[Video] Outgoing Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar Discusses 21st Century Conservation Service Corps in His Final Webchat

Earlier this week, outgoing Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar recorded his final webchat. Among all that was discussed, he answered a question about how he hopes the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps will be viewed 10 years from now. The conversation occurs at the 28:30 mark of the webchat, which we have cued up below. Check it out!

We thank Secretary Salazar for being such a great supporter of Corps over his years and have enjoyed honoring him as a federal champion this year, and as the inaugural awardee of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Service and Conservation Corps Leadership Award.

 

The Education Corner

Check back here for education news and for information about the kinds of education reforms, initiatives and programs that might make a difference for your Corps’s educational programming. 

Date: April 9, 2014
Title: College Board/National Journal “Next America” Poll

 

Minority children are projected to comprise a majority of the K-12 population within this decade, and minority workers projected to provide all of the net increase in the workforce through 2030. As a result, many agree that increasing the skills and educational attainment of young, non-white people looms as one of the most pressing challenges to American competitiveness.

In an era of slow economic growth and tight public budgets, there remains considerable disagreement about not only the kind of intervention, but also the timing of intervention most likely to produce success. In other words, with limited dollars to spend, what is the point in the lifecycle of students and young workers where we can invest in them for the greatest return? Click here for the full post

Date: January 9, 2014
Title: Meeting Students Where They Are: Competency-Based Education and College Success

 

The Corps Network’s Tyler Wilson recently spoke at a Center for American Progress event on Competency based education. Read below for a description of the event. 

Boosting postsecondary education success is incredibly important for our ability to grow and maintain a strong middle class in an economy that increasingly relies on technology. A new Center for American Progress report will call for game-changing reforms to postsecondary education financing models to promote the adoption of competency-based education—which tracks student progress by measuring the acquisition of knowledge and skills—and stackable credentials—which allow students to leave and re-enter postsecondary education more easily—with the goal of enabling students to more readily complete programs and presenting clear pathways to the workforce.

Please join the Center for American Progress for this event, which will explore competency-based education as a driver of innovation with higher education. Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter will speak about competency-based education as part of President Barack Obama’s plan to make postsecondary education more affordable and a better bargain for the middle class. A panel will discuss emerging approaches to reform that show promise for encouraging program completion, reducing cost, and improving quality. Click here to watch the video. 

Date: April 2, 2013
Title: The GED Test is Undergoing a Major Overhaul. Will the Changes Affect You? 

 

The General Education Development (GED) test has for decades been the most commonly accepted alternative to a high school diploma. Developed in the 1940s as a way to help World War II veterans complete the requirements needed to move on to college, GEDs have now been awarded to over 18 million people. The test has proven to be an excellent tool for adults who may have dropped out of high school many years earlier; the average age of test takers is 26. The market for the GED and other high school equivalency certificates has grown recently along with increased dropout rates (especially among minority populations), and as the changing job market has forced older Americans to improve their education in order to find employment.

After a major overhaul process, a new GED test with different content and a different format will be administered starting in January 2014. This change could create serious obstacles for many low-skilled and low-income adults throughout the country. The new test will be more difficult, more expensive, and will likely be offered in fewer locations. Read more. 

Date: March 29, 2013
Title: What is the Common Core Initative?

 

This week, members of The Corps Network staff attended an AEI (American Enterprise Institute) research conference on the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Common Core is an education initiative to align K-12 curricula across the country. The goal is that every student will receive a meaningful high school diploma that guarantees they have a certain level of ability that would be expected in college or desirable to an employer (see below for more information on what the Common Core State Standards entail).

So far, 45 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the initiative. With the new Standards, states will be required to administer new assessments to measure student achievement. Though a test has not been created, the first formal assessment is expected to happen as soon as the 2014 – 2015 school year. This compressed timeline leaves many educators questioning whether the Standards will be effectively implemented and how successful CCSS will be. Read more. 

