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--- Wednesday --- September 10, 1997 --- Vol. 1 --- No. 14 ---
THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL
NEGP Weekly
THE UPDATE ON AMERICA'S NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS
__________ __________
EDUCATIONAL T.V. | SPOTLIGHT |
A new Federal Communications | |
Commission ruling is forcing | TESTING TRIUMPHS |
commercial broadcast stations | |
to air at least three hours of | While President Clinton's |
children's educational shows | effort to develop a |
each week (Reeves and Jameson, | voluntary national test for |
Philadelphia INQUIRER, 9/1). | 4th- and 8th-graders is |
However, Peggy Charren, a | under attack, some states |
leading lobbyist for improved | are moving ahead with |
children's programming, said | testing systems aligned |
three hours is not enough. The | with their own new, tough |
paper notes that the Children's | standards. |
Television Act of 1990 requires | |
stations to "better serve | N.J.: Gov. Whitman is |
children," but fails to set an | thrilled with the |
hourly quota for children's | implementation of her |
shows. A U of Pennsylvania | state's new curriculum |
study found that children | standards, which she claims |
between 2 and 17 watch 2.1 | will help poor districts as |
hours of television a day. | much, if not more, than |
Sandra Calvert, a psychology | additional funding. (#3) |
professor at Georgetown U, | |
commented that the fall line-up | VA.: Gov Allen also is |
shows that stations are | ecstatic over the recent |
offering more educational | passage of his plan to deny |
programming. "The question is, | a school its accreditation |
how good will these shows be, | if less than 70% of its |
and how long will they last," | students fail to pass new, |
she said. | tough state exams. (#4) |
Some samples of the new | |
shows: "Science Court" on ABC, | MD.: The College Board |
"The Ghostwriters Mysteries," | cautions state leaders on |
on CBS and "Bobby's World" on | plans to test students.(#5) |
FOX. |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"We're now measuring our schools based on students actually
learning the basics."
Virginia Gov. George Allen, on the state Board of Education
passing his new, tough school accreditation standards. (#3)
_______________________________________________________________
| (c) by the Education Policy Network, Inc. |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Washington, D.C. 20010; 202/724-0124 |
| EPN, Inc. hereby authorizes further reproduction and |
| distribution with proper acknowledgement. |
| Publisher: Barbara A. Pape |
|_______________________________________________________________|
============== TABLE OF CONTENTS ==============
GOAL ONE: READY TO LEARN
"JUMPSUMMER:" Getting children ready to learn. (#1)
GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
ON BOARD: Alaska joins national test train. (#2 )
WHITMAN'S STANDARDS: Up and running in New Jersey. (#3)
VIRGINIA'S NEW STANDARDS: No horsing around. (#4)
A SURPRISE FROM THE COLLEGE BOARD: Go slow on testing. (#5)
STATE ASSESSMENTS: A report on trends. (#6)
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===== GOAL ONE: READY TO LEARN =====
*1 "JUMPSUMMER:" GETTING CHILDREN READY TO LEARN
A new early-childhood program from Yale U is being heralded
as a model for helping children get ready for kindergarten (Hart,
BOSTON GLOB, 8/12). Jumpsummer is a "day camp-style summer
school" that operates out of five of Boston's elementary schools
and Head Start centers. The program receives both public and
private funds.
According to the paper, Jumpsummer's mission is to boost the
literacy and social skills of the three-to-kindergarten-age set.
The teacher-student ratio, typically 5 to 20, is lower than even
Head Start programs, notes the GLOBE.
"In every kindergarten class, there are at least five or six
students having a great deal of difficulty from day one,"
explained Jordan Meranus, Boston site director for Jumpstart, the
school year program for preschoolers that developed Jumpsummer.
"Whey they hear, 'Let's line up and go for breakfast,' they are
very confused. They can be very bright, but have no idea how to
navigate the education experience."
The GLOBE reports that the program emerged in 1995 as a Yale
U project that paired 15 college students with 15 preschoolers.
Yale professor Edward Zigler conducted the first evaluation of
Jumpsummer, which will be available later this fall. Zigler's
report found that children of all ethnicities exposed to
Jumpsummer for one year get a "crucial boost in school readiness
skills," writes the paper. Zigler was one of the founder's of
Head Start during the Kennedy Administration.
Boston education leaders made Jumpsummer part of the
ReadBoston initiative, a "citywide effort that aims to have all
third-graders reading at grade level within 10 years," writes the
paper. Jumpstart also is part of President Clinton's America
Reads initiative. It will begin operation in Washington, D.C.
and New York City this fall.
===== GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP =====
*2 ON BOARD: ALASKA JOINS NATIONAL TEST TRAIN
Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles announced last month that his state
will participate in voluntary national tests in 4th-grade reading
and 8th-grade math (U.S. DoEd press release, 5/2). The voluntary
tests, proposed by President Clinton during his State of the
Union address, have come under attack in recent months by
liberals and conservatives.
Alaska joins six other states (Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., N.C.,
and W.V.), 15 large city school districts and the Department of
Defense Schools in the testing program. The tests will be used
first in spring 1999.
Accordoing to the release, the tests will be based on the
"highly respected" National Assessment of Educational Progress,
and for math, on the Third International Mathematics and Science
Study (TIMMS).
*3 WHITMAN'S STANDARDS: UP AND RUNNING IN NEW JERSEY
N.J. Gov Christine Whitman spent the first day of school
this year teaching American history to a group of students at
Long Branch Middle School in Monmouth County (O'Neill,
Philadelphia INQUIRER, 9/5). The governor touted her new
curriculum standards, which took effect this fall.
"I'm very excited about the fact that core-curriculum
standards are starting," she said. According to the paper, the
state's annual standardized test for eighth- and 11th-graders in
math and reading already have been "upgraded to reflect the new
standards, which, over time, are to be expanded to include more
subjects." The INQUIRER also notes that children throughout the
state will take the new tests and a new science exam this fall.
Fourth-grade students for the first time will be required to take
the exams.
Whitman's battle with the state Supreme Court over funding
issues led to her advocacy of standards. The court declared the
state's former system of distributing school aid in violation of
the state constitution "because it allowed huge spending gaps to
remain between wealthy suburban districts and ... poor urban
districts ... " The governor claims that money alone will not
improve the education of disadvantaged children; she insisted
students also be held to higher standards.
While the court embraced Whitman's call for more rigorous
standards, they "rejected as grossly out of touch with reality
the low per-pupil figure that Whitman's team had devised," writes
the paper. Instead, the court insisted that the state raise
funding levels to disadvantaged districts to equal spending in
wealthy districts by this fall.
However, Whitman countered that she would release the money
only after districts submitted a plan that showed they would
spend the funds wisely. The paper reports that 13 of the 28
districts scheduled to receive additional funds have had their
plans approved by the state.
*4 VIRGINIA'S NEW STANDARDS: NO HORSING AROUND
By the year 2007, a school stands to loose its accreditation
if 70% of its students do not pass tough new math, English,
science and history tests. The state Board of Education last
week passed public school accreditation standards that some
critics claim will unfairly penalize schools serving
disadvantaged and ESL students (Cienski, The FAIRFAX (Va.)
JOURNAL, 9/5).
Gov George Allen (R) was jubilant after the vote. "This is
an exhilarating day," he said. "We finally have accountability
in the schools for academic performance. We're now measuring our
schools based on students actually learning the basics. They'll
be the best-prepared kids in the nation."
Under the board-approved plan, students will have to pass,
beginning in 2002, new subject-area tests in high school to
graduate. They also will take new academic tests in third, fifth
and eighth grades. Schools will be urged, but not required, to
demand that students repeat a grade if they fail any of the
exams.
Other provisions include: elementary schools are required
to spend 75% of the school day on English, math, science and
social studies; middle schools must spend 57% of the school day
on those basic subjects; and high school students will be
required to take additional courses in math, history and science.
Another controversial part of the plan calls for the
elimination of a state requirement for local districts to offer
sex education classes or elementary school guidance counselors.
Instead, schools must replace the counselors with reading
specialists.
Before a school looses its accreditation, the plan calls for
school officials to receive a warning from the state if fewer
than 70% of their students pass the new tests. Beginning in
2007, the school will lose their accreditation if they have
missed that threshold for the previous three years. Schools with
large numbers of transient children or children with limited
English may be given some -- as of yet unspecified -- leeway from
the 70% rule.
The JOURNAL notes that Allen also called for a $31.6M
allocation from the state to help schools meet the higher
standards.
The JOURNAL reports that the accreditation standards are the
third part of a four-part plan issued by Allen. In 1995, the
board approved new academic standards. Next, board members
approved standardized tests that are aligned with the new
standards. The fourth-part of Allen's plan calls for giving
parents report cards on "the performance of their schools and the
of the state as a whole," writes the paper.
