NEGP Weekly for June 8, 2000
NEGPWEEK (NEGPWEEK@WESTAT.com)
Thu, 8 Jun 2000 15:02:22 -0400
*******************THE NEGP WEEKLY****************
A weekly news update on America's Education Goals
and school improvement efforts across America from the
NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL
Thursday - June 8, 2000 -- Vol. 2 -- No. 61
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CONTENTS
**STATE POLICY
1.) MINNESOTA'S PROFILE: REWORKING STANDARDS (Goal 3)
2.) RETAINING STUDENTS: MISSOURI TESTS THE WATERS (Goal 3)
**COMMUNITY AND LOCAL NEWS
3.) THE END OF SOCIAL PROMOTION: CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS PREPARED (Goal 3)
4.) RECRUITING IN SEATTLE: IT PAYS OFF (Goal 4)
**FEDERAL POLICY NEWS
5.) TECH KNOW-HOW: TEACHING THE TEACHERS (Goal 4)
6.) JASON PROJECT: A STAR (Goal 5)
**RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PRACTICE
7.) "DOES MATH MATTER:" A SERIES ON MATH INSTRUCTION (Goal 5)
8.) "A SENSE OF CALLING:" WHAT TEACHERS WANT (Goal 4)
**FEATURE STORY
9.) THE CONDITION OF EDUCATION: AN ANNUAL REPORT
***FACT OF THE WEEK***
Between 1988 and 1996 the District of Columbia and South Carolina
significantly increased the percentages of U.S. citizens who reported that
they voted.
--The National Education Goals Report: Building a Nation of Learners, 1999
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STATE POLICY NEWS
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1.) ******** MINNESOTA'S PROFILE: REWORKING STANDARDS
(Goal Three: Student Achievement)
Minnesota lawmakers reached a compromise on changes to the state's
two-year-old Profile of Learning standards, with Governor Jessie Ventura
signing the bill into law last month (Keller, EDUCATION WEEK, 5/31). The
law basically gives school districts more time and leeway to implement the
standards. It also left untouched a "controversial requirement for
assessments that emphasize understanding and real-life applications,"
writes the paper.
The legislation allows the state's local school boards to waive Profile
requirements for students who are now in grades 9 and 10. Local boards
will be able to waive certain requirements for students enrolled in
advanced academic programs, such as Advanced Placement courses, and for
transfer students. Districts also can cut back the number of learning
goals students must meet at different points in their schooling.
According to the paper, "the change is meant to address a barrage of
teacher and parent complaints that the goals have in effect replaced good
curriculum with standards that are half-baked or worse, while
overburdening teachers with paperwork."
Lawmakers rejected efforts by a conservative, grassroots group, the Maple
River Education Coalition, to dismantle the Profile of Learning standards.
For more information, visit http://www.state.mn.us.
2.) ******** RETAINING STUDENTS: MISSOURI TESTS THE WATERS
(Goal Three: Student Achievement)
Missouri school officials are grappling with how to abide by a new law
effective this July 1 that requires retaining students who fall behind in
reading (Pierce and Young, St. Louis POST DISPATCH, 6/3). According to
the paper, many educators disagree with the law, arguing that holding
students back only increases their risk of dropping out of school. Others
fear parent uprising over the potentially large number of students who
could be held back. Seven in ten Missouri students failed to meet state
standards on last year's Missouri Assessment Program tests in reading and
writing.
Confusion exists over what grades are effected by the ban on social
promotion, reports the paper. The state Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education holds that the law applies to grades 1 through 8.
State Deputy Education Commissioner Kent King said the rule applies to
students who are more than a year behind in their reading levels.
However, Senator Steve Ehlmann, sponsor of the bill, said the law applies
to students who fall two years behind and should only apply to students
from grades 3 to 8.
Some schools have begun offering summer school programs or after-school
programs to help students improve their reading skills.
For more information, visit http://www.state.mo.us.
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Community and Local News
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3.) ******** THE END OF SOCIAL PROMOTION: CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS PREPARED
(Goal Three: Student Achievement)
Social promotion ended this spring in California and many schools across
the state were geared up to help students struggling to stay at grade
level. The SACRAMENTO BEE reports on efforts underway in several
California school districts to provide support to students not meeting the
grade (Kollars, 5/28)
Early identification and intervention of low-achieving students is key,
said Dalila DeLancy, principal at Freeport Elementary. Her school offers
summer school and after-school classes for students below grade level in
reading.
The San Juan Unified School District will open a "pre-seventh-grade"
program at the middle school level for students not ready for middle
school work. A similar program is being planned for students entering
ninth-grade. The district also offers summer school. Students below
grade level entering school in the fall may be assigned a daily "support"
period where they can work on reading, writing and math skills.
Elk Grove Unified School District also offers remedial classes during the
summer. Superintendent Dave Gordon sent letters to the parents of Elk
Grove students who were scoring in the bottom quartile on standardized
tests, cautioning them about their child's potential retention in the
spring. Elementary students were offered remedial classes and middle and
high school students were assigned to literacy classes that replaced
electives.
