education

Homework For The New Administration And The 111th Congress

Francie Grace — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:21:26 -0500

Entering a new era in Washington is a good time for many things, including a good hard look at what needs to be done to improve our education system, from pre-kindergarten all the way up through college. With that in mind, Paul Gasbarra of our Education Insights unit has written an open letter to the president-elect and lawmakers, with an education reform "to do" list to tack to their Blackberries as they return to Washington. We invite you to check out his list and then log on to our site to discuss the education issues you feel should be priorities in 2009.

Persistence Unnoticed

Paul Gasbarra — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:24:50 -0500

Is a diploma by any other name a diploma? I suppose it depends on who you ask. Graduation rates in the country are just under 70 percent, meaning that fewer than seven in ten freshmen who enter the system graduate from high school four years later.

Many of those who don't make it through are dropouts who quit school entirely, but a portion of this number are students who are taking longer than four years to complete the curriculum. A recent article in the Washington Post addresses this discrepancy, featuring the stories of students who are working full-time and coming to classes at odd hours in order to finalize their high school education. Though many favor the method of tallying the graduation rate as described above, many students are getting their diplomas and going on to find success by taking the long road.

This is a problem that is particularly pronounced in the Latino community. The Washington Post article features a handful of stories concerning students who are supporting themselves, sending money to family in other countries and completing school. In Public Agenda's summary of educational data, "A Matter of Trust: Ten Key Insights from Recent Public Opinion Research on Attitudes About Education Among Hispanic Parents, Students and Young Adults," we find that Hispanic students are more likely to say dropping out is a serious problem as well as more likely to see cutting class as a serious problem. So the encouraging thing to take from the Post article is that students are returning to school to get the job done.

According to "A Matter of Trust," most young Hispanics say they got a lot of encouragement to go to college. This is a promising sign, and getting their diploma is a first step. Such an education is highly valued among Hispanics, with 52 percent saying most people are really impressed by someone who graduates from college.

So the process is highly valued -- it may just take longer to get to the finish line than what is traditionally measured. States such as Virginia are tallying five-year graduation rates as well as four-year graduation rates. As the situation improves, we expect to see higher rates of graduates in both categories.

The Red Tape Jungle

Francie Grace — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:59:15 -0500

What can be done about excess bureaucracy in the schools? Public Agenda's Jean Johnson is among the experts discussing the issue in an online forum hosted by NewTalk.org. Forum participant Jane Hannaway of the Urban Institute notes bureaucracy is supposed to make things run more smoothly but trouble results when rules become more important than the goal of student achievement. Other participants include Marco Petruzzi of Green Dot Public Schools, who points out that many policies sprang from a "kernel of thoughtfulness" but now sap the spirit of common sense.

The Third Debate: What Would Joe the Plumber Do?

Scott Bittle — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:12:13 -0400

This morning most of the pundits are saying the last presidential debate was sharper in tone but just highlighted the well-established differences between Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama in substance. When it comes to the issues, the main innovation was the laser-like focus on an Ohio plumber as the stand-in for the electorate. But this debate did get into important questions that have been underexamined so far, like education and abortion.

So, with full knowledge of the irony involved, I'm going to repeat my defense of repetition: all of the talking points from Sen. McCain and Sen. Obama are old news to those who've been following this long, long campaign. But for the large number of voters who are only paying casual attention, repeating the basic points is important. These fundamental arguments about policy often get buried under a pile of media coverage of tactical decisions. By the time a campaign reaches the final weeks, everyone in the media assumes the public has actually been reading and remembering all the stories they've filed on this stuff over the past year and a half. And that's a bad assumption.

There are some things the candidates didn't say (click here for video of the debate along with our frame-by-frame comments) in their final appearance together and there are some key facts that voters need to know. The election's less than three weeks away, and if you're looking to get up to speed on the problems facing the country, have a look at our Voter's Survival Kit.

Some key points:

On the economy, both candidates continue to do something that is quite frustrating, which is mixing up the short-term problem – how we deal with the current financial crisis and looming recession – with how we deal with creating a sound economy in the long run.

In all three debates, the moderators have done their best to pin the two men down on fiscal responsibility, but none have succeeded. The fact is that the next president will be facing an extremely constrained budget, and will have to govern accordingly. Money’s going to be tight.

