Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g3CFLfu05825; Fri, 12 Apr 2002 11:21:41 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 11:21:41 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <003001c1e235$14a22800$3d15a2d1@oemcomputer> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Mary Ann Corley" <macorley1@earthlink.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:788] Education News from the Public Education Network X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4807.1700 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 4972 Lines: 93 To Povracelit List subscribers: This week's Public Education Network (PEN) Newsblast has many articles on the controversies related to standardized testing in schools. Although PEN articles always refer to K-12 education, adult educators may find the articles of interest, particularly those related to equity issues. -Mary Ann Corley Povracelit List Moderator * * * * * * * * * * * THE TEST MESS According to James Traub, the United States has never had an "educational system." What it has had is 15,000 or so school districts, which decide more or less for themselves how and what to teach and what students need to learn in order to move from grade to grade, or to graduate. In this provocative article, Traub outlines the many concerns citizens have over new mandates for national-testing and examines the difficulties of implementing standards-based reform. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/07/magazine/07TESTING.html CAN YOU PASS A HIGH-STAKES TEST? In order to receive their diplomas, Massachusetts students will need to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests before the time of their high school graduation. How tough are MCAS questions? How well might you fare on MCAS? Take a ten-question sample test to find out. http://www.eyeoneducation.tv/test/ TEACHER REFUSES TO ADMINISTER STANDARDIZED TEST Read the opinion of one seventh-grade science teacher in Massachusetts who will not be administering this year's mandated state exam. Having seen the way test results have been "abused and misused," he states that he cannot in good conscience participate in "this faulty educational experiment." If you can get past the author's spelling and grammar errors, he will surprise you with the observation that, "Educational research has, for over a decade, been explaining that students learn in different ways. In order to teach all students, teachers must provide a variety of instruction methods. Similarly, to accurately assess what all students have learned, we must use a range of assessment tools so that all students have an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding in the way that they are best able." http://www.townonline.com/northwest/arlington/opinions/35530023.htm INADEQUATE YEARLY GAINS PREDICTED A large proportion of schools in every state could be identified as "needing improvement" under the new federal education law and could eventually be subject to penalties. Although estimates vary, state officials who have begun crunching the numbers predict that as many as three-fourths of their schools could fail to make their annual growth targets, or "adequate yearly progress," under the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. http://www.edweek.com/ew/newstory.cfm?slug=29ayp.h21 WHY SCHOOLS CAN'T SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS AND HOW WE CAN The work of the Yale Child Study Center, and many others, has shown is that a large group of children, disproportionately urban, disproportionately minority, come to school unprepared to learn. This leads to a difficult interaction between home and school that is troublesome for the children in schools. Staff in many schools are products of a training model that ignores the importance of child development. Additionally, organization and management of these schools prevents the staff from successfully addressing the school challenge. Dr. James Comer writes that families under economic and social stress who attend schools that are "waiting for a miracle" are hurt the most. http://www.urbanedjournal.org/articles/article0002.html NEW POLL SAYS PUBLIC SEES SCHOOLS AS CENTER OF COMMUNITY Traditionally, local school facilities have not functioned as the center of local communities. With limited hours of operation and few community services or events currently located in schools, most school facilities are not often used evenings and weekends. Survey respondents, however, expressed significant interest in broadening the use of these facilities. Increasing the use of school facilities would not only provide additional community resources, but may also have the added benefit of getting the community more involved in participating in and improving local schools. http://communityschools.org/newsletterv.2.7.html#poll HELPING COMMUNITIES CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP For communities trying to close the achievement gap, study circles provide a process to build the trust and relationships necessary for long-term change. Community-wide study circles help bring people from diverse backgrounds and experiences together so they can develop trust, understand each other's experiences, and find ways to work together. "Helping Every Student Succeed," is a four-session guide for use in small-group, face-to-face discussions. Through this discussion guide, participants get to know each other, understand the issue, find common ground, and develop steps for action and change. http://www.studycircles.org/pages/studentachievementhome.html
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