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Tackling assumptions about teacher performance pay
In an opinion piece in The Detroit News, Education Sector's Thomas
Toch looks at what he says are five "myths" surrounding merit pay
for teachers. The first, that "merit pay has a strong track record,"
has scant research evidence, Toch writes. When the Bush
administration commissioned a study on the matter, it found no
conclusive evidence either way. The second, that teacher unions are
its biggest roadblock, is both true and not true, he says. Toch also
disagrees with the underpinning idea that principals are good judges
of teacher quality, since "the typical teacher evaluation in public
education consists of a single fleeting classroom visit by a harried
principal who is often more interested in classroom behavior than
quality of instruction." Toch also feels that student scores on
standardized tests are not an adequate reflection of teacher
quality, and prefers comprehensive evaluations that look at how well
teachers plan, teach, test, manage, and motivate. Finally, he says,
money is not the chief motivator of teachers. When asked, teachers
tend to rate a supportive, respectful working environment more
highly. "Done right, performance pay may contribute to a more
professional culture in public school teaching. But it surely isn't
going to transform the profession by itself."
Union repositions, and surprises
Two recipients of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Innovation Fund grants will put their funds toward
teacher-evaluation systems that use student test scores as part of
the assessment, leaving education reformers "stunned," according to
Newsweek. This is an about-face for the second largest teacher union
in the country, which has steadfastly fought against use of scores
in teacher assessment, insisting teacher quality and test scores
don't correlate. But stipulations for Race to the Top funds, which
prohibit bans on score-based teacher assessment, coupled with
considerable anti-union sentiment in the media these past few
months, may have prompted the AFT change of course. By way of
explanation, AFT President Randi Weingarten said that the union
"isn't shying away from the issue that the evaluation system is
broken." As head of New York City's teacher union, Weingarten had
helped push through state legislation that banned use of student
test scores in teacher evaluations for tenure. Eight AFT affiliates
will share the $1.2 million distributed to Innovation Fund winners
this year. Among these, New York State United Teachers and the Rhode
Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professions will use money
to develop the new teacher evaluations.
See the AFT grant information:
http://aft.org/innovate/#
The narrow gap between 'blue' and 'pink' brains
In a new book on gender and the brain that The Washington Post calls
"masterful," author Lise Eliot cites a study in which mothers
watched their 11-month-olds crawl down a carpeted slope. The moms
pushed a button to change the slope's angle based on what they
thought their children could handle, and the babies were afterward
tested to see how steep a slope they could actually navigate. Though
girls and boys were equally skilled at crawling and risk-taking, the
mothers of the girls -- unlike those of the boys -- significantly
underestimated their daughters' ability. "Sex differences in the
brain are sexy," Eliot writes, so we tend to notice them everywhere,
"but there's enormous danger" in our exaggeration. It leads us to
see gender at an early age and in terms of what we expect to see,
and to assume that sex differences are innate and immutable. We
forget that the differences within each sex are usually greater than
the gaps between the two. Eliot debunks the recent exaggeration of
brain-based sex differences in what the reviewer calls a "publishing
flurry" from "credentialed authors who should know better." Eliot
also explains what the research on brain-based sex difference
actually shows, and offers suggestions about how we can erase the
small gaps for children instead of turning them into larger ones.
A stimulus 'shell game' by states?
Stimulus money from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to states
was intended to boost, rather than replace, funding for schools and
colleges. Yet some states have slashed education budgets anyway,
according to the department's inspector general, reports NPR. In its
report, the inspector general found over a dozen states
inappropriately using stimulus dollars to replace education cuts,
singling out Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut, in
particular. Some states have said they thought themselves in full
compliance with the wishes of ED, and are perplexed about the
allegations. Others say they simply don't have the money to use
stimulus funds as a supplement -- it's not that they're redirecting
money elsewhere. "Given that our revenues are doing much worse than
anticipated, we'll have to make additional reductions in the budget
to keep it in line with available revenue," explained Linda
Luebbering, state budget director for Missouri. Secretary of
Education Arne Duncan has warned that if states cut education
funding to below 2006 levels and use stimulus funds to make up the
difference, he'll exclude them from billions in Race to the Top
funds.