Here’s something Obama and McCain agree on: that the United States can eliminate some sources of foreign oil in 10 years. Note that neither one endorses complete energy independence, and most experts would agree that can’t be done, at least not anytime soon. Even eliminating imports from the Middle East and Venezuela, which both candidates endorse, would be a challenge. Those regions supply about one-quarter of U.S. oil imports.

The candidates had quite a lot to say about trade, which is one of the classic cases where leaders have very different views than the public. Most economists say global trade is a good thing, but the American public isn’t so sure. In Public Agenda’s Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, we found huge numbers of Americans (41 percent) aren’t sure whether the U.S. or foreign countries benefit more from trade. About as many (42 percent) say other countries benefit more, and only 14 percent think the U.S. benefits more.

We heard a little about education in this debate, including math and science education, which hasn't gotten much attention in this campaign. Education and business leaders are deeply worried about math and science education, but our research shows the public hasn’t caught up with them yet. Most parents think the amount of math and science their child gets is about right, which is the last thing most business leaders would say.

UPDATE: Here's our video commentary on the debate:

Census Projects an Older, More Diverse America

Scott Bittle — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:59:03 -0400

The Census Bureau sums up one of the nation's biggest trends very neatly today: "An Older and More Diverse Nation by Midcentury." Minorities are projected to become the majority of Americans in 2042. It's hard to think of a public issue that won't be affected by this change. But one of the nation's most persistent problems is the education achievement gap between white and minority students. Our surveys find that minority parents and students put a high value on education – but they're much more dissatisfied with their schools . Our survey of first-year teachers also suggests the educational system may also have to do more to prepare the nation's teachers for a more diverse student body.

Census: U.S. Will Be Older, More Diverse

Scott Bittle — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:35:35 -0400

The Census Bureau sums up one of the nation's most significant trends very neatly today: "An Older and More Diverse Nation by Midcentury ." There will be a lot of more of us, too, with the U.S. population projected to hit 400 million by 2039.

Minorities, who are now about a third of the total population, will become the majority of Americans in 2042. And by 2030 one in five Americans will be age 65 or older.

It's hard to think of a public issue that won't be affected by this change. But here are two to start with:

If you've paid any attention at all to the debate over the nation's long-term fiscal health, then you already know that the aging of the baby boomers is a major reason why Medicare, Social Security and our skyrocketing national debt are major concerns. But that's only one of the issues we're facing.

This census report really goes to the heart of one of the nation's most persistent problems: the education achievement gap between white and minority students. The achievement gap's unacceptable now, and it'll be even more devastating when minorities make up most of the workforce. Public Agenda's surveys find that minority parents and students put a high value on education – but they're much more dissatisfied with their schools . Three in 10 black youngsters report very serious levels of disruption and unrest in their schools – not just "somewhat serious," but "very serious." Black students are twice as likely as white students to say that schools not getting enough money is a very serious problem in their community.

The educational system may also have to do more to prepare the nation's teachers for a more diverse student body. In our Lessons Learned survey of first-year teachers, we found three-quarters said their training had covered teaching a diverse group of students – but only four in 10 said that it helped them "a lot ."

Reading Between the Lines of the Latest ACT Results

Jenny Choi — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:12:31 -0400

New ACT results were released today, indicating a slight drop in scores for the 2008 graduating class (details of the results can be found here). But ACT officials were quick to point out that a record number of students took the test this year. They argue that, while the proportion of test-takers who demonstrated college readiness may have stayed the same, the actual number who are prepared for college increased in 2008. Still, the numbers themselves are undeniably grim, with just 22 percent meeting a benchmark score for college readiness in all the four subjects: English, math, reading and science. In math, 43 percent met the ACT's benchmark in college readiness, and just 28 percent met the benchmark in science.

Our research has shown that different parties have widely differing perspectives on the issue of college preparedness. A majority of parents (69 percent) in our Reality Check report said they believe their child will have the skills needed to succeed in college. But most parents also think that their child's education is not only better (61 percent) but that the material they are learning is harder (65 percent) than in their own experience. Some of our earlier research, however, showed jarring discrepancies between college professors and public school teachers. Nearly seven in 10 college professors said a high school dlploma is not a guarantee that a student has learned the basics, compared to 22 percent of public school teachers.

Will Gas Days Replace Snow Days?

