Return-Path: <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id h9KDoRV03122; Mon, 20 Oct 2003 09:50:27 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2003 09:50:27 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <1002004296russell@literacy.upenn.edu> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Mary Russell <russell@literacy.upenn.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:824] Re: Youth in ABE X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Mailer: QuickMail Pro 3.1 (Mac) Status: O Content-Length: 4923 Lines: 111 I have another (related) question. Given the "underclass" group David describes below who are being adversely affected by the high stakes testing requirements, have we seen an increase in incarcerated youth populations? As David points out, there are educational opportunities being offered under the corrections education umbrella, but it might be time for us, as a field, to take a more serious interest in this group. Is, for example, the education being offered to them effective? How do we know? -- Mary Russell National Center on Adult Literacy University of Pennsylvania 3910 Chestnut St Philadelphia, PA 19104 Phone: 215-746-6742 Fax: 215-898-9804 http://literacy.org On Sunday, October 19, 2003 12:47 PM, David Rosen <djrosen@comcast.net> wrote: >In Massachusetts, so far, we don't appear to have large numbers of >school dropouts entering publicly funded ABE programs. The explanation >isn't clear, but here are some possibilities: > >1) It may be too soon to know. Our state MIS data on this are from >last year's enrollments. It might change this year; >2) The dropouts might be enrolling in small programs which do not >receive state education department funds -- and are not counted in the >state Management Information System; >3) They may be dropping out and not enrolling in education programs >(yet, or at all;) >4) The public schools don't measure dropouts before 9th grade (and >apparently there are some.) Maybe these numbers are growing. > >My interpretation of what I see happening in Boston: High stakes >testing is having a big impact, both positive and negative. High >school students are being described in two categories: the "good kids" >who may not pass the tests the first time but who are coming to school, >trying, who have been getting more educational support (tutoring and >encouragement) and who are eventually -- in most cases -- passing the >tests and graduating. They have doors to post-secondary education and >training open to them, and they are very likely better prepared to >succeed in getting jobs and in persisting in training and >college. > >The other kids (no one calls them "bad kids,") are the growing >underclass of youth -- eventually adults -- on the other side of the >high stakes testing gate, and their opportunities are greatly >diminished. Perhaps they get entry-level jobs, but not the jobs which >offer high wages, benefits, or education opportunities. It's hard, >without at least a high school diploma, to get on a career ladder. For >them, the underground economy may offer the most appealing choices. >This often leads to drug use and sales, and theft. (Heroin use is now >high again in Massachusetts, and house break-ins are rising in Boston.) >Underground employment often leads to jail. Some of the jails in >Massachusetts have (or have had) excellent education opportunities. So >maybe, under the circumstances, crime and jail are the best choices for >the "bad kids." But these aren't good choices for them, their >families, or for communities or taxpayers. I don't see much attention >being paid to this underclass. > >David J. Rosen > > > >On Sunday, October 19, 2003, at 11:45 AM, FPeter5224@aol.com >wrote: > >> Louisiana has a Pre-GED option which allows students to work towards a >> GED >> and take vocational courses as a skills concentration. The program is >> for >> students 17 and older who have not passed the 8th grade exit test >> and/or do not have >> enough carnegie units. >> >> The question of youth in ABE is a curious one when you look at the >> advent of >> "high stakes testing." Shouldn't we now have a decrease in the need >> for >> youth in ABE? Shouldn't students exposed to the "more rigorous" >> curriculum not be >> so far behind? I suggest that these students are the victims of this >> approach to public education. If a student can't pass a "high stakes" >> test in >> elementary (in Louisiana we have 4th, 8th and then the high school >> exit), what >> educational intervention is applied? Barbara, we may have to look at >> the ABE youth >> and determine if these youngsters came from a special education >> program or >> were stopped at the 8th (or other grade) and not able to continue due >> to state >> exit grade requirements. It seems that there is some thought that >> teachers in >> lower grades teach for the test in isolating skills rather than >> attempting to >> get students to understand basic concepts. Students who fall behind, >> many >> times are left there because the pressure is on to work with those who >> have the >> greatest potential of passing to increase the state's very public >> performance >> scores for each school. Youth in ABE may be a major unanticipated >> consequence >> of high stakes testing. >> >> >> Rose Peterson >> New Orleans Public Schools >> >> >David J. Rosen >djrosen@comcast.net >617-522-7020 > >
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