Click here to return to OFCN's Main Index Page.
--- Wednesday --- January 31, 1996 --- Vol. 6 --- No. 9 ---
D #### ##### #### ### #### #### ##### ### #### ####
A ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ##
I #### #### #### ## ## #### ## ## ##### #### ## ##
L ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ## ##
Y ## ## ##### ## ### ## ## ## ##### ## ## ## ## ####
THE NATIONAL UPDATE ON AMERICA'S EDUCATION REFORM EFFORTS
A service of the National Education Goals Panel
__________ __________
FUNDRAISING IS FUN | SPOTLIGHT |
... says Helen Colson, author | |
of "Philanthropy at Independent | THE ROAD TO DEMOCRACY |
Schools," a recent publication | |
by the National Association of | "There is only one road |
Independent Schools. A NAIS | to democracy: education," |
press release notes that | declares author Dr. Benja- |
Colson's book "meets a real | min Barber. In days of |
need in the private school | yore, the relationship was |
world where so many development | taken for granted, he says. |
officers are recruited from | America's public, private |
faculty, administrative, or | and religious schools of |
alumni ranks with little or no | yesteryear displayed a |
formal training in | "common commitment to ed- |
fundraising." Colon proposes | ucation as a concomitant of |
"Ten Maxims That Matter," | democracy." He urges edu- |
including: "people give to | cation institutions to re- |
people," which advocates face- | examine that relationship. |
to-face fundraising and "donors | |
respond to exciting plans, | Results from a recent |
projects, and ideas more | survey of Americans bolster |
generously than they respond to | Barber's call for strength- |
timetables or goals." | ening the symbiosis of |
Chapters in the book include | education and democracy. |
one on new constituents and new | Not only did many respond- |
trends, the board's role in | ents incorrectly answer |
development and hiring the | basic questions about gov- |
right development director. | ernment, but the "low-know- |
Another chapter outlines key | ledge" group was less |
elements of a capitol campaign. | likely to vote and, when |
Copies of the 100-page book | they did, less likely to |
cost $18 for NAIS members, $22 | support politicians who |
for nonmembers. Contact NAIS | worked for their best |
Publication Orders Office at | interest. (#4, #6) |
202/972-9749. |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"We've got to get our head straight on this subject." -- Arthur
Naftalin, spokesman for Minnesota Friends of Public Education and
former Minneapolis mayor, on vouchers. Naftalin opposes
vouchers. (#3)
_______________________________________________________________
| A service of the National Education Goals Panel |
| Published by the Education Policy Network |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Wash, D.C.; 20037; 202/632-0952 |
| The DRC hereby authorizes further reproduction and |
| distribution with proper acknowledgement. |
| Publisher: Barbara A. Pape |
|
|_______________________________________________________________|
============== TABLE OF CONTENTS ==============
MONEY MATTERS
MAINTENANCE-OF-EFFORT: Its time has come and gone. (#1)
THE PRIVATE EYE
SYLVAN MARCHES ON: Signs contract in Newark. (#2)
CARLSON CARRIES MESSAGE OF COMPETITION: Promotes vouchers.(#3)
TAKING STOCK
DEMOCRACY'S "GOLDEN KEY:" Information. (#4)
CHARTING A NEW COURSE
SAILING AWAY: Charters in Texas. (#5)
THE BIG PICTURE
EDUCATION AND DEMOCRACY: Partnership needs re-examining. (#6)
===== MONEY MATTERS =====
*1 MAINTENANCE-OF-EFFORT: ITS TIME HAS COME AND GONE
Md. state school Superintendent Nancy Grasmick recently
offered a proposal to the state Legislature that would "chip
away" at the state's maintenance-of-effort policy (Beyers, WASH
POST, 1/28). According to the paper, the 10-year-old law
requires counties to spend as much on education each year as they
did the previous year or lose state dollars.
The policy "worked fine" when county government budgets
where in the black; but more recently cash-strapped local
governments have found it exceedingly difficult to find the funds
to pay for climbing school enrollments, writes the paper.
Grasmick's proposals calls for easing the demands of the
maintenance-of-effort rule if local officials agree to end
demands for more control over how school dollars are spent.
Specifically, her plan would require local governments to spend
at least as much per pupil as they did the previous year to get
state funding. However, counties would be required to ante up
only 60% of per-pupil expenses for new students, according to the
paper.
Grasmick testified before the House Ways and Means Committee
that "more extreme harm" could fall on schools if local officials
are given more control over the purse strings. Grasmick also
noted that "financial pressure on local governments would prompt
the state to waive the minimum funding levels entirely, which
would be more damaging to schools than the partial waiver she
recommended," writes the paper.
The state education community is split over her proposal,
according to the POST. Groups representing the state's school
superintendents and elected school boards support the plan.
However, parents, teacher unions and individual school boards and
superintendents "balked, arguing that students could be
shortchanged by $33M next year," writes the paper.
