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--- Monday --- October 27, 1997 --- Vol. 7 --- No. 66 ---
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THE NATIONAL UPDATE ON AMERICA'S EDUCATION REFORM EFFORTS
__________ __________
LEARNING DIFFICULTIES | SPOTLIGHT |
NEWSWEEK explores the world | |
of learning disabilities in its | WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW |
27 October 1997 issue (Wingert | |
and Kantrowitz). The magazine | What students need to |
notes an "explosion in | know to perform well in |
knowledge" about "bright kids | school and acquire good |
who can't learn." However, one | jobs in the next century |
side effect of the burgeoning | has expanded to include |
brain research is an "epidemic | technology, declare some |
of diagnoses," writes the | computer advocates. The |
magazine. | birth of the Internet means |
Tracking brain activity as a | students and future workers |
child tries to read is one of | must be able to organize |
the "most critical areas of | and analyze a barrage of |
research." Recent research has | information -- a task never |
designated four distinct steps | confronted by students of |
in the reading process: | yesteryear. |
phonological awareness; linking | |
sounds with specific letters; | Other educators play down |
the ability to read fast -- | the importance of computer |
making the association between | technology for students. |
symbol and sound "virtually | Been there, done that, says |
automatic;" and understanding | Stanford U professor Larry |
the meaning of words. "Break- | Cuban. He chalks up the |
downs anywhere in this process | nation's infatuation with |
can explain severe reading | the computer to the |
problems," writes NEWSWEEK. | "romance of the machine." |
Other disabilities, including | Technology, for Cuban, is |
dyslexia, spoken-language | simply the "classroom |
problems and the inability to | filmstrip of the 1990s." |
compute or reason mathematical- | Better to focus on teaching |
ly also are discussed. Several | students basic skills, he |
programs and schools are | says. (#2) |
highlighted in the article. |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"We really should be thinking about how to use grades ... to
motivate students to try harder."
James McPartland, director of the Center for the Social
Organization of Schools at the Johns Hopkins U. (#1)
_______________________________________________________________
| (c) by the Education Policy Network, Inc. |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Washington, D.C. 20010; 202/724-0124 |
| EPN, Inc. hereby authorizes further reproduction and |
| distribution with proper acknowledgement. |
| Publisher: Barbara A. Pape |
|_______________________________________________________________|
============== TABLE OF CONTENTS ==============
GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
REPORT CARDS: Beyond A,B,C. (#1)
BYTES AND PIECES
NET DAY: Questioning the impact of computers in classroom. (#2)
CHOOSING SCHOOLS
ANOTHER TWIST ON CHOICE: Tax breaks for private schools. (#3)
TESTS AND TESTING
CLOSER TO A COMPROMISE: But presidential veto still looms.(#4)
TAKING OVER
S.O.S.: East St. Louis parents signal for state control. (#5)
===== GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP =====
*1 REPORT CARDS: BEYOND A,B,C
Report cards in the Baltimore-metropolitan area, and
nationwide, have undergone a facelift, with some hardly
resembling the familiar A,B,C grades. School systems continue to
"debate the details" over updated report cards, but the Baltimore
SUN found several common threads. (Maushard, 10/19)
Letter grades are virtually gone, with elementary report
cards looking more like checklists. Another change in elementary
school report cards: The elimination of "unsatisfactory" or
"needs improvement" categories, which often are replaced with
"needs support" or is "working toward" grade level, which some
educators claim is less damaging to young egos.
However, traditional letter grades still are used in many
middle and high schools, writes the paper. "As you move from
nursery school through 12th grade, the grading systems are more
traditional," said Steve Clem, vice president of the National
Association of Independent Schools. Both public, independent and
parochial schools are beginning to emphasize narrative comments
and parent conferences, notes the paper.
For example, the Archdiocese of Baltimore has launched a
pilot report card this year. The new system will force a
"realignment of the school year, from quarters to trimesters,"
writes the paper. Report cards will be issued every 12 weeks,
with interim reports also given. Children in grades K through 2
will receive narrative reports; as they get older, report cards
will combine narrative and traditional grades.
Carroll County public schools have been experimenting with a
new report card for the past two years. Gary Dunkleberger,
Carroll's assistant superintendent for instruction, said "parents
are better able to understand more of what their students don't
understand and more of what they can help students with."
Mary Lu Greenwood, associate head of the lower school at the
private McDonogh School, said some of their narrative reports
total 15 pages. Although it is a lot of work for teachers,
Greenwood noted that teachers also find benefits in the lengthy
reports because "they will have a much clearer picture of what
incoming students can do," writes the paper.
