White House Initiative- Ask Yourelf Why You Have Not Heard of this Initiative











White House Initiative

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EVENTS
The White House Initiative has partnered with Essence Magazine to produce two events during the annual Essence Festival Empowerment Experience in New Orleans, Louisiana (July 3 and July 5, 2014). The Essence Festival events are designed to highlight opportunities to support Educational Excellence for women and girls of color. At one event, “Where Smart Starts—Creating a Culture of Education Beginning at Home,” we will highlight the role that African American women play in facilitating educational excellence for African American scholars. Panelists will share lessons learned in advocating for and supporting their scholars while simultaneously highlighting resources that can assist other mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and concerned women with supporting the cognitive, social and emotional development of African American scholars beginning at birth. The second event, “STEM + The Arts (STEAM)—Building Global Leaders” will highlight the need to increase access to and the support provided to African American women and girls in pursuing STEAM courses of studies and careers.
The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans and Ebony Magazine are proud to present, “The 2014 Summits on Educational Excellence for African Americans.” Read more…
BREAKING NEWS
President Obama declared 2014 a year of action – vowing to use the power of his pen and phone to help ensure that hardworking Americans have the opportunity to succeed. And this week will be no different. With a focus on supporting hardworking Americans and upholding our country’s commitment to provide a quality education for all of our students, the President is again taking action. He recently announced new executive actions to further lift the burden of crushing student loan debt, including a Presidential Memorandum that will allow an additional 5 million borrowers with federal student loans to cap their monthly payments at just 10 percent of their income.  Read more…
ED  announcing the availability of $75 million for two new Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) competitions. Check out the Homeroom Blog for a personal story about how GEAR UP has helped students maximize success.
Leaders from 22 agencies met for a Federal Interagency Reentry Council meeting to discuss actions to reduce reentry barriers to employment, health, housing, and education for individuals who are transitioning from incarceration to community. The meeting comes on the heels of the My Brother’s Keeper Task Force Report, submitted to President Obama last week, which recommends new action to address the persistent opportunity gaps faced by too many youth, particularly boys and young men of color, and ensure that all young people who are willing to do the hard work to get ahead can reach their full potential, including new efforts to enforce the rights of incarcerated youth to a quality education.
The U.S. Department of Education is releasing resources to emphasize and support the needs of foster care students. In addition to new guidance, ED has launched a dedicated web page, Students in Foster Care, and issued a joint letter with the U.S. Department of Health Human Services to education authorities about increasing educational stability for children and youth in foster care.
The Obama administration is the first administration to state that sexual violence is not only a crime, but can also be a violation of a woman’s civil rights. Read a pdf fact sheet from ED’s Office for Civil Rights and dear colleague letter to higher ed, K-12 and other Title IX stakeholders.
My Brother’s Keeper Task Force releases its 90-day report.  This report includes key indicators that provide a comprehensive view of the environments and outcomes for boys and young men of color and their peers.  It also contains recommendations on steps our society can take to begin to expand opportunity for all. Read more…
Sixty Years after Brown: Where is the Outrage?  Remarks of U.S. Secretary of Education to the Education Writers Association Annual Conference. Read more…
U.S. Department of Education Announces $75 Million First in the World Competition to spur innovation in higher education aimed at helping more students access and complete a college degree or credential. Read more…
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has released new guidance confirming that the same federal civil rights laws that apply to other public schools apply equally to public charter schools.
“Despite the highest high school graduation rate in our history, and despite growth in student achievement over time in elementary school and middle school, student achievement at the high school level has been flat in recent years. Just as troubling, achievement gaps among ethnic groups have not narrowed.  To learn more on the National Assessment of Educational Progress…
President Obama Marvels at Brilliant Minds, Incredible Inventions at White House Science Fair.  Middle school and high school students from across the country recently participated in the day-long showcase of innovative projects.  The White House Science Fair is part of President Obama’s Educate to Innovate program move American students from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade.  Read more…
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