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COLLATERAL DAMAGE: HOW HIGH-STAKES TESTING CORRUPTS SCHOOLS
For more than a decade, the debate over high-stakes testing has
dominated the field of education. A provocative new book by Sharon
L. Nichols and David C. Berliner provides a fresh perspective on the
issue and powerful ammunition for opponents of high-stakes tests.
Drawing on their extensive research, the authors document and
categorize the ways that high-stakes testing threatens the purposes
and ideals of the American education system. Their analysis is
grounded in the application of Campbell’s Law, which posits that the
greater the social consequences associated with a quantitative
indicator (such as test scores), the more likely it is that the
indicator itself will become corrupted -- and the more likely it is
that the use of the indicator will corrupt the social processes it
was intended to monitor. Nichols and Berliner illustrate both
aspects of this "corruption," showing how the pressures of
high-stakes testing erode the validity of test scores and distort
the integrity of the education system. Their analysis provides a
coherent and comprehensive intellectual framework for the
wide-ranging arguments against high-stakes testing, while putting a
compelling human face on the data marshaled in support of those
arguments. You can read the preface and introduction for free at the
above link.
ARE PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION IDEAS STILL
RELEVANT?
For more than 100 years, the United States has been the scene of
academic warfare between traditional and professional educators.
During most of our nation’s history, many Americans have assumed
that the primary purpose of school is to pass on to children the
information and skills necessary to survive in our society. This
traditional view accepts the fact that a teacher’s task is to inform
children as to what they should know. Officials at the state and
local level determine the content of students’ education and it is
the teacher’s job to ensure that the content is taught. Even before
the beginning of the 20th century, John Dewey and others introduced
a different model. They believed that students learn best "by doing"
not by being passive listeners. For progressive educators, the
teacher’s role was to be a facilitator of learning in classrooms
where students’ interest helped to provide appropriate developmental
learning experience. This new approach to education has greatly
affected our schools during the past century. More recently, we have
seen the emergence in American education of four initiatives that
have threatened the continued influence of progressive education.
They include the "back to basics movement", mandated state
curriculum standards, high stakes testing, and school
accountability. Despite these trends, there appears to be several
factors that might lead one to conclude that progressive education
is remaining a viable approach in the United States. A new book by
William Hayes considers these factors as well as the past, present,
and possible future of the progressive education movement.
EIGHT FOR 2008: EDUCATION POLICY GUIDEBOOK FOR
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
Education remains a top 10 priority for the American people even
during a divisive war and amid competing national concerns,
according to the Gallup Poll. It is especially salient for today's
presidential candidates because the historic No Child Left Behind
Act (NCLB) has increased Washington's influence over and
responsibility for local schools to unprecedented heights. And with
stubbornly persistent racial and income gaps in student outcomes, it
is clear that too many public schools still are not the engines of
equal opportunity they should be. In a new report, Education Sector
offers eight education ideas for the 2008 presidential campaign.
They cover the educational spectrum, from preschool to higher
education. They range in scope from big ideas that would chart
entirely new directions for policymaking to others that would simply
help schools and colleges improve what they are already doing. These
ideas are neither Democratic nor Republican. They are pragmatic
solutions to real problems that both parties can get behind. They
have realistic goals and price tags. The eight ideas include:
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Unlock the Pre-K Door; |
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2.
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Offer Teachers a New Deal; |
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3.
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Create a National Corps of "SuperPrincipals"; (3) Open
New Schools in Low-Income Neighborhoods; |
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4.
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Launch Learning into the 21st Century |
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5.
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Reward Hard-Working Immigrant Students; |
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6.
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Give Students a Roadmap to Good Colleges; and |
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7.
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Help Students Help Others. |
"HOW MUCH ARE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS
PAID?" REVISITED
A recent report from the Manhattan Institute purports to show
that teachers are better compensated than editors, reporters,
architects, psychologists, chemists, economists, and mechanical
engineers. The report relies on hourly earnings data from the
National Compensation Survey (NCS) in an attempt to provide an
apples-to-apples comparison of pay for a standard unit of work.
