The NEGP Weekly for July 27, 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 27, 2001 -- Vol. 2 -- No. 110
*************************************************

CONTENTS

**STATE POLICY 
1.) CALIFORNIA DELAY: A POSSIBILITY FOR GRADUATION EXAM (Goal 3)
2.) MICHIGAN SCHOOL ACCREDITATION: CONTROVERSY (All Goals)

**COMMUNITY AND LOCAL NEWS 
3.) TALE OF TWO CITIES: BOSTON AND NEW YORK REWARD 
    HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS (All Goals)
4.) MEMPHIS BLUES: END TO CITYWIDE REFORM (All Goals)

**FEDERAL POLICY NEWS 
5.) NAEP CIVICS TEST: A DELAY (Goal 3)
6.) 180 DAYS: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S REPORT (All Goals)

**RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PRACTICE 
7.) PRESCHOOL:  BENEFITS FOR THE PUBLIC (Goals 1 and 6)
8.) HIGH SCHOOLS AND HIGHER ED: TIES THAT BIND (Goals 2 and 3)
 
**FEATURE STORY
9.) AMERICA'S CHILDREN: HOW ARE THEY DOING? (All Goals) 


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


1.) ******** CALIFORNIA DELAY: A POSSIBILITY FOR GRADUATION EXAM
(Goal Three: Student Achievement)

California Governor Gray Davis is supporting a bill that would delay the
state's new high school graduation test, which is expected to go into effect
with the class of 2004 (Kerr, SACRAMENTO BEE, 7/18).

Last spring, nearly 400,000 of the approximate 500,000 students who will
first take the test, took it voluntarily.  The State Board of Education set
the passing scores of 55 percent for math and 60 percent for language arts.
"At those rates, about 40 percent of those who took it - or about a third of
the entire class - passed both parts," reports the paper.

The bill calls for an outside evaluator to study the test and the
preparation of the students scheduled to take it.  If the evaluator
concludes that students are not adequately prepared or the test has other
problems, the Board of Education would be authorized to postpone the
effective date in 2003, according to the paper.  

For more information on the bill, AB1609, visit www.sen.ca.gov.  For more
information on the high school exam, visit
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/hsee.


2.) ******** MICHIGAN SCHOOL ACCREDITATION: CONTROVERSY
(All Goals)

Michigan's state schools Superintendent Thomas Watkins' decision to "scrap"
a school accreditation system has been rebuked by Governor John Engler and
business leaders.  Watkins decided to revamp the system and postpone ratings
of the schools.  EDUCATION WEEK writes that a spokeswoman for Governor
Engler said he was disappointed that the ratings had not been released after
four years of work on accreditation by the state education department
(Keller, 7/11)  "We think that we need to move forward on this, " said Susan
Shafer, the spokeswoman.  "It's not fair to the parents ... that want to get
information on the quality of education in a particular school."  The
Michigan Business Leaders for Educational Excellence, part of the Michigan
Chamber of Commerce, also expressed concern over the termination of the
accreditation system saying it was a "lost opportunity because the
designation 'unaccredited' would have immediately spotlighted the
performance of weak schools," reports the paper.

In April, the Detroit NEWS determined that about 17 percent of the state's
660 high schools, 40 percent of those in the Detroit area, would be labeled
"not accredited" under the new system.  

For more information, visit the Michigan Chamber of Commerce at
http://www.michamber.com and click on "Foundation Programs."


3.) ******** TALE OF TWO CITIES: BOSTON AND NEW YORK REWARD HIGH-PERFORMING
SCHOOLS	
(All Goals)

Boston and New York City education leaders recently announced that
high-performing schools in their district would be granted more flexibility
over regulations and budgets.  "This is the inverse of charter schools,
where you give flexibility and see results," said Tim Knowles, Boston's
deputy superintendent for teaching and learning.  "We're getting results and
then giving flexibility."

In Boston, the selected schools will receive between $10,000 and $25,000
each for professional development.  Schools also will have more "freedom" to
buy supplies from outside vendors; more power over their budgets; and more
authority over curriculum, reports EDUCATION WEEK (Stricherz, 7/11).  

In New York, two charter schools, "on the verge of folding," agreed to
relinquish their charter-school status and enter a "learning zone" designed
to give them similar freedom along with more money.

For more information, visit EDUCATION WEEK at http://www.edweek.com, July
11, 2001 issue.


4.) ******** MEMPHIS BLUES: END TO CITYWIDE REFORM
(All Goals)

Johnnie Watson, who became superintendent of Memphis schools last October,
ended the district's six-year schoolwide improvement models underway in
every public school.  EDUCATION WEEK reports that under Watson's
predecessor, Gerry House, Memphis schools had become "Exhibit A in the push
for comprehensive school reform in the mid-1990s." (Viadero, 7/11)  House
had become Superintendent of the Year in 1999 by the American Association of
School Administrators.

According to Watson, a six-month study of the restructuring models conducted
by district researchers coupled with anecdotal stories spurred his decision
to end the redesign models program.  However, another report from University
of Memphis researcher Steven Ross, found that students in schools using one
of the models were performing better than students from schools that were
not using the models, or just beginning to put a program in place.

