Neighborhood Schools Plan May Cost State

Williams calls latest bill a cheap trick

...and he should know

This from Toni at C-J:

A Jefferson County lawmaker wants the state to pay the costs — possibly hundreds of millions of dollars — that would result from a proposed bill letting children attend the public school closest to their homes.

State Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, a Democrat, pre-filed a bill for the 2011 session on Wednesday that responds to a bill pre-filed last month by Senate President David Williams and Sen. Dan Seum of Louisville, both Republicans, that would allow children to attend their neighborhood schools.

Shaughnessy said the Williams-Seum bill is an effort to take control of the schools away from local districts — and if the state is going to do that, “the state needs to pick up that financial responsibility.”

Williams responded Wednesday that Shaughnessy's proposal is “a cheap political trick” and that the bill he's co-sponsoring would not cost districts any additional money.

The Williams-Seum proposal, titled the Neighborhood Schools Bill, would let parents enroll their children for attendance in the public school closest to their home except in cases where the school has academic or skill prerequisites, such as magnet and traditional schools.

It also says that, in cases where a neighborhood school is full, the children who live closest have priority for enrollment. In addition, under a grandfather clause, any child attending the school would not be moved out to let another child attend.

Jefferson County school officials say the Williams-Seum bill would require almost $200 million in new spending, including transportation changes and new schools.

The bill for other districts is unknown, but Lisa Gross, spokeswoman for the Kentucky Department of Education, has said the Williams-Seum legislation could affect all 174 school districts in the state...

KERA reform gains momentum

This from H-L:

FRANKFORT — A major revision of the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act that could overhaul both curriculum standards and student testing is gaining bipartisan momentum, key lawmakers say.

"I think there is consensus that we should take a fresh look," said Rep. Harry Moberly, D-Richmond, a staunch supporter of the KERA reforms. "But I'm hoping we can make sure we don't abandon any of our reform principles."

Senate Republicans have offered several pieces of legislation addressing both the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System — the state's main assessment of school performance — and curriculum.

On Tuesday the Senate unanimously approved a measure that directs the Kentucky Department of Education to make mathematics standards more rigorous. And Thursday, legislation that would drastically revamp the CATS test had its first vetting of 2009 in a committee.

Instead of being met with fervent opposition from certain Democrats who have balked at working over the CATS test in the past, a willingness to compromise emerged.

"I think there's consensus that CATS needs to be sunset. It has run its course," Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, D-Louisville, told the Senate Education Committee.

It was the first time Shaughnessy has said so....

Draud's CATS Task Force Produces Attractive Math Bill

Math Reform gaining quick support,

Farris wants time to implement

Video from Mark Hebert at WHAS.

This from H-L:

FRANKFORT — The state Senate Education Committee approved a joint resolution Thursday that would revamp the way math is taught in Kentucky schools.

Education experts and sponsors said the measure would make Kentucky math standards "higher, clearer and fewer." The proposed curriculum standards would boost achievement, better prepare students for mathematics in college, and mean fewer youngsters would need remedial help, they said...

...Kelly, who outlined the proposed resolution, said it grew out of a state task force that studied Kentucky's Commonwealth Accountability Testing System, or CATS.

Alice Gabbard, diagnostic intervention director for the Kentucky Center for Mathematics, said Kentucky's standards now require teachers to cover many "big ideas" in math as rapidly as possible. As a result, many students don't get the depth of understanding they need, she contended.

Gabbard noted that the tiny nation of Singapore has a curriculum that covers only about 52 percent of the material on the International Math and Science test. Yet Singapore has some of the world's highest math scores.

"That is maybe a good lesson that we don't have to teach children a whole lot of content every year in order for them to become proficient and have high achievement," Gabbard said. "If we have (Kentucky) teachers who are just covering these topics quickly in order to cover other topics, then we have students who are not well prepared."

Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, D-Louisville, said he liked the proposal, but questioned whether new standards could be ready by August.

Interim Education Commissioner Elaine Farris said preparing teachers to use new math standards would take time.

"We agree with the concept and we already have begun some work on narrowing the standards. But it's not as easy as some people might think," she said.

Hat tip to Kentucky Votes.

