Teacher Quality and Accountability: A Failed Debate | Dailycensored.com

Teacher Quality and Accountability: A Failed Debate | Dailycensored.com

Shanker Blog » Teachers Matter, But So Do Words

Shanker Blog » Teachers Matter, But So Do Words

Shanker Blog » What Value-Added Research Does And Does Not Show

Shanker Blog » What Value-Added Research Does And Does Not Show

Pedro Noguera's speech

Morningside Center

'Education is about preparing
young people to make the world
better than it is'

Pedro Noguera's speech
at Morningside Center's Courageous Schools Conference
May 21, 2011

‘Broader, bolder’ strategy to ending poverty’s influence on education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

‘Broader, bolder’ strategy to ending poverty’s influence on education - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

The U.S. History Regents and the REAL Goal of Education Reform | assailedteacher

The U.S. History Regents and the REAL Goal of Education Reform | assailedteacher

Online Schools and the Hype Cycle | National Education Policy Center

Online Schools and the Hype Cycle | National Education Policy Center

Robinson: Teach teachers how to teach reading - Editorial Columns - TheState.com

Robinson: Teach teachers how to teach reading - Editorial Columns - TheState.com

see my comment on-line

Thursday Letters to the Editor - Letters - TheState.com

Thursday Letters to the Editor - Letters - TheState.com

See Laura Clinton's letter

"[N]ot the Time. . .to Follow the Line of Least Resistance" | National Education Policy Center

"[N]ot the Time. . .to Follow the Line of Least Resistance" | National Education Policy Center

Transformers Top Ten List

Transformers Top Ten List

from this post

"How about ten free, subtle, simple things teachers can do to begin the process of re-claiming–transforming–education?

1. Smile at children. Often. Especially when they say things that are true, profound, and childlike.

2. Stop talking about how much standardized tests “matter.” Stop feeding the test-anxiety machine. Immediately.

3. Invent reasons to do lessons outside. Even in the winter. Even with high school kids. Measure snow, feed birds, write group poetry, play games in the parking lot– or something.

4. Find something good one of your least creative colleagues does and compliment that person. Encourage them to do it more.

5. Take a traditional school basic practice and develop a learning question: What would happen if we didn’t take attendance? If students graded teachers? If seniors taught kindergarten, instead of teachers? If students chose the music instead of the music teacher? This is totally adaptable to all levels/subjects. Why do we have levels and subjects, anyway?

6. Get brave and start a reading club (it only takes two) and read an article about innovative schools. Talk about out-there educational ideas and models (that would never fly in your community) at lunch. Better yet, invite parents to join–both the reading, and the lunch.

7. Volunteer to handle a bulletin board or showcase for a semester–and use it to post provocative questions. Invite everyone at the school to contribute to the conversation.

8. Ask students what they haven’t learned in school that they wish they knew. Post the answers someplace where the superintendent and school board can read them.

9. Be silent for a day. Communicate with students via written word and hand signals. Ask them to take over their own learning. If necessary, pretend to have laryngitis.

10. Touch your students. Do it carefully–the shoulder pat, the hair ruffle, one finger on an arm, a handshake–but understand the power of human touch."

Research: Teacher effectiveness

Darling-Hammond, L., Holtzman, D. J., Gatlin, S. J., & Heilig, J. V. (2005). Does teacher preparation matter? Evidence about teacher certification, Teach for America, and teacher effectiveness. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 13(42). Retrieved 23 October 2011 from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v13n42/

Darling-Hammond, L. (2002, September 6). Research and rhetoric on teacher certification: A response to "Teacher Certification Reconsidered." Education Policy Analysis Archives, 10(36). Retrieved 28 July 2009 from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n36.html

Peske, H. G., & Haycock, K. (2006, June). Teaching inequality: How poor and minority students are shortchanged on teacher quality. Washington DC: The Education Trust, Inc. Retrieved 7 September 2009 from http://www.edtrust.org/dc/publication/teaching-inequality-how-poor-and-minority-students-are-shortchanged-on-teacher-qualit

Rice, J. K. 2003. “Teacher Quality: Understanding the Effectiveness of Teacher Attributes.” Economic Policy Institute. http://www.epi.org/publication/books_teacher_quality_execsum_intro/

Rice, Jennifer King. 2010. “The Impact of Teacher Experience: Examining the Evidence and Policy Implications.”  CALDER. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute. http://20.132.48.254/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED511988

Sawchuk, S. (2011). EWA research brief: What studies say about teacher effectiveness. Washington DC: Education Writers Association. Retrieved 7 July 2011 from http://www.ewa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_teacher_effectiveness

Proof there is no proof for education reforms - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Proof there is no proof for education reforms - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Education Writers Association: EWA Research Brief: What Studies Say About Teacher Effectiveness

Education Writers Association: EWA Research Brief: What Studies Say About Teacher Effectiveness

Research doesn’t back up key ed reforms - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Research doesn’t back up key ed reforms - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Poverty Not Destiny?: Masking Corporate Agendas | Dailycensored.com

Poverty Not Destiny?: Masking Corporate Agendas | Dailycensored.com

Mick Zais visits Anderson, outlines plans for education » Anderson Independent Mail

Mick Zais visits Anderson, outlines plans for education » Anderson Independent Mail

Problem?

Zais is wrong about the role of poverty (it is huge and no one is using it as an excuse, but suggesting that some do is at least offensive):

http://palmettoeducatorsnetwork.blogspot.com/2011/02/resources-poverty-deficit-perspectives.html

And wrong about VAM, holding teachers accountable for test scores:

http://palmettoeducatorsnetwork.blogspot.com/2011/02/resources-teacher-evaluation-merit-pay.html

SC needs leadership that looks at evidence, has experience as a K-12 educator, and resists political talking points.

