SPECIAL EDITION Fall Conference
• Leader Honored, p.3 • New Hispanic Report, p.5 • Conference Pictorial, p.9 LEGISLATIVE • Reauthorization Action, p.10
The Nation’s Voice for Urban Education November/December 2011 Vol. 20, No. 8 www.cgcs.org
Large City Schools Show Eight-Year Climb in Improvement
Average reading and mathematics scores ough County in Tampa -- joined Atlanta, tive director of the Council of the Great for public school students in America’s large Austin, Baltimore City, Boston, Charlotte- City Schools. “We are catching up with cities increased in grades 4 and 8 on the rig- Mecklenburg, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, the nation and putting urban schools in a orous National Assessment of Educational District of Columbia, Fresno, Houston, stronger position as we begin implement- Progress (NAEP) between 2003 and 2011, Jefferson County (Louisville), Los Ange- ing the new Common Core Standards.” according to the Nation’s Report Card: Trial les, Miami-Dade County, Milwaukee, New Urban District Assessment (TUDA) Reading Reading Progress and Mathematics 2011. With the improvement, the academic In 2011, grades 4 and 8 reading data achievement gap between the nation’s large show that average scores for students in city public schools and the nation narrowed large cities increased when compared with considerably in reading and math in both 2003. In addition, average scores signifi- fourth and eighth grades. cantly increased between 2009 and 2011 Significant gains between 2009 and among eighth-grade students in large cit- 2011 were also posted by the large cities in York City, Philadelphia and San Diego for ies. eighth-grade reading and in fourth- and the largest group of participating districts The new reading report also shows sub- eighth-grade math. in the program’s history. stantial progress by individual cities. Nine Twenty-one big-city school districts vol- “The latest NAEP results show both districts---Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte- unteered for the urban NAEP, or TUDA, short- and long-term progress by students Mecklenburg, Chicago, the District of Co- in 2011, with three districts participating in the nation’s large-city schools and gains lumbia, Houston, Los Angeles, New York for the first time. Newcomers -- Albu- since 2003 that are significantly larger than querque, Dallas, and Florida’s Hillsbor- the nation,” says Michael Casserly, execu- Large City Schools continued on page 4 Labor-Management Relations Discussed at Town Hall Meeting
BOSTON—Big-city school superintendents and their teacher union counterparts sat side-by-side to discuss the issue of labor-management relations in urban education at a 90-min- ute national town hall meeting here. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Council of the Great City Schools’ 55th Annual Fall Conference and was moderated by Carole Simpson, former anchor of the weekend editions of ABC News World News Tonight. A graduate of the Chicago school system, it was in high school where Simpson was encouraged to join the staff of the Baltimore Schools CEO Andres Alonso shares a laugh with journalist Carole Simpson, who moder- high school newspaper and found her life’s work. ated the Council’s town hall meeting on labor-management relations. Town Hall continued on page 6 INSIDE THE COUNCIL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
School Board Member in Tampa Wins Top Council Award
BOSTON—The red carpet was rolled present to a 2012 graduate of her choice Reilinger was the winner of the Richard out, literally, for six big-city school board in the Hillsborough school system or from R. Green Award in 2007. members, who after giving on-camera in- her high school alma mater. Four years later, Casper will graduate terviews, walked down a red carpet into from Boston College with a degree in a packed ballroom at the Council of the Award Beneficiary political science and plans to attend law Great City Schools’ 55th Annual Fall Con- school. At the 2011 Richard R. Green ference to hear who would be the recipient In 2008, John Casper, a student at Bos- Award ceremony, he expressed his ap- of the 2011 Richard R. Green Award. ton Public Schools, was the recipient of preciation at receiving the scholarship. The winner was Candy Olson, chair a $10,000 Richard R. Green scholarship “I’ve been able to pursue my dreams,” said of the school board for the Hillsborough from Elizabeth Reilinger, a former mem- Casper. County Public Schools in Tampa, Fla. ber of the Boston School Committee. Council Award continued on page 8 Olson has been on the school board since 1994, where she has been a staunch sup- porter of arts education programs. Sponsored by the Council, ARA- MARK Education and Voyager Expanded Learning, the award is presented annually in memory of Green, who led the Min- neapolis and New York City public school systems. Upon accepting the Green Award, Ol- son compared the work urban educators do to being a gardener. “Teachers don’t get to choose where the seeds they sow fall,” said Olson, “...but if you pull the weeds care- fully, things can grow in the soil and that’s what our teachers do everyday.” As the recipient of the award, Olson Candy Olson, school board member for Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, holds her $10,000 oversize check receives a $10,000 college scholarship to and is congratulated by her brother Jim Sullivan and her daughter Katherine and husband Chris.
