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NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS: Due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., the NewsBlast will not publish next week. The next issue will appear on December 5th. As thankfulness is the soil in which joy takes root, we join a grateful nation in giving thanks for our uncountable blessings. We thank you for your enduring support of public education..
PEN celebrates 25 years of LEFs
PEN hosted its 2008 Annual Conference (November 16-18) celebrating
25 years of the impact and legacy of local education funds (LEFs).
Sample highlights include: Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research
Partners, examined the impact of public opinion on public education.
In most districts, users of local schools are less likely to find
them lacking, noted Lake. She focused on how we understand public
opinion, what drives our "knowing," and who crafts opinion into
"fact." See Lake's PowerPoint presentation
here. Andreas Schleicher, of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, compared quality and equity in
schooling outcomes across the world's major economies, and
identified policy lessons to be learned from top performers and
rapid improvers. You can hear an audio montage of PEN members,
national education leaders, and partners expressing thanks for PEN's
contributions to education reform and public engagement
here.
Public school parents, unite!
Now that we've made history by electing our first African-American
president, what has changed? On first blush, writes Sandra Tsing Loh
on The New York Times website, not much, especially when it comes to
our schools. Indeed, as the spiraling United States economy takes
precedence, education is moving to the back burner, though sadly it
was never really on the front burner during the campaign. Meanwhile
Washington high society is swooning as chatty lifestyle stories
document the courtship of President-elect Barack Obama's daughters
by a bevy of exclusive private schools. Oddly, the first
extraordinary boon for public education in America is the economic
apocalypse. A 30-year-long habit of increasing privatization of our
own little corners of democracy, of swiping the credit card to flee
our public spaces, is dying hard. With any luck, in the next
generation, the meritocratic dream conveyed in the ascension of
Barack Obama will not hinge on a lucky jaunt at an elite private
school but will be entwined in a narrative that reflects the triumph
of public school, a fought-for hearth in which burns the essential
goodness, fair-mindedness and optimism of America.
Reading First boosts decoding, but not understanding
According to a congressionally mandated study, students in the $6
billion Reading First program are now better able to decode words
but have made little progress in comprehension and are no more
likely to be proficient readers than students who were not in the
program, writes Education Week. The report, one of the largest and
most rigorous undertaken by the U.S. Department of Education, found
that among both the Reading First and comparison groups, reading
achievement was low, with fewer than half of 1st graders, and fewer
than 40 percent of 2nd and 3rd graders showing grade-level
proficiency. Reading First, which has been dogged by mismanagement
issues and allegations of conflicts of interest in the past few
years, is facing the federal budget scalpel in 2009. The final
report of the Reading First Impact Study is part of the $40 million
evaluation process for the program.
See the report at
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20094038.asp
The forgotten middle class, pre-K edition
A new study by Pre-K Now finds that 700,000 middle-income families
in 20 states are being squeezed out of prekindergarten programs for
lower-income children, unable to qualify based on family earnings
but unable to afford private prekindergarten, the Associated Press
reports. The study breaks down the cost of basic living expenses for
middle-class families in the 20 states where pre-K is only for
low-income children, finding that pre-K is the single largest
expense for middle-class families of four (30 percent of monthly
spending). States with publicly run pre-k programs have targeted
services to poor children because they need the most help to be
ready for kindergarten, but the study shows that middle-income
children also are behind in reading, writing, and math when compared
with their upper-income peers.
See the report at
http://www.preknow.org/documents/pre-kpinch_Nov2008_report.pdf
AFT chief signals openness to potential reforms
In her first speech since being elected president of the American
Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten signaled her openness to a
number of school reform ideas that have been unpopular with teacher
unions. Speaking at the National Press Club, Weingarten stated:
"With the exception of vouchers, which siphon scarce resources from
public schools, no issue should be off the table, provided it is
good for children and fair to teachers." Weingarten urged that all
stakeholders in public education -- parents, teachers, school
administrators, business leaders, and elected officials -- take
responsibility for public education and work to find common ground
on divisive issues like differentiated pay, tenure, and teacher
assignment. She also took exception to what she considers the
widespread scapegoating of teachers and teacher unions for low
student achievement, and called the No Child Left Behind Act "a
stand-in for real discussions at the state and national levels about
a robust education policy that prepares our children for the 21st
century."
Also
http://www.aft.org/news/2008/NPC_speech.htm
New survey profiles states' use of data for student achievement
The Data Quality Campaign -- a national effort to encourage and
support state improvement on the collection, availability, and use
of education data and to improve student achievement -- has
released, "Measuring What Matters: Creating Longitudinal Data
Systems to Improve Student Achievement." This survey of all 50
states and the District of Columbia, finds that six states have all
10 elements of a comprehensive data system that can track student
progress from preschool through college, and 48 states have at least
half the elements. (For a description of the 10 elements, see HERE
[http://www.dataqualitycampaign.org/].) This was up from zero states
in 2005. 47 states plan to have eight or more of the 10 elements in
place within three years. The survey found, however, that only 21
states have a teacher identifier system with the ability to match
teachers to students; another 13 states plan to have this element by
2012, but 17 states report no plans to implement it. Only 17 states
collect student-level course completion and transcript information,
and at least nine have no plans to do so. And 29 states have the
ability to collect college readiness test scores, but at least 12
states have no plans to implement this element. States report that
it's not a lack of technological know-how that keeps them from doing
this work, but the lack of political will and resources to implement
the elements and change the culture around data use.