However, Baltimore public school parents "eschewed the
descriptive phrases," instead requesting the use of
nontraditional letter grades. Teachers now use E,G, S, P, U for
excellent, good, satisfactory, poor and unsatisfactory. Students
also receive number grades that indicate skill levels.
The Baltimore School Board also tackled standardization of
grading systems in the district's schools, notes the paper. In
the past, schools had the authority to develop their own progress
reports, which was accomplished by about half of the system's
schools. This September, however, the county revised the report
cards and has required that it be used in all schools. "There
was overwhelming response to standardize [report cards] across
the county," said Ronald Thomas, executive director of the school
system's department of educational accountability.
One educator, observing the "dickering" among school
officials over grading systems, commented that many are missing
the point that grades should be used to motivate students.
"Traditionally, grading ... does not motivate the way we hoped,"
said James McPartland, director of the Center for the Social
Organization of Schools at the Johns Hopkins U. "Progress,
improvement and growth. We don't see that talked about much," he
added. "We need to recognize students for growth. We really
should be thinking about how to use grades ... to motivate
students to try harder."
===== BYTES AND PIECES =====
*2 NET DAY: QUESTIONING THE IMPACT OF COMPUTERS IN CLASSROOM
Net Day was observed nationwide this weekend with thousands
of volunteers in more than 40 states wiring, setting up Internet
connections and installing computers in schools (Harmon, N.Y.
TIMES 10/25). While the thrill is not gone with connecting
schools with the Information Highway, some are beginning to
question the coupling of computers and student achievement.
From the paper: "... the educational value of the Internet
-- once taken as nearly an article of faith -- is being called
into question at a time when so many of the nation's students
cannot solve basic math problems."
A survey of U.S. teachers conducted by Market Data Retrieval
found that fewer than 14% of those surveyed believe the Internet
improves student academic achievement. "All the hoopla around
the Internet obscures the deeper and more important issues of
learning, about how do you teach kids to acquire the basic skills
and to think independently, " said Larry Cuban, a Stanford U
education professor, who derides technology as the "classroom
filmstrip of the 1990's," writes the paper. "It's what I call
the romance with the machine, and it has happened before," he
added. "It's driven by this dream of a magical solution that
does not exist."
Beverly Hunter, an executive at the GTE Corporation's BBN
Internet unit, said, "If you want good scores on tests, you teach
[students] the tests. You don't have them mucking around
collaborating and inquiring and doing deep investigations into
the nature of galaxies. You've got to match the technology
you're using with what you're trying to accomplish."
And David Shaw, a former computer science professor at
Columbia U who now manages D.E. Shaw & Company, a Manhattan
investment bank specializing in information technology, concedes
that "the reality is we haven't the faintest idea what really
works in a classroom." Despite the lack of data, Shaw supports
the idea of moving ahead to get students on-line.
Meanwhile, educators are left to ponder questions beyond
whether schools should be wired. They are investigating "how an
educational system built for an industrial age must change to
teach the skills required for the age of information," writes the
paper. Today's students must learn how to sort through and
assign order to a barrage of information made available to them
via the Internet -- a task not included in traditional
curriculums, but a "crucial skill in the coming years," observes
the paper.
The paper highlights several innovative programs that allow
students to experience computer technology. "City Bugs," a
federally financed Internet education project developed in
conjunction with the U of California at Berkeley, has Oakland,
Calif., students work with local entomologists to construct an
on-line collection of neighborhood bugs.
In neighboring Silicon Valley, schools are experimenting
with a project called "Smart Valley," which was made possible by
donations from resident high-tech companies.
Another Oakland school, which could not raise the funds to
transport students to the U of California at Berkeley's Phoebe
Hearst Museum of Anthropology, will give students a tour of the
museum via the Internet.
"There's something about using a computer that [students]
respond to," remarked Chris Ashley, a teacher who is coordinating
the Oakland Unified School District's participation in City Bugs
and other technology projects. "It brings the outside world to
them."
==== CHOOSING SCHOOLS ====
*3 ANOTHER TWIST ON CHOICE: TAX BREAKS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Legislation that would allow parents to establish tax-
favored savings account to pay for the education of costs of
their child's K-12 school years was passed last week by the U.S.
House of Representatives, "largely along party lines," writes the
WASH POST (Yang, 10/24).