The GED Test is undergoing a Major Overhaul. Will the Changes Affect You?

The General Education Development (GED) test has for decades been the most commonly accepted alternative to a high school diploma. Developed in the 1940s as a way to help World War II veterans complete the requirements needed to move on to college, GEDs have now been awarded to over 18 million people. The test has proven to be an excellent tool for adults who may have dropped out of high school many years earlier; the average age of test takers is 26. The market for the GED and other high school equivalency certificates has grown recently along with increased dropout rates (especially among minority populations), and as the changing job market has forced older Americans to improve their education in order to find employment. 

After a major overhaul process, a new GED test with different content and a different format will be administered starting in January 2014. This change could create serious obstacles for many low-skilled and low-income adults throughout the country. The new test will be more difficult, more expensive, and will likely be offered in fewer locations. Read below to learn the specifics of how the GED is changing, why these changes raise concerns for educators, and how states and counties are addressing these concerns. Information taken from The Working Poor Families Project policy brief, “Preparing for the New GED Test: What to Consider Before 2014” (Fall 2012).

 

Why is the GED test changing?

The American Council on Education (ACE), the nonprofit organization that has developed and administered the GED since its creation, believed that the current test content did not reflect the skill level needed for college or competitive jobs. There was a desire to bring the test in alignment with the Common Core State Standards Initiative, and thus keep the test in step with the country’s increased focus on postsecondary education. ACE also wanted to update the test so it could be taken on computers rather than on paper. In 2011, ACE created a partnership with Pearson VUE, a for-profit testing company, in order to develop a new exam that would test for the skills colleges and employers now expect from competitive applicants.

 

What does the current GED test look like?

The current test is comprised of tests in 5 subject areas that, when passed, certify that the test-taker has high school-level academic abilities. Tests are administered at official GED testing centers. Usually, the tests are taken over the course of a few weeks or months (it would take over 7 hours to complete them all at once). The 5 tests include:

  • reading
  • writing
  • math
  • science
  • social studies

 

What will the new GED test look like? – starting January 2014

CONTENT
The new battery of tests places a greater emphasis on writing ability and critical thinking skills. There will be four tests covering the following subject areas:

  • literacy
  • math
  • science
  • social studies
    **(writing skills will be assessed in multiple tests, eliminating the need for a separate writing test) 

TEST TAKING
The new test will be administered on computers. The old paper and pencil tests will only be available for students with disabilities.

SCORING
There will now be a two-tiered scoring system resulting in two different types of certification. There will still be a certain passing score for each test that indicates general high school competency. But, students that score well on college readiness aspects of the test will also receive credentials that indicate both high school equivalency and college readiness.

 

What concerns do educators have about how the GED test changes could affect low-income, low-skilled adults?

COST:

  • The current computer-based GED test costs about $120 for testing centers to administer; this is moderately or significantly more than the standard fee for the paper and pencil test.
  • While some states set the fees for GED tests or cover the test costs completely, other states allow testing centers to determine the price of the tests based on their operating costs and what kinds of subsidies they receive. As subsidies decrease and testing centers must invest in new equipment to administer the tests, there is concern costs could be passed on to test takers in the form of exam fees.
  • Since the new test will be taken by computer, GED Testing Service will assume total responsibility for test scoring and record keeping (a task usually managed by states). Some fear that having a central repository for all GED test records could make it more difficult and costly for test takers to receive their certificates and transcripts.
  • All new test content means test prep centers and adult education providers will need to invest in new materials and professional development. This could mean increased prices for prep services.
  • Many states have subsidized the cost of the GED test, but there is concern that this could stop due to prohibitions of public agencies subsidizing for-profit companies (such as Pearson VUE, the test taking company now partnered with ACE) without competitive bidding.
  • There is concern that Pearson VUE, as a for-profit company, has the ability to increase the test cost whenever they want.

COMPUTERIZATION

Now that the test will be administered solely on computers, adult education providers will need to provide instruction in computer literacy. This will take more time and resources and could prove very difficult for test takers and education providers with limited or no access to computers.