See the report
http://www.dataqualitycampaign.org/files/publications-measuring_what_matters.pdf
Three states take on high school innovations for global readiness
The states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Utah will undertake
a redefinition of high school as outlined in a 2006 report "Tough
Choices or Tough Times" by the New Commission on the Skills of the
American Workforce, writes the Christian Science Monitor. The report
calls for restructuring school systems and redirecting money toward
universal prekindergarten and higher teacher salaries, among other
steps it says will better prepare students for the 21st-century
global economy. New Hampshire will let students leave high school as
early as age 16 to pursue college or career training after passing a
state board exam. Massachusetts has created a panel that will share
student health, social services, and education information in an
early-warning data system that will identify and help students at
risk of dropping out. And Utah has created a 21st Century Workforce
Initiative to address the 57 percent of the state's high school
graduates who don't go on to postsecondary education. Jack Jennings,
president of the Center on Education Policy, applauds these moves.
"It's significant that three states are willing to try some of these
ideas," he said. "It shows that the discussion about reform is being
broadened beyond the current test-driven accountability system."
Oregon graduation requirements stymied by downturn
Due to the sharp economic downturn, Gov. Ted Kulongoski is seeking
to delay proposed tougher graduation requirements for Oregon's high
school students rather than give schools what he called an "unfunded
mandate," according to the Portland Oregonian. The more rigorous
requirements were enacted by a unanimous Oregon Board of Education
in June after nearly three years of study, in a bid to get all
students up to par in so-called essential skills -- reading, math,
speaking, and writing -- before sending them to college and careers.
The proposed delay was generally well received by the school board,
though board chairman Duncan Wyse said they would not lose course
despite financial constraints and would retain some elements of the
new graduation standard. "There are a lot of ways to be creative
about how we do that," Wyse said, steps like delaying the new test
for math but requiring students to meet the new reading and speaking
standards. A panel of Oregon educators convened by the state
estimated that if the state were to equip schools to get all
students to meet the new graduation requirements would cost about
$266 million in 2009-11.
D.C. Chancellor and Mayor may seek federal emergency legislation for schools
The Washington Post reports that D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle
Rhee and D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty may seek federal legislation
declaring the D.C. schools to be in a "state of emergency," a
dramatic gambit that would eliminate the need to bargain with the
Washington Teachers' Union and allow them to build a system
essentially from scratch, much as has happened in New Orleans. The
proposals were contained in a draft statement that Rhee and Fenty
had been slated to deliver in late September, but their news
conference was cancelled and its proposals never made public. The
Post obtained the draft statement via the Freedom of Information
Act. The draft also states that Rhee intends to explore local and
federal legislation to assume the power to create charter and
"autonomous" schools operated by the District, in which staff and
parents would have a higher degree of freedom to shape academic
programs. This power had been held by the D.C. School Board but
lapsed with the mayoral takeover of the school system last year.
Union leaders doubt these ideas can gain traction in the current
political environment.
Also
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/17/AR2008111701581.html
ACLU gender suit in Alabama middle school
The American Civil Liberties Union has accused a Mobile, Ala. middle
school of illegally segregating its students by gender, according to
the Associated Press. The ACLU sent a letter to Mobile County school
officials protesting that Hankins Middle School has divided boys and
girls into separate classes without notifying parents, and that no
coeducational alternative was provided, as required by federal law.
The parent of one eighth-grader has reported that his son was told
by school officials to have no contact with girls at the school,
including at the bus stop, and another parent has said the school's
principal told him that gender segregation was necessary because
boys' and girls' brains are so different that they need different
curricula. Several other counties in Alabama have been reported to
be experimenting with gender segregation, and the ACLU has a similar
suit pending in Kentucky and has resolved one in Louisiana. The ACLU
contends that mandatory gender segregation in public schools
violates federal law on equal education opportunities, as well as
violating the U.S. Constitution.
L.A. Times says LAUSD Superintendent must go
In an editorial on the second anniversary of his four-year tenure,
the Los Angeles Times writes that Retired Vice Adm. David L. Brewer
is not the man to lead the L.A. Unified School District (LAUSD).
"This is a treacherous moment for a school district that has long
operated on the edge of failure, and it demands unimpeachable
leadership," the Times writes. "In such a moment, the district
cannot afford a superintendent who holds the title but isn't up to
the job." Though the Times appears to like Brewer as a person, it
feels he lacks political and educational acumen, which has led to a
pile up of missteps that has considerably weakened his authority.
