DOCSLIB.ORG

K-12 Education Reform

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
K-12 Education Reform American Association of State Colleges and Universities A Higher Education Policy Brief • April 2011 K-12 Education Reform: Implications and Opportunities for Public Colleges and Universities by Blakely Elizabeth Whilden Assistant Director of Federal Relations & Policy Analysis *This edition of Policy Matters serves as an update Despite bipartisan support for the passage of NCLB, to a background paper provided to AASCU member considerable criticism has been levied against it since presidents and chancellors in March 2010 about the its implementation. For several years, Congress has history of ESEA, major issues in the law, and higher attempted to overhaul the legislation, yet there is little education’s role in reauthorizing the law. to show for its efforts. President Obama, however, has made reauthorizing ESEA his top education priority. The administration released A Blueprint for Reform: Context The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Nearly every student entering a postsecondary Education Act in March 2010 and has engaged institution has been shaped by the nation’s K-12 congressional leaders in discussions in an effort to system. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law move legislation forward. While Congress has not the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) been successful in reauthorizing ESEA since 2002, in 1965 as the federal government’s “definitive entry there is building momentum to pass a reauthorization into public education.”1 ESEA, by and large, governs bill during the 112th Congress. federal policy addressing K-12 education. Despite Congress’s failure to pass federal K-12 Since its passage, ESEA has been reauthorized education reform legislation, state education leaders numerous times, including a major revision in 1994 have spearheaded reform at the state and district following the release of the groundbreaking study, level. In 2009, the Council of Chief State School A Nation at Risk. President George W. Bush signed Officers (CCSSO) joined forces with the National into law the most recent reauthorization of ESEA in Governors Association (NGA) to guide states in January 2002, known as the No Child Left Behind Act creating a common set of academic standards (NCLB). Touted as the most far-reaching bipartisan for English language arts and mathematics for education legislation ever passed by Congress, NCLB kindergarten through 12th grade. To date, 44 states emphasized standardized assessments, local control and the District of Columbia have adopted the of schools and funding tied to accountability. Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Additionally, in 2009 the Obama administration launched a $4.35 addressing K-12 education reform. While progress billion Race to the Top (RTTT) state grant program was made toward a comprehensive overhaul of NCLB, to initiate specific K-12 education reforms. Currently, neither chamber of Congress saw formal committee twelve states have received funding through the or floor action on specific legislation. program, and the administration has secured more funding for the program to make additional awards. Following a campaign in which newly elected President Barack Obama promised change in The higher education community has largely been at education—and with a newly appointed secretary, the periphery of conversations around K-12 education Arne Duncan, taking the helm of the Department— reform. This paper will demonstrate that the higher discussion of reauthorizing NCLB came up again education community not only has a role to play in in early 2009. In September 2009, Secretary the ESEA reauthorization discussions, but should Duncan delivered a speech entitled, “Why We Can’t be viewed as a critical partner in implementing K-12 Wait,” outlining his goals for reform that included education policy at the national, state and local level. encouraging high academic standards, supporting AASCU strongly encourages institutions of higher struggling schools, closing the achievement gap, education to take an active interest in both the strengthening the pool of educators, reducing the reauthorization process and state implementation of dropout rate and boosting college access.4 Secretary the CCSS and RTTT grants. Duncan ceased referring to the law as NCLB and reverted to its original name, ESEA. The secretary recognized the importance of the K-12 pipeline in Background meeting one of President Obama’s signature goals: By 2020, having the U.S. regain its former leadership ESEA Reauthorization position of boasting the highest postsecondary The signing of ESEA in 1965 signaled the federal educational attainment rate in the world.5 “We government’s interest in improving public want to be first in the world again and to get there education for the nation’s children. Since then, we cannot waste a minute…And so the work of the federal government’s role in education has reauthorizing ESEA begins in states and districts grown significantly, with the U.S. Department of across America—among educators and policy makers, Education (the Department) providing funds to parents and community leaders. This work is as low-income schools, funding school libraries and urgent as it is important,” the secretary said.6 setting benchmarks for teacher quality, to name a few examples. In the last two decades, the federal Following this speech, Secretary Duncan held a series share of K-12 spending has increased dramatically of listening forums across the country to engage and now accounts for roughly 8.3 percent of communities about their challenges and solutions total K-12 spending.2 During this same