Mes: enero 2021

JACKSON, Miss., Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Two Gulf Coast state lawmakers have introduced bills in the Mississippi Legislature advocated by C Spire and designed to get computer science curriculum in the classrooms of all the state’s 884 K-12 public and charter schools.

SB 2678 by State Senator Scott DeLano, R-Biloxi, and HB 633 by State House Representative Kevin Felsher, R-Biloxi, were introduced earlier this week and have been assigned to the Education Committee in each chamber. The bills, which would bring classroom instruction of computer science to all of the state’s 442,627 students, are expected to receive hearings soon.

The proposed laws come as the C Spire Foundation committed $1 million earlier this month to help school districts with teacher training and implementation.  C Spire executives, education advocates and technology leaders are optimistic the Legislature will consider and adopt new laws that will give elementary, middle and high school students equal access to computer science curriculum.

A grassroots effort to win legislative passage last year was cut short by the COVID-19 virus outbreak after a successful House of Representatives vote on a computer science bill in mid-March.  The resulting global health pandemic closed most of Mississippi’s 884 public and charter K-12 schools and left many of the state’s 442,627 students with no option but virtual distance learning from home.

However, state lawmakers provided a boost to the grassroots effort last July with two new laws that set aside $200 million to help 151 school districts purchase more than 325,000 computer devices and other tools that enable students to continue learning from home after widespread school closures caused by the public health crisis.  Matching state funds and grants also were set aside for rural broadband deployment.

«We need to capitalize on the progress we’ve made in educating and informing our colleagues and the public on the importance of getting more rigorous computer science standards in all of our schools so that students have the knowledge, skills and abilities to compete for the best jobs in the new 21^st century economy,» DeLano said.

Felsher noted that while some districts may already be exceeding the requirements for computer science instruction, the state public school system needs uniform standards that apply to all students and schools. «Ultimately, we want every student to have the same opportunities to pursue computer science regardless of where they live or what school they attend,» he added.  

Part of the push for uniform standards is being fueled by differences in the amount, if any, of computer science education offered by school districts across the state. «The goal is to get more emphasis on this critical core subject in the classroom,» said C Spire CEO Hu Meena, noting that computer science education is taught in less than half of the state’s public high schools. 

Workers with a background in computer science are in high demand and short supply in Mississippi.  Employers currently have over 1,475 unfilled jobs due to the serious shortage of trained, qualified IT and computing workers.  The average starting salary is almost double the statewide average.  In 2019, only 327 students took the AP computer science exam according to code.org, a STEM education advocacy group.

«Getting computer science in all Mississippi classrooms represents a tremendous opportunity to give our young people exposure to the fundamentals necessary for their future success in the workforce,» said C Spire CTO Carla Lewis, noting that computer science teaches critical thinking, computational and problem solving skills that benefit all students and future employers.

C Spire has worked closely with lawmakers to refine the legislation that would help make computer science available in all schools fully by the 2024-2025 academic year.  Many districts and schools have made progress and will not need to make changes while others will need to boost teacher training and update courses to the latest curriculum.  «We’re committed to helping all of our schools overcome any barriers that might stand in the way of offering computer science in classrooms,» Lewis said, adding that C Spire is offering to help identify solutions for more teacher training and distance learning.

Mississippi public K-12 schools are some of the most diverse in the nation with over 52 percent of the population students of color – African American and Hispanic – and nearly 49 percent female, two areas that have historically been under-represented in the computer science industry, Lewis added.

C Spire has been heavily involved in efforts to promote computer science education in Mississippi since 2015 with coding challenges, coding academies, pilot accelerated degree programs and other efforts designed to inspire and encourage students to consider pursuing academic degrees or professional careers in science, technology, engineering and math-related fields.

The grassroots computer science education effort is designed to move communities forward with a focus on workforce development, broadband access and technology innovation. To learn more about the need for computer science education in K-12 classrooms or to get involved in the effort, text FUTURE to 50457 or go to www.ourMSfuture.com.

