This We Know: NMSA Washington Update

Susan Frost, Sheridan Group/Education Priorities
(Updated September 15, 2009)

On Tuesday, September 8, President Obama delivered a national address directly to students on the importance of education. It was broadcast live on the White House website www.whitehouse.gov at 12:00 p.m. eastern standard time. The President spoke at Wakefield High School in Arlington. The President's Cabinet was also dispatched to watch the president's speech and participate with students across the nation.
The President "will call for a shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible so they can compete in the global economy for good jobs and live rewarding and productive lives as American citizens." (Secretary Arne Duncan press release)

White House Media Advisory http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/MEDIA-ADVISORY-President
-Obama-to-Speak-Directly-to-Students-in-National-Address-on-Educational-Success/
Following the speech President Obama participated in a TV special with Kelly Clarkson and LeBron James "As this new school year begins, I urge you to set goals for your own education," President Obama says in the 30-minute TV special. The documentary will air at 8 p.m. Sept. 8 on BET, MTV, VH1, CMT, Comedy Central, Spike TV and Nickelodeon, all of them Viacom networks.

FYI: in other news Wednesday, September 9, President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on health care reform in prime time (the exact time of the speech has not been set).

Thursday, September 3, U.S. Department of Education Closed Out Summer Reading Initiative—"Read to the Top!"—With Record Success
A record number of Cabinet members and senior administration officials joined U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for the Department's weekly reading initiative, "Read to the Top!" during June, July and August. For 12 weeks, Secretary Duncan and 15 Cabinet members and other senior administration officials brought books to life for the more than 1,200 children. Scholastic donated 1700 books for these events so that students could bring a copy of their favorite one home. See DoED website

Wednesday, September 2, 10 AM – 1:00 PM Aspen Institute Commission on No Child Left Behind: Losing Patience with Chronically Low-Performing Schools: How to Improve School Improvement
Following up on its 2007 signature education policy blueprint, Beyond NCLB: Fulfilling the Promises to Our Nation's Children, the Aspen Institute's Commission on No Child Left Behind launched a new series of hearings to refine and build upon its previous recommendations. The Commission plans to release an addendum to their report to provide a clear roadmap for improving ESEA during the upcoming reauthorization process.

The following witnesses offered testimony to the commission:
Dr. Ronald Peiffer, Maryland Deputy State Superintendent, Baltimore, MD
Garth Harries, Assistant Superintendent for Portfolio and Performance Management, CT
Michael Contompasis, Senior Field Consultant, Mass Insight School Turnaround Strategy, MA
Phyllis Lockett, President and CEO, the Renaissance Schools Fund, Chicago, IL
Natalie Elder, Principal, Hardy Elementary School, Chattanooga TN
Steve Barr, Founder and Chairman, Green Dot Public Schools, Los Angeles, CA

Requirements Suggested by Witness for an Effective School Turnaround Model:

Core Strategy. A successful turnaround model must include a coherent plan with clear and concise principles and goals of which the both the principal and the teachers take ownership and agree to follow
Leadership. An effective turnaround model includes a principal dedicated to a core strategy and focused on a clear vision for the success of the school
Professional Development. There must be professional development embedded in every teacher's schedule and career. Ongoing teacher support and professional development is essential for the progression and success of the school

Excerpts from the hearing:

Lessons from Maryland:
In its turnaround efforts Maryland developed a "differentiated accountability pilot" which divided schools into two different categories. "Comprehensive needs" schools required complete transformation whereas, "targeted needs" schools allowed for more selective and focused involvement. This division and planning by the districts in coordination with the state allowed for proper allocation of funding and distribution of resources. Dr. Pieffer also advocated for increased federal funding for teacher and principal development, suggesting a "pipeline for creating effective leadership."

The New York New Schools Initiative:
Mr. Harries noted the importance of coherence throughout the turnaround process. Harries underscored the necessity of "making decisions consistent with school priorities." Federal funding should support planning phases as well interventions. Harries noted the difficulty of working with funding streaming from different sources. NCLB was written with a focus on programs rather than on schools. Schools should work to create system conditions conducive to successful improvement. For instance, allowing for smaller schools models and increased professional development, Harries notes, "we need to create a context so that schools are equipped to turn-around."

Advice from a Principal:
Principal Elder's most emphatic advice was for "focused, structured professional development." In fact, she compared the current investment in teacher quality to a "Neiman Marcus model with General Dollar support." In Ms. Elder's school she had an outside program that brought in a team to focus on professional development giving teachers the support, encouragement and increased understanding that they needed to succeed.

Wednesday, August 26 Draft School Improvement Guidance released by the US Department of Education. Comments will be accepted for the next 30 days. As with the Race to the Top guidance, we suggest comments on the School Improvement grants be submitted within the first 15 days of the comment period for serious consideration.
The Secretary is committed to turning around 5,000 of the lowest-achieving schools nationwide over the next 5 years—this includes identifying and serving the lowest-achieving Title I schools (including middle and high schools that are "eligible" but currently not receiving funding) in each State and providing sufficient resources over several years to implement those interventions.

$3 billion from the ARRA plus $546 million in FY2009 appropriations for School Improvement Funds will be available to support the transformational changes in these schools.

The Secretary will require each SEA to identify and serve three tiers of schools:

Tier I: lowest-achieving Title I Schools in AYP process, identified in corrective action, or restructuring
Tier II: Secondary schools (Middle or High) eligible for, but not receiving Title I funds.
Tier III: The remaining Title I schools in improvement, corrective action or restructuring

In order to receive funding the LEA must commit to one of four interventions for each Tier I and Tier II school that it commits to turnaround:

Turnaround Model: The principal and 50 percent of the staff must be replaced. The schools must adopt a new governance structure reporting to a "turnaround office" with a "turnaround leader" who reports to the superintendent who must then implement a new or revised instructional program. The LEA is required to recruit, replace and retain effective staff and provide job-embedded professional development.
Restart: LEA to close and reopen the school under charter management.
School Closure: LEA to close school and enroll students in other high-achieving schools within the LEA.
Transformation Model: To turnaround the designated schools, an LEA must address four areas: developing teacher and school leader effectiveness; implementing comprehensive instructional reform strategies; extending learning time and creating community-oriented schools; providing operating flexibility and sustained support.

Some Areas of Concern:

All of the intervention models replace the principal. Over the last eight years, many Tier II middle and high schools have not received Title I and have not been in NCLB school improvement process. Most principals want the opportunity and the resources to turn their schools around and would commit to a transformational process with accountability if given the support required.
Capacity: LEAs to determine the number of schools they have the "capacity" to serve. What happens to the schools left behind?
Replacing the principals in 5000 schools assumes there are qualified leaders to take their place. Unfortunately there has been only a small investment in building
Budget: there may not be enough funding available for Tier II schools not receiving Title I funding