[Ohiogift] PEN Weekly NewsBlast for Dec. 14, 2012

[Art Snyder]

 Public Education Network Weekly NewsBlast
"Public Involvement. Public Education. Public  Benefit."
Dec. 14, 2012

What are we waiting for?
In a lengthy article in American Educator, Richard Kahlenberg discusses obstacles he's faced in promoting socioeconomic school integration over the past 16 years, the overwhelming evidence in support of it as an education policy, and promising signs of its undertaking nationally. At present, policymakers on the left and right find it politically safer to support "separate but equal” institutions for rich and poor, though to date no one has made high-poverty schools work at scale (Kahlenberg addresses the case of KIPP in a sidebar). Decades of research indicate that as the poverty level of a school rises, the average achievement level falls. And the country's relatively high rates of economic school segregation relative to other countries may explain our lack of cost-effectiveness. Kahlenberg cites a recent rigorous cost-benefit analysis, which found that averaged out over all students, the public benefit per student from socioeconomic integration is more than $20,000, and the combined public and private benefits amount to $33,000 per student, far exceeding the cost of $6,340 per student required to integrate. This public return (a factor of 3.3) and total return (public and private, 5.2) outstrips almost all other investments in education, including private school vouchers, reduced class size, and improvements in teacher quality. Kahlenberg warns that concentrated poverty is growing, and ends by discussing lessons that have emerged around making socioeconomic integration politically sustainable.
Read more: http://www.aft.org/newspubs/periodicals/ae/

Below the bare minimum
Six years after a court ruling required New York State to increase spending on public education, a study from Teachers College at Columbia University finds schools in poor districts lack basic resources, and some cannot meet minimum state standards in certain areas, The New York Times reports. Researchers interviewed teachers, administrators, and support staff at 33 schools with high proportions of low-income, struggling, or disabled students. In many cases, schools could not afford staff to meet standards in core subjects like math or science, or for services like remedial after-school. Cuts had slashed so deeply that some principals reported assuming duties of secretary, social worker, and janitor. A ruling by the New York State Court of Appeals in 2006 and an agreement by the New York Legislature and Gov. Eliot Spitzer in 2007 ended a decade-long battle over financing of high-poverty schools, but the state is $5 billion behind what it pledged to spend, according to the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, who won the court ruling. Teachers in the study related that the minimum standards, hard as they were to follow, were still too low to ensure a meaningful education, which the court defined as preparing students to become competitive workers and productive citizens.
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/csluam2

Conclusive
A new analysis by the Forward Institute finds that Wisconsin schools with higher numbers of economically disadvantaged students rated significantly lower on the state's school Report Cards, and nearly half of score variation from school to school was attributable to variation in poverty levels. The study also revealed that Wisconsin's public schools significantly outperformed its charter schools overall -- especially in schools with high-poverty enrollment. In the past four years, Wisconsin public school budgets have been cut by over $1 billion. In 2012 alone, Wisconsin taxpayers provided $143.6 million to charter schools, the highest amount in state history, but the funding increases did not translate into higher charter performance over the three years of Report Card data collected. Since greater enrollment of disadvantaged students is a significant factor in scores on the Report Card, proposals to tie funding and teachers' salaries to Report Card scores would unfairly punish schools in high-poverty districts. Based on the high rate of Wisconsin children living in poverty, the study recommends policymakers enhance educational opportunities for children and save taxpayer money by redirecting educational funds to schools most effective at meeting the needs of Wisconsin children: traditional public schools.
See the report: http://forwardinstitutewi.org/
Related: http://tinyurl.com/cgnzsaz

Nice try, though
A review by the National Education Policy Center of a new report from the Center on Reinventing Public Education finds the report -- which asserts that charters' special-education enrollment is closer to traditional public schools' than is generally held -- in fact confirms that charters are systematically under-enrolling students with special needs. The reviewer praises some parts of the study, but points out that its skewed selection of schools stacks the deck toward finding less imbalance. Even with its skewed sample, the report still found traditional schools enroll proportionally more disabled children than charters in a given district. The reviewer also rejects an attempt to explain away charters' special-education under-enrollment at the elementary level by arguing that conventional elementary schools over-identify children as having special needs, and are less skilled in early interventions that avert identifications; the report produces no evidence of this. The reviewer then uses data from New Jersey and Philadelphia to demonstrate that special-needs students served by charters are disproportionately in the low-needs, "marginal” categories -- the category that early intervention and discretionary under-identification would be expected to remove.
See the report: http://nepc.colorado.edu/thinktank/review-ny-special-ed

