| |
|
October 31, 2008 |
Click here to read printable version |
|
| Today's high school students less likely to graduate than parents were |
| |
A study by the Education Trust indicates that American students today are less likely than their parents to graduate from high school, the Associated Press reports, making the United States the only industrialized nation where that is the case. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, states are required to meet graduation targets every year, but states set the targets themselves -- and they set them low. Bob Balfanz, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University, explained that state and school officials -- required to improve test scores to avoid penalties -- got a break on graduation rates and seized it. "A lot of states said, 'Well, we're under a lot of pressure; let's not make this too hard on ourselves,' " Balfanz says. "They were given a loophole, and they took it." Meanwhile, lax tracking of who actually graduated was found to be masking the dropout crisis. The federal government is expected to mandate soon that states use a common tracking system, and schools will be judged not only on their overall graduation rates but also on the percentage of black and Hispanic students who graduate. Among minority students, more than one in three drops out of school.
Read more | Report | Back to top
|
|
|
New Jersey using multi-agency approach to raise graduation rates |
| |
In a bid to raise graduation rates, New Jersey's Gov. Jon S. Corzine has unveiled a year-long, multi-agency initiative to be called the New Jersey High School Graduation Campaign, reports the New York Times. The plan, part of a national campaign by America's Promise Alliance, will be led by the state attorney general's office, with funding from Verizon, Prudential, and other businesses. Says Irene Sterling, president of the Paterson Education Fund, an advocacy group for children in the Paterson schools: "What the suburbs don't understand about their success is that it is the whole community that's making their school successful. They have a lot of involved parents, and they have parks and recreational programs. Urban students are dependent on their schools to deliver things that are delivered by others in the suburbs."
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| College prices rise but private loans decline; tuition hikes could follow |
| |
The cost of attending college this year rose slightly faster than the Consumer Price Index's gain of 5.6 percent, the College Board reports, but while financial aid to students has been increasing overall, the number of private loans for higher education began shrinking even before the current credit crisis began. One implication, according to education experts cited by the New York Times, is that many colleges -- both public and private -- may soon be forced to raise tuition substantially. The College Board's findings are contained in two reports, "Trends in College Pricing 2008" and "Trends in Student Aid 2008." The organization said financial aid, including grants and federal loans, increased in 2007-08 by an average of 5.5 percent after an adjustment for inflation. For this school year, it said, published tuition and fees for in-state students attending public four-year institutions were up an average of 6.4 percent, to about $6,600. At public two-year colleges, the published price averaged about $2,400. In both cases, however, financial aid reduced the "sticker price" substantially -- to about $2,900 at public four-year colleges and to only about $100 at public two-year colleges. At private four year, not-for-profit institutions, the published sticker price hit $25,100, with aid reducing that to about $14,900.
Read more | Pricing report | Aid report | Back to top
|
|
| Study casts doubt on efforts to help teachers boost kids' reading ability |
| |
The notion that professional development programs for teachers can be effective in helping children improve their reading skills does not fare especially well in a federally commissioned report by the nonprofit research company MDRC. The study looked at two different approaches to professional development in high-poverty schools -- one approach involving a teachers institute about reading principles and how children learn to read, and the other adding "in-school coaching that focused more on how to integrate this knowledge into teaching." The emphasis was on second-grade reading. After a year, the researchers reported, although both approaches were found to produce "positive impacts on teachers' knowledge of scientifically based reading instruction," neither approach led to significantly higher reading test scores for students than did "business as usual" efforts. MDRC, formerly known as the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, was created by the Ford Foundation and six federal agencies in 1974.
Read more | Report | Back to top
|
|
| Tougher proficiency tests bring big drop in scores |
| |
No surprise here: When state officials in New Jersey introduced revisions to proficiency tests for elementary- and middle-school students this past summer, they warned that schools and parents should expect a precipitous decline in scores -- and that is what happened. In Newark, for example, nearly every elementary school saw double-digit drops in the percentage of fifth- and sixth-graders passing language-arts sections of the revised tests, according to the Newark Star-Ledger, while under the old scoring system, most schools would have seen gains. Suburban systems have been affected similarly. "When I first saw our scores, I was in shock," said Marbella Barrera, Newark's testing director. "We knew it was a different test and it would be more rigorous, but we didn't know they would be changing the standards." The changes raised the passing scores needed in both language arts and math for grades 5 to 7. Under the previous standards, in some cases students needed to answer only about one-third of questions correctly to be deemed "proficient." The office of Lucille Davy, the state education commissioner, says the changes are part of an effort to raise the rigor of educational testing at all levels.
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| Free online access to SAT prep material proposed for Boston students |
| |
A Boston city councilman has introduced legislation to provide free online access to SAT preparation material, according to the Boston Globe. The program would run on the website of the Boston Public Library. The councilman, Michael Flaherty, says the program could be accessed anywhere there's a computer. "We have a responsibility to make sure that students of all income levels have a real chance to attend college, as educating our youth is the key to assuring Boston's future," he said. To pay for the $45,000 program, Flaherty wants to use both city funds and private donations. His proposal comes at a time when many colleges have been placing less emphasis on SAT scores for admission. Even so, Boston's schools have set a goal of increasing combined SAT scores by an average of about 300 points, to 1,650, by 2012.
