The NEGP WEEKLY for January 11, 2002

[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 - January 11, 2002 -- Vol. 2 -- No. 131
*************************************************

CONTENTS

**STATE POLICY 
1.) College Costs:  Out Of Site In All But Five States (Goal 6)
2.) School Takeovers:  Making Way In Arizona (All Goals)

**COMMUNITY AND LOCAL NEWS 
3.) Harrisburg's Takeover:  Unconstitutional(All Goals)
4.) Teacher Training:  Districts Reach Out To Cyberspace (Goal 4)

**FEDERAL POLICY NEWS 
5.) Pell Grants:  Upping The Max (Goal 6)

**RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PRACTICE 
6.) A New Look(Goal Six)
7.) Quality Counts:  Ed Week Study Features Early Childhood Education (Goal
1)

**FEATURE STORY
8.) ESEA:  Signed, Sealed, Delivered (All Goals)

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

1.) ******** College Costs:  Out Of Site In All But Five States
(Goal Six: Adult Literacy And Lifelong Learning)

College costs are spiraling out of control in all but five states, according
to a new study released by the Lumina Foundation for Education (Levinson,
AP/DETROIT NEWS, 1/7).  Only Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Kentucky and Wyoming
offer four-year public college education that is affordable for low-income
people, reports the Foundation.  

However, critics of the study argue that "the study doesn't reflect reality:
15 million people form all income levels attend college at two- and
four-year schools," writes the paper.  "Enrollments go up every single
year," said Terry Hartle, vice-president of the American Council on
Education.  "If this is correct, there are a lot of people in higher
education who aren't supposed to be there."

Jerry Davis, Lumina's vice president for research, counters that the report
focuses on the hardships some families must make to provide a college
education to their children.  "We're saying students and families must make
inordinate financial sacrifices to attend those schools," he added.

For more information, visit the Lumina Foundation for Education at
http://www.luminafoundation.org.


2.) ******** School Takeovers:  Making Way In Arizona
(All Goals)

Arizona's 45th Legislature's second session begins next week, with lawmakers
focusing on "how to keep the pressure on [schools] for academic
accountability,' writes the ARIZONA REPUBLIC (Flannery, 1/6).   One proposal
is to give the Board of Education the authority to "turn over to outside
contractors perennially failing schools," notes the paper. 

Jaime Molera, superintendent of public instruction, said that under this
plan, excelling school districts, non-profits, universities or private
businesses could contract for the job.  Molera's proposal also would allow
the state "to revoke the certificates of school administrators whose schools
were negligent in devising improvement plans once their school was labeled
failing,' according to the paper.

For more information, visit the ARIZONA REPUBLIC at
http://www.arizonarepublic.com/arizona/articles/0106edleg06/html.


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

3.) ******** Harrisburg's Takeover:  Unconstitutional
(All Goals)
In a 6 to 1 decision, a Commonwealth Court ruled that the state takeover of
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, schools is unconstitutional:  a decision that
pleased those arguing against the school takeover in Philadelphia (Wiggins,
Philadelphia INQUIRER, 1/4). 

Specifically, the court decision stated that the Harrisburg school-takeover
law violated the home-rule and special-legislation provisions of the state
constitution.  State officials plan to appeal the decision.

For more information, visit the Philadelphia INQUIRER at
http://inq.philly.com/content/inquirer/2002/01/14/front_page/.


4.) ******** Teacher Training:  Districts Reach Out To Cyberspace
(Goal Four:  Teacher Education And Professional Development)
Although still in a nascent stage, thousands of teachers in California and
several other states are enjoying training sessions via interactive and
web-based video (Wood, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, 1/3).  However, the paper
remarks that the cyberspace training may be "the most affordable way yet for
school districts to overcome a long list of hurdles - shortages of time,
staff, money, coordination - that has hindered teacher training for
decades."
In Los Angeles, teachers use LessonLab technology to improve math
instruction.  The LessonLab technology also is being used by a number of
school districts and universities for mentoring, principal training,
coaching, social studies and English language development.
For more information, visit the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR at
www.csmonitor.com/2002/0103/p2s1-ussc/html


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

5.) ******** Pell Grants:  Upping The Max
(Goal Six:  Adult Literacy And Lifelong Learning)

House and Senate members recently raised the Pell Grant ceiling.  It was
increased from $3,750 to $4,000.  Students will begin to receive the
increase beginning in the 2002-2003 school year.  

