Earlier today, President Barack Obama spoke about high school dropouts, and how he hopes to help the cause. The numbers are scary. About 7,000 students drop out of high school a day. Yes, everyday! That’s more than a million a year nationwide and you can only imagine the consequences of all those students not completing their high school education. You’ve heard BoardBuzz talk about high school graduation rates before, but alongside President Obama’s efforts is another familiar face, General Colin Powell.  He and his wife, Alma, and their organization (America’s Promise Alliance) are starting Grad Nation, which they hope will curb the dropout problem.

What’s common knowledge doesn’t mean there’s a common solution.  The education community understands that many of these dropouts are in large and urban districts, and these same districts are the ones being concentrated on as the lowest performing schools that need to be changed.  The administration and the Department of Education have made it very clear that they are targeting the 2,000 schools that contribute the most to the dropout problem.  But with grants and promises of major funding coming from the government, is that all these districts need?  We know, based on the work that the Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) does within NSBA, that one size does not fit all.  Each district has its unique issue to address and a network of like-minded solutions must be draw upon for success.  We’re hopeful that the network set up by America’s Promise will help shape policies and programs that help school districts succeed.  With $900 million to utilize as transformational grants, BoardBuzz hopes it pays off and changes graduation rates for good.

With all that is going around in the world of education lately, this suggestion from Ohio popped up from among the edu-chatter.  A report from the Greater Ohio Policy Center and The Brookings Institution suggests that Ohio consolidate many of its school districts and reduce the number of districts in the state from 613 to somewhere around 400 instead. 

The justification is that Ohio spends far too much money on administrators and not enough in the classroom.  They suggest the state take on a “base-closing” examination, similar to what the military did to reduce the number of bases in the military and limit redundancies, with schools.  Of course, there is opposition to this idea, which got BoardBuzz thinking.

What if all states reduced the number of districts and consolidated, would there be a financial savings in the long run?  How much would the increased travel time that would be required to bus students longer distances cost?  What are the impacts on student achievement in schools where students spend long periods of time going to and from school?  Could this be something other states should consider?  We know that many districts have consolidated in the past (see NSBA’s resources), but would a state be able to make this change wholesale and pass it off as education reform?  It sounds like Ohio isn’t close to making this a reality, but it certainly got us thinking…

Parent and family involvement in schools has been shown to make children: feel more connected to the school; have better academic performance and attendance; reduce internalizing behaviors such as depression and anxiety; reduce externalizing behaviors such as aggression or delinquent behaviors; be more aware of and avoid substance abuse and risky sexual behavior; and achieve and maintain health and fitness.  In addition, involving parent and families in schools is cost-effective – certain studies show that schools would have to spend $1,000 more per pupil to reap the same gains in student achievement that an involved parent brings. 

If there are so many benefits to involving parents and families, why does this not happen in every single school in America?  Well, for one, there are some barriers to getting parents to attend parent involvement intervention programs (and getting them to attend regularly).   These can include: lack of child care and transportation, work schedule conflicts, stressful financial situations, residential mobility, marital or relationship conflict, and the lack of positive relationships with school teachers and administrators. 

Another factor is the lack of “shared responsibility.”  Shared responsibility requires parents to do their part to support their children’s learning, from turning off the TV, to checking homework, to communicating with teachers about their children’s progress.  But although parents want the best for their children, many don’t receive the information and support they need to understand the importance of the parental role in children’s education and how to best fulfill that role.  Parents are more likely to be engaged when school personnel inform them of the importance of being involved as well as value, expect, and invite them to be involved.  As all you education policymakers know so well, knowledge is power.

That’s why BoardBuzz wants to share three new publications that can help school leaders relay the importance of “shared responsibility” to parents and families, but also learn which parent and family programs work and which don’t. 

The first publication, jointly released by the PTA and Harvard Family Research Project, conveys the importance of “shared responsibility”; lists the core district-level components necessary for systemic family engagement; highlights five promising practices that ensure that family involvement efforts are established throughout the district; and describes the successful family engagement practices of six school districts.  The two other publications, released by Child Trends, communicate what works for parent involvement programs for children and adolescents. 