period, the in ESEA reauthorization. While the secretary was federal government has also required increasing involved in these community discussions, he was accountability from states and local school districts. also meeting regularly with the “Big Eight” leaders of the House and Senate education committees, In 2007, Congressman George Miller (D-CA), former attempting to devise a bicameral, bipartisan strategy chairman of the House Committee on Education and to reauthorize ESEA. Labor (Education and Labor), championed an effort to reauthorize NCLB while offering sharp criticism The secretary and leaders of the House and Senate of the legislation as “not fair…not flexible…and not education committees were ultimately unsuccessful funded.”3 During the same session of Congress, the in reauthorizing ESEA before the close of the 111th Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, Congress. The Education and Labor Committee made and Pensions (HELP), chaired by the late Senator significant progress, but a packed legislative agenda Ted Kennedy (D-MA), also held a series of hearings following congressional elections in November 2 / April 2011 • AASCU Policy Matters provided little time to consider a large reauthorization personally engaged in discussions around ESEA bill. reauthorization, which could lead to a productive reauthorization discussion at the committee level.8 Since the 112th Congress was sworn in in early January Additionally, multiple groups of members—both in 2011, Secretary Duncan and President Obama the House and Senate—have developed and released have renewed their call for ESEA reauthorization. principles for ESEA reauthorization. The education But do the conditions exist to pass an overhaul of advocacy community has also rallied behind the call major education legislation? Many skeptics point for reauthorization. to challenging dynamics, political and otherwise, as major barriers to reauthorization. The 2010 To further support the drive for reauthorization, congressional elections altered the political balance two major national organizations have joined on Capitol Hill. Republicans gained 63 seats in the forces to develop and promote common academic House of Representatives, ushering in new majority standards—a key feature in reform efforts. leadership in that chamber. Leadership of the education committee changed, with Rep. John Kline Common Core State Standards (R-MN) taking the reins of the House Education and and Assessment Consortia Workforce Committee (formerly the Education and In early 2009, the Council of Chief State School Labor Committee), and former Chairman George Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Miller now serving as the Ranking Member of the Association (NGA) joined forces to launch the committee. Of the 23 Republicans serving on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) initiative. committee, 12 are freshman members. In the Senate, Together, the two organizations, with the support of Democrats held on to the majority but lost six seats 48 states and the District of Columbia, took much to the Republicans. Membership of the Senate HELP of 2009 to develop a set of academic standards in Committee changed only slightly, with Democrats English language arts and mathematics for students losing only one seat. in kindergarten through 12th grade. This initiative is the highest-profile national effort to create rigorous, During the first four months of the 112th Congress, uniform academic standards aimed at preparing challenging budget negotiations have illuminated students across the country for success in both the intensely partisan environment on Capitol Hill. postsecondary education and the workplace. Perhaps because of this partisanship, Congress may find it difficult to build the coalitions necessary The status quo prior to this initiative—and still to pass other major domestic legislation. Further, present in those states that have not yet adopted the with presidential
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Holding Students to Account by Paul E. Peterson
    CHAPTER 7 Holding Students to Account Paul E. Peterson The American high school is troubled. Not only do US high school students’ performances trail those of students in most other indus- trialized nations, but there are few signs of improvement within the United States. While pupils in fourth grade have made striking gains over the past couple of decades, the gains attenuate by eighth grade and disappear altogether in high school. Even the most tal- ented high school students don’t always do well. Only 7 percent of US students score at or above the advanced level in mathematics, as compared to twice that percentage on the part of Canadians, Germans, Finns, Dutch, Belgians, and Japanese. Students in high- flying places such as Korea, Switzerland, and Singapore do even better.1 Many students graduate from high school without the req- uisite skills needed to perform successfully in a modern, industrial- ized society. Approximately 1.7 million college students must take remedial courses, a clear indication that high school graduates have not acquired a minimum set of cognitive skills. The causes are multiple, and no one fix will address them all. But flaws in the country’s student accountability system are a Copyright © 2014 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved. FinnSousa_WhatLiesAhead.indb 119 12/19/13 8:15 AM 120 Holding Students to Account likely contributing factor. Unlike most countries that have high- performing students, the United States lacks, as do most states within the United States, a set of exit exams, that is, subject- specific examinations students are expected to take as their careers in secondary schools are concluding.
