Tech Directions - February 2009 - (Page 8) Youth Employment Concerns With the worst unemployment rate in 60 years registered by youth (ages 16-19) last summer, the new Obama Administration must provide targeted funding for youth workforce development, the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) has told Congressional leaders. NYEC, which represents more than 250 youth-serving organizations, addressed a letter to leaders of both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and House that asked for $2 billion for youth workforce development to be included in any economic stimulus bill passed by Congress. The package would include education and training programs for outof-school youth, summer jobs, and work experience. Since 2001, NYEC pointed out, funding for youth employment services has been slashed by an “astounding” 33 percent ($454 million). This means that job training and employment services for many disconnected youth no longer are avail- able. NYEC estimated there are 3.8 million youth who are disconnected from school and work. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w022.html. sponses to local employer needs. Again, funding may come from the state through workforce training and economic development programs. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w023.html. Growing Role for Community Colleges The impact of the economic downturn on community college enrollment already is evident. Interest in career pathway/development programs is on the rise as high school graduates forego, at least immediately, plans to try for a four-year degree and laid-off workers look for new career options. Even without the changing demands because of the economic slump, community colleges were beginning to play a much larger role in noncredit workforce education. More than half of the states now provide general funds for community college noncredit workforce education and have guidelines that define what qualifies as a noncredit workforce course. Not only are these courses sought by individuals, they often are re- Need for Improved Testing The assessment/accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (or whatever its new name will be) loom as central to the debate over the law’s reauthorization. When lawmakers get around to reviewing the law (not an immediate item in Washington, DC), they will have a lot of rhetoric and reports to consider about the nature of future assessments. One of them boldly asserts that it is possible to assess 21st century skills such as thinking creatively and evaluating and analyzing information and that new models of testing can measure these skills at the same time as basic skills and core content are measured. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w024.html. 8 techdirections ◆ FEBRUARY 2009 http://www.techdirections.com/w022.html http://www.techdirections.com/w023.html http://www.techdirections.com/w024.html http://www.cup.edu/go http://www.cup.edu/go
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