The Social Cost of Open Enrollment as a School Choice Policy

NCSPE: Research Publications

The Social Cost of Open Enrollment as a School Choice Policy

Author: Cory Koedel, Julian R. Betts, Lorien A. Rice, & Andrew C. Zau

We evaluate the integrating and segregating effects of school choice in a large, urban school district. Our findings suggest that open enrollment, a school-choice program without explicit integrative objectives which does not provide busing, segregates students along three socioeconomic dimensions – race/ethnicity, student achievement and parental-education status. Using information on expenditures to promote integration at the district, we back out estimates of the social cost of open enrollment realized in terms of student segregation. Our estimates vary widely depending on several assumptions, but a social-cost estimate of roughly 10 million dollars per year is on the high end of our range of estimates for this single district. Although this number represents a sizeable portion of the district’s integrative-busing budget, it is a small fraction of the district’s total budget (≈1.4 billion dollars). Further, we note that this cost may be offset by benefits not related to integration.
Click here to view publication as a PDF

Brazell: Use charter schools as model for new accountability system - Editorial Columns - TheState.com

Brazell: Use charter schools as model for new accountability system - Editorial Columns - TheState.com

See my comment posted and the EVIDENCE supporting my concerns.

Also note the School Report Card data on the charter schools—low/no ELL, special needs students, typical of charter schools across US.

Thomas: Don’t jump from NCLB to more of the same - Editorial Columns - TheState.com

Thomas: Don’t jump from NCLB to more of the same - Editorial Columns - TheState.com

Living & Learning in Poverty: Paul Gorski to speak at Furman University on pover...

Living & Learning in Poverty: Paul Gorski to speak at Furman University on pover...: A Cultural Life Program on poverty will be sponsored by the Furman University chapter of the NAACP this coming WEDNESDAY October 26 in McEa...

Daily Kos: NCLB: Strange Bedfellows Sprung from Opting Out

Daily Kos: NCLB: Strange Bedfellows Sprung from Opting Out

Radical Scholarship: Poverty and Education in SC and the US

Radical Scholarship: Poverty and Education in SC and the US: Op-Eds in The State and The Greenville News : As children across South Carolina re-enter our schools across the state, two recent reports...

We all have a stake in improving kids’ lives - Editorial - TheState.com

We all have a stake in improving kids’ lives - Editorial - TheState.com

Fact Sheet: "Tests, Cheating and Educational Corruption" | FairTest

Fact Sheet: "Tests, Cheating and Educational Corruption" | FairTest

Debunking "miracle" schools

Debunking "miracle" schools

Out-of-school factors v. teacher quality

Out-of-school factors v. teacher quality: "What Research Says About the Effect of Teachers from National Educators Writers Assoc."

A standardized path to school ruin - St. Petersburg Times

A standardized path to school ruin - St. Petersburg Times

Living & Learning in Poverty: Teacher accountability, poverty, and "miracle" sch...

Living & Learning in Poverty: Teacher accountability, poverty, and "miracle" sch...: "Policy makers and pundits would do well simply to consider the evidence: Waiting for a School Miracle By DIANE RAVITCH Inputs Do Matter ..."

Radical Scholarship: Avoiding the Poverty Issue at NYT

Radical Scholarship: Avoiding the Poverty Issue at NYT: "Avoiding the Poverty Issue @ NYT's Room for Debate Testing Students to Grade Teachers"

Radical Scholarship: New at Daily Kos

Radical Scholarship: New at Daily Kos: "Thomas, P. L. (2011, May 26). The billionaire (and his minions) doth protest too much, methinks . Daily Kos ."

New piece at The Daily Censored and Daily Kos

New piece at The Daily Censored and Daily Kos: "Maher’s “Real Time” Education Debate Failure Redux: Legend of the Fall, pt. VII and re-posted at Daily Kos"

"The Children Do Listen" at Daily Kos

"The Children Do Listen" at Daily Kos: "Thomas, P. L. (2011, May 9). 'The children do listen.' Daily Kos ."

Teachers are not to blame

Teachers are not to blame: "Teachers are not to blame excerpt: 'This view—that the right incentives (positive or negative) will produce the necessary changes in te..."

Superman is fantasy, teaching is reality

Superman is fantasy, teaching is reality: "Thomas, P. L. (2011, May 6). Superman is fantasy, teaching is reality . Daily Kos ."

Is Poverty the Key Factor in Student Outcomes?

Is Poverty the Key Factor in Student Outcomes?: "Is Poverty the Key Factor in Student Outcomes? 'After looking at the data, Marder has yet to be convinced that any teaching solution has ..."

A Letter to Arne Duncan at Susan Ohanian

A Letter to Arne Duncan at Susan Ohanian: "A Letter to Arne Duncan Includes my comment online to a commentary by Duncan at EdWeek ."

Revisiting The CREDO Charter School Analysis

Revisiting The CREDO Charter School Analysis

If There Remains any Question @ The Daily Kos

If There Remains any Question @ The Daily Kos: "If There Remains any Question"

Shifting Talking Points among School Choice Advoca...

Shifting Talking Points among School Choice Advoca...: "Shifting Talking Points among School Choice Advocates"

The Limits of School Reform By JOE NOCERA

The Limits of School Reform By JOE NOCERA: "The Limits of School Reform By JOE NOCERA 'Yet the reformers act as if a student’s home life is irrelevant.. . .What needs to be acknowle..."

Geoffrey Canada in Greenville: Listen with Caution

Geoffrey Canada has attained a leading voice in education reform, spurred primarily by media hype that ignores many serious problems with his messages and his Harlen Children's Zone (HCZ). Canada will likely continue to be afforded extensive and unchallenged access to presenting his messages, but anyone listening should listen with caution--and should be fully informed.

