As part of National Principals Month (http://www.naesp.org/celebrating-national-principals-month), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), and New Leaders are all collaborating with the Department on a shadow program with principals across the Washington, D.C., region.  During the second week in October, more than three dozen schools will host senior agency staff, culminating in a briefing with the Secretary.  This first-hand experience will help inform the Department how federal policy can better support principals in their service to all students.
 

National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention

Attorney General Eric Holder announced that four new cities (Camden, NJ, Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Philadelphia) will join the original cities (Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, and Salinas and San Jose, CA) in the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention to reduce youth violence and gang activity and improve public safety.
http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/youth-topics/preventing-youth-violence.

K12 GRANT AWARDS

Before the close of the federal fiscal year, the Department announced grant awards under a number of additional programs.  First, $28 million in grants were awarded to 46 school districts and non-profit groups to improve the literacy skills of low-income students (http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-education-department-awards-28-million-boost-literacy-skills-low-income-stude).  These grants are designed to increase student achievement by promoting early literacy for young children and by motivating older children to read.  Beyond high-quality literacy activities, grantees will also distribute free books to children and their families.
Second, $9.9 million in grants were awarded to three states to improve statewide academic assessments (http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-awards-more-99-million-grants-three-states-improve-their).
Third, $290 million in grants were awarded to 35 states, districts, and groups to improve pay structures, reward great teachers and principals, and provide greater professional opportunities to teachers in high-poverty schools (http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-boosts-district-led-efforts-recognize-and-reward-great-t).
The 2012 Teacher Incentive Fund competition encouraged applicants to enhance educator compensation systems through one of two models: career ladders or performance-based pay with the option for additional responsibilities.  With either model, applicants were able to submit a general proposal or a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-focused proposal.
Fourth, $52 million was awarded to 22 Comprehensive Centers to raise the capacity of states to help districts and schools meet student achievement goals (http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/education-department-awards-52-million-grants-23-comprehensive-centers-advance-r).  Fifth, over $1.5 million was awarded to 17 institutions of higher education to create, plan, develop, and implement programs to strengthen and improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages (http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-awards-more-15-million-strengthen-and-improve-undergradu) and over $2.9 million was awarded to 23 institutions and groups to support overseas projects in research, training, and curriculum development (http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/29-million-grants-awarded-fulbright-hays-international-education-projects).