News Briefs

Assistant professor of education appointed to ‘Reading First’ council

U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has appointed Maria S. Carlo, assistant professor in the School of Education’s Teaching and Learning Program, to the Reading First Advisory Council.

Along with 11 other appointees, Carlo will review grant proposals and make funding recommendations based on scientific research.

Carlo has spent years studying bilingualism in children and adults and is involved with several projects investigating the transfer of reading skills from Spanish to English among elementary school children.

In her new role, Carlo will use her expertise on the cognitive processes involved in reading to help fund programs that enhance academic opportunities for bilingual students.

“Children who are learning English as a second language are at a higher risk of not attaining the levels of reading achievement that we expect for them,” Carlo said. “One of the roles I will play is trying to think about the ways in which the Reading First plans are meeting the needs of English language learners.”

ETC.

During the coming weeks, President Donna E. Shalala will meet with the Critical Incidence Task Force to discuss a recent report released by the Virginia Tech Review Panel regarding last April’s shootings. Representatives from UM police, Student Affairs, Counseling Center, faculty, students and other university decision-makers plan to attend. See next Thursday’s issue of The Hurricane for the full story.