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PublicationDate: 5/1/97 SectionTitle: Cover Letters EXPANDING FEDERAL WORK-STUDY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES May 1997 AN FWS RESOURCE GUIDE U.S. Department of Education The America Reads Challenge Federal Work-Study program is a strong example of how students both give to and receive from the community. The program promotes access to college by helping students finance postsecondary education costs while offering these same students the opportunity to pursue community service. I believe this creates a win-win situation because young learners and communities gain from the services provided, and students who might not ordinarily be able to share in the community service experience can now afford to be involved. Richard W. Riley Secretary U.S. Department of Education Dear Colleague: This Resource Guide originated from a focus group that we convened in November 1996 to discuss the challenges to the higher education and financial aid communities resulting from a significant increase in the appropriation for Federal Work-Study (FWS) and a challenge from President Clinton to use as much of the increase as possible on community service. In particular, the President's "America Reads Challenge" emphasizes reading tutors for preschool and elementary students as a critical national need for which the additional FWS resources available to you might help forge a solution. Since that date in November of last year when one of your colleagues proposed this Resource Guide, we have worked diligently to gather material and information that responds to the questions we have heard from you. Thus, you will find in the Guide a discussion of the basic requirements for administering FWS as well as detailed information about specific requirements related to FWS-funded community service positions. I encourage you to review one section of the Guide in particular: the "Best Practices" appendix. The community service and tutorial services described by the 20 colleges that submitted best practices illustrate very well the potential for using FWS resources to meet the needs of our communities and schools. As a former financial aid administrator, I take great pleasure in seeing how creatively and thoughtfully our colleagues have used FWS to fashion these meaningful educational and service programs for students. We look forward to working together to expand community service opportunities even further. Sincerely, Elizabeth M. Hicks Deputy Assistant Secretary Student Financial Assistance Programs Dear Colleague: President Clinton's "Call to Action for American Education" set forth 12 priorities that will prepare America's students for the 21st century. One key element is ensuring that every child will read independently and on grade level by the time they leave the third grade. The America Reads Challenge offers colleges and universities participating in the Federal Work-Study Program the opportunity to help improve the reading performance of preschool and elementary school students by linking the energy and resources of student- participants with children eager and willing to learn. I am pleased that this guide can be added to your resources as you involve Federal Work-Study students in America Reads and other important community service activities. The guide describes some of the innovative programs already being utilized at other campuses and offers new ways your students can become involved in tutoring and mentoring opportunities through Federal Work-Study resources. The descriptions of community service projects in this guide are impressive. The extent of involvement and the success of the current efforts being used to mobilize resources in individual communities are models we can all follow. I applaud the pioneers whose programs are highlighted in this guide and am confident they will prepare the way for many other schools and communities to join in the America Reads Challenge. As administrators and educators, you understand the importance of programs that provide opportunities for students whose dreams of a college education and brighter future might not be realized without the Federal Work-Study Program. The America Reads Challenge gives these students the opportunity to open that door to another generation of children. We look forward to your participation in America Reads. Sincerely, Carol H. Rasco Senior Adviser to the Secretary Director, America Reads Challenge About the Authors Maryln McAdam is a consultant and partner with The McAdam Group, a consulting firm specializing in federal education programs. Ms. McAdam worked for the House Education and Labor Committee for seven years. She currently serves as a consultant for the National Student Employment Association. In 1994 she was a trainer for the Community and National Service Training Project. Ed McDermott is an associate director of financial aid at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he directs the FWS and Job Location and Development Programs. He has been actively involved in establishing a collaborative reading tutor initiative to enable all of the local colleges and universities to train and assign their students to tutor at the city's public elementary schools. Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge the assistance provided them by the National Student Employment Association. Their time and effort in providing technical assistance and support added significantly to the quality of this publication. They also appreciate the comments and editing provided by the staff of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Finally, much credit must go to those financial aid and work-study administrators who were willing to provide profiles of their programs for this endeavor. They have provided a wealth of ideas and directions that other campuses can use to develop meaningful community service and tutoring programs for their FWS students. This publication was produced under purchase order numbers 43-3J88-7-00097 and 43-3J88-7-00098. No official support or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education is implied or should be inferred. |