Executive Director Editor Associate Editor Michael Casserly Henry Duvall Tonya Harris [email protected] [email protected]
Council officers A newsletter published by the Council of the Great City Schools, representing 65 of the nation’s largest urban public school districts. Chair Winston Brooks Albuquerque Chicago Fort Worth Louisville Oklahoma City St. Louis Superintendent, Albuquerque Anchorage Cincinnati Fresno Memphis Omaha St. Paul Chair-elect Atlanta Clark Co. Greensboro Miami-Dade Orange Co. San Diego Candy Olson Austin Cleveland Houston Milwaukee Palm Beach San Francisco Board Member, Hillsborough Baltimore Columbus Indianapolis Minneapolis Philadelphia Seattle County (Tampa) Birmingham Dallas Jackson Nashville Pittsburgh Shreveport Boston Dayton Jacksonville Newark Portland Tampa Secretary-Treasurer Broward Co. Denver Kansas City New Orleans Providence Toledo Eugene White Buffalo Des Moines Little Rock New York City Richmond Washington DC Superintendent, Indianapolis Charleston Detroit Long Beach Norfolk Rochester Wichita Charlotte East Baton Rouge Los Angeles Oakland Sacramento
All news items should be submitted to: Urban Educator Council of the Great City Schools 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Suite 702 • Washington, DC 20004 (202) 393-2427 • (202) 393-2400 (fax)
| Urban Educator Urban Educator | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 INSIDE THE COUNCIL
Columbus and Tampa Superintendents Recognized
Two urban school ments of my life,” stressed Superintendent of data to increase student achievement leaders recently re- Harris, noting that the honor reflects the “Data enable us to make informed in- ceived high honors in consistent work of her district staff, parents structional and academic decisions that their respective states and the community as well as the support lead to increased student achievement,” of Ohio and Florida. of her family, friends and colleagues. said Commissioner Robinson in a news The Buckeye As- As Ohio’s 2012 Superintendent of the statement. sociation of School Year, Harris becomes a nominee for the “I commend Superintendent Elia for Administrators in American Association of School Admin- the outstanding job she has done in mak- November named Co- istrators’ National Superintendent of the ing data us- Gene Harris lumbus City Schools Year. age a priority Superintendent Gene State Recognition in her district Harris the 2012 Ohio Superintendent of and using it to the Year. In a special awards ceremony in Florida’s enhance the “Gene is long-deserving of this award,” state capital of Tallahassee, Florida Edu- educational ex- said the association’s executive director, cation Commissioner Gerard Robinson perience for all Kirk Hamilton, in a news release. “Dur- recently named Superintendent MaryEl- of the students ing her superintendency in Columbus City len Elia of Hillsborough County Public and teachers Schools, student achievement has increased Schools in Tampa the state’s 2011 District under her care,” dramatically, while at the same time, she Data Leader of the Year. Robinson em- has successfully led the district through She was selected from among five - fi MaryEllen Elia phasized. many challenges.” nalists for the award that recognize school “This is one of the most special mo- leaders who support and encourage the use Language Arts, Tenures Extended for Superintendents Literacy Focus In the Carolina’s Charleston and Greensboro Of Council Retreat
Nancy McGinley, cently approved a con- In preparing urban schools for the Com- the superintendent of tract extension for Su- mon Core State Standards, the Council of Charleston County perintendent Maurice the Great City Schools recently held its School District in Green through June second retreat of instructional leaders and South Carolina, was 2015. specialists in academic areas that will be recently given a one- In its review of instrumental in the implementation of the year contract exten- Green, school board new standards. sion through 2014. members lauded Green More than 28 urban school districts Nancy McGinley Maurice Green Under McGinley’s for promoting a vision from around the nation were represented leadership, the district of educational excel- at the retreat -- “Building Shared Under- has increased its rating from “below aver- lence and said his personal integrity sets standing of the Common Core State Stan- age” to “excellent” on report cards released the tone for the district. Green has de- dards in English Language Arts and Lit- by the state. The district has also imple- clined a pay raise four times and has re- eracy” -- in Newark, N.J. mented literacy academies in the first, third duced his salary. David Coleman, lead developer of the and sixth grades, which are helping strug- Since taking the reins as superinten- English language arts for the Common gling readers improve their reading skills. dent in 2008, the school system has made Core State Standards, addressed the ur- “My focus is on results. I work for stu- double-digit gains in student achievement ban educators at the Nov. 29-30 program, dents,” said McGinley in a news statement. in reading, math and science. The district along with Lily Wong Fillmore, a profes- “Our students and schools are making real has narrowed achievement gaps and low- sor emerita and linguist. progress.” ered dropout rates by providing specialized The participating districts developed And in Guilford County Schools in academic programs to meet the needs of all action plans for implementing the English Greensboro, N.C., the school board re- students. Council Retreat continued on page 12