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| Teacher absences seen hurting poor kids the most |
| |
Absences by public school teachers -- which average about 9 or 10 days a year -- disproportionately affect students from low-income families, says a report by the Center for American Progress. "Students in schools serving predominantly low-income families experience teacher absence at higher rates than students in more affluent communities. Part of the achievement gap is thus due to a teacher attendance gap." That's a good reason for policy people to revisit the issue of teacher absences, the think tank maintains. It also points to other reasons: (1) "Teacher absence is expensive. With 5.3 percent of teachers absent on a given day, stipends for substitute teachers and associated administrative costs amount to $4 billion, annually"; and (2) "Teacher absence negatively affects student achievement. Researchers have found that every 10 absences lower mathematics achievement by the same amount as having a teacher with one year to two years of experience instead of a teacher with three years to five years of experience." The report recommends that the federal government require school districts to provide data on teacher absences under the No Child Left Behind law, that state legislators re-examine teachers' leave privileges, and that local policymakers experiment with incentives to reduce teacher absences.
Read more | Report | Back to top
|
|
| Budget woes force Massachusetts to scale back 'Readiness Project' |
| |
Budgetary problems have prompted Massachusetts officials to scale back a far-reaching proposal by Gov. Deval Patrick aimed at providing free education from preschool through community college, the Boston Globe reports. Education Secretary Paul Reville acknowledged that the administration would seek less money from the legislature for the governor's 10-year "Readiness Project," although officials want to proceed in January with plans for free community college for some students and accelerate an expansion of universal preschool, full-day kindergarten, and longer school days or school years. The governor has charged a commission with finding new sources of revenue by mid-November, and the administration will push ahead with several cost-saving measures, such as encouraging school employees to join a statewide health insurance program and asking school districts to consolidate or to join together in providing special education programs or buying supplies. Comments Reville: "We are going to have to roll with the punches, and the economy will impose limits and constraints on how far we can go with our vision but it does not diminish the need to realize that vision. It's imperative for our children and the future of our economy." (In New York State, meanwhile, where the financial crisis has been especially severe, projected deficits for the next three years are up $20 billion, to $47 billion, according to Reuters.)
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| School finance systems blamed for student achievement problems |
| |
An in-depth study of the relationship between students' performance and state systems of school finance has led a team of education scholars to conclude that states won't be able to educate all students to a high level unless they redesign the finance part. Indeed, a report of the five-year study, published by the Center on Reinventing Public Education, says school finance systems themselves impede student achievement. Declares the report: "Funding student learning requires more than merely adjusting funding levels, tinkering with distribution formulas, creating new programs, imposing another sanction, or singling out hot-button issues. The system itself must be transformed so that resources can better support the ambitious learning goals the public now demands." The report calls current finance systems "a haphazard collection of agendas, components, and practices that miss the connection between resources and learning."
Read more | Report | Back to top
|
|
| DC chancellor, union clash over plan to fire ineffective teachers |
| |
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), parent union to the Washington Teachers Union (WTU), is gearing up for a long fight over DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's plan to fire teachers who are found to be ineffective, reports the Washington Post. Under a plan that has long been on the books but has seldom been used, teachers are given about five months to improve their performance. The plan enlists helping teachers, who intervene with struggling instructors in the classroom and report to central office administrators on all assistance given to instructors. In an attempt to block widespread teacher dismissals, the WTU has announced that the AFT will join it in providing "support and strategies" to any teacher selected for the plan. The struggle can be viewed as a proxy fight over Rhee's proposal to overhaul the beleaguered system's teaching force with instructors who are willing to tie job security to student achievement and to forfeit tenure for higher salaries. The AFT is opposed to this proposal, and is concerned about the potential impact of Rhee's proposal on teacher tenure nationally.
Read more | Back to top
|
|
| Nevada officials wonder: Will flat federal funding be sufficient? |
| |
With many states, including Nevada, slashing their education budgets, school leaders in Nevada may have reason to be buoyed somewhat by word that important federal funding will remain stable. According to the Las Vegas Sun, Nevada had been expecting to lose federal dollars for several education initiatives, including a popular program of tutoring and mentoring for 3,000 seventh graders. But because Congress has delayed reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act, the state will retain funding for that activity, as well as Title I programs, which serve the poorest students. In the present economic climate, however, directors of Title I programs fear that won't be adequate. Clark County, for example, has seen a sharp rise in the number of homeless students, which includes children living in shelters and weekly motels, and those with no regular nightly residence. The district's Title I Homeless Outreach Program for Education office identified 3,194 students this month, compared with from 1,249 the previous month. The number of homeless students doesn't usually surpass 2,500 until the end of the academic year.
Read more | Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
'Strong accountability' urged for charter schools in South
With nearly 1,000 such schools serving about 350,000 students in 13 states, the Southern Regional Education Board wants to be sure they are "financially and educationally accountable."