However, the WASH POST reports that an alternative plan for
accreditation standards is being drafted by a bipartisan
legislative commission. The 70% rule is viewed as too punitive by
many critics, and several "senior lawmakers said they will use
the [alternative] plan to guide them when they review the board's
action in january,' writes the POST.
Fairfax County School Board member Mychele Brickner chalked
up much of the criticism to the element of change. "I'm elated
they passed and I think much of the controversy surrounding them
is typical with any major change," she said. "Virginia's
Standards of Learning have made the state a national model."
Both papers note that the state Board of Education is
controlled by pro-Allen conservatives.
*5 A SURPRISE FROM THE COLLEGE BOARD: GO SLOW ON TESTING
Officials of The College Board surprised some Md. education
leaders when they cautioned against the use of too many tests,
reading too much into their results and giving local school
systems too much input into test content and scoring (Maushard,
Baltimore SUN, 8/28).
Maryland State Board of Education members, who already are
growing "skittish" over their own policy to withhold diplomas
from students who do not pass an exit exam, did not expect the
group charged with producing "blueprints" for the test to issue
any warnings. "I think there will be a reaction to that by a lot
of systems," said State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick, a
proponent of testing.
According to the SUN, board members over a year ago agreed
to require students to pass exams in basic subjects in order to
graduate. However, board members now have agreed to postpone
until December a decision on whether to hold diplomas hostage to
test scores. State DoEd officials said that the board must reach
consensus on the test before the end of the year in order for
test development to proceed on schedule.
Wayne Camara of the College Board: "The fewer [tests] the
better, at least initially. To do less better is to do better."
He also told board members that the tests could not be scored as
quickly as expected. Grasmick responded that the ability to
quickly score the tests is "a tremendous issue for us to grapple
with," since students who do not pass must be assigned to
remedial courses and [given] a chance to retake the test, reports
the paper.
The SUN reports that Grasmick conceded that the board is
"slipping into unchartered waters with what has been called 'the
capstone' of Maryland's school reforms."
Grasmick: "There are no easy decisions and there are no
prototypes in this country for making these decisions."
*6 STATE ASSESSMENTS: A REPORT ON TRENDS
Assessment systems aligned with new, more rigorous standards
are sprouting up throughout the country. The Council of Chief
State School Officers and the North Central Regional Educational
Laboratory have collaborated to produce an annual report that
presents trends in state assessments.
The fourth edition of their report, "Trends in State Student
Assessment Programs, Fall 1996," continued to collect three kinds
of information: a description of each state's existing program,
collaborative partners and what they are developing;
nontraditional assessments; and a "description of each assessment
program, component, or groups of assessments that are used to
gather a set of data used for the same assessment purposes,"
writes the report.
Findings from the survey include: improving instruction and
holding schools and students accountable are the reasons why
states conduct assessments; the three grades most often assessed
are grades 4, 8 and 11; the most common forms of "alternative
assessment are typically in writing, but also in math, language
arts, science and social studies; and portfolios, performance
tasks and student projects are not that common.
The report also includes a section on assessment of students
with disabilities and English language learners and a history of
statewide assessment history and trends.
The survey was mailed to states in September 1996, with
states returning the questionnaire between October 1996 and
January 1997. From the report: "This report provides the reader
with information on the current status of programs, as well as
descriptions of how the programs have changed over the years."
Selected information from the database are available at
CCSSO's and NCREL's web sites: www.ccsso.org or www.ncrel.org.
For ordering information, call the CCSSO at 202/408-5505.
THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS
* GOAL 1: READY TO LEARN
All children in America will start school ready to learn.
* GOAL 2: SCHOOL COMPLETION
The high school graduation rate will increase to at least
90 percent.
* GOAL 3: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
All students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having
demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter including
English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and
government, economics, arts, history, and geography, and every
school in America will ensure that all students earn to use their
minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship,
further learning, and productive employment in our Nation' modern
economy.
* GOAL 4: TEACHER EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Nation's teaching force will have access to programs for
the continued improvement of their professional skills and the
opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to
instruct and prepare all American students for the next century.
* GOAL 5: MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
United States students will be first in the world in
mathematics and science achievement.
* GOAL 6: ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING
Every adult American will be literate and will possess the
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
* GOAL 7: SAFE, DISCIPLINED, & ALCOHOL- AND DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS
Every school in the United States will be free of drugs,
violence, and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol
and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
* GOAL 8: PARENTAL PARTICIPATION
Every school will promote partnerships that will increase
parental involvement and participation in promoting the social,
emotional, and academic growth of children.
_______________________________________________________________
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| Web site: www.negp.gov |
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