Grants/ Grants High School ACT Scores Surpass the State
By Bob Tenequer
Cibola Beacon Staff Writer
September 11, 2012
Grants High School students ACT test scores continue to climb surpassing the state's benchmarks and approaching national averages.
This year, the students taking the exam exceeded the state's benchmarks in meeting college readiness in math and reading.
Alton Autrey, GHS principal, said this accomplishment is a "cause for celebration," acknowledging what the students have done.
"Praise should go out to the students, parents and teachers," said Autrey, "notably, the students for having the will to prepare for the ACT test, the parents for making sure they followed through and the teachers who provided them a valuable service."
- In mathematics, a jump from 19 percent to 36 percent exceeded the state's 33 percent by three points, and revealed a 17 percent increase in one year from 2011 to 2012.
- In reading, GHS increased its percentage from 38 to 48 percent and passed the state's 45 percent by three percent.
"What is impressive about this is that if you look at the historical data, you see a slow increase, and this year we had huge jump," Autrey said proudly.
- For example, in mathematics in 2008, GHS was at 12 percent and has had an increase of 24 percent to 36 percent in 2012. In reading, in 2008 the percentage was 36 and has risen to 48 percent, an increase of 12 percent.
- Currently, GHS is on par with the state regarding the composite score of a five-year average of ACT scores, GHS 19.8 percent and the state 19.9 percent.
Autrey said that he hopes this coming academic year the school will reach or exceed the national average of 21.1.
The ACT test is a curriculum and standards-based educational and career planning tool that assesses students' academic readiness for college. ACT defines college and career readiness for gaining the knowledge and skills a student needs to enroll and succeed in college, trade school or technical school without the need for remediation.
There are four ACT categories: English, mathematics, reading and science.
"Historically in the English category we were six to eight percentage points behind the state, and in one year we made an eight-point gain that put us one point behind the state," said Autrey.
- In science, the high school made a three-point gain also leaving it one point behind the state percentage.
Autrey attributed these gains to a several factors, including:
- the GEAR UP program which delivers college-access and readiness services to low-income, primarily first-generation immigrant, students.
In short, the GEAR UP program funds are used for college visits, more parent meetings, test preparations and credit recovery, and workshops focusing on "what it means to go to college."
"The funds are used as seed money to put toward what we found works and to keep doing it," explained Autrey.
- Secondly, in 2012, a large number, 117 students at GHS took the ACT test. As part of the program certain students can get waivers to pay the $100 ACT fee.
- The third factor is the focus on the monitoring and interaction between students, parents and teachers.
According to Autrey, there are three assessment tests that help the students and parents understand how well their student is progressing academically. These tests include: the Explore exam, the Plan exam and the ACT.
Typically, students take Explore exam in the eighth or ninth grade, the Plan exam in the tenth grade, and the ACT in their junior or senior year.
All three test English, math, reading and science skills and knowledge.
- The fourth factor, Autrey said is focused on the curriculum.
"I think what the district is doing with the curriculum is helping our students attain better scores overall, and is producing positive results," he said.
The principal explained that parents should be paying attention to how their student scores on these tests, which can be used to assess where their strengths and weaknesses are, and because these tests are predictive on how well students will perform on the ACT.
"I think parents and students are beginning to get the message. This year we already have a group of tenth graders who are already taking Algebra II," said the principal.
If Grants High School ACT tests continue upward, this year could potentially be the year the school surpasses state and national scores, according to district officials.
~~~~~~~~~~
ABQ/ APS Meeting to Address Overcrowding
KOAT-TV, Channel 7
September 10, 2012
Parents will get a chance to sound off Monday night about overcrowding in Albuquerque Public Schools.
APS said this is typical at the beginning of the school year and that things tend to even out by the 40th day. However, the district has started seeing more students enroll in the Northeast Heights and want to make sure they're prepared.
Overcrowding complaints have come from several schools including Del Norte High School and North Star Elementary.
At Monday night's meeting, district officials said they want to hear from parents to mull over some potential solutions.
APS School Board member David Peercy said some of those solutions can include anything from adding portables, adding on to a school or redrawing district lines.
"All of our elementary schools have their own boundaries, the (middle) schools have their own boundaries and so do the high schools, and we have to balance the feeder schools," Peercy said.
Monday's meeting will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the La Cueva High School Performing Arts Center.
The district said they were seeing more new students coming from out of state and that more private school students were switching to public schools at the start of the school year.
