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DO AMERICANS CARE IF POLITICIANS CARE ABOUT
PUBLIC EDUCATION?
On March 26th, Public Education Network (PEN) convened a bipartisan
panel of pundits, pollsters, and political advisors to explore ways
in which public education can be positioned as a key national
election issue. The forum, entitled "Do Americans Care if
Politicians Care About Public Education?" was co-chaired by former
U.S. Secretary of Education, Richard W. Riley, and former governor
of South Carolina Thomas H. Kean. Discussion topics included: (1)
How much does the American public care about public education? (2)
How do Americans get candidates for political office to move public
education to the top of their agendas? (3) Can public education
become a major policy issue for voters in the next election cycle?
How can the media be made to cover public education as an election
issue? The Forum was co-sponsored by The Gallup Organization.
According to Riley, "Our public education system is crucial to our
democracy, a democracy that is still admired by many around the
world. And it does not matter a bit if our children have Democratic
parents or Republican parents. What matters is that we educate all
of our children to the highest standard possible, using the best
qualified teachers we can find, and in school buildings that are
safe and suitable for learning." Both Democratic and Republican
pollsters reported that education is indeed a top priority of
voters. However, other concerns, such as the war in Iraq, creating
affordable health care, and protecting the environment compete for
public attention. Click below to view press materials, comments from
the prestigious panelists and a PowerPoint presentation of polling
data. A short online video of Forum highlights will be available
April 2nd.
STUDENTS SEPARATED BY RACE FOR SCHOOL
ASSEMBLIES
With schools under increasing pressure to improve test scores, one
high school has resorted to a new way to motivate students: by race.
Mount Diablo High School in Concord, Calif., recently held separate
assemblies for students of different ethnicities to talk about last
year's test results and the upcoming slew of state exams this
spring. Jazz music and pictures of Martin Luther King greeted
African-American students, whereas Filipino, Asian and Pacific
Islander students saw flags of their foreign homelands on the walls.
Latinos and white students each attended their own events, too,
complete with statistics showing results for all ethnicities and
grade level. Teachers flashed last year's test scores and told the
white crowd of students to do better for the sake of their people.
Several parents told Shirley Dang of the Contra Costa Times that the
meetings smacked of segregation resurrected. "Why did they have to
divide the students by race?" said Filipino parent Claddy Dennis,
mother of freshman Schenlly Dennis. "In this country, everybody is
supposed to be treated equally. It sounds like racism to me."
Principal Bev Hansen said she held the student assemblies by
ethnicity this year and last year to avoid one group harassing
another based on their test scores. Jack Jennings, president of the
National Center on Education Policy, called the racially divided
meetings potentially illegal and dangerous. "It's segregation by
race, whatever the motivation," Jennings said, noting that he had
never heard before of a school or district doing such a thing. He
described the assemblies as a unique byproduct of the intense focus
on testing.
RACISM TOUGH TO TACKLE, OR EVEN TALK ABOUT
Seattle School Board leaders often grapple with how to talk about
race. The district has created a consciousness of race issues
through policy statements and board priorities, but often without
clear direction or explanation. Compared to many other districts
around the country, Seattle has staked out strong positions -- its
strategic plan, for instance, promises to dismantle institutional
racism in the city's public schools. A district administrator is
paid $102,086 to accomplish that task, reports Alex Fryer in the
Seattle Times, though there are disagreements on the board about
whether widespread discrimination exists in the classrooms and
administrative offices. Navigating the sensitive waters of race has
proven a tough go. Despite the district's bold goals, actions such
as last year's debate over closing schools easily turn into crises
fueled by charges that the board is insensitive to people of color.
Institutional racism, as defined by the district, is "an indirect
and largely invisible process that operates automatically and
results in less access to services and opportunities of a society
based on race."
THIRTY WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL POETRY MONTH
National Poetry Month was established, every April since 1996, by
the Academy of American Poets as a month-long, national celebration
of poetry. The concept was to increase the attention paid -- by
individuals and the media -- to the art of poetry, to living poets,
to our poetic heritage, and to poetry books and magazines. The goal
is to achieve an increase in the visibility, presence, and
accessibility of poetry in our culture. National Poetry Month has
been successful beyond all anticipation and has grown over the years
into the largest literary celebration in the world. Click the above
link to find a cornucopia of ways to celebrate life and learning
through poetry.
