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--- Wednesday --- April 16, 1997 --- Vol. 7 --- No. 32 ---
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THE NATIONAL UPDATE ON AMERICA'S EDUCATION REFORM EFFORTS
A service of the National Education Goals Panel
__________ __________
PARTNERS FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION | SPOTLIGHT |
People For the American Way | |
and the NAACP have united in a | RELIGIOUS RELIC |
"historic collaboration" to | |
promote public education and | While the one-room |
battle voucher warriors | schoolhouse may be a thing |
(Partners for Public Education | of the past for public |
press release, 3/31). | schools, it has been |
The campaign's kick-off was | resurrected by many |
in Baltimore on 3 April, where | religious ones. A recent |
hundreds of clergy members, | study found that while |
parents, educators and others | public school run one-room |
participate in workshops and | schoolhouses have declined |
listened to speakers discussing | since 1985, private school |
threats to public education. | one-room schools have |
NAACP President and CEO | risen. (#2) |
Kweisi Mfume: "Vouchers are a | |
pernicious, steal-from-the- | One four-room schoolhouse |
poor-and-give-to-the-rich | recently featured at the |
scheme. They would take money | National Catholic Education |
away from our public school | Association convention is |
students, give it instead to | St. Boniface, located in La |
private schools, and abandon | Crosse, Wis. La Crosse |
many of our children in the | farmers, with the goal of |
process. Our focus should be | keeping tuition affordable |
on keeping our strong schools | for their neighbors, have |
strong and making our weak | made significant financial |
schools better. Education must | donations to the school; |
be a fundamental guarantee for | which could make public |
each child, and for our | school officials, who |
nation's precious democracy." | continually struggle to get |
Visit the NAACP at: | voters to pass school |
www.naacp.org -- and People for | levies, quite guilty of one |
the American Way at: | of the seven cardinal sins. |
www.pfaw.org |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"Isn't it wonderful?"
Louisiana State Rep Robert Barton (R), on the state's budget
surplus, some of which will be targeted to education. (#1)
_______________________________________________________________
| 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 ==============
STATESIDE
EDUCATION: It's hot in Louisiana. (#1)
THE PRIVATE EYE
ONE-ROOM SCHOOLS: They're going strong. (#2)
CHARTING A NEW COURSE
CHARTER SCHOOLS: Round-up. (#3)
TIME AND LEARNING
THREE CHEERS FOR YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLS: Georgia cheerleader. (#4)
MONEY MATTERS
"HOW SWEET IT IS:" L.A. voters pass school bond issue. (#5)
TAKING OVER
CONN. TAKES CHARGE: Hartford schools under state control. (#6)
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===== STATESIDE =====
*1 EDUCATION: IT'S HOT IN LOUISIANA
La. Gov. Foster and state lawmakers are back in session,
with education topping their agenda. "Isn't it wonderful?" said
Rep Robert Barton (R). "We've got a big budget surplus. If we
make education a priority, we can really do something about it."
Foster's plan to do something about education includes
putting "more money into classroom equipment and technology,
establish[ing] standards for evaluating school performance and
jump-start[ing] a mostly dormant charter school program by
setting up a revolving loan fund and expanding approval of
proposals beyond local school boards," reports the TIMES-PICAYUNE
(3/30). The paper also notes that teacher pay raises are
contingent on a penny-of-the-sales-tax vote scheduled in a
special session in late June.
For higher education, Foster intends to give more authority
to the state Board of Regents in an effort to "streamline"
governing procedures, writes the paper. He also wants to
allocate $1M for the redesign of college teacher-training
programs and $3M for distance-learning capabilities.
State lawmakers quickly passed two provisions of Foster's
education plan. House members unanimously passed a bill that
would create a statewide prekindergarten progam for 4- and 5-year
olds who are identified as unprepared for school. The House
Education Committee also approved a reading enrichment program
for students in kindergarten through third grade (Bacon-Blood,
TIMES-PICAYUNE, 4/10). Rep. Jimmy Long (D), a sponsor of the
bills, said the early childhood program and the k-3 reading
program "would do more to improve education in Louisiana than any
of the others." Long: "This is going to have the biggest impact
on teaching and learning."