Thomas, P. L. (2011, April 11). Accountability? Start at the top. OpEdNews.com http://www.opednews.com/articles/Accountability-Start-at-t-by-Paul-Thomas-110411-375.html

-----. (2011, March 27). Journalists, media fail education reform debate. OpEdNews.com. http://www.opednews.com/articles/Journalists-Media-Fail-Ed-by-Paul-Thomas-110326-816.html  

-----. (2011, January 10). Supermen or kryptonite?—Legend of the fall, pt. V. The Daily Censored. http://dailycensored.com/2011/01/10/superman-or-kryptonite%E2%80%94legend-of-the-fall-pt-v/

-----. (2010, November 28). Our faith in a "culture of poverty" never left. The Daily Censored. http://dailycensored.com/2010/11/28/our-faith-in-a-culture-of-poverty-never-left/

-----. (2010, August 17). Reconsidering education "miracles." OpEdNews.com. http://www.opednews.com/articles/Reconsidering-Education-M-by-P-L-Thomas-100816-438.html   

Test scores? Look at the child's home

New study from Florida reveals--again--that out-of-school factors strongest when looking at education outcomes:

"Researchers discovered the groups’ socio-economic level corresponded with their group ranking on FCAT scores. The most affluent lifestyle group registered the highest FCAT scores, the second richest group ranked second in test scores, and so on. On the math tests, the gap between the highest and lowest scoring lifestyle groups was more than two grade levels."

[But someone needs to inform the journalists that poverty is not a "lifestyle."]

New piece at truthout

New piece at truthout: "Why Advocacy and Market Forces Fail Education Reform Why advocacy and market forces fail education reform Why Advocacy and Market Forces Fa..."

Finalnd, school reform, and children playing

The Children Must Play

What the United States could learn from Finland about education reform.

Notice that there is no mention of teacher merit pay, standards-based testing, vouchers or anything that is coming from politicians and self-proclaimed education leaders in the U.S.

19 April 2011 Commentary @ The Daily Censored

19 April 2011 Commentary @ The Daily Censored: "Standardized Students, Silenced Teachers: The Un-American Education Agenda"

Important work on class size

More clap trap from CAP on class size reduction

Scoppe: The high price of ‘choice’

Scoppe: The high price of ‘choice’

11 April 2011 Commentary at OpEdNews

11 April 2011 Commentary at OpEdNews: "Accountability? Start at the Top"

Meritocracy Myth v. the Advantages of Privilege (A...

Meritocracy Myth v. the Advantages of Privilege (A...: "Meritocracy Myth v. the Advantages of Privilege (A Tale of Hubris)"

Beware SC. . .

So, Now the Door is Wide Open! Arizona's Tax Benefit for Religious Schools

A case against standards @ The Answer Sheet

A case against standards @ The Answer Sheet: "A case against standards"

Voucher bill in SC remains flawed

Same flaws remain in this year's private school voucher 

EVIDENCE

Study Finds High Dropout Rates for Black Males in KIPP Schools

@ EdWeek

Study Finds High Dropout Rates for Black Males in KIPP Schools

195. What Makes KIPP Work? A Study of Student Characteristics, Attrition, and School Finance. 2011.
Author: Gary Miron, Jessica L. Urschel, and Nicholas Saxton

The abstract will be available shortly. We apologize for the delay.
Click here to view publication as a PDF
Click here to email a PDF

Voucher scam continues in SC

Spearman: S.C. can’t afford fool’s gold of private school subsidies

We must be vigilant about EVIDENCE over politics.

Journalists, Media Fail Education Reform Debate @ ...

Journalists, Media Fail Education Reform Debate @ ...: "Journalists, Media Fail Education Reform Debate"

NCLB failures from FairTest

Position Paper on NCLB and the School to Prison Pipeline

SC, other states, and the federal government must consider the unintended negative consequences of three decades of accountability.

New documentary on Finland's schools; a commentary

The Finland Phenomenon - a film on schools

National Board is poor investment

STUDY on Washington state bonuses for NBCT in high-poverty schools.

EdWeek Teaching Now blog.

Teacher incentives fail again

TEACHER INCENTIVES AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT:
EVIDENCE FROM NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Roland G. Fryer
Working Paper 16850
http://www.nber.org/papers/w16850

ABSTRACT
Financial incentives for teachers to increase student performance is an increasingly popular education policy around the world. This paper describes a school-based randomized trial in over two-hundred New York City public schools designed to better understand the impact of teacher incentives on student achievement. I find no evidence that teacher incentives increase student performance, attendance, or graduation, nor do I find any evidence that the incentives change student or teacher behavior. If anything, teacher incentives may decrease student achievement, especially in larger schools. The paper concludes with a speculative discussion of theories that may explain these stark results.

Ravitch: Age of Hypocrisy

Ravitch: Actually, it’s an age of hypocrisy and meanness

"In South Carolina, the legislature plans to cut $12 million from funding for physical education and guidance counselors, but managed to find $25 million to fund new charter schools. So, all the children in the state will be less fit so a handful of children can attend privately managed charters. Makes sense, no? Oh, yes, the legislature also found $10 million to pay for a golf tournament. I guess the money isn’t all gone, but priorities have changed."

Letter in SHJ

See Laura Clinton's letter about education legislation in SC, posted at the Spartanburg Herald-Journal.

Education has now been officially targeted as the "scapegoat" for South Carolina's woes with current legislation in the House and Senate. For example, rather than address the overwhelming influence of poverty and its effect on our state and our children, Rep. Bakari Sellers would like to pass House Bill 3363, The Education Performance Accountability Act of 2011, to classify teaching positions and create a merit system of pay for teachers. A spokesman for our state superintendent feels that teachers should not have input in regards to this bill, as well.

Yes, we have budget challenges, but we should not forget that we are an abundant nation. We could reverse some of the ills of poverty if as much energy and focus was on its eradication — rather than "bash" teachers, administrators and public education as a whole and attempt to revamp an entire system without regard to the evidence or input from those in this system that many feel needs overhauling.

Legislators, let's focus on legislation to fund early childhood: K3 programs on an as-needed basis, K4 programs open to all. Let's address the gap at the beginning of a child's life and seek policies that help more students start on a level playing field. Teachers are not in the field of education primarily for money. Merit pay as an "incentive" to improve education is ineffective according to the research and is an insult to the profession as a whole. 

