Star Democrat, The (Easton, MD)
March 23, 2011
HEADLINE: Educators air concerns during Mikulski-led roundtable at EHS

By Dustin Holt

EASTON Superintendents representing seven Eastern Shore counties and state education officials joined U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., Tuesday at Easton High School in a roundtable discussion about the needs of rural educators and students.

The group talked for two hours about different issues facing Eastern Shore public schools including ways to improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), eliminating competitive school grants and the Race to the Top initiative. All the superintendents agreed with the different recommendations suggested at the meeting.

Signed into law in 1965, ESEA emphasizes equal access to education and establishes high standards for students. In 2002, the U.S. Congress reauthorized ESEA as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) with accountability measures for teachers and school districts.

Students across the country take tests each year and if the schools do not meet the previous year's adequate learning progress, a school is deemed a failing school.

This year, Congress will have the option of reauthorizing ESEA. Mikulski recently was appointed chairwoman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions' Subcommittee on Children and Families, which will play a major role in the reauthorization of ESEA.

Tuesday's meeting is Mikulski's first around the state to hear from state educators about the recommendations they have for the reauthorization of ESEA.

Caroline County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Edward Shirley said ESEA and No Child Left Behind improved special education for special needs students.

"We are concerned about how we are measuring and held accountable for our special needs students at the exact same level that we are expected to achieve for all other students," Shirley said. "The other problem I've always had is we get so focused on standardized testing and it doesn't necessarily measure a lot of the skills our kids will need in the 21st century. It doesn't measure a lot of group skills, problem solving skills or teamwork skills."

Shirley said he would like to see a fair growth measurement for each student instead of classes with multiple forms of testing.

"We are operating in a sanctions-based paradigm in the ESEA instead of a rewards-based paradigm," said Dorchester County Public Schools Superintendent Henry Wagner. "We are trying to avoid punishment. There is a decidedly negative flavor to NCLB."

"NCLB is structured in such a way that growth is expected incrementally," Wagner said. "Human progress is developmental. It comes in spurts and regresses from time to time."

Talbot County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon said the ESEA penalizes schools with artificial measures and unfunded mandates. She said one or two students could determine if a school is considered a failing school.

Mikulski said two students one way or another creates an artificial profile.

Kent County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barbara Wheeler said a move to competitive grants would hurt rural school systems. She said she does not have the money to hire a grant writer to keep up with large school districts.

Maryland educators are in the process of reforming state curriculum after Maryland was awarded up to $250 million through four years when the state was named one of 10 recipients of the $4.3 billion Race to the Top federal education initiative last August.

Maryland's primary RTTT reforms include revising the pre-kindergarten- through 12th-grade Maryland State Curriculum, assessments and accountability system based on the Common Core Standards to assure all graduates are college- and career-ready.

Somerset County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Karen-Lee Brofee said the RTTT and the ESEA need to be adjusted and made similar. She said currently, ESEA looks at qualifications where the RTTT looks at effectiveness. She said the RTTT is strong in science where ESEA is strong in reading.

Mikulski said she got a lot of great information from the superintendents.

"I always say, 'The best ideas come from the people,'" Mikulski said. "Washington doesn't have all the answers when it comes to improving our schools. That's why I came to hear what the teachers, principals and administrators of Maryland's rural Eastern Shore think about the [ESEA]."

"I want to take their ideas back to Washington with me as Congress works to reauthorize this federal law. I will continue to stand up and fight for the needs of children in our rural school districts."

Also attending the meeting was Queen Anne's County Pubic Schools representative Anne Thomas, and superintendents Dr. D'Ette Devine and Dr. Jon Andes from Cecil and Worcester counties, respectively.