    [Show full text]
  • Four Common Grading Practices Can Hurt Students and Erode Instructional Culture
    SPECIAL TOPIC What’s Worth Fighting Against in Grading? Four common grading practices can hurt students and erode instructional culture. Douglas Reeves, Lee Ann Jung, and Ken O’Connor n his classic book What’s Worth opportunities and university admis- Fighting for in the Principalship?, sions, grading remains the wild west Michael Fullan (2008) identified of school improvement, in which a dozen action items for prin- policy coherence is more apparent in cipals and school systems that claims than in practice and anyone Iremain as relevant today as they were armed with a red pen can make deci- almost a decade ago. In particular, sions with devastating instructional his clarion calls was to “de-privatize consequences. teaching” and to “elevate and invest Although we don’t encourage in instructional leadership of the micromanagement of school grading principal” (p. 58). But although there policies, we insist that Fullan is right is now no scarcity of administrators, that there are a number of things coaches, and other staff who have school leaders should fight for—or acquired titles suggesting instruc- against. And we are not bothered tional leadership, it is still difficult by the terminology’s suggestion of to find examples of instructors being entering into conflict. No professional led through a coherent set of policies educator would hesitate to fight for the and practices that routinely improve safety of a student, or to protect a child student achievement. from physical harm. Some commonly We find this disconnect particularly used grading policies, we believe, rise glaring in the area of grading. Whether to this level of urgency in that they the issue is classroom scores on daily threaten the emotional well-being work or final report card grades and academic outcomes of children.
    [Show full text]
  • End of Course Exams
    www.ecs.org/per End-of-Course Exams A growing trend in high school-level assessments APRIL In recent years, criticism of high school graduates’ lack of readiness for college and work has led 20 2 No. 11, Vol. a number of states to raise high school graduation requirements — particularly in terms of the number and rigor of courses students must pass. Yet states have found that without a common end- of-course measure, it is impossible to ensure that a course labeled “Algebra I” holds students to the same expectations statewide.1 At the same time, states with exit exams have evaluated these high- 10 stakes assessments, wondering if new approaches such as end-of-course exams might provide fairer and more accurate accountability measures for students, schools and the state as a whole. Both of these state policy trends have resulted in the increasing adoption of end-of-course assessments at the high school level. This issue of The What’s Inside Progress of Education Reform will address the following questions: Is there a trend What are end-of-course exams (EOCs), and how do they differ toward end-of-course from the assessments many states have been administering to exams? date? Why the trend toward EOCs? Why end-of-course How many states administer EOCs? exams? For what purposes are these assessments used, including: What “best practices” • Are these tests aligned with “college-ready” indicators? can improve end- • Are they used as exit exams? of-course exam What has been the impact on students of the transition to end-of- programs? course assessments? What does the research say? Are there “best practices” other states can learn from? THE PROGRESS OF OF THE PROGRESS Education Reform 1 www.ecs.org/per What are end-of-course exams? End-of-course exams are pretty much what they sound like—they test students, at the end of an academic course, on content expected to have been covered during that course.