I invite you to gather with those of us who wish for their voice to be heard at the State House steps on March 31 at 4 p.m. Together, let's work to improve the living conditions for all in our wonderful state and not misrepresent the role of teachers within challenges that include an entire society. 

Laura J. Clinton

Spartanburg

New piece at The Answer Sheet 23 March 2011

New piece at The Answer Sheet 23 March 2011: "How test scores are used as a political prop

18 March 2011 Commentary at The Daily Censored

18 March 2011 Commentary at The Daily Censored: "Test Scores Fail Students, Teachers, But Remain a Political Prop"

Letter challenging charter funding in SHJ

The SC House has approved an appropriation of $25 million in additional funding for the SC Public Charter School district (SCPCSD). State Superintendent Zais claims “[o]ur public charter schools, paid for and supported by state tax dollars, are providing South Carolina students with innovative educational opportunities that meet and often exceed state standards.” The recent release of 2010 school district report cards call these actions and claims into question.

According to the report card data, published at Zais’ agency’s website, www.ed.sc.gov, the SCPCSD ranks 77th out of 85 SC districts in absolute performance, with a graduation rate over 45% lower than the median district. While the median district’s art opportunities rating is “excellent,” SCPCSD’s is “poor.” Astoundingly, these results require an average administrators’ salary of over $10,000 more than the median SC district. According to the SCPCSD “[t]he goal of charter schools is to encourage academic excellence, educational improvement and cultural diversity…” In fact, the rate of African-American enrollment in SCPCSD is less than half the median SC district and the poverty index is 10% less. Actually, the disparity in Africa-American enrollment violates the current charter school law in SC.

The charter school experiment in SC should be evaluated thoroughly before any additional legislative support is provided, and, Dr. Zais, the state’s chief school officer, should explain how the results of the SCPCSD are meeting and exceeding those of other public schools.

Sincerely,

Glen R. Carson

Education miracles don't exist. . .and claims hurt reform

Over the past two-plus decades, at least three claims of education "miracle" have been perpetuated in the media and then codified in state and federal education legislation--the Texas miracle, the Harlem miracle, and the Chicago miracle.

What do they all have in common? The claim of miracle always falls apart when the rhetoric and advocacy are peeled back and the evidence is examined.

Some resources for examining the "miracle" phenomenon. . .and this is my call to refute both the claims and the pursuit of miracle at the expense of evidence and needed education reform:

What Do Test Scores in Texas Tell Us? (2000)

Chicago miracle? (2008)

Reconsidering education "miracles" (2010)

Just how gullible is Anderson Cooper? (2010)

Just how gullible is David Brooks? (2009)

The real cost of vouchers/tuition tax credits

Excellent and cautionary report from NEPC concerning the claims about voucher/tuition tax credit costs during tough budget times.

How to Calculate the Costs or Savings of Tax Credit Voucher Policies

Inside Finland's education system

This is an important interview about Finland's school system, BUT even here, the issue of poverty is ignored. Keep in mind that Finland has about 3-4% childhood poverty while the U.S. has over 20% childhood poverty. Also, keep in mind that the U.S. has over 3 million teachers--and Finland has only about 5 million citizens total. Poverty and scale MUST be considered when discussing or comparing Finland and the U.S.

An interview with Henna Virkkunen, Finland’s Minister of Education

Education Gathering at SC Statehouse March 31, 2011

Teachers, administrators, parents, students and citizens—

Let your voices be heard in response to current legislation being proposed in the House and Senate:

*Educational Professional Performance Accountability Act of 2011 (H 3363, H 3716 *formerly 3002)

*Funding for public schools (S 433, H 3716)

(Please be aware that these bill numbers could change as they pass through the legislative process.)

Meet at the State House steps in Columbia, SC  at 4:00 on Thursday, March 31st!

Beware simple comparisons couched in praise of charters

Letter at The State today offers how complicated the charter advocacy situation is for public schools.

Follow the discussion and see my comment posted there:

Any education success at our schools--regardless of kind (public, private, charter)--deserves praise and celebration. But we must be careful when that praise slips into comparisons that imply policy should reflect some TYPE of schooling as superior to another.

Charter spending often includes hidden differences that we tend to ignore about public schools--which have complex mandates concerning what each public school MUST do.

Spartanburg Charter has a poverty index of about 56 placing it in the TOP 17% of elementary schools in SC--comparable to Blythe Academy in Greenville and Jesse Boyd in Spartanburg, both with better report card ratings but with a more diverse population of students to educate (ELL, notably). Also Spartanburg Charter has a 9-1 student-teacher ratio, compared to 19-1 for Blythe and Jesse Boyd--suggesting many aspects of the setting may be impacting the outcomes, not just raw dollars spent.

See REPORT CARDS

POVERTY INDEX 2010

Spartanburg Charter exposes a common problem with comparing charters to public schools--populations of students served, including ELL and special needs students.

The BULK of increased education spending in public schools over the past half century can be traced to special needs and ELL costs, which public schools MUST address and charter schools often don't.

We can applaud Spartanburg Charter without suggesting an incomplete and misleading conclusion that the school does more with less money (this claim about private schools remains, but is untrue as well).

13 March 2011 Commentary in OpEdNews

13 March 2011 Commentary in OpEdNews: "'A Question of Power': Of Accountability and Teaching by Numbers"

Rebuttal to Misinformation from Rep. Stringer

Rep. Stringer has a misleading Op-Ed at The Greenville News, reprinted at SCRG (a political think tank that advocates school choice).

PLEASE contact Rep. Springer HERE.

One notable comment from Stringer--"They missed the fact that life itself is a test"--is worth addressing directly. Life is NOT a multiple choice test.

The claims that lead to his arguments are all provably misleading; thus, the conclusions are suspect.

