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Public Education Network Weekly NewsBlast
"Public Involvement. Public Education. Public Benefit."
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ADDING COMMON SENSE TO NCLB
School leaders now have been through two full years of implementation
of
the No Child Left Behind Act. First there was the long wait for
regulations and guidance, writes Terri Duggan Schwartzbeck. Then,
slowly,
accountability plans emerged, like shapes in the fog, giving a slightly
clearer picture of what implementation of this law would really look
like.
What also became clear as the implementation of the law lumbered
forward
and superintendents and their staffs everywhere rolled up their sleeves
and labored through the details was that some elements of the law are
working and others are not. As a result, states are changing their
accountability plans and putting pressure on Washington to modify the
law.
Superintendents are coming together through their state associations to
put their concerns on paper and take them straight to the top. Whats
working? More teachers than originally thought turned out to be highly
qualified. Many states and school districts are making real progress in
getting their paraprofessionals the extra training they need. And the
focus on educating all children is stronger than before. Whats not
working? Not surprisingly, its a longer and more worrisome list.
http://www.aasa.org/publications/sa/2004_02/contents.htm
A PROPOSAL TO HAVE SCHOOLS SHARE PARENTS' PRIVATE DONATIONS
The head of the Santa Monica/Malibu Unified School District, in
California, would like to take a little money from the richer schools
in
his district and give it to the poorer ones. In his district,
fundraising
efforts of parents can raise over $200,000 per year. But at other
schools
nearby, many of the parents don't have the means to raise money for
schools. Under the proposal, every school in the district would give up
15
percent of the private money parents raised and the funds would go into
a
district-wide fund for redistribution among all the schools. Problem
is,
some say private donations to schools are charitable gifts and that the
district has no right to touch them. Others say the issue is a
fundamental matter of equity and justice, reports Hannah Heineman.
http://www.smmirror.com/volume5/issue34/debate_over_gift.asp
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND: A FOOLISH RACE INTO THE PAST
According to David Marshak, the No Child Left Behind Act, rather than
preparing all students for the future, reverts to the outmoded
practices
of the Industrial Age -- a narrow curriculum and the sorting of
students
through standardized testing. Here's what may happen. First, test
development may generate some significant chaos and anger throughout
the
states, as state budgets are distorted and stretched to pay for the new
tests. Implementing tests in 2005-06 may add to this climate of anger,
because actually giving and scoring tests is an even more expensive
proposition. But the real response -- and the rebellion -- may come
from
middle-class and upper-middle-class parents, as they see the schools
they
judge to be at least adequate but more likely good or even excellent
increasingly focus their efforts on test preparation and test scores.
And
the rebellion may deepen and spread, as these middle-class and
upper-middle-class parents see the quality and richness of their
children's schooling decline before their eyes. Less of the arts, less
social studies, less physical education, fewer studies based on
children's
interests and curiosities, more drill, more drill, more test prep. More
frustration, more boredom, more anger.
http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/k0311ma2.htm
THE VOICE OF THE NEW TEACHER
New teachers are vital members of the teaching workforce. The demand
for
new teachers has been climbing steadily since the 1990s and is expected
to
continue in the foreseeable future given the increases in teacher
retirement and student enrollment, lower pupil/teacher ratios, and
rising
teacher attrition rates. A new report from Public Education Network
shares
the opinions and perspectives of beginning teachers on their first
years
in the profession. This publication is an excellent tool for developing
authentic and targeted teacher mentoring and professional development
programs and effective teacher recruitment efforts.
http://www.publiceducation.org/PENreports.asp
LATINOS GIVE HIGH MARKS TO PUBLIC EDUCATION
Latinos are generally more positive about public education and school
improvement than African Americans and whites, according to a new
survey
of Latino attitudes toward education from the Pew Hispanic Center and
the
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. More than half of Latino respondents
say they would give U.S. public schools a grade of A or B, and 45
percent
believe schools have improved in the last five years, compared with 31
percent of African Americans and 25 percent of whites. At the local
level,
more than three-quarters of Latinos say teachers have a good
understanding
of their child's academic strengths and overall development, and nearly
all Latino parents (95 percent) say it is important that their children
go
to college. However, Hispanic students are still not performing as well
as
their white peers. Survey respondents cited several reasons: Latino
parents do not push their kids to work hard (53 percent); schools are
too
quick to label Latino students with behavior or learning problems (51
percent); and white teachers are unable to bridge cultural divides (47
percent). When asked about education reform, 67 percent of Latinos
agree
that states should set performance standards for schools, and 75
percent
support the use of standardized tests.
