Teachers: Elevate & Respect

The Department of Education is launching the RESPECT Project which will aid the Obama Administration's $5 billion competitive program. RESPECT stands for Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence and Collaborative Teaching and will aid teachers in gaining respect, in learning to not teach to the test, and to bring back creativity and passion into the classroom. The $5 billion competitive program basically encourages EVERYONE involved in education to work together (is that a nod to the golden rule?). Learn more about both initiatives from the Department of Education's press release. Note the related resources box to the right of the release.

Disaster Preparation in the Classroom

FEMA has made it easy for teachers to add an active discussion on disaster preparedness to their curriculum with the Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) program. Obviously, after April 27 and yesterday, we all need to be prepared.

Administrators, here's a resource for you from the Department of Education, Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance (REMS TA) Center.

Save Energy Save Money

Use Home Energy Saver to learn how much energy your home currently uses and receive recommendations on how to improve your energy use which will save you money.

Homework Tips for Parents

Is your child's current report card causing you to reassess the way you handle homework in your home? If so, get some help from the Department of Education's Homework Tips for Parents.

Which States Are Seeking Flexibility from NCLB

Wondering which states are pushing No Child Left Behind reform by asking for flexibility?

Middle School Kids (& Teachers) Rock

Why would anyone consider teaching middle school? Because middle school kids are curious & bright. Also, change is the name of the game. Learn why & more from Middle Grades Matter.

Financial Aid Resources

A big part of the college decision process is the tuition. As in, how will you pay for your tuition? If you're still working on the answer to that question, then check out these financial aid resources:

• Student Loans, Forgiveness
• Financial Aid Overview
• Student Aid on the Web 
• 529 Plans

Flexibility - No Child Left Behind

I've pulled together a list of resources from the White House & Department of Education that mention the suggested flexibility to No Child Left Behind:

• President Obama: "Our Kids Only Get One Shot at a Decent Education" (White House Blog)
• Weekly Address: Strengthening the American Education System (White House Blog)
• What NCLB Flexibility Means for You (ED.gov Blog)
• Teacher Makes a Personal Case for NCLB Waivers (ED.gov Blog)
• Obama Administration Offers Flexibility from No Child Left Behind  (ED.gov Blog)
• ESEA Flexibility (Department of Education)

energy.gov Goes Local

Have you visited the Energy Department's website lately? They have added a feature to search your town for alternative fuel stations. As well, you can easily discover how your much your state spends on energy and how much you use.

Stats About 2008-09 College Graduates

2008–09 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study: A First Look at Recent College Graduates describes

the enrollment and employment experiences of a national sample of college graduates who completed a bachelor’s degree in the 2007–08 academic year 1 year after they graduated (from the forward).

Documents of the Month: Back to School

We're showcasing a combination of back to school and No Child Left Behind documents in honor of the best time of the year.

• Back to School Tax Relief Act of 2002
• America Goes Back to School
• No Child Left Behind
• Tips for Helping Children to Read
• Reading Tips for Parents
• Educating Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students
• Repaying Your Student Loans
• Choosing a School for Your Child
• Preparing Your Child for College
• Helping Your Child Succeed in School
• Helping Your Child Learn Science
• Helping Your Child Become a Reader
• Helping Your Preschool Child 
• Helping Your Child Learn Mathematics
• Helping Your Child with Homework
• Helping Your Child Become a Responsible Citizen
• Helping Your Child Through Early Adolescence
• Building on Results: A blueprint for strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act
• Teaching Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Instructional strategies and practices
• No Child Left Behind: A desktop reference
• So That Every Child Can Read... 

College Affordability

Is your teenager previewing colleges this summer? If so, check out these reports from the College Affordability and Transparency Center.

Find a Public Library

Have you found your local public library? If not, why are you waiting? Public libraries often have movies that you can check out and the latest best sellers for your summer trip. They also have free Internet, databases for research, kid programs and meeting rooms. Use this handy search from the Department of Education to find your local public library.

Documents of the Month: Family Tied

I thought we would highlight a few of our genealogical documents in honor of the genealogists that will be visiting us in June:

• Finding information on personal participation in World War II
• Using records in the National Archives for genealogical research
• National Archives at Philadelphia
• National Archives Pacific Sierra Region
• National Archives New England Region
• National Archives at Chicago
• National Archives at Kansas City
• Fast facts about the 1920 Census
• Research in the land entry files of the general land office
• Guidelines for using historical records in the National Archives
• Family history sources
• Family ties in England, Scotland, Wales & Ireland
• Genealogical Research at the Library of Congress
• Using maps in genealogy
• Do you know which 1990 products contain data on ancestry?
• Black family research
• Getting started: beginning your genealogical research in the National Archives in Washington
• Age search information
• My history is America's History

School Data

Curious about your local schools? Exactly how many 2nd graders attend your elementary school? Are there any charter schools in your area? Answer these question and more from the Department of Education's report -
Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2009-10 - First Look.

Gasoline Prices

Looking for tips on how to save gas money? Where are the cheapest prices in your area? Check out Gasoline Prices before you hit the road.

What Is the Price of College? Total, Net, and Out-of-Pocket Prices in 2007–08

Use these figures to help determine the cost of college for your 2011 entering freshman.

The Nation's Report Card: Math 2009

How are our students performing in the subject of math? The Nation's Report Card shares the national results by 12th, 8th & 4th grades and district results by 4th & 8th grades.

Energy Explained: Your Guide to Understanding Energy

FREE - Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

Are you searching for a way to spark your child's excitement about a subject? Do you need a better analogy for explaining a concept? Are you currently homeschooling and need all of the free credible resources available? FREE - Federal Resources for Educational Excellence is a compilation of federally supported teaching and learning sites. FREE offers an RSS feed along with a Twitter feed to make staying up to date easy.