Harlem bound: a NY social work school will relocate
The Hunter College graduate school, part of the City University of New York, will move from East 79th Street to a new $135 million building in East Harlem. The university's chancellor, Matthew Goldstein, calls it "exactly the right place in the city to build the school."
Wanted: good teachers
The Center for Public Education has released a primer on teacher recruitment strategies.
Wanted: male teachers
"Where are the men?" asks the CAYL Schott Fellowship in Early Care and Education, noting that they account for less than 6 percent of the EC teaching workforce.
Online education forums slated
Upcoming NewTalk topics: school bureaucracy, restoring order and respect in public schools, and whether NCLB should be scrapped.
Online public policy tool available
Designed to help nonprofit organizations, it comes from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. |
|
| NEW GRANT AND FUNDING INFORMATION |
College Board: Grants for the Teaching of Writing
The College Board's Bob Costas Grants for the Teaching of Writing, named for the Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and author, recognize exceptional teachers for the innovative methods they use to develop their students' writing skills. Maximum award: $3,000. Eligibility: teachers of Grades 6-12. Deadline: Nov. 21, 2008.
College Board: Inspiration Awards
The College Board's Inspiration Awards recognize schools for outstanding college-preparation programs and partnerships among teachers, parents, and community organizations. Maximum award: $25,000. Eligibility: secondary schools in which a minimum of 40 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches, and that can demonstrate consistent growth in college-preparation across the entire student population; schools with an academic admissions policy are not eligible. Deadline: Nov. 21, 2008.
Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation: Inclusion of Youth with Disabilities
The MEAF Inclusion Champion Award honors individuals who have made significant efforts to promote the full inclusion of youth with disabilities in society. The focus of the efforts may include, but is not limited to, helping to create a culture of inclusion within an organization or community, or developing innovative strategies for inclusive programming in school activities, after-school programs, community service, and leadership development. Maximum award: $1,000 for the charity of the recipient's choice. Deadline: Dec. 1, 2008.
Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association: ExploraVision Awards
The Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association ExploraVision Awards Program encourages kids in all grades to create and explore a vision of future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science. Maximum award: $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond; all-expenses-paid trip with families, mentor, and coach to Washington, DC, for a gala awards weekend in June 2009. Eligibility: K-12 students. Deadline: Jan. 28, 2009.
Horace Mann: College Course Scholarships for Educators
The Horace Mann Scholarship Program for Educators is offering scholarships for educators in public and private schools to take college courses. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: Educators must be employed by a U.S. public or private school district or U.S. public or private college/university at the time of application and at the time the scholarship is awarded, and must have at least two years of teaching experience; not open to residents of Hawaii, New Jersey, or New York. Deadline: March 12, 2009.
For more grants, see http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_grants.asp
"Staying in school is one of our best crime prevention tools, and it requires the collaborative efforts of all of us to make it happen."
-- New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine, quoted 10/24/08 in the New York Times
The PEN Weekly NewsBlast, published by Public Education Network, is a free electronic newsletter featuring resources and information about public school reform, school finance, and related issues. The NewsBlast is the property of Public Education Network, a national association of 79 local education funds working to improve public school quality in low-income communities throughout the nation. Please forward this e-mail to anyone who enjoys free updates on education news and grant alerts.
Some links in the PEN Weekly NewsBlast may change or expire after their initial publication here, and some links may require local website registration.
Your e-mail address is safe with the NewsBlast. It is our firm policy never to rent, loan, or sell our subscriber list to any other organization, group, or individual.
TO UPDATE OR ADD A NEWSBLAST SUBSCRIPTION
PEN wants you to receive each weekly issue of the NewsBlast at your preferred e-mail address. If you are already a subscriber and would like us to change your e-mail address, please click on "Update Profile/Email Address" near the bottom of the NewsBlast mailing.
People wishing to add a NewsBlast subscription can go to PEN's website (http://www.publiceducation.org) and follow the instructions in the lower left-hand section of the homepage. Current subscribers can unsubscribe by clicking the appropriate link near the bottom of the NewsBlast mailing.
If you use spam filters to protect your inbox, you may wish to take a moment right now to add PEN@publiceducation.org to your e-mail address book, spam-software whitelist, or mail-system whitelist. Adding the address will help ensure that you receive the NewsBlast and that your e-mail software displays HTML and images properly.
To view past issues of the PEN Weekly NewsBlast, visit http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_past.asp.
If you would like to submit a proposed article or news item about your local education fund, public school, or school-reform organization for a future issue of the NewsBlast, please send a note to PEN@PublicEducation.org. For the NewsBlast's submission policy, see http://www.publiceducation.org/newsblast_submission_policy.htm.
Kate Guiney
Contributing Editor
PEN Weekly NewsBlast
Robert L. Jacobson
Senior Associate, Communications,
and Editor, PEN Weekly NewsBlast
Public Education Network
601 Thirteenth Street, NW
Suite 710 South
Washington, DC 20005-3808
PEN@PublicEducation.org |
|
