DENVER - Dec. 10, 2013. In an effort to improve college and career readiness in Illinois, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon on Tuesday participated in an Education Commission of the States (ECS) national steering committee meeting in Denver, Colorado, that reviewed state-level remedial education reporting standards and discussed the creation of national remediation standards.

The steering committee is charged with reviewing the results of a nationwide analysis of remedial education reporting policies, providing feedback on the data and recommending a uniform way to calculate remedial enrollment and completion. Currently, reporting metrics vary widely between states and even schools within states.

"Too many students in Illinois spend too much time and money on remedial courses in higher education," Simon said. "But to fully understand and address those needs, we need to move toward consistent standards on participation and success. I am excited to engage leaders from across the country on how to effectively reform remediation education and achieve the Illinois college completion goal."

Almost 60 percent of students entering the nation's community colleges require some form of remediation in math, reading or English, according to an ECS report. Only about 15 percent of these students continue on to college-level work in one year, potentially leaving millions of adults without the means of attaining a livable wage. The study recommended better use of data and increased accountability to better serve students in need of remedial education.

In Illinois, 21 percent of students enrolled in community colleges took at least one remedial course in fiscal year 2012, and some campuses report up to 90 percent of students enroll in at least one remedial course. Recognizing that remedial math skills are the biggest academic barrier to college completion, Simon led efforts to launch the state's first middle school and high school math curriculum this year.

The ECS remedial education steering committee is comprised of approximately 25 participants that will include education committee chairs, state higher education executive officers, chief state school officers, and national policy experts. Funded by Lumina Foundation, the meeting is being co-chaired by Colorado Lt. Governor Joe Garcia, Massachusetts Commissioner of Education Mitchell Chester, and Idaho Senate Education Committee Chair John Goedde.

Simon serves as the state's point person on education reform. In this capacity, Simon is working to increase the proportion of working-age adults with college degrees or certificates to 60 percent by 2025.

(Moline, IL 12/10/13) Known worldwide as the "Ambassadors of Goodwill"™, the iconic Harlem Globetrotters are debuting a new community outreach program, "The ABCs of Bullying Prevention," in an effort to impact schools and communities around the world, at Edward White Elementary school in Eldridge this Wednesday, December 11 @ 2:20 pm.

The Globetrotters designed the program in coordination with the National Campaign to Stop Violence (NCSV). The program focuses on Action, Bravery, and Compassion, comprising the ABCs.

The program targets 6-14 year-old students and involves Globetrotter players discussing the three key words in the ABCs and tools that kids can use on a daily basis to reduce bullying.  The Globetrotters equate what it means to be part of a team to how kids can offer support to one another to help stop bullying.

The important message of bullying and violence prevention is conveyed with student participation - and the team's signature ball handling skills and humor - for a well-balanced program that informs and entertains.

Washington, D.C - Congressman Dave Loebsack today announced that his office is now accepting applications from Iowa college students to participate in a Congressional internship program in his Washington, D.C. office. The internship program is open to undergraduate students and recent graduates, regardless of major.

"As a former teacher, I have seen the benefits that internships can provide by giving students a firsthand look into the government process," said Loebsack. "I encourage all hardworking, motivated students and recent graduates to apply."

Interns will have the opportunity to learn about the legislative process and the federal government by working closely with the legislative, communications and constituent services staff members. Interested candidates should email their cover letter, resume, a short writing sample and a letter of recommendation to LoebsackInternship@mail.house.gov.

###

This is a busy time of year for aspiring college students.

Those who met early application deadlines in November now face filling out the hefty Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. And students who didn't apply early should be working hard on applications to meet regular deadlines, usually in January.

"There's a lot to get done and one of the most important things to remember is to know your deadlines and meet them," advises David Porter, a consultant to colleges and universities throughout North America and author of "The Porter Principles," a guide to college success through social engineering, (www.porterkhouwconsulting.com).

As students and their families visit college campuses, Porter says they should pay attention to the classroom outside of the classroom and the details of campus life: What are the wholesome opportunities for socially rich student engagement and study on-campus?  What extra-curriculars are offered and how accessible are they? What does the college paper reveal about campus issues, concerns and opportunities?

One often overlooked feature is the structure of campus dining, Porter says.

"Many universities require freshmen to live on campus for the first year because administrators know that students who live and dine on campus have higher GPAs and higher graduation rates than those who don't.  A properly socially engineered dining/learning commons is central to the day-to-day lives of all students living on-campus and is crucial for face-to-face social networking and study with fellow students," he says.

"But these same universities often fail to realize that student dining is as much - even more -- a factor in developing a sense of community and predicting future success.  This is the centerpiece of 'the classroom outside of the classroom'."

He offers these suggestions for evaluating campus dining commons:

• Is there a centralized dining hall (or halls), or are food locations scattered? A dining commons is the living room of the campus, a place where students come together and pause long enough to meet, talk, make friends, see and be seen, relax, study and collaborate. "These are all vital not only to bonding but to learning how to socialize with fellow students from a wide variety of backgrounds in a neutral environment," Porter says. "That provides once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to develop and nurture valuable networking skills for their personal and future professional lives. If the meal plan encourages them to scatter across campus - or go off campus - to pick up fast foods eaten in isolation, vital opportunities are lost, he says.

• What are the hours of operation? Students live on a different clock than most of us.   For many students, 11 p.m. is the middle of the day. Is the dining/learning commons open, thus respecting and being conducive to their (not our) lifestyle? If so, does it offer more than microwave pizza and hot dogs? These are all vital not only to bonding but to learning how to socialize and collaborate with current and new friends in a wholesome, social, safe on-campus environment," Porter says. "If the place isn't open when they're hungry, they'll go elsewhere and miss that socialization opportunity."

• How far is the dining hall from dorms and the academic core of campus? "I once consulted with a university that was mystified about why two dining halls got lots of student traffic, while the third - the most beautiful -- was largely ignored," Porter says. "When I visited, I discovered the dining hall had been built on top of a rather steep hill on the far edge of campus. The location offered great views, but the climb was a bear!" Dining halls should be within easy reach of both dorms and classroom buildings in the academic core or students simply won't use them.

About David Porter

David Porter, FCSI, is chief executive officer and president of Porter Khouw Consulting, Inc., a foodservice master planning and design firm based in Crofton, Maryland. David has more than 40 years of hands-on food service operations and consulting experience and is a professional member of the Foodservice Consultants Society International. Porter Khouw Consulting has worked with more than 350 clients to conduct market research and develop strategic plans, master plans and designs for the college and university market. Porter is a graduate of the prestigious hospitality program at Michigan State University and has been recognized repeatedly as a leader in his field.