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October 2008
Few treats at schools
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Trying to organize a Halloween celebration in schools can be more of a trick than a treat.
Some parents remember having parties at school when they were young and wish their kids could dress up and enjoy some cupcakes and other treats. But others don’t want any mention of Halloween because of what they say are the holiday’s pagan roots.
I’ve heard from teachers who wish they could do something besides reading stories about the holiday. But they said principals argue their time would be better spent teaching.
When I covered schools in Florida, I spent one Halloween at a school for students with profound cognitive and physical disabilities. Many were wheelchair-bound and had never gone trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods. The school invited students to dress up and they went from classroom to classroom, collecting candy other goodies from teachers.
Obviously, a school’s top priority must be teaching. But these students are still children who need to have some fun. Why can’t there be more treats at schools?
NOTE: A co-worker would like to follow some first-time voters on Election Day. If you or anyone you know would like to participate in this story please contact Jason Getz at jgetz@ajc.com. Thanks for your help!
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What is a “world-class” education?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I watched Barack Obama’s infomercial last night hoping to learn more about his education plans. With everything else going on education hasn’t gotten much attention this election season.
But then Obama promised people a world-class education.
Politicians, superintendents and others like to tell people their schools will be world-class, but few explain what that means.
Does it mean our kids will score at the top of a future TIMSS study? Does it mean that we will have the highest graduation rates in the world? Or does it mean our schools and colleges will graduate students with enough skills and knowledge that companies will not have to look overseas for employees?
What do you expect from a “world-class” education?
ECONOMY UPDATE: We’ve blogged about this several times before, but here’s an update on cuts being considered by DeKalb County school leaders. Also, Cherokee County won’t build one of five new elementary schools because of declining revenue caused by the troubled economy.
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Will NCLB changes improve grad rates?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced a few changes to No Child Left Behind Tuesday in an attempt to improve graduation rates.
All states will be required to use the same formula to track dropouts, transfers and graduation rates. Now states use a hodgepodge of methods that make it difficult for the public to see how their state compares to others.
Also, starting in with the 2012-13 school year states must meet graduation rate targets for subgroups of students — not just the overall population. This is similar to what is already required with test scores. This change will spotlight many schools’ failures to graduate minority students and children with disabilities.
Many state and national groups have long argued for the changes. But some are questioning why it’s taken the federal government so long. A new president will be in office in a matter of months and it is likely that No Child Left Behind will undergo some changes, regardless of who wins.
Also, researchers and civic groups have yelled for years that our graduation rates are too low. It seems as if almost every month a new study comes out about this problem.
Since we know graduation rates are already too low, what — if anything — can these NCLB changes do to improve it?
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How much help can schools give?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A Smyrna woman took her 12-year-old son to Nebraska and left him there because of the state’s safe haven law that allows parents to abandon their children without getting into trouble.
The boy’s mother, Tysheema Brown, said she was desperate after schools, courts and social service agencies failed to help the troubled boy.
This story leaves me wondering how much can schools do to help kids. Schools have resources, but they can’t replace a parent.
Cobb school officials said they tried to get the boy counseling but his mother refused. The district said they placed the boy in a special program to curb bad behavior.
Was there more the school should have done? Where’s the line that divides parents’ responsibilities and schools’ responsibilities?
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Vaccination problems for students
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For many families, making sure their children have all their vaccinations is as much a back to school ritual as shopping for a first day of school outfit.
But thousands of students in the metro area show up without the proper shots.
State law says students must have proof of required vaccinations before they can enroll, but Alison Young wrote many are sitting in classrooms without all their immunizations. She found some principals ignore these violations and some health department leaders do little to make sure parents and schools are following the law.
According to the article, there are several reasons why these violations happen, such as incomplete paperwork, families lacking health insurance or difficulty for families to get to doctors.
Should students be barred from school until they have all their shots? Whose job is it to enforce immunization requirements?
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Teaching “controversial” topics
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I spent Thursday at Emory University attending a workshop on teaching evolution. Every high school biology teacher is required to teach evolution, but the topic has faced challenges.
