1
A Nation at Risk and No Child Left Behind

• The Standards Movement

2
An Act of War?

• If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to
  impose on America themediocre educational
  performance that exists today, we might well
  haveviewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we
  have allowed this tohappen to ourselves.

3
Inadequacies of schools

• content,
• expectations,
• time, and
• teaching.

4
Findings (Deficiencies) Regarding CONTENT

• Secondary school curricula have been homogenized,
  diluted, and diffused to the point that they no
  longer have a central purpose.
• In effect, we have a cafeteria style curriculum
  in which the appetizers and desserts can easily
  be mistaken for the main courses. Students have
  migrated from college preparatory programs to
  "general track" courses in large numbers.
• The proportion of students taking a general
  program of study has increased from 12 percent in
  1964 to 42 percent in 1979.
• This curricular smorgasbord gives students so
  much choice, they are choosing general rather
  than college prep courses.

5
Recommendations for Content

• State and local high school graduation
  requirements be strengthened.
• All H.S. graduates be required to have a
  foundation in the Five New Basics by taking
• (a) 4 years of English
• (b) 3 years of mathematics
• (c) 3 years of science
• (d) 3 years of social studies and
• (e) one-half year of computer science.
• For the college-bound, 2 years of foreign
  language in high school are strongly recommended
  in addition to those taken earlier.

6
Recommendations for Science

• The teaching of science in high school should
  provide graduates with an introduction to
• concepts, laws, and processes of the physical and
  biological sciences
• methods of scientific inquiry and reasoning
• application of scientific knowledge to everyday
  life and
• social and environmental implications of
  scientific and technological development.
• Science courses must be revised and updated for
  boththe college-bound and those not intending to
  go to college to add everyday applications

7
Findings (Deficiencies) Regarding Expectations

• The amount of homework for high school seniors
  has decreased (2/3 of seniors surveyed report
  less than 1 hour a night) and grades have risen
  as average student achievement has been
  declining.
• Students in other industrialized countries
  complete many more years of math and science than
  do US students.
• US High schools have low graduation requirements
  so many students opt for less demanding personal
  service courses, such as bachelor living.
• Minimum competency exams required in a majority
  of states have become the maximum, thus
  lowering standards.

8
Recommendations Related to Expectations

• Colleges and universities should raise their
  admission requirements.
• STANDARDIZED TESTS of achievement should be
  administered at major transition points.
• Textbook companies should be required to submit
  research demonstrating the effectiveness of their
  materials.

9
Recommendations Regarding Time

• Students should be assigned more homework.
• Begin instruction in effective study work
  habits in elementary school.
• Schools should lengthen their school day to 7
  hours and the school year to 200-220 days.
• The burden on teachers for maintaining discipline
  should be reduced through the development of firm
  and fair codes of student conduct that are
  enforced consistently, and by considering
  alternative classrooms, programs, and schools to
  meet the needs of continually disruptive students.

10
Findings Regarding Teaching

• not enough of the academically able students are
  being attracted to teaching
• teacher preparation programs need substantial
  improvement
• the professional working life of teachers is on
  the whole unacceptable and
• a serious shortage of teachers exists in key
  fields.

11
Recommendations Regarding Teaching

• Improve the preparation of teachers or make
  teaching a more rewarding and respected
  profession.
• Help solve the teacher shortage problem by
  training qualified individuals, including recent
  graduates with mathematics and science degrees,
  graduate students, and industrial and retired
  scientists to immediately begin teaching in these
  fields.

12
From A Nation at Risk to NCLB

• The standards movement continued to pick up steam
  throughout the last part of the 20th century
• President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Elementaryand
  Secondary Education Act, 1965
• Title I and ESEA coordinated throughImproving
  Americas Schools Act, 1994
• Reauthorization of ESEA -No Child Left Behind,
  2002

13
Goals of NCLB

• ALL students will attain proficiency or betterin
  reading and mathematics by 2013-2014
• ALL limited English students will
  becomeproficient in English
• ALL teachers will be highly qualifiedby
  2005-2006
• ALL students will be educated in safe,drug-free
  environments
• ALL students will graduate from high school

14
Accountability!

• Key component of NCLB
• Testing Requirements
• Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
• Consequences
• Public Reporting