Unfortunately, this approach is fundamentally flawed because
NCS's calculation of weeks and hours worked is very different
for teachers and other professionals. In fact, the Bureau of
Labor Statistics -- which publishes the NCS -- has explicitly
warned its users not to use hourly rates of pay in this exact
context. It is unclear why the authors of this report have
chosen to ignore that warning, but what remains is a measure of
compensation that is of very little use in informing policy
discussions of teacher pay.
CAN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION BE TAUGHT?
Amid calls for a dramatic overhaul of American education aimed at
preserving the nation’s dominant position in the global economy,
there are still voices advocating more-traditional ideals of
education, such as preparation for living in and passing on a
democracy. Though we recognize the economic role of schooling, many
of us continue to worry about declining voting rates for young
people and their lagging civic participation. Some reformers
recommend increased instruction and classroom discussion about
American history -- the various wars, founding documents, social
movements, and national holidays -- to remind students of our
democratic traditions. Such activities are important in helping
young people understand the origins and significance of their rights
and responsibilities as citizens, writes Jeffery J. Miller in
Education Week. But voting rates haven't declined because students
aren't exposed to enough history. Indeed, as an academic subject,
American history has managed to survive more or less intact while
civics -- the subject aimed at teaching the mechanics of civic
participation -- has been steadily squeezed out of the curriculum.
Knowledge of the historical development of our democratic traditions
is a necessary component of any comprehensive effort to foster
citizenship and encourage political participation. But even more
important is the knowledge of how to participate and the belief that
one’s participation could reasonably lead to a desired policy
change. If students -- especially those from disadvantaged
circumstances -- are not encouraged and provided with opportunities
to engage in community action and politics, it should be no surprise
when they emerge from high school without the skills or inclination
to participate, believing that the process is stacked against them
and that politicians do not listen to them or represent their
communities.
KNOW "HIGH-QUALITY" WHEN YOU SEE IT
What do we mean by "high-quality professional learning?" Consider
that anything of "high quality" produces optimum results. For
example, high-quality consumer goods are reliable and meet rigorous
performance standards. The same is true in professional development,
writes Hayes Mizell for the National Staff Development Council. When
it is high quality, staff development improves the performance of
participating educators. Everyone has had experience with personal
purchases that appear impressive but fail to execute as advertised.
Some staff development is like that. It looks good and may even
generate positive responses in the near term, but meaningful results
are disappointing or absent. If a school system's professional
development does not cause participants to become demonstrably more
effective, it is not high quality. "Professional learning" is about
attaining and applying knowledge and skills that enable educators to
be more productive. Educators are responsible for cultivating new
behaviors and practices that better serve students. When educators
seek new experiences and try to use what they've learned, they
create new neural pathways and become more skilled and confident in
applying their learning. Professional learning, therefore, is not
passive. Effective professional learning requires thought, effort,
and practice. Professional learning is not selfish. Professional
learning is about increasing the capacities of teachers and school
administrators to help students succeed. Educators will always need
to understand policies, laws, and administrative procedures, but
acquiring this information should never be confused with
professional learning.
2007 SURVEY OF EXTERNAL SUPPORT FOR K-12
SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Despite the fact that nearly every school and district in the K-12
market experiences some level of support from the surrounding
community, very little research has been done in the area of
community/school partnerships. This survey by DeHavilland Associates
offers insights into how community/school partnerships are
structured and what types of relationships schools and districts
have established. Key findings from this survey include:
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1.
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When asked to rank the importance of current partners to
their efforts, respondents put individual businesses first, parent
organizations second, and booster clubs third; |
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2.
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When asked to rank the partners with whom they'd most
like to develop relationships, business coalitions came in first,
followed by individual businesses and regional/national foundations; |
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Most school districts do not have established systematic
procedures to recruit and monitor partnerships; |
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4.