Related:
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2009/10/13/teachers_benefit_from_job_saving_stimulus_spending/
See the memorandum from ED's inspector general:
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/auditreports/AlertMemorandums/l03j0011.pdf
Structured after-school yields mediocre results
A new report on behalf of the Institute of Education Sciences at the
Department of Education looks at whether structured academic
instruction in reading or math for students in grades two to five
during their after-school hours -- instead of the less formal
academic supports offered in regular after-school programs --
improves their academic performance in the subject. The study,
undertaken by MDRC over school years 2005-06 and 2006-07, found that
for the enhanced math program, one year of enhanced instruction
produces positive and statistically significant impacts on student
achievement, but two years produces no additional achievement
benefit. The authors also state that no clear lessons emerge for
program improvement or targeting the program in particular types of
schools. For the enhanced reading program, the study found that
after one year, no significant impact on total reading scores was
apparent in programs at the 12 participating centers. Two years of
participation produces significantly fewer gains in reading
achievement for students in the enhanced program group than at
regular after-school. Though the reading program was staffed and
supported as planned, implementation issues -- especially related to
the pacing of lessons -- occurred in both years, as instructors
found it challenging to maintain the intended pace of instruction..
Common Core Initiative ducks 'century-long battle'
Rather than prompt the firestorm that generally comes with a "great
works" curriculum debate, the nation's governors and state school
chiefs have sidestepped controversy with the Common Core State
Standards Initiative, reports The Washington Post. The proposal for
the English language arts component emphasizes communication skills
-- reading, writing, speaking, and listening -- and forgoes
recommendations of books. "They were wise to leave it to others,"
said Chester Finn Jr., president of the Fordham Institute. "They
would have gotten into a century-long battle over reading lists,
multiculturalism, which authors to read and so on." The initiative
aims to craft national standards for math and English, and to raise
and equalize the "wildly uneven" benchmarks among states, but
without the involvement of the administration or Congress. In coming
months, The Post reports that experts will work backward through the
standards to develop more detailed benchmarks for content knowledge
and skills, with a goal of laying out enough specifics to yield
internationally competitive standards without being so prescriptive
that states and schools have no flexibility. Various texts were
cited as "exemplars of reading text complexity," including works by
Jane Austen, Toni Morrison, Walt Whitman, and Martin Luther King
Jr., but none were mandated.
What's the math on math reform?
So-called math reform programs have made huge inroads in
elementary-level math instruction and have been associated with high
math scores on standardized tests, but they continue to be derided
as fuzzy and weak on basic math facts, according to The Philadelphia
Enquirer. Backers of the programs say they help children grasp math
concepts early, drawing them into high-level courses later. For
instance, key aspects of the Everyday Math program, which can be
taught from pre-K to sixth grade, include numbers sense, geometry,
probability and statistics, estimation, and algebra; the use of
games, puzzles, and everyday situations; the use of manipulatives
such as cubes, sticks, and dice, as well as calculators; and a
teaching method called "spiraling," in which students are introduced
to a concept but not expected to master it in the first go-round.
What draws criticism from traditionalists, including parents and
some math teachers, is that students are not pushed to master
addition and multiplication tables -- traditional, rote memorization
-- before moving on. Complaints have spurred the National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics to call for an expanded emphasis on basic
math skills in the lower grades, a retreat from its 1990
recommendation to focus less on computation and more on concepts and
problem-solving.
A sea change in Ocean State teacher prep
Rhode Island is among the states with the lowest "cut" scores on
basic skills tests for teachers, but Rhode Island Education
Commissioner Deborah Gist would like to change that, reports The
Providence Journal. Gist says she intends to transform "the entire
career span of a teacher" in Rhode Island, including who is allowed
to train to become a teacher, the rigor of the programs, mentoring
of new teachers, support and training for veteran teachers, and the
reward of higher pay for high performance. However, the state's
colleges and universities, where the majority of Rhode Island's
teachers are trained, are resisting a raise in cutoff scores,
instead proposing modest, phased increases over time. "It will
disenfranchise too many students," said Roger Eldridge Jr., dean of
the School of Education at Rhode Island College, who estimates that
85 percent of RIC's education students would be unable to reach the
higher score and would therefore be barred from the program if it
were required next year. The majority of Rhode Island's 12,000
public school teachers have received their degree from RIC.
