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--- Wednesday --- July 15, 1998 --- Vol. 1 --- No. 50 ---
NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL
NEGP Weekly
THE UPDATE ON AMERICA'S EDUCATION REFORM EFFORTS
in cooperation with the DAILY REPORT CARD
BUSINESS + EDUCATION = SUMMIT
More than 100 CEOs from
companies including Mattel and
PricewaterhouseCoopers will
meet in New York City this
September to discuss how to
promote and enhance the quality
of children's education. The
summit will be held during
"Working Mother" magazines'
second annual CEO Summit,
scheduled for 17 Sept. 1998.
The summit was developed by
MacDonald Communications
Corporation, which publishes
"Working Mother," "Working
Woman" and "Ms." magazines,
with assistance from the U.S.
DoEd. This year's topic: "The
Corporate Imperative: Results
and Benefits of Business
Involvement in Education."
LITERACY & ADULT ED GRANTS
More than $345M for both
adult education and literacy
programs has recently been
awarded by the U.S. DoEd. The
DoED estimates that more than
four million adults will be
served by state-sponsored
literacy programs. Grants
range from nearly $39M for
Calif. to nearly $700,000 for
Wy.
__________ __________
| SPOTLIGHT |
| |
| "DREAM CATCHERS" |
| |
| One community college |
| president likens her |
| institution to the "dream |
| catchers" some Native |
| Americans hang over a |
| sleeping infant to capture |
| good dreams and allow bad |
| ones to escape, note Bob |
| Davis and David Wessel in |
| their book "Prosperity." |
| (Random House, 1998) |
| |
| For the authors, commun- |
| ity colleges hold the key to|
| the future for middle class |
| Americans. "Education pro- |
| motes equality," they say. |
| In W.V., a "dream |
| catcher" is being hung at |
| the K-12 level. Students |
| will be required to |
| complete both a career |
| major and college prep |
| curriculum to graduate from |
| high school. Exploring |
| careers will begin in the |
| earlier grades, as students |
| make plans to catch their |
| own dreams. (#2) |
| |
|_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"We may have fallen short in giving students what they need to be
employable."
Tom Schultz, vocational instructor in Ohio, after hearing that
only 7% of Ohio seniors meet the standards for all areas of a
skills test. (#3)
_______________________________________________________________
| (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
"THE STATE OF STATE STANDARDS:" Bad state of affairs. (#1)
COMBINING CAREER WITH COLLEGE: A mandate in W.V. (#2)
SKILL GAP: Ohio grads not ready for world of work. (#3)
GOAL SIX: ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING
LIFETIME LEARNERS: Get a tax break. (#4)
IN THE NEWS
NEWS BRIEFS: NEA and Massachusetts teachers. (#5)
===== GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP =====
*1 "THE STATE OF STATE STANDARDS:" BAD STATE OF AFFAIRS
In its sixth and final installment, the Thomas B. Fordham
Foundation released its conclusion in a series of reports on
state standards. The authors' judgement: the "'state of state
standards' is bleaker then we had hoped."
Five core academic subject standards -- English, history,
geography, math and science -- were the topics of the first five
reports. This last report recaps major findings from the
previous reports and offers lessons learned for the standards
movement. For example, the report offers answers to questions
that relate to the states' standards, including:
Why are many state standards so vague?;
Why are so many state standards hostile to knowledge?;
Why are many state standards entranced by "relevance"?;
Why do many state standards confuse classroom means with
educational ends?;
How politicized are the state standards?; and
To what extent did national standards impact state
standards?.
The good news heralded by the report is that in every
subject, "at least one state published excellent standards,"
which can serve as models for other states. For example, Mass.
earned an "A" for its English standards and Va. an "A" in
history. Three states received "A" grades for geography: Colo.,
Ind., and Texas. Calif. and N.C. got "As" for Math. Six states
scored "A" grades in science: Ariz., Colo., Hawaii, Ind., N.J.,
and R.I.
The three top-scoring states are: Ariz., with a "B+" grade,
Calif., "B", and Texas, "B".
Commentaries by Lynne Cheney, Denis Doyle, William Galston,
Will Marshall and Susan Traiman also are provided in the report.
For more information on "The State of State Standards," or
other Fordham Foundation reports, including the recent "A Nation
Still At Risk," contact: The Thomas Fordham Foundation; 1015
18th Street NW; Suite 300; Washington, D.C. 20036; 202/223-5452;
www.edexcellence.net.