For more information, visit the Memphis public schools at
http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us



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


5.) ******** NAEP CIVICS TEST: A DELAY
(Goal Three: Student Achievement and Citizenship)

The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), which oversees the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), voted to delay giving a national
civics test.  Board members expressed concern over lack of funds and
deadlines associated with preparing NAEP math and reading tests to be given
annually to fourth and eighth graders, as Congress is considering.  

Governor Ronnie Musgrove of Mississippi and Diane Ravitch, a professor at
New York University, voted against the delay.  "If Congress wants NAGB to
take on new responsibilities as part of this legislation, it should pay for
NAGB to do that," said Ms. Ravitch.  "I just felt it's like an unfunded
mandate.  I'm sorry I couldn't persuade the board to hold on to the civics
test."  

The civics test was last given in 1998.

For more information, visit the National Assessment Governing Board at
http://www.nagb.gov.


6.) ******** 180 DAYS: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S REPORT
(All Goals)

The U.S. Department of Education released its 180 Days Report that outlines
the accomplishments of President Bush's administration.  Following are
several of the accomplishments noted in the report:
>  within the first 180 days of the new administration, both houses of
Congress passed versions of the president's education bill by overwhelming
bipartisan majorities;
>  Secretary Paige launched several initiatives, including the "No Such
Thing as a Vacation from Reading" and the National Summit on the 21st
Century Workforce, a partnership between the Department of Education and the
Department of Labor;
>  The Department of Education has distributed over $9.5 billion in grants
since late January to state and local education agencies and programs to
support the learning experience of students at all levels.

For more information, visit the Department of Education at
http://www.ed.gov.


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


7.) ******** PRESCHOOL:  BENEFITS FOR THE PUBLIC
(Goal One: Ready To Learn And Goal Six: Adult Literacy and Lifelong
Learning)

Participation in a quality preschool program not only has positive benefits
for students enrolled, but also years later for the public-at-large,
according to research conducted by Arthur Reynolds, associate professor of
social work at the University of Wisconsin- Madison and Judy Temple, an
economist at Northern Illinois University.  

Reynolds and Temple did a cost-benefit analysis of the federally financed
Chicago Child-Parent Center and found that years later the 18-month program,
which costs about $7,000 per child, generates an average return of $47,759
for every participant from the time he or she leaves the preschool program
until age 21.  According to the study, most of the payoff is due to higher
salaries earned by program graduates who tend to complete more years of
school.

For more information and a summary of the study visit
http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/cls/cbaexecsum4.html.


8.) ********HIGH SCHOOLS AND HIGHER ED: TIES THAT BIND
(Goal Two: School Completion and Goal Three: Student Achievement and
Citizenship)

A new report issued by the Center for an Urban Future praises New York City
for its collaborative efforts between higher education and high schools.
Building a Highway to Higher Ed: How Collaborative Efforts are Changing
Education in America chronicles how New York has built strong links between
colleges and high schools.

According to the report, while the city has a history of forging preschool
through college collaboratives, the combined efforts of Harold Levy, current
chancellor of the public schools, and Matthew Goldstein, chancellor of the
City University of New York system, has taken the city even further.  For
example, last year, Levy and Goldstein launched a dual-enrollment program,
piloted at Kingsborough Community College, that allows high school students
to take college classes for credit while still in high school.  This program
is now offered at every CUNY campus and high school in the city.

For more information, visit the Center for an Urban Future at
http://www.nycfuture.org.


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


9.) ******** AMERICA'S CHILDREN: HOW ARE THEY DOING?
(All Goals)

America's Children: Key National Indicators of Wellbeing 2001, a report
compiled by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics,
found that the well-being of America's children has improved on several
fronts, particularly in the area of increasing wealth, decreasing the
adolescent birth rate and rate of smoking.  "These findings represent
important victories for children and adolescents," said Duane Alexander,
M.D., director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development.  "Children are less likely to live in poverty, more likely to
have a parent working full-time and more likely to have health insurance.

The report offers a comprehensive look at several areas of child well being,
including education, health status, behavior and social environment.
Indicators for education include: family reading to young children;
participation in early childhood care and education; math and reading
achievement; advanced course taking; completion rates for high school and
college; and youth neither enrolled in school nor working.  Following are
some highlights from the education section:
>  Children living with two parents are more likely to be read aloud to
every day than are children who live with one or no parent - 58 percent of
children in two-parent homes were read to every day in 1999, compared with
43 percent of children living with one or no parent.
>  Between 1996 and 1999 the percentage of children ages 3 to 5 attending
early childhood programs increased from 55 percent to 60 percent.
>  White, non-Hispanic students consistently have had higher reading and
math scores than black, non-Hispanic or Hispanic students at ages 9, 13 and
17.  
>  The rate at which black, non-Hispanic youth completed high school
increased markedly between 1980 and 1990, from 75 percent to 83 percent.
>  In 2000, about 8 percent of youth ages 16 to 19 were neither enrolled in
school nor working.
>  In 2000, 33 percent of high school graduates ages 25 to 29 had earned a
bachelor's or a higher degree.

A new indicator for this year's report focuses on the percentage of high
school students who take advanced courses.  Over 40 percent of 1998 high
school graduates had taken at least on advanced math course and 60 percent
had taken at least one advanced science class.  This increase is part of a
larger trend over the past 20 years; there was an increase in the percentage
of students taking not only advanced courses in science, but also in math,
English and foreign languages, according to the report.

For a copy of the report, visit http://www.childstats.gov

************************************
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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