For more information, visit the San Juan school district at
http://www.sanjuan.edu, or the Elk Grove Unified School District at
http://www.egusd.k12.ca.us.
4.) ******** RECRUITING IN SEATTLE: IT PAYS OFF
(Goal Four: Teacher Education and Professional Development)
Tired of losing teachers to the suburbs, Seattle school officials stepped
up recruiting efforts this year (Ervin, Seattle TIMES, 6/2). "It's by far
the best recruiting cycle I've had in two years [in Seattle]," said Mike
Jones, executive director of human resources for Seattle schools.
School district recruiters visited all Washington colleges that train
teachers and to more job fairs at colleges located outside the state.
Teachers in high-demand areas were targeted - special education, math,
science and middle school. Other recruiting strategies include:
> A retired principal was hired to recruit student teachers working in
the district to become permanent teachers. This first-time effort filled
390 teacher vacancies.
> A toll-free number for applicants was established.
> Recruiters have visited minority job fairs.
> A retired principal was hired to make new visits to teachers colleges
in Mississippi and Louisiana, with the goal of recruiting more minority
teachers.
> Recruitment brochures were produced and posters were sent to every
teacher college in the country.
For more information, visit Seattle Public Schools at
http://www.seattleschools.org
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Federal Policy News
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5.) ******** TECH KNOW-HOW: TEACHING THE TEACHERS
(Goal Four: Teacher Education and Professional Development)
President Clinton last week announced the award of $43 million to fund 122
new grants to train future teachers to use technology effectively in the
classroom. This year's Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology
grants program will help about 200,000 new teachers become
technology-proficient by the year 2003.
The grants will support teacher preparation improvements in nearly every
state and region in the country. A majority of the grants focus on
improving technology use in low-income communities and rural areas and
among minority groups and special populations.
"The ultimate purpose of computers in the classroom is to boost student
performance and help children learn," said Clinton. "That can only happen
if teachers have the training to best use technology. Today, two out of
three teachers with access to a computer say they don't feel well prepared
to use it in class. We owe it to America's children to help their
teachers become as comfortable with a computer as they are with a
chalkboard."
For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education at
http://www.ed.gov/teachtech/
6.) ******** JASON PROJECT: A STAR
(Goal Five: Math and Science)
The Star Schools Program of the U.S. Department of Education has awarded
the JASON Foundation for Education a $9.8 million grant over five years to
help build classroom resources in technology. The JASON Foundation
intends to use the grant to develop a new generation of tools and training
models for classrooms and communities worldwide.
The JASON Foundation's goal is to improve the ability of students to
design their own investigations and to acquire and interpret scientific
data, to increase student interest in science study over the year and
improve their ability to meet national science standards. Teacher
education is part of the program.
Students who participate in the JASON Foundation programs will be exposed
to multiple scientific expeditions during the year, while their teachers
will gain greater expertise with new technologies and scientific
principles.
For more information, visit the JASON Project at
http://www.jasonproject.org.
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Research and Education Practices
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7.) ******** "DOES MATH MATTER:" A SERIES ON MATH INSTRUCTION (Goal Five:
Math and Science)
The CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR's series on math instruction covers the U.S.
"math meltdown," several controversial math programs and promising
practices underway throughout the country. Another group of articles
offers international perspectives and the rise of professional tutoring
firms as parents "worry about 'fuzzy' math."
One separate article describes Project SEED (Special Elementary Education
for the Disadvantaged), which aims to close the achievement gap between
white and minority students. SEED is the brainchild of William Johntz, a
psychologist, mathematician and math teacher from Berkeley, California.
Planted in 1963, SEED has a track record of success. One longitudinal
study found that 10 years later SEED students continued to demonstrate
higher grades, attendance and math skills," writes the paper.
The program uses the Socratic method and gives remedial students
higher-level work. Johntz believes that students "connect far better with
rigorous math than they do with the remedial fare they are often offered,"
notes the MONITOR. Classes examine wrong answers as seriously as correct
ones, until all students understand what worked and what did not. Due to
the Socratic method, class discussions are lively. SEED is a program
students take along with their regular math courses.
For more information, visit the CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR at
http://www.csmonitor.com and click on the "Learning" section.
8.) ******** "A SENSE OF CALLING:" WHAT TEACHERS WANT (Goal Four: Teacher
Education and Professional Development)
Small class size and strong support from administrators and parents tops
the list of what teachers most want from their profession, according to a
new report issued by Public Agenda. A Sense of Calling also found that
the majority of new teachers possess a "passion for teaching [that is]
striking."
The report addresses six major concerns about the teaching profession:
> Are new teachers demoralized and uncommitted?
> Are talented young people avoiding the profession?
> Is money the problem?
> Is certification the problem?
> Is teacher preparation the problem?
> Do working conditions undermine teacher performance?
For more information, visit Public Agenda at http://www.publicagenda.com.
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Feature Story
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9.) ******** THE CONDITION OF EDUCATION: AN ANNUAL REPORT
(All Goals)
More Americans are participating in U.S. education - from preschoolers to
adult learners, according to an annual report released by the U.S.
Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Other good news: more high school students are taking advanced courses in
mathematics and science, and mathematics and science performance has
improved.
"This report shows a very positive trend toward creating a 'nation of
learners,'" said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Frank S. Holleman III.
"With more children starting school earlier and more adults going to
college and seeking to upgrade their careers, the American public is
saying it recognized the value and importance of education."
The Condition of Education: 2000 is a congressionally mandated annual
report, reflecting a consensus of professional judgement about significant
national measures on the condition and progress of education. This year's
report contains 67 indicators, 35 of which are new this year, and an essay
on the knowledge, skills and behaviors that entering kindergartners bring
to school. New indicators include:
w> Preparedness and other factors related to whether at-risk students
will enroll in higher education;
> Before- and after-school care;
> Parent's satisfaction with their children's schools, teachers, academic
standards and discipline;
> Advanced coursework taken by high school graduates in math and science;
and
> The civics understanding of students at the elementary, middle and high
school levels.
The report also found that despite the recent spate of school shootings,
school violence has not increased in the last 25 years. An overwhelming
majority of teachers report that they can maintain discipline in the
classroom.
Despite data that show increases in student achievement in reading, math
and science, educational equity and international competitiveness remain
as obstacles.
Other findings from the report include:
> Not only are more high school students enrolling in college, but also
more of them are doing so immediately after completing high school.
Between 1984 and 1998, the percentage of students completing high school
and enrolling in college immediately rose from 55 percent to 66 percent.
> School enrollment rates are growing fastest among America's youngest
children, with 65 percent of 3- to 5- year-olds enrolled in early
childhood education in 1998, compared to 55 percent in 1985.
> However, enrollment rates vary by gender, race and income. For
example, 60 percent of black 3-year-olds and 81 percent of black
4-year-olds attend preschool, compared with only 47 percent and 70 percent
of white 3- and 4-year-olds, respectively. In higher education, women,
who a few years ago began to surpass men as a percentage of the college
population, are entering higher education at even faster rates. In 1998,
women increased to 57 percent of the college population.
EDUCATION WEEK also reports that the NCES data found more parents turning
away from local public schools, to private schools or charter schools.
The level of parent confidence in schools, typically high, has slipped
slightly the past few years.
For more information and a copy of the report, visit http://nces.ed.gov. A
copy of the report can be ordered by calling 1-877-4ED-Pubs,or via e-mail
at edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
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The NEGP WEEKLY is a publication of:
The National Education Goals Panel
1255 22nd Street NW, Suite 502
Washington, DC 20037;
202-724-0015
NEGP Executive Director: Ken Nelson
Publisher: Barbara A. Pape
http://www.negp.gov
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WHAT IS THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL?
The National Education Goals Panel is a unique bipartisan body of state
and federal officials created in 1990 by President Bush and the nation's
Governors to report state and national progress and urge education
improvement efforts to reach the National Education Goals.
WHAT DOES THE GOALS PANEL DO?
The Goals Panel has been charged to:
* Report state and national progress toward the National Education Goals.
* Work to establish a system of high academic standards and assessments.
* Identify promising and effective reform strategies.
* Recommend actions for state, federal, and local governments to take.
* Build a nationwide, bipartisan consensus to achieve the Goals.
WHAT ARE THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS?
There are eight National Education Goals set for the year 2000. They are:
1) All children will start school ready to learn.
2) The high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90%.
3) All students will become competent in challenging subject matter.
4) Teachers will have the knowledge and skills they need.
5) U.S. students will be first in the world in math and science
achievement.
6) Every adult American will be literate.
7) Schools will be safe, disciplined, and free of drugs, guns and alcohol.
8) Schools will promote parental involvement and participation.
WHO SERVES ON THE GOALS PANEL AND HOW ARE THEY CHOSEN?
Eight governors, four state legislators, four members of the U.S.
Congress,
and two members appointed by the President serve on the Goals Panel.
Members
are appointed by the leadership of the National Governors' Association,
the
National Conference of State Legislatures, the U.S. Senate and House, and
the President. The number of Republicans and Democrats are made even by
appointing five governors from the party that does not control the White
House.
The current Panel Members are Governors Tommy G. Thompson, WI (Chair,
2000); John Engler, MI; Jim Geringer, WY; James B. Hunt, Jr., NC; Frank
Keating, OK; Frank O'Bannon, IN; Paul E. Patton, KY; Cecil H. Underwood,
WV; Secretary of Education Richard Riley; Michael Cohen, U.S. Assistant
Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education; U.S. Senator Jeff
Bingaman, NM; U.S. Senator Jim Jeffords, VT; U.S. Representative William
F. Goodling, PA; U.S. Representative Matthew G. Martinez, CA;
Representative G. Spencer Coggs, WI; Representative Mary Lou Cowlishaw,
IL; Representative Douglas R. Jones, ID;
Senator Stephen Stoll, MO.
The annual Goals Report and other publications of the Panel are available
without charge upon request from the Goals Panel or at its web site
http://www.negp.gov. Requests can be made by mail, fax, e-mail, or
Internet.