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--- Tuesday --- November 18, 1997 --- Vol. 1 --- No. 24 ---
NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL
NEGP Weekly
THE UPDATE ON AMERICA'S NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS
__________ __________
AN INCOMPLETE | SPOTLIGHT |
Diane Ravitch, senior fellow | |
at the Brookings Institution, | STATE OF EMERGENCY |
writes in a "Brookings Policy | |
Brief" that "the education | The high number of |
reform movement that began in | "emergency-permit |
the early 1980s must be graded | instructors" teaching in |
incomplete." (9/1997) Without | Calif. schools, particu- |
an upgrade in the quality of | larly in urban areas, |
the nation's teacher corps, | spurred a group of Califor- |
Ravitch predicts that all | nia State U presidents to |
attempts to improve student | urge an overhaul of teacher |
achievement will fail. | training programs through- |
"Given the multitude of | out the university system. |
variables that arise in the | |
running of our schools, public | According to the L.A. |
authorities cannot be expected | TIMES, more than 12,000 of |
to control all of them. But | the 250,000 teachers in the |
one for which they have direct | state's public schools have |
responsibility is entry into | not completed the course- |
the teaching profession," she | work required for a full |
writes. Teacher licensure and | teaching credential. More |
teacher-training institutions | than 40% of the state's |
are two areas in which public | emergency teachers work in |
officials can make a direct and | Los Angeles schools. |
much-needed impact on efforts | |
to improve schools. | Among the recommendations |
While promoting rigorous | from the presidents' |
standards, Ravitch makes clear | report: exit standards for |
that "even the best standards | students in teacher |
are meaningless" without highly | training programs and a |
qualified teachers to teach | "reward system" for faculty |
them. For more info call the | and administrators who help |
Brookings Institution at | prepare teachers. (#3) |
202/797-6000. |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"We have a perfect window of opportunity ... to revolutionize
teacher education."
Robert Maxson, president of the Cal State U, Long Beach campus,
and chairman of a Cal State U presidents' group on
teacher training. (#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 THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
BILINGUAL STUDENTS: New approach to improve literacy. (#1)
GOAL FOUR: TEACHER ED/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BOWIE, MD.: On the map for teacher reform. (#2)
TEACHER TRAINING: Overhaul expected at Cal State schools. (#3)
GOAL FIVE: MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
ENGINEERING MORE GIRLS: U of Maryland mentoring program. (#4)
GOAL SIX: ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING
NATIONAL SKILLS STANDARDS: We need them, say manufacturers.(#5)
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===== GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP =====
*1 BILINGUAL STUDENTS: NEW APPROACH TO IMPROVE LITERACY
Limited English-speaking students are benefiting from a new
approach to improving literacy skills. The Bilingual Cooperative
Integrated Reading and Composition program was examined by
researchers at Johns Hopkins and Howard Universities (FOCUS,
WestEd, Fall 1997).
Researchers compared the progress of second- and third-grade
students in both traditional transitional bilingual programs and
in BCIRC. The traditional group learned through round-robin oral
reading and workbook activities. BCIRC students worked
cooperatively on speaking, listening, reading and writing
activities.
FOCUS explains that in the BCIRC classes, teachers first
would read a story, students then read it aloud in pairs, which
allowed them to alternate sentence by sentence and then paragraph
by paragraph. Next they read silently on their own. The pairs
re-united to work together on questions about the story and on
vocabulary.
BCIRC teachers also directly taught students writing skills
and reading comprehension strategies.
Findings from the study:
BCIRC second graders scored higher on the writing component
of a Spanish assessment than their counterparts;
BCIRC second graders scored slightly better on the reading
component;
BCIRC third graders scored significantly better on the
reading component of an assessment in English.
To order "Effects of Bilingual Cooperative Integrated
Reading and Composition on Students Transitioning from Spanish to
English Reading" (report #10-RD) contact the Center for Research
on the Education of Students Placed At Risk; The Johns Hopkins
and Howard Universities; 3505 N. Charles Street; Baltimore, Md
21218; 410/516-8808; $5.75 prepaid.