To learn more about these publications, click here.

Are your schools effectively involving parents and families?  What have been the outcomes?  Leave us a comment.

A documentary being shown at the Sundance Film Festival is getting some attention, and a recent blog from well known (and well respected) critic Roger Ebert caught our attention, mostly because he makes some statements that can be difficult to digest.  In “Waiting for Superman,” the filmmakers look at America’s failing educational system and blame many of our woes on America’s teachers’ unions.  Ebert points out that Davis Guggenheim, who made the documentary, is the same man who brought us “An Inconvenient Truth,” so he’s not exactly what many would call a right-wing conspiracy theorist.

What struck us at BoardBuzz wasn’t so much the review of the film, which is getting a fair bit of press in the edu-circles on the web, but some of Mr. Ebert’s commentary on education as a whole.  He brings into the argument the chancellor of the Washington, D.C. public schools, Michelle Rhee, who made her own headlines over the weekend pitting herself against teacher’s unions after accusing many dismissed teachers of having sex with and hitting students in the D.C. schools.  While we would like to put these issues aside, is she the solution?  Is this Super(wo)man?  

The truth is it’s not one entity’s fault, it’s a combination of factors and to over-simplify the argument can be scary.  Of course there are good and great teachers who belong to teachers’ unions, mostly due to the coverage they get for legal reasons if they are accused of something they didn’t do.  Of course there are principals and administators that work hard to make their school and district a success.  And of course there are bad educational workers out there doing harm.  Teacher quality is an issue that is too important to over-simplify, and as BoardBuzz has pointed out in the past, giving teachers incentives like national board certification to be better can be worth the extra money.  We look forward to seeing the film when it is released.  Stay tuned.

Planning to attend your state school boards association conference or NSBA’s Annual Conference this year? It’s a tough decision in today’s economic climate, but professional development is an investment in improving your district’s student achievement. Reno Contipelli, Board President from Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio, wouldn’t consider skipping either event.  Hear Reno’s thoughts on the importance of professional development, and see how he spent his time and what he learned at last year’s NSBA Annual Conference:

So spoke Governor Bob Wise of the Alliance for Excellent Education (AEE) at the release of their new study on the economic benefits of reducing the dropout rate in the nation’s 45 largest metropolitan areas. 

“The Economic Benefits from Halving the Dropout Rate” measures on a city-by-city basis the growth in jobs, home ownership, levels of spending and investment, and car sales that will result from cutting the high school dropout rate in half. 

Nationally, the study estimates that halving the dropout rate of Class of 2008 could have resulted in: $4.1 billion in increased earning, $2.9 billion in additional savings and investments, $10.5 billion in increased home sales, $536 million in increased tax revenue and 30,000 new jobs.

The report includes detailed findings for many of NSBA’s CUBE districts, including: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Denver, Detroit, El Paso, Fresno, Honolulu, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City (MO), Las Vegas, Los Angeles-Long Beach, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New York City, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Philadelphia, Phoenix-Mesa, Portland (OR), Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco-Oakland, San Jose, Seattle, Tucson, Tulsa, Virginia Beach, Washington, DC, and Wichita.  See the city-by-city results . 

AEE partnered with and State Farm Insurance to develop the model because from the business perspective, investment in education has an impact on the economy that is undeniable.  America’s Promise also participated in the study, noting that the U.S. Department of Education has already embarked on an ambitious education agenda.  BoardBuzz agrees that a robust investment in education pays off for individuals, communities and the nation.

Is your school district in city one of the areas studied?  What do you think of the results?

The landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision was the theme of NSBA’s hand decorated ornament at the White House this year.  Initiated by First Lady Michelle Obama and coordinated by the National Policy Alliance and others, non-profit organizations were invited to decorate ornaments that commemorate local American landmarks.  Kanisha Williams-Jones and Myra Maxwell of NSBA selected the U.S. Supreme Court as a landmark and used decoupage to decorate an ornament with items depicting the 1954 court case that struck down segregation in schools and propelled educational and social reform throughout the United States.   

