The NEGP WEEKLY for January 12, 2001
From: Negpweek (NEGPWEEK@WESTAT.com)
Date: Fri Jan 12 2001 - 08:16:23 PST
*****************THE NEGP WEEKLY*****************
A weekly news update on America's Education Goals
and school improvement efforts across America from the
NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL
Friday - January 12, 2001 -- Vol. 2 -- No. 86
*************************************************
CONTENTS
**STATE POLICY
1.) TEACHER TRAINING: CALLING FOR NEW PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA (Goal 4 & 5)
2.) THE RACE TO GET MORE TEACHERS: CONNECTICUT'S PLAN (Goal 4)
**COMMUNITY AND LOCAL NEWS
3.) HOUSTON SCHOOLS: AT THE TOP (All Goals)
4.) GATES OPENS DOORS: SCHOOL-IMPROVEMENT AND SCHOLARSHIP
FUND (Goal 3 & 5)
**FEDERAL POLICY NEWS
5.) RESEARCH AND REFORM: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FUNDS EDUCATION LABS (All
Goals)
6.) AFTER-SCHOOL FUNDS: NEW AWARDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (Goal 3)
**RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PRACTICE
7.) DANCING TO LEARN: THE DETROIT DANCE COLLECTIVE (Goal 3)
8.) NO EXCUSES: HIGH-POVERTY, HIGH-SUCCESS SCHOOLS (Goal 3)
**FEATURE STORY
9.) SCHOOL CRIME AND SAFETY: A MIXED BAG (Goal 7)
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STATE POLICY NEWS
********************
1.) ******** TEACHER TRAINING: CALLING FOR NEW PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA
(GOAL FOUR: TEACHER ED/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
GOAL FIVE: MATH AND SCIENCE)
A new teacher training program is part of California Governor Gray Davis'
public school initiative (L.A. TIMES, 1/4).
Davis has proposed spending $335 million for a three-year plan to offer
252,000 teachers training in math, English and
other subjects. Specifically, the "intensive training" would include 40
hours of coursework plus 80 hours of follow-up
training. The state would give schools $2,500 for each teacher who
participates as an incentive to get involved.
In addition, Davis calls for spending $30 million to attract and retain
algebra teachers. The paper notes that the state
requires students to take algebra as a condition of high school graduation.
For more information on education in California, visit the state's web site
at www.ca.gov.
2.) ******** THE RACE TO GET MORE TEACHERS: CONNECTICUT'S PLAN
(GOAL FOUR: TEACHER ED/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT)
A state commission has proposed several initiatives to get more teachers in
the classroom - and quickly (Green,
HARTFORD COURANT, 1/3). The rush is due to the state's impending teacher
shortage. According to the paper
about 40 percent of the state's 45,000 teachers are likely to retire in the
next 10 years.
One plan put forth by the Commission on the Teacher and School Administrator
Shortage and Minority Recruitment
calls for allowing college graduates to work in a public school classroom
after only four weeks of summer training.
Another proposal would create a "fast-track" teacher certification program
to allow business executives to become top
school administrators, reports the paper.
For more information on education in Connecticut, visit the state's web site
at www.state.ct.us.
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COMMUNITY AND LOCAL NEWS
*************************
3.) ********HOUSTON SCHOOLS: AT THE TOP
(ALL GOALS)
Houston public schools have drawn much praise from researchers who examined
the city's reform efforts (Markley,
HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10/23/00). Superintendent Rod Paige, President-elect
George W. Bush's nominee for
secretary of education, called for the "scholarly scrutiny" over a year ago,
reports the paper.
Researchers, many of whom are known for an expertise in a certain area of
education, were commissioned to examine
various aspects of the school system's reforms. For example, one study
looked at the district's move to more local
control. Another reviewed the policy of giving schools more flexibility in
the way they spend their money.
The researchers lauded the school system for providing quality instruction
and visionary leadership. According to one
of the studies, the district is making academic gains, particularly among
minority students. They also praised the
business community for supporting the schools.
However, the researchers criticized the district's move to privatize
non-educational functions and its salary levels for
senior teachers.
For more information, visit the Houston Independent School District at
www.houston.tenet.edu
4.) ******** GATES OPENS DOORS: SCHOOL-IMPROVEMENT AND SCHOLARSHIP
FUND
GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND
GOAL SIX: ADULT LITERACY AND LIFELONG LEARNING)
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation last week announced a $100 million
school-improvement and scholarship fund
that targets 5,000 disadvantaged students who aspire to attend college. The
students come from a dozen schools across
the state of Washington. According to the SEATTLE TIMES, the grant is
"possibly the largest private scholarship
fund in the nation for students from just one state." (1/4/01).
Ten to fifteen schools will be chosen to participate in a six-week long
application process that ends in February. Only
students from the chosen schools will be eligible for the scholarships.
