A News Byte: The History of The American Community College

The history of community colleges varies state by state, including their characterization as a public or private institution. The variations also have a critical impact on how these institutions are funded and build an operating budget. According to the 50 State Survey, there are two primary methods for allocating appropriated funds to community colleges. Many states use a funding formula developed through a legislative process or by the state higher education board. Other states determine appropriations through legislative hearings and/or deliberations while considering state higher education board recommendations (State Funding for Community Colleges, 2000, p. 3).

ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION: IT’S ROLE IN THE AMERICAN ECONOMY

“Globalization is upon us and universities need to prepare their students accordingly. Colleges and universities must be focused on improving our students’ global competency, providing our next generation of leaders with
the ability to think critically – to think globally – in all situations and competing with people from various cultures” (Todd, 2005).

The American economy is an intricate system of multiple components. This delicate, but complex set of systems must work in tandem to ensure America remains viable in a changing global environment. America’s economic structure is designed to provide its citizens with security, wealth, opportunity, independence, freedom, personal and professional enrichment, religious expression, and free public and assessable education. But today a once reliable component of the system is hemorrhaging and if not treated soon the impact on America’s international position as a major economic force in today’s global marketplace will be in peril.

Over the centuries our American educational systems with multifaceted components has been the difference that separated the America economy from all others around the world. America’s educational systems represented America’s most valuable assets and resource. Our educational system is the one aspect in our society all American have come to rely on in times of war, peace, recessions and prosperity. This tireless, yet unheralded component serves as the linchpin that secures America’s place among the elite nations.

However, one aspect of America’s complex set of elements, the American workforce is falling behind other nations. More specifically, the American workforce is sorely lacking in the basic academic and technological skills needed to maintain a competitive edge in the market place, an edge which is eroding daily. The American workforce, a once unbounded strength, capable of amazing achievements is now slowly becoming a liability and threatens the economic health and well being of the United States.

The 21st Century brings with it exciting opportunities, a new world of discoveries and possibilities and at the thrust of this amazing time is technology, rapidly changing and innovative technology. The new economy in the 21st Century will rely more on knowledge power and intellectual capabilities in the areas of critical thinking and Innovative Solution Management (ISM) skills. This new world with its changing technology has the capabilities of turning giants into mortals and mortals into kings. The once clear lead that developed countries such as the United States had in the educational arena is quickly shrinking, as developing countries are rapidly increasing their number and quality of college graduates, while equalizing the access rates to education for those attending secondary and primary schools. The actions of the developing countries have been characterized by Kaplan-Leiserson, (2006) as a “sea change” in the relative education advantage that advanced countries have enjoyed for literally hundreds of years.

The continue change among these developing countries will continue to chip away at the core of America’s economic foundation unless authentic access to higher education for every American who so desires remains a vital and re-newed component in the system of the American economy. An opinion shared by the former U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings who stated while speaking at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. "It is time to examine how we can get the most out of our national investment in higher education. We have a responsibility to make sure our higher education system continues to meet our nation's needs for an educated and competitive workforce in the 21st century." (U.S. Department of Education, 2005)

Access to Education = Economic Opportunities

Unemployment rates for workers who have a high school diploma are 50 percent higher than for holders of an associate’s degree and twice that of those who have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Over a lifetime the added economic value of a college education is reflected in earning differences among workers based on their level of education. Those with higher levels of academic attainment have tended to increase their earnings. Individuals with a baccalaureate degree earn on average 40% more –the equivalent of $900,000 – over a lifetime than those who hold only a high school credential (Ruppert, 2003). Human capital theorist holds that colleges and universities contribute to economic growth through the creation of new knowledge and increasing the stock of citizens who are able to implement new processes and technologies into the economy. Researchers estimate that increases in education levels account for 15 to 20 percent of the annual growth in output for the United States.

Mortenson (2003) in his report based on data collected in 2000 indicates that households headed by persons with a least a bachelor’s degree paid 51 percent of all federal income taxes, despite accounting for only 27 percent of all households and 42 percent of all household income. Given these factors the question facing political leaders is not a simple one, but one that impacts the future of society. Can America continue to remain the world’s largest economy with an educational system where access for the vast portion of its population is slowly being eroded? And those impacted the most and can afford it the least are consistently finding it more challenging to pay for an education? The closing off of access to higher education will have a serve and negative impact on minority and women and thereby limit their economic viability. This process is antithetical to the purpose of community colleges and the historical role it has played in the development of the nation’s workforce.

