Early Childhood Education Highlighted

Some of the most fascinating research is being done in the development of the minds of little children.  What can be more fun to watch than a young child’s first steps or to hear that first word.  baby-84626_1280Suppose progress just does not happen as we think it should.    By the time they get to kindergarten, these children are already behind.  Catching up is really difficult.

Across the nation, the realization that pre school has to be more than day care has reached legislators.  Do we understand what quality pre school is? What should be taught, and how do these children learn?  Who is teaching?

What is happening in states? We learned that a 16 year old can be an instructor in some pre school programs in Florida.  We need better standards.  If we want to judge progress, what makes good reading?   Here are some sources for programs in different states.Continue reading

Florida Legislators Hear Testing Uproar

The Florida Legislature is listening.

 

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The Tampa Bay Times reported today that some testing reform is likely in the next legislative session. The article School testing poised to get scaled back by Florida lawmakers’ cites several tentative proposals for reforming assessment practices in Florida.  Senator John Legg acknowledges that testing has grown for many well intentioned reasons, but ” …one question got waylaid: How is it affecting the students?”

Proposals are surfacing, Continue reading

Understanding New Mexico

nm2by Meredith Machen

New Mexico is a beautiful state.  It is also known in politics as a swing state.  It has a Republican Governor, and the Democrats just lost a majority in the legislature.  The people have an interesting history.  While the majority are primarily Hispanic, most claim a Spanish or native American heritage and have lived there for centuries.

Thirty-six percent of the school age children speak a language other than English at home compared to 20.1% nationwide. The per capita income in most NM communities is below the state average of $22,966 and the national average of $27,334.  A University of New Mexico Center for Education Policy Research report provides detailed statistics, by county, of social and economic concerns that the New Mexico schools face.Continue reading

Alternative assessments for Students with Disabilities Abolished

In June, 2014 the U.S.DOE increased reporting requirements for students with disabilities programs.  Both program procedures such as meeting evaluation timelines and student outcome data are now required for federal funding. The U.S.DOE estimates that only 18 states and territories will meet the new standards; 41 states and territories met previous standards. California, Texas and Delaware are in the lowest compliance level.

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A change in assessment policy can have a big impact. Title I Part A regulations have been amended.  Alternative ESEA standards and assessments that are based on disabilities with be phased out. Data such as graduation and suspension rates as well as state assessment scores will be used for Individuals with Disability Act (IDEA) grants.

The acting Assistant Secretary of Special Education stated that less than 10% of 8th graders with IEPs were proficient in reading.  In his announcement of the new requirements, Secretary Arne Duncan said “We must be honest about student performance, so that we can give all students the support and services they need to succeed”.  Federal programs provide $11.5 billion in grants to states that in 2010 served 6,614,000 children.

2013-14 Florida Charter School Enrollments vs. Projections

Of the 46 new charters started in 2013-14 in Florida,  five met or exceeded their enrollment projections.  Click on the link above to find out how the charters in your area fared.

Charters, however are growing.     classroom2

According to the National Alliance for Charter Schools, there are 6400 charter schools enrolling 2.5 million students.  Two hundred charter schools closed nationwide. The National Center for Education Statistics is a good data source for finding facts about many choice programs also including magnet and Title I programs by type of school and level of school.

 

New Mexico: State auditor blasts Public Education Department over charter school oversight

from Meredith Machen, New Mexico

Charter school oversight problems are rampant.  In today’s New Mexican the State Auditor revealed a serious lack of oversight of charter schools  by the State Public Education Department (PED).

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At issue was charter school financial mismanagement and conflict of interest.  The Auditor charged that the PED was unresponsive even though the school was raided by the FBI in August.  This case highlights the struggle between local school districts vs. state control of the charter authorization and oversight process.  This is only one of 18 cases nationwide of charter educational management firms nationwide that the U.S. Department of Education, the FBI, SEC, and IRS are investigatingContinue reading

What is the Unkindest Cut of All?

Charters and traditional public schools are claiming that their funding allocations are inadequate and unfair.budget

 

Given the massive cuts in education funding, their claims are not trivial.  Their arguments, however, are different. Judges are ruling differently as well.  Based on information reported by Education Justice, a  program of the New Jersey based Education Law Center, and Access, a research institute at Columbia University, charters want facilities and traditional public schools seek fairness.Continue reading

How Many Tests are Too Many?

The Florida School Boards took a stand today against over testing.

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Sorting out which tests students are required to take is no small task. The Florida Statewide Testing Program Schedule is extensive–take a look.

Take a test yourself.  This is a training test to see what the FSA is like.

Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said the testing was “under review“. It is about time!  The Florida Standard Assessments (FSA), our version of Common Core testing in English Language Skills and Mathematics begin this year.  We also have district level tests, end of course exams, national and international tests, and college placement and admissions tests.   All of this testing has generated a backlash. Continue reading

Slide Show on Privatization of Schools

 A PRESENTATION BY LWV MIAMI-DADE 

Miami-Dade did a series of presentations on Florida’s school choice study. Their approach was to consider the unmet needs of children from low income areas.  The ability of charter and private, mostly religious schools to meet those needs are considered.md (2)They discussed problems with the conflicting priorities for-profit charter management companies must face when serving ‘low-cost’ children rather than children whose needs are expensive to meet:  e.g. ESE, ELL and students who struggle academically. The accountability system rewards schools whose students score well on state assessment tests.  This makes charter admissions and dismissal policies subject to scrutiny.

The interrelationship between political and financial support has made conflict of interest concerns a public issue.  The need to justify the inability of the private sector to overcome the achievement gap between students from low-income and higher income families has made the public more aware of the need for more efficient and equitable use of tax payer money.

This league’s approach to a discussion of school choice issues may be helpful for others who are planning similar presentations.

Privatization Bills in Florida

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by Lucia Baez

The Miami-Dade League of Women Voters charter school study provides an in-depth examination of the population of students in below median income neighborhoods.

Are charters representing their own communities?

Do charters show significant academic improvement?

Are charters equitably admitting their students and increasing participation of needy students?

THE ANSWER TO EACH OF THESE QUESTIONS IS:   NO!

Continue reading