Learning First Alliance Blog

Reenvisioning Assessments

2007-05-21T20:00:50Z

LFA Summit participants repeatedly voiced concerns that the current testing regime subverts the kind of learning that will prepare students for the new century. A new Education Week commentary by Summit speakers Charles Fadel and Margaret Honey lays out the need for much more sophisticated assessments.

]]> Fadel and Honey insist that now is not the time to dither on the issue of testing. They note that countries like Singapore, whose schools' stratospheric performance fuels so many fears among critics of U.S. schools, are busily reforming their education systems to foster 21st-century skills such as "strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills," tolerance for ambiguity and lifelong learning. Though celebrated in some quarters as a prod to America's economic competitiveness, No Child Left Behind may well be dragging us in the opposite direction.

Fadel and Honey argue that 21st-century assessments should:
• Be largely performance-based.
• Make students’ thinking visible.
• Generate data that can be acted upon.
• Build capacity in both teachers and students.
• Be part of a comprehensive and well-aligned continuum.

The authors seem to take a page from LFA leaders' book when they write, "With the reauthorization of the federal No Child Left Behind Act under way, the time is right to engage the nation’s policymakers in thinking about what 21st-century assessment should be."

Two months ago, Summit participants made clear that the parents, practitioners and policymakers in LFA's networks can help help push this kind of thinking.

Ed in '08?

2007-05-04T20:36:34Z

The education press has been abuzz with news that the Broad and Gates Foundations are pumping a combined $60 Million into a campaign to elevate education to the top of the '08 Presidential campaign agendas. This campaign certainly has our attention, given LFA's own plans to foster a more constructive national conversation on public education. It may offer us some opportunities.

]]> Governor Roy Romer--former LA Unified Superintendent, former Democratic National Committee Chair, former three-term Governor of Colorado (etc.)--is lending his considerable stature and influence to this campaign by serving as its Chair.

What's the content of the campaign? Well, it depends on whom you ask. A number of journalists, including David Herszenhorn of the New York Times, have written that it will advocate for 1.) national standards, 2.) teacher merit pay and 3.) more time for learning. Needless to say, the first two of those topics in particular have stirred up real concern in a number of quarters.

On the other hand, Governor Romer and his colleagues have taken great pains to insist that the campaign is not advocating for specific policies on those points. Their formulation of their three focus areas is infinitely more cautious than Herszenhorn's: 1.) "American standards (agreed upon by the states not forced down their throats by the federal government)"; 2.) "Effective teachers in every classroom (compensating teachers based on performance and willingness to take tougher jobs)"; and 3.) "Time and support for learning."

It will be hard to predict what direction this mammoth campaign will take until it's farther down the road. It may offer LFA and its members some opportunities to join a vital national debate on public schools. In fact, Governor Romer has reached out to LFA and its members, encouraging us to participate in the campaign. I think we should take him up on the offer by providing our insights, joining open debates, and making sure our voices are heard.

Next week, Governor Romer will join the LFA Board for an informal conversation on campaign and its direction. I'll keep you posted....

Are American Public Schools Failing?

2007-05-03T15:04:59Z

Gerald Bracey has an editorial in today's Washington Post questioning common rhetoric about the failure of American public schools to measure up to schools in other countries. (See "A Test Everyone Will Fail."). He points to a recent American Institutes for Research study that raises serious questions about the conventional wisdom that American students lag far behind their peers in other countries.

]]> By estimating what proportion of students in other nations would meet NAEP proficiency standards, the AIR study concludes that only one country--Singapore--brings over half its students to proficiency in 8th-grade mathematics. (Singapore barely clears this bar, with 51 percent of students reaching proficiency). In all, only 5 countries--Singapore, Chinese Taipei, South Korea and Hong Kong--outperform the United States on NAEP standards in math in science.

Bracey contends that overblown rhetoric about school failure emboldens critics "to do to your public schools things you would otherwise never allow." The crisis rhetoric can cause us to lose our heads, he maintains, and fuel public support for unproven, dangerous reform schemes--like wholesale privatization or the surrender of all public schools to private management organizations..

For a review of current research on how well American students fare in comparison with their international peers, see NSBA's Center for Public Education article on International Assessments. The folks at the center try to tone down the rhetoric on both sides of the debate, claiming that "our students aren’t failing, but they’re not number one, either." Visit the Center for accessible data and graphs on this important subject.