*2 COMBINING CAREER WITH COLLEGE: A MANDATE IN WEST VIRGINIA
Beginning next year, W.V. high school students will be
required to complete both a career major and a college
preparatory curriculum before earning a diploma (Hume, ED DAILY,
6/9). The policy, adopted by the state in 1996, makes W.V. the
first state to mandate both a career major combined with a
college prep background for high school students.
All students must declare a career major, which are "broadly
structured," writes the paper. The ninth- and tenth-grade
program will provide focused career exploration projects and
possible job shadowing or a mentor program.
A more rigorous curriculum will be offered to all students,
including: three math courses, including Algebra I and a higher-
level course; three science courses, including a lab-based, upper
level course; and four courses in a career major. Students will
be allowed to switch career clusters at the end of each semester.
Career exploration also will be integrated into the K-8
curriculum to help prepare children for the upcoming requirement.
In eighth grade, students will take the ACT Explore aptitude and
interest inventory to aid them in mapping out their future career
path. The student will meet with both teacher and parents to
devise a plan for high school and the first year after
graduation.
According to ED DAILY, the new mandate already may be
"bearing fruit." Composite basic skills test scores rose for
every grade in the state during this school year. And more
students are taking high-level math courses.
*3 SKILL GAP: OHIO GRADS NOT READY FOR WORLD OF WORK
A "skill gap" exists between Ohio's high school seniors and
the entry-level jobs waiting to be filled in the state's
businesses, according to a recent study released by the Ohio
Business Roundtable. A mere 7% of Ohio students met the
standards for all of the four skill areas assessed under the Work
Keys standardized assessment.
"We may have fallen short in giving students what they need
to be employable," said Tom Schultz, member of the American
Vocational Association board of directors and a vocational
instructor in Ohio.
The study found that students scored highest in applied math
and reading and worst in applied technology and location
information. Some Ohio educators conclude that the high school
curriculum should be linked better to "real life experiences to
give students more applications to the workplace."
College preparatory students scored higher than non-college-
bound students. Urban students did worse than their suburban and
rural counterparts, although the gap was not as bad as some
feared. About 60% of suburban and rural students met the reading
and math standards for 80% of the available jobs, with nearly
half of urban students meeting those same requirements.
The study offered several recommendations to close the skill
gap, including:
higher academic standards and increased accountability;
community involvement in setting academic and skill
standards and better dialogue between employers and
educators;
more teacher training opportunities; and
new work-based learning initiatives.
Nearly 15,000 seniors in 119 Ohio high schools were assessed
in four areas. The American College Testing (ACT) program Work
Keys divided job requirements into skills and skill proficiency
through the creation of job profiles. In this way, a student's
readiness to succeed in a given job was measured.
Statewide Work Keys surveys also are underway in Tenn.,
Miss., and W.V.
The report, "Knowledge & Know-How: Meeting Ohio's Skill Gap
Challenge" is free from the Ohio Business Roundtable; 41 S. High
Street; Suite 2240; Columbus, Ohio 43215; 614/469-1044.
===== GOAL SIX: ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING =====
*4 LIFETIME LEARNERS: GET A TAX BREAK
In a town hall meeting in Iowa, Vice President Al Gore
announced that as many as 13.1 million adults could claim up to
$9.5B in tax credits by taking advantage of the Hope Scholarship
or Lifetime Learning Tax Credit next year to attend college or
take postsecondary courses to upgrade their skills.
"These new investments in the education and training of
college students and adults will give them the 21st century
skills they need to get and hold good jobs in an increasingly
competitive new economy," said Gore. "The more educational tools
our students have at their disposal the more we can hope to
increase what they can earn."
The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit went in effect on 1 July
and the Hope Scholarship in January. The Lifetime Learning Tax
Credit targets adults returning to school to upgrade skills and
to college juniors, seniors, graduate and professional students.
A family will receive a 20% tax credit for the first $5,000 of
tuition and fees paid each year through 2002 and the first
$10,000 thereafter.
The Hope Scholarship gives students a tax credit of up to
$1,500 for tuition and fees for the first two years of college.
A U.S. DoEd press release notes students ages 24 or older
currently make up 40% of all Pell grant recipients and nearly 30%
of all student loan recipients.
Ed Sec Richard Riley: "We have worked hard to make college
more affordable and accessible for all Americans. These tax
credits and increased investments in education will continue to
make college and additional training possible for many students
of all ages who want and need it."