| Urban Educator Urban Educator | INSIDE THE COUNCIL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Large City Schools continued from page 1 New Study Indicates Improvement Factors City and San Diego – posted significant in- creases in 2011 scores among fourth-grade students when compared with 2003. And A new study conducted by the Council showing high performance, and one dis- five districts--Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, of the Great City Schools and the Ameri- trict—Cleveland—served as a contrasting Los Angeles and San Diego--showed in- can Institutes for Research verifies signifi- example of a school system without sub- creases in 2011 scores among eighth-grade cant gains in large city schools and indicates stantial progress on NAEP over the study students when compared with 2003. possible factors behind the improvement. period. All four systems were placed under Data also showed that in 2011 fourth- The first of its kind analyses using Na- the microscope for intense study. grade students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, tional Assessment of Educational Prog- “The study provides a much deeper Hillsborough County (Tampa), and Jeffer- ress (NAEP) data in- and richer analysis of son County (Louisville) had higher average dicate that large city NAEP data from TUDA scores than students nationally and scores schools demonstrated districts than has been in Austin and Miami-Dade County were larger gains than pub- done before,” stresses not different from the nation. In grade 8, lic schools nationally Jessica Heppen, princi- students in Austin, Charlotte-Mecklen- in both fourth- and pal research scientist at burg, and Hillsborough County had scores eighth-grade reading the American Institutes that were not different from the nation. and mathematics from for Research. “The re- 2003 to 2009. sults show that academic Mathematics Progress Launched in 2007, progress in urban school the massive study - systems is complex but In 2011, grades 4 and 8 mathematics - Pieces of the Puzzle: is happening -- both on data show that average scores among stu- Factors in the Improve- average, when taking stu- dents in large cities increased significantly ment of Urban School dent background charac- compared with 2003. In addition, average Districts on the Na- teristics into account, and scores significantly increased between 2009 tional Assessment of Educational Progress -- importantly, among historically under- and 2011 for both fourth- and eighth- analyzed trend data of large school systems served student groups.” grade students in large cities. and 11 big-city school districts participat- The new mathematics data also show ing in the Trial Urban District Assessment Possible Factors of Progress that nine districts---Atlanta, Boston, (TUDA) that year. Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Chicago, District The research, which was funded by the Case studies of Atlanta, Boston and of Columbia, Houston, Los Angeles, New Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sought Charlotte showed that their instruc- York City and San Diego – had significant- to identify and analyze why some big-city tional practices differed substantially ly higher 2011 scores for both fourth- and school districts made more progress than from Cleveland, which showed lower eighth-graders than in 2003. In addition, others on NAEP. performance and weaker gains, in a Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore City and Phila- “We supported this research to see if number of important and concrete delphia increased average scores between gains in urban education over the years ways: 2009 and 2011 in grade 4; Atlanta, Char- were indeed real, and to shed light on the lotte, Chicago, Detroit, the District of Co- factors leading to improvement,” says Vicki Leadership and Reform Vision -- stable lumbia and Jefferson County (Louisville) Phillips, the Gates Foundation’s director of leadership and staff that was consistently increased average scores between 2009 and education. “The results of this new report focused on improving teaching and 2011 in grade 8. are an important step forward.” learning, and that unified the districts Data show that in 2011 students in In addition to determining whether the around a shared vision of instructional grade 4 in Austin, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, nation’s big-city schools are making signifi- reforms. and Hillsborough County (Tampa) had cant gains on NAEP and how these gains higher average scores than students nation- compared to the nation, the study also Goal-setting and Accountability -- clear, ally and scores for San Diego were not dif- sought to identify which TUDA districts measurable goals districtwide that often ferent from the nation. In grade 8, students were making significant and consistent exceeded state and federal educational in Austin and Charlotte-Mecklenburg had gains on the national test and what reforms targets, and mechanisms for holding higher average scores than students nation- and conditions helped explain these gains. school and district staff accountable for ally and students in Boston and Hillsbor- Three of the 11 districts studied -- At- achieving goals. ough County had scores that were no dif- lanta, Boston, and Charlotte -- stood out New Study continued on page 5 ferent from the nation. for making large and consistent gains or for
| Urban Educator Urban Educator | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 INSIDE THE COUNCIL
Challenges Face Hispanic Student Achievement
Many of the nation’s His- the Outcomes of Hispan- approximately 90 percent of Hispanic chil- panic school-aged children ics in Urban Schools. The dren under the age of 18 were born within face circumstances that chal- report tells a story of the United States, the report reveals. lenge their potential to learn hope and optimism and Although the structure of Hispanic and school systems’ ability to a tale of caution and families is considered stable compared with provide a quality education to uncertainty. other groups, a large number of Hispanic this growing population. Hispanics represent parents face social and economic circum- This is the picture painted in some 23 percent of stances that hinder the education of their a new report by the Council of school-aged children in children. Such conditions as poverty, lack the Great City Schools called the United States, with of health insurance and language barriers, Today’s