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--- Friday --- February 16, 1996 --- Vol. 6 --- No. 16 ---
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THE NATIONAL UPDATE ON AMERICA'S EDUCATION REFORM EFFORTS
A service of the National Education Goals Panel
__________ __________
HAIL TO THE CHIEF | SPOTLIGHT |
The DAILY REPORT CARD will | |
not publish on Monday, 19 | THE ADVICE COLUMN |
February, to celebrate | |
President's Day. Enjoy the | Slow down is the advice |
long weekend. | several newspapers are |
| offering to private firms |
STUDENT ADVISORS | interested in managing |
High school students in Tenn. | public schools. |
may win the right to serve on | |
local school boards (Cheek, The | The PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER |
TENNESSEAN, 2/13). | urges school boards and |
The state Senate this week | companies to experiment |
passed legislation that would | with smaller-scale models |
authorize local school boards | "aimed at supplementing, |
to select four students to | not supplanting, |
serve as advisory, non-voting | traditional school." (#3) |
members of the board. Two | |
students would come from an | Both the BOSTON GLOBE and |
academic curriculum, and two | the BOSTON HERALD chastise |
would represent the vocational | EAI officials for violating |
curriculum. | in Hartford rule number one |
"This is one of the best | of ed reform efforts: top- |
bills I have brought since I | down management doesn't |
have been here," said Sen | work. They also caution |
Thelma Harper (D), one of the | private firms to work out |
bill's sponsors. She said the | an arrangement with the |
student perspective on academic | local teachers union -- a |
and other school issues is one | group that can deep-six a |
of value to board members. | firm's agenda. (#1) |
Rep Tommie Brown (D), a co- | |
sponsor of the bill, said she | Yet, if lessons are |
expects the bill to begin | learned, the papers suggest |
moving through the House next | the best is yet to come. |
week. |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"Education reformers ... who consider higher academic standards a
centerpiece of their movement should not count on teachers to be
a driving force." -- Deborah Wadsworth, Public Agenda Foundation
executive director. (#5)
_______________________________________________________________
| 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 ==============
THE PRIVATE EYE
HARTFORD AND EAI: A neighbor reflects on lessons learned. (#1)
PLAN TWO: Minn gov proposes new voucher plan. (#2)
PUT THE BRAKES ON: Advice to firms and public schools. (#3)
EDUCATION PRIVATIZATION: On the agenda in Utah. (#4)
TAKING STOCK
TEACHER TALK: Their views of education today. (#5)
BYTES AND PIECES
SHOP TILL THEY DROP: Great Neck demands to keep shop. (#6)
GOVERNANCE
PREPARED FOR CHANGE: Minn awaits desegregation rule. (#7)
STATESIDE
GOV ALLEN'S TESTING SYSTEM: A Costly venture. (#8)
===== THE PRIVATE EYE =====
*1 HARTFORD AND EAI: A NEIGHBOR REFLECTS ON LESSONS LEARNED
The BOSTON GLOBE and the BOSTON HERALD this week reflected
on Education Alternative Inc.'s failure in Hartford, Conn.
Hartford offers "lessons for those second-generation partnerships
-- about what companies can promise and schools can believe, and
about how difficult it is to change a system," reports the GLOBE
(Zernike, 2/11). According to the paper, the firm made several
mistakes that eventually ended its life in Hartford's public
schools.
First, EAI officials incorrectly assumed they could force
changes on existing staff, which ignored a "basic tenet of
education reform -- that top-down changes don't hold," writes the
paper. EAI's position immediately was challenged by the local
teachers' union. And while EAI was comfortably headquartered in
a downtown office, union headquarters remained in a neighborhood
"where signs warn that cars soliciting prostitutes will be
seized," notes the paper. The contrast hardened some residents'
views that EAI was out of touch with the community.
Anti-EAI union tactics successfully disrupted several
committee meetings, although union President Cheryl Daniels
claims her members did not "thwart" EAI, reports the paper. "We
did our job," she said. "We put out our side of the story."
The GLOBE writes that EAI did a "poor job" getting its word out
to the public. Few meetings with parents were conducted and the
firm did not hire a local project director until it was 10 months
into the project. Another EAI faux pas was that it over-promised
the number of schools it would work with, scaling back to 5 from
32. Now the firm and the city are battling over who will keep
the computers and who will pay the bills, which EAI puts at $11M,
writes the GLOBE.
However, Philip Geiger, president of Education Alternatives
Inc, remains upbeat. "I look at this as an opportunity to take a
good look at the industry," he said. "I believe that people who
think this is going to go away have missed the boat."