I posted this rebuttal online at TGN:

The PISA claim here is FALSE, oversimplified misinformation. When POVERTY is considered, the US has test scores that exceed countries with similar levels of poverty. FACT: http://bit.ly/hWVCkM

For example, Finland has about 3-4% childhood poverty while the US has well over 20% childhood poverty. SCHOOL OUTCOMES REFLECT PRIMARILY SOCIAL CONDITIONS--not teacher or school quality. (http://bit.ly/hUYgl8)

As well, public, private, charter, and choice schools all produce ABOUT THE SAME RESULTS. Ample evidence shows that none of the formats are superior to the others. Most comprehensive study on choice available today: "In this article, we review the empirical evidence on the impact of education vouchers on student achievement, and briefly discuss the evidence from other forms of school choice. The best research to date finds relatively small achievement gains for students offered education vouchers, most of which are not statistically different from zero." (http://bit.ly/gtdN2K)

Education as burden

Freire (2005):

If studying were not almost always a burden [emphasis in original] to us, if reading were not a bitter obligation, if, on the contrary, studying and reading were sources of pleasure and happiness as well as sources of the knowledge we need to better move about the world, we would have indexes that were more indicative of the quality of our education. (p. 45)

Freire, P. (2005). Teachers as cultural workers: Letters to those who dare to teach. Trans. D. Macedo, D., Koike, & A., Oliveira. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

The Increasing Burden on America's Schools, Jamie Vollmer

The Increasing Burden on America's Schools

Schools cannot do this alone by Jamie Vollmer

America’s public schools can be traced back to the year 1640. The Massachusetts Puritans established schools to:

• Teach basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills, and
• Cultivate values that serve a democratic society (some history and civics implied).

The creators of these first schools assumed that families and churches bore the major responsibility for raising a child. The responsibility of the school was limited and focused for 260 years.

At the beginning of the 20th century, society began to assign additional responsibilities to the schools. Politicians, business leaders, and policy makers began to see the schools as a logical site for the assimilation of newly arrived immigrants and the social engineering of the first generation of the “Industrial Age." The trend of increasing the responsibilities of the public schools began then and has accelerated ever since.

• From 1900 to 1910, we added
• nutrition
• immunization, and
• health to the list of school responsibilities.

• From 1920 to 1940, we added
• vocational education
• the practical arts
• business education
• speech and drama
• half day kindergarten
• Phys. Ed. including organized athletics, and
• school lunch programs (We take this for granted today. It was, however, a significant step to shift to the schools the job of feeding America's children 1/3 of their daily meals.)

• In the 1950's, we added
• safety education
• driver's education
• expanded music and art education
• foreign language requirements are strengthened, and
• sex education introduced (topics escalate through 1990's)

• In the 1960's, we added
• Advanced Placement programs
• consumer education
• career education
• peace education
• leisure education, and
• recreation education

• In the 1970's, the breakup of the American family accelerated, and we added
• special education (mandated by federal government)
• Title IX programs (greatly expanded athletic program for girls)
• drug and alcohol abuse education
• Head Start
• parent education
• behavior adjustment classes
• character education
• environmental education, and
• school breakfast programs appear (Now, some schools are feeding America's children 2/3 of their daily meals. Sadly, these are the only decent meals some children receive.)

• In the 1980's the flood gates open, and we add
• keyboarding and computer education
• global education
• ethnic education
• multicultural/non-sexist education
• English-as-a-second-language, and bilingual education
• early childhood education
• Jump Start, Early Start, Even Start, and Prime Start
• full day kindergarten
• pre-school programs for children at risk
• afer school programs for children of working parents
• alternative education in all its forms
• stranger/danger education
• anti-smoking education
• sexual abuse prevention education
• health and psychological services are expanded, and
• child abuse monitoring becomes a legal requirement for all teachers

• In the 1990's we added
• HIV/ AIDS education
• death education
• expanded computer and Internet education
• inclusion
• Tech Prep and School to work programs
• gang education (in urban centers)
• bus safety education
• bicycle safety education, and
• gun safety education

And in most states we have not added a single minute to the school calendar in five decades!

All of the items added to the list have merit, and all have their ardent supporters. They cannot, however, all be assigned to the schools.

The people of each community must come together to answer two essential questions: What do they want their children to know and be able to do when they graduate, and how can the entire community be organized to ensure that all children reach the stated goals.

The bottom line: schools cannot do it all.  Schools cannot raise America's children. 

Public education has prepared millions of people from all classes and backgrounds to catch the American dream. Over the last twenty years, public schools have heroically responded to a rising flood of expectations ­ they are teaching more students more subjects to higher levels in more creative and dynamic ways than ever before. 

Unfortunately, the system was designed for another age and there is a gap growing between what schools provide and what students need. We must significantly change what, when, and how children are taught if we are going to close this gap. Teachers and administrators everywhere are struggling to make these changes, but they cannot succeed without the understanding, trust, permission, and support of the local community. 

The time has come for every school district to organize a community-wide conversation that results in a shared commitment to create public schools that provide a high quality education for all. We must 1) Stop bad-mouthing and blaming. 2) Shift from negative discussions to positive stories 3) Share success stories that come from everyday miracles in public schools.   

Monitor the conversations and ask your staff and community members to volunteer and share at least three stories a week.  It cost nothing and requires no extra work.

Pay incentives do not work, again--New York

Study: $75M teacher pay initiative did not improve achievement

Reform Agenda Commentary at The Daily Censored (7 ...

Reform Agenda Commentary at The Daily Censored (7 ...: "My Challenge to the False Prophets of Education Reform"

Scapegoats

Great Political Cartoon @ truthout

A Teacher Voice from Florida

President Obama shares the stage with Jeb Bush in Miami

Sound familiar?

Consider this discussion of U.S. public education:

For while schools everywhere reflect to some extent the culture of which they are a part and respond to forces within that culture, the American public schools, because of the nature of their pattern of organization, support, and control, were especially vulnerable and responded quickly to the strongest social forces. . . .The business influence was exerted upon education in several ways: through newspapers, journals, and books; through speeches at educational meetings; and, more directly, through actions of school boards. It was exerted by laymen, by professional journalists, by businessmen or industrialists either individually or in groups. . ., and finally by educators themselves. Whatever its source, the influence was exerted in the form of suggestions or demands that the schools be organized and operated in a ore businesslike way and that more emphasis by placed upon a practical and immediately useful education.