Promise, Tomorrow’s 37 percent enrolled in to name a few, compound the problem. Future: The Social and Educa- the nation’s big-city “Hispanic young people are a growing tional Factors Contributing to schools. Since 2000, part of the American landscape and prom- ise to shape the cultural and demographic flavor of the United States for the foresee- New Study continued from page 4 able future,” says Council Executive Direc- tor Michael Casserly. Curriculum and Instruction -- a com- “Many educators -- and the public “Yet, many Hispanic students are not mon, high-quality curriculum that created in general -- assume that putting into doing well in our Great City Schools and a coherent instructional program through- place more demanding standards alone our schools, in turn, are not doing well by out the district that paved the way for will result in better student achieve- them.” what students were expected to learn at ment,” says Michael Casserly, executive Study Findings each grade level. director of the Council of the Great City Schools, referring to the new The groundbreaking study focuses on Professional Development and Teaching Common Core State Standards. “But the lives of Hispanic students in big-city Quality -- quality instruction and profes- this study suggests that the higher rigor schools from early childhood to adulthood, sional development and supports to help embedded in the new standards is likely and analyzes distinctions between Hispan- principals and teachers meet instructional to be squandered, with little effect on ic and Latino English-language learners priorities. student achievement, if the curriculum (ELL). Highlights of the report’s findings content, instructional materials, profes- show: Support for Implementation and Monitoring sional development and classroom in- of Progress -- support and oversight of dis- struction are not high quality and well- In readiness to learn, 33 percent of His- trictwide reforms, refining them as needed integrated.” panic children in 2008 lived in families over time, rather than constantly changing The study also indicates that struc- where no parent had full-time employ- direction and practice. tural reforms of a big-city school sys- ment compared with 21 percent of white tem are not likely to improve student children. And in 2007, 27 percent of Use of Data and Assessments -- data systems achievement unless they are directly tied Hispanic children lived in poverty com- for consistently monitoring instructional to the instructional program. An im- pared with 10 percent of white children. programs and identifying and targeting portant lesson for urban school leaders resources and interventions when needed, is that governance, funding, choice, and In Hispanic and English-language and arming principals and teachers with other initiatives that often attract public learner (ELL) achievement on the data tools to pinpoint student needs. and media attention are sometimes dis- National Assessment of Educational tractions if they are not put into direct Progress (NAEP), the percentage of Lessons Learned service of higher achievement. Hispanic students in large cities per- The three-volume analysis can be forming at or above Proficient levels in The three-year Pieces of the Puzzle re- accessed on the Council’s web site at reading from 2003 to 2009 was at least search produced several lessons for urban www.cgcs.org. 26 percentage points lower than white school leaders to consider in advancing students in public schools nationally at academic achievement. grade four and 24 points lower at grade
Hispanic Achievement continued on page 11
| Urban Educator Urban Educator | INSIDE THE COUNCIL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Town Hall continued from page 1 together,” said Brooks, because there are a a failing teacher. lot of people trying to do harm to public Wilson said that in Albuquerque there “Everything I have I owe to Chicago education. is a peer review program for teachers and Public Schools,” said the three-time Emmy Andres Alonso, CEO of Baltimore City if someone is failing, there are systems in Award-winning jour- Public Schools, recalled place to help them improve, and if that nalist, who is current- that when he first arrived doesn’t work, then remove them. ly the leader-in-resi- at the school district in According to Hillsborough’s Baxter- dence in the School 2007 the relationship he Jenkins, no one wants bad teachers and that of Communications had with the teachers teachers can improve dramatically if they at Emerson College union was so rocky that are given support in terms of professional in Boston. they picketed one of his development and mentors. “It’s making a Simpson asked the board meetings. “There huge difference,” said Baxter-Jenkins. “ It’s panelists to explain was huge mistrust,” said a tough job; you have to make it so people how their districts Wilson Wilson from the Albuquerque Teachers Federa- Alonso, who believes part can grow as professionals.” tion. and teacher unions of what he and the union Elia said her district has developed new collaborated with each had to learn was to get teacher evaluation systems in collaboration other. to a place where they could talk respect- with the unions, but she said part of the MaryEllen Elia, superintendent of fully about what needed to happen in the issue school systems grapple with is how Hillsborough County Public Schools in schools. to provide a rewarding experience for good Tampa, Fla., noted that the district and the teachers. “We have not in this nation ad- teachers union have a long history of col- dressed the issue of professionalism that laboration and they work hard to maintain needs to be associated with teachers.” that relationship. “We discuss issues and “Would higher pay attract more quali- try to make sure we stay at the table,” said fied people to the profession?” Simpson Elia. asked the panelists. Stephanie Baxter-Jenkins, executive “We all give a lot of lip service to how director of the Hillsborough Classroom important it is to teach,” said Brooks. “But