[Ohiogift] Public Education NewsBlast — November 18, 2014

[Gifted and Talented in Ohio Discussion List]

     The LAEP NewsBlast will be taking off Thanksgiving Week. Enjoy the holiday, and we'll see you?December 2.
                      
           ?                November 18, 2014 - In This Issue:
       New guidance around teacher-quality equity
  L.A.'s children of color are shortchanged
  Countering 'churn and burn'
  NYC schools need a comprehensive strategy
  Trusting teachers to lead
  Newark controversy travels
  Best practices in charter closure
  Tripped up by VAM
  BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA
  BRIEFLY NOTED
  GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
                                            New guidance around teacher-quality equity
The Obama administration is directing all states to ensure that students have equal access to high-quality teachers, with a sharp focus on schools with high proportions of the poor and racial minorities, reports Motoko Rich in The New York Times. In a letter, state superintendents were told they must have plans by next June to comply with existing federal law requiring "poor and minority children are not taught at higher rates than other children by inexperienced, unqualified, or out-of-field teachers." The Education Department will send each state data collected by the department's Office for Civil Rights showing rates of teacher experience, certification, absenteeism, and salary by school, as well as student access to taxpayer-funded preschool and advanced courses in math and science. The administration is also urging states to look at teacher evaluations to determine whether those who receive lower ratings are disproportionately assigned to schools with high numbers?of racial minorities and students in poverty. Still, states must only ensure that teachers are equitably distributed based on experience and credentials, and education advocates say this could limit improvements in the quality of instruction. In a rare show of agreement with the Obama administration, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, welcomed the measure. More
?
Related:
 L.A.'s children of color are shortchanged
A new working paper from the National Bureau of Education Research suggests? schools in Los Angeles put children of color in the classrooms of less-skilled and -experienced teachers, reports Max Ehrenfreund for The Washington Post. Skill differences are enough to move the?average black, Hispanic, or Asian student several percentiles lower on standardized tests. Harvard University's Thomas Kane, one of the paper's authors, made these results public?while testifying in Vergara v. California, explaining how contracts can affect where the best teachers work, since teaching in an impoverished neighborhood?is more challenging, and Los Angeles teachers with?seniority have a contractual right to transfer to a post?of their choice. Also, black and Latino families move?more frequently, and as a result, schools must hire new, inexperienced teachers late in the summer?when children unexpectedly fill classrooms. It's unclear whether?these patterns hold nationally. A?widely cited study by economists from Harvard and Columbia concerning New York City did not conclude?that white students there got better teachers. Yet researchers generally agree that across the country, white students are likely concentrated in the best teachers' classrooms. Recent federal notices?to states offer few specifics?about attracting talented teachers?to work where talents are needed most. Like many economists, Kane feels skilled teachers in disadvantaged neighborhoods should receive bonuses; however, identifying "the best" teachers poses additional questions. More
Countering 'churn and burn'
Since the no-excuses movement began in the 1990s, its schools have had a reputation for teachers who are young, idealistic, white, and available to families around the clock -- until they leave, writes Sara Neufeld for The Atlantic. Some are ready to have children of their own or more lucrative careers; others are just fried. The dynamic has been criticized for depriving students of stable adult relationships and creating mistrust in minority neighborhoods, so a new focus from charter networks is sustainability. For instance, YES Prep Schools in Houston connects students with summer camps, wilderness expeditions, and international travel, and lets teachers have a summer break. KIPP is offering on-site daycare for teachers in some locations. Uncommon Schools has a heavy emphasis on teacher training and mentoring, and new teachers get a lighter class load. Diversity initiatives by networks are also attracting more minority teacher candidates. Yet the predicament that no-excuses schools wrestle with is universal in low-income schools: Kids who are behind need time and attention to catch up. At regular public schools, where scheduling is dictated by union contracts, turnover in impoverished neighborhoods is just as high: Uncommon Schools' turnover is comparable to the national urban average, with about 20 percent of teachers leaving annually. More
NYC schools need a comprehensive strategy
In a letter to The New York Times responding to an editorial that questioned Mayor de Blasio's investment in community schools, Martin Blank of the Coalition for Community Schools and Mary Kingston Roche of the Institute for Educational Leadership say it's time for a more sophisticated education strategy than shuttering schools. Under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, chronic absenteeism in New York's elementary schools stayed at 19 percent even after an interagency task force tackled the matter. New York City needs a comprehensive strategy for health, violence, trauma, and other issues that keep children out of school or failing inside school. Community schools employ coordinated partnerships with experienced, community-based organizations selected by schools and parents, freeing principals to support teachers; community partners work with teachers to offer enriching learning opportunities. In a separate letter, Dan Fuller of Communities in Schools disagrees with The Times's contention that the community-schools model has had uneven results. Independent studies by Child Trends found that community schools deliver a model of integrated student supports that increase graduation and decrease dropout rates. But both implementation and investment are important. Community schools can work in New York if the political will exists to support this proven model. More
Trusting teachers to lead
A new book, Trusting Teachers with School Success, indicates that teachers given authority to make decisions influencing school success create cultures consistent with high-performing organizations, write Kim Farris-Berg and Kristoffer Kohl in Education Week. LAUSD's Social Justice Humanitas Academy (9-12) and UCLA Community School (K-12) have established collaborative leadership cultures driven by shared purpose: functioning as learners, taking risks, assessing performance, and establishing close ties with communities. Elect-to-Work agreements ensure teacher quality, since teachers require themselves to participate in professional development over the summer, longer work hours, and activities engaging students and families. Teacher teams clearly establish collective responsibility for school management, and institute highly personalized, culturally relevant learning environments. UCLA Community School students have individualized learning plans that build on strengths. At Social Justice Humanitas Academy, teachers design thematic units across disciplines that present subjects as an organic whole. Teachers in both schools build collaboration into their management and teaching structures. Finally, both measure student and school success innovatively: creating, testing, and refining assessment processes and tools that reflect how their students learn and that consider students' cultural backgrounds. More