The bill would allow parents with adjusted gross incomes of
less than $110,000 a year, or $160,000 for couples, to open an
account to pay for education expenses, including tuition, fees,
tutoring, books, supplies, transportation and computer equipment
and software, reports the paper. Taxpayers would be allowed to
contribute $2,500 a year per student through 2002. After that
time, the limit would drop to $500 a year. Under the proposal,
interest earned would be tax free.
Some White House aides labeled the plan "bad education
policy and bad tax policy," and they are urging President Clinton
to veto any such measure. Opponents charge that wealthy families
would be the primary beneficiaries of the plan. "You don't help
public schools by siphoning off money for elite, private
schools," said Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas).
Similar accounts for higher education were created this
summer under legislation that was part of the balanced-budget
agreement, notes the paper. The K-12 plan is estimated to cost
the U.S. Treasury $2.6B in reduced revenues through 2002,
according to an analysis by the congressional Joint Committee on
Taxation.
Sen. Paul Coverdell (R-Ga.), prime sponsor of the education
account plan, said the Senate probably will consider the bill
before adjourning for the year. He is optimistic that the bill
will earn Congressional approval.
House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), in support of the bill:
"The worst case in the worst neighborhood of the poorest
families, they should have the same right to choose as the rich
who go to private schools."
==== TESTS AND TESTING ====
*4 CLOSER TO A COMPROMISE: BUT PRESIDENTIAL VETO STILL LOOMS
In a bitter dispute over national tests, Republicans in the
House of Representatives offered a compromise proposal. Rep
William Goodling's (R-Pa.) alternative plan calls on Congress to
fund a joint effort by the National Academy of Science, the
National Governors' Association and the National Conference on
State Legislatures to create a new measure of student performance
based on the test scores of commercially available standardized
tests (Pianin and Sanchez, WASH POST, 10/25).
"We think we have a proposal here that meets both sides'
greatest needs but does not threaten what we fear most -- a
national test that in turn creates a national curriculum," said
one GOP aide.
However, President Clinton, who has used the presidential
bully pulpit to promote national testing, has promised to veto
any bill that includes a ban on his voluntary, national testing
program for fourth- and eighth-grade students in reading and
math. Last month, the House "overwhelmingly" voted to not even
allow the tests to be developed as part of the labor, health,
human services and education spending bill for fiscal year 1998,
reports the paper. The Senate approved a modified version of the
Clinton plan that would move management of the tests from the
DoEd to an independent bipartisan board. House and Senate
conference committee members will meet this week to reach a
consensus on the two bills.
Few are optimistic that a compromise will be reached,
reports the paper. The White House staunchly defends its
national testing plan. On the other side, many GOP members are
standing firm in their belief that the tests lead to "excessive
federal control over school curriculum," writes the paper. Rep.
John Shadegg (R-Ariz.): "A one-size-fits-all test will
necessarily steal from parents, teachers and students the ability
to control their curriculum ... because what is tested is what is
taught."
==== TAKING OVER ====
*5 S.O.S.: EAST ST. LOUIS PARENTS SIGNAL FOR STATE CONTROL
Although operating under a state-appointed financial
oversight panel, the East St. Louis, Ill., school district
continues to be plagued with serious problems. Some parents and
community business leaders are urging the state to step in to
improve the education system (Smith and Sorkin, St. Louis POST-
DISPATCH, 10/23).
"I would rather have those elected from the area [improve
schools,] said state Sen Frank Watson (R), and a member of the
Senate education committee. "But if they're unwilling, I'm
certainly willing ..." Watson said he is considering whether to
give the financial oversight panel "direct control over hiring
and firing and line item authority over the budget -- powers the
School Board now has," writes the paper.
Sen. James Clayborne Jr (D) said he too is willing to allow
the state to step in, as long as some control remains at the
local level. Parents are "crying out that something has to be
done," said Clayborne.
The POST-DISPATCH conducted a month-long investigation of
the district and reports that:
while the district spends millions of dollars a year on
supplies, students state they have few computers and often
must bring toilet paper and paper towels from home;
although the district has an $80M budget, it remains plagued
with building repair needs such as leaky roofs, broken
furnaces, roaches in lunchrooms, locked fir doors and
restrooms without hot water and toilet doors;
civics tests are no more current than President Carter's
term as president and some teachers sleep through class.
Joseph Spagnolo, state superintendent of education, said
that a total takeover of East St. Louis schools is a possibility,
but he added that the financial control board will have the final
say in the matter. "They've done a fabulous job," he said.
"They enjoy my full support."
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