    [Show full text]
  • Implementation of the K-12 Education Reform in Qatar's Schools
    THE ARTS This PDF document was made available CHILD POLICY from www.rand.org as a public service of CIVIL JUSTICE the RAND Corporation. EDUCATION ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT Jump down to document6 HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit NATIONAL SECURITY research organization providing POPULATION AND AGING PUBLIC SAFETY objective analysis and effective SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY solutions that address the challenges SUBSTANCE ABUSE facing the public and private sectors TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY around the world. TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Support RAND WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE Purchase this document Browse Books & Publications Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Explore the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This product is part of the RAND Corporation monograph series. RAND monographs present major research findings that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND mono- graphs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. Implementation of the K--12 Education Reform in Qatar’s Schools Gail L.
    [Show full text]
  • Edsource Highlighting Strategies for Student Success
    EdSource Highlighting Strategies for Student Success REPORT MARCH 2014 Reforming Testing and Accountability Essential Principles for Student Success in California Executive California is in the midst of a fundamental remaking of its assessment Summary and accountability system that has been in place for 15 years. The state has the opportunity to play a leadership role in developing a multi-faceted assessment and accountability system that goes beyond a narrow focus on test scores and that could be a model for the nation. The transition offers California the potential to develop a more effective system that will not only assess students in more meaningful ways across more parts of the school curricu- lum, but also will provide educators with meaningful information about their students to help drive academic improvement. The changes are being driven by several significant reforms, including: n The Common Core State Standards, adopted by the State Board of Education in August 2010, and the Next Generation Science Standards adopted in September 2013; n The dramatic reform of California’s school finance system, signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in July 2013; n The passage of Assembly Bill 484 in September 2013—introducing a new statewide assess- ment system to replace the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program in place Authors This report was written since 1997—and Senate Bill 1458 in September 2012, reforming the Academic Performance and researched by Index (API). Louis Freedberg, Ph.D., with assistance from In addition, Gov. Brown has opened up a debate in California—likely the only such debate Richard Colvin.
    [Show full text]
  • PB-Exit Exams.Id
    M AY 2003 making sure graduation tests exit exams g e t a PA S S I N G G R A D E The trend is clear: By 2008, half the states are likely to have adopted high school exit exams.1 These exams, which students must pass to graduate, are part of state accountability systems, above and beyond the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The main intent is to boost the value and credibility of a high school diploma and, in the process, motivate students to work harder. In some states, the exit exam is designed to guarantee that those who pass are prepared for college entrance; in others, it is intended to guarantee that graduates have mastered agreed-upon basic skills. Often, however, exit exams are implemented without have the most to gain from efforts to hold schools ac- adequate commitment to ensuring student success or countable. Graduation and other high-stakes tests can sufficient attention to the costs of student failure. In such focus attention on how a system is failing to serve all cases, one unplanned outcome may be high failure rates, students.3 However, critics say that a high-stakes exit exam especially for poor and minority students. Another risk places the onus, wrongly, on students, whose schools may is increased dropout rates, fueled by the frustration of not have offered them sufficient opportunities to learn what is needed to pass the exam. The worry is that poor students who have failed or who simply expect to fail.
    [Show full text]
  • The Progress of Education Reform: Defining College Readiness
    www.ecs.org/per Defining College Readiness Where are we now, and where do we need to be? Multiple catalysts are fueling states’ increased urgency to establish APRIL 20 Vol. 13, No. 2 a definition of “college readiness:” What’s Inside Common Core: Forty-six states and the District of Columbia Three options for states to have adopted the Common Core State Standards, which are define “college readiness” “aligned with college and work expectations.”1 Assessments measuring student performance against these standards are 12 Critical elements to consider under development by two assessment consortia. Twenty- three states and the District of Columbia plan to administer for each approach the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) assessment, while 28 states have agreed Further reading on defining to administer the Smarter Balanced Assessment.2 “college readiness” NCLB waivers: States seeking waivers from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act mandates must, among other requirements, adopt “college- and career-ready standards” in reading and math for all students, and develop and administer “annual, statewide, aligned, high-quality assessments, and corresponding academic achievement standards, that measure student growth in at least grades 3-8 and at least once in high school.”3 Race to the Top: Funds are intended to “encourage and reward States that are … ensuring student preparation for success in college and careers … and implementing ambitious plans in four core education reform areas,” including adoption of “internationally-benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace[.]” Phase 2 state applications were required to demonstrate how funds would “increase the rates at which students graduate from high school prepared for college and careers.”4 High postsecondary remediation rates: Complete College America (CCA) recently reported remediation rates at two- and four-year postsecondary institutions in 33 states.