Students will be selected early in their junior
year, with the hope that the scholarship will motivate them to successfully
complete their last two years of school.
The selected schools also will receive $500 for every student enrolled. The
goal is for the schools to "redesign
themselves into small, autonomous learning environments of no more than 100
students per grade level."
For more information, visit the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at
www.gatesfoundation.org.
*********************
FEDERAL POLICY NEWS
*********************
5.) ******** RESEARCH AND REFORM: DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FUNDS EDUCATION
LABS
(ALL GOALS)
U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley earlier this month announced $325
million contracts over five years to
operate and manage 10 regional educational laboratories that serve
geographic regions across the nation. The labs will
promote broad-based school improvements by using new and existing research
about transforming low-performing
schools into top-notch ones.
Each lab also will support state and local efforts to develop
high-performing learning communities characterized that:
-Link student learning to standards
-Create a structure that organizes space, time and resources to maximize
student learning
-Develop challenging curriculum and engaged student learning that reflects
high standards and high expectations for all
students
-Develop a learning community that is supportive of continuous improvement
by students, teachers and other adults
For more information, including a list of the laboratories, visit the
Department of Education at www.ed.gov. Click onto
press releases and then on January 2.
6.) ******** AFTER-SCHOOL FUNDS: NEW AWARDS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
(GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT)
New grants from the U.S. Department of Education totaling nearly $213
million target 1,500 new school-based centers
in communities nationwide that were selected based on their submission of
"well-developed plans for meeting the
needs of young people in their communities," according to a Department of
Education press release.
The centers, in collaboration with community partners, will provide enriched
learning opportunities in a safe
environment for 300,000 children and 100,000 adults outside of regular
school hours and during the summer. Called
the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, the initiative will
help schools stay open longer to provide
youth tutoring and homework help, academic enrichment, college prep
activities, enrichment through the arts,
technology education, drug and violence prevention counseling, supervised
recreational opportunities and services for
youths with disabilities.
For more information, including a list of grant recipients, visit the
Department of Education at www.ed.gov.
*********************************
RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PRACTICES
*********************************
7.) ******** DANCING TO LEARN: THE DETROIT DANCE COLLECTIVE
(GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT)
The Detroit Dance Collective, a group of professional dancers, provides
workshops with schools to give students new
ways to understand their lessons in math, language arts, science or other
subjects (Schreiber, TEAHCER MAGAZINE,
Jan/2001).
If teachers want to reinforce the study of prepositions, the dancers help
students move in ways that depict "over,"
"under," "above," and "around." To help enhance a poetry class, the dance
instructors "help students feel the images
in language by having them swing like gauzy curtains in the wind or softly
fall to the floor like leaves." One class
integrated the study of social studies by learning the dances from the
different cultures the students were studying.
While the magazine notes that there may be "no tangible payoff in improved
test scores," proponents of the dance
experiment argue that students need to learn kinesthetically. "It supports
the teaching of the whole child," said Elsie
Ritzenhein, a curriculum integration consultant with the Macomb (Michigan)
Intermediate School District.
For more information visit Teacher Magazine at www.edweek.com and click on
Teacher Magazine.
8.) ******** NO EXCUSES: HIGH-POVERTY, HIGH-SUCCESS SCHOOLS
(GOAL THREE: STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT)
A new report issued by the Heritage Foundation examines the practices of 21
principals of low-income schools who
have succeeded in improving student learning so children achieve at high
levels. These "effective practices" are
outlined in the report No Excuses: Lessons from 21 High-Performing,
High-Poverty Schools.
The report is part of the Heritage Foundation's No Excuses Campaign. This
initiative is designed to mobilize public
pressure on behalf of better education for disadvantaged children.
"Participants in the No Excuses campaign may hold
differing views about vouchers, the federal role in education and other
policy issues. But we agree that there is no
excuse for the academic failure of most public schools serving poor
children," reports the Heritage Foundation on their
Web site.
For more information, visit the Heritage Foundation's No Excuses Campaign at
www.noexcuses.org.
*****************
FEATURE STORY
*****************
9.) ********SCHOOL CRIME AND SAFETY: A MIXED BAG
(GOAL SEVEN: SAFE SCHOOLS)
In its third edition of Indicators of School Crime and Safety, researchers
found that while overall school crime rates
have declined, schools still harbor enough violence, gang activity and drug
use to warrant stronger efforts to make
schools even safer havens than they already are. The report, issued by the
Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National
Center for Education Statistics, provides detailed statistical information
that paints a picture of crime in the nation's
schools. It is a companion report to the Annual Report on School Safety:
2000, another joint publication of the
Departments of Education and Justice, which offers an overview of the nature
and scope of school crime and
recommends action schools and communities can take to alleviate the problem.