The Times alleges that he mishandled the assembly of his command
team and has responded to crises with flow charts and
management-speak rather than solutions. It further says that he
failed to control the school board on financial matters, which has
short-changed students, and his reform ideas have been "faded out
or... scaled back until they were hardly recognizable." LAUSD
currently faces a budget shortfall of at least $200 million, and may
have to close schools, fire staff, and curtail elective courses and
preschool offerings. At this juncture, the Times feels the school
board should facilitate Brewer's graceful departure.
Student-run bank teaches teens to manage money
To help educate youth about financial planning and introduce them to
careers in finance, Capital One has opened a bank branch at Newark's
West Side High School. The bank is housed in a former classroom,
with security cameras on a wall behind the teller counter and a
five-foot-high safe with a lock box for each student banker in a
room adjacent to counter. The room provides spaces for student
bankers to consult with fellow schoolmates who want to open savings
or checking accounts, and a financial education center has been set
up next door so community members can attend seminars on tax
preparation and money management classes that will be offered by
area nonprofits. Among other benefits, the bank introduces teens to
"mainstream banks" and the importance of checking and savings
accounts. "In economically challenged areas, there is not always a
presence of banking, so families go to check cashing or other
agencies," explained Capital One Senior Vice-President Mike Wall.
"This allows [young people] to build a more solid foundation in
money management." Officials believe it is one of the first
student-run bank branches to open in a New Jersey school and there
are only a handful of school-based banks across the country.
BRIEFLY NOTED
Heading the transition team at ED
Judith Winston, general counsel for the Department of Education in
the Clinton administration, and Professor Linda Darling-Hammond of
Stanford University are heading President-elect Barack Obama's
transition team at the Department of Education.
Teenagers' Internet socializing not a bad thing
All those hours teenagers spend socializing on the Internet are not
a bad thing, according to a new study by the MacArthur Foundation.
Their participation is giving them the technological skills and
literacy they need to succeed in the contemporary world.
Sour economy forces unpaid leave for South Carolina education employees
South Carolina Education Department employees must take five days of
unpaid leave by the end of June, a move that Schools Superintendent
Jim Rex says will save 13 to 15 jobs.
Philadelphia charters cost system 5 percent of budget
The chief business officer of the School District of Philadelphia
has announced that after a detailed financial analysis, he has found
that charter schools are costing the system $105 million for the
2008-09 academic year.
Georgia County proposes green initiative for schools
Under a proposed incentive plan, schools in Richmond County, Ga.
would get 10 percent of the school system's savings if they cut back
on utilities.
The question of Susan Neuman
Education News delves into lingering questions surrounding Susan
Neuman, Bush education appointee and NCLB apostate turned Obama
advisor, who left the Department of Education under a cloud in 2003.
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"American Association of School Librarians: National School Library Media Program of the Year Award"
The National School Library Media Program of the Year Award
recognizes exemplary school library media programs that ensure
students and staff are effective users of ideas and information and
are fully integrated into the host school's curriculum. Maximum
award: $10,000. Eligibility: school districts and single schools
within a district -- public as well as non-public -- from
kindergarten through twelfth grade. Deadline: Jan. 2, 2009.
"National Teachers Hall of Fame"
The National Teachers Hall of Fame honors exceptional career
teachers, encourages excellence in teaching, and preserves the rich
heritage of the teaching profession in the United States. Maximum
award: recognition; $1,000 scholarship for a student in the
inductee's school district who plans to pursue a degree in
education; $1,000 in educational materials from the Pearson Learning
Group for the inductee's school district. Eligibility: nominees must
have a minimum of 20 years of full-time preK-12 teaching experience,
and hold a valid teaching certificate or license from the state in
which he or she is teaching or has taught. Deadline: Jan. 2, 2009.
"Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award"
National Association of Geoscience Teachers Outstanding Earth
Science Teacher awards are given for exceptional contributions to
the stimulation of interest in the Earth Sciences at the secondary
level. Maximum award: $500 classroom improvement funds. Eligibility:
middle and high-school teachers of earth science. Deadline: Feb. 1,
2009.
"Amgen: Award for Science Teaching Excellence"
The Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence recognizes
extraordinary contributions by educators across the United States
who are elevating the level of science literacy through creativity
in the classroom and motivation of students. Maximum award: $5,000
to recipient, $5,000 to the recipient's school for the expansion or
enhancement of a school science program, for science resources, or
for the professional development of the school's science teachers.
Eligibility: full-time classroom teachers grades K12 in public or
private school whose major responsibilities include teaching science
and who work in California, Colorado, Kentucky, Massachusetts,
Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, or Washington state. Deadline: Feb. 2,
2009.
"ING: Unsung Heroes Awards"
The ING Unsung Heroes awards program recognizes innovative and
progressive thinking in education through monetary awards. Maximum
award: $25,000. Eligibility: full-time educators, teachers,
principals, paraprofessionals, or classified staff members with
effective projects that improve student learning at an accredited
K-12 public or private school. Deadline: April 30, 2009.
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