Young Teachers Assess Old Views and Traditional Methods:
7 Out of 10 Gen Y Teachers Open to Incentive Pay, but Only 10 Percent Rate Standardized Testing as Successful Measure
A new study paints a national picture of Generation Y teachers revealing an openness to incentive pay. Seventy-one percent of Gen Y teachers are open to rewarding teachers based on incentive pay, whereas only 10 percent of Gen Y teachers think that student performance on standardized tests is an “excellent” measure of teacher success. The nationwide study, Supporting Teacher Talent: The View From Generation Y, from Public Agenda, a nonprofit research organization, and Learning Point Associates, a nonprofit education research and consulting organization, offers a comprehensive and nuanced look at the question of whether different generations bring different aspirations, concerns, and perspectives to teaching.
“Traditionally, teachers have strongly opposed differentiating pay based on student performance, but we found evidence that those attitudes may be changing among Gen Y teachers,” said Jane Coggshall, Ph.D., coprincipal investigator for the Supporting Teacher Talent study. “However, young teachers, like teachers of all ages, are concerned about using standardized test scores as the principal criterion.”
According to Sabrina Laine, Ph.D., chief program officer for educator quality at Learning Point Associates, “The study findings send a strong message to school leaders who need to recognize that to retain our best teachers, it is imperative to support teacher effectiveness through improved teaching and learning conditions because teachers, more than anything, want to make a difference for their students.”
The study explores the attitudes of all teachers toward how they wish to be compensated, examines how they view their unions, and expands on the following findings:
1.
Most Gen Y teachers support incentive pay for teachers who consistently work harder and put in more time and effort than other teachers. Seventy-one percent of Gen Y teachers favor giving financial incentives to teachers who consistently work harder, putting in more time and effort than other teachers, with 25 percent “strongly” in favor.
2.
Gen Y teachers are deeply concerned about using standardized test scores to measure their performance. Only 10 percent of Gen Y teachers think that how well students perform on standardized tests is an “excellent” measure of success as a teacher, and 72 percent of them believe it is unfair to tie teacher pay to how well students perform when so many things that affect learning are beyond their control.
Despite openness to incentive pay, it is not Gen Y’s first choice as a strategy for improving teaching. The idea of tying teacher rewards to student performance ranked last among 12 proposals, including requiring new teachers to spend more time teaching in classrooms under the supervision of experienced teachers, requiring teachers to pass tough tests of their knowledge of the subjects they are teaching, and ensuring that the latest technology is available in each classroom to aid instruction.
3.
Teachers’ concerns that unions sometimes protect seriously underperforming teachers have risen in recent years. Sixty-six percent of all teachers agreed that unions sometimes fight to protect teachers who should not be in the classroom, as compared with 48 percent of teachers who agreed with this statement in 2003.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
VOUCHERS WILL REDUCE DROPOUT RATES IN NC?
Review concludes that the conclusions reached by Friedman Foundation series on voucher program benefits "are not trustworthy."
A new report issued last week by the Friedman Foundation and the Georgia Public Policy Foundation is part of a series of reports asserting that dropout rates could be reduced with the implementation of private-school voucher programs, but all of these reports "cherry-pick" research authority and ignore an abundance of relevant research on high school graduation, according to a review of the first five of these reports. The review, by Professor Sherman Dorn of the University of South Florida, was published in January of 2008, and covered reports released from early 2006 through late 2007.
Find Sherman Dorn's review here.
The five reports, each specific to a given state -- Missouri, Indiana, Texas, South Carolina, and North Carolina -- are written in a parallel structure, with only "the details of the arguments chang[ing] in a formulaic manner for each state in question," according to Professor Dorn, who reviewed the reports for the Think Tank Review Project. The Georgia report follows the same formula, making the same arguments, and citing the same sources. All these reports were written by researcher Brian Gottlob.
Among their more serious flaws, Dorn finds that all the reports he reviewed:
• inadequately use existing research on dropping out and school competition;
• present a superficial calculation of the costs of dropping out;
• improperly rely on a single, imperfect 1998 article as the entire basis for their calculations on the purported impact of voucher programs on improving graduation rates; and
• ignore possible alternative approaches for raising graduation rates, instead focusing exclusively on private school voucher programs. Dorn writes: "Without a comparative analysis of alternative proposals to increase high school graduation, the reports are of little practical use to policymakers who have no means by which to gauge the value of vouchers versus other alternatives."
On their argument for vouchers as a remedy to reduce dropout rates, Dorn found that the reports "cherry-pick" a 1998 article to support the association while ignoring other, contradictory research. Moreover, these reports lack appropriate transparency in their calculations that apply that earlier article's formula to each state's dropout data. Absent the necessary statistical details, "the reports' conclusions about the benefits of school voucher programs are not trustworthy," Dorn says. The Georgia report cherry picks the same 1998 article and has precisely these same defects.
At the same time, Dorn adds, "the reports make no mention of the extensive literature exploring graduation, dropping out, and the factors that shape educational attainment." As a result, "each report obscures other program options that policy-makers could consider." These other options include preschool programs and intervention in elementary and high school grades. The Georgia report repeats these mistakes.
In addition, the reports offer only an oversimplified analysis of the costs of dropping out, both to individuals and to society. In doing so, Dorn explains, they ignore the "extensive, published debate among economists" who have found that understanding the impact of dropping out is much more complex. Dropping out is a real problem, he notes, and it deserves serious rather than superficial analysis.
Dorn notes that while dropout rates should indeed be cause for concern, the Friedman Foundation reports are not credible. He concludes by advising state policy makers who are interested in increasing graduation to bypass these reports and instead seek out "the available, well-researched scholarship on the topic," much of which he identifies in the review.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
N.C. #1: NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS
State Leads the Nation for the 14th Consecutive Year
North Carolina once again leads the nation in the total number of teachers who have earned certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards with 15,695 teachers now certified. This group of teachers accounts for nearly 19 percent of all the 83,359 National Board Certified teachers in the nation. North Carolina also ranked first in the nation in the number of newly-certified teachers, as the state is home to 1,509 of the 8,874 educators nationwide who earned the recognition this year.
Three North Carolina school districts are among the nation's top 20 in terms of the number of teachers who achieved National Board Certification in 2009. They include: Charlotte-Mecklenburg-2nd (221), Wake County-3rd (197) and Guilford-9th (69). Five North Carolina school districts are among the nation's top 20 in terms of the number of teachers who achieved National Board Certification over time. They include: Wake County-2nd (1,702), Charlotte-Mecklenburg-5th (1,439), Guilford-11th (592), Forsyth-18th (413) and Buncombe-20th (371).
North Carolina supports teachers' efforts to achieve National Board Certification in the following ways:
• Payment up front of the $2,500 assessment fee. (Teachers are obligated to teach in the state the following year whether or not they achieve certification.)
• Three paid release days from normal teacher responsibilities to develop their portfolios.
• A 12-percent salary supplement to the teachers' regular salary, good for the 10-year life of the certification.
• 15 continuing education units (CEUs) awarded to the individual for completing the National Board Certification process.
The State Board of Education awards a North Carolina teaching license to out-of-state teachers who possess National Board Certification.