The POST reports that county executives claim the
maintenance-of-effort rule awards little incentive to school
systems to find savings because they are guaranteed the same
amount of per-pupil funding from one year to the next.
===== THE PRIVATE EYE =====
*2 SYLVAN MARCHES ON: SIGNS CONTRACT IN NEWARK
Sylvan Learning Systems recently signed a $1.25M contract to
teach remedial math and reading classes in three Newark, N.J.,
public high schools (MacFarquhar, N.Y. TIMES, 1/25). According
to the paper, the Columbia, Md.-based firm will operate tutorials
during lunch hour and after school for 150 students at three high
schools notorious for low student achievement. Newark is a
state-operated school district. The State Board of Education
took over the district last July, reports the paper.
However, Newark Teachers Union officials attacked the
contract. "We find they are overpriced, that they end up costing
the district more money than the existing programs would," said
NTU President Joseph Del Grosso. The union is displeased that
Sylvan's contract calls for 50 new teachers to be hired -- but
not necessarily from among the ranks of union members. The
contract only stipulates that the new teachers be state-
certified, notes the paper.
Sylvan boasts contracts in Baltimore, Washington, Chicago
and St. Paul. Efforts to secure contracts in New York City and
Pittsburgh failed largely because of union hostility, according
to the TIMES.
The paper also points out that while some firms have failed
to manage entire schools, other firms have reached agreement with
districts to operate "discrete parts of an educational program,
such as remedial classes."
*3 CARLSON CARRIES MESSAGE OF COMPETITION: PROMOTES VOUCHERS
Minn. Gov Arne Carlson staunchly supported his school-
voucher program when he testified, for the second time during his
tenure as governor, before the state Legislature (Hotakainen,
Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/27). According to Carlson,
competition saved the automobile industry, and might just do the
same for education. Competition was the driving force behind
major changes at General Motors and Chrysler, said Carlson. And
without it, "you know what you and I would be driving? Yugos,"
he added.
Critics charged that Carlson's assault on public schools
only feed a national attack on public education that is
"demoralizing teachers and threatening to send public money to
religious schools," writes the paper. Arthur Naftalin, spokesman
for Minnesota Friends of Public Education, called the competition
argument an "empty propaganda slogan." Naftalin, a retired U of
Minnesota professor and former mayor of Minneapolis: "We've got
to get our head straight on this subject."
The TRIBUNE proclaims the voucher legislation the "most
hotly contested issue facing the 1996 Legislature." Some
Democratic Farm Labor party members were "skeptical" of the
choice plan, reports the paper. Sen Jane Ranum (DFL) said choice
is given only to private schools because they set their own
admission criteria. "They do not have to choose to accept the
child," she told Carlson, during the governor's testimony before
the Senate Education Funding subcommittee.
Sen Ember Reichgott Junge (DFL) said public and private
schools do not have to play by the same rules, which manifests in
an uneven playing field. "Is that true competition, governor?"
she asked.
Vouchers are only one part of Carlson's education agenda.
He also calls for a merit-pay system for teachers and changes in
laws governing teacher tenure. "We must free up the system," he
said.
Sandra Peterson, president of the Minnesota Federation of
Teachers, told Senate members that "vouchers are not good public
policy." She added that the proposal has less to do with
learning and more to do about politics.
===== TAKING STOCK =====
*4 DEMOCRACY'S "GOLDEN KEY:" INFORMATION
A recent survey conducted by the WASH POST, the Kaiser
Family Foundation and Harvard U concluded that "information is
one of democracy's golden keys." (Morin, WASH POST, 1/29)
Researchers surveyed 1,514 randomly selected adults in Nov and
Dec on questions relating to American politics and government.
The results revealed a knowledge gap that is "deep and wide,"
writes the paper.
Typical questions on the survey include: "Can you tell me
which party -- the Democrats or the Republicans -- has the most
members in the U.S. Senate?;" Can you tell me the name of the
current vice president of the United States; and as far as you
know, who has the final responsibility to decide if a law is
constitutional or not?"
Four in ten respondents did not know, or incorrectly
guessed, who is the current vice president, according to the
survey. Sixty-two percent knew that Republicans had the most
members in the Senate; and 54% answered correctly that the U.S.
Supreme Court had the final responsibility to decide if a law is
constitutional or not.
Researchers went a step further. They divided respondents
into groups based on number of correct responses: high knowledge
group, middle and low knowledge group. A series of additional
questions found that knowledgeable Americans "often have
fundamentally different views about their politicians, government
and world," reports the POST. For example, high knowledge
respondents tend to be more mistrustful of government; yet they
express "more faith in the American political system and are far
more likely to vote, notes the paper. From the paper: "The
survey found that knowledge, independent of political interest,
acts as a bridge to participation."
More informed respondents also are more likely to
distinguish policies that are beneficial to them and what
"political behavior on their part is most likely to further their
interests," explained political scientist Scott Keeter of
Virginia Commonwealth U, who has studied the impact of
information on political decision-making.