THE GOAL OF 100 PERCENT PROFICIENCY FOR EVERY
STUDENT IS UNATTAINABLE
A few things about No Child Left Behind (NCLB) are clear, writes
education historian, Diane Ravitch at HuffingtonPost.com. First is
that the goal of 100% proficiency for every student in the United
States is unattainable. The fact is that no nation or state has ever
achieved 100 percent proficiency. The only way to reach such a goal
is to redefine "proficiency" to mean functional literacy. To be
sure, it is nice idea to set your sights high, but the way this law
works, the unattainable goal virtually guarantees that every year
the number of public schools declared to be "failing schools" in
need of improvement will grow as the goal of 100 percent proficiency
recedes. Since a school is declared to be "in need of improvement"
if only one subgroup slips behind schedule, many fine schools across
the nation have found themselves on that list and seen their
reputation unfairly tarnished. Second, it is also clear that the
sanctions mandated by NCLB are not working. At a conference in
November 2006 at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington,
D.C., a series of commissioned papers by outstanding scholars and
journalists reviewed what is happening in a variety of districts
across the nation. The papers vividly demonstrated that, for a
variety of reasons, only tiny proportions of students (often less
than 5 percent of those eligible) were availing themselves of either
choice or tutoring services. Among other reasons, it turned out that
in many districts, there were simply not enough places available in
better schools or students did not want to leave their school or the
school was not making the information available. So too with the
tutoring, few students were taking advantage of the service. Third,
is the fact that there is no reason that the sanctions delineated in
the law will necessarily produce better results. Will a school get
better if the staff is replaced? Maybe, maybe not. Will it get
better if it is turned into a charter school? Maybe, maybe not. Will
it get better if it is handed over to a private management company?
Maybe, maybe not. Will it get better if the state takes it over?
Here we can say with certainty that no state has any track record of
taking over low-performing schools and turning them into
high-performing schools. So, Ravitch questions why the federal
government has written a law imposing sanctions that have no basis
in experience. The law will be reauthorized. That much seems sure.
So those who care about the future of education must come up with
suggestions to minimize its negative effects and make it a better
law.
FAITH FUELS HOME EDUCATION BOOM
Until the 1970s, homeschooling was more of a necessity than a choice
for American parents. It took place mostly in rural areas, where
schools could be long distances away and children were needed to
help out with the work at home. But after the publication of several
controversial books that criticized institutional schooling, the
modern homeschool movement in the U.S. began, with thousands of
suburban families joining in. Still, it was not until recently that
the numbers of homeschoolers really exploded -- nearly doubling in
the last six years. The National Home Education Research Institute
(a pro-homeschool advocacy group) estimates that around 1.5 million
children were educated at home in 2000, but in 2006, the number was
closer to 2.5 million. This increase is due, in large part, to the
rise of Christian homeschooling -- parents' choosing to teach
children at home from a Biblical point of view. Now there is a vast
and highly organized network of Christian homeschooling advocacy
groups, legal advisers and curriculum material, reports Tara
Godomski for BBC News. Wendy D. Puriefoy, president of the advocacy
group Public Education Network, in Washington DC, questions the
ability of parents to provide an adequate environment for maturing
as well as learning. "I worry about the lack of accountability in
homeschooling," she said. "I worry about the lack of socialization
for youngsters outside of their families. I worry about the access
to other kinds of non-academic resources that youngsters have in
public schools that you might not have in a homeschooling
situation."
HOW TO SUPPORT SCHOOL TRANSFORMATION
Identifying underachieving schools has become a priority in recent
years as federal and state accountability requirements turn the
spotlight on poor performers, according to the new issue of R&D
Alert from WestEd. A growing body of research has illuminated the
characteristics of these schools at one end of the spectrum as well
as the characteristics of stellar schools at the other end, but much
less is known about what specific qualities and strategies enable
schools to change from low- to high-performing. "What’s missing is
the kind of how-to knowledge, the practical intervention strategies
that people need in order to help schools through the complex
process of bringing about real improvement," says WestEd’s Stanley
Chow. "The information is in people’s heads" and not yet formally or
succinctly documented. According to Chow’s analysis, one key to
school transformation is for external technical assistance providers
to establish close collaborations and trusting relationships with
internal advocates for change. The internal advocates can be
school-based or may be district personnel, as WestEd’s technical
assistance providers have found that districts can play a
significant role in turning around low-performing schools. When
external assistance providers, such as local education funds, build
strong relationships with internal advocates and other influential
educators, their teamwork helps the key players sense trouble as it
develops, choose appropriate responses, delegate responsibilities,
and provide mutual support and encouragement. Working together,
these inside/outside partners ensure that recommended practices to
improve school performance gain traction and endure. Too often,
according to Chow, service providers design remedies for common
educational problems, such as low reading scores or teacher
isolation, and schools adopt interventions (or, worse, try to
implement multiple reforms simultaneously) without a clear
understanding of what changes they may need, or why. In other words,
they seek a prescription before studying the disease. Helping
schools find a focus -- by selecting strategic and manageable
interventions and evaluating the effects on student learning -- is
key to moving forward. Equally important is helping them maintain
focus over time.