In 2011, does this sound familiar? Maybe even a reference to Waiting for Superman, Bill Gates, Michelle Rhee, and Arne Duncan? This is in fact from Callahan (1962, pp. 1, 5-6) who recognized the corrosive impact of efficiency on attitudes toward the teaching profession--attitudes that have resulted in praise for scripted curriculum, attacks on teacher quality, and calls for increasing class sizes:

The tragedy itself was fourfold: that educational questions were subordinated to business considerations; that administrators were produced who were not, in any true sense, educators; that a scientific label was put on some very unscientific and dubious methods and practices; and that an anti-intellectual climate, already prevalent, was strengthened. (p. 246)

The whole development produced men who did not understand education or scholarship. Thus they could and did approach education in a businesslike, mechanical, organizational way. They saw nothing wrong with imposing impossible loads on high school teachers, because they were not students or scholars and did not understand the need for time for study and preparation. (p. 247)

Callahan, R. E. (1962). Education and the cult of efficiency: A study of the social forces that have shaped the administration of the public schools. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Three important pieces

Three important pieces: "Building Better Kids [cited study HERE] 'Waiting for Superman' at Mission High (Part 1) 'Waiting for Superman' at Mission High, Part 2"

Important distinction about evaluating teacher quality

Key discussion here about value-added assessment of INDIVIDUAL teachers. Note these comments specifically:

"And, unfortunately, they are not alone. I hear people – including policymakers – advocate constantly for the use of value-added in teacher evaluations or other high-stakes decisions by saying that 'research shows' that there are huge differences between 'good' and 'bad' teachers.

"This overall variation is a very important finding, but for policy purposes, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we can differentiate between the good, the bad, and the average at the level of individual teachers. How we should do so is an open question.

"Conflating the importance of teacher quality with the ability to measure it carries the risk of underemphasizing all the methodological and implementation details – such as random error, model selection, and data verification – that will determine whether value-added plays a productive role in education policy."

Teacher pay bill being considered in SC

H. 3363

1 March 2011 Commentary at OpEdNews

1 March 2011 Commentary at OpEdNews: "Ironic Lessons in Education Reform from Bill Gates"

Update: Merit pay bill in SC

PLACE THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF EVIDENCE.

It appeared that House Bill 3363 Educational Professional Performance and Pay Accountability Act of
2011 (details below) would not be discussed until after the House
debates the budget in March, but it was placed on a subcommittee agenda.  IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO CALL AND EMAIL THE MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE WITH YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS BILL.

Subcommittee Contact Info:

Representative Brian White
Columbia Address:
519C Blatt Building
Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3113
BrianWhite@schouse.gov

Representative Joe Neal
Columbia Address:
309B Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-2804
JoeNeal@schouse.gov

Representative Mike Pitts
Columbia Address:
327C Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-2830
MikePitts@schouse.gov

Representative Bill Herbkersman
Columbia Address:
308B Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3063
BillHerbkersman@schouse.gov

House Bill 3363 by Rep. Sellars – The Education Professional Performance
Accountability Act of 2011 has been introduced and sent to the House
Ways and Means Committee. This bill includes the following points:

- Personnel will be classified and paid based on what they do:

Pay Classification

1: Math and Science teachers
2:  All other teachers
3:  Special Ed teachers
4:  Coaches and facilitators
5: Special area personnel such as psychologists, media and
guidance
6:  Administrative personnel
7:  Support staff

-All teachers will go through SAFE-T (ADEPT) every year
4 evaluations (2 teacher, 2 administrator) for 50% of your score

-Pre and post test data for your students (probably MAP 75% class
growth) - 30% of your score for pay

-School collective test data - 10 % of your pay

-Professional responsibility - 5% of your pay (parents and students
will be part of the evaluation process)

-Professional development measured by instructional practices - 5%
of your score for pay

To view the full bill, go to:
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess119_2011-2012/bills/3363.htm

PSTA will testify against this bill on Wednesday afternoon.  It is SO
important that your teacher voices are heard on this issue.  Start
calling after school today.  The subcommittee members will not be coming
to Columbia until Tuesday morning so you have time to reach them in
their districts.
(see more info below on HB 3363)
________________________________________

House Bill 3716 (previously 3002) is on the House calendar and could be
debated as early as Tuesday. This bill amends the Education Finance Act
of 1977- to the Education Finance Act of 2011. The bill allows for
changes in the student weightings and added a weight for Poverty and
English as a Second Language (ESOL). Language pertaining to the STEP
increase will be removed and STEP increases will only be provided at the
district’s discretion. The SDE is directed to develop a performance
based model for salary increases to replace the STEP increase. The bill
addresses the Index of Taxpaying Ability. Seventy percent (70%) of
funding must be directed to instruction. The bill also includes a Basic
Education Program that allows the General Assembly to consolidate line
items in the budget and provide a more direct student centered funding
to the districts. The items include, but are not limited to: EEDA, EAA,
Student Health and Fitness Act, physical education programs, units
required by SBE regulations in each grade leveteaching of grade-specific standards.