Janet Beales of the Reason Foundation, a group that studies
private-public partnerships, commented that "Failure in our
public schools is allowed to continue year after year with no one
being dismissed. We should see [the Hartford/EAI situation] as a
good thing that companies are being forced to leave when they
don't work."
Mark Roosevelt, coauthor of Mass.'s Education Reform Act of
1993, said EAI's problems will cause other school committees to
"take into account what the company is promising to do, and
whether it is offering real ingredients for change."
A BOSTON HERALD editorial claims that EAI's failure in
Hartford will not "stop the movement from blossoming." (2/13)
The paper agrees that a fatal mistake made by the firm was
"assuming it could parachute in some executives and order
extensive changes without consulting the teachers union." The
HERALD: "That kind of top-down initiative by edict is a recipe
for failure in almost any organization."
*2 PLAN TWO: MINN GOV PROPOSES NEW VOUCHER PLAN
Minn. Gov Arne Carlson (R) this week revealed a "scaled-
down" version of his original school voucher plan, this one
targeted only to students in St. Paul (Hotakainen, MINNESOTA STAR
TRIBUNE, 2/13). Immediately, St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman offered
his support. "This is an offer that we cannot refuse," he said.
Specifically, Carlson's new plan would allow St. Paul
parents to use vouchers to send their children to private or
parochial schools, writes the paper. The plan gives the state's
education commissioner the authority to develop the pilot program
and to waive state mandates for the district, after he consulted
with local officials.
Carlson's aides expect this voucher plan to fare better than
the governor's first proposal, which was "derailed by a Senate
subcommittee earlier this month," reports the paper. Carlson:
"Let's just say that occasionally the results of a second date
are superior to that of a first date."
However, critics quickly attacked the new voucher program as
a state takeover of the St. Paul school district. "Never in the
history of the state ... has the state taken over the
administration of part of a school district," complained Rep Matt
Entenza, a member of the House Education Committee. "The
language in this proposal would be a state takeover of the St.
Paul district. We would have to trust the benevolence of the
commissioner," he added. Sen Sandra Pappas agreed. "I don't see
why it's so heavy-handed, why the governor is coming in and
saying we have to run this," she said. Cyndy Brucato, the
governor's spokeswoman retorted: "If they think that, boy are
they stupid." She added that Carlson has "zero interest" in
taking over the St. Paul school district, reports the paper.
The STAR TRIBUNE observes that Carlson's plan is garnering
support from some Republican leaders who opposed his original
scheme. "It's certainly an idea that has some possibilities,"
said House Minority Leader Steve Sviggum. Others favor the new
plan because it is confined to one city.
According to the paper, the plan will be presented this week
to the St. Paul school board. "Prayerfully, it will be accepted
by that board," said Carlson.
*3 PUT THE BRAKES ON: ADVICE TO FIRMS AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The few private firms that got the chance to manage public
schools have "flopped spectacularly," editorializes the
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER (2/10). Does that mean the end of private
firms running public schools? No, responds the paper. "It means
smaller-scale experiments should continue, aimed at
supplementing, not supplanting, traditional schools," pens the
paper.
The INQUIRER also cautions school boards "handing out
contracts" to be more careful and thoughtful about "how they will
define success in privately managed public schools, and how they
will measure it." The INQUIRER goes on to write that it also
means the "burden of proof remains with for-profit companies."
From the paper: "Homilies about how the pursuit of profit
inspires innovation and efficiency are fine, but companies still
need to demonstrate that the profit motive really works in an
environment where the goal is not piling up revenue, but
nurturing young minds."
Sylvan Learning Systems is held up as an experiment "of the
right size and type," according to the paper. The firm has a
two-year contract with N.J. to operate remedial programs in three
Newark high schools.
Charter schools are another "hot school reform" idea, notes
the paper. The INQUIRER calls for "adding for-profit companies
to the mix" of those who can apply for charter-school status,
which "might give charter schools more staying power," notes the
paper.
*4 EDUCATION PRIVATIZATION: ON THE AGENDA IN UTAH
An editorial in THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE sharply criticizes
state Sen Howard Stephenson (R) for his annual attempts to
"privatize public education." (2/11) Last year, Stephenson
proposed a $32,160 "experiment that would subsidize the education
of 20 students living in private disciplinary institutions. His
plan was rejected.
However, the plan was resurrected this year with two co-
sponsors -- Sens Charles Stewart and Stephen Rees. From the
paper: "Senate Bill 22 is too small to arouse stiff resistance
or do much good for students, but it would set a precedent of
spending public money for private education. It could open the
door to other privatization schemes that would require more
government regulation and divert dollars from the public
schools."
