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--- Friday --- March 1, 1996 --- Vol. 6 --- No. 21 ---
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THE NATIONAL UPDATE ON AMERICA'S EDUCATION REFORM EFFORTS
A service of the National Education Goals Panel
__________ __________
STARVING IN A WORLD OF PLENTY | SPOTLIGHT |
Brooklyn, N.Y.'s, | |
Intermediate School 220 lacked | AN OPEN BOOK |
the basics -- classroom | |
furniture, books, functioning | "Reading is where it all |
bathrooms. Through the | begins," declared Ed Sec |
diligence and creativity of | Richard Riley in his State |
principal Beverly McCormick, | of Education speech. |
the school recently won a | Riley lamented the lack of |
$55,060 gift from MIPS | increase over time in NAEP |
Technologies, a Silicon Valley | reading test scores among |
computer-chip company (Newman, | the nation's children. He |
N.Y. TIMES, 2/28). | encourageed parents to work |
MIPS set out on a nationwide | hard to get children to |
search for a school that could | open books and read. (#6) |
most benefit from a corporate | |
donation and expected to | Riley praised N.Y.C.'s |
provide the winner with high- | Rudy Crew and Texas Gov |
tech equipment. But | George Bush for their |
McCormick's school impressed | efforts to increase liter- |
them most. "When you see that | acy rates among students. |
kind of dire need, you have to | |
act," said Ron Bernal, MIPS | And he called on |
president. | communities and schools to |
McCormick scours every | join forces and open |
newsletter she can for grant | centers in schools for |
ideas. She found MIPS in a | night classes to teach |
United Federation of Teachers | reading and other subjects. |
newsletter. "You have to pay | |
attention to stuff like this, | The folks in Cabot, Vt., |
because otherwise you will | and one Manhattan school |
starve to death in a world of | must agree. They already |
plenty," she said. McCormick | have community school |
is credited with raising | centers in operation. (#5) |
$400,000 in two years. |_____________________________|
============== QUOTE OF THE DAY ==============
"To my way of thinking, improving America's literacy rate is just
as important to this nation's future economic growth as balancing
the budget." -- U.S. Ed Sec Richard Riley. (#6)
_______________________________________________________________
| A service of the National Education Goals Panel |
| Published by the Education Policy Network |
| 1255 22nd Street NW; Wash, D.C.; 20037; 202/632-0952 |
| The DRC hereby authorizes further reproduction and |
| distribution with proper acknowledgement. |
| Publisher: Barbara A. Pape |
Staff Writer: Elizabeth Gage |
|_______________________________________________________________|
============== TABLE OF CONTENTS ==============
GOAL ONE: SCHOOL READINESS
WELFARE WARNING: Children not ready for school. (#1)
GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP
DRIVING FOR ART: Helping bring arts ed to Calif. (#2)
GOAL SEVEN: SAFE SCHOOLS
ROLE MODELS: Voluntary student drug test-takers. (#3)
ZERO-TOLERANCE: Breeds alternative schools. (#4)
PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
COMMUNITY CENTERS: A new role for some schools. (#5)
HE SAID, SHE SAID
THE STATE OF AMERICAN EDUCATION: Riley goes to heartland. (#6)
TESTS AND TESTING
MOVING ON UP: Student test scores on rise in Mich. (#7)
===== GOAL ONE: SCHOOL READINESS =====
*1 WELFARE WARNING: CHILDREN NOT READY FOR SCHOOL
A study of 790 Atlanta, Ga.-area families on welfare
revealed that on average children age 3 to 5 were able to answer
only slightly more than half of questions in a test of ready-to-
learn concepts and skills (Lewin, N.Y. TIMES, 2/29). Skills
tested included understanding of shapes, colors and relationships
such as "under" or "behind." The study was conducted by the
Washington, D.C.-based Child Trends Inc., for the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services.