15
Everyones Favorite 4 Letters

• States administer own tests which are
• Aligned
• Valid and reliable
• Inclusive
• Limited English Proficient Students
• Special Education Students
• Annual reading and math assessments atgrades 3-8
  by 2005-2006
• Science assessments by 2007-2008
• At least once at elementary, middle, andhigh
  school grades

• NAEP biennially starting 2002-2003in grades 4
  and 8
• Random sampling
• Mandatory participation
• Limited English students must be
  assessedannually for English language proficiency

16
The Impossible Goal?

• Adequate Yearly Progress
• Demonstrate Proficiency
• All schools reach 100 proficiency within 12
  years
• Schools must meet annual state objectives for
  progress
• Continual Achievement
• States will determine annual objectives for
  progress
• All subgroups must meet annual objectives for
  progress
• 95 of all students and all subgroups of students
  mustbe included in the assessment

17
Consequences

• Failure to make AYP will result inimplementation
  of specific consequences
• Each consecutive year, correctiveactions become
  more intensive

18
First Level

• School Improvement StatusFirst Year(Two
  consecutive years of not making AYP)
• Technical assistance
• Must provide public school choice
• Two year School Improvement Plan
• 10 of Title I funds must be allocatedfor
  professional development

19
Second Level

• School Improvement Status Second Year(Three
  consecutive years of not making AYP)
• Continue actions from first year of
  schoolimprovement status
• Provide supplemental services to
  low-achieving,disadvantaged students
• At least 5 of Title I funds for this purpose,if
  needed
• Supplemental service providers must be
  approvedby the state

20
Third Level

• School Improvement Status - Third Year(Four
  consecutive years of not making AYP)Corrective
  Action
• Continue actions from previous years ofschool
  improvement
• Districts must take at least one of the following
  actions
• Replace relevant school staff
• Implement a new curriculum and provideprofessiona
  l development
• Significantly decrease management authority
• Appoint outside expert to advise on
  schoolimprovement plan
• Extend school year or school day
• Restructure internal organization of school

21
Fourth Level

• School Improvement Status - Fourth Year(Five
  consecutive years of not making
  AYP)Restructuring
• Continue activities from school improvement
  andcorrective action
• Districts must take at least one of thefollowing
  actions
• Reopen school as a charter school
• Replace all or most of relevant school staff
• Contract with outside entity to operate school
• State takeover
• Any other major restructuring of schools
  governancethat makes fundamental reform

22
A Cop Out?-The Safe Harbor

• Schools not meeting annual state objectivescan
  make AYP if
• Percentage of students not proficient for
  allstudents and each subgroup is reduced by10
  from the previous year

23
Public Reporting

• 2002-2003 State Report Card requirements include
• Dissemination at the beginning of school year
• Disaggregated student MEAP data
• Comparison of student achievement levels
• Percentage of students not tested
• Graduation rates
• Number and names of schools in need of
  improvement
• Comparison of actual academic achievement to
  annual objectives for all subgroups
• Teacher qualifications

24
Reporting the Grade

• School and District Report Cards must include
• Same information as in State Report Card,applied
  to the district and individual schools
• Comparison of student scores on state
  assessmentswith other students within the
  district and state

• New requirements to provide parent notification
  on
• Teacher qualifications
• Student performance on state assessments
• School choice information
• Limited English Proficiency student placementand
  program information

25
Teacher Quality

• Beginning 2002-2003 all new Title I teachers
  must
• Be highly qualified
• Be certified and teaching in their content
  area(s)
• Not hold emergency credentials
• Have proven competency in teaching areas assigned
• All core academic subject area teachers
  nothighly qualified must meet the
  requirementsby 2005-2006.
• Title II funds can be earmarked for teacherand
  principal quality

• All states must
• Develop a plan demonstrating how teachers
  willbecome highly qualified by 2005-2006
• Require annual increase in the percentage
  ofhighly qualified teachers in each local
  districtbeginning in 2002-2003
• Increase annually the percentage of
  teachersreceiving high quality professional
  developmentbeginning in 2002-2003

26
Instructional Methods

• Resources concentrated on scientific,research-bas
  ed programs
• Characteristics of scientific research-based
  studies
• Uses scientific method
• Has been replicated
• Can be generalized to larger population
• Meets rigorous standards
• Other studies/programs point to same conclusion

27
Discussion

• Discussion
• What do you believe is the most significant
  outcome of A Nation at Risk and the
  implementation of NCLB?
• Impact on schools?
• Realistic?