http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/pomr012604nr.cfm
AN EXAMINATION OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
Since 1984, MetLife has conducted a series of surveys that bring the
views
and voices of those closest to the classroom to the attention of
policymakers and the public. Conducted by Harris Interactive, survey
topics have changed to address key issues over the years -- from reform
to
violence -- but the premise remains the same: to give voice to teachers
and others most familiar with classroom realities and most affected by
education reform. The newly released MetLife Survey of the American
Teacher, 2003, explores the attitudes and opinions of teachers,
principals, parents and students regarding school leadership. The
survey
examines the role of the school leader in establishing the schools
atmosphere and also looks at relationships among members of the school
community. Results indicate that while there is consensus regarding
the
goals of school leadership, opinions differ on whether or not these
goals
are being met.
http://www.metlife.com/Applications/Corporate/WPS/CDA/PageGenerator/0,1674,P288,00.html
CHEWING GUM HELPS BOOST LEARNING
The truly great scientific discoveries -- gravity, laughing gas, Velcro
--
always seem to happen by accident. Take the case of Dr. Kenneth Allen,
whose latest findings indicate that we should perhaps overturn one of
the
most sacred laws of primary education: the prohibition on chewing gum
in
the classroom. Allen, a professor of dentistry, is an unlikely champion
of
Bazooka and Double Bubble, and yet he has recently shown, if
inadvertently, that a pack-a-day chewing habit may help account for the
difference between the honor roll and summer school. Ben McGrath
reports
on a new theory that postulates that the more you chew, the more you
learn.
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/?040209ta_talk_mcgrath
STUDENTS DRAW UP SCHOOL OF DREAMS
Six-year-old Jessica Oliphant wants a Burger King in her new school.
LaTroy Lewis, 10, would like two swimming pools -- one indoors and one
outside. And Dominic Woods, a fourth-grader, thinks the new elementary
school should go through eighth grade rather than just fifth. "If we
make
a school like this, I don't want to leave," the 9-year-old said. These
are
a few of the ideas that students have come up with for a new building
that
will replace their Ohio school. First-, third- and fourth-graders wrote
letters and drew pictures illustrating their vision for the school.
Their
work will be shared with school and city leaders in an upcoming public
meeting. Principal Carolyn Brown said there initially was some
resistance
to the idea of a new school from people in the community -- many of
whom
have had generations educated there. But she said the excitement of the
students helped to overcome any misgivings. Brown said she has been
impressed with the students' ideas, which are on display throughout the
school. "For me, the whole idea is to produce better learners,'' she
said.
"Their needs have to be met. The best way to find their needs is to ask
them."
http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/7848517.htm
JUSTICE TALKING: NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
Sweeping educational reforms passed in 2001 sharply divided teachers
and
policy makers over the direction of our nations schools. Proponents
say
the changes increase accountability and open doors to new options for
parents of children in failing institutions. Critics charge that the
bills intent and impact are quite different as poor, urban schools are
tagged as failures and marked for closure at the same time the students
are denied entrance to better funded, higher performing schools. This
hour-long radio show features commentary and debate from numerous
reporters, Eugene Hickok, the U.S. Under Secretary of Education, and a
chief architect of NCLB, and educator Stan Karp of Rethinking Schools.
You
will need a computer audio program and computer speakers to listen to
the
show:
http://www.justicetalking.org/viewprogram.asp?progID=428
NEW GUIDE TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS PUTS PARENTS IN THE KNOW
A new trilingual parent guide to Miami-Dade County Public Schools,
which
includes a wide range of program information and more than 100 phone
numbers and Internet sites for additional help, will be delivered
Friday
to nearly every home in the county. The booklet covers everything from
pre-kindergarten registration to high school graduation, reports
Matthew
Pinzur. It explains the many standardized tests given in public school,
provides enrollment information for college-scholarship plans and
details
how to address problems in the classroom. It also answers questions
about
remedial programs, special education, gifted classes and magnet school
applications. "We all know parents want to be armed with the best tools
to
help their children's future," said Linda Lecht of The Education Fund,
a
local education fund, which raised more than $170,000 to print 500,000
copies.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/7860058.htm
ONLY THE POLITICKING GETS AN "A"
For children and teachers across America, it's rather bad news, writes
Bruce Fuller. Education is now the No. 2 preoccupation of voters,
running
just behind worries over jobs, according to recent polls. So a
political
catfight has suddenly broken out between President Bush, who's loudly
trumpeting his federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) school reforms, and
the
Democratic presidential candidates, whose critical attacks on them are
growing more shrill. Instead of pulling together to revitalize the
schools, they're simply pummeling each other over this politically
pivotal
issue. What is at stake as NCLB rises from obscure acronym to political
punching bag?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46-2004Jan30.html
THE TROUBLE WITH TEACHER COLLABORATION
A growing body of research points to the critical importance of teacher
collaboration if schools hope to achieve and sustain improvements in
student performance. But institutionalizing collaborative working
environments requires teachers to function as teams and abandon their
traditional norms of isolationism and individualism. This
interpretative
study, published in the on-line research journal "Current Issues in
Education," involved teachers in 45 North Louisiana schools. It
suggests
that while some schools and school districts are characterized by
elements
of the "learning community," others remain "largely mired in customary
practices that are counterproductive to realizing the newer
collaborative
standards." Participating teachers report that, despite the rhetoric,
major impediments to joint professional work remain and they make
suggestions for better meeting the continuing collaborative challenge.