"These are things kids should know to start school, so it's
disturbing to find how many of them don't," said Kristin Moore,
one of the report's authors. Study results also revealed that
the longer a family was in poverty, the lower the children's
score on the test. "There is lots of research showing that long-
term poverty is especially destructive," said Martha Zaslow,
another of the writers. "This does not damn the mothers, but
rather, says these mothers are facing very serious
circumstances."
Study participants live in "safe and orderly" homes, but few
provide "cognitive stimulation and emotional support to young
children, based on both independent interviewers' findings and
the mothers' own reports ... ," writes the paper. The TIMES
reports that some welfare experts point to the study to support
welfare reform that would require mothers of young children to
join the workforce. "When you start with a baseline like this,
you can be relatively sure that these children won't be worse off
when their mothers work," said Douglas Besharov, resident scholar
at the American Enterprise Institute. "This study is an early
signal that mandatory work, even for mothers of young children,
is wise social policy."
Isabel Sawhill, senior fellow at the Urban Institute,
agrees: "Poor mothers do a worse job of helping their children,
cognitively and emotionally, than better-off mothers." she said.
"We know that cognitive development starts earlier than we used
to think, way before the child is 4. Maybe the best situation
for a lot of these families is if the mom works and the child is
in high-quality child care."
However, child advocates quickly point out that welfare
proposals discussed by Congress and the nation's governors would
cut federal money "earmarked for improving child-care training
and quality," reports the paper. "These plans cut by nearly half
the funds to improve the quality of child care for these at-risk
children, and eliminate even the most basic health and safety
standards to protect them," said Nancy Ebb, senior staff lawyer
at the Children's Defense Fund.
Other findings: more than half the mothers had low reading
and math skills; and many suffered from clinical depression,
which other studies have found to have a negative effect on
children's "well-being," writes the paper.
According to the paper, families participating in the first
part of a five-year evaluation of the JOBS program were randomly
divided into three groups -- one assigned to job-searching, one
to improving their education and a control group. "The study's
supposed to find out what impact the JOBS program has on
children," said Besharov. "But we'll never find out from this
project. As soon as welfare reform is passed, it'll get
defunded."
Although the data from the study was collected just a few
months after the families were divided into groups, "one
important difference emerged," reports the paper. The percentage
of children entering child care grew by more than 50% in the work
and study groups, but increased only slightly in the control
group.
For more information on the report call Child Trends Inc. at
202/362-5580.
===== GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND CITIZENSHIP =====
*2 DRIVING FOR ART: HELPING BRING ARTS ED TO CALIF. STUDENTS
The Arts License Plate program, unveiled in 1992 by Calif.
Gov Pete Wilson (R), the California Arts Council and Sylvester
Stallone, is making enough money to help fund the new Local Arts
Education Partnership Program (California Arts Council press
release, 2/16). "Who better to benefit from the Arts License
Plate sales than California's schoolchildren?" asked Wilson. "I
am pleased that this extra revenue will provide students with
valuable educational opportunities and will help to make
California's arts programs competitive with those of other
states."
Artist and educator Wayne Thiebaud designed the license
plates that picture a seascape with palm trees and a sunset
motif. According to the release, the license has "incredible
popularity in the state's specialty license plate arena."
Sales of the Arts License Plate will continue to generate revenue
to support the Local Arts Education Partnership program on an
ongoing basis, notes the release.
SB 1571 allowed for the creation of the Local Arts Education
Partnership Program in 1992. The program authorizes a local arts
agency, such as a city or county arts council, to join with a
community arts partner to apply for a grant of up to $20,000 per
year for up to three years, to develop and implement an arts
education program with a school district or county office of
education.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin is
"pleased" that the license plates profits are being used to
improve arts education. She notes that Calif. ranks 50th in
music teachers per capita. Eastin: "Arts education is
fundamental to our students' curriculum in developing problem-
solving skills, flexibility, creativity, cooperative approaches
and responsibility,a s well as oral and written language skills."