According to the paper, the programs are estimated to cost
$20M and will be implemented statewide by fall. Financing of the
programs will be "tied to renewal of the 1-cent tax in a special
session in June," writes the paper.
However, lawmakers also have "hijacked" Foster's higher
education overhaul (TIMES-PICAYUNE, Wardlaw, 4/6). Several
committees already have passed "proposed constitutional
amendments to replace the existing boards with a superboard.
However, since their proposal requires a two-thirds vote in the
House and Senate, which is unlikely, Foster's plan may be viewed
as a compromise, reports the paper.
===== THE PRIVATE EYE =====
*2 ONE-ROOM SCHOOLS: THEY'RE GOING STRONG
The one-room schoolhouse is not a relic, according to
research conducted by Mark Dewalt, an associate professor of
education at Winthrop U, Rock Hill, S.C. (Henry, USA TODAY,
4/7). Although the one-room school run by public school systems
is waning, private and religious schools are opening more.
Currently, about 1,636 one-room schools operate nationwide.
Dewalt also found that the number of one-room public schools had
dropped, from 749 in 1985 to 675 by 1987 and 447 last school
year. However, private one-room schools, typically operated by a
religious sect, are on the rise. Amish or Old Order Mennonite
groups ran 467 one-room schools in 1985, up to 708 now. The
number of other private one-room schools increased from 91 in
1986 to 481 last year, reports the paper.
According to Dewalt, 24 states have at least one one-room
school, with Pa. having the most at 325, followed by Neb. at 133
and Mont.'s 122 one-room schools. Most of these schools are
located in rural areas. The paper writes that Dewalt found a
"'dramatic impact on the proliferation of these schools' after a
1972 Supreme Court decision guaranteed the Amish the right to
form their own schools for first through eighth grades."
A Catholic school in La Crosse, Wis., "put themselves on
display" at a National Catholic Education Association convention
in Minneapolis, writes the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE (Smith, 4/3).
St. Boniface has actually has four classrooms that handle 43
students in grades K-8. From the paper: "Call it peer tutoring,
cooperative learning or multi-age grouping. Those are the terms
educators use to describe a method that has come into vogue --
kids helping other kids -- in public and private schools."
St. Boniface has been a four-room schoolhouse for 75 years -
- out of necessity, reports the paper. "We make it work because
it's what our school has to do," said Gail Lubahn, principal and
teacher. Most of the children come from farming families.
Sister Carleen Reck, with the School Sisters of Notre Dame
located in St. Louis, claims the small-school model is worth
maintaining because of its positive affect on student
achievement. "They work in a buddy system," she said. "The
teacher knows every student inside out. People help each other
and know each other's names. These are community schools.
People own them. The kids feel cared about."
In fact, the paper points out that St. Boniface has been
able to maintain a low tuition ($250/year for parishioners and
$450 for non-parishioners)) due to the generosity of the farm
community. "We have farmers that don't have any children but
give $3,000 a year just to keep the school going," said one St.
Boniface teacher.
Melina Harris, principal of a small Catholic school in
Houston, Texas, commented on the success of small schools.
"Because of the personal attention we give to each child,
regardless of their different learning styles, when they leave
us, they're able to hold their own," she said.
===== CHARTING A NEW COURSE =====
*3 CHARTER SCHOOLS: ROUND-UP
BLUE RIBBON HONORS
The Washington, D.C.-based Center for Education Reform has
ranked state charter school legislation based on 10 criteria
(CENTER FOR EDUCATION REFORM press release, 3/17). Based on the
Center's indicators, Ariz. has the strongest charter school
statute in the country.
"Assessing each state's laws provides a yardstick to measure
the potential advancement of charter schools as a new approach to
public education," said CER's president Jeanne Allen. "From this
effort we can then determine the extent to which states permit
maximum flexibility to approach children's needs."
Criteria for ranking the states include: multiple
chartering authorities, or availability of an appeals process;
variety of individuals and groups that may apply to start a
school; ability to start a school without local support; full
per-pupil funding guaranteed; provision to allow teachers to be
exempted from collective bargaining agreements; and control over
budget.
