The NEGP WEEKLY for July 20, 2001...

[Negpweek <NEGPWEEK@WESTAT.com>]

*****************THE NEGP WEEKLY*****************
A weekly news update on America's Education Goals 
and school improvement efforts across America from the 
NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL

Friday - July 20, 2001 -- Vol. 2 -- No. 109
*************************************************

CONTENTS

**STATE POLICY 
1.) CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXAM: A "NOTEWORTHY" POLICY (Goal 3)
2.) MASSACHUSETTS' VOC ED STUDENTS: SHOULD THEY TAKE EXIT EXAM (Goal 3)

**COMMUNITY AND LOCAL NEWS 
3.) NEW YORK CITY'S SUMMER SCHOOL: MORE STUDENTS ENROLLED (Goals 2 and 3) 
4.) CITY SCHOOLS AND MATH AND SCIENCE: MAKING GAINS WITH HELP FROM NSF (Goal
5)

**FEDERAL POLICY NEWS 
5.) VOCATIONAL EDUCATION:  A NATIONWIDE SURVEY (Goals 3 and 6) 
6.) SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT:  DoEd PROVIDES GRANTS (All Goals)


**RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PRACTICE 
7.) PARTNERSHIPS IN EDUCATION:  A SUCCESS STORY? (All Goals)
8.) TECHNOLOGY COOPERATIVE: A SREB PROJECT (Goals 3 and 4)

**FEATURE STORY
9.) REDUCE YOUR LOSS: SREB'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HELPING NEW TEACHERS (Goal
4)


********************
STATE POLICY NEWS
********************


1.) ******** CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXAM:  A "NOTEWORTHY" POLICY
(Goal Three:  Student Achievement and Citizenship)

An independent evaluation of the California High School Exit Exam has found
that "noteworthy' and "good" progress has been made in the development of
the test overall and in the state's efforts to provide students with the
opportunity to learn the material on the exam.  

The Human Resources Research Organization, an Alexandria, Virginia-based
group, said that school staffs were well prepared to conduct the test and
generally provided "good test conditions."  The evaluation also found that
the process used to establish minimum-passing scores was well designed and
executed.  

California law stipulates that beginning with the class of 2004, students
must pass the exit exam to earn a high school diploma.  The evaluation
recommended that although it is "too soon to tell whether there will be
significant problems" getting members of the class of 2004 ready to pass the
exam, the Legislature should keep the current testing timeline for now.

For more information, call the California State Board of Education at
(916)653-7016.


2.) ******** MASSACHUSETTS' VOC ED STUDENTS:  SHOULD THEY TAKE EXIT EXAM
(Goal Three:  Student Achievement)

A decision on whether Massachusetts' vocational education students should be
required to take a state test tied to graduation is pending as state
lawmakers review several bills that call for changing the Massachusetts
Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) requirements.  

Plans to modify the MCAS call for vocational education students to pass
alternative tests linked to the state's new certificate of occupational
proficiency, which vocational education students may now take to demonstrate
mastery of core skills in various fields (Learner, EDUCATION DAILY, 7/9).  

The decision to exclude vocational education students from the MCAS is
controversial, with a decision expected to be made by the end of the summer.

For more information, visit the Massachusetts Department of Education at
http://www.doe.mass.edu.


*************************
COMMUNITY AND LOCAL NEWS
*************************


3.) ******** NEW YORK CITY'S SUMMER SCHOOL:  MORE STUDENTS ENROLLED
(Goal Two:  School Completion And Goal Three:  Student Achievement And
Citizenship)

New York City's summer school enrollment has burgeoned this year, in large
part due to this being the first summer high school students are required to
attend (Rubin, EDUCATION DAILY, 7/9).  Nearly 330,000 students are taking
summer classes, with about 190,000 required to attend summer school.

According to the newsletter, "the intensified summer school policy, now in
its third year, reflects the city board of education's effort to curb grade
promotion."  Students at risk of being held back are notified in February
that they may be required to attend summer school.

For more information, visit the New York City Board of Education at
http://www.nycenet.edu.


4.) ******** CITY SCHOOLS AND MATH AND SCIENCE:  MAKING GAINS WITH HELP FROM
NSF
(Goal Five:  Math And Science)

National Science Foundation (NSF) grants to city school systems are helping
to improve math and science education, according to a study conducted by
Systemic Research Inc.  The study's preliminary results found that students
in most districts receiving Urban Systemic Initiatives grants improved
achievement in math and science.  

Many districts also were able to reduce the gap in test scores between white
students and black and Hispanic students.  More students also were taking
high-level courses, including algebra, geometry, biology and physics.

The program began in 1993, with 22 school districts receiving grants for
large-scale math and science reform.  Between 1993 and 1999, eight of the 22
school districts increased their graduation requirements in math and seven
increased science requirements.  Twelve districts exceeded their state
graduation requirements in math, and eight in science.

