Margaret Spellings

Improving Literacy Through School Libraries grants provide opportunities for development of students' reading skills

July 18, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the award of $18,258,896 to enhance libraries in 59 low-income school districts across the United States. The grants aim to help students improve reading achievement by increasing their access to up-to-date and technologically advanced school library materials.    » read more »

July 18, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today delivered remarks on the progress that her Commission on the Future of Higher Education helped to facilitate, as well as discussed global competitiveness and the workforce needs of the 21st Century in Chicago, Ill.

Following are her prepared remarks:

(Introduced by Charles Miller, chairman, Meridian National, Inc.)

Thank you, Charles, for introducing me.

Charles has been a great friend and a trusted mentor and adviser. One of the first pieces of advice he gave me was that changing higher education wasn't going to be easy. You've heard of the "third rail"?    » read more »

July 18, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the award of $1,279,738 for 16 projects that add a European Community-United States dimension to international curriculum development and student exchanges. The grants fund collaborative efforts between colleges and universities in the United States and Europe to develop programs of study in a wide range of academic and professional disciplines.

"By partnering with one another," Spellings said, "institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Europe are building critical human capital needed for success in the 21st century. These projects carry out two vital goals: fostering student exchanges and addressing crucial global issues."    » read more »

01 April 2008 -- A new report says only about half of all students in the 50 largest U.S. cities graduate from high school.

According to a study released Tuesday by a research center and a group of education advocates, the city with the worst drop-out rate was Detroit in the midwestern state of Michigan, where only one quarter of students graduate from 12th grade.

Only one quarter of Detroit students graduate from 12th grade: Photo by Lauren (CC)

In New York City and Los Angeles, California about 45 percent of all students receive a high school diploma.    » read more »

March 17, 2008 -- In today's 21st-century marketplace, where your earnings are tied to your education, knowledge of and proficiency in math has never been more important. Accordingly, this month's TV program spotlights math education: Preparing Students to Succeed in the Knowledge Economy.    » read more »

March 17, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the award of $11 million in grants to 39 states to help them pay the fees for advanced placement tests for low-income students.    » read more »

February 26, 2008 -- Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings testified before the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to discuss the Department of Education's fiscal year 2009 budget request. Following is her prepared opening statement:

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, thank you for welcoming me here today.    » read more »

February 21, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today joined Missouri Commissioner of Education Dr. D. Kent King for a meeting with the State Board of Education in Jefferson City, Mo., where she delivered remarks and discussed how the Federal government can support and facilitate further academic gains made by Missouri students under No Child Left Behind. Secretary Margaret Spellings applauded Missouri's efforts to increase accountability and discussed opportunities for improvement and innovation under No Child Left Behind.    » read more »

Secretary Margaret Spellings Discusses Student Achievement in Kansas, Announces Nearly $1 Million School Improvement Grant

Margaret Spellings Discusses Mississippi's Progress Under NCLB and Announces $1.6 Million School Improvement Grant

February 14, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today attended the Mississippi State Board of Education meeting and participated in an education policy roundtable discussion with Gov. Haley Barbour and Mississippi Superintendent of Education Hank Bounds in Jackson, Miss. Spellings discussed progress toward No Child Left Behind goals in Mississippi and across the country.    » read more »

February 5, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the appointment of Zollie Stevenson Jr. as director of Student Achievement and School Accountability (SASA) programs. In this position, he will oversee the operation of the Title I program, the largest federal assistance program for elementary and secondary education in the country. Under Title I, more than $14 billion is awarded annually through formula and discretionary grants to raise the academic performance of under-performing students from low-income families.    » read more »