What Does Education Cost?

What Does Education Cost?:

American adults enrolled in part-time college or university programs reported out-of-pocket tuition and fees with a median of $1,144 compared to $218 for part-time vocational or technical programs. Students of basic skills, GED preparation, and work-related courses or training had median expenses of $0. "
Source: Adult Education Survey of the 2005 National Household Education


Crime victims in 1992 lost $17.6 billion in direct costs,
according to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).
These costs included losses from property theft or damage, cash losses, medical expenses, and amount of pay lost because of injury or activities related to the crime. The crimes included in this figure are rape, robbery, assault, personal and household theft, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.
Crimes include attempts as well as completed offenses.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

• The average yearly cost of incarcerating a federal prisoner in 2004 was $23,205

..The average cost of incarcerating a community prisoner in 2004 was $20,102.

...It is three times more expensive to incarcerate a prisoner over the age of 55.

The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog: ACLU Report Details Horrors Suffered by Orleans Parish Prisoners in the wake of Hurricane Katrina

"'The sheriff's office was completely unprepared for the storm,' said Tom Jawetz, Litigation Fellow for the National Prison Project. 'The Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals did more for its 263 stray pets than the sheriff did for the more than 6,500 men, women and children left in his care.'

Prisoners went days without food, water and ventilation, and deputies admit that they received no emergency training and were entirely unaware of any evacuation plan. Even some prison guards were left locked in at their posts to fend for themselves, unable to provide assistance to prisoners in need."
More...

Conference Calling!

For me, one of the more exciting prospects of the up-coming meeting is the introduction to Innovation/Prototyping. I like the idea of delivering a service in an unexpectedly novel way and
i'm interested to see how/what prototyping brings to the mix of design and implementation.

Accelerated Learning Academies

Accelerated Learning Academies

As part of the Superintendent’s Right-Sizing Plan, several schools will become new Accelerated Learning Academies, if the School Board approves the Plan on February 28th.

The new Accelerated Learning Academies are being designed to raise the student achievement of all children at every level. This is not a remedial program. It is a new approach that provides the academic rigor and additional instructional time that can help your child meet high expectations and advance his/her academic performance. To ensure success, the Pittsburgh Public Schools will be using a comprehensive school design model that has a proven track record, such as America's Choice.

Below you will find links to several documents that will provide more information about how Accelerated Learning Academies will help every child achieve to even higher standards in school.

*
Frequently Asked Questions (pdf file)

*
Accelerated Learning Academy Community Presentation (pdf file)

*
Accelerated Learning Academy School Calendar (adopted March 29, 2006)

Gates Foundation Expands Scholars Program

PND News - Gates Foundation Expands Millennium Scholars Program

As part of its work to increase college access and opportunities for more students across America, the Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has provided an additional $58 million to expand the Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) program.

Administered by the United Negro College Fund, the program works to increase the number of minority students pursuing graduate studies in areas such as epidemiology, biomedical science, tropical disease, public health practice, and nutritional science, and has already helped more than ten thousand high-achieving students of color from low-income backgrounds prepare for success in a wide range of undergraduate fields and graduate programs."

PND News - State Arts Agencies Need to Improve Relationships With Elected Officials, Report Finds

PND News - State Arts Agencies Need to Improve Relationships With Elected Officials, Report Finds:

"State arts agencies seeking increased state government support for the arts should strengthen their relationships with elected officials and raise their profile with the public, a new report from the Washington, D.C.-based RAND Corporation argues.

The second in a multi-year study commissioned by the New York City-based Wallace Foundation, The Arts and State Governments: At Arm's Length or Arm in Arm? recommends that councils reach out to the public and government officials to position the arts higher on the list of government priorities."

The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog: "Global women prisoners top 500,000

Monday August 7, 2006 3:08 AM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-5998243,00.html

More than half a million women and girls are held in prisons globally, new research has revealed.

The first World Female Imprisonment List, drawn up by the International Centre for Prison Studies (ICPS) at King's College, London, brought together data from 187 countries."