National Board Certification, the highest credential in the teaching profession, requires an extensive series of performance-based assessments including teaching portfolios, student work samples, videotapes and thorough analyses of the candidates' classroom teaching and student learning. Teachers also complete a series of written exercises that probe the depth of their subject-matter knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to teach those subjects to their students.
National Board Certification was first offered in 1994, when eight North Carolina teachers achieved this professional credential. Since then, the number of teachers in the state receiving the certification has continued to grow. North Carolina has led the nation in the number of National Board Certified teachers for 14 years. The other states in the top three this year are Florida, with 13,281 and South Carolina, with 7,293 certified teachers.
For more information on National Board Certification.
North Carolina once again leads the nation in the total number of teachers who have earned certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards with 15,695 teachers now certified. This group of teachers accounts for nearly 19 percent of all the 83,359 National Board Certified teachers in the nation. North Carolina also ranked first in the nation in the number of newly-certified teachers, as the state is home to 1,509 of the 8,874 educators nationwide who earned the recognition this year.
Three North Carolina school districts are among the nation's top 20 in terms of the number of teachers who achieved National Board Certification in 2009. They include: Charlotte-Mecklenburg-2nd (221), Wake County-3rd (197) and Guilford-9th (69). Five North Carolina school districts are among the nation's top 20 in terms of the number of teachers who achieved National Board Certification over time. They include: Wake County-2nd (1,702), Charlotte-Mecklenburg-5th (1,439), Guilford-11th (592), Forsyth-18th (413) and Buncombe-20th (371).
North Carolina supports teachers' efforts to achieve National Board Certification in the following ways:
• Payment up front of the $2,500 assessment fee. (Teachers are obligated to teach in the state the following year whether or not they achieve certification.)
• Three paid release days from normal teacher responsibilities to develop their portfolios.
• A 12-percent salary supplement to the teachers' regular salary, good for the 10-year life of the certification.
• 15 continuing education units (CEUs) awarded to the individual for completing the National Board Certification process.
The State Board of Education awards a North Carolina teaching license to out-of-state teachers who possess National Board Certification.
National Board Certification, the highest credential in the teaching profession, requires an extensive series of performance-based assessments including teaching portfolios, student work samples, videotapes and thorough analyses of the candidates' classroom teaching and student learning. Teachers also complete a series of written exercises that probe the depth of their subject-matter knowledge, as well as their understanding of how to teach those subjects to their students.
National Board Certification was first offered in 1994, when eight North Carolina teachers achieved this professional credential. Since then, the number of teachers in the state receiving the certification has continued to grow. North Carolina has led the nation in the number of National Board Certified teachers for 14 years. The other states in the top three this year are Florida, with 13,281 and South Carolina, with 7,293 certified teachers.
For more information on National Board Certification.
Friday, December 11, 2009
North Carolina Educational Data Score: 8 out of 10
The 2009 Annual Progress Report on State Data Systems is a Data Quality Campaign
publication that reports on states’ progress in building the 10 Essential Elements in their statewide longitudinal data systems. States are making progress; however, many states lack critical Elements essential for addressing college and career readiness and the impact that teachers have on student achievement (Elements 5, 6 and 7).
North Carolina report
publication that reports on states’ progress in building the 10 Essential Elements in their statewide longitudinal data systems. States are making progress; however, many states lack critical Elements essential for addressing college and career readiness and the impact that teachers have on student achievement (Elements 5, 6 and 7).
North Carolina report
NC Students Learn With Video Games
Educational Video Games Positively Influence Student Attitudes toward Math
Findings Provide Compelling Evidence That the Use of Educational Video Games such as DimensionM from Tabula Digita is a Change Instructional Practice
Academic researchers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) have concluded that educational video games positively influence student achievement and significantly affect student attitudes and self-efficacy toward the study of mathematics.
Participants in the evaluation included 250 middle school students, 10 middle school mathematics teachers, and two computer resource teachers from four schools in Southeastern North Carolina. Participating schools were West Pender and Cape Fear middle schools in Pender County and Trask and D.C. Virgo middle schools in New Hanover County.
“We hoped our research would explain how playing serious, high quality, interactive video games such as DimensionM influences student achievement and self-efficacy in mathematics,” said Albert Ritzhaupt, assistant professor in the Watson School of Education and lead researcher of the study. “It not only demonstrated the impact of gaming on students, but we likewise learned a great deal about educators’ responses to and interactions with this new method of learning.”
Student evaluation of DimensionM was positive: More than 90 percent indicated that some or most of the activities were fun; approximately 67 percent felt the activities were just right in their level of complexity, and about 89 percent believed DimensionM allowed them to demonstrate some or most of their mathematics skills and knowledge. The broad evaluation examined student attitudes toward mathematics, mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement before and after the research study was conducted. Mathematics achievement was measured by student performance on a low-stakes assessment linked to North Carolina middle grades standards.
Ritzhaupt added, “During our post-research focus group, teachers were asked if they thought the relationship had changed between them and their students as a result of integrating the educational game. All teachers, 100 percent, answered that the relationship had changed, indicating that many felt that the students now saw them in a different way.”
The teachers described a closer, more personal connection to their students. One teacher stated that, “Students find gaming exciting and the mere fact that I was offering it in my classroom made a connection. It made me ‘more cool’ to them.”
“The use of modern educational games in formal K-12 settings is at a tipping point,” said Ntiedo Etuk, chief executive officer of Tabula Digita. “Research has shown that 97 percent of teenagers play video games, and that the amount of time gamers devote to playing video games is three times greater than what they devote to any other activities. So imagine what could be accomplished in a classroom where serious educational video games are readily available – the sky’s the limit.”
Ritzhaupt was joined in the research endeavor by assistant professor Heidi Higgins and technology coordinator/lecturer Beth Allred, both in the Watson School of Education.
Findings Provide Compelling Evidence That the Use of Educational Video Games such as DimensionM from Tabula Digita is a Change Instructional Practice
Academic researchers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) have concluded that educational video games positively influence student achievement and significantly affect student attitudes and self-efficacy toward the study of mathematics.
Participants in the evaluation included 250 middle school students, 10 middle school mathematics teachers, and two computer resource teachers from four schools in Southeastern North Carolina. Participating schools were West Pender and Cape Fear middle schools in Pender County and Trask and D.C. Virgo middle schools in New Hanover County.
“We hoped our research would explain how playing serious, high quality, interactive video games such as DimensionM influences student achievement and self-efficacy in mathematics,” said Albert Ritzhaupt, assistant professor in the Watson School of Education and lead researcher of the study. “It not only demonstrated the impact of gaming on students, but we likewise learned a great deal about educators’ responses to and interactions with this new method of learning.”
Student evaluation of DimensionM was positive: More than 90 percent indicated that some or most of the activities were fun; approximately 67 percent felt the activities were just right in their level of complexity, and about 89 percent believed DimensionM allowed them to demonstrate some or most of their mathematics skills and knowledge. The broad evaluation examined student attitudes toward mathematics, mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement before and after the research study was conducted. Mathematics achievement was measured by student performance on a low-stakes assessment linked to North Carolina middle grades standards.