Defending Technology

2007-05-02T14:22:45Z

In a new Edweek Commentary, LFA Summit presenter Henry Kelly argues that the nation is squandering the promise of technology in schools by underinvesting in technology development, teacher training, and other tools that could make educational technologies most effective

]]> Kelley, who is president of the Federation of American Scientists, takes issue with a recent Education Department study arguing that reading and mathematics software produce no better results that conventional instruction. The report's findings reflect an underinvestment in technology development rather than limits to technology's promise in schools, he argues. Unfortunately, the federal government has left technology development to the educational entrepreneurs, who cannot do this work alone: "Developing effective and engaging educational software takes enormous amounts of time and money and involves huge risks. Federal research is essential to design effective instructional software to test innovations to see what works and what doesn't."

To learn more about the Federation of American Scientists' work in educational technology and serious games, click here.

A New Day for Learning

2007-05-02T13:58:16Z

I'll admit it--it has been a long time since I last contributed to this blog. A million post-Summit administrative details have diverted my energies. Still, the appearance in Edweek of two separate commentaries written by Summit speakers caught my attention. The first of these--"A New Day for Learning," written in part by George Lucas Education Foundation Executive Director Milton Chen--argues that outmoded classroom forms and schedules are hampering school improvement. You may remember that the Foundation's new COO, Cindy Johansen, presented at the Summit a brief video highlighting schools and programs that follow a more expansive model of learning

]]> The commentary offers examples of schools that are already using community assets to: expand the learning day; create relevant, authentic, hands-on learning experiences for students both within and beyond schools; and foster greater student engagement in tasks relevant to 21st-century demands.

The authors claim that current, well-intentioned reform policies hinder these innovations, pushing us "even faster toward more of the same--more stringent requirements placed on students and teachers without changes to the dynamics of instruction, more resources deployed to those already having advantages, and more traditional in-school time." The price we pay for these policies, they suggest, is student apathy: "Half of our dropouts say they left because school no longer seemed relevant in their lives, not because the work was too difficult.

You can read the report that accompanies this commentary--"A New Day for Learning"--here

LFA's "Guiding Document' available for download!

2007-02-22T15:35:17Z

At the Learning First Alliance Summit on Public Schools in 21st-Century America, you will be asked to help create a shared agenda for future work by the Alliance. Today, we are releasing a “Guiding Document” that will help frame our conversations at the Summit, where we will begin shaping this agenda together. (You can download this Document here.) You can use this blog to offer your input into this draft.

]]> This first draft represents an emerging consensus drawn from the major policy statements and reports of alliance member organizations. At the summit, we will ask you to help us identify priority areas for these organizations’ work together.

The attached document is very much a draft: It has not yet received the benefit of your input. While you may choose to share it confidentially with key staff in your organization, please note that this draft is not final, and it is not for distribution. Still, e invite your comments: Please feel free to offer your comments through the "Comments" section below, or to send them directly to Claus von Zastrow at vonzastrowc@learningfirst.org

As you review the attached draft, please consider the following questions:
• Does the draft capture the major principles that undergird our common work in public education?
• Does it present a compelling vision for public schools in the 21st century with which you can agree?

Thank you again for coming to this summit. We look forward to seeing you on March 9th.

Creating the right conditions for educational technology

2007-02-19T03:06:58Z

While educational technologies have shown promise, it has become a truism that we cannot simply graft them onto current educational structures and expect miracles. Yet, truism or not, that's precisely what happens in too many schools, where technology diverts scarce resources with little or no payoff in student learning. Wiith generous support from Cisco Systems, Inc., an important Summit breakout session willl examine what schools and districts should do to ensure that technology truly supports student learning.

]]> Panelists and session participants will review the promise of educational technology and explore the pedagogical, curricular and structural "upgrades" schools will need to integrate technologies into teaching and learning.

The panel will include leading national experts on technology in schools, including; Margaret honey who directs the Center for Children and Technology at the Educational Development Center; Cheryl Lemke, President of the Metiri Group, a leading technology consulting firm; and James Richmond, the award-winning superintendent of Charles County Schools in Maryland, who has successfully integrated technology into teaching and learning.