The Real Cost of Prisons Project brings together justice activists, political economists, artists, justice policy researchers and people directly experiencing the impact of mass incarceration to create popular education workshops and materials which explore both the immediate and long-term costs of incarceration on the individual, her/his family, community and the nation. Real Cost of Prisons Project works to strengthen and deepen the organizing capacity of grassroots prison/justice activists, to provide a social, economic and political context for understanding mass incarceration and to broaden public understanding of the economic and social consequences of mass incarceration. Our goal is to expand the organizing capacity for people and communities struggling to end mass incarceration.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao on Importance of Wor

OPA News Release: U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao Addresses 37th General Convention of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Union

"A clear trend is emerging in our workforce. The majority of new jobs being created require higher skills and more educational attainment than before," said Secretary Chao. "Some of the strongest demand is for workers with specialized training in the skilled trades like the UA provides in its apprenticeship program.

"The UA is placing its bet on the future by investing over $120 million a year to train approximately 100,000 apprentices and journeymen in over 400 local training facilities at any given time.

As they say in Las Vegas, that's a safe bet," said Secretary Chao. "Our country is experiencing a skills gap — the growing mismatch between the skills required for the new jobs being created and the skills of our workforce. That's why the Department of Labor invests the largest part of its budget in apprenticeship and other training programs."

STAFFING ISSUES! call NICOLA

ACT-1

Our company has multiple positions available for experienced professionals with positions that range from data entry to Attorneys.

1. Please visit our website at www.act-1.com to complete an online application.
2. Schedule an interview on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between the hours of 9:30-3:00 via our website.
3. email a Word attachment of your resume to njones@act-1.com

You must be professionally dressed, and bring a hard copy of your resume along with id for your I9.

Nicola R. Jones
Staffing Manager
Act-1 Personnel Services
2 Penn Center West
Suite 225
Pittsburgh, PA 15276
(P) 412-787-2403
(F) 412-787-2404
njones@act-1.com
www.act-1.com

Helping Hands

Trauma and Critical Incident Care

Our second online training module "Trauma and Critical Incident Care" is now online for free. This module aims to help humanitarian workers understand the dynamics of trauma and stress reactions, recognize common trauma reactions, and learn how to care for themselves and others after a traumatic event..more

URL:
http://www.headington-institute.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2084

Can I Get A Dollar?

Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 718 Fifth Avenue / 4th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-3099

For more information or to register, please call Jarrett Lambright at 412-397-6806 or email lambright@rmu.edu.

Need to raise more money? Remember the Essentials.

If you're charged with raising funds, you know that it can be an overwhelming task! The Association of Fundraising Professionals, Western Pennsylvania Chapter is a great resource for information and support. This summer, the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management is teaming up with AFP to bring you the nationally recognized Essentials of Fundraising Series.

The series is ideal for anyone seeking to understand the knowledge and skills required to successfully raise charitable funds for a worthy cause.

Join us on August 18, 2006 for two modules:

Starting an Integrated Development Program 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Instructor: Lisa Young, CFRE; The Salvation Army

Is your nonprofit working to build a diversified funding base? If you're looking to create a strong foundation for future giving, this class will outline board/staff roles, donor motivations, assessing current efforts, crafting a compelling case for support and shaping a plan to guide your work throughout the year. It also serves as great background for newer staff, volunteers and board members seeking to understand the complexities of securing philanthropic gifts. Veteran fundraisers know that planning your work is the key to reaching philanthropic goals.

Identifying and Soliciting Annual Donors 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Instructor: Teresa Gregory, CFRE; Consultant

Annual gifts are the life's blood of most nonprofits and many organizations have potential to grow their donor base! But there is more to a successful annual giving campaign than sending a letter every December 1. This workshop will help participants think through their annual calendars, through their contact lists and their agency's operations to determine the most successful strategies. We'll also discuss the importance of stewardship- communicating with donors and understanding their needs and interests, too.

Cost per session is $50, or attend both and pay just $75 including a light lunch.

For more information or to register, please call Jarrett Lambright at 412-397-6806 or email lambright@rmu.edu.