About C Spire
C Spire is a privately-owned telecommunications and technology company driven to deliver the best experiences in wireless, fiber internet, and business IT solutions such as internet, VoIP, cloud and managed services.  Read more news releases and announcements at cspire.com/news.  For more information, visit cspire.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.   

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/computer-science-instruction-bill-introduced-in-mississippi-state-legislature-301212964.html

SOURCE C Spire

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The Kia Rio 5-Door has earned a 2021 Vincentric Best Value in America Award, ranking number one in the Subcompact Hatchback segment. A leading source of cost-of-ownership data and analysis within the automotive industry, Vincentric determined the winners by analyzing current market price and total cost of ownership for all 2021 model year vehicles.

«Kia’s transformation into a world-class car company has earned the brand significant accolades across its entire vehicle lineup, and this latest honor from Vincentric is further testament to Kia’s commitment to quality and value,» said Sean Yoon, president and CEO, Kia Motors America, Kia Motors North America. «We are proud to have a company like Vincentric recognize the Rio for its significance in a segment very important to many American families.»

The refreshed 2021 Kia Rio 5-Door is an attractive option for customers looking for stylish efficiency. Loaded with essential technology and convenience features like an 8-inch touchscreen color display with rear camera, LED headlights and automatic temperature control, the sporty subcompact offers a strong value proposition in a sophisticated yet space-efficient package.

«The Kia Rio had the lowest repair and depreciation costs of all Subcompact Hatchback vehicles,» said David Wurster, president, Vincentric. «These low costs helped the Rio outperform the competition for the 2021 Vincentric Best Value in America Awards and prove its strong value in the consumer market.»

About Kia Motors America

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America continues to top quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands. Kia serves as the «Official Automotive Partner» of the NBA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of more than 750 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly assembled in West Point, Georgia.*

For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

*The Telluride, Sorento and K5 are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1424573/Kia_Rio_Vincentric_Award.jpg

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/812837/Kia_Motors_America_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Kia Motors America

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Kia Rio 5-Door has earned a 2021 Vincentric Best Value in America Award, ranking number one in the Subcompact Hatchback segment. A leading source of cost-of-ownership data and analysis within the automotive industry, Vincentric determined the winners by analyzing current market price and total cost of ownership for all 2021 model year vehicles.

«Kia’s transformation into a world-class car company has earned the brand significant accolades across its entire vehicle lineup, and this latest honor from Vincentric is further testament to Kia’s commitment to quality and value,» said Sean Yoon, president and CEO, Kia Motors America, Kia Motors North America. «We are proud to have a company like Vincentric recognize the Rio for its significance in a segment very important to many American families.»

The refreshed 2021 Kia Rio 5-Door is an attractive option for customers looking for stylish efficiency. Loaded with essential technology and convenience features like an 8-inch touchscreen color display with rear camera, LED headlights and automatic temperature control, the sporty subcompact offers a strong value proposition in a sophisticated yet space-efficient package.

«The Kia Rio had the lowest repair and depreciation costs of all Subcompact Hatchback vehicles,» said David Wurster, president, Vincentric. «These low costs helped the Rio outperform the competition for the 2021 Vincentric Best Value in America Awards and prove its strong value in the consumer market.»

About Kia Motors America

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia Motors America continues to top quality surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands. Kia serves as the «Official Automotive Partner» of the NBA and offers a complete range of vehicles sold through a network of more than 750 dealers in the U.S., including cars and SUVs proudly assembled in West Point, Georgia.*

For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

*The Telluride, Sorento and K5 are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kia-rio-wins-2021-vincentric-best-value-in-america-award-301212943.html

SOURCE Kia Motors America

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Faced with myriad crises – most notably, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic and fiscal fallout – newly inaugurated President Joe Biden wasted no time in exacerbating those crises and inducing an immigration and border crisis, charged the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

On his first half-day in office, President Biden signed a series of executive orders that are certain to create a new rush to the border and potentially violate an entire body of federal statutes by refusing to enforce any immigration laws. Additionally, his administration’s first legislative priority is a massive illegal alien amnesty bill for upwards of 14 million people, some of whom may have been here for less than a three week period prior to the president taking the oath of office – or even worse, deported in the last four years.