From SJR 19:

Be it resolved by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

Section 1. The Kentucky Department of Education is directed to revise core content standards in mathematics for grades prekindergarten through grade 12 and concurrently develop objectives for each standard with teaching tools to accomplish each objective for use by the classroom teacher. The revised content standards and related materials shall be concise and shall be based on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics "Curriculum Focal Points for Prekindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics" and "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics." These revisions shall be completed no later than August 1, 2009, and shall consider the 2008 findings of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel.

Section 2. The Kentucky Department of Education is directed to revise Kentucky's assessment program in mathematics to ensure that the revised concise content standards are measured and mathematics assessments produce scores that are valid and reliable for individual students. Assessments in mathematics for school year 2009-2010 shall measure the revised content standards.

Dyche calls for SB 1 debate in the House

Louisville columnist John David Dyche would have us believe that the motives of Senate Bill 1's sponsors are as pure as the driven snow, and everyone should play nicely. ...otherwise he presents a nicely balanced view of the bill. Maybe Dyche is right. Personally, I think at least one of the key players has worked hard to earn his reputation. But, Dyche correctly outlines the way things ought to be.

Dyche wants to sweet talk Democrats into a lovely floor debate in the House. Kentucky is nowhere near ready to resolve this issue and it's hard to see how SB 1 could be amended without turning it 180 degrees. But, OK ... let's talk about it. It should never move out of committee, however. Better is Commissioner Jon Draud's effort to put a task force together to draft a new plan over time.

If Kentucky's leaders were truly "passionate about the agreed goal of all students achieving at high-levels" we wouldn't be having this conversation. Instead, these "well-intentioned men" would have already supported an adequately funded system of schools throughout the state, producing better student achievement and fewer students needing remediation as college freshmen.

This from John David Dyche in today's Courier-Journal:

SB 1 sparks productive debate

... [Senate Bill 1's] sponsor, Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, and two other Senate proponents, Dan Kelly, R-Springfield, and Ken Winters, R-Murray, do not deserve the scorn some ideological adversaries reflexively heaped upon them. Whatever one's opinion of SB 1, these smart and well-intentioned men performed an important public service by challenging old assumptions and forcing high-profile discussion of testing alternatives.

SB 1's supporters sometimes swerved off the legislative high road in ways that distracted from the substantive issues. Still, seeking better student-specific data, more instructional days and savings makes sense.

But the bill's backers failed to make a compelling, broad-based case for the radical change they advocate. There were credible witnesses, like the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's Dave Adkisson, but insufficient evidence of either urgent need or widespread sentiment among administrators, parents or teachers to immediately abolish CATS altogether.

Among SB 1s opponents, Sens. Gerald Neal and Tim Shaughnessy, both Louisville Democrats, shone in committee, as did Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley, D-Richmond, on the Senate floor. They are open to reform, but they reasonably argued the benefits of CATS.

Other SB 1 foes featured Education Secretary Helen Mountjoy, who is dedicated, knowledgeable and deserving of great respect, if not deference. So are Robert Sexton and the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, which Williams was wrong to impugn in his Friday floor speech.

Roger Marcum, the Marion County superintendent and president of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators, and Brent McKim, representing Jefferson County teachers, spoke with the prudence that real-world experience produces.

Rep. Harry Moberly Jr., D-Richmond, who gave a feisty tour de force in defending CATS on the "Kentucky Tonight" show, says SB 1 may rest in his committee "for years." But the House should hold hearings and vote. Like the stream-saver bill Moberly is helping to liberate, testing reform is too important for any one chairman to kill.

Task forces are frequently farcical or futile, but since SB 1 is probably dead this session, Education Commissioner Jon Draud is correct to convene one on assessment. In the meantime, maybe legislators should let some individual districts, like flourishing Fort Thomas Independent, opt out of CATS as a pilot program.

After watching this robust debate, albeit from a distance, this dad wants both sorts of assessment for his children. Neither CATS nor SB 1 covers all bases, but from a parental perspective, each test type has its virtues. A blended or hybrid assessment strategy seems desirable and should be possible. But time constraints may dictate that there must ultimately be an either-or choice.