Teaching 21st-century skills

2007-02-18T22:47:37Z

The national debate about public education and U.S. economic competitiveness tends to focus too exclusively on the number of engineers and scientists we churn out every year. Important as home-grown engineers and scientists may be to our future national prosperity, education and business leaders alike realize that the skills our students will need for success in the new century encompass much more than only math and science. Many also agree that current education policies are giving short shrift these new skill demands. An important and engaging breakout session at LFA's summit will examine what these skills are and what kinds of policies and practices can promote them in our nation's public schools.

]]> The session, will feature people leading the effort to promote 21st-century skills in our classrooms. Karen Cator, an Apple executive who chairs the Partnership for 21st-Century Skills, will join participants in defining these skills. Dr. Rick Melmer, South Dakota's education secretary, will discuss state policies that can support 21st-century skills in public schools. Finally, Dr. Nicole Pinkard, a professor and researcher at the University of Chicago's Center for Urban School Improvement, will examine strategies for making 21st-century skills instruction a reality in the classroom. Apple has generously agreed to sponsor the session

If you plan to participate in this session, you might want to check out the Partnership for 21st-Century Skills website beforehand. You can find it here. The Partnership has done excellent work in identifying 21st-century skills, demonstrating how such skills can be aligned with standards, reviewing existing option for assessing 21st-century skills, and examining implications for state policy.

Preparing for uncertain futures

2007-02-18T22:10:10Z

A pate of reports is reminding us that our nation and our public schools will face very daunting challenges in the decades ahead. Demographic, social, technological, economic and even climate change wil likely alter the face of public schools in the new century. A breakout session at the LFA summit will help leaders try to get ahead of this curve.

]]> Laura Lefkowits, the director of policy initiatives and Mid-Continent Research for Education and learning, will guide participants on how they can use scenarios--structured stories about possible alternative futures--to anticipate possible futures and create the best possible outcomes for public schools.

Corporate leaders, military strategists and government planners have for years employed scenario-based planning exercises for years. For a useful overview of scenario-based planning, see Wikipedia's entry here. If you don't trust Wikipedia--though futurists would council you to get used to it soon--have a look at McREL's overview of their scenario work here.

A new look at data-driven decision-making

2007-02-18T21:50:29Z

Sessions on data-driven decision-making have become a staple in many education conferences, in large part because they have won so many converts among educators. As many now know, well-designed data collection systems allow educators to tailor teaching to individual student needs, uncover education inequities that might otherwise go unnoticed, and identify systemic problems that require attention. A breakout session at the Learning First Alliance Summit will examine these issues from new perspectives.

]]> The session will showcase an important national initiative to improve data collection systems at the state level. It will also feature an innovative project to engage parents and other community stakeholders in data-driven decision-making at the district and school levels.

The Data Quality Campaign works to “improve the collection, availability, and use of high-quality education data, and implement state longitudinal data systems to improve student achievement.” The Campaign brings together separate but similar campaigns for educational data systems to coordinate efforts to reach their common goals of improved data collection systems. Campaign director Aimee Guidera will help session participants examine the strengths and limitations of current data systems while considering strategies for improving systems in their own states. (You can read more about Data Quality Campaign here).

Also joining us will be Andy Hegedus, Executive Director of Organizational Development for Christina School District, Delaware’s largest public school system. He will discuss the success of the Standard Bearer Schools, which involve parents and other members of the community data-based decision making. Session participants will learn about empowering educators through effective use of data, and employing data to strengthen partnerships between schools and communities. (A report on Standard Bearer Schools and the Christina School District is available here).

2007-01-31T22:41:15Z

By now, most of you have probably already gotten wind of the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce report, “Tough Choices or Tough Times.” This report calls for fundamental changes to our public education system, arguing that nothing short of a complete overhaul will prepare our students for the demands of a changing world. A recent edition of Education Week features dueling commentaries about the report--Given the stakes of this discussion, these commentaries are well worth a read.

]]> In case you haven't yet seen the report, its recommendations include a call to reorient local school boards as monitors of independent contractors in lieu of their traditional roles as governing bodies. Other suggestions include increased teacher pay, state funding of public schools, and a radical reorientation of secondary schools, where the bulk of students graduate after 10th grade, while particularly high achievers remain for an extra two years to be tacked into the nation’s most competitive colleges.

In his EdWeek commentary, Marc Tucker, president of NCEE (which released the report), claims that “bad systems are now defeating good educators everywhere.” He maintains that today’s public education system will not allow future American workers to compete with higher skilled international workers willing to work for lower wages.

