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<TITLE>Thursday Notes - Special Issue, November 1, 2001</TITLE>
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<P ALIGN=RIGHT><B><FONT COLOR="#008080" FACE="Arial">From the Desk of Ronald S. Pugsley, Director, DAEL</FONT></B></P>
<P ALIGN=RIGHT><B><FONT COLOR="#008080" FACE="Arial">Office of Vocational and Adult Education</FONT></B></P>
<P><B><I><FONT COLOR="#008000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Editor: Sarah Newcomb</FONT></I></B>
<BR><B><I><FONT COLOR="#008000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Production: Rose Tilghman</FONT></I></B>
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<P><I><B><FONT COLOR="#008000" SIZE=5 FACE="Arial">November 1, 2001</FONT> <FONT COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial">- </FONT><FONT COLOR="#008000" SIZE=5 FACE="Arial">Special Issue</FONT> </B> </I>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#008080" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">___________________________________</FONT></B>
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<P><B><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=5 FACE="Arial">Report to Congress</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=5 FACE="Arial">Goes to Hill, States</FONT><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial"> </FONT></B>
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<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">Advance copies of our</FONT><I><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> Report to Congress on State Performance</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> for program year 1999-00 went to Capitol Hill and State Directors of Adult Education today. The report shows that most states met or exceeded their performance targets based on their average performance on Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) indicators. The report contains the national performance picture as well as each state's statistical profile. AEFLA requires the Secretary of Education to prepare the report annually and to make that information available to both Congress and the public. Congress still is working on adult education appropriations, scheduled for a vote today. Copies for distribution to the press and public are being printed by--and soon will be available from--GPO. The report is coming soon to<U> </U></FONT><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman"><A HREF="http://www.ed.gov" TARGET="_blank">http://www.ed.gov</A></FONT></U><B></B><B></B></P>
<P><B><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">ED Mailroom </FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">Tests Negative</FONT></B>
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<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">The Department of Education's (ED's)</FONT><B><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"></FONT></B> <FONT FACE="Times New Roman">mailroom and all mail handlers have been tested for anthrax and the results are negative. ED has not accepted any mail from the troubled Brentwood Mail Station since October 19. This is the station from which most government agencies receive their mail. The most effective ways to reach us during this period are to email or fax correspondence--or just give us a call.</FONT></P>
<P><B><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">Employers Not</FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">Using One-Stops?</FONT></B>
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<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">Ninety-five percent of employers surveyed by the US Chamber of Commerce said they "never utilized" the services of one-stops, although most employers responding said they had difficulty finding qualified workers. A new survey by the Chamber's Center for Workforce Preparation also says nearly half of survey respondents believe a well-trained staff is key to remaining competitive. The survey,</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Times New Roman">Keeping Competitive: Hiring, Training and Retaining Qualified Workers</FONT></I><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"> is available at</FONT><U> <FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman"><A HREF="http://www.uschamber.com/CWP" TARGET="_blank">http://www.uschamber.com/CWP</A></FONT></U></P>
<P><B><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">Most States Use </FONT></B>
<BR><B><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=4 FACE="Arial">Some Data Match</FONT></B>
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<P><FONT FACE="Times New Roman">Nearly two thirds of the states use some form of data matching to follow learners' outcomes such as getting a job or a GED, says a new national survey from the Massachusetts Department of Education. A similar percentage also use, or use exclusively, post-program surveys of learners. The new report,</FONT><I> <FONT FACE="Times New Roman">The "State of the Art" for ABE Performance Accountability: What's Happening in Each of the 50 States,</FONT></I><I><B><FONT FACE="Times New Roman"></FONT></B></I> <FONT FACE="Times New Roman">contains survey results from all 50 states. For more, see</FONT><U> <FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman"><A HREF="http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/news.htm" TARGET="_blank">http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/news.htm</A></FONT></U></P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">_______________________________________________________________________________________________</FONT>
<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><I><FONT COLOR="#008080" SIZE=1 FACE="Arial">A Fact Sheet from the Division of Adult Education and Literacy</FONT></I></B></P>
<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><I><FONT COLOR="#008080" SIZE=1 FACE="Arial">Office of Vocational and Adult Education</FONT></I></B></P>
<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><I><FONT COLOR="#008080" SIZE=1 FACE="Arial">OVAE Homepage</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=1 FACE="Arial"></FONT></I></B><B><I><U> <FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=1 FACE="Arial"><A HREF="http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/" TARGET="_blank">http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/</A></FONT></U></I></B><I></I></P>
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