Ritzhaupt added, “During our post-research focus group, teachers were asked if they thought the relationship had changed between them and their students as a result of integrating the educational game. All teachers, 100 percent, answered that the relationship had changed, indicating that many felt that the students now saw them in a different way.”
The teachers described a closer, more personal connection to their students. One teacher stated that, “Students find gaming exciting and the mere fact that I was offering it in my classroom made a connection. It made me ‘more cool’ to them.”
“The use of modern educational games in formal K-12 settings is at a tipping point,” said Ntiedo Etuk, chief executive officer of Tabula Digita. “Research has shown that 97 percent of teenagers play video games, and that the amount of time gamers devote to playing video games is three times greater than what they devote to any other activities. So imagine what could be accomplished in a classroom where serious educational video games are readily available – the sky’s the limit.”
Ritzhaupt was joined in the research endeavor by assistant professor Heidi Higgins and technology coordinator/lecturer Beth Allred, both in the Watson School of Education.
NC Students Above Average in Math on NAEP
North Carolina fourth and eighth graders outperformed the nation in mathematics in 2009, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress results released by the U.S. Department of Education.
North Carolina fourth graders had a particularly strong performance, increasing their average score by two points over fourth grade performance in 2007. The average score among the state's fourth graders was 244 versus 239 for the nation. Only Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Vermont performed significantly above North Carolina in fourth grade mathematics. North Carolina's performance at fourth grade was not significantly different from that of 18 other states and was higher than 29 other states or jurisdictions.
Eighth grade students in North Carolina outperformed their national counterparts although their score did not change from 2007. The average score among the state's eighth graders was 284, which is statistically higher than the national score of 282. North Carolina's eighth grade performance was higher than 19 other states or jurisdictions, not significantly different from 18 and lower than 14 states or jurisdictions.
Over time, students in North Carolina have consistently improved their performance on the NAEP. When the assessments began in the early 1990s, North Carolina students scored well below the national average. Over time, the state's performance has improved at a faster rate than the nation's performance.
In addition to reporting scale scores, NAEP also reports the percentage of students at three proficiency levels: Basic, Proficient and Advanced. Students who do not reach the Basic level are considered below Basic. The proficiency level of Basic or above is considered to be similar to North Carolina's proficient level on its end-of-grade tests. The NAEP proficiency levels are set at a very rigorous level and the Proficient level is defined as mastery over challenging subject matter. In 2009, the percentage of students scoring proficient in mathematics on North Carolina's state end-of-grade tests was 79.9 percent when student retest results were included for grades 3-8, or 72 percent without the inclusion of retests.
Since the NAEP began, the percentage of North Carolina students scoring in higher categories has dramatically improved. At the fourth grade, the below Basic category has moved from 50 percent of students in 1992 to 13 percent in 2009. At the same time, the percentage of students scoring at Basic or better has increased to 87 percent. In 1992, only 50 percent of North Carolina students were performing at the Basic level or better.
At the eighth grade level, a similar pattern is visible. The percentage of students scoring at higher levels has improved over time. In 1990, 62 percent of North Carolina eight graders were below the Basic level, but in 2009, only 26 percent are below Basic. The percentage of students at Basic or above in 2009 was 74 percent, up from 38 percent in 1990 the first year of 8th grade NAEP.
Student differences play a role in performance. While male and female students scored similarly in 2009, in grades fourth and eighth, there continues to be gaps between different racial groups. Black students had an average score that was 28 points lower than white students at the fourth grade level and 35 points lower at the eighth grade level.
Hispanic students had an average score that was 18 points lower than white students in fourth grade and 23 points lower in eighth grade.
Students who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals had lower scores than students who did not qualify. At the fourth grade level, that gap was 23 points. At the eighth grade, the gap was 30 points.
None of these gaps appeared to narrow in 2009 for North Carolina or the nation.
The NAEP assesses mathematics in five content areas: number properties and operations; measurement; geometry; data analysis, statistics, and probability; and algebra. The 2009 NAEP in mathematics was given to 4,416 North Carolina fourth graders from 190 schools. There were 4,440 eighth graders at 153 schools participating.
NAEP results were presented today in fourth and eighth grade mathematics for all 50 states, the Department of Defense schools, Bureau of Indian Education, and the District of Columbia. Only national and state-level information is available because the NAEP is given to a sample of students representing the state overall. Comparisons between North Carolina students and the nation are made using public school scores only. The NAEP tests students nationally in reading, mathematics, science, writing, civics, economics, geography, U.S. History, and the arts. Reading and mathematics are assessed every two years; the other subjects are assessed as outlined by the National Assessment Governing Board.
The NAEP is often referred to as the Nation's Report card because it is the only common assessment used in the United States that allows one to compare the performance of students with the performance of students across the nation or in other states. The NAEP Reading results for 2009 will be released in spring 2010. Reading results are being reported later than mathematics results because the reading assessments are new and testing officials are in the process of establishing new standards and mechanisms for comparing the 2009 results to the prior ones.
NC Snapshot 4th Grade Mathematics
NC Snapshot 8th Grade Mathematics
North Carolina fourth graders had a particularly strong performance, increasing their average score by two points over fourth grade performance in 2007. The average score among the state's fourth graders was 244 versus 239 for the nation. Only Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Vermont performed significantly above North Carolina in fourth grade mathematics. North Carolina's performance at fourth grade was not significantly different from that of 18 other states and was higher than 29 other states or jurisdictions.
Eighth grade students in North Carolina outperformed their national counterparts although their score did not change from 2007. The average score among the state's eighth graders was 284, which is statistically higher than the national score of 282. North Carolina's eighth grade performance was higher than 19 other states or jurisdictions, not significantly different from 18 and lower than 14 states or jurisdictions.
Over time, students in North Carolina have consistently improved their performance on the NAEP. When the assessments began in the early 1990s, North Carolina students scored well below the national average. Over time, the state's performance has improved at a faster rate than the nation's performance.
In addition to reporting scale scores, NAEP also reports the percentage of students at three proficiency levels: Basic, Proficient and Advanced. Students who do not reach the Basic level are considered below Basic. The proficiency level of Basic or above is considered to be similar to North Carolina's proficient level on its end-of-grade tests. The NAEP proficiency levels are set at a very rigorous level and the Proficient level is defined as mastery over challenging subject matter. In 2009, the percentage of students scoring proficient in mathematics on North Carolina's state end-of-grade tests was 79.9 percent when student retest results were included for grades 3-8, or 72 percent without the inclusion of retests.
Since the NAEP began, the percentage of North Carolina students scoring in higher categories has dramatically improved. At the fourth grade, the below Basic category has moved from 50 percent of students in 1992 to 13 percent in 2009. At the same time, the percentage of students scoring at Basic or better has increased to 87 percent. In 1992, only 50 percent of North Carolina students were performing at the Basic level or better.
At the eighth grade level, a similar pattern is visible. The percentage of students scoring at higher levels has improved over time. In 1990, 62 percent of North Carolina eight graders were below the Basic level, but in 2009, only 26 percent are below Basic. The percentage of students at Basic or above in 2009 was 74 percent, up from 38 percent in 1990 the first year of 8th grade NAEP.