Gmail - Duquesne University ~ VOLUNTEERING FOR BUSY PROFESSIONALS

Gmail - Duquesne University ~ VOLUNTEERING FOR BUSY PROFESSIONALS

---this is an excellent opportuniy for anyone with even a few hours to spend with our youth! jim r.

Volunteer Opportunities For Busy Professionals 2006-2007

Career Literacy for African American Youth (CLAAY), a program of Duquesne University is seeking enthusiastic and motivated volunteers who want to positively contribute to the lives of high school students. 2006-2007 is the fourth program year of CLAAY.

Check out the website (www.iet.duq.edu/claay) and look under Learn About CLAAY/Press Coverage for articles on CLAAY.

How can I get involved as a CLAAY mentor?

Total Time Commitment: 15 Hours (Total Mentoring Time) From Beginning of October 2006 to May 2007

Career Literacy Mentoring

¨ Participate in a one-time 3 hour mentor training session

¨ Commit 2 hours per month during the academic year to working with a high school student in a one-to-one mentoring setting inside the school day (for a total of 12 hours from beginning of October 2006 to May 2007)

¨ One-to-one career mentoring in a group setting

Contact Megan at 724.650.9545 or grabski@duq.edu for more info!

Mobility and Workforce Development Specialist

Position: Mobility and Workforce Development Specialist
Location: 425 Sixth Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Reports To: TRWIB Chief Operating Officer

TRWIB, Inc. (Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board)
Interested parties can send resume and cover letter to McCrae Holliday, COO,
at mholliday@trwib.org or at 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 650, Pittsburgh PA 15219.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Create or cause to be created a database of jobseekers and job orders by working with the local CareerLink offices in order to better understand where the workers and the jobs are located in the region.
• Using GIS, produce a map of job growth, transit availability and worker location in the region.
• Create and implement a survey of jobseekers using the CareerLink system
• Develop a workforce analysis worksheet to be used by municipalities when determining the impact of proposed developments.
• Develop and implement a plan to integrate workforce analysis worksheet into the local municipalities
• Develop an employer relocation packet that connects new employers to workforce and transportation
• Provide ongoing assistance to the Access to Work Interagency Cooperative
• Develop an understanding of current programs that encourage employer support/investment in employee transportation needs.
• Prepare a weekly report that summarizes activities, objectives and time spent as required for grant related activities.
• Report regularly (bi-weekly meetings) with the designated project steering committee
• Other duties as assigned.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.bold.gif

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge or ability to learn assigned geographic area(s) and the current transportation services available.
• Ability to read maps and transportation schedules.
• Strong computer skills, including knowledge of Internet and knowledge of CIS/GIS (Geographic Information Systems).
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Effective interpersonal skills, respecting diversity and working with people.
• Ability to work autonomously, with little supervision and manage multiple tasks.


Education/Experience Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in related field*, plus a strong knowledge of the Pittsburgh area and/or experience in the area of workforce development and/or transportation policy is preferred.
-OR-
Any equivalent experience which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities to fulfill the job requirements.

Compensation

$36,000-$40,000/annually depending on experience

CareerJournal | 2006 Best Careers: The Results Are In

CareerJournal | 2006 Best Careers: The Results Are In

What are the best careers? CareerJournal.com found out by asking people what makes them satisfied in their careers and then finding careers with those qualities. Here are the results (in alphabetical order):

* Curriculum and instructional coordinators
* High-school special-education teachers
* Hospital and clinic managers
* Management consultants and analysts
* Medical researchers
* Physical therapists
* Sales, marketing and advertising managers
* Social workers, counselors and related managers


Best Careers Profiles
• Health-Clinic Executive
• Social-Work Manager
• Management Consultant
• Special-Ed Teacher

How did we get this list? CareerJournal teamed with polling company Harris Interactive, to survey U.S. adults and find what qualities are most common in the jobs of highly satisfied career-focused people. The four attributes cited most were:

• Good intellectual stimulation
• Strong job security
• High level of control and freedom in what to do
• Extensive direct contact with customers/clients

Consumers Union:

Consumers Union:

Last month, Congressional offices began to adopt new software that blocks the delivery of email their constituents send from a wide range of nonprofit organization websites. The Internet has opened up democratic communication between millions of Americans and their elected representatives. This new, higher level of participation should be welcomed, not disabled. This new technology--launched just a short while ago and already in use by more than 30 Representatives--requires you to answer a "logic puzzle" question before you can submit a comment.