Grant applications are due to the California Arts Council by
16 April 1996, with 1 October 1996 as the earliest start date
for the project, according to the release. Anyone interested in
receiving an application for the program should contact Carol
Shiffman, program manager at the California Arts Council
(916/322-6393), or Patty Taylor, visual and performing arts
consultant with the state DoEd (916/654-5979.)
To purchase an Arts License Plate call 800/201-6201. The
cost is $30 with an annual renewal fee of $15. For $70, your
plate can be personalized with the annual renewal fee at $40.
===== GOAL SEVEN: SAFE SCHOOLS =====
*3 ROLE MODELS: VOLUNTARY STUDENT DRUG TEST-TAKERS
A voluntary drug-test program at Pattonville High School in
Mo. creates role models for younger students who may be tempted
to experiment with drugs (Wishart, ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH,
2/25). "It will give them some incentive to stay off drugs,"
said high school student and athlete Christine Fitzler, who since
the program's inception four years ago has volunteered yearly for
a drug test.
According to the paper, Pattonville's program was the first
of its kind in Mo. and a "new concept nationwide." Reports of an
increase in drug and alcohol use among teens has caused the
programs to increase across the country, notes the paper. A
U.S. Supreme Court decision last summer ruled that public school
officials could require athletes to submit to the tests, but the
programs tend to be voluntary.
School board members from the Grandview School District are
scheduled to vote on a drug-testing program next month. "We have
no major drug problems," said Superintendent Gerald Moenster.
"We are no different than anyone else, but this would give kids
an opportunity to say no." Grandview's plan would require a
signature from each student and the student's parent. Each
student then would be assigned a number for random selection.
Any positive results would be reported to the parents and drug
and alcohol counseling would be made available. The paper
reports that no punitive measures would be taken and the
student's file would not reflect positive test results.
Grandview Middle school principal James Keeling: "If we can keep
one kid off drugs on a Friday night when they are out with their
little groups, then it will be worth it."
More than 70% of Pattonville students volunteer for drug
testing, writes the paper. "It's been successful because it
gives kids an out," said Bob Benben, assistant principal and
athletic director. "Rather than have a small minority pressuring
the majority, we have the majority involved in the testing
putting pressure on the minority."
The paper reports that David Alexander, a professor in the
department of education leadership and policy studies at Virginia
Tech, explained that role model theory was used in court when
drug-testing programs were challenged last summer.
Some "experts" continue to question "the validity of some
drug-testing programs," writes the paper. For example, Joyce
Armstrong of the American Civil Liberties Union in St. Louis,
questions whether the freedom of choice will lead to peer
pressure. Moenster response: He hopes his district's program
does apply pressure. "It's positive pressure to stay off drugs,"
he said.`
*4 ZERO-TOLERANCE: BREEDS ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS
Approximately 250 Texas K-12 students are being taught at
alternative schools, some sent there due to the implementation of
the state's zero-tolerance policy (Karel Holloway, THE DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 2/20). According to the paper, the zero-tolerance
provision of the state's education reform law calls for the
mandatory expulsion of any child who comes to school with a
dangerous weapon, illegal drugs or who consistently is disruptive
in class.
Dr. Deborah Nance, who tracks alternative schools for the
Texas Education Agency, said her office has "processed about 50
applications this year and that the state has about 300 such
schools," reports the paper. Many of the programs are new,
according to Nance, who also noted that the state did not begin
to track alternative programs until two years ago.
Nance also explained that the curricula at the schools is
diverse -- ranging from innovative programs that use field trips
to the more traditional individual study programs. A common
component of successful programs is principals, teachers and
students who treat each other with respect. "There's a whole
underlying respect [in] treating peers as family members," said
Nance.
Texas law requires all counties with populations of more
than 150,000 to establish countywide alternative programs, notes
the paper. Dr. Arzell Ball, a consultant with Dallas County,
said these are known as "last-chance schools," writes the paper.
Students attending these schools, which must open by the fall,
will be those who have been expelled from other alternative
programs. If they do not work out at the county program, their
next stop could be jail or a juvenile detention center, notes the
paper.
