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--- Wednesday --- February 11, 1998 --- Vol. 7 --- No. 32 ---
NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL
NEGP Weekly
THE UPDATE ON AMERICA'S NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS
www.negp.gov
__________ __________
MILWAUKEE MODEL | SPOTLIGHT |
A student assessment system | |
being developed by Milwaukee | KEEPING THEIR EYE |
Public Schools "could well | ON THE PRIZE |
become a national model," | |
according to a report issued by | Headlines report shocking |
the National Center for Fair & | incidents of school vio- |
Open Testing (FairTest). | lence and drug possession, |
From the report titled | but many teachers are more |
"Assessment in the Milwaukee | concerned about the less |
Public Schools": "The emphasis | dramatic cases of everyday |
on performance assessments and | class disruptions by |
portfolios for certification | chronic troublemakers. |
and accountability represents a | These are students who do |
major step forward in district- | not necessarily brandish |
level assessment practice." | weapons, but do shoot |
FairTest supports Milwaukee's | verbal insults at their |
plan to move toward portfolios | teachers or constantly |
and multiple performance | interrupt classmates in a |
assessments to determine high | manner that does not allow |
school graduation and eighth- | instruction to continue. |
grade proficiency. However, | |
FairTest criticizes the | A program being piloted |
continued use of traditional | in Fairfax County, Va. |
standardized exams. | assigns unruly students to |
The report is based on the | special classes housed in |
"Principles and Indicators for | the regular school, rather |
Student Assessment Systems" | than the more common |
produced by the National Forum | approach of sending them to |
on Assessment, an alliance of | an alternative school. |
education reform leaders. | Fairfax officials say their |
For more information, contact | program forces kids to keep |
FairTest at 342 Broadway, | their eye on the prize: a |
Cambridge, Mass. 02139; | return to regular classes. |
617/864-4810. |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"These behaviors are learned, and you don't unlearn behavior with
a three-day suspension."
Dick Doyle, chief hearing officer for Fairfax County (Va.)
schools, on a new program for disruptive students. (#4)
_______________________________________________________________
| (c) by the Education Policy Network, Inc. |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Washington, D.C. 20010; 202/724-0015 |
| EPN, Inc. hereby authorizes further reproduction and |
| distribution with proper acknowledgement. |
| Publisher: Barbara A. Pape |
|_______________________________________________________________|
============== TABLE OF CONTENTS ==============
GOAL ONE: READY TO LEARN
THE PRICE IS NOT RIGHT: Low pay problem for child-care. (#1)
GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
SYLVAN'S CALIF. DREAMING: Provides reading/math program. (#2)
GOAL SEVEN: SAFE, DISCIPLINED AND DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS
OUT OF SCHOOL: Out of a driver's license . (#3)
IN EXILE: Unique program for disruptive students. (#4)
MANDATORY DRUG TESTING: Tabled in Fountain Lake, Ark. (#5)
CHARTING A NEW COURSE
CHARTER SCHOOL UPDATE: Learning and growing. (#6)
TAKING OVER
TAKING CHARGE: Mayor & states bid for control of schools. (#7)
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===== GOAL ONE: READY TO LEARN =====
*1 THE PRICE IS NOT RIGHT: LOW PAY PROBLEM FOR CHILD-CARE
Although Fla. boasts one of the nation's strongest laws
supporting preschool education, low pay for child-care workers
and lax enforcement by regulators has significantly undermined
the law, according to a study prepared by the Families and Work
Institute (Zaneski, Miami HERALD, 2/3).
"You've got good regulations on the books," explained Ellen
Galinsy, a researcher with the New York-based Families and Work
Institute. "But having programs and policies is one thing,
having them supported is another." She advised state leaders to
increase the pay of child-care workers above the current average
rate of $6.50 an hour. Otherwise teachers will continue to flee
to higher paying jobs with better benefits at grocery stores and
other companies, she added.
According to the paper, a blue-ribbon panel, the Governor's
Commission on Education, is sending recommendations to the state
Legislature that call for better pay and stronger enforcement of
preschool standards. "As a society, we do well at whatever we
care about," said Joe Chapman, a member of the commission. "It's
about time we started caring about this issue. Because there is
no more important issue."
While Fla.'s preschool situation is less than adequate, it
outshines many other states, writes the paper. "It's very sad
when you realize that very few states are even close to where we
are," said Pam Phelps, owner of Creative Preschool in
Tallahassee.
Galinsky's report found that only 2% of the preschool
teacher she surveyed in 1992 were still working at their child-
care centers four years later -- "a turnover rate that child
advocates say is traumatic for young children," writes the paper.
She also found that the percentage of child-care workers with
high school education declined since the law was passed -- from
47% in 1992 to 39% in 1996.
===== GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP =====
*2 SYLVAN'S CALIF. DREAMING: PROVIDES READING & MATH PROGRAM
The Compton Unified School District, south of Los Angeles,
awarded Baltimore-based Sylvan Learning Systems Inc. with a $5.4M
contract to provide the district with supplemental reading and
math instruction (Shelsby, Baltimore SUN, 1/22). This is the
first time Sylvan has entered the Calif. market.
In Compton, Sylvan will build learning centers in eight
elementary and middle schools and provide the instructors, writes
the paper. Low-achieving students are the target audience. The
students will meet in small groups, sometimes one-on-one, with
Sylvan teachers for one-hour sessions twice a week. Students who
do not attain certain levels of achievement will receive further
instruction from Sylvan at no additional cost.
Douglas Becker, Sylvan's co-chief executive officer, said
the company has its eye on other Calif. districts.
===== GOAL SEVEN: SAFE, DISCIPLINED AND DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS =====
*3 OUT OF SCHOOL: OUT OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE
Two Va. lawmakers have introduced legislation that would
restrict driving privileges of students who are frequently truant
from school (Dewey, Prince William JOURNAL, 2/3). Stonewall
Jackson High school Principal Steven Constantino several months
ago released a report that found more than 40% of his students
missed 10 days or more of school each year.
"What we are doing right now isn't working," said school
board member Charlie Colgan. "We need to curb unexcused absences
and the way to do that is to take away students' driver's
licenses."
County school Superintendent Edward Kelly explained the
policy: "Before a student turns 16 and applies for a driver's
license, the Department of Motor Vehicles asks the school whether
the student is in good standing. So, the logic is relatively
consistent. It makes sense for us to take this one step further
and say if a student is not in good standing, it should prevent
them from driving."
The legislation was sponsored by state Senator Charles
Colgan (D) and Delegate Robert Marshall (R).
*4 IN EXILE: UNIQUE PROGRAM FOR DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS
Fairfax County public school officials are hopeful that an
innovative program for disruptive, but not violent, students may
emerge as a highly successful solution for unruly students
(Benning, WASH POST, 2/9). While many school districts place
seriously disruptive and violent student in alternative schools,
Fairfax has opened special classes in 15 regular schools for
students who have received at least five suspensions for unruly
behavior.
Not only does the program save money by avoiding the need to
open a new building to house troubled students, but Fairfax
educators claim it more effectively addresses the students
problems, writes the paper. In a special school, students have
no positive role models to follow. Fairfax students assigned to
the special classes, although isolated from other students in the
traditional program, are reminded every day of their "ultimate
goal: returning to their neighborhood school," notes the POST.
An intensive academic program coupled with lessons in social
skills, such as controlling anger and speaking politely,
comprises daily instruction. Class size does not exceed 10
students, which allows for highly individualized instruction.
Students also are required to follow a stricter dress code than
students in traditional classes. "It kind of strips us of our
individuality, but in a way that's good, because we can focus on
what we should be doing," said one student enrolled in the
special program. "It just makes me want to work that much harder
to get out."
Many teachers complain that chronic disruptions from unruly
students who interrupt classmates or talk disrespectfully to
others pose more serious daily problems than sporadic cases of
drug possession or fighting. However, "simply suspending such
students was not changing their behavior," reports the paper.
Dick Doyle, chief hearing officer for Fairfax County schools:
"These behaviors are learned, and you don't unlearn behavior with
a three-day suspension. This program is in response to that, an
intervention for kids for whom traditional sanctions have not
worked."
According to the paper, students spend at least one semester
and at most one year in the special program. Teachers also
oversee follow-up activities for students once they return to
regular school. "Is this the perfect solution? Well, we don't
know yet," said Sandrus Collier, a teacher in the program at
Oakton Elementary School. "But we have seen some progress --
enough to make us feel comfortable that it's going to work."
The program operates in 15 elementary, middle and high
schools across the county.
*5 MANDATORY DRUG TESTING: TABLED IN FOUNTAIN LAKE, ARKANSAS
School board members in the Fountain Lake (Ark.) School
District are not quite ready to enact a mandatory drug testing
policy for eighth- through twelfth-grade students (Pennington,
Arkansas DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE, 2/6). Board of Education members
voted last week to table action on the proposed plan.
"I'm open to the development of a good policy," said board
President Phil Mariage. "It's going to apparently take some
time." According to the paper, the board's decision to table the
plan until after their August meeting means that it will not be
in effect for the 1998-1999 school year.
The tabled proposal includes the following requirements:
A urine test for all seventh-graders at the beginning of
fall semester;
Random testing of at least 100 students between eighth and
12th grade throughout the school year;
Testing before admission of any transfer student;
Testing of all district employees in the policy's first
year, with random screening of 25 each year afterward.