     Newark controversy travels
Cami Anderson, superintendent of Newark, New Jersey, came recently to D.C. to present at the American Enterprise Institute, but her talk turned dramatic when a busload of angry Newark residents arrived, reports Lyndsey Layton for The Washington Post. The incident at AEI is indicative of brawls roiling Newark since last year, when Anderson rolled out "One Newark," a plan to relocate some schools, convert others to charters, and re-engineer still more by replacing all principals and teachers. The plan has been targeted by lawsuits, a federal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, and boycotts. It was a central factor in last spring's mayoral race, which elected the outspoken (and anti-Anderson) Ras Baraka. One Newark, which took effect this September, erased boundaries by allowing students to win seats at traditional schools or charters through a single lottery, similar to systems in D.C. and New Orleans. This afforded choice among schools to many, but also sent thousands to new schools in unfamiliar neighborhoods, posing logistical challenges and, some say, disrupting neighborhood stability. Anderson also cut 1,000 jobs from the 8,000-employee district payroll, enraging unions. Anderson maintains that parents at re-engineered schools regularly thank her, and points to the 10,000 Newark families on charter waiting lists as evidence that parents want better schools. More
Best practices in charter closure
The charter sector has long run on the premise that if certain schools don't perform, they'll be shut down -- the so-called "charter bargain," writes Arianna Prothero for Education Week. Though closure rates for charters nationally fluctuate, data from the National Association of Charter School Authorizers indicate the rate has stabilized. For the most part, charters are closed for poor academic performance and/or financial reasons. Of the 15.7 percent of charter contracts up for renewal in 2012-13, 11.6 percent of those were denied. For charters outside their renewal period, 1.9 percent closed. Still, as the movement matures, it increasingly faces the messy reality of school closure. Indianapolis is among several charter authorizers pioneering best practices for the process. These entail prescribed steps like templated letters, talking points, and answers to frequently asked questions for parents. Some authorizers address the inevitable scramble for parents when charters close by recruiting new operators to open shop in the same facility. But the best strategy, experienced authorizers say, is adhering to solid vetting practices during the charter-application process -- saying "no" at the beginning, rather than the end. More
Tripped up by VAM
The Cowen Institute for Education has retracted one of its bigger reports that had relayed strong results for students and schools in New Orleans, reports Anya Kamenetz for NPR. The institute has refused to explain its retraction, saying only that the methodology, and not underlying data, was flawed. The report attempted to use value-added modeling, currently "the golden fleece for anyone questing after what's really working in education," Kamenetz says, but it turns out that value-added modeling, done properly, is "really, really hard." Whereas growth measurements like standardized tests address where a student started and how far she has come, value-added models ask: How does that growth reflect back on the teacher or school? The math behind value-added modeling is complex, such that the American Statistical Association has issued a statement urging caution, especially in high-stakes conditions. Value-added models require high-level statistical expertise; are based on standardized test scores, a limited source of information; measure correlation, not causation, and thus don't necessarily indicate if an improvement or decline is due to school, teacher, or other factor; and are unstable -- small changes in tests or assumptions can produce widely varying rankings. The Cowen Institute's experience is a cautionary tale for education researchers and those who make decisions based on their findings. More
          BRIEFLY NOTED CALIFORNIA
?
Logistical snags
As district officials work to comply with the California legislature's annual wave of education laws, two health-related mandates are causing concern. More
?
Trigger time
Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Ramon Cortines will now allow parents to petition for sweeping changes in their failing schools, reversing the district's prior position on parent-trigger laws. More
          BRIEFLY NOTED?
?
Another win for preschool
A Seattle ballot measure enacting a $58 million property-tax levy for city-subsidized preschool won big in the mid-term election. More
?
Overdue
In a legal decision that could redefine South Carolina's public education system, the S.C. Supreme Court has ruled that the state has failed in its duty to provide what it says is a "minimally adequate" education to children in the state's poorest districts. More
?
Sane move
The Kentucky Department of Education is receiving $8.1 million through a five-year federal grant to help teachers, schools, and communities recognize and respond to mental health problems in youth. More
?
Recalculation
Given the choice for the first time, a majority of Iowa districts are now counting the school year in hours, not days. More
?
They can do better
Pennsylvania districts, parents, an organization representing small and rural school systems, and the state NAACP have filed a lawsuit against Gov. Tom Corbett, state education officials, and legislative leaders, saying Pennsylvania fails to uphold its constitutional obligation to educate children adequately. More?
?
Good luck
Miami-Dade County schools has launched an ambitious program to get portable, digital devices into the hands of all 350,000 students in the district -- part of a state mandate to bring more technology into classrooms. More
?
Too soft?
Roughly 60 percent of 4,662 eligible New York City teachers were approved for tenure this year, somewhat higher than last year's approval rate of 53 percent but enough to prompt debate?about whether Mayor Bill de Blasio was adequately tough on teachers. More
?
A goal, but no consequences
After at first refusing to file state-mandated goals for subject areas linked to new Common Core tests, the Portland Public Schools Board in Oregon has voted to set targets at 100 percent student proficiency. More
?
Foot out the door
Kevin Huffman will depart his position?as Tennessee commissioner of education, Gov. Bill Haslam has announced. More
?
Funding suit stands
A Denver trial court has rejected the state of Colorado's request to dismiss a lawsuit that has major implications for how much money districts get from the state. More
??
          