Finer grain yields new gaps
In the wake of new NAEP data that give a deeper and more systematic look into student understanding of word meaning in context, stark achievement gaps across racial and ethnic groups and income levels have emerged, Erik Robelen reports in Education Week. The first-of-its-kind NAEP Progress Report for 2011 reveals large gaps in achievement on the vocabulary assessment between students eligible for a free or reduced-price lunch and those not: In 4th grade, the gap was 31 points on a 0-500 scale; in 8th grade, 28 points. The analysis also found that black students trailed white students by 29 points in both the 4th and 8th grades, and Hispanic students trailed their white peers by 28 points in 8th grade and 29 in 4th grade. While previous NAEP reading assessments included some vocabulary questions, the revised framework set new criteria and increased their number. All vocabulary questions were multiple-choice and appeared in two different sections of the reading exam, comprehension and vocabulary. Several criteria were used to select words for inclusion in the vocabulary questions: words had to be characteristic of written language, as opposed to everyday speech; used across a variety of content areas, rather than being technical or specialized; be generally familiar concepts, feelings, or actions; and be necessary for understanding part or all of a passage.
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/c24j9ye
Related: http://nationsreportcard.gov/reading_2011/voc_summary.asp

Choice on steroids
A new education model now in practice or under consideration in Louisiana, Michigan, Arizona, and Utah allows students to customize a curriculum from hundreds of classes offered by public institutions and private vendors, Stephanie Simon reports for Reuters. Students in many states have an array of school choices that include charter and online options, but once they select a school, they're restricted to classes within its walls or on its website. The new model requires a "home base" school where students can play sports and consult with guidance counselors, yet allows them to reach outside for some or all academic classes and electives. This concept alarms some, who fear public schools will lose funding to private vendors and end up with budgets so constrained they can't provide a full range of academic classes and/or sports, clubs, and arts. Teachers, superintendents, and school board members also warn that an a la carte system could exclude children from poor or unstable homes who lack computers to take online classes, transportation to reach faraway vendors, or adult guidance to help them sort through diverse options. The system would also potentially leave students unsupervised for large chunks of the day, raising safety and discipline concerns. Backers of the concept acknowledge challenges but say the one-size-fits-all "factory model" of public school is outdated.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/06/us-education-customize-idUSBRE8B50LE20121206

Churn at the top
A new study in the American Educational Research Journal finds that in 90 of 100 California districts, 43 percent of superintendents left within three years, but in districts with 29,000 students or more, 71 percent left, Sarah Sparks reports in Education Week. Superintendent turnover has gotten less attention than teacher or principal turnover, but stability at the central office is linked to greater success for education initiatives, which typically take five to seven years to mature. The study analyzes administrative data and surveys of superintendents and school board members, and distinguishes between leaders who retired and those who were fired or left for other reasons, interviewing superintendents and board members about the climate of districts and reasons for departures. The authors found superintendents typically traded up from smaller to larger districts: At the start of the study, 57 percent of superintendents who moved led rural districts, 39 percent led suburban districts, and 4 percent led urban districts. Three years later, 78 percent of leaders who moved ended up in suburban districts, 13 percent in urban, and only 9 percent in rural. The receiving districts had on average 2,300 more students, and superintendent salaries rose on average from $109,761 to $131,110 a year. Co-author Jason Grissom is now conducting a longer longitudinal study of Missouri superintendents to determine how career trajectory weighs into a leader's decision to move to a larger district.
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/crbcl46
Related: http://tinyurl.com/burx9mq

Where's this Race headed?
A new report from the Center for Research, Regional Education and Outreach at SUNY New Paltz argues that New York State's inclusion in the Race to the Top (RTTT) has dramatically changed how children are educated in the state and how public K–12 is funded. The study finds that costs to implement RTTT mandates well exceed funding. For example, in six Rockland County districts, leaders projected a total four-year cost of almost $11 million. This compares with an aggregate revenue of about $400K in RTTT funding -- a $10 million deficit, representing an increase in per-pupil spending of nearly $400. The study also finds much being sacrificed to meet the mandate in the context of the state's newly enacted tax cap, including teacher and staff cuts resulting in increased class sizes; redirected priorities and unmet facilities' needs; diminishing professional development; a narrowing of curriculum; and sacrificed leadership in curriculum development and non-traditional approaches. The report therefore recommends a mid-course assessment to determine progress for achieving real return on this costly investment; greater local flexibility in evaluation processes; more careful consideration of the technology infrastructure and testing costs implications; and better planning, especially concerning teachers and principals who receive poor evaluations.
See the report: http://www.newpaltz.edu/crreo/discussion_briefs.html