Representative Dan Cooper, at the request of PSTA, put an amendment to
the bill that assures that there is teacher input in the development of
an incentive compensation plan for teachers. You must get in touch with
your House member and ask them to make sure the section that allows
teacher input in developing the performance pay stays in the bill. A
spokesman for Superintendent Zais has testified and spoken to the media
against having a committee of teachers mandated in the bill. You can
read the response here: http://www.wyff4.com/news/26919658/detail.html

Save Our Schools March July 30 in D.C

Op-Ed reposted at The Answer Sheet

2 false claims that drive school reform

Social reform to support whole life of children (UK)

Response to the UK Government's Tackling Child Poverty and Improving Life Chances: Consulting on a New Approach

from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation

More reasons NOT to use tests for student or teacher evaluation

Inside the multimillion-dollar essay-scoring business

Howard Zinn (1994), You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train

Howard Zinn (1994) speaks to the critical educator in his memoir You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train:

When I became a teacher I could not possibly keep out of the classroom my own experiences. . . .Does not the very fact of that concealment teach something terrible—that you can separate the study of literature, history, philosophy, politics, the arts, from your own life, your deepest convictions about right and wrong?. . .In my teaching I never concealed my political views. . . .I made clear my abhorrence of any kind of bullying, whether by powerful nations over weaker ones, governments over their citizens, employers over employees, or by anyone, on the Right or the Left, who thinks they have a monopoly on the truth. . . .From that moment on, I was no longer a liberal, a believer in the self-correcting character of American democracy. I was a radical, believing that something fundamental was wrong in this country—not just the existence of poverty amidst great wealth, not just the horrible treatment of black people, but something rotten at the root. The situation required not just a new president or new laws, but an uprooting of the old order, the introduction of a new kind of society—cooperative, peaceful, egalitarian. (pp. 7, 173)

Zinn, H. (1994). You can't be neutral on a moving train: A personal history of our times. Boston: Beacon Press.

Resources: "Waiting for Superman" debunked

The release of Waiting for Superman on DVD has spurred a second round of uncritical PR related to the film. Here is a detailed listing of evidence that reveals the film as misleading and ultimately harmful to needed social and education reform:

The Myth of Charter Schools

Review of Waiting for Superman

Why Oscar Snubbed "Superman"

Legend of the Fall

A Tale of Two Films

Waiting for Superman: He’s “adequate” and near proficient!

Demonizing Public Education

'Superman' offers mirage, not a miracle

The Myth of the Bad Teacher

The Real Facts about Waiting for Superman

Fact-checking "Waiting for Superman": False data and fraudulent claims

Teacher accountability and charter schools @ The Greenville News

False claims drive two education reform ideas

Make those calling for accountability ACCOUNTABLE FIRST

From The State, a letter from Dawn Davenport asks a valuable question of the State Superintendent of education:

"Superintendant Zais, what if your salary was based on the performance of the districts, schools and students in this state? Would that make sense? No. You couldn’t be held accountable for the performances of such a diverse group. Neither can we."

We must emphasize the flaws in calls for accountability that ignore the professionalism and empowerment of teachers, the overwhelming influence of out-of-school factors on student outcomes, and the complete lack of accountability for those in power.

Empowerment for teachers?

See the evidence of de-professionalized educators and student outcomes:

Performance-Enhancing Teacher Contracts?

Revisiting an Op-Ed from 2007

P. L. Thomas, Publications & Scholarship: Revisiting an Op-Ed from 2007: "This post at The Answer Sheet by Marion Brady made me think of Lou LaBrant and her brush with accountability from 1932"

Beware data-mania

Dawn of the dumbest school data

Dignity and Respect in the Classroom

Dignity and Respect in the Classroom

Charters and segregation

Charter schools raise question of new segregation

Excellent rebuttal of VAM @ The State

Hicks: Pay for performance fails to perform

The EVIDENCE.

The charter push ramps up without evidence. . .

The governor, education superintendent, and other elected officials have all started beating the drum for charter school funding in SC—while cutting education budgets.

See for example this Op-Ed: End discrimination against charter school students

Again, we must hold political agendas responsible for decisions based on EVIDENCE, not ideology and political platforms.

Let's Show Struggling Schools Some REAL Love

Let's Show Struggling Schools Some REAL Love: A Valentine for the Bottom 5%

Bartleby Project 2011

View the Bartleby Project 2011 @ YouTube

"What ought to guide me. . ."

"What ought to guide me is not the question of neutrality in education but respect, at all costs, for those involved in education. Respect for teachers on the part of school administrators, whether public or private. Respect among teachers and students. And respect between both. This respect is what I should fight for, without ceasing. . . .What is my neutrality, if not a comfortable and perhaps hysterical way of avoiding any choice or even hiding my fear of denouncing injustice. To wash my hands in the face of oppression." (Freire, 1998, p. 101)

Freire, P. (1998). Pedagogy of freedom: Ethics, democracy, and civic courage. Trans. P. Clarke. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

Do we really care about children in the U.S.?

Do we really care about children in the U.S.?

Recommended:

"Somebody's Baby," Barbara Kingsolver, High Tide in Tucson

Excerpt:

The one sure thing is that no parent, ever, has turned out to be perfectly wise and exhaustively provident, 1,440 minutes a day, for 18 years. It takes help. Children are not commodities but an incipient world. They thrive best when their upbringing is the collective joy and responsibility of family, neighborhood, communities, and nations. . . .Presuming children to be their parents’ sole property and responsibility is, among other things, a handy way of declaring problem children to be someone else’s problem, or fault, or failure. It’s dangerous remedy; it doesn’t change the fact that somebody else’s kid will ultimately be in your face demanding now with interest what they didn’t get when they were smaller and had simpler needs. . . .

Here in the land of plenty a child dies from poverty every fifty-three minutes, and TV talk shows exhibit teenagers who pierce their flesh with safety pins and rip off their parents every way they know how. All these punks started out as somebody's baby. How on earth, we'd like to know, did they learn to be so isolated and selfish? (pp. 103-104, 106)

Advocacy v. Evidence?: Charter support in SC

Superintendent Zais supports "fair funding" for charter schools

What about fair funding for our public schools?

And the EVIDENCE on charter schools?

Recommended: Those Who Can Teach; Life Lessons Learned

Those Who Can Teach; Life Lessons Learned

Resources: Teach for America (think-tanks and the media)

Along with charter schools, the education reform debate includes a great deal of claims against teacher quality, one of which includes a growing fascination with Teach for America (TfA). Many elements in the education debate are being clouded by think-tanks and private organization public relations (see Molnar, 2001; Welner, et al., 2010; Yettick, 2009); therefore, policy makers and the public should consider carefully claims while looking for quality scholarly studies. Here are recommended resources concerning TfA:


Deepening the Debate over Teach For America: Responses to Heather Harding

Tough Questions for Teach For America: Heather Harding Responds


A Letter to the Seattle WA School Board


Hyper-accountability, Burnout and Blame: A TFA Corps Member Speaks Out


Phil Kovacs Responds to the Latest Research on Teach For America


Jack Hassard Reports: Cobb County, Georgia, Rejects Teach For America


'Teach for America' overstates its classroom success


Reconsidering TFA (blog)


Teach for America - A Hidden Curriculum?