«On day one, President Biden began advancing a radical open borders and mass amnesty immigration agenda, without regard for the health, security, or interests of the American people,» said Dan Stein, president of FAIR. «The executive orders he signed and the legislation he is rolling out, will not only reward everyone who has violated our immigration laws in the past, but will induce millions more people to come to the United States illegally, regardless of health concerns, the welfare of American workers, or the fiscal capacity of governments at all levels to deal with massive numbers of new arrivals.»

Among yesterday’s executive actions and policy directives from federal agencies:

• A moratorium on deportations for 100 days – including criminal aliens. This policy directive will prevent the removal of people who have already exhausted all legal efforts to remain in the United States and have been issued final orders of removal. Even criminal aliens are protected under this directive. The move amounts to an unconstitutional negation of all immigration enforcement laws enacted by Congress and signed into law by previous presidents.
• Curtailments of all civil interior immigration enforcement efforts. The president’s executive order will halt nearly all immigration enforcement efforts against anyone who is in the interior of United States illegally, including those with criminal records.
• Suspension of new enrollment in the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). The successful MPP policy, which requires asylum seekers to remain in Mexico until they can present their claims, has dramatically reduced the flow of fraudulent asylum seekers. Under President Biden’s policy directive, bogus asylum seekers will no longer remain in Mexico, eliminating the most significant deterrent to asylum fraud. Organized caravans of fraudulent asylum seekers are already on their way.
• Termination of President Trump’s border emergency declaration and a halt to construction of the border wall. Just as other actions being taken by the Biden administration will almost certainly spark a new border crisis, the president’s executive order will rescind emergency powers to deal with it and stop construction dead in its tracks.
• Preserving and fortifying DACA. President Biden’s executive order is an effort to preempt a judicial ruling on the constitutionality of DACA. A federal district court is currently reviewing whether President Obama had the constitutional authority to create the program in 2012.
• Termination of travel restrictions on citizens of countries whose governments have been declared as supporters of terrorism. President Biden’s executive order will ignore grave security risks by allowing people from countries whose governments are listed by the State Department as supporting terrorism to enter the United States, even though they cannot be properly vetted.

In addition to numerous orders and policy directives that cripple immigration enforcement, the Biden administration, on its first day in office, made mass amnesty and massive increases in immigration their first legislative priority. Legislation prepared by the Biden White House:

• Grants amnesty and expedited citizenship for upwards of 14 million illegal aliens. Everyone, including people who arrived in the U.S. less than three weeks before the president took office or were deported under President Trump, would receive immediate work authorization (during an unemployment crisis) and a pathway to citizenship.
• Promotes large increases in both family and employment-based immigration. Despite overwhelming public support for maintaining limits on new immigration for the foreseeable future, the administration’s proposed legislation responds to the demands of radical open borders advocates and cheap labor interests.
• Offers no enforcement measures to prevent future large-scale illegal immigration. None. The legislation will merely seek to address the «root causes» of migration from the sending countries, essentially making U.S. immigration policies hostage to corrupt and incompetent governments around the world.

«If day one of the Biden administration is any indication, the interests and security of the American people will be nonexistent in the formulation and execution of immigration policy over the next four years. Rather than begin his administration with a full-throttle effort to unify the nation and address the health, economic, and fiscal crises we face, President Biden has opted to further divide the nation by pursuing dangerous immigration policies favored by the most radical fringes of his party.

«It is an agenda that must be opposed by congressional Republicans and by whatever remnants of centrist Democrats remain,» concluded Stein.

Contact: Matthew Tragesser, 202-328-7004 or mtragesser@fairus.org

ABOUT FAIR        

Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country’s largest immigration reform group. With over 3 million members and supporters nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biden-administration-wastes-no-time-in-adding-an-immigration-crisis-to-the-other-crises-facing-america-says-fair-301212934.html

SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)