A bi-monthly e-newsletter, Volume 3, Number 3, January/February/March 2005
This edition’s topic: Shared Responsibility
Contents:
Shared Responsibility (Commentary)
Luis Figueroa, Legislative Staff Attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, undoubtedly spoke for many education stakeholders when he described No Child Left Behind as "equal measures of hope and frustration" at a recent Public Education Network (PEN) briefing on a new report titled Open to the Public: Speaking Out on No Child Left Behind. (The report is based on the results of hearings in eight states and an on-line opinion poll of over 12,000 people and is available at http://www.publiceducation.org/portals/nclb/hearings/national/Open_to_the_Public.asp.) Although the report found overwhelming support for the goals of the law, it also noted concerns about the appropriate use of tests, teacher quality standards, the lack of understandable information about school performance, school resistance to parent involvement, and whether student achievement standards are actually being lowered rather than raised.
PEN’s findings reinforce the discussions that occurred at the Coalition for Community Schools (CCS) National Forum in Chicago, where the emphasis was on sharing the responsibility for educating children among all members of the community, not just the schools. (For more information on the meeting and a link to the Community Schools blog, go to http://www.communityschools.org/index.php.) In addition to strong curricula geared to high standards, community schools provide services such as pre-school and after-school programs, health and mental health care, mentoring and tutoring, and adult education. Arne Duncan, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, and other community and school leaders discussed the growing body of evidence that community schools "improve student achievement, increase parental involvement, and create opportunities for the community to support schools." Marty Blank, CCS staff director, added that "local partners working together with educators can provide the support children need to perform at high levels—and to love learning."
That last statement stopped your editors in their tracks and got us thinking about students who perform at high levels AND love learning. Is that possible in today’s climate of high stakes testing beginning in the 3rd grade and SATs that are now four-and-a-half hours long? Then it dawned on us that community schools aren’t just about academics, they’re about meeting all the needs of a child that have an impact on learning.
What are responsibilities of schools and communities in meeting the non-academic needs of children? This is a highly controversial issue in some quarters as noted, for example, by the response to Richard Rothstein’s book, Class and Schools: Using Social, Economic, and Educational Reform to Close the Black-White Achievement Gap. For a taste of the issues raised in his book and reactions from a number of notables in education and civil rights, go to the September/October 2004 issue of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PPRAC) newsletter, available on-line at http://www.prrac.org/display_newsletter.php.
The Institute for Educational Leadership firmly believes that quality education is a responsibility shared by school systems, families, communities, businesses, and governments. This belief is reflected in IEL’s mission to build the capacity of individuals and organizations across policies, programs, and sectors in order to build better futures for children and youth. Schools and communities must work together in purposeful partnership to meet all the needs of children that have an impact on learning. Unfortunately, too many school leaders don’t know how and have not been adequately prepared to work effectively with community members. (For a controversial view of the state of principal and superintendent preparation of principals, read Arthur Levine’s report, Educating School Leaders, at http://www.edschools.org/.)
Resources and social capital vary from community to community. What works in one community may not work in another. So how do stakeholders come together to begin the process of identifying the issues and possible solutions? To learn how six diverse communities in the Kellogg Leadership for Community Change initiative used a shared leadership strategy to "Strengthen Public Will and Action Towards Quality Teaching and Learning," go to http://www.klccleadership.org/default.aspx?PageID=7. To find out how community members can become fully engaged as leaders and decision-makers who support children and families, go to the Annie E. Casey Foundation Web site on resident leadership at http://www.aecf.org/initiatives/ldu/.
NEWS FROM THE FIELD
The Mid-continent Regional Education Laboratory takes a look at the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards for licensing school principals and finds that they contain some---but not all---of the leadership responsibilities and practices that are correlated with student achievement. If you’re one of the 40 states that have incorporated ISLLC into their leadership standards, you’ll want to read "The Leadership We Need: Using Research to Strengthen the Use of Standards for Administrator Preparation and Licensure Programs" available at http://www.mcrel.org/PDF/LeadershipOrganizationDevelopment/4005PI_leadership_we _need.pdf.
Leaders need data to make informed choices. Are the state data you’re required to collect for No Child Left Behind giving you the information you need to adjust curricula and instruction or make the necessary management decisions? If not, you’ll want to read WestEd’s new Knowledge Brief on "Locally Tailored Accountability." This short (12-page) brief makes the case for local accountability systems, describes an effective system, and provides a link to additional references. It also observes that cutting back on health programs and other enrichment programs in favor of more academic skill-building is "likely to be short-sighted and counterproductive." To download the brief, go to http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/750.
According to the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, "Smart Districts" are data-driven, people-centered, and focus on three key elements: results, equity, and community. A recent issue of Voices in Urban Education contains information on transforming your school community into a Smart District and includes an example of a "community covenant" in a low-income urban neighborhood. Read these articles and more at http://annenberginstitute.org/VUE/fall04/index.html. Annenberg’s School Communities that Work initiative also provides stakeholders with an on-line tool for analyzing school district budgeting. "Assessing Patterns of Resource Distribution" can help identify possible inequities and is available at http://www.schoolcommunities.org/resources/APRD/welcome.php.
