Define “effective”? Okay, we will….

Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by Chris.

Just wondering when the word “effective” became  loaded, pejorative or bad. Over at the Save Seattle Schools  blog, there’s a conversation going on that started out as a back and forth over a set of values statements for bargaining teacher contracts crafted by a group of advocates – the League included. At some point in the discussion folks get obsessed with “effective teachers,” asserting that this is loaded language of those beast-devils known as reformers. How do you define effective, they ask.  I feel like I’m being forced to sit through President Clinton’s tortured defense of his affair with “that woman” – remember him asking for a definition of “is?” - do we seriously not know what effective means? One writer throws out the “H” bomb – Hitler – to define effective, as in he was effective at murdering people. WTH? Effective = Hitler? Whoa. Slow down there, Tiger.

Here’s how Webster’s defines effective; producing a decisive, decided or desired effect. And with this definition in mind are we really going to debate whether we should expect classroom teachers to be effective? Really? If you wanted to argue that we don’t always have the information we need to measure whether teachers are effective, you might have something.  Certainly our two-tiered system for evaluation (satisfactory and unsatisfactory) isn’t all that illuminating. Is that a byproduct of the lack of good diagnostics or is the lack of good diagnostics due to the fact that it doesn’t take much to check off a box marked “satisfactory?” Chicken meet egg, egg, chicken.

As long as we continue to debate whether teachers should be effective we don’t have to create ways to actually measure whether effectiveness happens. Or as my four-year-old son says, “Look, a pickle!” as he points to thin air.

Chris Korsmo is the executive director of the League of Education Voters.

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Doing the Right Thing Always Matters

Posted on 18. Jan, 2010 by Chris.

For those of you counting at home – and by my count, from some of the comments, at least a few of you are following along – this legislative session is officially one week old.  Not to beat a dead drum, but there’s a lot at stake here, so each week counts and counts big. One big take away this week is the Governor’s intention to introduce an education reform legislation that addresses the state’s shortcomings in the federal “Race to the Top” competition. In previous episodes of my waxing on, some of you have raised questions and downright consternation about whether this is right-headed.  Some of you have said that the money isn’t enough to make a difference. Others have had specific policy issues. Why, when we have school districts in financial disarray, would we get “sidetracked” by Race 2TT?

Here’s why; It’s the right thing to do.

I feel you, dissenters, I feel you. But if we are going to get ourselves on the right track with higher student achievement, closing the achievement gap and creating the next generation of leaders we need to put some focus on what works and what doesn’t. Sorry, but with the exception of a few successful districts (and unfortunately, even there, a handful of schools linger behind), we don’t do that. We focus on what we’ve always done; what makes us feel comfortable; what we’re willing to accept. Sorry, kids, but that is no longer acceptable. Going after the Race to the Top solely for the money would be nearly as misguided as standing pat on the status quo.

Specifically, because I know specifics always help, we do almost NOTHING to address chronically underperforming (I get points for not saying “failing” here, don’t I?) schools.  The State Board has a plan to address this and the kids who attend these schools need us to implement that plan NOW. Item number two, with the exception of a few districts, we give teachers meaningless feedback about their performance (and we give principals even less feedback). Seriously, when was the last time you were graded “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory?”   Freshman art courses in middle school? In the world where I work, unsatisfactory is French for “go find another job.” Which is not very constructive feedback, I can tell you.  We need to stop pretending like everything our schools do needs to be created here.  District by district, school by school or even classroom to classroom. Standards, curriculum, testing, even lesson plans are transferable. Good ones allow for some state or local additions, providing a floor from which to work.  In the realm of Race to the Top, this would mean adopting the national standards and assessments.  There’s plenty more where this came from – I figure this is a good start for the conversation – and I for one, am looking forward to what the Governor puts forward.

Chasing federal money for the money’s sake usually winds up with the state budget going over a cliff. Making the changes we should be making anyway in order to give at least a few districts the chance to do things differently is the right thing. And the time is always right for that.

Chris Korsmo
Executive Director

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Gates Sr: Race To The Top Provides “Unprecedented Opportunity”

Posted on 14. Jan, 2010 by Jen.

In front of a packed room of Washington education leaders, Bill Gates Sr. delivered a keynote speech Thursday calling on officials to dramatically improve our education system and to compete for the federal Race To The Top funds. Below are the highlights of his speech.