The paper reports that Stephenson and Stewart also have
introduced legislation that calls for tuition tax credits and
other subsides to private schools. "Senate Bill 40 would let
taxpayers claim a $100 credit for 'contributions' made to the
public or private schooling of each dependent," explains the
editorial. Senate Bill 43 would permit private schools qualify
for charter school grants.
The TRIBUNE warns that although "the prospects of education
privatization seem less ominous now that Utah's economy is robust
and school budgets stable ... market schemes have not solved
other states' education problems ... "
The paper concludes that public education in Utah "is not
above criticism and new ideas ... but change should be a
cooperative effort ... [and] Sen Stephenson's agenda has not
always made room for such deliberation."
===== TAKING STOCK =====
*5 TEACHER TALK: THEIR VIEWS OF EDUCATION TODAY
Both teachers and the general public find a lack of order
and discipline is the top problem plaguing public schools,
according to surveys conducted by The Public Agenda. "Given the
Circumstances: Teachers Talk About Public Education Today,"
Public Agenda's latest survey, revealed that restoring discipline
is essential for white, black and Hispanic teachers. And
teachers and the public agree on a solution: remove
troublemakers from the classroom.
According to the survey, 81% of teachers stated that the
worst behaved students get the most attention in school. Almost
9 in 10 teachers (88%) and 73% of the public said that "academic
achievement would improve substantially if persistent
troublemakers were removed from class," writes the report. As
summed up by one Bridgeport, Conn., teacher: "I've been in the
classroom, in the trenches, for 28 years. A great deal of my day
is taken up with discipline. I have a lot to give. The other
kids have a lot to give, and they have a lot to receive. And we
get bogged down with this one student."
However, teachers are less likely than the public to report
that violence is a serious problem in their local public schools.
From the report: "While 7 in 10 Americans (72%) say 'too much
drugs and violence' is a problem in local schools, only half
(47%) of teachers agree."
Teachers and the public also share similar views on what
should be taught in the classroom. "Standing at the pinnacle of
academic priorities are the basics," notes the report. The
basics should be a key component of every school, according to
both teachers and the public. Reading, writing, and math skills
top the list, followed by computer skills, American history and
science. Classic works of literature and history and geography
of other areas of the world, fall near the bottom of the list,
according to the report.
Teachers and the public part ways over higher standards.
Only half of the teachers said standards are too low in their
schools. For teachers, inadequate funding, overcrowded
classrooms and disorder are "far more pressing problems," writes
the report. "Education reformers and policymakers who consider
higher academic standards a centerpiece of their movement should
not count on teachers to be a driving force," said Deborah
Wadsworth, Public Agenda's executive director. "It may be that
the academic energies of even the most motivated teachers are
sapped by what they consider to be the stressful day-to-day
demands of the classroom. From the teachers' perspective, order
and civility, not higher standards, provide the infrastructure
that good teaching builds on," she added.
Other findings: "involved parents" received the top
response from teachers (31%) when asked to name the single most
important thing public schools need to help students learn; yet
80% of teachers said parents do a worse job today than when they
were in school; only 28% of teachers would be "over concerned" if
"international test sores showed American students were doing
poorly," compared to 56% of the public and 63% of community
leaders; and 65% of black, 62% of Hispanic and 50% of white
teachers, and 71% of the public stated that values are more
important to teach than academics.
The study is based on a national telephone survey of 1,164
public school teachers, which was completed in December. Of the
total sample 800 were randomly selected teachers from the fourth
through twelfth grades, and the remainder were an oversampling of
black and Hispanic teachers. Findings from dozens of focus
groups with public school teachers, and an additional national
telephone survey of 237 teachers completed in May 1995 also are
included in the report.
"Given the Circumstances" is divided into four chapters:
Chapter One presents teachers' judgments about how well public
schools in their communities are performing and about specific
changes to make them more effective; Chapter Two focuses on
academic issues; Chapter Three offers teachers' views on the
"values war;" and Chapter Four is a special focus on the views of
African-American and Hispanic teachers currently working in
public schools.
To obtain a copy of this survey or other reports contact
Public Agenda at 212/686-6610.
===== BYTES AND PIECES =====
*6 SHOP TILL THEY DROP: GREAT NECK DEMANDS TO KEEP SHOP
Great Neck, Long Island, school board members were stunned
by public outcry to maintain an elementary school shop program at
the risk of losing computer classes (Markon, NEWSDAY, 2/13) At a
board meeting this week, parents, students and teachers
vehemently opposed plans to eliminate elementary school shop
classes to retrain teachers in computer instruction. "I
passionately believe in this [shop] program," said Marty Gordon,
a shop teacher who spoke at the meeting. "I'd like to think the
years I've taught students to saw, nail, mold, shape, create,
design and problem-solve have meant something."