Teachers Association, agrees and says the we don’t pay them.” key is to keep the lines of communication Indianapolis Schools Superintendent Eugene White. “We know that people don’t go into open. teaching for the money,” said White. “I don’t go [several] hours without talk- Alonso said that teachers should not be ing to the deputy superintendent or super- Simpson noted that there has been criti- thought of as saints and that he has tried to intendent about something,” said Baxter- cism from the public that teachers unions raise salaries for people who are effective. Jenkins. “We know we are all in it for the only want to protect ineffective school kids and we are seeing the improvement in teachers and asked the panelists if they public education.” understand the public’s skepticism on this Wilson Wilson is the senior staff rep- issue. resentative of New Mexico’s Albuquerque “I understand,” said Ann Wilkins, presi- Teachers Federation and said he feels that dent of the Indianapolis Education Associ- his relationship with district officials is very ation. “There are some ineffective teachers strong. “We have an open line of commu- in our district, and I won’t deny that.” But nications with administrators,” said Wil- she said the district has an effective evalu- son. “...Our motivation is to help kids.” ation system. Stephanie Baxter-Jenkins of the Hillsborough Classroom According to Winston Brooks, super- “When you have poor teachers in the Teachers Association. intendent of New Mexico’s Albuquerque classroom, [the public] blames unions but I Public Schools, the biggest criticism of blame administrators,” said Eugene White, Simpson asked the panelists if public unions is that all they care about is the superintendent of the Indianapolis Public education in the country was going in the adults. “I don’t see that,” said Brooks, who Schools. “Quality instruction is the num- right or wrong direction. And despite the meets with teacher union officials regularly. ber one problem we have.” numerous challenges, the superintendents He believes that public education is under He says that he and Wilkins have the indicated it was headed in the right direc- attack and it is vital that educators stand same objective and that is providing stu- tion, while union leaders were more unsure. up and talk about the good things they are dents with good teachers and says his dis- “There are too many politicians telling our accomplishing. “We ought to try and work trict has reduced the time it takes to remove educators how to educate,” said Wilkins of the Indianapolis teachers union.
| Urban Educator Urban Educator | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 INSIDE THE COUNCIL
Attorney, Educator, Environmentalist, Author and Actor Address Council
BOSTON—The late U.S. senator Ed- nation must choose between economic ward Kennedy was a strong supporter of prosperity and environmental protec- urban education and as the chairman of tion. “This is a false choice,” said Kennedy. the Senate Health, Education, Labor and “Good environment policy is identical to Pensions Committee, he helped author the good economic prosperity.” landmark No Child Left Behind legislation. He said that the nation’s addiction to oil So it was fitting that his wife, attorney is costing the country billions of dollars and and health advocate Victoria Reggie Ken- fueling the war on terror, while coal power nedy, recently welcomed some 1,000 big- plants have led to an increase in children city school superintendents, board mem- Victoria Reggie Kennedy with asthma. bers, administrators and deans of colleges The environmental attorney believes of education assembled in Boston for the are more dedicated, better educated, more that the United States can become envi- Council of the Great City Schools’ 55th driven, more committed than ever before. ronmentally friendly. “We have the great- Annual Fall Conference. “Are we failing? No! Do we need to im- est wind resources in the world,” said Ken- Kennedy addressed conferees at a recep- prove? Yes!” nedy. tion held at The John F. Kennedy Presiden- Encouraged by student improvement He believes the nation now has the tial Library and Museum. in reading and math over the past several opportunity to employ tens of thousands She recalled that her husband had re- years, Council Executive Director Michael people in jobs improving the environment marked that if the nation could put a man Casserly said “the state of urban public such as building wind turbines and retrofit- on the moon, the equivalent can be done education in this nation ... is on the right ting roofs. in urban education. And while she recog- track and heading in the right direction.” nizes that there is much work to do, she The five-day conference featured more Helping Youth believes that progress has been made and than 70 sessions, focusing on such topics urged big-city educators to continue their as preparing students for college and the Also addressing the conference was Wes work. “Keep a true compass,” she said. “I workplace through common core stan- Moore, youth advocate and author of the have faith you will get there.” dards, new teacher evaluation models, as book The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two well as how urban schools are coping with Fates, which contrasts his life with another Defying Stereotypes economic uncertainties. man named Wes Moore who was convict- ed of murder. In delivering the opening conference Moore recalled how he received a letter address, Council Chair Winston Brooks, from a teen in a South Carolina juvenile superintendent of New Mexico’s Albu- detention center who told him that his querque Public Schools, lamented what he book was the first book he had read cover considers a stereotype that public educa- to cover and for the first time he was think- tion falls short in educating students. ing about what kind of man he wants to become. The author believes his book is about much more than two young males; it’s Robert Kennedy Jr. about the choices people make and the