For more information on the study, Academic Excellence for All Urban
Students:  Their Accomplishment in Science and Mathematics, visit Systemic
Research Inc. at http://www.systemic.com.  For more information on the Urban
Systemic Initiatives program, visit the National Science Foundation at
http://www.her.nsf.gov/esr/programs/usp.
	

*********************
FEDERAL POLICY NEWS
*********************


5.) ******** VOCATIONAL EDUCATION:  A NATIONWIDE SURVEY
(Goal Three:  Student Achievement and Citizenship and Goal Six:  Adult
Literacy and Lifelong Learning)

Last month, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released a
report that examines national data on occupational program offerings, the
use of skill competencies and other occupational program characteristics in
public secondary schools and less-than-four-year post-secondary
institutions.  

Several of the survey findings are:
>  a majority of schools offer at least one program in two broad
occupational program areas:  business and marketing (85 percent) and
technical occupations (60 percent)
>  79 percent of schools that offer occupational programs had developed or
adopted "skill competencies" for all of their programs;
>  in developing or adopting these skill competencies, 54 percent of schools
reported "minor" industry input, while 35 percent said that industry was
"equally involved" and 6 percent said the skill development involved
"primary or exclusive industry input."

For more information, visit NCES at
http://www.nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?publid=2001018.


6.) ******** SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT:  DoEd PROVIDES GRANTS
(All Goals)

U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige last week announced that $6.3 billion
in formula grants have been awarded to states for numerous education
programs covering pre-K through adult education, including teacher training
and programs to close achievement gaps between disadvantaged students and
their more advantaged peers.

Among the $6.3 billion in grants are:
>  Title 1 grants to help disadvantaged children
>  Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
>  Early childhood programs
>  Adult education - state grant program
>  Teacher preparation

For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education at
http://www.ed.gov.  Or, for details on the individual programs that received
grants, visit the Department of Education's Guide to Education Programs at
http://web99.ed.gov/GTEP/Program2.nsf.


*********************************
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PRACTICES
*********************************


7.) ******** PARTNERSHIPS IN EDUCATION:  A SUCCESS STORY?
(All Goals)

The National Association of Partners in Education recently released a
survey, Partners 2000:  A Decade of Growth and Change that found that school
partnerships support the nation's education goals and have grown beyond
parent groups.  The report also found that 82 percent of urban school
districts engage in partnership activities, many partnerships are helping
schools overcome the "digital divide" and that rural communities face touch
challenges to forming partnerships.

Chris Cross, president of the Council for Basic Education, commented on the
report:   "Well-planned and implemented partnership programs are especially
lacking in high-poverty schools."  However, he added, "partnerships must
stay focused on what matters most, student achievement."  Cross:  "And with
the number of school partnerships on the rise, it is essential that these
programs are informed with the most up-to-date research on how children
learn."

For more information, visit the National Association of Partners in
Education at http://www.partnersineducation.org.  Or visit the Council for
Basic Education at http://www.c-b-e.org.



8.) ******** TECHNOLOGY COOPERATIVE: A SREB PROJECT
(Goal Three: Student Achievement and Citizenship and Goal Four: Teacher
Education and Professional Development)

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) has developed a cooperative
where "every education and higher education agency in the SREB states is
multiplying benefits and dividing costs" as a member of the SREB Educational
Technology Cooperative.

SREB's cooperative helped make possible several interstate agreements that
promote student achievement through the use of technology, including the
American TelEdCommunications Alliance.

The SREB Educational Technology Cooperative also includes:
>  a comprehensive, online course in algebra for teachers of middle and high
school math -- SREB states have free access to this course, which is funded
by the AT&T Foundation and SREB.
>  EvaluTech provides schools, teachers, parents and student with free
online evaluations of software and other educational materials through an
arrangement with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

For more information on the cooperative, visit SREB at http://www.sreb.org.


*****************
FEATURE STORY
*****************


9.) ******** REDUCE YOUR LOSS: SREB'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HELPING NEW
TEACHERS
(Goal Four: Teacher Education And Professional Development)

One way to address the challenge of nationwide teacher shortages is to help
new teachers become veteran teachers, states the Southern Regional Education
Board (SREB) in its latest report Reduce Your Losses:  Help New Teachers
Become Veteran Teachers.  While teacher recruitment efforts are important,
the ability to retain beginning teachers is "critical to maintaining an
adequate supply of teachers," writes SREB.  

The report describes key reasons why teachers leave the profession.  They
are: inadequate preparation, workplace conditions and salaries and benefits.
According to the report, national studies find that about 46 percent of
newly hired teachers in public schools are first-time teachers.  Many of
these teachers recently graduated from colleges of education where "they did
not receive adequate preparation in areas such as classroom management or
student discipline."  