http://cie.ed.asu.edu/volume6/number15/
TEACHERS LESSONS FOCUS ON FUN, GRAMMAR & MANNERS
After 27 years of teaching at the rural elementary and middle school
just
north of Lawrenceburg, Stan Lopp has gained a reputation as a strict
disciplinarian who spends the first few days of each semester laying
down
the rules: Show respect. Be prepared. Pay attention. Be on time to
class.
Keep the room clean. "You have to be consistent. You've got to have
that
even tone every day," he said. "These are junior high kids -- one day
they
come in on cloud nine and another they are in a stupor." The formula
apparently is working because he rarely has to punish a student for
breaking the rules. "He makes sure every kid understands everything he
wants," said Jo Ogg, a guidance counselor who runs an after-school
program
with Lopp. "It's amazing how he can be so firm, demand so much from
them,
and yet they love him to death." Year after year, Claudette Riley
reports,
Lopps students gain more knowledge than state or district averages.
http://tennessean.com/education/archives/04/02/46441490.shtml?Element_ID=46441490
NCLB REBELLION PICKING UP MOMENTUM
Opposition to No Child Left Behind is gaining traction, and Republicans
are among those digging in deepest, reports Ronnie Lynn. The schism
sets
the stage for an unusual confrontation between administration officials
and Utah legislators, who have taken the strongest action to date
against
the education reform law the president touts as one of his top domestic
accomplishments. Republican lawmakers in Arizona, Indiana, Virginia,
Wisconsin and Vermont have joined Democratic counterparts in a handful
of
other states in launching measures that oppose provisions of the law.
http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Feb/02052004/utah/135830.asp
DOMESTIC SPENDING: GAINS FOR EDUCATION BUT NOT MUCH ELSE
President Bushs budget for 2005 proposes its biggest increase for
domestic spending not related to national security at the Education
Department, which is charged with carrying out one of Mr. Bush's
showcase
issues, the No Child Left Behind law. The budget leaves spending flat
or
decreased for other programs like child care, other education
activities,
housing, promoting clean air, clean water and land preservation. For
the
fourth year in a row, reports Diana Jean Schemo and Lynette Clemetson,
Mr.
Bush proposed adding $1 billion to the money for the poorest schools,
which are at the center of the new education law's goal to close
achievement gaps between black and Hispanic and white students. The
increase brings to $13.3 billion the sum for the neediest schools, 52
percent more than in 2001. Education advocates said the budget achieved
those gains largely by shortchanging other programs. The president of
the
American Federation of Teachers, Sandra Feldman, said that the
increases
in education spending had steadily shrunk, from 18 percent in 2002 to 3
percent The new budget recommends eliminating 38 programs, including
those
focused on dropout prevention, gifted and talented children, guidance
counselors in elementary schools and increased parental involvement in
poor communities.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/03/politics/03DOME.html
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND LEAVES OUT MILITARY BASE SCHOOLS
A select group of schools in seven states is totally financed by
federal
funds yet is exempt from the requirements of the federal No Child Left
Behind law that has riled public school officials and politicians
nationwide. The 58 schools, reports Eric Kelderman, are run by the
Defense Department at military bases in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, New
York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Unlike the nations
public schools, the military base schools and their nearly 30,000
children
are exempt from the 2002 federal education act, which mandates strict
new
standards for testing and teacher certification and threatens penalties
for schools that don't meet new goals. Its not fair, contends Reginald
M.
