were and how the student progressed).

Next request support for TRIO Programs through funding, or other methods.  Offer your contact information if they have questions or would like further information and thank them for their time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Home Address

Greetings ND ASPIRE Members!

I want to devote this update to some significant legislation now making its way through the U.S. Congress, plus the Interim Committee work that is now going on in the ND Legislature. 

 The State Initiative Committee is following Congressional action on the College Access and Completion Incentive (CACIF)that would make several billion dollars available to the states for innovative access and completion strategies.  The CACIF passed the U.S. House recently as part of H.B. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act.  The Senate is now working on its version of this bill and may bring it to the floor by the end of October. In addition to the CACIF, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act passed by the House would raise the maximum Pell Grant to 6900 by 2019, simplify the FAFSA application, and revamp the Student Loan Program so that students borrow only directly from the Federal Government.   The State Initiative Committee is contacting  state officials in hopes of getting in on the planning and implementation of  North Dakota’s plan  should the CACIF become a reality. 

 North Dakota Legislators have been assigned to Interim Study Committees.   These committees began meeting in the middle of the summer and will finish their work by late fall of 2010.  The State Initiative is monitoring the Interim Higher Education, Education, and Workforce because they have been assigned to study issues that are relevant to ND ASPIRE.  Higher Education will study the feasibility of changing the way NDUS institutions are funded from the current system based on enrollment numbers, to one based on completion rates.   This committee will also research the total numbers and dollar amounts of tuition waivers that are offered by NDUS institutions, and the impacts of the new academic and technical merit scholarships available beginning in fall 2010 for ND freshmen attending state institutions.  The Education Committee will study Indian education issues, review the impacts of the high school reforms that were recommended by the Governor’s Commission on Education Improvement and passed by the 2009 Legislature.  They also will receive a report from the Statewide Longitudinal Data System Committee on the status of a new system to integrate educational and economic data from a number of state agencies.  The Workforce Committee will be looking at the feasibility of establishing a higher education student trust fund.

We will keep you posted on the status of the CACIF, as well as the work of the ND Legislative Interim Committees. 

Mary fredricks

Greetings ND ASPIRE Members! 

 Now that the dust has settled after the 2009 Legislative Session, I wanted to update you on two issues that we followed closely during the session, need-based aid, and childcare assistance for students pursuing post secondary programs.   Need-based financial aid for the North Dakota State Grant was increased from $800 to $1200/year.  The number of students eligible to receive the State Grant was increased by approximately 8000.  We will continue to advocate for more aid targeted to the lowest income students.  

 ND House Bill 1090 in its initial version would have restored childcare assistance to students enrolled in two and four-year post secondary programs.  Senate Appropriations removed that provision, but an amendment was added to the final bill that would allow the Department of Human Services to extend childcare to post secondary students pending the availability of funds.  I did follow up with Carol Cartledge, the Director of Public Assistance for the ND Human Services Department, but was told that there probably will not be any extra funding available for this purpose.  I also asked about stimulus money for childcare but she said the state had decided to put those extra funds towards improving childcare quality.  Mary Fredricks