Students who test positive, would be required to immediately
test again, writes the paper. If the second sample is positive,
the student would be required to attend a drug abuse counseling
program and test every 30 days until receiving a negative result,
reports the paper. Any student who did not enter a counseling
program would be expelled until beginning such a program or until
receiving a negative result.
==== CHARTING A NEW COURSE ====
*6 CHARTER SCHOOL UPDATE: LEARNING AND GROWING
VIRGINIA: A bill that would allow local school boards to
establish charter schools advanced "easily" from a House
education panel to the House floor in Va. (Nakashima, WASH POST,
2/3). Sponsors are optimistic that charter schools will become a
reality for Va., writes the paper.
The bill would allow each district to create up to two
charter schools, which would be held to the same state academic
standards and health and safety codes as traditional public
schools, but also would be exempt from some regulations,
including length of school year and class size. A new building
would not be needed to house the charter school; it could move
into an existing school or other community building, writes the
paper. Under the bill, private donations could help finance the
charter schools.
GEORGIA: A five-state compact is devoted to helping
traditional public schools learn from charter schools operating
in the compact states (Cumming, Atlanta JOURNAL/CONSTITUTION,
12/16/97). The Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education
recently joined the group, which besides Ga. consists of N.C.,
Fla., S.C. and La.
According to the paper, Ga.'s 1993 charter school law is
restrictive, allowing only the conversion of traditional public
schools. Currently there are 21 charter schools in the state.
Rep. Kathy Ashe (R) hopes to boost the number of charters by
sponsoring legislation that would allow for "store-front or
university-designed experimental charter schools."
Joe Nathan, an education expert from Minn., said the
program, called Project Connect, has "little to offer at this
point, since charter schools in the project's five states are
only one or two years old," writes the paper. Nathan also said
the state's public schools and charter schools have no incentive
to learn from each other because of the state's weak charter
school law.
LOS ANGELES: The much-heralded Vaughn Next Century Learning
Center, a Los Angeles experimental charter school, could loose
some of its top teaching staff. In 1993, public school teachers
who were selected to teach at the newly opened Vaughn were
granted a five-year leave of absence from the public school
system (AP/N.Y. TIMES, 12/26). Those leaves are up, and if the
teachers decide to stay at the charter school they will loose
their seniority and health benefits.
The TIMES: "The teachers are lobbying district and union
officials for an immediate one-year extension and amended
contracts so they can remain for as long as the charter schools
are open." Julie Korenstein, school board president said she is
"open to discussion."
Yvonne Chan, Vaughn's principal, recently decided to resign
from the district to remain at the school, as did one 26-year
veteran teacher.
==== TAKING OVER ====
*7 TAKING CHARGE: MAYOR AND STATE BID FOR CONTROL OF SCHOOLS
ST. LOUIS: St. Louis Mayor Clarence Harmon has signaled his
willingness to take over his city's "troubled" school system
(Mannies, Librach and Autman, St. Louis POST-DISPATCH, 12/17).
If the Legislature grants him control of the schools his plans
could include: replace the school board and superintendent with
a chief executive officer appointed by the mayor; and send school
staff to visit other urban areas that have revamped their
education system to discover what works.
Some teachers are concerned that a business-trained CEO
would not have the requisite education experience to set up and
manage and education program. "The management of the district
may be like HMOs," said Sheryl Davenport, president of the St.
Louis Teachers Union.
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD.: Nine Prince George's public
schools have been assigned for takeover by the state (Barrett,
Prince George's JOURNAL, 1/29). The four elementary and five
middle schools became eligible for "reconstitution" because
student scores on state tests are low and have declined over the
past three years, according to state officials.
State Schools Superintendent Jerome Clark targeted the nine
schools and said they probably would receive additional resources
from the state. Last summer, Clark restructured six schools,
"requiring all employees to reapply for their jobs," notes the
paper.
By April 1, county school officials are required to submit a
plan to state officials that identifies problems at the nine
schools and identifies specific steps to improve the schools.
June 1 is the deadline for school officials to develop a
transition plan for how the schools will be run beginning next
fall, and a long-term plan. The paper writes that a complete
restructuring plan is due June 1999.
If school officials are unable to improve the schools,
reconstitution could occur, which means changes in one or more of
a school's administration, teachers, organization or
instructional programs, reports the paper. So far, none of the
state's 90 schools eligible for reconstitution has landed in that
category.
ILLINOIS: In his State of the State address last month,
Ill. Gov Jim Edgar (R) called for a constitutional amendment that
would create a Cabinet-level education post that would allow the
governor's office to "take direct control of the state Board of
Education." (McKinney, Chicago SUN TIMES, 1/29) Edgar:
"Accountability is blurred today. The governor has no direct-
line authority over those who implement our education policies at
the state level."
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 learn to use
their minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible
citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our
Nation's 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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