LOOKING BACK & AHEAD AFTER A DECADE OF
UPHEAVAL IN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
The tenth edition of Technology Counts from Education Week is now
online. Technology Counts 2007 grades states on leadership in
educational technology, and finds wide variation among them in the
core areas of access, use, and capacity. Also included is an
interactive timeline that examines key educational technology trends
over the past 10 years. The use that students and educators are
making of digital technology has moved in new directions. Students
are taking more tests on computers. And educators are making
ever-greater use of digital data on student achievement --
principally standardized-test scores, but also other student work
organized in digital portfolios -- to make decisions about
instruction. Much of that data analysis is being driven by
test-based accountability, but not all. The Editorial Projects in
Education Research Center now finds that, unlike 10 years ago, most
states have technology standards for students and educators, for
example. But few states test to see if those standards are being
met, so the degree to which schools are reaching them is unknown.
Anecdotal evidence and research suggest that teachers’ integration
of digital tools into instruction is sporadic. Many young people’s
reliance on digital technology in their outside lives stands in
sharp contrast to their limited use of it in school. Large gaps,
though, have emerged in students’ use of computers at home based on
their demographic backgrounds. So while disadvantaged students now
have nearly as broad access to computers in schools as their more
advantaged peers, at home they typically have much less.
STUDENTS, PARENTS & TEACHERS SPEAK UP ON EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
For the second year in a row, students and teachers who responded to
a national survey on educational technology expressed a strong
desire for schools to focus more on the integration of technology
and real-world problem solving into math and science classes. In
addition, an overwhelming 97 percent of students, but just over half
of teachers, say they think cell phones should be allowed in school
for emergencies and for connecting with parents. The findings of the
fourth annual Speak Up survey, recently released at a Congressional
briefing in Washington, D.C., collected ideas and views from more
than 270,000 K-12 students and 21,000 teachers from all 50 states.
For the first time, the survey also included parents, and some
15,000 parents took part. Participants were asked about their views
on such topics as technology, math and science instruction, 21st
century skills, global collaboration, communication and
self-expression, and schools of the future. According to Justin
Appel, reporting in eSchool News, the study shows that students want
to learn math and science through real-world problem solving,
visiting places where they can view science in action, and talking
with professionals in the fields. Teachers also believe that
teaching these subjects within the context of real-world problems is
the most effective method, but a key challenge is that there is not
enough instructional time to teach science, they say.
WHERE WE TEACH
The National School Boards Association’s Council of Urban Boards of
Education has released findings of a major research study, "Where We
Teach", which surveyed how teachers and administrators feel about
their urban school environments. A majority of urban teachers and
building administrators hold high expectations for students and care
whether students are successful. However, the survey also found that
nearly one-third of teachers and nearly 16 percent of administrators
agree that students at their schools are not motivated to learn.
Nearly one-quarter of teachers also agree that most students at
their school would not be successful at a community college or
university. On the other hand, only 7 percent of principals and
assistant principals agree with that statement. The survey outlines
findings from 12 urban school districts in 10 states. The survey’s
findings are grouped under eight areas: bullying; expectations of
success; influence of race; professional climate; professional
development; parental involvement; safety; and trust, respect, and
ethos of caring. Among the major findings is that while most
teachers and administrators in the survey believe they can deter
bullying in their schools, the majority believe that bullying still
goes on at least once a month. Also, the survey revealed that
student race still influences expectations and success. Over half of
teachers disagree that students will be successful in their school
based on race. However, three-quarters of teachers disagree that
racial barriers to educational and economic opportunity no longer
exist in the U.S. And while parent involvement is known to be one of
the indicators of success for students, teachers and administrators
differ in their perceptions of parent involvement. While 81 percent
of administrators agree that parents support their school and
activities, only 57 percent of teachers agree with that perception.