    [Show full text]
  • Developmental Education Reform: a Student Success and Equity
    ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE EXCELLENCE IN PRACTICE Community College Leadership for the 21st Century FEBRUARY 2020 www.ferris.edu/alliance Developmental Education Reform: Research has found that traditional A Student Success and Equity Imperative developmental Julianna Barnes, EdD illuminated our student data to create a sense of urgency education can hinder President for change, I took a bold next step. As the new college Cuyamaca College president and as a second degree black belt in karate, students in a variety El Cajon, CA I wanted to demonstrate my commitment to change. I slipped on my karate gi and black belt and in front of my of ways that could entire college community, proceeded with a punch to be improved through It’s time to say “good-bye” to developmental education try to break a board that read “Institutional barriers to as we once knew it. student success and equity.” better policy and Years ago, I focused my own doctoral research on After two attempts I did not break that board. However, practice. developmental education in the community colleges and my hand did break requiring a swift departure to the believed that students needed to take layers of remedial emergency room which left me feeling defeated and – E. Ganga, courses in math and English to gain the academic skills deflated. Upon returning to campus, I was delighted A. Mazzariello, and required to succeed in college-level coursework. Besides, to see a flurry of emails with the overarching message N. Edgecombe the tried-and-true standardized placement exams that of “Institutional barriers to success and equity are so had gone through rigorous reliability studies couldn’t entrenched that one person alone cannot break through be wrong, could they? Analysis of our data revealed them.
    [Show full text]
  • The Effect of Standardized Testing on Historical Literacy and Educational Reform in the U.S
    The Effect of Standardized Testing on Historical Literacy and Educational Reform in the U.S. Julie Hisey Maranto Fort Hays State University Masters of Liberal Arts Student Humanities Public education in America has an impressive history of success in equipping students with literacy that extends back to the earliest days of our nation. Education was a high priority for the original settlers in America who, motivated by their religious convictions, eagerly sought mastery and dissemination of literacy skills throughout the population. For most of the Protestant settlers, their beliefs derived from the doctrines of the Reformation and they considered the ability to read as a fundamental necessity for grounding citizens in the tenets of their faith as well as their government. The first law in the colonies pertaining to education was passed by the Massachusetts General Court to instill literacy, religion, and civic responsibility in students. The law, passed in 1642, instructed that children must be able to “read and understand the principles of religion and the capital laws of the country” and, in addition, addressed the negligence and lack of concern they felt many parents showed toward the education of their children (Good, 1962, p. 29). Local officials, known as selectmen, were assigned the duty of seeing that the law was obeyed. In the event that they came upon a child not being taught adequately, the selectmen had the authority to establish an apprenticeship for the child with someone who would assume that responsibility (Good, 1962). Many of those in leadership, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Rush, and Noah Webster, considered education, particularly in preparation for “civic duty,” as essential to the maintenance of the newly formed republic.
    [Show full text]
  • Why Is Education Reform So Hard?
