2012: What's In, What's Out

This from ASCD:

As we turn the last calendar page of the year, ASCD's Capitol Connection bids adieu to the compelling people, policies, and activities of 2011, and predicts their likely successors that will demand our attention in 2012.

IN	OUT
NCLB Waivers	ESEA Reauthorization
Bake Sales	ARRA Stimulus Funds
Race to the Top Losers	Race to the Top Winners
Finland	China
48%	82%
Local Control	Federal Requirements
Harkin-Enzi	Kline-Miller
STEAM	STEM
Common Core State Implementation	Common Core State Adoption
Potatoes	Leafy Greens
Student Growth	AYP
Early Learning	High School Reform
Brinksmanship	Partisanship
Multiple Measures Teacher Eval	Value Add Teacher Eval

Pop Quiz: Education Policy in 2011

Test yourself

This from The Answer Sheet:

The year 2011 was monumental in education — monumentally good or monumentally bad, depending on your view.

School reformers who believe in using business principles to run public schools had a banner year. More states expanded the number of charter schools, promoted vouchers and moved toward using student test scores to evaluate teachers.

It was a tough year for those who believe that school reform cannot happen without taking into account the social context in which students live. Yet, toward the end of 2011 there were real signs that educators, parents and even students were pushing back.

Test yourself on 2011 issues 

that will continue to play out in 2012.

1) “Corporate education reform” refers to a set of proposals currently driving education policy at the state and federal level. What is not one of those proposals:

     a) increased test-based evaluation of students, teachers, and schools of education

     b) eliminating or weakening teacher tenure

     c) paying teachers for experience and advanced degrees

     d) replacing governance by local school boards with various forms of mayoral and state takeover or private management


2) Teach for America recruits top college graduates, trains them and then places them in high-poverty schools. How much training do the recruits get before they start teaching on their own?

     a) one year as a student teacher while earning a masters

     b) six months as a student teacher

     c) three months in a summer institute

     d) five weeks in a summer institute


3) Because Congress failed to rewrite No Child Left Behind, what did the Obama administration say it would do to help schools dealing with the law’s onerous requirements?

     a) issue waivers that would release all public schools from the onerous requirements

     b) issue waivers to states that promised to institute approved school reforms

     c) put pressure on congressional Republicans to reach an NCLB deal in 2012

     d) nothing


4) Why did the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District field-test on students 52 different standardized tests?

     a) to detect patterns of cheating

     b) to find the single best test for the district’s new accountability program

     c) to pick standardized tests in every subject so teachers can be evaluated by the scores

     d) it didn’t field-test that many exams because that would be preposterous


5) What percentage of American children live in poverty, according to new Census Bureau data?

     a) 22 percent

     b) 18 percent

     c) 13 percent

     d) 9 percent


6) Who said this: “We’ve lost our competitive spirit. We’ve become so obsessed with making kids feel good about themselves that we’ve lost sight of building the skills they need to actually be good at things.”

     a) Bill Gates

     b) Steve Jobs

     c) Michelle Rhee, former D.C. schools chancellor

     d) Amy Chua, author of “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”


7) What did President Obama do on Friday, March 4?

     a) went to Wisconsin to support teachers protesting efforts to restrict collective-bargaining rights

     b) went to Ohio to support teachers protesting efforts to restrict bargaining rights

     c) started a three-day weekend

     d) appeared in Miami with Jeb Bush, a leader of corporate education reform


8) President Obama disagrees with Republicans on:

     a) the importance of increasing charter schools

     b) whether students should get taxpayer-funded vouchers to pay for private school

     c) evaluating educators by student test scores

     d) encouraging private sector help for public schools


9) Who said, “I’m beginning to think we are living in a moment of national insanity?”

     a) Rep. Ron Paul

     b) New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

     c) education historian Diane Ravitch

     d) Bill Gates


10) What is the Opt-Out Movement?

     a) opting out of high-stakes standardized tests

     b) opting out of sex education classes

     c) opting out of physical education classes

     d) opting out of school-required vaccines


BONUS QUESTIONS:

11) True or false: In July actor and social activist Matt Damon addressed a rally in Washington D.C. to oppose the Obama administration education policies. Education Secretary Arne Duncan wanted to meet with Damon before the rally so much that he offered to pick him up at the airport and speak with him en route to the protest.