~~~~~~~~~~
ABQ/ NM Rural Middle Schools to Benefit from UNM Science Grant
Associated Press
KOB.com Staff, Channel 4
September 10, 2012
University of New Mexico professors and researchers have been awarded funding from the National Institutes of Health to implement a science enrichment program for several middle schools in rural New Mexico.
The funding will be spent over five years and will target both tribal and predominantly Hispanic schools.
Spokesman Luke Frank from the UNM Health Sciences Center told KOB the schools will be:
- Zuni Middle School,
- Laguna Middle School,
- Sky City Community School,
- Mora Middle School, and
- Peņasco Middle School.
"These schools had supported our application and we are in the process of re-confirming their interest and commitment to participate in the project," Frank said.
The university says there's a steady decline in the number of American Indian and Hispanic students graduating with science and engineering degrees.
Professor Shiraz Mishra says lower representation in the sciences coupled with a higher burden of chronic diseases among these two populations poses a "serious national challenge."
The program will include nutrition and physical activity components along with health and science fairs, web-based activities aimed at boosting critical thinking, mentoring and professional development for teachers.
~~~~~~~~~~
ABQ/ COLUMN: APS Team Keeps It All Humming
By Winston Brooks [Albuquerque School Superintendent]
ABQ Journal
September 11, 2012
By this time, most families with kids have settled into a fresh routine for the new school year. The alarms go off a little earlier, and there is homework to schedule, not to mention the band, choir, football, soccer and volleyball practices. I've always thought a bedtime curfew is a must, just so everyone has the energy to repeat it all the next day.
It goes so smoothly most days that we don't even stop to think about how much has to go right to keep us on track. There really are many, many things to celebrate at Albuquerque Public Schools, and this year's seamless transition back to class is one of them.
Over the summer our maintenance and facilities crews worked diligently to make sure more than 4,400 air conditioning and cooling units in our 139 schools were working. We had issues at a couple of our campuses, but both were addressed immediately.
- Special thanks to our tiny (fewer than 30) but mighty A/C team.
Kudos to our food services professionals who, on average, are serving up 67,000 breakfasts/lunches a day.
- Extra credit to that group for sound financial practices that freed up operational dollars now being used to cover the cost of school breakfast and lunch for all students who qualify under the federal school meals plan.
- That means about 7,000 students who normally qualify for reduced-priced meals will receive them at no cost to their families.
- The news gets better when you factor in a gift from the APS Education Foundation that wipes out the previous meal debts owed by families who qualify for reduced-price meals but were carrying an unpaid balance.
Our teachers, principals, custodians, secretaries, technology techs, nurses, counselors, social workers and all other support staff also have been terrific.
As you know, the majority of our teachers spend a good chunk of their summer preparing for the new learning year ahead.
- One new initiative they are eager to delve into is a switch from textbooks to "techbooks" in all science classes.
- The "techbooks" are part of a curriculum partnership with Discovery Education, a leader in online education delivery.
- The idea is to let students learn the way they live, and in this day and age that involves technology.
Online education is up to date and relevant, incorporating current issues into the curriculum so they no longer depend on history textbooks that don't mention 9/11 or science textbooks that list Pluto as a planet. The techbooks are more affordable than textbooks and next year will find their way to high school social studies students.
By the way, we're always exploring new opportunities to involve parents and the community as volunteers in our schools. That, too, should be more inviting now.
Because safety is always our first concern, we require background checks for all volunteers who will spend one-on-one time with our students.
- APS this year has cut the cost of the background check to $12, down $6 from the past two years and more than $20 from three years ago.
- Long-term, we hope to eliminate this cost altogether, but that's a funding issue that isn't yet within our reach.
Finally, a big thanks to our transportation department.
- APS runs more than 400 buses daily, moving more than 38,000 students to some 140 locations.
Day after day the students enjoy safe and timely transportation from their homes to school and back. We'll have a few glitches along the way, but for the most part our transportation team rocks.
We can't begin to tell you how excited and honored we are to have our students back this year. Our promise to you is to continue to do everything possible to make the school year engaging and meaningful so that our students will have the skills, confidence and drive to live their dreams.
Special thanks to all the dedicated Albuquerque Public Schools employees who work so hard to keep students' dreams alive.