Paul Gasbarra — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:48:10 -0400

Imagine coming home one afternoon to find your nine-year-old jumping up and down in front of the TV. Not an uncommon sight, only this time instead of a cartoon or an Elmo's Jazzercise video, she's watching a hyperactive character of a different sort: Mad Money's Jim Cramer. Why is your child watching Jim Cramer? Because she's into oil and like many speculators out there, she likes her oil high. Is she a mini-tycoon? Not at all - she doesn't know the first thing about Mr. Dow Jones. She just happens to know that the higher gas prices are, the more likely it is she won't have to go to school.

With gas so high, getting kids to school is becoming a pressing problem for schools all over the country that bus their students in. USA Today reports that many schools are debating having four-day weeks to alleviate the costs. They'll have company if they do: Reuters reports that about a hundred schools in as many as 16 states have already made the switch.

Other measures being considered are reducing athletic programs, and the inevitable laying off of staff is under consideration as well. The pain that high fuel prices are causing is palpable in this Los Angeles Times quote from an assistant superintendent of business, speaking about the decision to cut bussing for 2,400 students: "It's a horribly difficult decision. It's a decision no one wants to make."

Some might groan at the thought of less school for our kids, regardless of the cause. But the recent surge in prices continually finds new ways to remind us of how dependent we are on oil. High prices mean less schooling for our kids. Of course that's the dark side. There is a lighter side, a higher octane side, of the equation. Unfortunately it's more dangerous, which may make it perfect for our teenagers who like to live on the edge.

We should trade bussing for walking or biking to school. If the distance from school to home is about two miles, you're talking about a half-hour commute both ways. If your kid is fortunate enough to have a bike, then you're looking at even less time. In L.A., bussing costs $1,400 per student: the schools could buy every kid a bike and a helmet and still save money. The only problem, of course, is that biking is dangerous and kids die every year going to and from school.

Bussing is mentioned as the safest way to get a child to class and back. But I think there are many ways to make our kids safer on the roads. Certain feeder roads could be designated as pedestrian-only during the hour before school and the hour after school; no cars would be allowed to share the same space as our kids. Crossing guards or police could do duty on any major arteries that would need to be crossed.

The effects of using more people power than gas power would extend beyond cost savings. America's children are beset with obesity problems which are linked to a lack of physical exercise as well as too much time indoors. Walking or biking to school could guarantee an hour of both. Smaller kids would need older escorts: here's a chance to foster both community and mentorship.

Many observers agree that high gas prices are here to stay, and while many things will have to change, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Of course, having a kid addicted to the CNBC stock ticker isn't the worst thing in the world either, but the long-term effects of exposure to Jim Cramer have yet to be assessed.

Study Finds No Math Gap for Girls

Scott Bittle — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:31:58 -0400

A major study published in Science magazine concludes girls do just as well as boys on math tests. There's been widespread concern, and fierce debate, over how few young women pursue higher degrees and professional work in math and science. This study, which looked at the scores of seven million students on standardized tests, found there's no difference between girls and boys in math test scores. The study authors do warn, however, that neither boys nor girls are getting enough challenging questions on standardized tests.

Our opinion research has found the attitudes of boys and girls are remarkably similar on this as well. Fairly large numbers of high school students, about four in 10, say they'd be "really unhappy" in a career that required a lot of math and science. But girls are no more likely to say this than boys. Boys and girls are also equally confident in their skills, with two-thirds of both groups saying they've "learned a lot" when it comes to doing math.

Complacency may be the real problem here -- American students generally get mediocre scores on international comparisons of math ability, but most parents (57 percent) say their child is learning enough math and science. In fact, parents' concern about this has actually fallen over the past decade. Our public engagement staff is part of a major initiative to get parents talking about this issue.

First Lady Defends 'No Child' Testing

Jenny Choi — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:01:04 -0400

USA Today reports that First Lady Laura Bush spoke last week in defense of 'No Child Left Behind,' the education reform legislation that has been plagued by criticism since it became law in 2002. Speaking with a group of teachers recently selected by the Department of Education to be Teaching Ambassadors, Mrs. Bush said she believes that 'No Child' will become a significant part of her husband's legacy. But the centerpiece of her argument was that annual testing, as required by the law, is an effective measure of performance and improvement and "what lets us know that we're not just shuffling kids through school, and that poor kids aren't being the ones who make it to the fifth grade and can't read, or make it to the ninth grade and drop out."