===== GOAL FOUR: TEACHER ED/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT =====
*2 BOWIE, MD.: ON THE MAP FOR TEACHER REFORM
Bowie, Md., is the first municipality in the nation to
provide funding for teachers who apply to become certified by the
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (Barrett,
Prince George's JOURNAL, 11/12). Teachers could receive up to
$1,500 from the city to cover the $2,000 application fee for
certification.
City Council members approved a budget that included $10,000
to help local teachers pay the fee. "We believe there are
quality teachers in local schools," said Bowie Mayor Gary Allen.
We know there are some in Prince George's County. We want to
make sure the first board certified teachers [from Md.] come from
this area," he added. Not one of the 600 teachers who have
earned national board certification hails from Md., according to
the paper.
Bowie City Councilman Richard Padgett assured teachers that
not only is the city prepared to financially support teachers
seeking certification, but also in the "development of your
portfolio." Padgett proposed the funding after reading about the
National Board for Professional Teacher Standards.
To become board certified, teachers must create a portfolio
that includes essays about their classroom work, videotapes of
them teaching, and other items. The JOURNAL notes that the
entire process takes about four months. About 38% of applicants
have received national certification, said Gary Galluzzo, a board
member of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.
Bowie teachers were assured that they would not lose their
funding even if they failed to earn national certification, notes
the paper.
Preference would be given to Bowie residents who teach in a
Bowie school. Next would be those who teach in a Bowie school,
but live elsewhere, followed by those who live in Bowie and teach
in county schools attended by Bowie students.
Bowie officials and some school board members hope the
program will become a pilot for other municipalities. "We're
hoping down the road to bring all municipalities together," said
Sally Hein, with the city's department of community services.
City teachers also discovered that some colleges, including
Bowie State U, would provide credits toward a master's degree for
those who went through the national certification process. Paul
Woods, dean of the school of education at Bowie State U, said
national certification "equalizes us with other professions.
It's recognition that you met the rigorous standards of your
profession. It lets everyone else know it's truly a profession."
*3 TEACHER TRAINING: OVERHAUL EXPECTED AT CAL STATE SCHOOLS
Public outcry over teacher quality was the impetus behind a
new report issued by a group of California State U presidents
that endorsed an overhaul of teacher training programs throughout
the state university system (Woo, L.A. TIMES, 11/12).
"Teacher education is a front-burner issue right now in the
CSU [system]," said Robert Maxson, president of the Long Beach
campus and chairman of the president's group on teacher training.
"We have a perfect window of opportunity ... to revolutionize
teacher education."
The report called for teacher preparation to become a
"university-wide" responsibility, writes the paper. Another
recommendation is creating "exit standards" for teacher training
candidates, which could take the form of a "rigorous subject-
matter examination ... [or] a portfolio demonstrating mastery of
professional standards and knowledge," reports the paper. The
presidents' group also suggested the development of an incentive
system for university administrators and faculty that recognizes
efforts to help prepare teachers.
However, the group "stopped short" of reinstituting
education as an undergraduate major, notes the paper. The major
was eliminated "years ago" after critics charged that education
programs were too "watered down" and appealed to students with
low academic potential, reports the TIMES.
Besides public criticism over teacher quality, the
presidents were compelled to address teacher training issues due
to an anticipated teacher shortage in the state. Even now, the
state "relies too heavily on so-called emergency permit
instructors" -- a problem most severe in urban areas, according
to the paper. Los Angeles public schools employs more than 40%
of the state's emergency teachers. These teachers have not
completed coursework required to receive a regular teacher
credential, notes the paper.
Charles Reed, the incoming chancellor of Cal State, is on
board with reforming undergraduate teacher training. He said Cal
State and other universities nationwide are guilty of the
"fundamental hypocrisy" of giving only lip service to the call
for school reform.