A report released by the White House Office of Management and Budget noted
that the current average Pell Grant covers about 40 percent of the costs of
four-year public colleges and only 15 percent of the costs at four-year
private colleges.  For more information, visit the U.S. Department of
Education at http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/StudentGuide.


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

6.) ********  GED:  A New Look
(Goal Six:  Adult Literacy And Lifelong Learning)

For the first time since 1988, the General Educational Development (GED)
test has been revamped (Samuels, WASHINGTON POST, 1/7).  The reason for its
new look is to keep the GED test in line with what high school students must
know and be able to do in today's schools.

For example, the social studies section now requires students to understand
excerpts from "key document," including the U.S. Constitution and Supreme
Court decisions.  Math questions no longer are multiple choice, but call on
test takers to fill in the correct answer. 

Another change: test takers can no longer "roll over" a passing score from
any one of the five-sections of the test.  Students must pass all five
sections.

For more information, visit the American Council of Education's Center for
Adult Learning at http://www.acenet.edu/calec.


7.) ********Quality Counts:  Ed Week Study Features Early Childhood
Education
(Goal One: Ready To Learn)

EDUCATION WEEK'S annual report, "Quality Counts," this year examines sundry
issues surrounding early childhood education.  The report, "Quality Counts
2002: Building Blocks for Success," examines what states are doing to
provide early learning experiences for young children; to ensure that those
experiences are of high quality; to prepare and pay early childhood
educators adequately; and to measure the results of early childhood
programs.  

Each state's commitment to kindergarten, viewed as a "transition point into
the formal public education system," also is reviewed.

In general, the paper found that "states' efforts to finance and monitor the
quality of early childhood education vary greatly."

For more information, visit EDUCATION WEEK at http://www.edweek.com.


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

8.) ******** ESEA:  Signed, Sealed, Delivered
(All Goals)

This week, President Bush signed into law the revised Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  Bush's proposal, called the "No Child Left
Behind" Act of 2001, includes the "largest dollar increase ever in   federal
education aid," notes EDUCATION WEEK (Robelen, 1/9).   Under the new bill,
the Department of Education's overall budget will increase by $6.7 billion
in fiscal 2002, to about $49 billion.

"These reforms express my deep belief in our public schools and their
mission to build the mind and character of every child, from every
background, in every part of America," said President Bush.  

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 passed both houses of Congress by
overwhelming majorities.  The bill provides the "most sweeping reform of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act since it was enacted in 1965 by
turning federal spending on schools into a federal investment in improved
student performance," reports the Department of Education.  It redefines the
federal role in K-12 education by requiring all states to set high standards
of achievement and create a system of accountability to measure results.
The bill also requires all states to test every child in grades 3 through 8
in reading and math to ensure they are making progress.

The bill offers greater flexibility and local control by eliminating federal
red tape, reducing the number of federal education programs and creating
larger more flexible programs that place decision-making at the local level
"where it belongs," writes the Department of Education.

The legislation provides expanded options and choice for parents by, for
example, allowing students in failing schools to transfer to higher
performing public schools or get help such as tutoring.

Researched-based methods to teach reading are stressed in the bill, as are
investments in teacher training.

EDUCATION WEEK writes that the bill "reflects a political compromise by a
range of interests, but embraces many of the president's original proposals
unveiled just days after Mr. Bush took office a year ago this month."

"When federal spending is an investment, it gives the federal government
leverage to demand results," said Secretary of Education Rod Paige.  "And
demanding results is what the Department of Education will do."

For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education at
http://www.ed.gov or EDUCATION WEEK at http://www.edweek.com.  Search for
the January 9,2002 issue.


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

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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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