VTA Holding BART Silicon Valley Public Meeting

San Jose, Calif. – The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is holding a public meeting for the BART Silicon Valley Project on September 1, 2010 to gain community input (scoping) for consideration in development of the draft Second Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (EIR).
The Second Supplemental EIR is being executed so the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document reflects changes in the design and execution of the project that have occurred over the past three years, with the most significant change being that the BART Silicon Valley Project will be delivered in phases.  This state report will then be updated and consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was approved on June 24, 2010 by the Federal Transit Administration. 
A presentation will be given on the status of the 16.1 mile project, with more specifics about the first phase, a 10-mile two station extension which will begin just south of the future Warm Springs Station and goes to the Berryessa area of north San Jose.  The Second Supplemental EIR will address changes in the project design for the first phase only.  
Members of the community are invited to attend the BART Silicon Valley Public Scoping Meeting to occur:
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at 6:30 p.m.
East Side Union High School District, Lounge
830 North Capital Avenue, San Jose
This location is served by VTA Light Rail and Bus Line 61
Those unable to attend the meeting can provide written comments to VTA, which will be accepted until September 8, 2010.  They can be sent via email at bartsv-seir2@vta.org, via fax at (408) 321-5787 or mail to:
Tom Fitzwater, Environmental Planning - Building B
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
331 North First Street, San Jose, CA 95134
The scoping meeting is the very beginning of the process to get public input.  Public comments will be utilized to help identify issues and mitigations that need to be addressed in the draft Second Supplemental EIR.  The draft will then be circulated for public review and comment prior to the end of the year.  The PowerPoint presentation from the public scoping meeting will be posted at www.vta.org/bart on September 1, 2010.
For more information about BART Silicon Valley, please contact VTA Community Outreach at (408) 934-2662, TTY only (408) 321-2330, or visit www.vta.org/bart.

Register Now for October ACT® Test
IOWA CITY, IOWA—Registration is now open for the October 23, 2010 ACT achievement test. Students who wish to take the college admission and placement exam must register before September 17, 2010.
The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam. It tests what students have actually learned in school, not their aptitude for learning. The ACT also measures what students need to know to be ready for first year credit-bearing college courses based on ACT College Readiness Standards™. Every student’s results can be tied directly to these consistent standards.
The ACT has four sections—English, mathematics, reading and science—and takes about three hours to complete. Students who take the ACT Plus Writing complete an optional writing test that requires an additional 30 minutes. Unlike other exams, students are not penalized for guessing or answering all the questions on each test section. In fact, it is beneficial for test takers to answer all questions within the time allowed.
During registration, students may select up to four universities to receive their score reports. ACT scores are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities across the United States. ACT reports scores only when requested to do so by the student. Additional score reports are available for a small fee.
All students complete a detailed inventory of questions during ACT registration. Each test taker receives an ACT score report that includes a wide variety of information to assist with high school course selection, college readiness, career planning, and college admissions.
The cost for the ACT test without writing is $33. When combined with the optional ACT Writing Test, the total cost is $48. Students who qualify may apply for a fee waiver through their high school counselor.
The ACT website, www.actstudent.org, has helpful information, free sample items, and options to order inexpensive test prep materials to assist test takers get ready for the exam. However, the best preparation is to take rigorous core courses in school, study hard, and learn the academic skills needed in college.
Most students register online at www.actstudent.org. Students may also pick up registration forms from their high school counseling offices. Registration is available until October 1, 2010 for an extra $21 fee.

California Department of Social Services Secures $1 Million Federal Grant to Provide Educational Services to Refugees

Sacramento – The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) today announced receipt of a nearly $1 million in federal funding from the Office of Refugee Resettlement under the Refugee School Impact Grant (RSIG). The grant will provide educational services such as summer school and English-learner classes to assist new refugees and their families to adapt and excel in school and the workplace.

“In securing this grant, CDSS continues to find and maintain resources to help refugees assimilate into their new homes,” said Director John Wagner. “By being creative, working smarter with our partners and seeking outside funding, we will provide useful services to student refugees and their families.”
 
The RSIG grant allows CDSS to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) worth $950,000 to school districts in counties that have received more than 300 refugee school-age children within the past three fiscal years (2007-09), including: Alameda (583), Los Angeles (11,064), Orange (1,166), Sacramento (1,801), Santa Clara (1,502), and San Diego (7,851). CDSS plans to award five to eight school districts with amounts ranging from $75,000 to $200,000 to serve this population.
 
The award marks the second time CDSS has received RSIG funding from the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). The first award was granted to CDSS in 2005 for a project period beginning August 14, 2005, and ending August 14, 2010. The award in 2005 was the first time ORR changed eligibility criteria to apply for the RSIG from state educational agencies to those agencies administering state refugee resettlement programs.