~~~~~~~~~~
Washington DC/ 7 States, Puerto Rico and Bureau of Indian Education Request NCLB Flexibility
US Department of Education [Ed.gov ]
Press Release
September 10, 2012
The Obama Administration today has received requests from seven new states, Puerto Rico and the Bureau of Indian Education for flexibility from No Child Left Behind (NCLB) in exchange for state-developed plans to prepare all students for college and career, focus aid on the neediest students, and support effective teaching and leadership.
The latest requests, filed by Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, West Virginia and the Bureau of Indian Education, bring to 44 the number of states that have either requested waivers or already been approved to implement next-generation education reforms that go far beyond No Child Left Behind's rigid, top-down prescriptions.
"This is truly a nationwide movement, and the message from coast to coast is clear - America can't wait any longer for real education reform." said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "My hope is that Congress will come together to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, but we know states need flexibility now."
Federal education law has been due for congressional reauthorization since 2007. In the face of congressional inaction, President Obama announced in September of 2011 that the Obama Administration would grant waivers from NCLB to qualified states. The first requests for waivers were granted in February of 2012
The 33 states (plus the District of Columbia) that have been approved for waivers from NCLB include: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
The 11 states (plus the Bureau of Indian Education and Puerto Rico) with outstanding requests for waivers include Alabama, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, West Virginia.
The 6 states that have not yet requested a waiver include: Montana, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont (request withdrawn), and Wyoming.
For more information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/esea/flexibility/requests.
~~~~~~~~~~
New Orleans LA/ Louisiana Opens Novel Marketplace of K-12 Courses
By Erik W. Robelen
Education Week, Vol. 32, Issue 3 [Edweek.org]
September 10, 2012
Louisiana is gearing up to open a new front in its push to expand educational choice, essentially creating a marketplace that lets students shop around for publicly funded courses-both online and face-to-face-beyond their schoolhouse doors.
More than 30 providers already have stepped forward seeking state approval to take part in the Course Choice program, which opens for business next school year.
Several national experts said the statewide program appears to be unique, even as it blends elements of some existing approaches, from virtual and charter schools to voucher programs.
Billed as offering "a la carte school choice to Louisiana students and families, one course at a time" by the state education department, the program was approved this year as part of a larger education package.
Although it's been largely overshadowed by a companion measure expanding private school vouchers, some observers suggest the ramifications of Course Choice are wider reaching.
"This actually could have far more impact on students, schools, districts, and postsecondary education," said Leslie R. Jacobs, a former state school board member and the founder of Educate Now!, an advocacy group in New Orleans. "I think this is very innovative. ... The student makes the decision; the district has to pay for it."
Under the new program, public dollars-in the form of a slice of local districts' combined state and local aid-will cover course fees (with some limits) for any student attending a public school rated C, D, or F under the state accountability system.
- Students in an A or B school may be eligible if their school does not offer a course equivalent to one approved by the state.
Theoretically, students could earn most of their credits through alternative providers. Although the program is open throughout K-12, state officials and outside experts say they expect it will be most common at the high school level.
"We don't know of anything else like it," David Lefkowith, a deputy superintendent at the Louisiana education department, said of the program. "We're an air-traffic controller. ... We're just making sure everybody lands safely, and that it's a quality ride. We are content and quality control, not curriculum development."
Organizations that have applied to join Louisiana's new marketplace include:
- many national online-learning companies, such as Sylvan Learning and Apex Learning, as well as some
- local entities, including the Pelican chapter of the nonprofit Associated Builders and Contractors, Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in Baton Rouge, and the state-run Louisiana Educational Television Authority.
Legal Challenge
The initiative, however, is getting mixed reviews. One complaint is the potential financial loss for districts. Also, some skeptics say quality control is a huge concern, and they question whether the state will successfully maintain it.
"There's little question that, ultimately, education delivery in the United States is going to change in the face of technological innovations and possibilities out there," said Jeffrey Henig, a professor of political science and education at Teachers College, Columbia University. "But this sounds to me like a 'jump in with two feet and eyes half closed' approach to it."
Meanwhile, several Louisiana education groups, including the two teachers' unions, have waged a legal challenge to Course Choice and other key provisions of the new school choice law. They argue that the state lacks the constitutional authority to redirect public funds intended for local districts. A hearing by a state district court is scheduled for next month.
'Building Accountability In'
The Course Choice program was established under legislation signed in April by Gov. Bobby Jindal, a Republican. The measure also expanded a private-school-voucher program in New Orleans to make it available statewide, with some restrictions, and established new pathways for the creation of charter schools.