New teachers then find that the responsibilities of classroom teaching are
"overwhelming."  SREB notes that two important factors that influence
whether new teachers will remain in teaching are the amount of support and
guidance they receive and the assignments they are given.  Often, new
teachers are given the most difficult students or subjects to teach.
Frustrating assignments are a main reason why beginning teachers leave the
profession after only a few years, notes the report.

Salary is not at the top of the list of why new teachers leave the
profession.  SREB cites several studies that found only 10 percent of
teachers who left teaching after five years cited dissatisfaction with
salary and benefits as the primary reason.

Reduce Your Losses also features efforts underway in SREB states to help
keep new teachers in the classroom.  Quality mentoring or induction programs
are "the greatest tools that states can give new teachers," writes the
report.  Mentor teachers are assigned to beginning teachers in 10 SREB
states, while some states have established formal training for those who
will serve as mentor teachers.  

Other SREB states have developed programs designed to support teachers in
their first few years.  For example, Arkansas' Beginning Teacher Support
Program provides all new teachers with mentors and other assistance.
Florida's mentor Teacher Pilot Program trains mentor teachers to assist
inexperienced teachers.  Oklahoma's Residency Program offers each new
teacher a three-member team comprised of a representative from a college or
university, a school administrator and a mentor teacher.  The team observes
the beginning teacher three times a year and provides him or her with
guidance and support during the first year and, if needed, during the second
year of teaching.

Reduce Your Losses also describes programs designed to create financial
incentives to recruit and retain new teachers.  In Maryland, for example,
teacher education graduates who are in the top 10 percent of their classes
can receive $1,000 signing bonuses in exchange for three-year commitments to
teach in Maryland schools.  And, most SREB states provide scholarship and
forgivable loans to attract and retain teachers.

Besides a list of references, the SREB report offers tips for "ways for
states to keep beginning teachers in the classrooms," which include "provide
prospective teachers with quality teaching for content and
classroom-management experiences in teacher preparation programs; and
"collect information on the effectiveness of approaches and programs that
support beginning teachers."

For more information, visit the Southern Regional Education Board at
http://www.sreb.org.


************************************
The NEGP WEEKLY is a publication of:
The National Education Goals Panel 
1255 22nd Street NW, Suite 502 
Washington, DC 20037; 
202-724-0015 

NEGP Acting Executive Director: John Barth 
Publisher: Barbara A. Pape 
http://www.negp.gov 
************************************

The NEGP/ Daily Report Card (DRC) hereby authorizes further reproduction and
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WHAT IS THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL? 
The National Education Goals Panel is a unique bipartisan body of state and
federal officials created in 1990 by President Bush and the nation's
Governors to report state and national progress and urge education
improvement efforts to reach the National Education Goals. 

WHAT DOES THE GOALS PANEL DO?
The Goals Panel has been charged to: 
* Report state and national progress toward the National Education Goals. 
* Work to establish a system of high academic standards and assessments. 
* Identify promising and effective reform strategies. 
* Recommend actions for state, federal, and local governments to take. 
* Build a nationwide, bipartisan consensus to achieve the Goals. 

WHAT ARE THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS? 
There are eight National Education Goals set for the year 2000. They are: 
1) All children will start school ready to learn. 
2) The high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90%. 
3) All students will become competent in challenging subject matter. 
4) Teachers will have the knowledge and skills they need. 
5) U.S. students will be first in the world in math and science achievement.
6) Every adult American will be literate. 
7) Schools will be safe, disciplined, and free of drugs, guns and alcohol. 
8) Schools will promote parental involvement and participation. 

WHO SERVES ON THE GOALS PANEL AND HOW ARE THEY CHOSEN?
Eight governors, four state legislators, four members of the U.S. Congress,
and two members appointed by the President serve on the Goals Panel. Members
are appointed by the leadership of the National Governors' Association, the
National Conference of State Legislatures, the U.S. Senate and House, and
the President. The number of Republicans and Democrats are made even by
appointing five governors from the party that does not control the White
House.
 
The current Panel Members are Governors Frank O'Bannon, IN (Chair,
2001); Jim Geringer, WY (Chair-elect); John Engler, MI; Jim Hodges, SC;
Frank	Keating, OK; Paul E. Patton, KY; Jeanne Shaheen, NH; Tom Vilsack,
IA;
U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, NM; U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords, VT; U.S.
Representative George Miller, CA; Representative G. Spencer Coggs,
WI; Representative Mary Lou Cowlishaw, IL; Representative Douglas R.
Jones, ID; Senator Stephen Stoll, MO. 

The annual Goals Report and other publications of the Panel are available
without charge upon request from the Goals Panel or at its web site
http://www.negp.gov. Requests can be made by mail, fax, e-mail, or Internet.


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