Public school families know well that budget woes and partisan politics infuse this issue. They wish more mutual respect would, too. For despite all Kentucky's past policy struggles and present pedagogical disputes, we are grateful so many talented people are passionate about the agreed goal of all students achieving at high-levels.

Making SB 1 a joke

This from the Courier-Journal:

One hardly knows whether to cheer or jeer.

On Thursday, Senate leaders Dan Kelly and David Williams put on a frivolous show, ostensibly for the purpose of discussing Senate Bill 1, through which they hope to gut education reform.

The Senate Education Committee meeting didn't even include testimony from the state's top two education officials, Commissioner Jon Draud and Education Secretary Helen Mountjoy.

Mr. Williams dismissed complaints that Mr. Draud wasn't asked to appear. "He was welcome to come," the Senate president shrugged. "He's aware of the agenda … I didn't invite anyone."

It was a silly session that suggested Sens. Kelly and Williams aren't serious about trying to pass SB 1. That would be good news indeed, and well worth cheering.

On the other hand, playing games with the fate of Kentucky's historic effort to improve elementary and secondary education is shameful.

As Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, D-Louisville, said, "… If they're interested in just gutting the (Commonwealth Accountability Testing System) test, gutting accountability and just ramrodding things, then count me out."

The Senate leaders' effort to go cheap on Kentucky's kids is reprehensible. They would use off-the shelf, one-size-fits-all testing to undo the accountability that's based on CATS. They would impose testing that's not centered on the Kentucky curriculum, would not measure higher learning skills, would defy the KERA precept that every student can become proficient and would put Kentucky athwart basic requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Most important, SB 1's approach to testing would ensure that writing gets little emphasis. That would please a few lazy, inept teachers who can't or won't master such instruction.

But what a tragedy it would be for Kentucky students, who absolutely must learn to gather, interpret and communicate information and ideas, if they are to survive in the emerging economy.

A new hearing has been set for next week, and this time Senate leaders should come up with a serious witness list, certainly including Mr. Draud.

No real "school man" could support SB1, and that's how Mr. Draud, also a former GOP legislator, was described by those who defended the rush to appoint him before the Republican administration left Frankfort -- a "school man."

In Kentucky, that old-fashioned term is used to describe somebody who has devoted a career to education and who knows what schooling can do for people.

Politicians may play games with SB1, but a real "school man" would unequivocally oppose this terrible legislation.

Senate panel mulls replacing CATS tests

This from the Courier-Journal:

FRANKFORT — The Senate Education Committee heard testimony today from both supporters and opponents of a bill that would replace Kentucky’s student-testing system with nationally standardized tests.

There was no action taken on Senate Bill 1, which would eliminate the Commonwealth Accountability Testing System, or CATS — the linchpin of the 18-year-old Kentucky Education Reform Act. The bill would also eliminate multiple-choice testing from CATS in the areas of arts and humanities, and would no longer judge schools based on student-writing portfolios.

Supporters who spoke in favor of the bill included David Adkisson, president and chief executive officer of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, who said he is concerned over the lack of alignment of CATS with the expectations for postsecondary-level study...

...Opponents of the bill included Bob Sexton, president of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, a school advocacy group based in Lexington, who said he doesn’t believe the bill will help improve student achievement.

The meeting was contentious at times, particularly when some of those who spoke in opposition of the bill were asked to make their comments brief, while those who supported it were not...

...Sen. Tim Shaughnessy, D- Louisville, said afterward that he was disappointed with the way the meeting was handled.“There is no question that this was an orchestrated meeting,” he said.“I have never seen a committee meeting where members were prohibited from asking questions during or following testimony, except of course, if you happen to be the Senate floor leader.”

Shaughnessy also questioned why Draud and Mountjoy were not asked to testify.“If they had been invited they would have been here, and the reason why they were not invited is because the Republicans don’t want to hear what they have to say,” he said.

Draud said in a telephone interview this afternoon that he would have testified if he had been asked.“I had an entire document prepared and sent it to all the legislators and educators in the state so that they would be familiar with all of the issues,” Draud said.

C-J audio: Tim Shaughnessy airs his frustrations with the committee and David Williams responds.