In our own research on testing and the host of issues surrounding the 'No Child' requirements, we found that , in fact, teachers on the frontlines are the most critical of the law. Seven in 10 teachers saying the law is causing problems in their district, according to our Reality Check research on standards and testing. Compare that with 22 percent of principals and 9 percent of superintendents who say meeting the law's requirements is their most pressing problem.

On the other hand, the public does favor standardized testing to measure academic performance -- as long as it's not the only benchmark. This "necessary, but not sufficient" attitude is consistent across a number of indicators among all groups surveyed by Public Agenda: parents and students, as well as teachers and administrators.

Still, it's important to point out that while most Americans have heard of 'No Child Left Behind' and majorities say it will improve education, nearly seven in 10 say they don’t know enough to form an opinion. A double-digit "don’t know" response is considered by survey researchers to be a classic warning sign that an issue may not be well understood and public attitudes may not be stable. Find out more about what to consider when you read poll results.

Math Isn't Adding Up on Plan to Double Science Grads

Scott Bittle — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:58:54 -0400

Efforts to double the number of college graduates with math and science degrees by 2015 are way behind schedule -- the coalition of business groups pushing the initiative reports that bachelor's degrees in the field have reached a plateau..

Our research shows there's a real gap between leaders and the public on this issue. Business leaders may be worried about the nation falling behind, but our research suggests that many parents don't feel the same urgency. In fact, parents' concern about math and science achievement has actually declined since the mid-1990s. And most say they're satisfied with the math and science education their kids are getting. In a regional study in the Kansas City area, we found only one-quarter of parents said their kids should be studying more math and science. That study forms the basis of Public Agenda's involvement in the Regional METS Leadership Coalition, working with Kansas City groups to close this gap and bring leaders and the public together on this issue.

Field Report: Up To Date In Kansas City

Francie Grace — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:54:51 -0400

Talk about METS in Kansas City has nothing to do with baseball and everything to do with setting up home runs for the future. The issue is improving education in Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (METS), essential for many good jobs as well as the health of the economy. Many parents and students, as reported on in Public Agenda's study "Important, but Not For Me," don't see METS as having much to do with their own lives. Leaders in the Kansas City area, with the help of our Public Engagement group, are working to change that. Click here to learn more, including how to begin dialogue on problems in your own community.

Public Engagement In Action: Up To Date In Kansas City

Mckenna Morrigan — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:40:03 -0400

By McKenna Morrigan

Today's students live in a world of rapid technological change where good jobs and promising careers increasingly require a solid background in Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (known as METS in the Kansas City area, and STEM in many other parts of the country).

Unfortunately, recent studies suggest that too few students are proficient in these subjects. There is growing consensus among the nation's business, government and higher education leaders that unless schools do more to train and nurture a whole new generation of young Americans with strong METS skills, U.S. leadership in the world economy is at risk.

In and around Kansas City, business, government and education leaders are particularly concerned about improving METS achievement to ensure that area students get the skills they'll need to succeed in the 21st century economy and to help build a workforce that is capable of supporting the region's METS-heavy growth industries such as life sciences, engineering and advanced manufacturing.

In 2006, Public Agenda conducted research in the Kansas City region on the attitudes of parents, students, educators and business leaders about the importance of METS education. Our findings, published in the report "Important, but Not for Me," suggest that parents and students in Kansas City do not share the concerns of the region's leaders and experts about the importance of improving METS achievement.

While this chasm in understanding poses a serious challenge for those who wish to communicate the importance of improving METS education, our research also revealed that this "urgency gap" can be bridged by speaking the language of "opportunity" and by articulating the opportunities created through strong METS education.

To help close the "urgency gap" and to communicate to parents and students the opportunities that are generated by improving METS education, Public Agenda is leading a three-year public engagement initiative in the Kansas City Region. The Regional METS Leadership Coalition, a group dedicated to improving METS achievement in the Kansas City region, has been formed to provide strategic guidance to the initiative and One KC Voice, a Kansas City-based community dialogue organization, is acting as the local liaison for the initiative.