Student differences play a role in performance. While male and female students scored similarly in 2009, in grades fourth and eighth, there continues to be gaps between different racial groups. Black students had an average score that was 28 points lower than white students at the fourth grade level and 35 points lower at the eighth grade level.
Hispanic students had an average score that was 18 points lower than white students in fourth grade and 23 points lower in eighth grade.
Students who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals had lower scores than students who did not qualify. At the fourth grade level, that gap was 23 points. At the eighth grade, the gap was 30 points.
None of these gaps appeared to narrow in 2009 for North Carolina or the nation.
The NAEP assesses mathematics in five content areas: number properties and operations; measurement; geometry; data analysis, statistics, and probability; and algebra. The 2009 NAEP in mathematics was given to 4,416 North Carolina fourth graders from 190 schools. There were 4,440 eighth graders at 153 schools participating.
NAEP results were presented today in fourth and eighth grade mathematics for all 50 states, the Department of Defense schools, Bureau of Indian Education, and the District of Columbia. Only national and state-level information is available because the NAEP is given to a sample of students representing the state overall. Comparisons between North Carolina students and the nation are made using public school scores only. The NAEP tests students nationally in reading, mathematics, science, writing, civics, economics, geography, U.S. History, and the arts. Reading and mathematics are assessed every two years; the other subjects are assessed as outlined by the National Assessment Governing Board.
The NAEP is often referred to as the Nation's Report card because it is the only common assessment used in the United States that allows one to compare the performance of students with the performance of students across the nation or in other states. The NAEP Reading results for 2009 will be released in spring 2010. Reading results are being reported later than mathematics results because the reading assessments are new and testing officials are in the process of establishing new standards and mechanisms for comparing the 2009 results to the prior ones.
NC Snapshot 4th Grade Mathematics
NC Snapshot 8th Grade Mathematics
NC In the Top 10 Nationally For Afterschool Programs
North Carolina Named a Top 10 State for Afterschool Programs But Expert Says State Has “Long Way to Go”
Afterschool Alliance Survey of North Carolina Household Finds Marked Increase in Afterschool Enrollment Since 2004, But Also Vast Unmet Demand for Afterschool Programs
Comparatively strong participation in afterschool programs by North Carolina youth, along with high satisfaction rates among their parents, has landed the state in the Afterschool Alliance’s newly named “Top 10 States for Afterschool Programs” list. The ranking is based on data from the landmark America After 3PM study, conducted for the Afterschool Alliance.
America After 3PM found that 12 percent of North Carolina schoolchildren are enrolled in afterschool programs, up from 10 percent in 2004. “North Carolina is making progress on afterschool, and can be proud of that,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant.
“But the data also show another side of the story. The majority of North Carolina parents who want their kids in afterschool programs aren’t able to find them, usually because programs aren’t available, they can’t afford the fees, or transportation issues make it impossible. These are all barriers we can and should overcome. Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Every North Carolina family that needs an afterschool program should have access to one.”
Although there has been an increase in the number of North Carolina children attending afterschool programs over the last five years, today 31 percent of the state’s schoolchildren are on their own in the afternoons, and another 13 percent are in the care of their brothers or sisters. In addition, the parents of 36 percent of children not already in afterschool say they would enroll their kids in a program if one were available.
Eighty-six percent of North Carolina parents say they are satisfied with the afterschool program their child attends. “The data underscore that, despite some progress, we still have significant work ahead if we are to make quality afterschool programs available to every child in this state,” said Jamie Knowles, Director of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs.
“Too many children who need afterschool programs don’t have them, and families are carrying a heavier burden as a result. That’s particularly difficult during these hard economic times. For afterschool programs to meet the huge unmet demand from families, they’re going to need more support from all sectors – from the business and philanthropic communities, as well as from the government at all levels.”
“This research confirms what we see every day, that afterschool programs are reaching only a fraction of the children and families that need them – and the recession is making matters worse,” said Afterschool Ambassador Claire Tate, Executive Director of Partners in Out-of- School Time in Charlotte. “Afterschool programs make such a difference in children’s lives and futures. We simply must find a way to significantly expand the availability of afterschool programs.”
The “Top 10 States for Afterschool” in the new report are: Hawaii, Arizona, New York, California, New Jersey, Virginia, New Mexico, Florida, Texas and North Carolina.
In key respects, the North Carolina results from the America After 3PM study reflect national findings:
• The number and percentage of children participating in afterschool programs in the nation has increased significantly in the last five years, with 8.4 million children (15 percent) now participating. That compares with 6.5 million children in 2004 (11 percent).
• But the number of children left alone after the school day ends also has risen, to 15.1 million children (26 percent of school-age children) in 2009. That is an increase of 800,000 children since 2004. Thirty percent of middle schoolers (3.7 million kids) are on their own, as are four percent of elementary school children (1.1 million children).
• The parents of 18.5 million children (38 percent) not currently participating in an afterschool program would enroll their children in a program if one were available to them, a significant increase from the 15.3 million (30 percent) seen in 2004.
• The vast majority of parents of children in afterschool programs are satisfied with the programs their children attend, and overall public support for afterschool programs is similarly strong. Nine in 10 parents (89 percent) are satisfied with the afterschool programs their children attend. Eight in 10 parents support public funding for afterschool programs.
Afterschool Alliance Survey of North Carolina Household Finds Marked Increase in Afterschool Enrollment Since 2004, But Also Vast Unmet Demand for Afterschool Programs
Comparatively strong participation in afterschool programs by North Carolina youth, along with high satisfaction rates among their parents, has landed the state in the Afterschool Alliance’s newly named “Top 10 States for Afterschool Programs” list. The ranking is based on data from the landmark America After 3PM study, conducted for the Afterschool Alliance.
America After 3PM found that 12 percent of North Carolina schoolchildren are enrolled in afterschool programs, up from 10 percent in 2004. “North Carolina is making progress on afterschool, and can be proud of that,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant.
“But the data also show another side of the story. The majority of North Carolina parents who want their kids in afterschool programs aren’t able to find them, usually because programs aren’t available, they can’t afford the fees, or transportation issues make it impossible. These are all barriers we can and should overcome. Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Every North Carolina family that needs an afterschool program should have access to one.”
Although there has been an increase in the number of North Carolina children attending afterschool programs over the last five years, today 31 percent of the state’s schoolchildren are on their own in the afternoons, and another 13 percent are in the care of their brothers or sisters. In addition, the parents of 36 percent of children not already in afterschool say they would enroll their kids in a program if one were available.
Eighty-six percent of North Carolina parents say they are satisfied with the afterschool program their child attends. “The data underscore that, despite some progress, we still have significant work ahead if we are to make quality afterschool programs available to every child in this state,” said Jamie Knowles, Director of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs.
“Too many children who need afterschool programs don’t have them, and families are carrying a heavier burden as a result. That’s particularly difficult during these hard economic times. For afterschool programs to meet the huge unmet demand from families, they’re going to need more support from all sectors – from the business and philanthropic communities, as well as from the government at all levels.”