Back in 2004, State schools Superintendent Kathy Cox proposed striking references to evolution and other related concepts from the state curriculum. She changed her mind after a public backlash.
Cobb County schools faced its own battles over placing stickers in textbooks questioning evolution.
At the Emory conference teachers shared stories about students crying in class when the evolution unit started. Others said some students received training on what questions they could ask to challenge and disrupt the lessons. A few admitted they dread the unit because of the number of complaints they get from parents and others in the community.
I don’t want us to get into a debate over evolution vs. creationism vs. intelligent design. Instead, I’m curious as to what teachers and schools do with lessons considered controversial.
For example, do you send notes home to give parents a heads-up? Do you address the controversy with students in class or do you go about your lessons like it’s any other activity?
Is there a way to remove the controversy - whether real or perceived - from our classrooms?
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Is there a place for average students?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I got an interesting email from a mom seeking some help. She mentions a program many of you have asked before: What do our schools do to help average students?
Here is her note (I edited for space):
“My daughter is a great student, caring, well-rounded and smart. However she is just an average student getting A’s and B’s but has to work to those grades … Most of her friends are gifted/high achievers and she feels left out since she is unable to take classes with them. I have tried to reassure her that she is an unique young lady, but she still feels out of place because her friends are in the gifted program … I feel that if you are an average student schools have no place for you. I wonder if other parents feel that way, too? Should I be doing more to help her get into the gifted program?”
What advice would you give?
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When students text
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Marietta school leaders approved a plan that will let high school students send text messages to campus police officers if the teens see something wrong or hear rumors of something happening.
A lot of school district policies say students will get in trouble if they’re caught texting during the school day. Part of Marietta’s plan says kids won’t get disciplined if they text a cop.
How often do students really get in trouble for sending text messages? When I visit schools you can see kids sending messages as they’re walking the halls or before class starts or sometimes when the teacher is talking.
Teachers have so many other discipline issues to worry about, does it make sense for them to stop what they’re doing just to take someone’s cell phone?
No one wants students to use texting as a way to cheat on tests. Beyond that, how much time should schools spend policing cell phone use?
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Battle brews over teachers’ pensions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Retired and current teachers are outraged over a plan by Gov. Sonny Perdue to eliminate the guaranteed cost-of-living increases paid to retirees.
Currently, retired teachers automatically receive a 3 percent cost of living increase every year. But Perdue wants the Teacher Retirement Board to vote on these increases annually - meaning there’s a chance the extra money will be denied when the economy is weak.
Many retired teachers say the increases are needed because they were underpaid when they worked in classrooms.
It’s interesting that while retired teachers were given a 3 percent raise, current teachers typically receive only a 2 percent raise from Perdue and the Legislature. (Some local districts kick in extra money.)
Should retired teachers be guaranteed standard-of-living increases? We all know the great service teachers provide, but how many other professions are promised this?
UPDATE: Some Clayton teachers protested Perdue’s proposal today.
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How to pay for college
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been getting a lot of emails from high school seniors wanting help finding college scholarships.
Between the souring economy and the problems on Wall Street, many families are worried about paying for college. Some are looking at different options.
I’ve heard of some families pushing their kids to apply to public colleges instead of private. Others hope their kids to stay in Georgia and take advantage of the HOPE scholarship. Some parents said their children may attend community college and then transfer somewhere else.
There are reports that federal loan applications are up and parents are calling college financial aid offices looking for more help.
How worried are you about paying for college? What should students and their families do?
For more money management tips check out Your Money.
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Too much focus on SAT perfection?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue recently handed out the Governor’s Cup awards to five high schools with the most improved SAT scores. Each winner received a $2,000 grant and a trophy.
Perdue started the competition to get students and schools focused on improving their SAT scores. As we know, Georgia has a history of scoring the lowest or close to bottom.
When a Gwinnett County school won the award a couple of years ago I got emails from parents wondering when the state would give out awards for the most improved graduation rate or most improved daily attendance.
Many people agree the state’s scores are an embarrassment. But is the solution to focus more on the test or the skills students need to learn in all grades to do well on various exams?
Others have also been focusing on the SAT. Baylor University in Texas was criticized for paying its freshmen to retake the SAT. Students who boosted their scores by 50 points got scholarship money.