SCHOOL LEADERS NEED HEADS UP ON CONCUSSIONS
Some of the most dangerous sports injuries aren't broken legs or
sprained ankles -- they're concussions. And the brain injury isn't
limited to the NFL: Millions of American children suffer sports
concussions each year. A thousand schools nationwide are now using
the IMPACT Test, a valuable, objective tool for measuring
concussions, reports Tom Goldman for NPR’s Morning Edition. It is
estimated that 1.4 million to 3.8 million kids in the United States
suffer a sports concussion each year. Yet, despite the prevalence of
this common injury, many coaches, teachers and doctors are not aware
of how to evaluate or treat a concussion. Sports concussions are
only going to increase, as young athletes get faster and bigger.
MANY CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE FAILING UNDER NCLB
Florida is home to more than 300 charter schools -- public schools
funded by your tax dollars but run by groups, such as cities,
nonprofits or management companies. Some operators are steeped in
education experience, while others have no academic credentials.
Many charter schools enjoy good reputations. But scores of them
continue getting education dollars despite records of low student
achievement and financial mismanagement. A yearlong investigation by
the Orlando Sentinel found that the state's lack of oversight has
allowed students to fail academically and charter operators to
profit from their relationships with the schools. This four-part
series looks at student performance, charter-school spending and
what the state is doing -- or not doing -- to hold the campuses
accountable.
ADVOCATES PUSH EARLY SCHOOLING FOR LATINOS
Latino children nationwide tend to start kindergarten knowing less
about letters and numbers compared with their non-Hispanic white
peers. Many never catch up. Improving early childhood education is
one of the best ways to narrow the achievement gap, educators say.
But many Latino families face economic, linguistic, educational, and
cultural barriers. "It's partly about parents not understanding the
American system," said Eugene Garcia, an Arizona State University
administrator and chairman of the National Task Force on Early
Childhood Education for Hispanics. "Hispanic parents think school is
good and education is good. They just don't have the tools they
need." About 40 percent of Latino 3- and 4-year-olds (and
5-year-olds not yet in kindergarten) are enrolled in
pre-kindergarten programs, compared with about 60 percent of white
and African American children, according to the Washington-based
advocacy group Pre-K Now. In addition, a report from Garcia's task
force noted that Hispanic mothers generally read and talk less to
their children compared with white parents. Hispanic families also
tend to have fewer children's books at home. Latino education
advocates said they are battling a misperception that Hispanic
parents are less concerned about teaching young children. Research
shows lack of interest isn't the problem. Often Hispanic families
don't have affordable preschools in their communities or, because of
language barriers, don't know what's available. Many don't know the
benefits of telling stories to young children or reading or counting
with them, reports Maria Glod in The Boston Globe.
SEVEN YEARS IN JAIL FOR SHOVING A HALL MONITOR
IN SCHOOL
Spotted at www.thisweekineducation.com, is a link to a Chicago
Tribune article telling how a high school student in Texas has been
sentenced to many years in jail for pushing a hall monitor. The
youth had no prior arrest record, and the hall monitor -- a
58-year-old teacher's aide -- was not seriously injured. But the
student was tried in March 2006 in the town's juvenile court,
convicted of "assault on a public servant" and sentenced by Lamar
County Judge Chuck Superville to prison for up to 7 years, until she
turns 21. Just three months earlier, Superville sentenced a
14-year-old white girl, convicted of arson for burning down her
family's house, to probation.
STUDENT UNIFORMS MIGHT NOT AID SCHOOL
DISCIPLINE
A study of uniform policies at public schools around the Nashville
area found that students in "standard school attire," as Metro
officials call it, were just as likely to get suspended as their
regular-clothed peers. David Brunsma, an associate professor of
sociology at the University of Missouri-Columbia has spent 10 years
researching how uniforms affect education. He says that, despite the
glowing reviews from principals and educators, there are no
statistics proving uniforms affect attendance, discipline, safety or
substance abuse. Still, reports Jaime Sarrio in The Tennessean,
these policies are continually adopted by schools or school
districts with high poverty rates and large minority populations.
Brunsma said many families in these areas don't put up a fight
because they tend to defer authority to the "experts." Brunsma
believes some educators have trouble letting go of the old adage
"What you see is what you get." "I think the reason most people
continue to adopt this is the idea of uniformity -- what you look
like is a good indicator of what you will act like and perform like.
That has deep culture root in the United States," he said. "But it
simply doesn't work. Students will always find ways to distinguish
themselves." |