Anti-Abbott film gains traction
A new highly critical documentary looks at funding for New Jersey's
Abbott districts, and condemns the state's Schools Development
Authority for wasteful spending, reports The Courier-Post of New
Jersey. "The Cartel" was written, produced, and financed by
journalist and Hoboken resident Bob Bowdon. The 90-minute film
asserts that in the poorer, mostly urban Abbott districts, average
cost per classroom can run to several hundred thousand dollars, but
after a teacher's salary is subtracted, some districts can't account
for the remainder. In Camden, N.J., for instance, the total cost per
pupil in 2007-2008 was $15,407 -- higher than the state average of
$14,359 for similar districts. Abbott districts spend money
wastefully, Bowden believes, because they must use up all their
money to get similarly funded the following year. In his opinion,
students would be better served with school vouchers that can be
used at charter schools and independent schools. "Schools that need
to attract students are run better than those guaranteed a supply of
kids. I want parents to have as many options as possible. There
shouldn't be a one-size-fits-all approach to education," he said. He
says the level of interest at film festivals has been "tremendous"
for what started as a "humble, low-budget project."
BRIEFLY NOTED
It still takes a village
Federal policymakers may need a reminder that schools themselves are
not the only entities who can guide improvement and innovation. Does
current federal policy overlook family and community involvement?
Adults 'too old' for Homecoming dance
An Oregon high school has stepped on some toes with its decision to
restrict their homecoming dance to students currently enrolled in
high school.
A more 'nuanced' picture of Christopher Columbus
The stature of Columbus in U.S. classrooms continues to slide, with
teachers trying to present a more balanced perspective of what
happened after he reached the Caribbean.
Related:
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB125512754947576887-lMyQjAxMDI5NTE1NDExMjQ3Wj.html
Buffalo "oversaturated" with charter schools?
Richard Ianuzzi, president of New York State's teacher union, says
the state should be more demanding when asked to create new charter
schools there or to relicense existing ones.
What exactly constitutes violence?
Study says over 60 percent of U.S. kids are exposed to violence annually, but skeptics feel its definition of violence is over-inclusive.
First-grade Cub Scout can return to school
District relents in suspension of a boy who brought a camping utensil to eat his lunch.
Austerity measures in Utah hit charters hardest
Budget cuts may close 18 charters, which operate on less money than traditional public schools.
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"ECS:
Corporate Award"
The Education Commission of the States Corporate Award recognizes a
for-profit corporation, nonprofit organization, or foundation that
has demonstrated a sustained commitment to improving public
education in the United States. The award is presented to
organizations or companies that support improvement consistent with
ECS' mission and priorities, support promising practices for all
students, particularly those who are currently not well-served by
the education system, and enjoy broad-based support in the states or
communities in which they operate. Maximum award: recognition.
Deadline: October 24, 2009.
"McDonald's
USA: Champion Kid Correspondents"
McDonald's USA is offering the chance for 10 young people from
across the country to attend the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
in February 2010 as a McDonald's Champion Kid and hometown
correspondent. Maximum award: a trip to Vancouver, Canada for 4 days
and 3 nights for winner and parent or legal guardian to the
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games to attend events, meet athletes,
tour cultural sites of Canada, meet other participants from around
the world, and as serve as a McDonald's Champion Kid Correspondent.
Champion Kid Correspondents report back to their friends, family,
and the world all about what they are experiencing at the Olympic
Winter Games by posting online journals, videos, and photos.
Eligibility: American youth ages 11-14. Deadline: October 30, 2009.
"Payless
ShoeSource: Holiday Giving Campaign"
Payless ShoeSource's 2009 Holiday Giving Campaign provides new shoes
to children in need throughout the United States. Payless will award
allotments of $15 merchandise gift coupons to nonprofit
organizations in order for its clients to receive new shoes for the
holiday season. Maximum award: varies. Eligibility: 501(c)3
organizations in the U.S. and registered charities in Canada that
serve disadvantaged children in an area where Payless stores are
easily accessible. Deadline: October 30, 2009.
"College
Board: Bob Costas Grants"
Bob Costas Grants support exceptional teachers who through their
innovative teaching methods motivate their students to write.
Winning teachers are awarded grants to enhance successful projects
currently under way. Projects can be carried out in school (public
or nonpublic), through an after-school writing workshop, or during a
summer program. Maximum award: $2,000. Eligibility: Teachers from
all academic disciplines grades 6-12. Deadline: November 20, 2006.
"AAPT:
High School Physics Teacher Grant"
The American Association of Physics Teachers High School Physics
Teacher Grant will reward a proposal designed to result in better
teaching practice, student understanding and interest, and increased
class enrollment. The proposal may use a new teaching method or an
adaptation of an existing idea. Maximum award: $500. Eligibility:
members of AAPT. Deadline: December 1, 2009.
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