By contrast, esteemed education historian Diane Ravitch savages the report, calling it an “ill-conceived document,” lambasting most of its specific suggests for reform. For instance, she calls attention to the, at best, spotty track record of independent contractors, arguing instead that school governance should stay in the hands of school boards. She also notes that curricular and instructional suggestions are notably absent from NCEE's vision of the future.

You can have a look at these commentaries here and here. (If you select these links, you may be prompted to register with Education Week.)

A breakout session on staffing high-poverty, low-performing schools

2007-01-29T18:01:35Z

The world of education does not lack jargon, buzzwords, and technical lingo. From teaming structures to structural change, the education landscape sometimes requires an education of its own. But the words all point to one ultimate necessity for all schools everywhere: GOOD TEACHERS AND LEADERS. Every student can understand the importance of well-qualified, well-trained effective teachers and principals. The problem is that not every student has access to this educational essential need. In fact, it is the most vulnerable students who are the least likely to gain access to the best teachers and principals. An important breakout session at the LFA summit will tackle this subject head-on.

]]> By drawing on the first-hand experiences of the successful Benwood Initiative in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this session will discuss strategies for teaching success in the “hard-to-staff” schools that typically get the least well-equipped teachers. This initiative’s main focus rests simply on strong teaching by providing training and a myriad of other teaching supports for the schools that take part in the program.

The success of this program demonstrates that this is not a session to be missed!

Don’t believes us? Check out this information:
From the Washington Post
From the Dallas Morning News
A report on the initiative from the Public Education Fund in Chattanooga

Summit speakers will include key educators who have helped the Benwood Initiative succeed.

Knowledgeworks Foundation Maps the Future

2007-01-11T22:44:03Z

The Knowledgeworks Foundation in Ohio has joined forces with The Institute for the Future to create an "Education Map of the Decade," a fascinating look at "the forces affecting education and our economy"

]]> The map seems to predict promise and peril in almost equal measure. On the one hand, it foresees a "watershed democratization of learning" fueled by technology. On the other, it anticipates growing threats to the learning of children in poverty as the "market-based learning economy" continues to take hold.

The map presents a pretty complicated terrain: it lays out multiple trends and external forces that might well shape the direction of public education, but it does not present any particular narrative of the future. Rather, it's a tool that allows its users to to project multiple possibilities for the coming decade. The bottom line: We are facing very profound changes that might fundamentally alter public schools as we know them. It is our task as educators to create the best possible future under these conditions.

Check out the map here. It's not very easy to navigate at first, but the Knowledgeworks Website provides lots of helpful resources to get you started.

Don't miss the summit's keynote dialogue on education for the global age

2007-01-09T11:54:40Z

Sunday morning the summit will feature an important dialogue on education for a global age between Ambassador Akbar S. Ahmed and Dr. Hillel Levine. Ambassador Ahmed, who has been called "the world's leading authority on contemporary Islam," is former High Commissioner of Pakistan to Great Britain, an advisor to world leaders, author of numerous books and documentaries, frequent guest on CNN, PBS, and the BBC, and a distinguished professor of Islamic Studies at American University in Washington, DC. Dr. Levine is an ordained rabbi, a renowned teacher of sociology, religion, ethics, and Jewish history, and the author of numerous books and articles on ethnic violence and conflict resolution.

]]> Using Jewish-Muslim understanding and interfaith dialogue as a foundation for their discussion, Ambassador Ahmed and Dr. Levine will discuss the essential role of education in promoting inquiry and respect, rather than fear and intolerance, in a global age. This conversation could hardly be more timely: Unless educators consciously promote international understanding and dialogue, globalization will likely breed dangerous exremism and intolerance. (It's all the more troubling, then, that history and social studies are being squeezed out of the curriculum to clear space for the basics.)

Ahmed and Levine are highly sought-after and inspirational speakers who have received rave reviews for their speeches and dialogues. Don't miss this important event.

Diane Ravitch on Teacher Unions

2007-01-04T12:06:20Z

The new edition of AFT's magazine American Educator includes in interesting article from distinguished New York University education historian Diane Ravitch entitled "Why Teacher Unions Are Good for Teachers—and the Public."

]]> In the article, Ravitch argues that "protecting teachers from ill-conceived instructional mandates, intolerable conditions, and poor compensation—these are all reasons why teacher unions were important 100 years ago, and remain so today, says this noted education historian."

To read the article on line, click here