At the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, by far and away our biggest investment in the United States is education. We believe that public schools are the surest path to a prosperous future for the country as a whole. Our economic future depends on them. Strong public schools also promote some of our country’s most important values, including equality. They are the best way to give every single individual an equal opportunity to make the most of his or her life.

Washington is not currently giving students the opportunities they deserve. For example, the state ranks fourth in the country in technology‐based corporations, but we are 46th in participation in science and engineering graduate programs. Low‐income and minority students are least represented in STEM fields, which means that our schools are perpetuating inequality instead of ending it, which is what they should be doing.

When students don’t do well or drop out of school, a lot of states try to fix the problem by lowering expectations. That is precisely the wrong approach. In Washington State, there are already too many high school graduates without the skills to fill jobs that require less than a two- or four-year college degree. We also know from students who have dropped out of high school that they want rigor and high expectations. If we make school more challenging and more engaging, then we will not only see fewer dropouts – but also a high school diploma that really means something.

Washington State is eligible to compete for its share of the $4.3 billion in federal discretionary Race to the Top funds. This competitive federal stimulus package is designed to drive education reform across the country, and provides an unprecedented opportunity to move meaningful education reform forward in our state.

With the state facing a $2.6 billion budget deficit and you in the legislature looking for ways to balance the budget, this should not be viewed as a budget problem, but one of the largest possible budget solutions.

Washington State cannot afford to miss out on this tremendous opportunity to receive significant new federal funding to ensure every child is ready for college, work, and life.

President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan want Race to the Top money to go to states that are committed to a high quality education for every student.

They have laid out criteria they want states to meet…using quality standards and assessments; supporting great teachers and leaders; using data to link achievement, programs, and practices; and the critical need to turn around low-performing schools.

The Gates Foundation is helping Washington with its application, but I want to make one thing clear. We’re not doing it because we see a huge push for reforms that live up to the spirit of Race to the Top. We don’t. Not yet. We’re doing it because this is our home, and we are still hopeful that Washington State can become a leader in educational innovation.

In that spirit, I urge us not to spend time and energy defending what is currently in place and figuring out creative ways to say the status quo fits the Race to the Top criteria. That would be like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. Instead, I urge us to be bold in our thinking about what needs to change.

Even if money were not on the table, the Race to the Top reforms — setting high expectations for students, getting great teachers and leaders, using data for improvement, and helping struggling schools — are the right steps to  ensure every Washington student has the tools needed to succeed  after high school.

The combination of the Race to the Top application and legislative support for stronger education policies will help ensure our students receive the resources, effective teachers, and academic rigor they deserve regardless of where they live.

Let’s do this right.

Thank you.

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LEV’s 2010 Legislative Agenda

Posted on 10. Jan, 2010 by Jen.

Despite the budget crisis, it’s essential that we make progress to improve education in the state of Washington. We must hold our lawmakers accountable for the first steps in implementing historic education reform legislation passed last year. We must answer President Obama’s call for broad, systemic change of our nation’s schools by submitting a bold proposal to jumpstart those reforms and secure federal funds. The budget crisis itself requires us to rethink how we use our limited dollars best. More than ever, our goal must be higher expectations, more opportunities and better funding strategies, all leading to better outcomes for children.

ESHB 2261 is the state’s plan for reforming education and K-12 funding. Let’s get to work on the plan and speed up the timelines.

• Kids need change sooner not later
  • Charge the Quality Education Council with developing an implementation plan for CORE 24, the new, higher graduation requirements, for adoption by the Legislature in 2011.
  • Convene the compensation working group this year.
  • Convene the local levies working group this year.
• Include preschool in basic education, starting with the children who need it most.
  • Start with children ages 3 and 4 from families with the lowest income or children in foster care. Broaden the program in the future, based on program evaluation and results.
  • Allow private-pay families to access the program, provided spaces are available.
• K-12 funding must be more transparent to help taxpayers understand why schools need more adequate funding.
  • Convert current state funding formulas into the prototype school funding models.
  • Set up the new transportation funding system, and begin phasing in full funding in 2011.
  • Phase in full funding for new maintenance and operating formulas, beginning in 2011.
• Expand the Beginning Educator Support Team (induction and mentoring) program in 2011.

Keep our state — and our children — competitive by pursuing federal grants that will help us accelerate reforms and innovate our schools.

• Make the changes necessary to keep Washington State competitive for federal Race to the Top funding.

o   Seize the historic opportunity to win $150-250 million to improve our schools and boost student achievement.
o   Pass bold legislation this session to ensure we have every tool available to help prepare our kids for college, work and life.