    Why Is Education Reform so Hard? Eric A. Hanushek* Stanford University and National Bureau of Economic Research February 2002 * This paper was originally presented at Louisiana State University during a visit as a Reilly Distinguished Public Policy Fellow at the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs. Why Is Education Reform so Hard? By Eric A. Hanushek Reform has been the operable word in education for many decades. We are continuously undergoing moves to reform, whether because the Russians launched the first satellite, because we wish to cure the problems of poverty, or because we feel are spending is not bringing desired results. Unfortunately, while reform of schools may well be appropriate, the approaches we have taken have been ineffective – and are likely to continue being ineffective unless significant changes are made. This discussion begins by setting out the need for reform. It then outlines the alternative approaches to reform that exist. Finally, it provides recommendations for actions based on the ideas of increasing the performance incentives in schools and providing better information about the performance of schools. The need for reform Understanding the current state of U.S. education is important both for motivating reform discussions and for diagnosing possible reforms. The story begins with the pattern of student performance. Figure 1 tracks achievement of 17-year-olds over three decades. These data come from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, and are generally recognized as a reliable indicator of how performance compares over time. From this figure, reading and math performance are slightly up, while science and writing 1 are significantly down.
    [Show full text]
  • Equity, Excellence and Inclusiveness in Education Policy Lessons from Around the World Andreas Schleicher
    International Summit on the Teaching Profession Equity, Excellence and Inclusiveness in Education POLICY LESSONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Andreas Schleicher Key topics from the 2014 International Summit on the Teaching Profession International Summit on the Teaching Profession Equity, Excellence and Inclusiveness in Education POLICY LESSONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Andreas Schleicher This work is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Organisation or of the OECD member countries. This document and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area. Please cite this publication as: Schleicher, A. (2014), Equity, Excellence and Inclusiveness in Education: Policy Lessons from Around the World, International Summit on the Teaching Profession, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264214033-en ISBN 978-92-64-21137-7 (print) ISBN 978-92-64-21403-3 (PDF) Series: International Summit on the Teaching Profession ISSN 2312-7082 (print) ISSN 2312-7090 (online) Note by Turkey: The information in this document with reference to “Cyprus” relates to the southern part of the Island. There is no single authority representing both Turkish and Greek Cypriot people on the Island. Turkey recognises the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Until a lasting and equitable solution is found within the context of the United Nations, Turkey shall preserve its position concerning the “Cyprus issue”. Note by all the European Union Member States of the OECD and the European Union: The Republic of Cyprus is recognised by all members of the United Nations with the exception of Turkey.
    [Show full text]
  • State High School Exit Exams: a Policy in Transition
    State High School Exit Exams: ® A Policy in Transition Center on Education Policy Graduate School of Education and Human Development The George Washington University September 2012 Acknowledgments This report was researched and written by Shelby McIntosh, CEP research associate. Nancy Kober, CEP consultant, assisted with writing and editing the report. Diane Stark Rentner, CEP’s deputy director, and Maria Ferguson, CEP’s executive director, provided advice and comments. Jennifer McMurrer, CEP senior research associate; Alexandra Usher, CEP senior research assistant; and Levi Brown, CEP intern, provided general assistance on the report. Rebecca Barns, CEP consultant, edited the state profiles. CEP is deeply grateful to the state officials who responded to our survey, verified information in the state profiles, and answered other questions about state high school assessment policies. Without the assistance from these state officials, this report would not have been possible. We would also like to thank the experts who provided insightful comments and suggestions regarding our survey instrument: Dr. John Robert Warren, Professor of Sociology, University of Minnesota; Dr. Louis M. (Lou) Fabrizio, Data, Research, and Federal Policy Director, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction; and Scott Goldman, Education Program Specialist and Data Analyst, Maryland State Department of Education. CEP also greatly appre- ciates the review and feedback on the content of this report from Dr. Warren; Dr. Iris Rotberg, Professor of Education Policy, George Washington University; and Dr. Sunny Becker, Principal Staff Scientist, HumRRO. Finally, we are thankful for the funding from the Lumina Foundation that provided the principal support for this work and for the general support from the Phi Delta Kappa International Foundation.
    [Show full text]