AVAILABILITY OF TEST CENTERS

The new test will be available at Pearson VUE test centers, which are generally far less numerous than the state-managed test centers that currently provide the exams. Existing state testing centers will be authorized to administer the test if they have the resources (computers) and capacity to do so. Fewer testing centers poses a challenge for test takers in rural areas and for those without transportation.

IMPACT ON CURRICULUM & TEST PREPARATION METHODS

  • Studies show that about half of all GED test takers prepare for the exams on their own instead of participating in adult education programs. With the increased rigor of the exam, more students will probably need to use test preparation services.
  • Will the new two-tiered scoring system affect the rate at which GED takers move on to postsecondary education opportunities? Will those who don’t receive the college readiness credentials feel discouraged and not bother applying to college?
  • Does it make sense to bring the test in alignment with the Common Core State Standards Initiative? Yes, the Common Core was created to ensure high school graduates are more prepared for college and careers, but the Standards were developed for K-12 education, not adult education.
  • With the current test disappearing after December 31, 2013, will adult educators and test preparation services have had enough time to bring their curriculum up to speed?

 

 What is being done to address these concerns and accommodate for the new test?

Two main things that need to be done:

  1. States and school districts need to take action to ensure that the new test remains affordable and accessible
  2. States need to take action to make sure there are viable alternatives to the GED, especially for working adults for whom the new test model may not be appropriate.  

What’s being done now?

  • GED Testing Services plans to make curriculum and professional development resources available in order to ease the transition.
  • Many states and counties are simply encouraging students to accelerate their studies and complete the GED test before the transition happens in 2014.
  • Some states, such as Texas and New York, are seriously considering creating an alternative test to the GED. Some states already offer alternatives to the GED test and are looking for ways to make these tests more accessible and accepted. Some states are exploring the development of new competency-based high school equivalency diplomas.
  • Some states and counties are looking into other established, national high school equivalency diploma options, such as the National External Diploma Program (NEDP). The NEDP, which is competency-based, better serves adults as it allows test takers to demonstrate skills learned through life experiences rather than through the classroom.

 

Video: DC Green Corps featured in video about green jobs in the District

 

Washington Parks & People featured prominently in a recent video about green jobs created by The University of the District of Columbia’s College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Evironmental Sciences (CAUSES). The video looks closely at Parks & People’s DC Green Corps program, which provides job training in urban forestry and watershed restoration to adults (18 and older) from underserved neighborhoods in DC. Green Corps members help improve DC parks and waterways, learn valuable hard and soft job skills, and graduate the program after 12 weeks with new qualifications added to their resumes. The CAUSES video includes interviews with Steve Coleman, Executive Director of Washington Parks & People, and RonDell Pooler, a Green Corps alumnus who now works for the organization and is currently coordinating the Corps’s fifth cohort. 

No Need to Worry, Mom: A Corpsmember Explains how his Corps’s Training Procedures Prepared him to do Tough Jobs Safely

“Mothers Needn’t Worry”

From Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa

By: Nicholas Cox

“Forest fires!? That’s really dangerous, Nick. You do know you need to be specially trained to do that?”

“That’s what I’ve been told.”

“Well, you need special equipment, too, ya know.”

“You sure do.”

“You just better be safe, Nick.”

“Tell you what, Mom, I’ll have them give you a call so you can make sure everything checks out.”

Over dinner this past Sunday, I had the chance to share with my parents a bit about what I’ve been up to since starting as a crew member on the St. Paul field crew. The preceding was the exchange I had with my mother upon reaching the topic of wildland fire. My mother has always been very concerned with my well-being. This was extremely helpful as a child; I was never the kid who forgot their snowsuit in elementary school, never one of the poor saps sentenced to indoor recess with no parole while everyone else was building snow kingdoms and bombarding girls with snowballs.