Felton, a lobbyist for the National School Boards Association and
school
board member in Montgomery County, Md. "We feel very strongly that its
a
double standard," Felton said. "If you accept federal dollars, you
ought
to be governed by [No Child Left Behind Act]." "It is supposed to build
accountability for federal investments. Why not this federal
investment?"
Felton said.
http://www.stateline.org/stateline/?pa=story&sa=showStoryInfo&id=345086
COMPETITION: THE FEAR THAT MAKES GIRLS FEUD?
Why girls fight. It's a topic that many find uncomfortable. But Lyn
Mikel
Brown refuses to shrug it off. Of particular fascination: what she
calls
"girlfighting." Name-calling, gossiping, and cruel competition, she
asserts, are not behaviors inherent to girls. Instead, in her latest
book,
"Girlfighting: Betrayal and Rejection Among Girls," the college
professor
shows -- with help from more than 400 interviews -- how this behavior
is
culturally learned. From an early age, Ms. Brown says, girls are
subjected to strong messages from the media and society in general.
They
hear that they must conform to certain ideals of femininity, beauty,
and
romance to be popular and successful - and that in doing so, they
shouldn't trust other girls with whom they are in competition. Mean,
aggressive behavior is the natural result, reports Jennifer Wolcott.
Brown believes the solution is to engage with girls in ways that make
them
feel more confident and powerful on their own. Her book includes
concrete
steps for doing this, including encouraging girls to enter the sports
arena and honing their sense of fairness and justice.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0127/p12s01-bogn.html
EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS ARE CRITICAL
The facts by now are undisputed: Providing at-risk children with
quality
early childhood care and education significantly reduces the
achievement
gaps that otherwise plague them later in their school careers. Over the
years, observes Alan Gottlieb and Teri Pinney, study upon study has
proven
the point. Now, new Denver data from a study funded by The Piton
Foundation reinforces these findings. Such compelling and irrefutable
information cries out for a public policy response.
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~75~1923451,00.html
OVERHAUL TEACHER EDUCATION & RECRUITMENT
The Teaching Commission, a blue-ribbon panel of 19 leaders in
government,
business, philanthropy, and education, has announced a strategy to
fundamentally upgrade teaching as a profession by changing the way
teachers come into the field, as well as the way they are trained,
assessed, supported, and compensated. While praising the work of the
nation's many dedicated teachers, the new report points out that the
current system fails both teachers and students. Far too many students,
for example, are "taught" math by teachers who don't have a major or
minor
in that subject, or science by teachers who have not sufficiently
demonstrated content knowledge in that area. Worse still, poor and
minority students, who are often the most academically needy, tend to
get
the least experienced or capable teachers. Meanwhile, the most
effective
teachers -- those who lead, who successfully raise student achievement,
and who have expertise in their subject matter -- are compensated via
an
antiquated, 80-year-old system that pays them the same as their least
effective colleagues. "A system that does not reward excellence cannot
inspire it," the report says.
http://www.theteachingcommission.org/press/2004_01_14_01.html
LEADERSHIP IS AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART
"When I have asked teachers and principals, 'What is the guiding
principle
or big idea that drives the work of your school and gives direction and
focus to the people who work within it?' the most common response is,
'We
need to raise test scores,'" writes Rick DuFour in this column for the
Journal of Staff Development (Winter 2004). That's not enough, says
DuFour, co-author of the influential book "Professional Learning
Communities at Work." Leaders who are most effective in generating
results
know how to "appeal not only to the bottom line, but also to the heart.
In
fact, one of the best strategies for improving results is connecting
with
people's deepest, heartfelt hopes."
http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/dufour251.cfm
PARTNERSHIP FOR READING
The Partnership for Reading is offering free literacy resources for
educators, teacher educators, administrators, policymakers, support
agencies and families. Partnership materials focus on the
contributions
of scientifically based research to improving the quality of reading
instruction for children, adolescents, and adults. Among the resources
now available are: a new booklet for parents to help their children in
grades K-3 become successful readers; a book geared to parents of
children
from birth through preschool; and a guide to help teachers become
discerning consumers of education programs and materials. All of these
documents and more can be downloaded for free at:
http://www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading.
RURAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS STRUGGLE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION
Lynn Thompson plans to pack up and move to another school system next
year. Laurie Moulton has opted to home-school her handicapped child.
Both
are frustrated about what they say is a lack of special-education
services. Both women say rural, community schools are not set up for
children with disabilities. And many of the educators in those
districts
-- and even in larger, wealthier ones -- agree, reports Mechele Cooper.