Some of the findings from Indicators of School Crime and Safety include:
-In 1998, students age 12 through 18 were victims of more than 2.7 million
total crimes at school. These students were
victims of about 253,000 serious violent crimes (rape, sexual assault,
robbery and aggravated assault.)
-There were 60 school-associated violent deaths in the United States between
July 1, 1997 and June 30, 1998, including
47 homicides.
-The total nonfatal victimization rate for young people declined between
1993 and 1998.
-The percentage of students being victimized at school also declined.
Between 1995 and 1999, the percentage of
students who reported being victims of crime at school decreased from 10
percent to 8 percent.
-This decline was due in part to a decline for students in grades 7 through
9. Between 1995 and 1999, the prevalence of
reported victimization dropped from 11 percent to 8 percent for 7th graders,
from 11 percent to 8 percent for 8th graders
and from 12 percent to 9 percent for 9th graders.
-School rates have not changed for some crimes. Between 1993 and 1997, the
percentage of students in grades 9
through 12 who were threatened or injured with a weapon on school grounds in
the past 12 months remained constant
at about 7 or 8 percent.
-The percentage of students in grades 9 through 12 who reported being in a
physical fight on school property in the past
12 months also remained constant between 1993 and 1997 at about 15 percent.
Students also expressed feeling more secure at school now than just a few
years ago. The percentage of students ages
12 through 18 who reported avoiding one or more places at school for their
own safety decreased between 1995 and
1999, from 9 to 5 percent.
The percentage of students who reported that street gangs were present at
their school also decreased from 1995 to
1999. Seventeen percent of students ages 12 through 18 said they had street
gangs at their school in 1999 compared
with 29 percent in 1995.
Indicators on drug use found an increase in the use of marijuana among
students between 1993 and 1995, but no
change between 1995 and 1997. In 1997, about 26 percent of these students
had used marijuana in the last 30 days.
Almost one-third of all students in grades 9 through 12 said someone had
offered, sold or given them an illegal drug on
school property, which is an increase from 24 percent in 1993.
For more information and a copy of the report, visit the National Center for
Education Statistics at
www.nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/crime2000/
************************************
The NEGP WEEKLY is a publication of:
The National Education Goals Panel
1255 22nd Street NW, Suite 502
Washington, DC 20037;
202-724-0015
NEGP Executive Director: Ken Nelson
Publisher: Barbara A. Pape
http://www.negp.gov
************************************
The NEGP/ Daily Report Card (DRC) hereby authorizes further reproduction and
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WHAT IS THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL?
The National Education Goals Panel is a unique bipartisan body of state and
federal officials created in 1990 by President Bush and the nation's
Governors to report state and national progress and urge education
improvement efforts to reach the National Education Goals.
WHAT DOES THE GOALS PANEL DO?
The Goals Panel has been charged to:
* Report state and national progress toward the National Education Goals.
* Work to establish a system of high academic standards and assessments.
* Identify promising and effective reform strategies.
* Recommend actions for state, federal, and local governments to take.
* Build a nationwide, bipartisan consensus to achieve the Goals.
WHAT ARE THE NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS?
There are eight National Education Goals set for the year 2000. They are:
1) All children will start school ready to learn.
2) The high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90%.
3) All students will become competent in challenging subject matter.
4) Teachers will have the knowledge and skills they need.
5) U.S. students will be first in the world in math and science achievement.
6) Every adult American will be literate.
7) Schools will be safe, disciplined, and free of drugs, guns and alcohol.
8) Schools will promote parental involvement and participation.
WHO SERVES ON THE GOALS PANEL AND HOW ARE THEY CHOSEN?
Eight governors, four state legislators, four members of the U.S. Congress,
and two members appointed by the President serve on the Goals Panel. Members
are appointed by the leadership of the National Governors' Association, the
National Conference of State Legislatures, the U.S. Senate and House, and
the President. The number of Republicans and Democrats are made even by
appointing five governors from the party that does not control the White
House.
The current Panel Members are Governors Tommy G. Thompson, WI (Chair, 2000);
John Engler, MI; Jim Geringer, WY; James B. Hunt, Jr., NC; Frank Keating,
OK;
Frank O'Bannon, IN; Paul E. Patton, KY; Cecil H. Underwood, WV; Secretary of
Education Richard Riley; Michael Cohen, U.S. Assistant Secretary for
Elementary
and Secondary Education; U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, NM; U.S. Senator Jim
Jeffords, VT; U.S. Representative William F. Goodling, PA; U.S.
Representative
Matthew G. Martinez, CA; Representative G. Spencer Coggs, WI; Representative
Mary Lou Cowlishaw, IL; Representative Douglas R. Jones, ID;
Senator Stephen Stoll, MO.
The annual Goals Report and other publications of the Panel are available
without charge upon request from the Goals Panel or at its web site
http://www.negp.gov. Requests can be made by mail, fax, e-mail, or Internet.
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