• Ensure Washington State will be competitive for federal Early Learning Challenge Fund grants.

o   Maintain investment in quality rating and improvement system (QRIS) for child care programs to ensure parents are empowered to find the best setting for their child.
o   Build a continuum of evidence-based services to support families with infants and toddlers, especially home visitation programs.

During the worst budget shortfall in our state’s history, protect those who depend on the state the most.

• Protect state need and work study grants, the financial assistance that makes college possible for tens of thousands of working families.
• Protect the programs that most directly impact children:
  • Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
  • All-day kindergarten
  • Lower class sizes in K-4
  • Gifted and talented
• Protect current levy equalization funding that helps schools in less affluent communities.
• Support a balanced budget approach of careful cuts — without devastating human services and health care at a time when more people than ever turn to the state for help — and reasonable revenues.

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A note on bold, yet thoughtful reform

Posted on 03. Dec, 2009 by Katrina.

Katrina is an intern at LEV and graduate school student and a guest contributor to the LEV blog.

We just put up a post on the flurry of Race to the Top activity in many states. One of the articles discussed the split between California’s lawmakers over legislation the state is undertaking in order to be competitive in the race. Another said Michigan just pulled off major educational reforms in their state Senate and still another claimed Nevada will hold a special legislative session in hopes of doing the same. But is this scramble to fix education problems with “bold” (but hasty) legislation simply a result of the budget crisis currently affecting most states? The possibility of additional, much-needed federal dollars may be clouding some leaderships’ perspective.

According to a survey report released yesterday by the Center on Education Policy—Part 1 in a three year project to study the impact of stimulus law—economic challenges may indeed be playing too great a role in recent education reform and giving the federal government undue control over the direction in individual states. If that is the case, how strong are these reforms likely to be? And, if states don’t end up with a piece of the pie, will they be left supporting laws they might not have otherwise voted on?

It is a fact that the educational status quo is unacceptable in virtually every state, and there are certainly areas where the federal government’s reform goals nicely align with most states, such as the need for data systems and common standards. However, other areas, such as teacher quality and failing schools, might require a more nuanced approach, due to concerns about sustainability with historically strong stakeholder opinions.

The report is worth a look and perhaps a discussion on bold, yet thoughtful reform.

Center on Education Policy study

Two articles give additional analysis and response:

Stimulus aid’s state-level impact seen mixed

Eyeing stimulus money for education, states adopt reforms

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What is the latest on the Race to the Top?

Posted on 03. Dec, 2009 by Katrina.

After Governor Gregoire’s November 20 announcement that Washington would sit out the first round of applications in January, it almost seemed there was a lull in activity in the Race to the Top. But this week reveals the actions other states are taking to jockey into position, gain a lead, and generally position themselves to win a portion of the $4.35 billion pot.

Still at the gate with Washington: New Jersey one of two states not applying for first round of federal education money

Louisiana considered strong contender: Jefferson Parish schools (New Orleans) seek slice of the Race to the Top pie

Georgia is ready: State to seek Race to the Top funds

Michigan is in: Reforms put Michigan into Race to the Top funding conversation from Washington

Idaho pulls together application plan: Luna to host Race to the Top meetings

Nevada hoping to be eligible: Lawmakers will see special session before June

Racing too fast? Lure of Race to the Top splits California lawmakers

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Education news for December 3

Posted on 03. Dec, 2009 by Katrina.

Early learning training in Anacortes: Grant helps groups get kids on the same page before kindergarten

Skeptics ask, who will pay? State’s draft education-reform plan lays out lofty early childhood goals

Charters under scrutiny: Study casts doubt on strength of charter managers

Gates Foundation backs drive for parental support: PTA launches campaign backing common standards

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Education news for December 1

Posted on 01. Dec, 2009 by Katrina.

Budget woes around the state:

• Legislator, Central Kitsap superintendent paint dark budget picture
• Stimulus-supported bond program not working for schools
• Zillah schools asks public for views on M & O amount

Goal at alternative school in Granite Falls: Get a diploma

K-12 technology: Broader role outlined for district ed-tech leaders

Reauthorizing the education act: Duncan aims to make incentives key element of ESEA

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Technology Alliance: Stick with math & science requirements

Posted on 29. Nov, 2009 by Jen.