GRANTS AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

?
?
National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award
The National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award is the nation's highest honor for out-of-school arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of America's young people, particularly those from underserved communities. This award recognizes and supports excellence in programs that open new pathways to learning, self-discovery, and achievement. Maximum award: $10,000. Eligibility: Programs initiated by museums, libraries, performing arts organizations, universities, colleges, arts centers, community service organizations, schools, businesses, and eligible government entities. Deadline: February 2, 2015.
More?
Innovation Generation: Christopher Columbus Awards
The Christopher Columbus Awards Program combines science and technology with community problem-solving. Students work in teams with the help of an adult coach to identify an issue they care about and, using science and technology, work with experts, conduct research, and put their ideas to the test to develop an innovative solution. Maximum award: the $25,000 Foundation Community Grant and an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World to attend the program's National Championship Week, plus a U.S. Savings Bond of $2,000 for each student team member. Eligibility: middle-school-age (sixth, seventh, and eighth grade) children; teams do not need to be affiliated with a school to enter. Deadline: February 2, 2015. More
?
?
Quote of the Week:
?
?
"This is the proverbial perfect storm of testing that has hit not only Florida but all the states. This is too much, too far, too fast, and it threatens the fabric of real accountability." -- Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of Miami-Dade County Schools and 2014 national superintendent of the year, regarding rampant standardized testing of students. More


 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.osu.edu/pipermail/ohiogift/attachments/20141119/29587410/attachment-0001.html>