“This research confirms what we see every day, that afterschool programs are reaching only a fraction of the children and families that need them – and the recession is making matters worse,” said Afterschool Ambassador Claire Tate, Executive Director of Partners in Out-of- School Time in Charlotte. “Afterschool programs make such a difference in children’s lives and futures. We simply must find a way to significantly expand the availability of afterschool programs.”
The “Top 10 States for Afterschool” in the new report are: Hawaii, Arizona, New York, California, New Jersey, Virginia, New Mexico, Florida, Texas and North Carolina.
In key respects, the North Carolina results from the America After 3PM study reflect national findings:
• The number and percentage of children participating in afterschool programs in the nation has increased significantly in the last five years, with 8.4 million children (15 percent) now participating. That compares with 6.5 million children in 2004 (11 percent).
• But the number of children left alone after the school day ends also has risen, to 15.1 million children (26 percent of school-age children) in 2009. That is an increase of 800,000 children since 2004. Thirty percent of middle schoolers (3.7 million kids) are on their own, as are four percent of elementary school children (1.1 million children).
• The parents of 18.5 million children (38 percent) not currently participating in an afterschool program would enroll their children in a program if one were available to them, a significant increase from the 15.3 million (30 percent) seen in 2004.
• The vast majority of parents of children in afterschool programs are satisfied with the programs their children attend, and overall public support for afterschool programs is similarly strong. Nine in 10 parents (89 percent) are satisfied with the afterschool programs their children attend. Eight in 10 parents support public funding for afterschool programs.
Ninth Grade Retention Rates In North Carolina
More than 90,000 students from six states repeated ninth grade in 2004-05, with nearly three in 10 students repeating ninth-grade in one of them, according to a new report from the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University.
"Still a Freshman: Examining the Prevalence and Characteristics of Ninth-Grade Retention Across Six States," introduces a new measure, the first-time ninth-grade estimate, to study ninth-grade retention rates that can help teachers and administrators identify and help students while there is time to keep them on the graduation path. The report also looks at students who are repeating ninth grade by school size, location, percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, race/ethnicity, and pupil/teacher ratio.
The states are Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Because states do not distinguish between repeat and first-time ninth-graders when they report fall enrollments, the estimate uses adjusted counts of first-time ninth-graders who are used by the states to calculate graduation rates, explained the report's author Thomas C. West, a senior research analyst at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. The estimate is calculated by dividing the adjusted number of first-time ninth-graders from the graduation rate by the total number of ninth-grade students reported for the same school year. The study focuses on the class of 2008, whose members were ninth-graders in 2004-05.
The six states were chosen because they use the same method to calculate graduation rates for the Class of 2008 and because they represent not only the areas producing the most dropouts, but also those with average dropout rates, showing that the new measure is reliable in different conditions.
Data from Colorado, New Mexico and Rhode Island are also available there.
Ninth grade is found to be a critical year because students who are not successful often drop out. Most schools and districts depend on graduation rates to measure student success, but they are reported too late to get help to students who need it.
Other findings include:
- In South Carolina more than 40 percent of high schools had ninth-grade retention rates above 30 percent. In Massachusetts, New York, Indiana and Virginia, 5 to 8 percent of the schools had retention rates above 30 percent.
- Nearly three in 10 students repeated ninth grade in South Carolina; two in 10 in North Carolina and slightly more than 10 percent in New York, Indiana and Virginia.
- One in 10 students repeated ninth grade in Massachusetts.
- In Massachusetts, New York, Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina, more than one-third of the students attended schools with first-time ninth-grade estimates below the state average. In South Carolina, more than two-third s of the students attended schools with estimates below the state average.
- As concentrations of poor and minority students increase in a school, the percentage of students repeating ninth grade also rises.
"Still a Freshman: Examining the Prevalence and Characteristics of Ninth-Grade Retention Across Six States," introduces a new measure, the first-time ninth-grade estimate, to study ninth-grade retention rates that can help teachers and administrators identify and help students while there is time to keep them on the graduation path. The report also looks at students who are repeating ninth grade by school size, location, percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch, race/ethnicity, and pupil/teacher ratio.
The states are Indiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
Because states do not distinguish between repeat and first-time ninth-graders when they report fall enrollments, the estimate uses adjusted counts of first-time ninth-graders who are used by the states to calculate graduation rates, explained the report's author Thomas C. West, a senior research analyst at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. The estimate is calculated by dividing the adjusted number of first-time ninth-graders from the graduation rate by the total number of ninth-grade students reported for the same school year. The study focuses on the class of 2008, whose members were ninth-graders in 2004-05.
The six states were chosen because they use the same method to calculate graduation rates for the Class of 2008 and because they represent not only the areas producing the most dropouts, but also those with average dropout rates, showing that the new measure is reliable in different conditions.
Data from Colorado, New Mexico and Rhode Island are also available there.
Ninth grade is found to be a critical year because students who are not successful often drop out. Most schools and districts depend on graduation rates to measure student success, but they are reported too late to get help to students who need it.
Other findings include:
- In South Carolina more than 40 percent of high schools had ninth-grade retention rates above 30 percent. In Massachusetts, New York, Indiana and Virginia, 5 to 8 percent of the schools had retention rates above 30 percent.
- Nearly three in 10 students repeated ninth grade in South Carolina; two in 10 in North Carolina and slightly more than 10 percent in New York, Indiana and Virginia.
- One in 10 students repeated ninth grade in Massachusetts.
- In Massachusetts, New York, Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina, more than one-third of the students attended schools with first-time ninth-grade estimates below the state average. In South Carolina, more than two-third s of the students attended schools with estimates below the state average.
- As concentrations of poor and minority students increase in a school, the percentage of students repeating ninth grade also rises.
New NC Standards
STATE'S STANDARD COURSE OF STUDY RECEIVES FIRST MAJOR REVISION THROUGH PASSAGE OF ESSENTIAL STANDARDS
After numerous face-to-face and virtual meetings, thousands of comments and three rewrites, the State Board of Education today approved the essential standards for K-12 Mathematics, English 10, the Occupational Course of Study and K-12 Information and Technology. This first group of essential standards, which become effective in the 2011-12 school year, are an integral part of the statewide Accountability and Curriculum Reform Effort (ACRE) approved by the State Board of Education as part of its "Framework for Change."
"North Carolina's Standard Course of Study has been criticized for being an inch deep and a mile wide," State Superintendent June Atkinson said. "The new essential standards clarify for teachers and others the fundamental skills and knowledge students must master to be successful at the next grade level."
ACRE is the state's comprehensive initiative to redefine its Standard Course of Study for K-12 students, its assessment program and the state accountability model. The work in these three areas is occurring simultaneously and will be completed in stages over the next five years. These efforts include:
Identifying the most critical knowledge and skills that students need to learn.
Creating new tests in reading and mathematics for grades 3-8, science in grades 5 and 8, and selected high school courses. These tests would use more open-ended questions, more technology and more real-world applications.
Providing a new model for measuring school success that gives parents and educators more relevant information about how well schools are preparing students for college and careers.
State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison said the Department's ACRE initiative is the "most important and significant work of the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction in a generation." He added that no other state is revising its curriculum, assessment program and accountability model at the same time. "We were a pioneer in the 1990s when the ABCs accountability program was created. With ACRE we find ourselves once again in that pioneering role. It's exhilarating to be part of an effort that will positively change public schools and students for generations to come."