"They don't have enough funds to hire qualified people who can work
with
special-needs children," said Thompson, whose youngest son missed the
better half of kindergarten because the school did not have a
special-education program in place that met his needs. "The teacher
told
my oldest boy that she was sick of seeing his face in her classroom. He
was in tears when he got off the bus. If you approach these kids with
negativity, they're going to react badly." The women said large schools
are more likely to get the best teachers because their budgets are
bigger
and they can afford higher salaries.
http://www.centralmaine.com/news/local/355451.shtml
|---------------GRANT AND FUNDING INFORMATION--------------|
"BellSouth Foundation"
The BellSouth Foundation is now accepting concept papers for its 2004
Opportunity Grants. Opportunity Grants are available for unsolicited
proposals that compliment Special Initiatives or issues where the
BellSouth Foundation is currently focusing its work. Focus areas for
this
year include: college-going minorities; leadership and education
policy;
teaching quality; technology & learning; No Child Left Behind; and
business/education partnerships. Initial concept papers are due March
1,
2004 and grants will be awarded in May. For complete grant guidelines
and
more information, visit:
http://www.bellsouthfoundation.org/grants/og/index.html
"Dana Foundation"
The Dana Foundation has recently extended its longtime interest in
education to support innovative professional development programs
leading
to improved teaching of the performing arts in public schools. Within
this
broad field, the Foundation is interested primarily in training for
in-school arts specialists and professional artists who teach in the
schools. The Foundation supports projects that originate in New York
City,
Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and their surrounding areas within a
fifty-mile radius. Letters of intent may be submitted to the Foundation
at
any time.
http://www.dana.org/grants/artseducation/
"Department of Education Forecast of Funding"
This document lists virtually all programs and competitions under which
the Department of Education has invited or expects to invite
applications
for new awards for FY 2004 and provides actual or estimated deadline
dates
for the transmittal of applications under these programs. The lists are
in
the form of charts -- organized according to the Department's principal
program offices -- and include programs and competitions we have
previously announced, as well as those they plan to announce at a later
date. Note: This document is advisory only and is not an official
application notice of the Department of Education. They expect to
provide
updates to this document through July 2004.
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.html
"Grantionary"
The Grantionary is a list of grant-related terms and their definitions.
http://www.eduplace.com/grants/help/grantionary.html
"GrantsAlert"
GrantsAlert is a website that helps nonprofits, especially those
involved
in education, secure the funds they need to continue their important
work.
http://www.grantsalert.com/
"Grant Writing Tips"
SchoolGrants has compiled an excellent set of grant writing tips for
those
that need help in developing grant proposals.
http://www.schoolgrants.org/tips.htm
"FastWEB"
FastWEB is the largest online scholarship search available, with
600,000
scholarships representing over one billion in scholarship dollars. It
provides students with accurate, regularly updated information on
scholarships, grants, and fellowships suited to their goals and
qualifications, all at no cost to the student. Students should be
advised
that FastWEB collects and sells student information (such as name,
address, e-mail address, date of birth, gender, and country of
citizenship) collected through their site.
http://www.fastweb.com/
"Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)"
More than 30 Federal agencies formed a working group in 1997 to make
hundreds of federally supported teaching and learning resources easier
to
find. The result of that work is the FREE website.
http://www.ed.gov/free/
"Fundsnet Online Services"
A comprehensive website dedicated to providing nonprofit organizations,
colleges, and Universities with information on financial resources
available on the Internet.
http://www.fundsnetservices.com/
"eSchool News School Funding Center"
Information on up-to-the-minute grant programs, funding sources, and
technology funding.
http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/funding/
"Philanthropy News Digest"
Philanthropy News Digest, a weekly news service of the Foundation
Center,
is a compendium, in digest form, of philanthropy-related articles and
features culled from print and electronic media outlets nationwide.
http://fdncenter.org/pnd/
"School Grants"
A collection of resources and tips to help K-12 educators apply for and
obtain special grants for a variety of projects.
http://www.schoolgrants.org
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"We know from many different sources that the public believes K-12
education is one of our most pressing domestic issues. But the public
school system is like a novel that begins in the middle. It brings kids
in
at age 5 or 6. But what happens in the earlier years of life helps
determine how children engage the school systemIf we're to do
something
serious and positive about helping the K-12 system reach its true
potential, that something must involve paying attention to what happens
before kindergarten."
-Craig Ramey, professor of health studies, Georgetown University
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