One new provision of the law allows teachers to expel
students from their class. According to the paper, the teacher
is required to document that a student is dangerous or
continually disrupts the class. With few exceptions, the
students would not be placed back in that class without the
teacher's permission, writes the NEWS. However, few teachers
have availed themselves of their new authority. Only 61 students
in Dallas have been removed from class by their teacher. Ms.
Peters of the Dallas Alliance credits having the new law on the
books with improvement in student behavior. "Maybe some teachers
are doing better in class and maybe some of the kids have learned
that teachers can [remove them,]" she said. "I have personally
heard fewer complaints about chaos than I have before, "she
added. "I am hesitantly optimistic."
===== PARTNERS IN EDUCATION =====
*5 COMMUNITY CENTERS: A NEW ROLE FOR SOME SCHOOLS
An old idea is gaining new followers in schools nationwide.
Schools as disparate as Cabot School in north central Vt., and
Manhattan's I.S. 218 are becoming community centers, open after
school hours for community residents to use (Lewis, HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 2/25). "IT's gaining momentum," said Gina Trent, of
the Children's Aid Society, a partner in I.S. 218's community
school initiative.
I.S. 218 offers adult classes in citizenship, English as a
second language, computers and other topics, writes the paper.
Cabot students return to school to complete homework assignments,
or read poetry. Adults at Cabot attend night school or use the
health clinic located on campus. "The community didn't have a
health center and the only doctor in town retired," said Cabot
Principal Hasse Halley. "The community had a need and we had a
need, so we joined together." Larry Decker, a Florida Atlantic U
professor said that community center schools typically are
founded on partnerships among schools, local agencies and
businesses, reports the paper. HIgh parental involvement also is
key at the community schools.
"People here feel very connected to the school," explained
Halley. "We're building on the closeness of the school to the
community." However, she conceded that many educators are
concerned about too much community involvement. "I think there's
fear on the part of some schools to really let everybody in," she
said. He added that many schools today "still are like islands
apart. In today's world it takes the interaction of parents, the
school, the workplace and the community to create an educational
environment that works," he added.
The CHRONICLE claims there is a "revival of 'community
schools' in America." Pat Edward, a program officer at the C.S.
Mott Foundation in Flint. Mich., agrees. He has studied
community schools for years and said that inquiries from
educators have "jumped 10-fold"in the last five years, reports
the paper.
==== HE SAID, SHE SAID ====
*6 THE STATE OF AMERICAN EDUCATION: RILEY GOES TO HEARTLAND
In his third annual State of American Education Address,
U.S. Ed Sec Richard Riley laid out seven challenges for the
American people. The first: "to get American reading again."
Riley announced a new reading and writing partnership dedicated
to improving reading and writing among the nation's students.
"Reading is much more than a skill," Riley said when he
delivered his speech Wed. at a St. Louis public school. "It
allows us to learn the wisdom of the ages, to see beauty in a
line of poetry, even as we test the new ideas of our times. To
read Jefferson is to be engaged with the very spirit of our
democracy. To read the poetry of Maya Angelou is to capture the
surging spirit of a rising and hopeful America." Yet, national
reading scores "have been flat for far too long," complained
Riley. He pointed to the dismal results of the 1994 NAEP
reports: 41% of all fourth-graders, 31% of all eighth-graders
and 25% of all 12th-graders scored below the basic reading level.
The inability to read places too many young people at risk of
truancy and eventually of dropping out of school, warned Riley.
Riley: "To my way of thinking, improving America's literacy
rate is just as important to this nation's future economic growth
as balancing the budget." The Secretary announced a new
partnership charged with improving reading and writing skills of
students. Members of the initiative include the American Library
Association, the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress,
The National Retired Teachers Association, Hadassah, AMC
theaters, Pizza Hut, the Girl Scouts of America and other members
of Riley's Family Partnership. "We want to encourage Americans
to open a book and read," said Riley of the partnership.