(This is a guest blog post by Susannah Malarkey, executive director of Technology Alliance, a statewide, not-for-profit organization of leaders from Washington’s diverse technology and related businesses and research institutions.)

If “innovation is in our nature,” then sticking with the math and science graduation requirements should be the natural decision for state policy leaders to make.

On behalf of the Technology Alliance, I feel compelled to add my voice to the growing chorus of indignation at Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn’s proposal to delay math and science graduation requirements. Washington’s innovation community is deeply concerned that this proposal signals a retreat from a commitment to ensure all students possess the foundational knowledge and skills they need to be successful in post-secondary education and 21st century careers.

Sticking to the task of preparing our students to be informed, engaged citizens and to compete for family-wage jobs is not only a matter of economic competitiveness; it is a matter of basic fairness. Our state has a diverse technology sector that creates high-wage, high-impact jobs. Unfortunately, we are not preparing the vast majority of Washington students to benefit directly from the opportunities our economy is creating.

We continually tout our highly-educated and innovative workforce (we rank 4th in the nation for intensity of scientists and engineers), but we ignore how we got there (we also rank 4th for net-migration of college degree-holders).

For years, we have made do with minimum high school graduation requirements that don’t align with the level of preparation students need to be successful in college-level work (around half of Washington graduates entering community colleges must take non-credit bearing coursework on content they should have learned in high school), or even be eligible to apply for admission to our public 4-year institutions.

And now, when we have an opportunity to make significant strides in bringing our education system into the 21st century through the basic education reform work currently underway and federal investments aimed at spurring innovation and accountability within our K-12 system, Washington’s education leader proposes yet another delay in math and science graduation requirements.

How can it be that one of the most innovative states in the nation is still having a debate over whether students should demonstrate proficiency in math and science before exiting high school?

As state education strategies go, it does not inspire confidence. Instead of repeated delays and watering down of expectations, we should be pursuing reforms that would help our students to meet those expectations:

- Implementation of CORE 24 to align minimum course-taking requirements with the expectations of college and the workplace;
- A concerted focus on improving teacher quality and our teacher evaluation system; and
- Data and accountability systems that will empower teachers, school leaders, parents and policymakers to take the steps necessary to ensure our K-12 system is serving the best interests of our students.

Our state leaders need to maintain their commitment to providing a meaningful high school diploma to all Washington students. Anything less is unfair to our kids and unsustainable for our state economy.

Susannah Malarkey is the executive director of Technology Alliance.

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Weekly roundup of education news from LEV

Posted on 24. Nov, 2009 by admin.

Education advocates and newspapers quickly weighed in on Superintendent Dorn’s proposal to delay math and science high school graduation requirements last week. LEV has begun to post in-depth analysis on the final Race to the Top guidelines on our blog.  We’re also introducing a Question of the Week to encourage discussion on thought-provoking questions about education and public policy.

Question of the Week

In Portland Public Schools, budget cuts could hit home to students and parents. Up to five classroom days could be cut from the school calendar because of furlough days. Recent polling shows that 60 percent of Washington residents don’t believe our state is facing a budget crisis even though higher education and K-12 have been cut by 12 percent.

Should policymakers consider eliminating all-day kindergarten or cutting school days to help balance the budget?

Join the discussion with other parents, educators and advocates:

• Blog | Facebook

News from LEV

Superintendent Randy Dorn’s speech to the state school directors
TVW filmed Superintendent Dorn’s speech to the Washington State School Directors’ Association on delaying math and science graduation requirements.

Wrong move, wrong time
In case you missed it, here’s LEV’s reaction to Superintendent Dorn’s proposal to delay high school graduation requirements for math and science.

What’s at risk in the state budget?
Our friends at the Washington State Budget and Policy Center have put together this excellent narrated slide show about the very real impacts of the projected $2.7 billion state budget shortfall.

What are Washington’s chances of winning Race to the Top dollars?
LEV reviews the eligibility requirements for Race to the Top and how Washington stacks up.

Final Race to the Top guidelines released
Each Race to the Top application will be evaluated based on a 500-point scale. Here’s the breakdown for how points will be awarded.

News from the Media

Editorial: State schools chief Randy Dorn blinks on math and science requirements
The Seattle Times is concerned that Dorn’s proposal will harm low-income and minority students the most.

Editorial: Don’t delay reckoning on science, math norms
The Spokesman-Review believes students will rise to the challenge to meet math and science requirements similar to how they responded to reading and writing.

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