The Conservation Corps is also very concerned with my well-being. Less “Put on a jacket, it’s cold out,” and more “Don’t cut your leg off with that chainsaw.” The Corps takes safety and preparedness extremely seriously. Upon joining the Corps, each member is issued a full suite of personal protective equipment (PPE) that we will use through the rest of the year including task-specific hardhats, ear protection, multiple pairs of safety glasses, Kevlar-lined boots, chainsaw chaps, and gloves. Even better, the gloves and boots fit, the chaps are new, and prescription safety glasses are an option. Read more. 

 

 

New York > Sandy: Thanks to NYRP, New Yorkers Plant More Trees than Hurricane Sandy Took Down

Taken from The City Atlas, New York

Trees are going up faster than storms are tak­ing them down in New York City.

Dozens of peo­ple lined up in a park­ing lot between some indus­trial build­ings and the Gowanus Canal in Brook­lyn on a recent sunny Sat­ur­day morn­ing to pick up stick-figure-sized Red­bud trees about four feet tall. More than half of the 100 trees ready to go were picked up within the first 45 min­utes of a two-hour stretch, said Sophie Plitt, Forestry Coor­di­na­tor of New York Restora­tion Project. 

About once a week in the spring and fall, the NYRP – in con­junc­tion with the city – goes to dif­fer­ent neigh­bor­hoods and gives away trees for free. (See our cov­er­age of this year’s free tree announce­ment for upcom­ing give­away dates and locations.)

The last three tree give­aways of 2012 were can­celed after Hur­ri­cane Sandy. The storm knocked down more than 10,000 trees, said Tara Kier­nan, a spokes­woman for the Parks Depart­ment. That’s fif­teen times as many tree casu­al­ties than after 2011’s Hur­ri­cane Irene, which took down about 650 trees. Read more. 

 

What is the Common Core Initiative?

 

This week, members of The Corps Network staff attended an AEI (American Enterprise Institute) research conference on the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The Common Core is an education initiative to align K-12 curricula across the country. The goal is that every student will receive a meaningful high school diploma that guarantees they have a certain level of ability that would be expected in college or desirable to an employer (see below for more information on what the Common Core State Standards entail).

So far, 45 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the initiative. With the new Standards, states will be required to administer new assessments to measure student achievement. Though a test has not been created, the first formal assessment is expected to happen as soon as the 2014 – 2015 school year. This compressed timeline leaves many educators questioning whether the Standards will be effectively implemented and how successful CCSS will be. 

Panelists at the AEI event came to the conclusion that implementing the initiative will face a number of challenges as it interacts with existing school policies and other education reform initiatives. Issues and concerns the panelists discussed included: 

  • How will charter schools react to the Initiative? Charter schools are somewhat based on the idea that standardized schooling is flawed. Will charters reject the Common Core Standards out of fear that it would restrict their freedom to choose their own curriculum and teaching methods? Or, since all states and districts will be more closely aligned under the Common Core, will charter schools embrace the standards as a way to prove their methods are more effective than those used in mainstream schools?
  • The Common Core requires teaching a certain level of computer skills (keyboard use, etc.), and it seems likely that new state assessments will be administered on computers. How will this affect the already large “technology gap” between poor schools and wealthy schools?
  • Though implementation of the Standards is still just beginning, schools will begin formally testing students to see if their achievement levels have changed. How will we know if these assessments are really measuring student achievement in ways similar to how states measured achievement in the past? How soon will schools start looking at test results when making high stakes decisions about teacher hiring and firing?
  • Are teaching schools keeping up with the changes? Are teacher training methods reflective of the Common Core State Standards?
  • How will teachers respond to the Standards? Will they need to change any of their teaching methods? How will they react to working closely with other teachers?
  • CCSS places an emphasis on making sure students are exposed to increasingly difficult texts throughout their educational career. The Standards also require that students learn how to really interact with a text and analyze it, rather than just write about how the text makes them feel. Are students at a level where they are capable of handling this transition? 

