NCEE News

Federal Funding
Celebrating 100,000
Youth Entrepreneurship Education Update
Study Tours Connecting Educators

Federal Funding - Survival on “The Hill”

National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) International Funding: Update for FY2006 and Request for FY2007

December 2005 - the U.S. Congress restored funding for the Education for Democracy Act, the legislation which funds the NCEE’s International Economic Education program through the Cooperative Education Exchange Program in Civics and Economics . The spending bills, which came out of Conference Committee negotiations on appropriations, included $4.527 million for NCEE’s International Economic Education outreach, through the Cooperative Education Exchange Program (CEEP), and $1.488 million for NCEE’s vital program in the nation’s schools, through the Excellence in Economic Education Program (EEE).

The Administration had not included funding for Education for Democracy in its FY2006 budget request to Congress, and the restoration of funding for these programs was possible because of the commitment and support of those vested in economic education. Through many contacts by constituents like you with Members of Congress, a national letter-writing campaign last spring resulted in positive responses by elected officials from both sides of the aisle.

Unfortunately, the Administration’s recently-released budget request for FY2007 again excluded the Education for Democracy Act, sending a sobering signal that to gain support for funding next year, we must build on and strengthen the Congressional support that has been so important to this program since 1995.

Fortunately, soon after the budget was released February 6, several leaders in the U.S. House and Senate decided to circulate letters to their colleagues advocating the inclusion of the Education for Democracy Act in the FY2007 education appropriations. This “Dear Colleague” strategy yielded strong results in FY2006, and with the early start this year, we are optimistic that funding can be restored again.

Currently, letters are being sent to Members of Congress by bipartisan teams from House and Senate, asking them to join as co-signers of this appeal. Your elected officials are far more likely to sign on if they hear from you, their constituents! A large number of co-signers will send a strong signal to appropriators about the widespread support for this small but significant program. While the deadline has passed for contacting your representative, there is still time to contact your senator. If you are willing and able to write to your senator in support of this funding, please consider doing so before April 5th. Directions, letter templates and fact sheet are available through the ICEE web site to assist you in this very important task. A few minutes of your time have the potential for substantial impact and significant multiplier effect.

Celebrating 100,000!

The National Council on Economic Education is celebrating the shipment of the 100,000th Advanced Placement Economics workbook. You’ll find the highlights in the most recent press release; you’ll also find a PDF version in the left column. Illinois teachers’ interest and participation in AP Economics workshops and outreach efforts helped make this milestone possible!

Youth Entrepreneurship Education Update

In May 2005, NCEE released a major announcement when it was awarded $3.5 million by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation - the largest single outright non-government grant in NCEE’s 56-year history - to add to program offerings in the Campaign for Economic and Financial Literacy. NCEE was awarded The Youth Entrepreneurship Program, which the Foundation has developed - to further develop, sustain and grow - with the means to do it. This Youth Entrepreneurship Program has three facets: Mini-Society; Making a Job; and EntrePrep.

This program provides the NCEE network with a new “wing” in entrepreneurship education to be added to the comprehensive NCEE National Program structure; joining the core economics program, personal finance program, and the international program.

The NCEE is currently orchestrating national train-the-trainer programs in anticipation of the first round of teacher training workshops for Mini-Society (elementary) and Making a Job (middle level) to be launched in the Fall 2006. Updates concerning MiniSociety and Making a Job trainings are forthcoming and will be posted in future articles of E-CONnections!

Study Tours Connecting Educators from Illinois & Russia

In early January 2005, ICEE announced a Request for Applications for a Study Tour on Economic Education to Russia. We are happy to announce that our University of Illinois at Chicago - Center for Economic Education (UIC-CEE) had been chosen to host a study tour for visiting colleagues from Russia. Professor Helen Roberts, Associate Director at the UIC-CEE, and her team recently hosted two Russian educators. Kudos to the UIC-CEE!

Congratulations are also in order for Ladonna Brown, teacher in the Peoria public schools. Ladonna (Donna) has been selected to participate in the Study Tour on Economic Education to Russia sponsored by NCEE and scheduled for April 2-12, 2006. Donna teaches social studies at Washington Gifted School (middle school), in Peoria. She has developed a strong economic focus in her classes, and is sharing her enthusiasm for and knowledge of economics with her colleagues, both in her school and with other schools in the district. She has become a key figure in economic education for the Peoria area, working with our Center at Bradley University

This twelve-day study tour will begin with a pre-departure orientation in Washington, DC followed by a nine-day study tour in Russia. The study tour program is part of the Cooperative Education Exchange Program and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education in coordination with the U.S. Department of State. The study tour will include school visits, observations of teacher training activities, and meetings with ministry officials, economists and leaders in the field of education. Study tour participants will participate in discussions on topics such as education reform, teacher professional development, economics in the curriculum, assessment, testing and standards and teaching methodologies. Several teacher-participants will lead discussions or conduct short presentations; everyone will have many opportunities to partake in discussions, question and answer forums, and other activities. Each participant will also be required to submit a post-tour plan for developing lessons and presentations based on his or her proposal.

For additional information on study tours and the NCEE EconomicsInternational Program, visit NCEE's Economics International web site.