The state has spelled out three particular areas for Course Choice classes over the first year:
- core academic courses,
- career and technical education, and
- courses that bear college credit.
The types of courses proposed by applicants include math, science, fine arts, foreign languages, Advanced Placement courses, cosmetology, carpentry, and welding, among others.
Mr. Lefkowith said the state will move cautiously into this new sphere: "We're going to have a bias the first year to do a few things really well."
In scanning the nation for similar state programs, Mr. Lefkowith said the closest his agency could find was Utah's Statewide Online Education Program, created in 2011. While the funding mechanism is similar, Utah's program is more limited in some respects. For instance, it offers only virtual courses, the only eligible providers are other public school districts, and it's exclusively a high school program.
Chester E. Finn Jr., the president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a Washington think tank, said Louisiana's new program has echoes of the postsecondary realm.
"It's analogous to something that's been going on in higher education for a long time," he said, "the ability to sort of pull together course credits from a variety of places and get them counted toward your diploma."
Added Mr. Finn, a longtime proponent of expanding school choice: "This is a bold and promising and interesting experiment, but it's full of pitfalls."
The challenges of ensuring course quality should not be underestimated, he said, including decisions on which courses and providers are approved, how they are monitored over time, and how to judge whether student work deserves credit.
"These are not trivial issues," Mr. Finn said. "The reason that doesn't throw me into a total tizzy is it's not as though we've been doing a very good job of quality control in regular courses in regular schools. ... And in most cases, the arrangement is for kids who are in schools that are not doing a very good job."Kevin G. Welner, an education professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder who has raised concerns about some choice initiatives, said that based on his review of materials about the new program, he sees reason for alarm.
"The approach taken in Louisiana is a very ... deregulated one that has a little bit of a veneer of accountability and vetting," he said, "but doesn't seem to have many specifics that could provide assurance that the quality is really going to be there."
Mr. Henig from Teachers College said he wonders whether the state education agency has adequate capacity to effectively manage the program.
"Whether the state can really provide any kind of serious data collection, analysis, oversight, and ability to intervene when there are bad actors," he said, "that is a huge leap of faith."
But Mr. Lefkowith insists that state officials are keenly aware of the need for a robust accountability system and are laying the groundwork for one.
"Believe me, we are building accountability in," Mr. Lefkowith said. He outlined what he described as six levels of such oversight, from a rigorous vetting process upfront of both the providers and the individual courses they wish to offer (including independent peer review) to regular monitoring and evaluation of programs over time.
Aid Follows Student
Vendors who apply may propose lots of courses, but he said the state may well only approve some of them.
Up to 75 percent of a district's per-pupil state and local aid under Louisiana's minimum foundation program could pay for courses. Mr. Lefkowith said that translates into roughly $5,000 to $8,000 per student, depending on the district.
"The challenge for districts will be, if one student leaves any one class, you can't really change your staffing formula," said Ms. Jacobs of Educate Now!
But Ms. Jacobs believes the program could serve as a powerful incentive for districts to make their offerings more attractive.
"Over time, what this will do is create competition to provide good coursework to high school students," she said.
In fact, districts themselves, as well as private schools, are eligible to become providers of classes for students in other districts. Also, the program applies to students in public charter schools, who may enroll in Course Choice programs at public expense.
Steve Monaghan, the president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, argues that the program will take a financial toll on already strapped districts. The group's lawsuit focuses on what it calls the inappropriate diversion of public funds under the state's minimum foundation program.
"We believe that the Louisiana Constitution clearly indicates what these dollars are appropriated to do," he said.
Mr. Monaghan also argues that the program is vulnerable to foul play. The LFT recently highlighted contributions made by the political action committee for the Pelican chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors to some state lawmakers who backed the Course Choice legislation, as well as to members of the elected state school board.
Mr. Monaghan suggests that such financial contributions may jeopardize the state's fairness in evaluating the group's application.
"ABC gets featured as the poster child .... in a [recent] press release" from the state education department about Course Choice, he said.
Staying Competitive
The builders' association is applying to provide a number of courses in such areas as carpentry, pipefitting, and welding.
"It's about training young people to have a meaningful career in construction," said Alvin M. Bargas, the president of the Pelican chapter of the ABC.