Critics accused the college of trying to raise the school’s ranking by driving up test scores. College officials have said they will stop the program.
The SAT was never devised as a way to compare schools or states, but that is the way many use them. When did test rankings become more important learning?
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Making parents participate
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Many educators and politicians like to say a child’s schooling begins at home. That may be true, but what happens when parents don’t do their job?
When you look at education laws and policies very little focuses on parents’ responsibilities. Sure parents can get arrested if their child skips too much school, but few Georgia districts follow up on that.
Politicians who support school choice - such as vouchers and charter schools - say giving parents the power to decide where their children go to school will naturally get parents more involved. Do you think that’s true?
One of my favorite parent sources has told me about the fights she’s had with her kids to make them study and do their homework. She’s grounded them, hidden their car keys and confiscated their games and cell phones.
I know many parents do this, but many do not.
Would it be possible to legislate strong parent involvement in their kids’ education? Without a law requiring it, how do we make parents do their part?
NOTE: Education advisors for John McCain and Barack Obama will participate in a debate Tuesday at Teachers College at Columbia University. The debate will be Webcast, but you must register first.
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Can you speak educationese?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A spokesperson for a researcher called me the other day to discuss a new study about children who are “behaviorally challenged.”
That’s right, kids who get in trouble and are expelled don’t misbehave, they’re just behaviorally challenged.
Spend time in schools and you hear educators use strange phrases. Kids don’t take tests; they’re assessed. School cops are called school resource officers.
And let’s not forget about the acronyms. Your kids take the CRCT, ITBS, GHSGT and EOCT. NAEP stands for the National Assessment of Educational Progress, not the back of someone’s neck.
What jargon annoys you?
Why do you think educators speak this way? Are they just regurgitating what others say? Are they talking down to parents?
To be fair, I know I and other reporters sometimes use jargon in our stories. What jargon should we stop using and what do you want us to define?
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Pre-K: Academics or social skills
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A few of my neighbors have young children and the other day we talked about the purpose of pre-K.
One neighbor wanted her son to learn some basic literacy skills and simple math.
The other wanted some academics, but said more focus should be on her daughter’s social and physical skills.
I said the ideal program would provide both. (Check out Georgia’s pre-K standards here.)
What do you think should be taught in pre-K?
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Do we need more nerds?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This should be of little surprise: U.S. schools fail to develop students’ math skills, especially in children who have the potential to master it.
A new study published in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society also found when students, especially girls, succeed in math they are often the children of immigrants who come from countries where math skills are prized.
Some would argue part of the problem here is students who excel in math (and science) are teased and called nerds or worse.
Many math experts have said teachers must find a way to get kids to see how exciting and important math is. Without strong math skills, this country will never produce another generation of mathematicians, engineers or scientists, experts say.
Why is nerd considered an evil four-letter word? How do you increase the value we place on math?
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DeKalb announces layoffs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kristina Torres writes more than 200 DeKalb school employees may lose their jobs under a plan by Superintendent Crawford Lewis to cut spending in the cash-strapped district.
Classroom teachers, janitors and media specialists would be spared under Lewis’ plan. Mid-level administrators, groundskeepers, drivers’ education instructors and others could find themselves out of work.
Layoffs could come as early as December.
As we’ve discuss before, DeKalb is struggling because of its declining enrollment, cuts in state fun and the overall weak economy.
What do you think of Lewis’ plan? What other cuts can the district make?
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Should teachers serve on school boards?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The State Board of Education Thursday accepted a plan that would allow the state to take over troubled districts. The plan, which can’t go into effect without approval from the Legislature, could help prevent another Clayton County.
The proposal from the Commission for School Board Excellence includes several radical ideas: no longer paying local board members, reducing large school boards to five or seven members and allowing the state to take over poorly performing districts and to remove board members.
Another suggestion would prohibit educators from serving on school boards. I can see why someone may not want a teacher to run for school board in the district he or she works. But why can’t a teacher who works for Fulton schools run for Cobb school board?
Look at the type of decisions schools boards make. They select textbooks and curriculum. They decide how to spend the district’s money. They hire principals and vote on where to build new schools.
