Presented by Daniel H. Shockley & Bart Fennemore MED7705 – Measurement & Accountability

1. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION Measuring our failures for future success Presented by Daniel H. Shockley & Bart Fennemore MED7705 – Measurement & Accountability November 10, 2009

2. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • FUNDING: • An issue of the past, present, & future. • Loss of funding = loss of programs, teachers, and/or both. • Distributed on a per-pupil basis to ensure that there enough for each child’s education. • Distributed on a categorical basis to ensure there is enough for special programs. • i.e. Special Education • Every state has a different formula for calculating school finance. • Often inequitable. • According to the most recent data available from the National Center for Education Statistics, nationwide, the average state spending per pupil was $7,734 in 2002 • Highest Amount per Student: $11,269 (District of Columbia) • Lowest Amount per Student: $5,132 (Utah) BIG IDEA: It costs significantly more money to operate a school successful, than the amount provided.

3. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • LARGER CLASS SIZES: • Management issues. • Difficulty meeting the needs of all students. • Insufficient resources. • Costly to correct. BIG IDEA: A “no win” situation for anyone involved. Smaller is better.

4. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • STANDARDS: • Although many see standards as a step in the right direction, challenges remain. • Not all students perform on level, thus the standards are either too high or too low. • According to EDWeek, roughly 75% of teachers believe their state’s standards are “about right” for their students. Only 42% of parents agreed. • Standards are often unclear. • Only 5 states as of 2001 had clear and quality standards for both the elementary, middle, and high school. • Standards can be unrealistic & unobtainable. • Many tests are not designed to truly assess any one state’s standards. • Can cause difficulty aligning curriculum. BIG IDEA: Standards are a good idea, but need work in order to be effective.

5. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • PARENTAL & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: • Often missing in many schools. • Positive school-community relationship = Positive School Morale (students, faculty/staff, parents, community members) • Schools with poor parental & community involvement often see the following: • Lower test scores • A decrease in promotion rates • Poor attendance • An increase in student failures • Negative behavior • An increase in drop-out rates • The reverse is seen when parental & community involvement is found. • Essential to school reform. BIG IDEA: "When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more." (Swanson, 2004)

6. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • TEACHER QUALITY: • Very difficult to measure, however, a significant issue in education. • Current methods of measurement include: • Certification • Education • Experience BIG IDEA: The number and level of quality teachers found in a school, can determine the success of the institution and its students.

7. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • DROPOUT: • 11% of 16-24 year olds in 2001 were dropouts. • Often the result of the following: • A dislike of school • Low academic performance • Retention • Lack of support from school/parents • Has significant long-term effects. • An increased focus on accountability and standards has lead to an increase in dropout rates. BIG IDEA: Students are getting lost in our efforts to “meet the standard”

8. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS (AYP) • 100% Proficiency by 2014 may be unrealistic. • Certain failure for some schools. • Expensive. • Places focus on the test, and not the student. BIG IDEA: The thorn in a school’s side.

9. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • HIGH STAKES TESTING • Students/parents do not value assessment. • Protest DSTP. • Complaints rather than compliance. • Unable to follow assessments. • International assessments rank the US as “low” • Currently, does not measure student progress over time. BIG IDEA: Not a true assessment of student progress, but a mere glimpse.

10. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • FAILURE TO NURTURE PROPERLY • Student strengths not always recognized or encouraged. • Lack of focus on developmental ability, and too much focus on the standard. BIG IDEA: We must cater to the student’s strengths, not weaknesses.

11. WEAKNESSES IN EDUCATION • ATTENDANCE • Substitutes often lack formal teacher-preparation. • Missed work can be made up, but instruction cannot. • Lack of parental involvement. BIG IDEA: A missed day = a loss of instruction.

12. REFERENCES • Dalton, B. (2009). Late high school dropouts: Characteristics, experiences, and changes across cohorts. National Center for Educational Statistics. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/PUBSEARCH/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009307 • Hanushek, E. (1998). The evidence on class size. Retrieved from http://www.wallis.rochester.edu/WallisPapers/wallis_10.pdf • Medina, J. (2009). Class sizes in new york city schools rise, but the impact is debated. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/education/22class.html?_r=1 • Nathan, J. (1996). Supporting ways parents and families can be involved in schools. North Central Regional Education Laboratory. Retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/famncomm/pa100.htm • Odden, A. (1995). Redesigning school finance: Moving the money to the school. North Central Regional Education Laboratory. Retrieved from http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/go/go300.htm • United States Department of Education (1996). High school dropout rates. ED.gov. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ConsumerGuides/dropout.html. • Schwartz, W. (1996). School dropouts: New information about an old problem. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-2/dropouts.html. • Swanson, C. (2004). Issues in american education. EDWeek.org, Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/rc/issues.