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There were clear differences in the responses of
suburban, urban, and rural schools and districts. Those in suburban
areas note generally higher levels of support from community-based
partners; those in urban areas receive greater support from
institutional partners (nonprofits, foundations, and postsecondary
institutions); and those in rural areas record below-average levels of
support from every partner with the exception of booster clubs; and |
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5.
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46 percent of school districts report receiving support
from a local education fund or school foundation. |
MAKING CONNECTIONS: FACING THE DROPOUT
CRISIS IN ARIZONA
Voices for Education, a local education fund, is a coalition of
parents, educators and community members working together to
improve parent engagement in schools, increase funding for
schools statewide and reduce class size. This new report
examines the alarming dropout situation in Arizona schools, the
harm to the student, Arizona, and the economy, and outlines
solution strategies for parents, schools and state policymakers.
Arizona is at a crossroads. Either the state dedicates
substantial attention to addressing this mounting problem or it
will face even higher dropout rates, greater costs for social
services, more demand for remedial education and job training,
and further reductions in state revenues. While there are many
specific reasons why youth might drop out of high school, one
overarching factor has become abundantly clear: Most students
drop out because they become disengaged from school. The process
of disengagement may start years before the actual dropout takes
place. Research helps us to understand just how important it is
to engage students -- especially in the early grades -- and help
them stay connected to school, learning, and educational
achievement. The report recommends various policies and programs
that will begin to help reduce the dropout rate in Arizona. But,
mostly, this report serves as a wake-up call to the people of
Arizona: The state is in the middle of a crisis -- and action is
needed now.
ACADEMIC PROGRESS SLIPS WHEN SNOW INTERRUPTS
CLASS
For children, it might seem a gift from above -- an unscheduled
holiday of sledding and snowball fights, or a chance to sleep in and
then laze in front of the TV. But what parent hasn't spent at least
one snow day wondering: Shouldn't that kid be in school? Now a
college professor is launching a study to measure the brain drain
that comes when slick roads close schoolhouse doors. When youngsters
are sliding down snow-covered hills, their test scores might also be
falling, says Professor David Marcotte. There's a "quite substantial
difference" in scores between years when the winters are white and
when they are warm, says Marcotte, an economist who studies
education. His hunch is that time lost in the heart of the school
year can never really be reclaimed and that schools pay the price in
lower scores on all-important standardized tests. Snowy winters can
skew test scores, Marcotte says, because the first tests are
administered in mid-March, regardless of school closures in recent
weeks. A few makeup days tacked onto the end of the school year
don't make a difference, reports Julie Scharper in The Baltimore
Sun.
AN EDUCATION STRATEGY TO PROMOTE OPPORTUNITY,
PROSPERITY & GROWTH
This paper discusses a framework for education policy, from early
childhood through post-secondary education, along with major reform
ideas consistent with that framework. Brookings Institution scholars
present evidence showing that education is critical to broad-based
economic growth. Investments in education yield large returns to
both society and the individual. Furthermore, expanding access to
high-quality education directly addresses one of the major causes of
increased inequality: technological changes that increasingly reward
skilled workers. The paper presents evidence suggesting that
America's educational system is neither in crisis nor reaching its
full potential. To better secure the benefits of a strong education
system, the paper outlines an evidence- based strategy that calls
for new investments in some areas (such as early education) and
structural reforms in others (such as the teacher tenure system). A
recently proposed early education program for disadvantaged children
and a proposal to dramatically simplify the federal student
financial aid system are discussed in detail.
THE REAL STORY BEHIND INEQUALITY & EDUCATION
Lawmakers, including President Bush, insist the main reason behind
the growth of economic inequality is increased rewards to education.
But a new issue brief from EPI shows that this explanation tells
only part of the story, and is particularly inadequate regarding
recent inequality trends. Senior economist Jared Bernstein and
president Lawrence Mishel examine the many forces driving the recent
rise in inequality, showing that while more highly educated workers
always have an earnings advantage over others, even a college degree
will not inoculate workers against the many economic challenges they
face today.