According to Riley, "reading is where it all begins." He
said the partnership will give parents "check points of progress"
and "encourage educators and state leaders to stay focused on
helping our young people gain this most essential skill." Riley
lauded the efforts of Rudy Crew, New York City schools chancellor
and Texas Gov George Bush (R), both of whom are leading literacy
efforts.
Riley also encouraged parents to: read to their child; get
their child a library card; and develop summer reading goals
because research shows that some children "lose up to three to
four months of newly acquired reading skills during the summer."
Riley also called on community, civic and religious groups to
"work with schools to open their classrooms at night to teach
reading and writing ... "
Riley's second challenge is to "give parents the power to
help their children learn." He asks parents to "slow down your
lives. Talk to your children. Teach them the difference between
right and wrong."
Other challenges Riley details in his speech include:
create safe schools, sometimes by establishing alternative
schools for perpetual troublemakers; recognize "that we are
smarter than we think;" move ahead with technology in the
classroom; connect the world of school to the world of work; and
"keep the doors to college wide open."
Riley praised American creativity. Public school choice,
schools-within-schools and the expansion of the charter school
movement are "winning examples of American creativity," according
to Riley.
However, the secretary challenged those who claim that
private school vouchers "are good for education." Riley:
"Unlike charter schools, private school vouchers offer us no
public accountability. They are a retreat from the democratic
purposes of public education ... "
Riley concluded that "public education is one of the great
essential building blocks of our democracy -- the public space
where we teach our children good citizenship and where we -- as
adults -- often exercise our own citizenship by working with
others for the good of our children." He urges Americans to
"come together ... [to] rekindle those civic virtues so essential
to our democratic way of life, give our young people the skills
they need for the coming times, and cross the new frontier of
knowledge together."
==== TESTS AND TESTING ====
*7 MOVING ON UP: STUDENT TEST SCORES ON RISE IN MICH.
The Mich. DoEd last week reported an increase in test scores
among fourth- and seventh-grade students in reading and math
(Mich. DoEd press release, 2/21). Half of the fourth-graders and
42.3% of seventh-graders achieved a score of satisfactory on the
reading test. Sixty-three percent of fourth-grade students
performed satisfactory on the math test, up from 61.6% in 1994
and seventh-graders achieving a satisfactory scores increased
from 48.9% to 55%.
According to the release, 1995 was the seventh year of the
Michigan Educational Assessment Program Essential Skills Reading
Test. In order to achieve a satisfactory score, students must
meet the standard on both the story and the informational reading
selections. A moderate performance means the standard is met on
only one of the selections. Low performance means neither
standard is met.
Over the past five years, the percent of students scoring
satisfactory increased for fourth graders from 34.7% in 1991 to
almost half in 1995 and for seventh graders from 29.9% in 1991 to
42.3% in 1995. The percentage of students scoring in the low
category dropped.
The MEAP Essential Skills Mathematics Test is in its fifth
year. According to the release, the test examines a student's
ability to conceptualize and use higher order thinking skills
"necessary for employment and real life problem solving." The
test is comprised of seven components: whole
numbers/fractions/decimals/ratio/percent; measurement; geometry;
statistics and probability; algebraic ideas; and problem solving
and logical reasoning.
A satisfactory scores means the student received a score of
520 or above; ;moderate performance is a score of 500-519; and
low performance is sub-500.
Last school year marked the first time more than half of the
seventh-graders recorded a satisfactory in math. Student
performance was strongest in whole numbers, fractions, decimals,
ratio and percent; measurement; and statistics and probability in
both grades. Fourth-graders were weakest in geometry and problem
solving; seventh-graders were weakest in algebraic ideas and
geometry.
From the release: "While student performance increased
substantially over the last several years, schools should examine
their own results to insure that their instructional programs are
aligned with the Essential Goals and Objectives for Mathematics
Education. Educators should continue to stress mathematical
reasoning, communication, problem solving and connections.
Special attention should be given to geometry for all students."
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