BRIEFLY NOTED

Christmas comes early
The U.S. Department of Education has announced $133 million in early-childhood education grants to be split among Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin in its second round of the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge competition.
http://tinyurl.com/bslcseb

Here, too
Sixteen winners -- including three charter school organizations -- will share $400 million in the Race to the Top district competition, the U.S. Department of Education has announced.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2012/12/arne_duncan_picks_16_race_to_t.html

Wise
Despite concerns about adequate funding, a committee of Louisiana's top school board has approved plans to overhaul the state's often-criticized pre-kindergarten system.
http://theadvocate.com/news/4599940-123/panel-favors-pre-k-overhaul

Take that, Finland! Oh – wait.
The United States has gained ground against countries that are top performers in 4th grade reading, outscoring all but four in a widely watched international assessment.
http://tinyurl.com/d2bou58

East Asia trounces us
The math and science achievement of U.S. students continues to surpass the global average for nations taking part in a prominent assessment, results show, but several East Asian countries and jurisdictions far outpace the United States, especially in mathematics.
http://tinyurl.com/cxvf4kb

Make his day
In unusually forceful remarks, New York City's schools chancellor warned that principals across the city would be forced to make painful cuts in areas such as staff size, libraries, and after-school programs if a deal on teacher evaluations isn't reached soon.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324640104578161722131784516.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

Choice gets an assist
Seven school districts committed to working with charter schools to improve student achievement will split about $25 million in grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/06/gates-education-grants-7-_n_2249457.html?utm_hp_ref=education

As does diversity in STEM
Fueled by a $5 million grant from Google, more than 800 public high schools will be invited to start up Advanced Placement STEM courses with a focus on attracting more female and minority students with strong potential to succeed.
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2012/12/access_to_ap_courses_in_stem_t.html

Bringing up the rear
The Alaska State Board of Education has approved a rule change that advances a plan to base 20 percent of a teacher's assessment on his or her students' growth and performance using criteria that include at least one standardized test, starting in the 2015-2016 school year.
http://www.adn.com/2012/12/07/2717199/alaska-teachers-to-be-evaluated.html#storylink=cpy

That would be a problem
The state-led Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has released guidelines with specific requirements so that districts can assess whether the computers they have on hand will have the power to run the new online tests two years from now.
http://tinyurl.com/be4dw2h

GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Vernier: Engineering Contest
To recognize creative teaching, Vernier Software & Technology is sponsoring a contest for high school and college teachers. Interested educators must submit a written project summary and a video showing creative ways to use Vernier sensors with NI LabVIEW software. Maximum award: $1,000 in cash, $3,000 in Vernier technology, and $1,500 toward expenses to attend the 2013 ASEE conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Eligibility: teachers in schools serving grades K–12, as well as post- secondary undergraduate college departments. Deadline: January 15, 2013.
http://www.vernier.com/grants/labview/

NEA Foundation: Learning & Leadership Grants
NEA Learning & Leadership Grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education for one of two purposes. Grants to individuals fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences such as summer institutes or action research; grants to groups fund collegial study, including study groups, action research, lesson study, or mentoring experiences for faculty or staff new to an assignment. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: public school teachers grades K–12; public school education support professionals; or faculty and staff at public higher education institutions. Deadline: February 1, 2013.
http://www.neafoundation.org/programs/Learning&Leadership_Guidelines.htm

NEA: Student Achievement Grants
The NEA Foundation Student Achievement Grants provide funds to improve the academic achievement of students by engaging in critical thinking and problem solving that deepen knowledge of standards-based subject matter. The work should also improve students' habits of inquiry, self-directed learning, and critical reflection. Maximum award: $5,000. Eligibility: practicing U.S. public school teachers, public school education support professionals, or faculty or staff at public higher education institutions. Deadline: February 1, 2013.
http://www.neafoundation.org/programs/StudentAchievement_Guidelines.htm

Pathways Within Roads to Reading
The Pathways Within Roads to Reading Initiative donates books to literacy programs in small and rural low-income communities. Maximum award: 200 books appropriate for readers age 0 to young adult; English only. Eligibility: 501(c)(3) organizations that run school, after-school, summer, community, day-care, and library reading and literacy programs; must have an annual operating budget of less than $95,000 (schools and libraries are exempt from this budget requirement) and be located in an underserved community with a population of less than 50,000. Deadline: March 30, 2013.
http://www.pwirtr.org/annual_donation_prog.html

QOUTE OF THE WEEK

"[There is] one entity that is working hard every day, to make sure that you do not ever get the opportunity to get your child out of that failing school and into a different school. That entity is the teachers union." – Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/12/jindal_calls_teacher_unions_sh.html
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