Carolyn Ellner, chairwoman of the California Commission on
Teacher Credentialing, agrees. "We have to produce," she said.
"If we don't produce we're in big trouble. Now we have to put
our money where our mouth is."
===== GOAL FIVE: MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE =====
*4 ENGINEERING MORE GIRLS: U OF MARYLAND MENTORING PROGRAM
A mentoring program for middle school girls interested in an
engineering career is sponsored by the U of Maryland's Society of
Women Engineers (Barrett, Prince George's JOURNAL, 11/14). U of
Maryland student Michele Ellis is chairwoman of the program
called "Keys to Empowering Youth."
About 15 U of Maryland women will participate this year as
mentors to 30 area middle school girls at a one-day workshop. At
the workshop, the young girls will be involved in leadership
training, listen to female engineers describe their work and
training and participate in several hands-on engineering/science
experiments. Parents will join their daughters at the end of the
program to "recogniz[e] the girls' accomplishments," writes the
paper.
The mentoring program began at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology in the early 1990s, reports the paper. It soon
spread to Catholic U in Washington, D.C., and last year to the U
of Maryland. A survey of last year's middle school participants
found that the girls strongly agreed that college students are
positive role models for them in math and science and that the
program increased their interest in math and science, writes the
paper.
===== GOAL SIX: ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING =====
*5 NATIONAL SKILLS STANDARDS: THEY'RE NEEDED SAY MANUFACTURERS
Manufacturers nationwide are dissatisfied with the
availability of needed skills in the workplaces of manufacturing
companies, large and small, according to a new survey conducted
by the National Association of Manufacturers.
Findings from the survey:
60% of manufacturers report that current workers lack basic
math skills;
55% find serious deficiencies in workers' basic writing and
comprehension skills;
63% say employees lack basic job skills such as arriving on
time and staying at work all day;
48% say too many of their workers lack the ability to read
and translate drawings, diagrams and flow charts; and
half found it difficult to empoer employees to take on mroe
line responsibility.
"The survey clearly shows that this country needs a
voluntary system of skill standards for manufacturing and every
other sector of the economy," said James Houghton, chairman of
the National Skill Standards Board. "These skill standards will
assist employers who need to be able to identify the skills and
abilities they need to successfully recruit and train workers."
The NSSB is working closely with NAM and other industry
leaders to develop a national system of voluntary workplace
standards. For example, the NSSB announced last week a $300,000
grant program designed to develop voluntary skill standards in
the construction and finance industries. The grants will be used
to develop a broad coalition of partners within the
finance/insurance and construction industries who will then work
together to forge skills standards for those particular economic
sectors.
"This is a significant next step in our ongoing efforts to
coordinate a national voluntary skill standards system covering
every industry in the country," said Houghton. The grant program
was sponsored by NSSB and the Texas Skill Standards Board.
According to a NSSB press release, the latest grant awards
are part of an ongoing effort by the NSSB, along with business,
labor, educators and state governments, to develop portable
certificates of skill achievement. These certificates are
designed to help workers communicate their abilities by clearly
defining the knowledge, basic skills and technical expertise
needed to succeed in the workforce. The certificates also will
allow employers to quickly identify the skills and abilities
needed in new recruits.
The NSSB is helping to develop voluntary skill standards in
15 industry sectors representing the entire U.S. economy. Grants
already have been awarded in the manufacturing, installation and
repair industries and to the wholesale and retail sales sector.
For more information contact the National Skill Standards
Board; 1441 L Street NW: Suite 9000; Washington, D.C. 20005-
3512; 202/254-8628; www.nssb.org
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.
_______________________________________________________________
| National Education Goals Panel |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Suite 502; Washington, D.C. 20037 |
| 202/632-0957 (Fax); e-mail: negp@goalline.org |
| Web site: www.negp.gov |
|_______________________________________________________________|
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