For more information about the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit
or Hope Scholarship call 800/USA-LEARN or 800-4FED-AID to obtain
a copy of the "Families Guide to the 1997 Education Tax Cuts," or
visit the DoEd's web site at www.ed.gov.
==== IN THE NEWS ====
*5 NEWS BRIEFS: NEA AND MASSACHUSETTS TEACHERS
VOTE HEARD 'ROUND THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY: Delegates to the
National Education Association's (NEA) convention last week
overwhelmingly voted down a document that would have led to the
NEA's merger with its rival teachers' union, the American
Federation of Teachers (AFT). The L.A. TIMES called the vote a
"stinging rejection" for NEA leaders (Cooper, 7/6).
According to various news accounts, NEA leaders opposed to
the merger successfully argued that it would put at risk the
NEA's democratic traditions and also would equate teachers with
blue-collar workers since the merged union would become a member
of the AFL-CIO, of which the AFT is a member. Many delegates
also felt that the merger was coming too fast and furious, with
many left in the dark over the details.
However, just one day after they rejected the plan for
unity, NEA delegates gave their leaders the go-ahead to pursue
merger talks with the AFT. The second vote gives NEA President
Bob Chase the authority to hash out a new plan with the AFT
leadership.
While most NEA leaders recognized they would not be able to
get the needed two-thirds majority to approve the merger, they
were surprised at the meager 42% vote. A combined union would
have had 3.3 million members, making it the largest union in the
AFL-CIO, writes the Philadelphia INQUIRER (Mezzacappa, 7/6).
The WASH POST points out that already dozens of local
affiliates from each union have merged their operations, "and a
few state affiliates are on the verge of doing so." (Sanchez,
7/6) On the national level, both unions often work together,
forming joint councils to work on issues such as improving
teacher quality and school safety, writes the paper.
Despite the outcome of the NEA vote, the AFT plans to vote
on the "Unity" document this weekend at their annual convention.
Sandra Feldman, president of the AFT: "There is no doubt that
something very positive for public education developed in our
four years of negotiations [over the Unity document]. The two
organizations learned that, despite their different histories and
cultures, they also have much in common."
IN THE WAKE OF TEACHER TEST SCORES: The news that nearly
60% of Mass. teachers initially flunked a first-time state-
mandated certification exam has sent state leaders scrambling to
gain public confidence in the teaching profession. One proposal
bandied about in the state legislature would lure new teachers
with a $20,000 signing bonus, "the largest of any school system
in the nation," writes the WASH POST (Ferdinand, 7/9).
"This is an effort to level the playing field a little bit
so teaching will not be the profession of last resort," said
Senate President Thomas Birmingham (D). "It is an elitist
program. We are trying to attract the best and brightest to the
teaching corps."
John Silber, chairman of the state Board of Education
commented that bonuses "certainly can't hurt, and I suspect they
can help a great deal."
"Attracting teachers is certainly important," concurred
Kathy Kelly, president of the Massachusetts Federation of
Teachers. "Retaining them is even more important," she added.
THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS
* GOAL 1: READY TO LEARN
All children in America will start school ready to learn.
* GOAL 2: SCHOOL COMPLETION
The high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90
percent.
* GOAL 3: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
All students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having
demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter including
English, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and
government, economics, arts, history, and geography, and every
school in America will ensure that all students earn to use their
minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship,
further learning, and productive employment in our Nation' modern
economy.
* GOAL 4: TEACHER EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Nation's teaching force will have access to programs for
the continued improvement of their professional skills and the
opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to
instruct and prepare all American students for the next century.
* GOAL 5: MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
United States students will be first in the world in
mathematics and science achievement.
* GOAL 6: ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING
Every adult American will be literate and will possess the
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
* GOAL 7: SAFE, DISCIPLINED, & ALCOHOL- AND DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS
Every school in the United States will be free of drugs,
violence, and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol
and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
* GOAL 8: PARENTAL PARTICIPATION
Every school will promote partnerships that will increase
parental involvement and participation in promoting the social,
emotional, and academic growth of children.
_______________________________________________________________
| National Education Goals Panel |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Suite 502; Washington, D.C. 20037 |
| 202/632-0957 (Fax); e-mail: negp@goalline.org |
| Web site: www.negp.gov |
|_______________________________________________________________|
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