The essential standards approved by the Board were the results of efforts of statewide writing teams comprised of classroom teachers, school administrators, content and curriculum experts from the NCDPI, university and community college faculty and national experts on curriculum design and testing. Writing teams are currently working on the next group of essential standards for K-9 and 11-12 English Language Arts, K-12 social studies, foreign languages, healthful living and fine arts. These standards are projected to go into effect in the 2012-13 school year. Essential standards for K-12 science began development as part of the first group and are still being developed. The science standards should be implemented no later than the 2012-13 school year.
To support successful implementation of the essential standards, Department staff is developing teacher "tookits" for each content area as well as a professional development plan for rolling out the standards to educators across the state.
"This is an incredible undertaking and the efforts currently underway to make this a reality are inspiring. I applaud North Carolina educators for their willingness to tackle so much in a relatively short time," Atkinson said.
After numerous face-to-face and virtual meetings, thousands of comments and three rewrites, the State Board of Education today approved the essential standards for K-12 Mathematics, English 10, the Occupational Course of Study and K-12 Information and Technology. This first group of essential standards, which become effective in the 2011-12 school year, are an integral part of the statewide Accountability and Curriculum Reform Effort (ACRE) approved by the State Board of Education as part of its "Framework for Change."
"North Carolina's Standard Course of Study has been criticized for being an inch deep and a mile wide," State Superintendent June Atkinson said. "The new essential standards clarify for teachers and others the fundamental skills and knowledge students must master to be successful at the next grade level."
ACRE is the state's comprehensive initiative to redefine its Standard Course of Study for K-12 students, its assessment program and the state accountability model. The work in these three areas is occurring simultaneously and will be completed in stages over the next five years. These efforts include:
Identifying the most critical knowledge and skills that students need to learn.
Creating new tests in reading and mathematics for grades 3-8, science in grades 5 and 8, and selected high school courses. These tests would use more open-ended questions, more technology and more real-world applications.
Providing a new model for measuring school success that gives parents and educators more relevant information about how well schools are preparing students for college and careers.
State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison said the Department's ACRE initiative is the "most important and significant work of the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction in a generation." He added that no other state is revising its curriculum, assessment program and accountability model at the same time. "We were a pioneer in the 1990s when the ABCs accountability program was created. With ACRE we find ourselves once again in that pioneering role. It's exhilarating to be part of an effort that will positively change public schools and students for generations to come."
The essential standards approved by the Board were the results of efforts of statewide writing teams comprised of classroom teachers, school administrators, content and curriculum experts from the NCDPI, university and community college faculty and national experts on curriculum design and testing. Writing teams are currently working on the next group of essential standards for K-9 and 11-12 English Language Arts, K-12 social studies, foreign languages, healthful living and fine arts. These standards are projected to go into effect in the 2012-13 school year. Essential standards for K-12 science began development as part of the first group and are still being developed. The science standards should be implemented no later than the 2012-13 school year.
To support successful implementation of the essential standards, Department staff is developing teacher "tookits" for each content area as well as a professional development plan for rolling out the standards to educators across the state.
"This is an incredible undertaking and the efforts currently underway to make this a reality are inspiring. I applaud North Carolina educators for their willingness to tackle so much in a relatively short time," Atkinson said.
FEWER NC TEACHERS LEFT CLASSROOMS IN 08-09
Fewer teachers left their jobs last year according to the annual Teacher Turnover Report presented to the State Board of Education at its meeting today in Raleigh. According to the statewide report, local school systems had an average teacher turnover rate of 12.72 percent for 2008-09, slightly less than the 2007-08 rate of 13.85 percent. North Carolina's teacher turnover rate also remained lower than the 16.8 percent rate of turnover among all teachers in the United States. The report will be officially approved by the State Board at its October meeting.
"It is reassuring to see that, out of the 12,595 teachers who left their schools last year, almost one-third of them remained in education," said State Superintendent June Atkinson. "The number one reason nearly 22 percent of these educators gave for leaving was to take teaching jobs in other school districts, charter schools or private schools so we were successful in keeping many talented professionals in North Carolina classrooms."
Local district turnover rates ranged from a high of 25.69 percent in Jones County to a low of .75 percent in Camden County. Local district figures are included in the complete Teacher Turnover Report
Retirement was listed as the second most cited reason for leaving the classroom at 16.03 percent or 2,019 teachers. In almost 89 percent of these cases, the retiring teachers were retiring with full benefits. The third most common reason teachers cited for leaving was resignation due to family relocation (11.73 percent or 1,478 teachers) followed by resignation for other reasons or unknown reasons (11.60 percent or 1,461 teachers). Rounding out the top five reasons for leaving was teachers who stayed in their school district but moved to a non-teaching position (7.07 percent or 891 teachers).
Also as a part of the report, school districts were asked to identify the subject areas in which they had the most difficulty hiring appropriately-licensed teachers. The top five were high school mathematics and science, special education: general curriculum and middle school math and science.
"North Carolina has some of the brightest and most creative educators so it is a loss when any of them choose to leave the teaching profession," said State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison. "We are going to continue to use data from this report and the Teacher Working Conditions Survey to make sure we can keep as many great teachers as possible in our state’s public schools."
The State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction, supported by the General Assembly, already have a number of initiatives in place to help recruit and retain teachers. Efforts include:
alternative entry licensure routes;
a state teacher recruitment and retention center;
a three-year induction program and mentors for new teachers;
regional licensure centers to help lateral entry teachers;
12 percent pay increases for teachers with National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification;
10 percent pay increases for teachers with relevant master's degrees;
special recognition and awards programs, such as N.C. Teacher of the Year;
teacher scholarship loans; and
Future Teachers of America/Teacher Cadet programs, to encourage students to consider a teaching career.
"It is reassuring to see that, out of the 12,595 teachers who left their schools last year, almost one-third of them remained in education," said State Superintendent June Atkinson. "The number one reason nearly 22 percent of these educators gave for leaving was to take teaching jobs in other school districts, charter schools or private schools so we were successful in keeping many talented professionals in North Carolina classrooms."
Local district turnover rates ranged from a high of 25.69 percent in Jones County to a low of .75 percent in Camden County. Local district figures are included in the complete Teacher Turnover Report
Retirement was listed as the second most cited reason for leaving the classroom at 16.03 percent or 2,019 teachers. In almost 89 percent of these cases, the retiring teachers were retiring with full benefits. The third most common reason teachers cited for leaving was resignation due to family relocation (11.73 percent or 1,478 teachers) followed by resignation for other reasons or unknown reasons (11.60 percent or 1,461 teachers). Rounding out the top five reasons for leaving was teachers who stayed in their school district but moved to a non-teaching position (7.07 percent or 891 teachers).
Also as a part of the report, school districts were asked to identify the subject areas in which they had the most difficulty hiring appropriately-licensed teachers. The top five were high school mathematics and science, special education: general curriculum and middle school math and science.
