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How asset-based programs help K-12 education

Bambi Majumdar Education

The focus on asset-based education is growing. Often called strength-based education, this new-age approach seeks to build on the strengths that students already possess. It aims to unlock the inner potential of students by focusing on their talents. Schools and teachers who are adopting this approach believe that asset-based teaching will create lifelong learners who are confident, talented and proactive in their path. The traditional approach has been called the deficit-based style of teaching, which highlights students' inadequacies.

California signs new clean energy law while fires still burn

Michelle R. Matisons Civil & Government

Autumn weather has arrived in many places, bringing with it all of the usual changes, but you may not know this from the ongoing wildfire saga that continues summer burning conditions into fall. All eyes are now on the Delta fire, which started burning on Sept. 5. The fire exploded onto Interstate 5, a major highway that runs from Canada to Mexico, causing the interstate’s closure over the weekend. As of the afternoon of Sept. 10, that highway has been reopened. Cal Fire reports already spending $432 million through August, leaving only $11 million in the current budget. Legislators have been asked to approve an additional $234 million for ongoing expenses.

Law enforcement agencies look to invest in pursuit management technology

Bambi Majumdar Law Enforcement, Defense & Security

Recent headlines related to police chases gone awry or near-misses are disturbing. But they also explain why law enforcement officials are looking at advanced police pursuit technologies. They want to do their jobs better and without any tragic consequences or risking officer safety. Police departments, such as ones in Massachusetts, have announced that they are looking for new methods of pursuit, ones that can help forgo such high-speed chases. Unfortunately, most of these new tech tools are too expensive for cash-strapped local departments.

Medicare ACOs saved $1.1 billion last year, adding to good news

Scott E. Rupp Healthcare Administration

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering new data that shows the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) saved $314 million for Medicare after bonuses paid to accountable care organizations (ACOs) in 2017. ACOs saved $1.1 billion total and CMS shared $780 million in savings with providers. There were 472 MSSP ACOs in 2017, and 60 percent saved money while 34 percent earned shared savings. The results come just after CMS said its Next Generation ACO saved Medicare about $62 million and maintained quality of care for 2016.

Is ‘proposal brain’ affecting your work?

Brenda Crist Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Do you feel forgetful? Is your thinking cloudy? Are you making mistakes? Are you scrambling your words? If so, chances are you have "proposal brain" or what some call "brain fry." In my experience, working long hours over a stretch of several days without a break causes the problem, and no amount of sugar, caffeine or binge-watching your favorite shows can cure it. So, if you get proposal brain, how can you to get rid of it? Here are five tips that I found helpful.

Assaults on Medicaid: Threats to America’s most vulnerable children

Howard Margolis Education

Throughout America, the 2018 election may prove to be a momentous turning point for parents and supporters of vulnerable children, like children in poverty, children with chronic illnesses, and children with mild-to-profound disabilities. Not voting or voting for the wrong candidate may devastate these children. Ongoing assaults on Medicaid help to explain why. They explain why every vote by Americans who care about these children should reflect their distrust of both the executive branch of government and the current Congress.

Employment grows by 201,000 in August; jobless rate stays at 3.9 percent

Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Nonfarm payroll jobs increased 201,100 in August vs. 157,000 in July, as the unemployment rate remained at 3.9 percent for the second straight month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. With a labor force of over 150 million, job gains occurred in professional and business services, healthcare, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, and mining. In August, the number of jobless workers, 6.2 million, was little changed. For major groups of workers, unemployment rates showed scant movement between August and July.

California marches toward 100 percent renewable energy by 2045

Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & Environmental

California is racing toward a 100 percent renewable energy mandate with passage of SB 100 by the state’s Assembly, which will require — if ratified into law — the state to receive 50 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2026; 60 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2045. Eligible renewables specified in the state's Renewables Portfolio Standard include solar, wind, geothermal and some hydroelectric generation. The current law requires the state to get 50 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030.

The life cycle of a project risk

Dr. David Hillson Business Management, Services & Risk Management

As we manage individual project risks, they pass through a life cycle that can be described using a set of status values. These can help us to understand where each risk is in its life cycle, so that we can determine what we should do next. The following set of standard status values in this article might be useful. Using these status values, we can describe the life cycle of a typical individual project risk.

Dentists have opportunity to aid in Venezuelan refugee crisis

Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental Healthcare

Dental professionals have a unique opportunity to serve in underprivileged parts of the country and even other underserved parts of the world, providing routine preventive dental care and treatments to individuals who would not otherwise have access to dental care in any capacity. The University of California San Diego Pre-Dental Society is looking for dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, medical and dental lab technicians, translators, educators, engineers and all other health-related professionals to take part in a U.S. Navy-led humanitarian mission to South America in the midst of the Venezuelan refugee crisis.

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