The Council also released several reports at the conference, including Managing for Results in America’s Great City Schools: A Report of the Performance Measurement and Winston Brooks Benchmarking Project. Victoria Reggie Kennedy was not the “ I think we all know the truth is far dif- only Kennedy to address the Council. Con- ferent,” he emphasized. “I think we know ferees also heard from Robert Kennedy Jr., that urban schools are asking our children who has been an environmental advocate Wes Moore
to do much more than was their task even a for more than 20 years. Conference continued on page 8 decade ago. I think we know our employees He said that many people believe the
| Urban Educator Urban Educator | INSIDE THE COUNCIL NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Conference continued from page 7 ated a program which uses the performing Council Award continued from page 2 arts to teach literacy skills to students. Plana said that there are a lot of talented children in urban schools but that they are not given the necessary resources to suc- ceed. “You see the potential walking around every day,” said Plana. “They could blos- som in the arts but they are not given the chance.” John Casper expresses his appreciation for winning the Richard R. Green Scholarship. Plana’s parents were poor immigrants from Cuba who did not speak English but Tony Plana he had an advantage because his mother Queen Smith Award finished high school and his father had societal consequences. “There are Wes three years of college. Other awards were also given. Ann Moores that exist in every community, and A magna cum laude graduate in literature Clark, chief academic officer for Charlotte- we can never have a genuine conversation and theater arts from Loyola-Marymount Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, about the future of this country when only University, the actor strongly believes that was the recipient of the Queen Smith a sliver of population is even being thought the nation must change the paradigm of Award for Urban Education. The $2,000 about in that conversation.” how it teaches students and that teaching award is named in honor of the late vice An Army combat veteran, Moore grew through the performing arts can be effec- president of urban programs for Macmil- up fatherless and at the age of 8 was skip- tive across all disciplines. lan/McGraw-Hill Publishing Company. ping school and was arrested at 11. His “If Rip Van Winkle came back today, mother sent him to military school, where the place where he would be most com- he began to realize that he was account- fortable would be the classroom,” stressed able for his actions and started to improve Plana, “because nothing has changed.” academically. As co-founder of the East L.A. Clas- He continued to excel and around the sic Theatre, Plana created a program called time he was selected to receive a Rhodes Beyond Borders: Literacy through Per- scholarship to study in England, the Bal- forming Arts, which is designed to en- timore Sun wrote a series of articles about able students to expand their educational four young males who robbed a jewelry horizons and academic achievements by Arthur Griffin of McGraw-Hill congratulates Ann Clark for winning the Queen Smith Award. store and killed an off-duty police officer. moving beyond their personal, cultural and One of the people sentenced for the crime vocational borders. had the same name. The program uses the performing arts Urban Impact Award Intrigued, Moore wrote the young man to improve literacy skills in academically in prison who wrote him back and the doz- at-risk students, and has proven so success- The Council of the Great City Colleges ens of letters turned into dozens of visits. ful in accelerating student achievement of of Education, an affiliate group of deans Moore soon realized that in addition to district and state literacy standards that it is working with big-city school leaders, pre- having the same name, the two men lived being implemented in five school districts sented the Dr. Shirley Schwartz Urban Im- in the same neighborhood, were raised by in California. pact Award to the Cleveland Metropolitan single mothers and had experienced aca- As part of the program, students write in demic and discipline problems. journals and eventually progress to writing Moore said his book ultimately docu- five-to 10-minute plays performed in front ments the experiences of two kids looking of their peers. The program also works di- for help, and at crucial moments in their rectly with language arts teachers and has lives one kid received it and one didn’t. developed a curriculum for teachers. “You “His story could’ve been mine,” said can train teachers to do what actors do,” Moore. “The tragedy is that my story said Plana, “because a lot of teachers are could’ve been his.” actors waiting to be born.” Plana believes there is nothing more ef- Council Executive Director Michael Casserly, right, Embracing the Arts presents Cleveland Schools CEO Eric Gordon with the Dr. fective or better than teaching through the Shirley Schwartz Urban Impact Award. performing arts. “It’s so sad that in many Council Award continued on page 12 Conferees also heard from actor and ed- underperforming schools the first thing ucation advocate Tony Plana, who has cre- they take away is the arts.” | Urban Educator Urban Educator | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 INSIDE THE COUNCIL
Pictorial of the 55th Annual Fall Conference
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino welcomes conferees to Boston for the 55th Annual Fall Conference.
Victoria Reggie Kennedy poses with Boston Schools Superintendent Carol Johnson, Council Executive Director Michael Casserly and Council Chair Winston Brooks.
Saint Paul Schools Superintendent Valeria Silva presents informa- tion at a session.
Memphis Superintendent Kriner Cash makes a point during his presentation.
Atlanta school board member Cecily Harshe-Kinnae and Pittsburgh school board member William Isler listen intently at a conference session.