The 2005 edition of Education Week’s Quality Counts also focuses on finance—specifically, linking school finance to student achievement. In addition to discussions of issues such as targeted spending, teacher salary adjustments, and the costs of No Child Left Behind, snapshots of state funding systems and a number of state-by-state indicators are provided. To review "No Small Change: Targeting Money Toward Student Performance," go to http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2005/01/06/index.html.
What is the role of race in building community? How should community members address race and racial issues? A new report and Web resource from the Center for Reflective Community Practice at MIT, both of which are titled "The Vital Difference: The Role of Race in Building Community," answer these and other questions. To access the site and download the report, go to http://web.mit.edu/crcp/vitaldiff1/
A recent issue of the American Educational Research Association's (AERA) Research Points focuses on "Closing the Gap: High Achievement for Students of Color." It concludes that effective programs "share two common threads, a demanding curriculum and a strong social support system that values and promotes academic achievement." To read the full issue, go to AERA’s revamped Web site at: http://www.aera.net/uploadedFiles/Journals_and_Publications/Research_Points/RP_Fall-04.pdf.
Building Academic Success on Social and Emotional Learning: What Does the Research Say?, a new publication from the Collaborative on Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, examines the relationships between social emotional education and school success, specifically focusing on interventions that enhance student learning. The book, developed from a conference on the topic sponsored by and in close collaboration with the Mid-Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory for Student Success at Temple University (LSS), provides both scientific evidence and practical examples in describing the benefits of social emotional learning programs, such as: skill-building linked to cognitive development; improved relationships between students and teachers; school-family partnerships to help students achieve; and increased student confidence and success. To order a copy from Teachers College Press go to http://store.tcpress.com/0807744395.shtml.
Parents are key stakeholders in both schools and communities—yet, they often complain of being left out of the discourse or not understanding it at all. The YMCA of the USA and the Search Institute have published a national study on minority parents that provides insights into their challenges. Although job loss and difficulty making connections with other community members are obvious issues, what parents really want is to spend more time with their children—an issue that other educators and community members also lament. To view the 24-page report, Building Strong Families 2004, go to http://www.abundantassets.org/building.cfm.
Are virtual relationships overtaking real relationships for today’s youth? What role should technology play in the classroom? Are computers a health hazard for children? Are financial and political connections between education officials and school technology vendors skewing technology decisions? A new report from the Alliance for Childhood discusses these questions and issues a call to action for community members. To read the report, go to http://www.allianceforchildhood.org.
Community members may want to consider a new paper, "The High/Scope Perry PreSchool Project Through Age 40: Summary, Conclusions, and Frequently Asked Questions," released by the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation. This small study traces preschool children who received quality education and care in the 1960s---and a similar group of children who did not receive services---to age 40. The results show higher educational achievement, lower crime rates, and higher incomes as adults for the group receiving quality services. To download the paper, go to http://www.highscope.org/Research/PerryProject/perrymain.htm.
The National Governors Association Task Force on School Readiness has issued its own report on early childhood supports and interventions titled, Building the Foundation for Bright Futures. It offers actions that governors and states can take based on a framework for school readiness. The five principles that anchor the framework include the importance of the family in a young child’s life and the responsibility for school readiness of the adults and systems that support and care for children. To read the full report, go to http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,C_ISSUE_BRIEF%5eD_7819,00.html.
RESOURCES TO EXPLORE
School leaders who want to become part of the burgeoning e-Lead learning community and receive periodic updates on professional development information and opportunities can sign-up at http://www.e-lead.org. e-Lead, a joint project of IEL and Temple University’s Laboratory for Student Success, contains a searchable database of 33 different standards-based school leadership programs, and its frequently updated library links to hundreds of relevant resources sorted by topic. e-Lead has been lauded by a number of educational information sources including the recently published "101 Best Web Sites for Principals," available through a link on the e-Lead site.
The final reports of the Regional Advisory Committees for Educational Needs Assessment have been released. The reports describe regional challenges in implementing No Child Left Behind and recommend priorities for federal technical assistance. An overview and synthesis report identifies four themes that cut across all regions, including broader engagement of parents and other stakeholders and strengthening the capacity of state education agencies. To download the reports, go to http://www.rac-ed.org/Default.aspx?tabid=294&DMXModule=880&EntryId=948. (Note: The reports are large and may take a minute or two to download even on a high speed connection.)
Teachers are critical leaders in school and community and need support and resources to be effective. The U.S. Department of Education's Gateway to Educational Materials (GEM) Web site allows educators to quickly search over 40,000 materials by school subject, grade level, activity type, target audience, stakeholder group, and price. You could look for third grade lesson plans on fractions and decimals, for example. To get started on your search, go to http://thegateway.org/.
The new Family Strengthening Policy Center (FSPC) Web site is a clearinghouse of information and tools dedicated to family strengthening practices, programs, and policy. One of the principles on which the site is based is that families are strong when they are supported by safe and thriving neighborhoods. Resources include a number of policy briefs on topics such as parental involvement in education, mentoring, and community violence prevention. To visit the site, go to http://www.nassembly.org/fspc/.
The Harvard Family Research Project (HFRP) has compiled an Out-of-School Time (OST) Program Evaluation Database and Bibliography containing profiles of OST program evaluations. Go to http://www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/afterschool/evaldatabase.html to access the information.
Submission deadline for the next issue: April 25, 2005
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