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The National Center for Education Statistics recently released a report on the black-white achievement gap that found black students still trail their white counterparts in reading and math by significant margins, even though they have registered some progress. In grade 8, in all 42 states where information was available, there was no significant change in the reading gap from 1998 to 2007. House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, D-Calif., called this news alarming.
Since closing the achievement gap is a major national priority, why aren't we making better progress? What new ideas are there out there to close the gap? Are there individual states or schools making gains that could serve as a model for the rest of the country?
-- Eliza Krigman, NationalJournal.com
29 responses: Steve Peha, Linda Darling-Hammond, Ellen Winn, Rachel B. Tompkins, John Bailey, Gary Huggins, Bob Peterson, Mary Ann Wolf, Sen. Michael Bennet, Bill Jackson, Dennis Van Roekel, Eliza Krigman, Rod Paige, Rep. Donald M. Payne, David G. Sciarra, George R. Boggs, Christopher J. Steinhauser, Tom Vander Ark, Richard Rothstein, Cynthia G. (Cindy) Brown, Monty Neill, Pedro A. Noguera, Rep. John Kline, Andrew J. Rotherham, Sandy Kress, Eliza Krigman, Deborah Santiago, Kati Haycock, Michael L. Lomax
A new report by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, a nonprofit business group that supports reform of Chicago public schools, found that despite claims of advancement, the city's schools have made little progress in raising student achievement at the elementary level and that the performance of its high schools is "abysmal."
Aside from the political implications for Education Secretary Arne Duncan, the report does highlight a problem with the current standards-based approach to assessing education: State and school district officials in charge of self-evaluation aren't eager to set standards they will be penalized for not meeting, and they have little incentive to publicize bad news. The report recommends creating an independent auditor to review all published data on performance -- not just test scores, but also data on qualifications and evaluation of teachers and principals.
How widespread is the problem of the system creating disincentives to reporting accurately on school performance, and is an independent auditor the answer? Should each state create one, or should the federal government?
-- Lisa Caruso, NationalJournal.com
19 responses: Steve Peha, Steve Peha, Kevin Mitchell, Linda Darling-Hammond, Bill Jackson, Eliza Krigman, Richard Rothstein, Monty Neill, Jeanne Allen, Eliza Krigman, Sandy Kress, Harold O. Levy, Rachel B. Tompkins, Mike Antonucci, Cynthia G. (Cindy) Brown, Greg Richmond, Bruce Hunter, Alexander Russo, Diane Ravitch
According to a survey done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, less than 20 percent of 2009 college graduates who had applied for a job by the end of April had one in hand. Many of these graduates are leaving school saddled with big student loans.
In a weak economy facing an uncertain future, college graduates are being forced to re-think their career trajectory as well as their investment in higher education. Given current conditions, are colleges doing enough to make graduates attractive job candidates? If not, what should change? Is enabling graduates to find employment a primary responsibility for a college? What should be the role of community colleges in this equation?
-- Eliza Krigman, NationalJournal.com
16 responses: Steve Peha, Kati Haycock, Lisa Caruso, Jamie P. Merisotis, Lisa Caruso, Rep. Tim Bishop, Tom Vander Ark, David L. Kirp, Lisa Caruso, Sandy Kress, Kevin Carey, Richard Rothstein, Lisa Caruso, Margaret Spellings, Terry W. Hartle, George R. Boggs
"Mayoral control" has been hailed as a model of accountability for turning around failing urban school systems since Boston Mayor Thomas Menino gained control over his city's troubled schools in the early 1990s. Cities with some form of mayoral control include Chicago (where Education Secretary Arne Duncan was schools CEO for Mayor Richard M. Daley), Cleveland and Washington, D.C. New York City was the leading example until last Wednesday, when the law giving Mayor Michael Bloomberg control of the city's schools expired and a bill to renew it fell victim to a political stalemate in the legislature (the old school board met the following day, reappointed Schools Chancellor Joel Klein with full decision-making authority and called on the legislature to renew mayoral control).
While test scores in some cities have risen under mayoral control, it isn't clear-cut that the governance structure has been the reason. And mayoral control takes many different forms in the cities. What kinds of restrictions or oversight should accompany mayoral control, if any? What is the appropriate mix of authority and accountability that allows for bold leadership from the mayor while preserving the legitimate right of parents, teachers, school administrators and citizens to have a say in the education of the city's children? Are there other, better models for providing direction to troubled urban school systems?
-- Lisa Caruso, NationalJournal.com
22 responses: Steve Peha, Tom Vander Ark, Michael D. Piscal, Linda Darling-Hammond, Rod Paige, Lisa Caruso, Nelson Smith, Greg Richmond, Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jeanne Allen, Rep. John Kline, Cynthia G. (Cindy) Brown, Arthur J. Rothkopf, Sherman Dorn, Sandy Kress, Lisa Graham Keegan, Frederick M. Hess, Chester E. Finn, Jr., Harold O. Levy, Randi Weingarten, Anne L. Bryant, Arne Duncan
This Education Blog is funded by support provided, in part, by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the purpose of creating an educational forum for sharing research, ideas and opinions regarding issues related to college readiness and college completion. The Blog may not be used to post partisan political statements supporting or opposing candidates for public office. All statements and materials posted on the Blog, including any statements regarding specific legislation, reflect the views of the individual contributors and do not reflect the views of National Journal or the Bill& Melinda Gates Foundation. National Journal and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation take no positions regarding any legislation discussed in the Blog. National Journal reserves the right to monitor material placed on this site and to remove any posting they may deem inappropriate.