A TOOLKIT TO SUPPORT SCHOOL-FAMILY-COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIPS
The deeply ingrained multiculturalism that makes New Mexico unique
also presents challenges in communicating and setting shared
priorities. Schools face their own set of challenges in
accommodating all families, making them part of the school community
and including them as partners in their child’s education. The New
Mexico Public Education Department has created, "Working Together:
School-Family-Community Partnerships, A Toolkit for New Mexico
School Communities." The purpose of the Toolkit is to assist
educators and education partners with information, resources and
strategies to help strengthen parent and community involvement. The
toolkit is designed to make schools places that foster community
collaboration and make parents and families feel welcome. The
Toolkit has been created by The Center for the Education and Study
of Diverse Populations. It is intended to support the development of
school, family and community partnerships with the ultimate goal of
helping all children and youth succeed in school and in life. The
Toolkit is divided into three sections: Teacher Tools, Family Tools
and Professional Development Tools. These tools are intended to
support partnerships that can improve school programs and climate,
provide family services and support, increase parents' skills and
leadership, connect families with others in the school and
community, and help teachers in their daily work.
DID YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS PROTECT CHILDREN?
The 109th Congress met for less time on the people's business than
any Congress in half a century. Not since the infamous "Do Nothing
Congress" of 1948 -- so named by President Harry Truman -- has
Congress chosen to convene to do the people's work for so few days.
At a time when our country and children face critical issues, the
109th Congress failed to address them. According to the CDF Action
Council, the 110th Congress must reverse this course. More than nine
million children are uninsured and millions more are underinsured,
denied the critical health and mental health care benefits all
children need and get in all other industrialized nations. Despite
the urgent needs of our most vulnerable children, in 2006, Congress
failed to:
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1.
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Maintain health coverage for all children currently
eligible for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, help the 9
million uninsured children, or adequately respond to the needs of
Katrina children who are still suffering; |
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2.
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Increase funding to maintain and expand quality services
for children in the Head Start program; |
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3.
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Restore cuts in child care funding and provide the needed
increase to help low-income families work; |
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4.
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Increase funding for education and special education
programs; and |
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5.
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Raise the minimum wage to help millions of Americans
struggling to keep a roof over their heads, food on their tables and
meet their families' health care needs. |
Our national budget defines our national values, priorities and
choices. The 109th Congress said children, the poor and low- and
moderate-income working families were less important than the
privileged and powerful special interests. Click the link below
to read the Children’s Defense Fund’s 2006 Congressional
Scorecard.
UTAH GOVERNOR QUIETLY SIGNS LANDMARK SCHOOL VOUCHER BILL
Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. signed Utah's landmark school voucher bill
without fanfare or a public announcement. His office insisted no
extraordinary measures were taken to expedite the bill that makes
Utah home to the nation's most expansive voucher program. Yet HB148,
which passed the Senate on Friday afternoon, raced through its
procedural House moves to land on Huntsman's desk Monday evening.
Huntsman did not alert the media and declined requests for an
interview, reports Nicole Stricker in The Salt Lake Tribune. Utah's
new voucher law, which a legislative fiscal analyst said will cost
$9.3 million its first year and $12.4 million in its second year,
lets families spend between $500 and $3,000 in public funds per
child on private school tuition, depending on family income. The
option is open to all incoming kindergartners, all current public
school students and private school children from low-income
families. Money for the vouchers comes from the state's general
fund, not a fund set aside for public schools. The program will cost
more each year until all private school students are using vouchers
in 13 years, when the program will cost the state an estimated $48
million a year. Utah's program dwarfs voucher programs in other
states, which are available only to low-income students, students in
a particular district, or students in struggling schools. Opponents
of HB148 have discussed challenging it in court for potentially
violating separation of church and state provisions. |