On the issue of influence, Mr. Bargas said that his organization's PAC has long supported political candidates, but that such aid was "definitely not intended" to win favor for its application, nor does he expect any special treatment.
Mr. Lefkowith said no favoritism will be forthcoming, but that in any case, the ABC wrote what he called "a terrific application."
He said: "They have course content ... that is gold standard. Quite frankly, the last thing we have to worry about is ABC scamming the system."
Richard D. Lavergne, the superintendent of the 8,500-student St. Martin Parish district, near Lafayette, said he sees value in providing more options for students, but worries about the financial toll of Course Choice on school systems.
"It could have a significant effect, especially if students take three or four courses," he said.
Mr. Lavergne said he wishes the state program had been designed so that course providers work "through districts," not around them. That said, he's determined to stay competitive. His district recently launched a virtual school, he said, and is expanding enrollment in a dual-credit program with a community college.
"Obviously, it makes us think that we have to do things different," he said. "I'm trying to find ways to offer a greater variety of courses to keep students here."
Primer on Course Choice:
Student Eligibility
- All Louisiana students in grades K-12 may participate, but may not qualify for public funding.
- All students attending schools rated C, D, or F under the state accountability system are eligible for public funding.
- Students attending A or B schools may be eligible for public funding if their school does not offer a course deemed equivalent to a Course Choice offering they wish to take.
Payments
- 50 percent of state-approved tuition is paid when student starts course. Other half paid upon successful, on-time completion of course.
- Maximum tuition for one course is 90 percent of one-sixth of an LEA's per-pupil funding under the state's minimum foundation program.
- Home district will receive a minimum of 25 percent of per-pupil funding for each student.
Providers
- Virtually any public or private entity that wins state approval may provide courses, including postsecondary institutions, private schools, school districts, virtual education providers, corporations or industry associations, and educational entrepreneurs (such as a teacher or group of teachers with a "proven track record of success").
Classes
- Priority areas include core courses, college-credit courses, and career and technical education.
- No limit on number of courses a student may take, but publicly funded students must enroll in at least one course in their home school.
~~~~~~~~~~
Washington DC/ OPINION: Why Latest Race to the Top Competition Matters
By Michael Horn
Education Week, Vol. 32, Issue 3 [Edweek.org]
This post originally appeared on Forbes.com
September 10, 2012
The Department of Education's latest foray into digital learning is a big deal.
The Race to the Top-District competition's "Absolute Priority 1" is personalized learning. For those who have been working to personalize learning through digital learning in the field, this endorsement and what it means for online and blended learning may seem like old hat, but it's important to note that this is relatively new territory for the Department.
It is the first time such a significant tranche of federal dollars will be used expressly to fund blended learning.
- Past federal initiatives have, in essence, cast technology as tools to be integrated into traditional classrooms-e-textbooks, broadband, and one-to-one laptops, for example.
The emphasis has been on the tools rather than the learning.
Although I have some doubts about the wisdom of the Race to the Top competition, and there are other steps that I think the federal government could take that would support a more systematic transformation of our education system, this Race to the Top competition does have the potential to reset American schools' relationship with technology by encouraging a transformation from a one-size-fits all schooling model to one that can customize affordably for each student's unique learning needs. The Department's recent revisions to the competition's rules were also smart and increase the chances of the competition's success.
Whether the competition ultimately delivers the goods though depends on the follow through.
- Done poorly, it could set the movement back ten years by propping up models that perpetuate and sustain the status quo rather than reimagining it, which would have significant negative ramifications.
- Done well, the competition could be just the national motivation the digital-learning movement has needed to see large-scale adoption of high-quality blended-learning programs.
In the hopes of encouraging that positive change, we at Innosight Institute recently published "A guide to personalizing learning: Suggestions for the Race to the Top-District competition." http://www.innosightinstitute.org/media-room/publications/education-publications/a-guide-to-personalizing-learning/.
The paper, written by research assistant Meg Evans, lays out what we believe a successful application ought to include:
- the smart design of new schooling models,
- the leveraging of human capital in path-breaking ways,
- system-wide shifts in school management,
- effective data systems,
- competency-based learning, and
- community engagement.
The document is grounded in the language of the application, and we hope that it will be helpful as districts craft their own vision for their application.
Ultimately it will be those visions, applications, the judging of the applications, and, most importantly, the execution of the winning visions by the school districts themselves that have the potential to set the country on a path toward transforming the education system into a student-centric one and bolstering the achievement of every child.