Photos by Clarence Tabb Jr. Virginia’s Richmond Schools Superintendent Yvonne Brandon shares information with conferees at a session.
| Urban Educator Urban Educator | LEGISLATIVE COLUMN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011
Senate Committee ESEA Reauthorization Action By Jeff Simering,Director of Legislation
On October 19 and 20, the Senate Health, tions. In addition, the legislation requires the Education, Labor and Pensions Committee states to identify another unspecified set of (HELP) marked up and reported out an El- low-performing schools or schools with low- ementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) performing subgroups for unspecified inter- reauthorization bill on a bipartisan 15 to 7 vote. ventions and supports. In our continuing efforts to encourage workable legislative approaches to rewriting the decade-old The Senate committee bill also requires No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Council of states to adopt and implement college and the Great City Schools supported the Commit- career-ready standards and assessment sys- tee bill despite a number of specific reservations. tems that would continue to disaggregate subgroup performance. Growth models Whether the Senate committee action has and multiple measures would be allowed as breathed new life into the long-dormant ESEA well. The teacher quality and professional reauthorization process remains questionable, development provisions under Title II re- however. Opposition to the bill from a variety of advocacy, main largely unchanged, but some currently allowable uses reform, and civil rights groups has been extremely vocal, and of funds are limited. The Title III English language-learner the Obama Administration has not said much publicly about programs also remain largely unchanged except that the cur- the committee’s work product. Coupled with the majority rent system of annual objectives would be removed in favor of Republican committee members voting against the bill, it of program evaluations. The bill includes a number of new appears that substantial revisions might be required to move competitive-grant programs, including a secondary-school the legislation further in the Senate. Moreover, the House reform “pathways” program, a new literacy program, a new Education and the Workforce Committee has reported out STEM program, and multiple new requirements to the Title a series of small, specialty bills—a program-elimination bill IV Safe Schools program. These requirements would encom- repealing dozens of mostly small competitive programs, a pass multiple physical education and conditions-of-learning charter-schools bill reauthorizing Part B of ESEA Title V, mandates. Finally, the committee bill provides a permanent and a flexibility bill reauthorizing Part A of ESEA Title VI- authority for Race-To-The-Top state and local grants and In- -but has yet to take up the bulk of ESEA programs or the vesting in Innovation (I3) grants. General Provisions. The Council has called attention to a number of provi- The Senate reauthorization bill eliminated some of the sions in the Committee bill that need additional work. In most widely criticized provisions of NCLB, including the particular, the bill requires districts to put into place interven- Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) system and the multi- tions and supports for low-performing non-Title I schools tiered “school improvement” sanctions system. In doing so, without federal money and changes the Title I “comparabil- the Senate committee also eliminated the NCLB-mandated ity” requirements in a way that would be nearly impossible 20 percent spending requirement for “supplemental educa- to implement and would throw thousands of schools into tional services” (SES) and the “choice-related transportation” non-compliance. If enacted, the provision would trigger ma- provision. The committee bill included many major propos- jor staffing realignments in thousands of school districts or als made by panel members and contained in the Educa- would require the substantial redeployment of state and local tion Department’s “Blueprint.” The committee bill delegates funding from school to school. most new accountability requirements to the states and es- tablishes criteria for identifying the 5 percent lowest-achiev- However, any action by the Senate HELP Committee is ing schools in a state, which would be required to implement notable because of the lack of movement over the last five one of seven “model reform strategies.” Another 5 percent of years on the reauthorization. But, further action by either the schools in each state with the most significant achievement full Senate or the House remains uncertain in the waning gaps would be required to implement unspecified interven- months of the 112th Congress.
10 1010| || UrbanUrbanUrban Ed uEdEdcatoruucatorcator UrbanUrbanUrban Ed uEdEdcatoruucatorcator | 11|| 1111 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 INSIDE THE COUNCIL
Atlanta Leaders Discuss Lessons Learned from Crisis
BOSTON—In July 2011, the state of it is fine to make changes, but it has to be Georgia issued a report that found wide- done within an ethical space defined by spread cheating had occurred in Atlanta values. Public Schools on state standardized tests. “In the past, that space was not defined How the school system dealt with the and state investigators said people cheated aftermath was the focus of a session at the because incredible pressure was put on them Council of the Great City Schools’ 55th to perform,” said Davis. “The system set out Annual Fall Conference titled “The Atlan- to change a lot of things without managing ta Cheating Scandal: What Next?, ” featur- the risks inherent in any change.” ing school board chair Brenda Muhammad Muhammed said the board is learning and Superintendent Erroll Davis Jr. how to effectively work together and as “What happened in Atlanta could be a result, the school district’s high schools defined as a category five hurricane,” said were recently taken off probation. “We un- Atlanta school board member Brenda Muhammed and Atlanta Muhammad. Infighting among board derstand that being able to trust each other Schools Superintendent Erroll Davis Jr. discuss the cheating scandal in a session at the Fall Conference. members led an accreditation agency to Lessons