Bruce Brodsky, legislative chairman for the Nassau-Suffolk
School Boards Association, charged that opponents to Great Neck
Superintendent William Shine's proposal are being "short-
sighted." The paper reports that Great Neck is the only district
on Long Island to offer shop at the elementary level. Shine
explained that the district cannot afford to continue the shop
program and expand its computer instruction.
If Shine's proposal is passed, shop teachers would begin a
retraining program with a computer consultant in May, notes the
paper. Computer centers would be created in all four elementary
schools by October. Elementary school students currently have
access to a small lab and several computers in each class, "but
no systematic instruction," notes the paper. Only middle and
high school students take such courses.
However, nearly all speakers at the meeting concluded that
the "well-financed" district should not relinquish its shop
program. Shop "gives a student a sense of accomplishment to
watch their project go from pencil and paper to life," explained
one eighth-grader.
The board has not scheduled a vote on the proposal.
=== GOVERNANCE ===
*7 PREPARED FOR CHANGE: MINN AWAITS DESEGREGATION RULE
The Minnesota Board of Education intends to announce a new
desegregation ruling this spring that most likely will relax the
one that has "prevailed for 23 years," reports the Minnesota STAR
TRIBUNE (2/13). "We're determined," said Jeanne Kling, board
president. "If we didn't, we'd have to say we're incapable. Do
you think we want to say that? No. We're moving ahead."
Currently, no school can have minority enrollment of 15
percentage points greater than the minority enrollment of the
entire district for the same grades, notes the paper. The
anticipated ruling would remove the limit on minority enrollment
in individual schools and instead "simply call that same minority
proportion an indication of a 'racially identifiable' school,
which the school district would have to justify," writes the
paper.
According to the paper, the board has considered amending
the desegregation regulation since 1989, but has been unable to
achieve a consensus.
The board also is expected to vote to "pare down" its plan
to require students to pass basic skills tests in seven subjects
to earn a high school diploma. Students would not be tested in
science, government, geography and physical health and safety.
Instead, skills from those subjects would be grouped together as
part of the "Profile of Learning," of which students would be
expected to demonstrate proficiency.
However, students would be required to be proficient in
reading, math and writing.
==== STATESIDE ====
*8 GOV ALLEN'S TESTING SYSTEM: A COSTLY VENTURE
Va. Gov George Allen's (R) proposed testing system is
testing his administration's determination not to tap Goals 2000
federal funds (multi cites). The $23M program would assess Va.
public school students in kindergarten and grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and
11 every year, writes the WASH POST (Hsu, 2/16). By 1999,
students would be required to achieve passing grades on all four
11th-grade tests -- math, science, English and social studies --
to graduate.
Teachers, superintendents and local school board members
support Allen's call for testing, but complain that the state is
moving far too fast, notes the paper. Administrators are
concerned that students will be tested before "curriculums and
texts are updated to reflect the tougher standards," reports the
paper. Other educators protest that an emphasis on testing will
take precedence over other "long-term" needs such as reducing
class size, according to the POST.
"Testing is education reform on the cheap. That's the
problem. It's oversimplified," declared Del Marian Van
Landingham (D). "We're dealing with a political agenda, a
governor's term which lasts two more years."
According to the paper, Va. might link test results with how
much funding a local district receives and whether teachers and
administrators should keep their jobs.
Allen's determination to create a rigorous testing system is
so strong he threatened to hold up the state budget if money is
not included for his program. However, many Democratic lawmakers
want to force Allen to accept $6.6M for the federal Goals 2000
program to pay for the testing system. Last spring, the Virginia
Board of Education voted to accept $8.5M over two years from
President Clinton's Goals 2000 program, but the governor rejected
the funds, "fearing federal intervention in Virginia's education
system," writes the WASH TIMES (Cain, 2/16). Landingham said the
state "already lost $2M from not taking the first-year money ...
it would be an ideological hang-up to continue to oppose it."
Allen again declined to accept the federal funds, arguing
that the state's education policy should not be "dictated by the
federal government." He added: "Once you start getting a penny
a day from them, they can start calling the tune. My concern is
the strings that are being attached."
Some Democrats and educators are promoting a scale-back of
the Allen plan to three grades. They also call for devoting the
next three years to training teachers and refining the exams,
notes the TIMES. "The teachers are not saying they don't want to
be accountable. They're not saying they don't want ... high and
responsible standards," said Robley Jones, president of the
Virginia Education Association. "But if you are going to test
our kids and hold us accountable, make sure we have the tools and
the training to do the job."
According to the TIMES, Allen, Lt. Gov Donald Beyer (D) and
Democratic lawmakers agree to a two-year study to examine how the
test scores would be used.
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