"North Carolina has some of the brightest and most creative educators so it is a loss when any of them choose to leave the teaching profession," said State Board of Education Chairman Bill Harrison. "We are going to continue to use data from this report and the Teacher Working Conditions Survey to make sure we can keep as many great teachers as possible in our state’s public schools."
The State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction, supported by the General Assembly, already have a number of initiatives in place to help recruit and retain teachers. Efforts include:
alternative entry licensure routes;
a state teacher recruitment and retention center;
a three-year induction program and mentors for new teachers;
regional licensure centers to help lateral entry teachers;
12 percent pay increases for teachers with National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification;
10 percent pay increases for teachers with relevant master's degrees;
special recognition and awards programs, such as N.C. Teacher of the Year;
teacher scholarship loans; and
Future Teachers of America/Teacher Cadet programs, to encourage students to consider a teaching career.
SAT, ACT, AP Results: NC
NC SAT Scores Mirror National Trend; AP Results Show Improvements
North Carolina students' performance on the SAT in 2009 mirrored the national trend, with average critical reading scores dropping by one point, according to the annual report from The College Board. Participation remained high at 63 percent in North Carolina, where the SAT is not a required test but is taken by college-bound students. Nationally, the SAT participation rate is 46 percent.
North Carolina's average score is 1,006 - 495 in critical reading and 511 in mathematics. The national average score is 1,016 - 501 in critical reading and 515 in mathematics. The test scores reported today are based on the most recent SAT taken by public and private school graduating seniors in 2009.
Although the SAT report focuses on all students in public and private schools, the performance of public school students remained the same in 2009 and, in fact, the math score for public school students in North Carolina was one point higher than the nation's. When only public school students are considered, North Carolina's math score was 511. In critical reading, the score was 492 for North Carolina public school students, four points lower than the nation's public school students.
In addition to SAT performance, the College Board also reported Advanced Placement (AP) test performance, another measure of college-readiness. On the AP tests, North Carolina students posted increased participation rates and a higher percentage of passing scores. AP participation in 2009 was 47,576 test takers (up 4.1 percent from 2008). Students took 89,344 tests, a 4.6 percent increase from last year. The number of scores in the 3-5 range (considered high enough to qualify for college credit at most colleges and universities) was 52,588, which is a 6.2 percent increase from last year's results.
"The story in North Carolina is about increasing aspirations," said State Superintendent June Atkinson. "Over time, more North Carolina students have decided to take the SAT and AP courses. This increase offers proof that that more young people see education as the key to their future success."
Among the 22 "SAT states" with more than 50 percent of students taking the SAT, North Carolina has the second largest 10-year gain (18 points) in mathematics, behind South Carolina (21 points).
The gap between North Carolina's critical reading and math scores total and the nation's score total is 10 points. North Carolina has been closing that gap for a number of years, posting an average yearly gain on the SAT of approximately three points since 1989, compared with about .5 points for the nation. Since 1990, North Carolina has narrowed the gap from 53 points to 10 points.
North Carolina's math score on the SAT was 511, same as in 2008. The nation's math score was 515 - just as it has been since 2007.
Critical reading scores in North Carolina were 495 in 2009, one point lower than in 2008. The nation's critical reading score was 501 in 2009, also one point lower than in 2008.
The number of test takers in North Carolina increased to 57,147 in 2009, a 1.2 percent increase over 2008. By comparison, the number of SAT takers in the nation increased by .7 percent.
In additional to reading and math, the SAT includes a writing component although it is not commonly reported as a part of the combined SAT scores. The writing component of the SAT has been included in the test since 2006. North Carolina's average writing score was 480. The nation's average score was 493. Since its inception, the writing test results have remained fairly constant for the nation and state.
The number of students taking the SAT increased across all identified racial categories, except for American Indian students, although performance varied by race.
The SAT is one of the college admissions tests widely accepted and required by colleges and universities and the one most commonly taken in North Carolina. The other major college admission test, taken by 15 percent of North Carolina students (13,347), is the ACT. Students in this state also increased their performance on the ACT exam in 2009. North Carolina students outperformed the nation on the ACT with an average composite score of 21.6 compared to the national composite of 21.1. The ACT is scored on a scale of 1 to 36 with 36 being the highest possible score.
North Carolina ACT Report
North Carolina SAT Report
NC CHARTERS DO WELL IN READING
Charter Schools in North Carolina Perform Significantly Better Than Their Traditional Public School Peers in Reading
A new report issued by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University found that there is a wide variance in the quality of the nation’s several thousand charter schools with, in the aggregate, students in charter schools not faring as well as students in traditional public schools.
The analysis looks at student achievement growth on state achievement tests in both reading and math with controls for student demographics and eligibility for program support such as free or reduced-price lunch and special education. The analysis includes the most current student achievement data from 15 states and the District of Columbia and gauges whether students who attend charter schools fare better than if they would have attended a traditional public school.
North Carolina
A supplemental report, with an in-depth examination of the results for charter schools in North Carolina found that reading gains were significantly higher and math gains significantly lower in charter school students compared to their traditional public school peers. For students that are low income, charter schools had a larger and more positive effect on reading and no difference in math compared to their traditional public school peers. African-American students performed significantly below their traditional public school counterparts in math, with no discernable difference in reading.
The results also suggest that new charter school students in North Carolina do about the same in reading and have an initial loss of learning in math compared to their counterparts in traditional public schools. In subsequent years, charter school students show no significantly different or better gains in reading and math from charter school attendance compared to their counterparts in traditional public schools.
Overall State Results
The report found that achievement results varied by states that reported individual data. States with reading and math gains that were significantly higher for charter school students than would have occurred in traditional schools included: Arkansas, Colorado (Denver), Illinois (Chicago), Louisiana and Missouri.
States with reading and math gains that were either mixed or were not different than their peers in the traditional public school system included: California, the District of Columbia, Georgia and North Carolina.
States with reading and math gains that were significantly below their peers in the traditional public school system included: Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Texas.
Full report and executive summary.
North Carolina report.
A new report issued by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University found that there is a wide variance in the quality of the nation’s several thousand charter schools with, in the aggregate, students in charter schools not faring as well as students in traditional public schools.
The analysis looks at student achievement growth on state achievement tests in both reading and math with controls for student demographics and eligibility for program support such as free or reduced-price lunch and special education. The analysis includes the most current student achievement data from 15 states and the District of Columbia and gauges whether students who attend charter schools fare better than if they would have attended a traditional public school.
North Carolina
A supplemental report, with an in-depth examination of the results for charter schools in North Carolina found that reading gains were significantly higher and math gains significantly lower in charter school students compared to their traditional public school peers. For students that are low income, charter schools had a larger and more positive effect on reading and no difference in math compared to their traditional public school peers. African-American students performed significantly below their traditional public school counterparts in math, with no discernable difference in reading.
The results also suggest that new charter school students in North Carolina do about the same in reading and have an initial loss of learning in math compared to their counterparts in traditional public schools. In subsequent years, charter school students show no significantly different or better gains in reading and math from charter school attendance compared to their counterparts in traditional public schools.
Overall State Results
The report found that achievement results varied by states that reported individual data. States with reading and math gains that were significantly higher for charter school students than would have occurred in traditional schools included: Arkansas, Colorado (Denver), Illinois (Chicago), Louisiana and Missouri.