Teach for America: The Hidden Curriculum of Liberal Do-Gooders


Teach for America: Liberal mission helps conservative agenda


Philip Kovacs: Research Suggests Teach For America Does Not Belong in Huntsville


Philip Kovacs: Teach For America Research Fails the Test


Philip Kovacs: Huntsville Takes a Closer Look at Teach For America's "Research"


Philip Kovacs Takes on TFA in Huntsville


The Dialogue Heats Up over Teach For America


Petition to Change/Reform TfA


Teach For America: A False Promise


Teach For America: A Review of the Evidence


Ravitch: The Problem with Teach For America


Richard Cohen's Teach for America Column Deserves a Failing Grade


Resources for think-tanks and the media:


Think Tank Research Quality: Lessons for Policy Makers, the Media, and the Public
Edited by:
Kevin G. Welner, University of Colorado - Boulder
Patricia H. Hinchey, Pennsylvania State University
Alex Molnar, Arizona State University
Don Weitzman, Independent Researcher

Molnar, A. (2001, April 11). The media and educational research: What we know vs. what the public hears. Milwaukee, WI: Center for Education Research, Analysis, and Innovation. Retrieved 18 July 2009 from http://epsl.asu.edu/epru/documents/cerai-01-14.htm

Yettick, H. (2009). The research that reaches the public: Who produces the educational research mentioned in the news media? Boulder and Tempe: Education and the Public Interest Center & Education Policy Research Unit. Retrieved 5 August 2009 from http://epicpolicy.org/publication/research-that-reaches 

Commentary @ The State

Smarter ways to spend education dollars

Resources: Testing and Accountability

Resources

NEW: Incentives and Test-Based Accountability in Education

Amrein, A.L., & Berliner, D.C. (2002, March 28). High-stakes testing, uncertainty, and student learning. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 10(18). Retrieved 1 November 2009 from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n18/

Ball, A., Christensen, L., Fleischer, C., Haswell, R., Ketter, J., Yageldski, R., & Yancey, K. (2005, April 16). The impact of the SAT and ACT timed writing tests. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.

Bracey, G. (2009a, November). The big tests: What ends do they serve? Educational Leadership, 67(3), 32-37. Retrieved 8 December 2009 from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/nov09/vol67/num03/The_Big_Tests@_What_Ends_Do_They_Serve%C2%A2.aspx

Croes, J., & Morgenstern, M. (2008, December 25) Too much testing cuts into learning. The Boston Globe online edition. http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/12/25/too_much_testing_cuts_into_learning/ 

David, J. L. (2011, March). High-stakes testing narrows the curriculum. Educational Leadership, 68(6), 78-80. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/mar11/vol68/num06/High-Stakes_Testing_Narrows_the_Curriculum.aspx

Freedman, S. W. (1995) Exam-based reform stifles student writing in the U.K. Educational Leadership, 52(6), 26-29.

Klein, S. P., Hamilton, L. S., McCaffrey, D. F. & Stecher, B. M. (2000) What do test scores in Texas tell us? Issue Paper, Rand Education. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation. Retrieved 20 August 2009 from http://www.rand.org/pubs/issue_papers/IP202/index.html

Kobrin, J. L., Patterson, B. F., Shaw, E. J., Mattern, K. D., & Barbuti, S. M. (2008). Validity of the SAT for predicting first-year college grade point average. College Board Research Report No. 2008-5. New York: The College Board. Retrieved 12 August 2008 from http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/Validity_of_the_SAT_for_Predicting_First_Year_College_Grade_Point_Average.pdf

Krashen, S. (2008, Spring) Bogus claims about Reading First. Rethinking Schools Online, 22(3). Retrieved 20 August 2009 from http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/22_03/bogu223.shtml

Krashen, S. (2006, October 2). Did Reading First work? The Pulse. Retrieved 20 August 2009 from  http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&postid=17349

Krashen, S. (2001). More smoke and mirrors: A critique of the National Reading Panel (NRP) report on fluency. Phi Delta Kappan, 83(2), 118-22.

Krashen, S. (2007). NCLB: No impact on state fourth grade reading test scores. The Pulse.  Retrieved 7 September 2009 http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&postid=19497

Marklein, M. B. (2009, August 25). SAT scores show disparities by race, gender, family income. USA Today. Retrieved 27 August 2009 from http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-08-25-SAT-scores_N.htm

Neal, D., & Schanzenbach, D. W. (2007, July). Left behind by design: Proficiency counts and test-based accountability. NBER Working Paper No. 13293. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. Retrieved 5 August 2009 from http://www.nber.org/papers/w13293

Nichols, S. L., & Berliner, D. C. (2008a, March). Testing the joy out of learning. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 14-18.

Nichols, S. L., & Berliner, D. C. (2008b, May). Why has high-stakes testing so easily slipped into contemporary American life? Phi Delta Kappan, 89(9), 672-676.

Popham, W. J. (2003). Test better, teach better: The instructional role of assessment. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Popham, W. J. (2001a) Teaching to the Test? Educational Leadership, 58(6), 16–20.

Popham, W. J. (2001b). The Truth about testing: An educator’s call to action. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Popham, W. J. (1999) Why Standardized Tests Don’t Measure Educational Quality. Educational Leadership, 56(6), 8-15.

———. (2004a, October). The negative impact of testing writing skills. Educational Leadership, 62(2), 76-79.

———. (2004b). Numbers games: Measuring and mandating American education. New York: Peter Lang USA.