What is the Common Core State Standards Initiative?

It is an education initiative that follows the idea that all students across the country should have a common core of knowledge that prepares them for higher education or the workforce. A high school diploma from any school, city, or state should guarantee that the recipient is literate and can compete in the job market. Historically, states have had vastly different standards for what a competent student should be able to do and understand; CCSS seeks to bring these standards into alignment.

There are currently Standards for math and English language arts (Standards for science and social studies do not exist yet). They were released in June 2010 and most states adopted them within a few months. States that adopted the Standards or a similar college and career readiness curriculum were eligible for federal Race to the Top Grants. All states that adopted the initiative plan to have 85 percent of their curricula on the Standards by 2015.

The CCSS initiative is more about prescribing what a student should be able to do rather than saying students should know specific facts or texts. For example, there are no reading lists to accompany the reading standards; rather, students are simply expected to read a wide range of classic and contemporary work that challenges their ideas and perspectives. 

 

“I Serve Because…” Video Contest: Make Sure Your Representatives Hear Your Story and Know that National Service Matters

The House of Representatives recently passed a budget that would eliminate funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). This would mean no more AmeriCorps, NCCC, VISTA, and many other important programs. As said by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), “The future of national service is at risk.” 

If you have a story to tell about how you or the communities you served were impacted by national service programs, now is the time to make your voice heard. The Save Service in America campaign recently created the “I Serve Because…” video contest to get your stories out there. Simply make a short video explaining why you serve, upload it to YouTube or submit it to the contest via email (see below for details). There will be a special prize for the best video, but every story counts. It is vital that your Representatives in Congress understand how much we would lose if national service programs disappeared. 

LA Conservation Corps Plants Over 1,000 Trees Across Los Angeles County

 

Trees are going up in and around Los Angeles thanks to the LA Conservation Corps. Read below to learn about how LACC recently participated in two local tree planting projects.

Taken from Around the Corps, the LACC newsletter, Vol. 3 Issue 3

SEA Lab Corpsmembers plant over 1,000 trees in Lawndale

This month, SEA Lab corpsmembers participated in a tree planting ceremony at a local dog park to celebrate our partnership with the City of Lawndale. City officials joined SEA Lab Director Brent Scheiwe and his crew to plant three Sweet Bay trees. https://batterypoweredleafblower.com/ offers a large range of leaf blowers. Pictured above from the left (holding shovels) are Mayor Pro Tem Larry Rudolph, Councilmember Pat Kearny, Councilmember Jim Osborne and Mayor Harold Hofmann.  

Corpsmembers will plant 100 trees in the City of Lawndale during the month of March as part of the South Coast Air Quality Management District’s Green House Gas Reduction grant. The event also marked another milestone, as Corpsmembers planted their one-thousandth tree for the project. Only 200 remain to be planted under the grant.

LACC helps plant trees at Special Education Center in San Pedro

In honor of California Arbor Week, corpsmembers from our East LA Center teamed up with volunteers from Fresh & Easy and Uniliver to plant 14 Shrubby Yew Pines on the campus of Willenberg Special Education Center School in San Pedro.  The Willenberg School serves over 500 students aged 5 to 22 who are moderately to severely handicapped and/or autistic.

A total of 14 volunteers came out on March 14th to work with four LA Corpsmembers and staff.  The trees were planted around the School’s newly built playground to provide shade to the area.  Once the trees were planted, students helped water the trees.  The Willenberg School was very appreciative of our planting efforts and thankful that we included their students in this unique planting opportunity.  The LA Corps looks forward to partnering with Fresh & Easy to continue greening our local schools.

Video: Urban Corps Featured on Univision San Diego

Robert Chávez, CEO of Urban Corps of San Diego, recently appeared on Univision’s Despierta San Diego morning show. He was joined by Carlos Pastrana, a former Corpsmember.   

Click here to watch the video (title “Urban Corps,” posted 6:40 a.m. PDT, March 28, 2013)