Allen: "While we know that a numerical grading system may
bypass an individual states' strength when it comes to grassroots
support, parent, teacher and administrative endorsements, it is a
fair assessment of how each states' legislation is
comprehensive."
The Center ranked Ark. as supporting the nation's weakest
charter school laws.
NEW VISIONS
New Visions Charter School in Minneapolis is praised by
Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE columnist Leonard Inskip as a top-notch
example of charter-school programs (4/8). The school is part of
A Chance to Grow, a non-profit group created by Bob and Kathy
DeBoer as a way to help their brain-injured daughter and other
like her succeed in the world of school.
Initially, the Minneapolis School Board rejected A Chance to
Grow's application to start a charter school, writes the paper.
Instead, the school board allowed New Visions to develop as an
alternative school within the public school system. Eventually a
charter was granted.
According to the paper, New Visions secret for success is
its ability to "combine regular teaching and curriculum with some
unconventional techniques."
Techniques uncommon in regular public schools but applied
regularly at New Visions include: the provision of optometric
services; physical activites, "such as crawling to stimulate the
senses;" and neurofeedback brain technology to help students
control their behavior and improve attention spans, writes the
paper.
The student body at New Visions is children from
disadvantaged homes. From the paper: Conditions in many of
these homes "include poorly heated homes, restricted play
activities, lack of reading materials and lack of literate role
modes. While these children were chronologically ready for
school, they brought readiness s kill deficits to the classroom
and therefore were not able to take advantage of instruction as
readily as their peers."
TWO MORE FOR HOUSTON
The Edison Project and Pro-Vision recently entered into
negotiations with Houston school administrators to operate
charter schools in the district (Markley, HOUSTON CHRONICLE,
4/4). District trustees gave school administrators the green
light earlier this month. The Edison Project has 12 schools
nationwide, including one in Sherman, Texas, and a recently
awarded contract to run a school in the Southwest Independent
School District in San Antonio.
Pro-vision's contract is for a residential school for at-
risk students.
THE HIGH HURDLE
While private groups seeking charter school status are
forging ahead in Fla., local public schools that want to join the
movement are being stymied by local administrators (Wertheimer,
3/25). The paper reports that charter school advocates are
charging that local administrators are "creating roadblocks" for
public schools.
Local education officials counter that the issues are more
complex when public school seek charter status. "I would regret
that anyone would perceive there's a lack of cooperation or a
lack of interest in innovation of any kind," said Robert
Williams, Orange County schools' deputy superintendent. "We're
in new territory."
The fact remains that only three of the state's 3,000 public
schools have tried to become charter schools, and none have
succeeded. "A lot of us policy-makers are terribly disappointed
with the attitude of many school boards," said State Rep Tom
Feeney (R). "They're trying to erect as many hurdles as
possible."
==== TIME AND LEARNING ====
*4 THREE CHEERS FOR YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLS: A GEORGIA CHEERLEADER
Ga. boasts two year-round schools: the College Park
Elementary School and Coweta's Newnan Crossing Elementary School.
Gary Field, principal at College Park, recently organized the
Georgia Association for Year-Round Education, to promote the
concept and help the numerous callers interested in year-round
schooling (Ellerton, ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 4/9).
Field's school has been using a year-round schedule for
seven years, writes the paper. During that time, Fields attests
to a rise in achievement scores and a drop in discipline
problems. Other educators from around the state have taken
notice of College Park's improvement, and Field has been flooded
with calls for educators seeking advice on starting a year-round
school.
The paper reports that educators from around the Southeast
attended a conference in Atlanta that was designed to promote
year-round education. At the meeting, Field said that the fear
of change is the most difficult obstacle to overcome when a
school wants to convert to a year-round schedule. He claims that
the most common misconception is that a year-round schedule means
more days in the classroom. Instead, teachers and students in
year-round schools spread out classroom time over 12 months, with
more frequent breaks. Typically students attend school for 45
days, with a 15 day break, reports the paper.
One principal "sold on the idea" is Carol Hutcheson, writes
the paper. "Parents go to work on a year-round basis," said
Hutcheson, principal at Columbus' Georgetown Elementary. "We're
setting children up to function in the adult society."