Instead of lectures by experts or gripe sessions by angry constituents, well-designed Community Conversations create a frank, productive process in which diverse ideas are put on the table, diverse participants sit at the table, and people work to find common ground and solutions.

This initiative, which is funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and part of the foundation's ten-year agenda to improve math, engineering, technology and science education in the Kansas City region, aims to involve a significant number of citizens communities and leaders in problem solving aimed at preparing students for success in the 21st century economy.

In addition, by working with coalitions of leaders to carry out a series of dialogues, Public Agenda seeks to build regional capacity to deepen and expand community engagement and collaborative work among stakeholders beyond Public Agenda's direct involvement in the region.

Through this initiative, ten communities across the Kansas City region will work with Public Agenda to host Community Conversations on improving METS education results for students in the region.

Community Conversations are carefully constructed problem-solving dialogues that bring diverse stakeholders together to discuss an important and pressing public issue. Instead of lectures by experts or gripe sessions by angry constituents, well-designed Community Conversations create a frank, productive process in which diverse ideas are put on the table, diverse participants sit at the table, and people work to find common ground and solutions. Trained moderators from the community help all participants contribute, while trained recorders capture the ideas and actions steps generated during the discussion.

Community Conversations can have concrete impacts in various ways, from informing district and government policies and practices to creating new citizen-led initiatives and programs, and such conversations are frequently a first step toward larger community dialogue and action. For more information about the impact and methods of Community Conversations, check out our reports on Public Engagement case studies from around the country.

On May 5, 2008 the first Community Conversation of the initiative was held in Wyandotte County. Approximately one hundred parents, teachers, school administrators, business leaders and community members attended the event. The Wyandotte County Community Conversation was sponsored and organized by a coalition of local organizations and leaders, including the Kansas City, Kansas, Public School District, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kansas City, the KCK Area Chamber of Commerce and many others.

In their summary report to participants, the sponsoring coalition noted that the Community Conversation is a first step in the process of improving the opportunities for young people and for economic growth through better METS education. Organizers of the Community Conversation also identified three major areas of common ground shared by participants:

Local businesses really need to be involved in the educational process to truly recognize what students need to learn or to study to accommodate employers' needs centered on the METS issues.
Parents must be involved with their children's educational process for both the student and the school district to be successful.
Teachers and educators need to be supported in new ways in order for them to be successful in giving our students the METS education they need for success in life.

Motivated to act on the issues identified through the Community Conversation, organizers of the Wyandotte County Community Conversation will be inviting participants to work together with them in the fall to further develop some of the ideas and recommendations generated during the dialogue process.

Public Agenda will be helping four additional communities organize Community Conversations in fall 2008.

McKenna Morrigan is a Public Engagement Associate for Public Agenda.

The Lumina Foundation for Education

Peiting Chen — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:19:56 -0400

Strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access and success in education beyond high school.

Are Struggling Students Helped at the Expense of High Achievers?

Scott Bittle — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:59:34 -0400

The lowest-performing American students have made big achievement gains over the last eight years, but the performance of the top students has been "languid," according to a new study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. The study argues this is a pattern associated with testing and school accountability systems, including No Child Left Behind. A survey included as part of the study (and conducted by former Public Agenda staffers Steve Farkas and Ann Duffett) finds most teachers say struggling students are the priority in their school, with 81 percent saying these pupils are more likely to get one-on-one attention. "In a time of fierce international competition, can we afford to let the strongest languish?" asked Fordham president Chester Finn.

Public Agenda's own survey research suggests that parents aren't as concerned about advanced learning as they are about "the basics." Our Reality Check survey showed continued strong support for standards and testing, while concern about low standards in schools has fallen. But that doesn't automatically mean parents are calling for more advanced work in schools. In math and science, for example, our "Important But Not For Me" report suggests that most parents know advanced math and science education can pay off economically, but are fairly complacent about what their children learn. While nine in 10 parents in the Kansas City area say it is “absolutely essential” that students learn basic reading, writing and math skills, only 23 percent of parents and 26 percent of students believe it is essential to understand higher level material like calculus and physics.

International reading scores

jwilliams — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:12:03 -0400

International science scores

jwilliams — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:58:47 -0400

International math scores

jwilliams — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:46:20 -0400

Reading proficiency

jwilliams — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:15:07 -0400

Science proficiency

jwilliams — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:11:48 -0400