PND News - USA Funds Awards $8.2 Million in Scholarships to Low-to-Moderate-Income Students

PND News - USA Funds Awards $8.2 Million in Scholarships to Low-to-Moderate-Income Students

Indianapolis-based student loan guarantor USA Funds has announced scholarships totaling more than $8.2 million to help 5,497 low-to-moderate-income students nationwide pursue higher education.

In this round of funding, $3.5 million was awarded to 2,334 first-time recipients of USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships for the 2006-2007 academic year. In addition, $4.7 million renewal scholarships were awarded to 3,163 students who previously had received awards under the program.

To qualify, students must come from households with annual incomes of $35,000 or less. Full-time and half-time undergraduate students, as well as full-time graduate and professional students, are eligible for the $1,500 scholarships. Recipients who maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale may have their scholarship renewed annually until the student receives a degree or certificate, or the total amount awarded reaches $6,000, whichever comes first.

CareerLink Pittsburgh

CareerLink Pittsburgh

Free Biotechnology/Medical Device Manufacturing Training, Biotech Manufacturing Training Project
Biotechnology/medical device manufacturing is one of the fast growing industries in our region. Pittsburgh/Allegheny County CareerLink is participating in a medical device manufacturing training project. This project will allow PA CareerLink customers to obtain a FREE 40-hour training certificate from CCAC. The program includes instruction, course materials, and parking. Classes are available for 5 days in July and 5 days in August. For more information click here or contact your local PA CareerLink office by call 1-866-317-JOBS, 1-877-TTY-JOB1.

PND News - IRS Warns Tax-Exempt Groups to Avoid Campaigning

PND News - IRS Warns Tax-Exempt Groups to Avoid Campaigning

In notices to fifteen thousand nonprofits, church denominations, and tax preparers, the IRS detailed its Political Activity Compliance Initiative, through which the agency will expedite investigations of claims of improper campaigning. No longer waiting for an annual tax return to be filed or the fiscal year to end, the agency has empowered a three-person committee to make an initial review of complaints and then vote whether to pursue the investigation in detail. "While the vast majority of charities and churches do not engage in politicking, an increasing number did take part in prohibited activities in the 2004 election cycle," said IRS commissioner Mark W. Everson in a statement.

Since that year, the IRS has investigated more than two hundred organizations, and determined that sixty-two were in violation. Three nonprofits lost their tax exemption and fifty-nine received warning letters, with some ordered to pay an excise tax.

PND News - IRS Accused of Investigating Churches for Political Activity

PND News - IRS Accused of Investigating Churches for Political Activity

An Internal Revenue Service threat to revoke the tax-exempt status of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California, because of an antiwar sermon delivered there during the 2004 election cycle has some watchdogs saying it's part of a larger federal effort to suppress political activity at churches and nonprofit organizations, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The Japan Times Online - Better schools trump caste preferences

The Japan Times Online - Better schools trump caste preferences

Better schools trump caste preferences

By ARINDAM CHAUDHURI

BOMBAY -- The United States has long been divided over what it calls "affirmative action," a system of racial preferences intended to overcome the lingering consequences of slavery and discrimination against black Americans. India is now becoming divided in much the same way, and for much the same reason -- the emerging system of "reserved places" aimed at redressing centuries of caste discrimination.

more
Arindam Chaudhuri is honorary dean at the Indian Institute of Planning and Management and editor in chief of Business & Economy Magazine. His most recent books are "Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch" and "The Great Indian Dream."
Copyright 2006 Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org)
The Japan Times
(C) All rights reserved