The Ga. year-round organization is an affiliate of the San
Diego-based National Association for Year-Round Education.
==== MONEY MATTERS ====
*5 "HOW SWEET IT IS:" L.A. VOTERS PASS SCHOOL BOND ISSUE
Los Angeles voters last week passed the nation's largest
school bond issue (Pyle and Renwick, L.A. TIMES, 4/10). The
school refurbishment measure passed with 71% of the vote, in an
election with low voter turn-out. Last November, the issue had
fallen 1 percentage point short of the needed two-thirds approval
rating. "How sweet it is," declared Superintendent Sid Thompson.
"We think [this] is a mandate. ... That people want to see the
school repaired."
According to the paper, eventually all 800 campuses and
school sites districtwide will be upgraded using funds from the
bond issue. Air conditioners, playgrounds, bathroom renovation
all are projects to be completed under the bond issue. The TIMES
notes that an outside oversight committee was written into the
bond measure to ensure accountability. The committee will
consist of 11 members appointed by groups "ranging from the PTA
to the mayor's office," reports the paper. Committee members
will be charged with reviewing expenditures, but will not have
veto authority. "We're going to send home report cards," said
Mayor Riordan's senior advisor Steven Soboroff.
However, Thompson said that parents, teachers and
administrators also will be watching to see if promises made by
the bond issue are kept. The TIMES writes that the "backbone of
campus-based bond campaigns was a contract promising an array of
construction work." Thompson: "The watchdog in this is the
schools."
The paper also reports that the Los Angeles Unified School
District could benefit from other funds dedicated to building
construction: a $4B state school bond proposed for the November
1998 ballot would provide matching funds; and President Clinton's
proposed $5B nationwide school construction program, the
Partnership to Rebuild America's Schools, that would direct $116M
to Los Angeles schools to offset bond financing costs.
School district officials are scheduled to meet with New
York bond brokers next month; their goal is to float the first
$400M to $600M in July, "with proceeds coming back to the
district once those bonds are sold, perhaps in late August,"
writs the paper. Those funds could finance the first two years
of school-building repair. Future bond issues, expected to be
sold every year for nine years, would "draw down the bond full
amount, leaving most repairs to be completed with a decade or
so," notes the paper.
U.S. Ed Sec Richard Riley called the bond issue vote "one of
the most encouraging things I've heard lately."
==== TAKING OVER ====
*6 CONN. TAKES CHARGE: HARTFORD SCHOOLS UNDER STATE CONTROL
Conn. lawmakers last week approved legislation authorizing
the state to takeover Hartford schools by a vote of 27-to-1
(Rabinovitz, N.Y. TIMES, 4/12). For the first time in Conn., a
local school board has been terminated, with a panel of state-
appointed trustees put in its place, writes the paper.
"We should be the guardian of the educational interest of
this state, particularly as it related to the children of
Hartford," said State Senator Thomas Gaffey (D). "We must act
now to end this downward spiral."
According to the paper, Hartford schools have been in
disarray for some time. Lately, things have gotten worse. Last
summer, the State Supreme COurt ruled that Hartford students were
not receiving and adequate education and called on state leaders
to ameliorate the situation, reports the paper. Then, last week,
a regional commission recommended that one of the city's three
high schools loose its academic accreditation. The TIMES writes
that losing accreditation means "colleges and employers will not
view a diploma from the school as meeting minimal standards."
Under the takeover plan, the Governor and legislative
leaders would appoint seven trustees, granting them authority
that goes "beyond the current board with regard to finances and
collective bargaining," writes the paper. For example, the
current board received all of its funds from the City Council.
The new board will receive aid directly from the state and would
be able to decide how to spend the money.
Many of the current board members complain that the
teachers' union has made reforming Hartford schools impossible.
The TIMES explains that the new board is obliged to honor the
current teacher contract, but beginning next year, when contract
negotiations get underway, the panel can "begin with a new slate
and ignore past precedents." The panel also could bypass union
leadership and send the contract directly to union members for a
vote.
Other measures approved by the House committee: a public-
school choice program that would permit students to leave their
local school to attend a public school in another city; more
state funds to build magnet and charter schools; and expanded
access to pre-school education.
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