Hundreds of landmark ornaments decorated the White House, but BoardBuzz has it on good authority that the NSBA ornament was prominently placed for easy viewing.  NSBA board members and several staff had an opportunity to see the ornament during a tour of the White House in December.  Another of the 26 trees at the White House was a Wish Tree made of recycled cardboard and constructed so that visitors could write down a wish and insert it into the tree’s branches. 

BoardBuzz hopes everyone’s wishes come true in 2010 and congratulates all those who participated in this celebration of equity and excellence in education.

With the introduction of S 2896,  the “Principal Recruitment and Retention Act,” Senators Al Franken (D-MN) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) hope to close the achievement gap by assuring that high need schools have highly qualified principals who can improve instruction, assessments and the use of data, and can recruit and retain effective teachers.  Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA 53^rd) and Todd Platts (R-PA 19^th) introduced a companion bill in the House (HR 4354). 

Research shows that school leadership is second only to teacher quality among school-related factors in its impact on student learning – that’s why the Minnesota School Boards Association and NSBA are on the record supporting the legislation.  The bill creates a grant program for school districts (and to other entities, such as non-profits and universities, that establish partnerships with school districts) for high-quality training programs that prepare principals to improve student academic achievement in high-need schools.  Each grantee will recruit, train and support aspiring and/or current principals who commit to serving at least four years in high-need schools. 

However, “We cannot expect schools to go it alone,” Senator Franken stated on the Senate floor. “We also need to improve social services in low-income communities to help students address the numerous challenges they face outside of the classroom that make it difficult to learn. At the same time, we cannot absolve schools of their responsibility to improve considerably.” 

BoardBuzz wonders – What is the balance of school and community responsibility for academic success?  And aren’t school board members part of both groups?  As school and community leaders, school board members are uniquely positioned to foster healthy schools and communities for the benefit of all.

The National Journal produces a series of “expert” blogs with leaders in the education community, including NSBA’s executive director, Anne L. Bryant. The blog solicits opinions on a variety of topics, and its most recent question is definitely a worthwhile read:  “Do charter schools deserve the spotlight?“  At least 23 opinions have been posted with varying degrees of support for charter schools, and some fascinating pro-and-con arguments.

BoardBuzz wants to share some thoughts from some 150 experts – school board members — who composed, developed, and voted on NSBA’s Beliefs and Policies on charter schools. Without further ado, here is  NSBA’s Delegate Assembly take on charter schools:

NSBA recognizes ‘charter schools’ are one of several mechanisms available to local school boards, provided that the local school board:

(a)     Retains sole authority to grant the charter and receives full funding for monitoring costs;

(b)     Determines accountability, such as determining the criteria that will be used in establishing the charter;

(c)     Retains authority to decertify or not renew the charter of any school that fails to meet criteria set forth in the charter or as otherwise specified by the local school board, including but not limited to a requirement that charter schools demonstrate improved student achievement;

(d)     Has the authority to ensure that a charter does not foster racial, ethnic, social, religious or economic segregation or segregation of children by disability, ability, sexual orientation or academic performance; and

(e)     Determines that funding for the other schools under its jurisdiction will not be adversely affected.

In cases where entities other than the local school district authorize the charter, the law should require that all schools receiving public funds meet the same standards of accountability and that funds for traditional local schools are not diminished or reduced by the funding mechanism for charter schools.

(Article I, 1.10, Charter Schools, Beliefs and Policies of the NSBA, as amended April 3, 2009, San Diego, Calif.)

We hear a lot about 21st century skills these days — how, why, and even if new methods and approaches should be incorporated into our public schools. Washington Post education editor, Jay Mathews recently weighed in on this topic, praising the Center for Public Education report “Defining a 21st Century Education” for moving beyond “Star Trek idealism” to provide practical advice.

The report gives concete suggestions on how districts can adapt what they already offer to include 21st century skills like critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving. Even going beyond academics, the CPE report cites research demonstrating that after school athletic programs and other extracurricular activities help develop interpersonal and collaborative skills.

You can catch Center for Public Education staff at the upcoming NSBA Annual Conference in Chicago, where they will be sharing more findings to help school boards adapt to change and become 21st century education leaders.