Learned continued on page 12 place the school system’s high schools on probation. The board had embarked on a search to replace retiring superintendent Hispanic Achievement continued from page 5 Beverly Hall, but the search was halted and an interim leader was selected instead. “We needed someone independent who was go- eight. In mathematics during those same half times more likely to drop out of high ing to clean up the mess and do what was years, the percentage of Hispanic students school as white students and almost twice absolutely necessary,” said Muhammed. performing at or above Proficient levels as likely as black students. And in 2010, “And we found that leader in Erroll Da- was at least 29 percentage points lower fewer than two of 10 Hispanic students vis.” than white students at grade four and 26 took an Advanced Placement exam com- points lower at grade eight. pared with six of 10 white students. Changing the Culture The report also shows that average In school experience, Hispanic high “This has been a very interesting four scores for fourth- and eighth-grade for- school students were less likely to partici- months of my life,” said Davis, who had merly English-language learner Hispanic pate in academic clubs, more likely to be just retired from serving as chancellor of students in large cities were significantly suspended from school, and more likely the University System of Georgia. “I re- higher than ELL Hispanic students in to be retained in grade than their white tired on Tuesday and then started at [At- large cities in both reading and mathemat- peers. lanta Public Schools] on Friday.” ics. He fired those teachers who were- ac In postsecondary experience, the unem- cused of transgressions and ultimately re- In Hispanic and ELL Hispanic achieve- ployment rate of the Hispanic population moved 178 educators from their jobs. Davis ment on NAEP in selected big-city ages 20 and older in early 2011 was 12 per- also took the view that even if a principal school districts, reading and math scores cent compared with 8 percent of the white had not been found cheating, they failed among Hispanic and ELL students in population. In 2009, some 13 percent of in their jobs if cheating took place at their the big-city school districts participating Hispanic students ages 18 and older had school, so the district had to hire 43 new in the Trial Urban District Assessment earned a bachelor’s degree or higher com- principals. (TUDA) were generally lower than their pared with 33 percent of white students. “We are trying to change the culture,” respective Hispanic counterparts in public And the Hispanic population ages 18 and said Davis. “If you don’t attack the culture, schools nationally at grades four and eight. over in 2008 accounted for 12 percent of it makes no difference what strategy you Moreover, at least 50 percent of fourth-and the college population and 16 percent of put in place.” As a result, ethics training for eighth-grade Hispanic and ELL students the nation’s prison population. employees is now mandatory. in most TUDA districts scored below Ba- Davis, who began as superintendent sic levels. The Council plans to convene a panel with a one-year contract, said that one of of esteemed leaders to provide advice and the lessons the district has learned is that In college and career readiness, His- guidance on improving the education of panic students in 2008 were two-and-a- Hispanic students in the nation’s urban schools. 10 1010| || UrbanUrbanUrban Ed uEdEdcatoruucatorcator UrbanUrbanUrban Ed uEdEdcatoruucatorcator | 11|| 1111 Council of the Great City Schools PRESORT 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW FIRST-CLASS MAIL Suite 702 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Washington DC 20004 MERRIFIELD, VA PERMIT NO. 2333
Council Retreat continued from page 3 Urban School Principals language arts, or ELA, component of the Recognized common core standards. Districts shared sample lesson plans, and the two presenters Deirdra Gardner, a principal from provided feedback. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North “Participants learned the process of Carolina, and Jack Spatola, a principal developing text-dependent questions, the from New York City public schools, were components of a high achievement ELA among seven recipients of the Terrel H. program for all students, and how to draw Seattle Student Honored Bell Award for School Leadership. students into instructional conversations,” Presented by the U.S. Department of says Robin Hall, the Council’s new director Seattle Public Schools senior Meron Education, the award is given to outstand- of language arts and literacy. Kasahun and Teri Hein, founder of the ing principals of Blue Ribbon Schools who In September, the Council held a retreat program 826 Seattle, received the 2011 are academically superior and have demon- in Albany, N.Y., on the implementation of National Arts and Humanities Youth strated dramatic student achievement gains the new common core standards in math- Program Award from First Lady Michelle among disadvantaged students. ematics. Obama. The program was recognized Created in 1999, the award is named af- for engaging young people in the written ter a former secretary of education. word. Council Award continued from page 8
Lessons Learned continued from page 11 School District and Cleveland State Uni- However, he admits that teacher morale is versity for their Master of Urban Second- is significant,” said Muhammed. not where he wants it to be, but the district ary Teaching program, which has placed Since the cheating scandal, security is working to improve it. more than 300 teachers in Cleveland measures have been put in place, including “I don’t think we turned the corner, but schools. With the award, the Council gives forbidding teachers to administer tests to we didn’t need to turn,” said Davis, who a $2,000 scholarship to a Cleveland school their own classes and installing cameras in noted that the district has not overhauled graduate who will be attending Cleveland classrooms. any of its instructional programs. “I was State University to pursue an education ca- According to Davis, test scores have called in to do difficult things. And if I do reer. improved and student enrollment is steady. it correctly, this will be a job superinten- dent applicants will flock to.”