Higher Education and the American Economy

The expansion of opportunities for education beyond high school has to once again serve as the catalyst for the growth of the American economy as it has during much of the past sixty years. The expansion of opportunities can be traced to two major factors. The first is the Truman Act of 1947 and the second the establishment of the G.I. Bill. Through these two congressional acts expanded opportunities for an education beyond high school were made available for every American and the country experienced an economic boom.

America needs this type of landmark legislation today. If America ever dreams of re-capturing its role as a global leader, education has to be a priority. Colleges and universities have a critical role to play in regional, statewide and national economic development efforts. Clearly, higher education and economic development are inextricably linked to one another (Gigerich, 2006) Implications for higher education in the new technological driven flat world are both exciting and challenging. This new horizon of technological advancement combined with increase demands for postsecondary education offers leaders of institutions of higher education, particularly community colleges the opportunity to impact the landscape of higher education.

Montgomery College of Rockville, Maryland Hires New President

According to the Washington Post, Montgomery College located in Rockville, Maryland has completed its five month search for a President with the hiring of Dr. DeRionne P. Pollard. To read more about this story click here

Written by:
Lynette Holloway

Dorothy I. Height, a commanding force in civil rights movement who stood on the platform with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his historic "I Have a Dream'' speech, died of natural causes at 3:41 a.m. at Howard University Hospital in Washington, DC. She was 98 years old.

"She led the National Council of Negro Women for 40 years, and served as the only woman at the highest level of the civil rights movement -- witnessing every march and milestone along the way," said President Barack Obama in a statement. "And even in the final weeks of her life -- a time when anyone else would have enjoyed their well-earned rest -- Dr. Height continued her fight to make our nation a more open and inclusive place for people of every race, gender, background and faith."

Height knocked down barriers to achieve equal protections for black men and women, especially in her capacity as president of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) between 1957 and 1998. She also worked for the YWCA, counseled presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon B. Johnson on critical social and civil rights issues, and walked in lockstep with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt to usher in vital changes for women's rights.

In fact, it was with Roosevelt that Height caught the prescient eye of Mary McLeod Bethune, founder and president of the NCNW, in a moment that forever changed Height's life. Height, who was serving as director of the Harlem YWCA, apparently made a great impression on Bethune while escorting Roosevelt to the event.

"Mrs. Bethune invited Height to join NCNW in her quest for women's rights to full and equal employment, pay and education,'' the NCNW site says. In her role at the NCNW, Height went on to make history. The native of Richmond, Va., who was a standout public school student, labored tirelessly to register voters and to end segregation. She helped pave the way for the rise of women like first lady Michelle Obama, Valerie Jarrett, assistant to the president for intergovernmental relations and public liaison, and Ursula M. Burns, the chief executive officer of Xerox and the first African-American woman to lead a S&P 100 company.

"Throughout her life, Dr. Height inspired countless women to become effective leaders," said her friend, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis M. Herman, in a statement posted on the Howard Medical University Hospital Web site.

Click here to read more of this story by Lynette Holloway

Civil Rights Icon Benjamin Hooks Passes Away At 85

Written by:
Emma Brown of the Washington Post

Benjamin Hooks, longtime NAACP director and champion of minorities and the poor, died early this morning at his home in Tennessee. He was 85.

Dr. Hooks was a lawyer and preacher who became one of the country's great civil rights leaders. In 2007, President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the country.

"Dr. Hooks was a calm yet forceful voice for fairness, opportunity and personal responsibility," said George W. Bush, presenting Dr. Hooks the Presidential Medal of Freedom. "He never tired or faltered in demanding that our nation live up to its founding ideals of liberty and equality."In the 1960s, Dr. Hooks became the first black judge since the Civil War to sit on a state trial court in the South when he was appointed to the Tennessee Criminal Court.

In the 1970s, he became the first black commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission when President Richard Nixon appointed him to that post. He pushed through a new rule requiring television and radio stations to be offered publicly before they could be sold; minority employment in the broadcast industry increase fivefold during his five-year tenure.

In 1977, he took the helm of the NAACP, an organization whose membership and influence had dwindled since the 1950s and 60s, the days of Rosa Parks and the March on Washington."Black Americans are not defeated," he told Ebony magazine after becoming the NAACP's director. "The civil rights movement is not dead. If anyone thinks that we are going to stop agitating, they had better think again."

