Tech Directions - November 2008 - (Page 8)

job growth in a green economy, the proposed policies failed to create a new paradigm for workforce training, according to Julian Alssid, executive director of the Workforce Strategy Center in New York City. Current and proposed policies focus on workforce “training,” aimed at getting people a job with little attention to career advancement. The emphasis on low-level skills, he said, has resulted in high-level-skills jobs going unﬁlled or, as Northeastern’s Andrew Sum pointed out in his testimony, employers seeking to hire non-native workers. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w112.html. Workforce Development Innovation and the WIA One place to start changing to a workforce development view might be with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), according to a policy brief from a foundation-sponsored project that focuses on the working poor. The Act was supposed to have been renewed in 2003, but it has limped along on a year-to-year basis with no real analysis or oversight of its $3 billion in appropriations (which have declined since WIA was authorized 10 years ago). While WIA has been criticized for its burdensome regulations, areas exist where the funding could be used to develop innovative state workforce policies and programs. One is the 15% state set aside for activities determined by the governor. (In at least seven states’ programs for youth have been the priority of this allocation). Another source for innovation is the incentive award grants given to states that exceed their performance targets in various outcomes measured by the Department of Labor (in the latest round, 10 states received awards ranging from just under $1 million to $3 million). Illinois, for example, used WIA discretionary funds to support its Critical Skills Shortage Initiative, which links regional economic growth to education and workforce services. Assessing Technical Knowledge WestEd, an education research and development organization based in San Francisco, will wade into uncharted waters as the developer of the ﬁrst national assessment of students’ technological knowledge. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has scheduled the ﬁrst test of technological literacy for the year 2012. Currently, we have no national requirements and no common deﬁnition of technological literacy, and few states have adopted separate tests for it. WestEd will recommend the framework and test speciﬁcations for the 2012 NAEP, and the NAEP Governing Board is expected to approve the framework and decide which grade level to test by the end of 2009. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w114.html. For the rest of this item, visit www.techdirections.com/w113.html. Editor’s note: Due to rising paper and postage costs, we’ve placed portions of this column on our web site. We welcome your reactions. 8 techdirections ◆ NOVEMBER 2008 http://www.techdirections.com/w112.html http://www.techdirections.com/w114.html http://www.techdirections.com/w113.html http://www.elexp.com http://www.chiefarchitect.com/FreeTrial http://www.chiefarchitect.com/FreeTrial http://www.elexp.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Tech Directions - November 2008

Tech Directions - November 2008 Technically Speaking Contents Direct fromWashington The Report Technology’s Past Technology Today Mastering Computers Exploring Engineering—Pros Can Help Make It Real Challenge Students to Design an Energy-Efficient Home CTE Teacher Succession—Insuring a Smooth Transition Reservoir High’s TE Site Wins Web Site of the Month ACTE Convention and Career Tech Expo— Racing Toward Charlotte Hands-On Activities More than Fun

Tech Directions - November 2008

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