Colo. Gains New Ed-Flex Privileges
Colorado education officials will be able to waive certain federal regulations now that the state has received the Department of Education’s “Ed-Flex” designation.
Colorado joins seven other states with the special designation. The department can grant the status to 12 states.
As a participant, Colorado will be able to waive rules under such programs as the Title I compensatory-education law and the Eisenhower professional-development program. It must also be willing to waive some state regulations for school districts.
Colorado and other participating states are not allowed to waive rules governing civil rights statutes or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Moving up
Marshall S. Smith, who has been the Department of Education’s undersecretary since the beginning of the Clinton administration, will replace Madeleine M. Kunin as deputy secretary.
Mr. Smith will serve as deputy secretary in an acting capacity, Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley said last month in announcing the appointment. Mr. Smith will continue to be the department’s lead official for policy and budget issues in addition to being its second in command.
Judith A. Winston, the department’s general counsel, will be the acting undersecretary, the agency’s No. 3 job. She will retain her current duties and take on the responsibility of managing the department’s day-to-day operations.
Both changes take effect early this month, when Ms. Kunin begins her new job as the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland.
Telecommunicating
The World Wide Web will be the site of a five-week seminar on the “universal service” section of the new telecommunications law which will fund technology improvements in schools and libraries.
Information Renaissance, a non-profit group based in Pittsburgh, seeks teachers, librarians, school administrators, and policymakers to join the session that runs from Aug. 26-Sept. 27. The seminar will cover technology in schools and libraries, Federal Communications Commission procedures, and implementation of the telecommunications act.
The group can be reached at http://info-ren.pitt.edu. Phone (412) 624-9257.