12) The Obama administration’s key education initiative, Race to the Top, had a competition for states to compete for federal dollars for early learning initiatives. What was not included as a top priority listed in the Education Department’s criteria for applicants?

     a) making sure kids have ample opportunity to learn through play

     b) encouraging private sector support

     c) using kindergarten entry assessments to promote school readiness

ANSWERS: 1) c; 2) d; 3) b; 4) c; 5) a; 6) c; 7) d; 8) b; 9) c; 10) a; BONUS: 11) True; 12) a.

The National Policy Playing Field

Over at This Week in Education, Andrew Russo presented a peek at the policy playing field surrounding he reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, with his NCLB: Blueprint Commentary Cheat Sheet based on comments at the National Journal.

Could Duncan's catchphrase "tight on goals, loose on means" translate into a loss of accountability under the new Elementary and Secondary Education Act? What does the blueprint get right? What does it get wrong?

Russo suggested that the "smartypants at [the] National Journal" scored low on brilliance and innovation in his "entirely unofficial but extremely handy dandy summary, which may or may not be entirely accurate but will save you a lot of time."

Sandy Kress Former Senior Advisor on Education to President George W. Bush, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP – Very disappointed. Only focusing on the worst 5 % is a mistake. This is too ‘loose’ an approach of accountability. More federal pressure to ensure disadvantaged students are being served well is needed.

Diane Ravitch Research Professor Of Education, New York University - Still too focused on ‘measure and punish,’ the prescription for lowest 5 % is worse than current NCLB tactics.

Ellen Moir Executive Director, New Teacher Center - Applauds the focus on teachers as professionals laid out in blueprint. Collecting teacher survey data on professional support and working conditions is a great idea.

Rep. John Kline R-Minn., Senior Republican, Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives - Lack of specifics on the blueprint is a good thing. The gov is on a slippery slope when it comes to nationalization of standards and assessment.

Richard Rothstein Research Associate, Economic Policy Institute - Blueprint has some good thoughts but a host of problems. The economic recession and fiscally starved public schools are not compatible with the competitive funding propositions. Middle class students may be entirely left out of accountability. Best hope for blueprint at moment is that it may lead to the Secretary handing out waivers to states for non-compliance with current NCLB.

Frederick M. Hess Director of Education Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute - A lighter federal role on school intervention is a good thing, but Hess isn’t convinced it won’t turn out to be more prescriptive than the rhetoric would lead you to believe. Replacing AYP and removing burdensome--but no necessarily helpful--sanctions is a good thing.

Steve Peha President, Teaching That Makes Sense - Blueprint doesn’t present a vision for a new form of education, which is needed for ed reform. Without a new vision on form, it’s not possible to evaluate the blueprint.

Monty Neill Deputy Director, FairTest - Blueprint relies too heavily on standardized testing. Congress should largely reject it and construct a new one.

Tom Vander Ark Partner, Revolution Learning; served for seven years as Executive Director of Education for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Blueprint gives up on promise to ensure every American family that they have access to at least one good school. Dropping tutoring and school choice for parents is disappointing. There are other good aspects to Blueprint.

Sherman Dorn University of South Florida, Professor of education history - The blueprint takes steps in the right direction. CCR is an improvement over AYP, schools can’t be measured in the same way: They face different problems. Not enough research to support turnaround prescriptions; let’s invest in research on that.

Deborah McGriff Partner, NewSchools Venture Fund, a Gates funded, pro charter school effort - blueprint keeps hope alive. Those criticizing competitive funding as an attack on equality in education miss the point: Formula funding hasn’t produced equality. Disappointed that school choice wasn’t replaced with something else.

Michael L. Lomax President and CEO, the United Negro College Fund - Blueprint is a good step forward. It’s important to remember that it’s a beginning, not a conclusion. Student-lending reform and ESEA show admin’s commitment to a comprehensive policy on education.