Don’t school boards need a teacher’s perspective on these issues? What is the real harm in having educators serve on school boards?
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A focus on charter schools
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I sat though the State Board of Education meeting Wednesday and there was a lot of talk about charter schools.
They talked whether there should be a limit on the number of charter systems they approve annually. They discussed the formation of the new Georgia Charter Schools Commission, created by the state Legislature during the last session, which can approve charter schools.
Charter schools give parents another option. Here you have a free school that is open to everyone and promises to offer unique and innovative programs.
But there are few of these schools. Georgia has 114 charter schools but more than 2,100 public schools total.
What do you think of all this focus on charter schools? Should so much money and attention be given to schools few Georgians attend?
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Elections 101
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here we are about four weeks until the election. The debates have become must see TV and everywhere you turn people are talking about the candidates and the issues.
In the high schools I’ve visited recently, I’ve come across many seniors excited to vote for the first time. I hear them and their friends worried about paying for college and finding jobs when they get out.
I wonder, how many of these discussions are taking place in classrooms. Many schools participate in the National Student Mock Election and others do similar programs on their own.
But I’ve also heard from some teachers who are nervous talking about politics. They don’t want students to know their personal views and they worry about students attacking one another’s beliefs.
How much should teachers talk with students about the elections? Should there be policies about what can or can’t be said?
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Making science cool
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Numerous studies and researchers have made it clear that teachers need to encourage more kids to pursue science-related careers. Some say the challenge is making science relevant and exciting for students.
Corporations and foundations have stepped in to provide teachers with tours of research labs and interviews with scientists to help inspire exciting lessons.
Today about 60 teachers from the Atlanta area will participate in the Northrop Grumman Weightless Flights of Discovery program. Teachers will get first-hand experience in the application of math, science and engineering principles in a zero gravity atmosphere. (Check out video of other teachers in the program.)
Do programs like this help? What else can be done to get kids interested in science?
Cross-blog alert: Smart Spending is seeking suggestions on ways parents can save money on after-school activities. Got any ideas?
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Does diversity matter?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A story over the weekend looked at the steps private schools are taking to become more diverse by actively recruiting minority students.
“Diversity” has long been a buzzword among educators. They want campuses with different types of students with the hope that children will interact with one another. They hope students will be comfortable with one another and won’t rely on stereotypes.
But students self-segregate when left to their own devices. White students sit in one part of the cafeteria; black students in another; Asians have their own corner, etc. (Of course, this just mirrors what most of us see as adults in our daily lives.)
Do you think diversity matters? What lessons can students in a diverse school learn that those who attend a homogeneous campus can’t?
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Middle schools: revise or redesign
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I spent yesterday at the Education in Georgia conference hosted by UGA’s College of Education. The daylong event brought together educators and policymakers to talk about problems and trends.
One of the more interesting sessions focused on middle schools. The speakers talked about the need for more teacher training, for principals who are trained to work with this age group, for increased student counseling and for more interdisciplinary work with the different subjects.
The discussions focused on the assumption that the overall middle school design works. But is that true?
Test scores drop when students enter middle school - just look at the 8th grade math CRCT that nearly 40 percent of the students failed. Discipline problems rise. Teachers often say that students who struggle in middle school are more likely to drop out.
Can tweaking middle schools save them or do we need to redo the entire approach? What would the perfect middle school look like?
NOTE: I know many of you had difficulty posting yesterday. There were technical problems but I’m hoping things run smoothly today. Please contact me if problems continue.
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When students are accused
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Before jumping into today’s topic I owe you an apology for not providing a post yesterday. I was off observing Rosh Hashanah Tuesday and Wednesday and a glitch on my part left Get Schooled with nothing new.
Back to business … A community coalition is providing parents with training on how to protect their children when they get in trouble at school.
This group says too many parents don’t know how the discipline process works. Parents don’t know that school administrators can interview their children without their permission.
Parents also are ignorant to the fact they can hire lawyers, question administrators, line up character witnesses and review the facts against their child, the coalition says.
Are you aware of your system’s discipline policies? Do you think some administrators take advantage of parents’ ignorance?
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