Less knowledgeable respondents more often stated that the
country is in decline; and that the nation's major problems,
including air and water quality, have worsened in recent years,
when both actually have improved, writes the paper.
And the less informed respondent found that actions by the
federal government worsen any problem, "a rigid cynicism that the
survey found transcends party identification or political
ideology," reports the POST. Robert Blendon, a professor at
Harvard's Kennedy School Of Government and an advisor for the
survey: "Lack of knowledge has a practical short-term political
effect. It makes it more difficult for the president or Congress
to get credit for efforts they have made; thus it supports the
sense that neither group ever gets anything done."
According to the paper, some experts blame the nation's
education system for teaching fewer basic facts about politics
and government. The POST points out that the recent survey
results show that Americans today know as much about politics and
government as they did during the 1940s. However, the average
number of years an American spends in school has increased from
nine in 1940 to more than 12 now.
Another source of blame is today's hurry-up culture: modern
Americans have little time to find and review information that
pertains to politics and government. "It's time-consuming ...
nobody has the time to sit down and read TIME every week to find
out what the government's doing," said one survey respondent.
Others blame inadequate knowledge on the fact that most
Americans depend on television as the primary source of news and
entertainment. Nearly 60% of respondents said they got most of
their information about national politics and government from
television. From the paper: "These television news watchers
were consistently less likely to know basic facts about politics,
government or current events than those who depended mostly on
newspapers."
===== CHARTING A NEW COURSE =====
*5 SAILING AWAY: CHARTERS IN TEXAS
Texas' charter school movement is beginning to "build
momentum," reports the HOUSTON CHRONICLE (Markley, 1/28). Two
types of charters are permitted under state legislation passed
last year: Campus charters, which are granted by school boards;
and open-enrollment charters, which must be approved by the state
and are limited to 20.
The state Board of Education next month plans to review six
proposals for open enrollment charter schools, including one
targeted to children with special learning needs. A group of
Houston parents conceived the school for seventh-through ninth-
grade students that would be housed in the Town and Country Mall.
Joy Cuercio, a Houston Independent School District child study
specialist, is "spearheading" the project, notes the paper. Her
charter is designed to serve 120 youngsters, of which 25% would
be special education students. The philosophy undergirding the
charter is that children have different learning styles.
The school would contract with a nearby art school, music
stores and theater for fine arts instruction and would "lease
computers for technological instruction," reports the paper.
Another proposed charter is sought by a Houston non-profit
group called SER-Jobs for Progress. Their school would house
pre-kindergarten to 4th-grade students, many of whose parents are
participants in the group's job training, English language or
General Equivalency Diploma classes, according to the paper.
"It's a family approach to helping the disadvantaged get the
education and training they need," explained Jose Perez,
executive director of SER-Jobs for Progress.
Prior to passage of the charter school legislation,
"maverick educator" Thaddeus Lott began negotiating with the HISD
to operate four charter schools. HISD officials approved Lott's
charter before the state law was signed. According to the paper,
Lott was a successful principal at the "high-achieving" Wesley
Elementary before applying for the charter. He built his
reputation around a back-to-basics approach.
Houston Federation of Teachers President Gayle Fallon, who
serves on Lott's board, endorsed his call for higher salaries for
charter school teachers. "The teachers there took the risk of
being at a charter school," she said. "They went into a new
program with a total new structure. They took a lot of risks
being their," she added.
==== THE BIG PICTURE ===
*6 EDUCATION AND DEMOCRACY: PARTNERSHIP NEEDS RE-EXAMINING
The WASH TIMES published a brief interview with author Dr.
Benjamin Barber, who wrote "An Aristocracy of Everyone: The
Politics of Education and the Future of America." Barber asserts
that education is the only road to democracy. "Democracy is less
the enabler of education than education is the enabler of
democracy," he explains.
Students need not be "equally adept" at their studies,
"because education is itself the equalizer," he notes. Barber
goes on to explain that "comparable" does not need to mean
identical. For example, students who are outstanding at
mathematics may enroll in high school calculus; while less adept
students get tutoring to help them master skills. "Schooling is
what allows math washouts to appreciate the contributions of math
whizzes -- and may one day help persuade them to allocate tax
funds for scientific research, which math illiterates would
reject," he adds.
Barber urges Americans to re-examine the relationship
between "schools and their political institutions, between
classroom and civil society, between education and democracy."
In the past, citizens took these connections for granted.
Barber: "Public, private and religious schools in America's
earlier days expressed a common commitment to education as a
concomitant of democracy." He continues that public education
historically meant education "into what it meant to belong to a
public."
The author concedes that much of learning takes place at
home, "in the marketplace, in the streets or in front of the
television." Formal schooling, "however inadequate, ... is the
only place where, as a collective, self-conscious public pursuing
common goods, we try to shape our children to live in a
democratic world."
According to Barber: "There is only one road to democracy:
education."
Click here to return to OFCN's
Academy Program
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Index Page.
John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org