He led the organization until 1992, successfully boosting its enrollment and visibility.Here, a tribute to him on his 80th birthday:

Tennessee Wins Race to the Top Grant

NASHVILLE — Governor Phil Bredesen announced today that Tennessee is one of just two states selected to receive millions of dollars for education in the federal government’s Race to the Top competition. The U.S. Department of Education announced Tennessee and Delaware as the competition’s first round winners earlier today.

Tennessee will receive approximately $500 million to implement its comprehensive school reform plans over the next four years.

“This is a landmark opportunity for Tennessee,” said Bredesen. “Our success in Race to the Top speaks to the commitment we’ve made to meaningful and significant improvement in public education, and the funds provided by the grant will carry us forward in a dramatic and positive direction.”

Tennessee requested $501 million in its application. As one of the next steps in the process, the U.S. Department of Education will complete negotiations with successful states on their Race to the Top contracts to finalize award amounts.

The $4.35 billion Race to the Top Fund is an unprecedented federal investment in reform. The program includes $4 billion for statewide reform grants and $350 million to support states working together to improve the quality of their assessments. The Race to the Top state competition is designed to reward states that are leading the way in comprehensive, coherent, statewide education reform across four key areas:

· Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace;
· Building data systems that measure student growth and success, and inform teachers and principals how to improve instruction;
· Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals, especially where they are needed most; and
· Turning around their lowest-performing schools.

Forty states and the District of Columbia submitted applications for the first phase of grants. Delaware and Tennessee were selected from among 16 finalists who presented their proposals to panels of peer reviewers earlier this month.

The peer reviewers awarded the highest scores to Delaware and Tennessee. According to the U.S. Department of Education, they awarded Delaware and Tennessee high marks for the commitment to reform from key stakeholders, including elected officials, teacher's union leaders, and business leaders. In both states, all school districts committed to implementing Race to the Top reforms.

Delaware and Tennessee also have aggressive plans to improve teacher and principal evaluation, use data to inform instructional decisions, and turn around their lowest-performing schools. In addition, both states have put in place strong laws and policies to support their reform efforts.

Bredesen expressed appreciation for widespread support for the state’s application by the Tennessee General Assembly, Tennessee Education Association, educators and education advocates, business leaders, and the parents and families across the state that want to continue to provide better opportunities in the classroom and in life for Tennessee’s children.

Tennessee’s complete Race to the Top proposal can be found on the state Department of Education Web site at www.tn.gov/education.

More information online at: http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/03/03292010.html.

Parents for Public Schools to Convene

Parents for Public Schools (PPS), a national organization of community‐based chapters, will hold its biannual Leadership Conference on April 23‐25, 2010, in Columbia, Missouri, on the campus of the University of Missouri. The theme of the conference is “Back to the Future.” PPS parents and education experts from across the country will study and discuss how past parent engagement successes in schools can be adapted today to improve public education for all children. Most sessions are open to the public.

“We are very excited to bring together the informed, energized parents that make up PPS chapters across the country,” said Anne Foster, PPS National Executive
Director.

The PPS Leadership Conference will kick off with a dinner and keynote address on Friday evening, April 23, in the Reynolds Alumni Center. On Saturday, concurrent sessions in Townsend Hall will offer workshops to build the skills parents and community partners need to become fully engaged allies in public school improvement as well as local, state, and national education policy. The conference is hosted by the PPS Columbia chapter.

The keynote speaker is Deborah Meier, currently on the faculty of New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education. Meier is a board member and director of New Ventures at Mission Hill, a pilot school in Boston, director and advisor to Forum for Democracy and Education, and serves on the board of the Coalition of Essential Schools and the advisory board for PPS.

In praising the PPS mission and the conference goal of bringing parents to the education decision-making table, Meier said, “Figuring out how families and schools build trust is the number one issue for democracy; while blind trust is unwise, maybe blind respect can help build the kind of wary trust all students, teachers, parents and citizens need to make the future stronger than the past.”

Deborah Meier is the author of The Power of Their Ideas, Lessons to America from a Small School in Harlem, Will Standards Save Public Education, In Schools We Trust, Keeping School (with Ted and Nancy Sizer), Many Children Left Behind, and other books and articles that enhance democracy and equity in public education.

Other sessions will address a variety of education issues from the parent’s perspective and offer opportunities to network with members from across the nation who are passionate about public education.

The conference is sponsored in part by the College of Education at the University of Missouri.

PPS is a national non‐profit organization of community‐based chapters working with public school parents and other supporters to improve and strengthen local public schools. Founded in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1989, there are 14 PPS chapters in 10 states. PPS believes that parents play an indispensable role in building quality schools and those at strong public schools are essential o a strong American democracy.