States with reading and math gains that were either mixed or were not different than their peers in the traditional public school system included: California, the District of Columbia, Georgia and North Carolina.
States with reading and math gains that were significantly below their peers in the traditional public school system included: Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Texas.
Full report and executive summary.
North Carolina report.
NCLB: A Negative Impact on Some NC Students?
New Study Finds Little Evidence That Federal Emphasis on “Proficient” Performance Has Shortchanged Advanced or Low-Achieving Students
Many States Show Gains Since 2002 at All Achievement Levels
State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08, Part I: Is the Emphasis on “Proficiency” Shortchanging Higher- and Lower-Achieving Students?
North Carolina report
Student performance on state reading and math tests has generally risen at three achievement levels, according to a 50-state study by the Center on Education Policy (CEP). The study found more states with gains than declines in the percentages of students reaching or exceeding the basic, proficient, and advanced levels of achievement, and relatively few instances of sizeable declines in the percentage scoring below the basic level.
Achievement also improved in most states at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
The CEP study analyzed test score trends, where available, from 2002, the year the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) took effect, through 2008. (Some states did not have trends going back to 2002 because they had adopted new tests or made other major changes in their testing systems.) The study expands on CEP’s previous two reports on achievement by examining, for the first time, test results at the “advanced” level and at the “basic” level-and-above—as well as at the “proficient” level and above, which is the benchmark that matters most for federal accountability under NCLB.
Assessing Performance at Levels Above and Below Proficient
CEP found that, even though NCLB creates incentives for schools to focus on ensuring students reach the proficient level, states posted gains at the advanced and basic-and-above levels as well. At the basic-and-above level, 73 percent of the trend lines analyzed across various subjects and grades showed gains. At the advanced level, 71 percent of the trend lines analyzed showed improvement.
“If accountability policies were indeed shortchanging high- and low-achieving students, we would expect to see stagnation or decline at the basic and advanced levels,” said Jack Jennings, CEP’s president and CEO. “Instead, the percentages of students scoring at the basic-and-above and advanced levels have increased much more often than they have decreased, especially in the lower grades.”
Gains were somewhat more prevalent at the proficient-and-above level than at the other two achievement levels. Of the trend lines analyzed at the proficient-and-above level, 83 percent displayed gains, while 15 percent showed declines. The size of the gains was also larger, on average, at the proficient-and-above level. However, this may be partly due to a test-related statistical issue: When average test scores go up, the percentage of students at the proficient level tends to grow faster than at the basic and advanced levels because more students’ scores tend to be clustered near the proficient level.
At the advanced level, the size of the gains in elementary and middle school math were close or equal to those at the proficient level and there were more upward trends than downward. These findings generally point to a significant movement of students from proficient to advanced. At the basic level, too, there were more gains than declines. Although some states posted declines at the basic level, most were slight.
“There are several possible explanations for the upward trends. The most hopeful explanation is that students are learning more and consequently are performing better on state tests,” Jennings said. “There is probably also a cumulative effect of test-focused instruction at work.”
More gains have been made in math than in reading, according to the report. The size of the percentage gains across all states was greater in math than in reading, data which is confirmed by the results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
HIGH SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT CONTINUES TO LAG
The report notes that achievement at the high school level has improved but still lags behind elementary and middle school achievement. The average annual percentage point gains for high school students tended to be lower than at the elementary or middle school levels. There may be several reasons for the divergence in performance between students at the lower and higher grades, among them that it is more difficult to engage and motive high school students or that high schools receive fewer federal resources.
Although CEP collected test data from all 50 states, achievement trends were included in the report only for states with at least three years of comparable test data for a particular subject, grade, and achievement level. A change in test results was considered to be a “trend” only if it was based on at least three years of data in order to account for yearly fluctuations in test scores that are unrelated to students’ learning.
, is available at
Many States Show Gains Since 2002 at All Achievement Levels
State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08, Part I: Is the Emphasis on “Proficiency” Shortchanging Higher- and Lower-Achieving Students?
North Carolina report
Student performance on state reading and math tests has generally risen at three achievement levels, according to a 50-state study by the Center on Education Policy (CEP). The study found more states with gains than declines in the percentages of students reaching or exceeding the basic, proficient, and advanced levels of achievement, and relatively few instances of sizeable declines in the percentage scoring below the basic level.
Achievement also improved in most states at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
The CEP study analyzed test score trends, where available, from 2002, the year the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) took effect, through 2008. (Some states did not have trends going back to 2002 because they had adopted new tests or made other major changes in their testing systems.) The study expands on CEP’s previous two reports on achievement by examining, for the first time, test results at the “advanced” level and at the “basic” level-and-above—as well as at the “proficient” level and above, which is the benchmark that matters most for federal accountability under NCLB.
Assessing Performance at Levels Above and Below Proficient
CEP found that, even though NCLB creates incentives for schools to focus on ensuring students reach the proficient level, states posted gains at the advanced and basic-and-above levels as well. At the basic-and-above level, 73 percent of the trend lines analyzed across various subjects and grades showed gains. At the advanced level, 71 percent of the trend lines analyzed showed improvement.
“If accountability policies were indeed shortchanging high- and low-achieving students, we would expect to see stagnation or decline at the basic and advanced levels,” said Jack Jennings, CEP’s president and CEO. “Instead, the percentages of students scoring at the basic-and-above and advanced levels have increased much more often than they have decreased, especially in the lower grades.”
Gains were somewhat more prevalent at the proficient-and-above level than at the other two achievement levels. Of the trend lines analyzed at the proficient-and-above level, 83 percent displayed gains, while 15 percent showed declines. The size of the gains was also larger, on average, at the proficient-and-above level. However, this may be partly due to a test-related statistical issue: When average test scores go up, the percentage of students at the proficient level tends to grow faster than at the basic and advanced levels because more students’ scores tend to be clustered near the proficient level.
At the advanced level, the size of the gains in elementary and middle school math were close or equal to those at the proficient level and there were more upward trends than downward. These findings generally point to a significant movement of students from proficient to advanced. At the basic level, too, there were more gains than declines. Although some states posted declines at the basic level, most were slight.
“There are several possible explanations for the upward trends. The most hopeful explanation is that students are learning more and consequently are performing better on state tests,” Jennings said. “There is probably also a cumulative effect of test-focused instruction at work.”
More gains have been made in math than in reading, according to the report. The size of the percentage gains across all states was greater in math than in reading, data which is confirmed by the results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
HIGH SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT CONTINUES TO LAG
The report notes that achievement at the high school level has improved but still lags behind elementary and middle school achievement. The average annual percentage point gains for high school students tended to be lower than at the elementary or middle school levels. There may be several reasons for the divergence in performance between students at the lower and higher grades, among them that it is more difficult to engage and motive high school students or that high schools receive fewer federal resources.
Although CEP collected test data from all 50 states, achievement trends were included in the report only for states with at least three years of comparable test data for a particular subject, grade, and achievement level. A change in test results was considered to be a “trend” only if it was based on at least three years of data in order to account for yearly fluctuations in test scores that are unrelated to students’ learning.
, is available at
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
