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Florida Education News
May 2008
Copyright © 2008 Queue, Inc.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Findings from the Pilot Teacher Compensation Survey:
School Year 2005-06
Orange County Public Schools Improve Florida
State Reporting
A Cook's Tour: The Journey to Become a Model Culinary
Arts Academy
Four Distinguished Florida Students Named
2008 Ron Brown Scholars
Urban School Students Score at Highest Levels
Ever On State and Federal Tests
Description:
This brief publication contains summary data from the research and development effort to collect individual salary and demographic data on public school teachers. Seven states participated in this effort: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Data from full-time public school teachers who teach at only one school were included in the analysis. Median salaries and counts for different groupings by experience, age, race, and gender are presented.
Selected Findings: School Year 2005Ð06
¥ The mean base salaries1 of full-time public school teachers in
the seven states participating in the Pilot Teacher Compensation Survey ranged
from $34,631 in Oklahoma to $44, 777 per year in Colorado. The median base
salaries of full-time public school teachers ranged between $33,516 in Oklahoma
and $42,676 in Colorado (table 1). The median total salary for full-time
teachers ranged from $34,973 in Oklahoma to $42,500 in Arkansas for school year
2005Ð06.
¥ The median level of teaching experience ranged from 8 years in
Arizona to 15 years in Iowa. The median teacher age was between 43 and 45 in
each of the states reporting these data.
¥ The number of teachers that held masterÕs degrees as their
highest degree varied across the seven states. The percentage of teachers
holding masterÕs degrees ranged from approximately 28 percent in Iowa and
Oklahoma to almost 50 percent in Missouri. Over the seven states, the majority
of teachers (58 percent) held a bachelorÕs degree as their highest degree.
¥ Teachers holding masterÕs degrees earned more than teachers who
held a bachelorÕs degree. For example, the median base salary for teachers with
a masterÕs degree was $51,077 per annum in Colorado, while the median base
salary for teachers with a bachelorÕs degree was $36,702.
¥ The proportion of teachers with one year of teaching experience
(teachers hired at the beginning of the reported school year) ranged from 4.4
percent in Iowa to 10.9 percent in Arizona. The median base salary for teachers
with one year of experience ranged from $27,864 in Iowa to $33,940 in Florida.
¥ Full-time teachers 66 years old or older comprised 1.0 percent
of public school full-time teachers in Florida and 0.9 percent in Arkansas
compared to 0.4 percent in Iowa and 0.5 percent in Colorado. In three of the
five states reporting age data, the highest proportion of teachers were 51 to
55 years old; Florida had equal proportions of teachers (14 percent) in the
26-30 and 51-55 age groups. In the fifth state, Colorado, the second highest
proportion occurred in the 51-55 age group.
¥ The majority of teachers in the seven reporting states were
White, with the smallest percentage of White teachers (74 percent) reported for
Florida.
¥ More than three quarters of the teachers across six of the seven
reporting states were female, with the highest percentage of male teachers (27
percent) reported for Colorado. The largest difference between males and
females was $1,027 in Arizona.
Full
report:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/2008440.pdf
Orange
County Public Schools (OCPS) in Orlando, Florida, has chosen Certica Solutions
to help the district monitor and improve the quality of data that is reported
multiple times each year to the Florida Department of Education. Certica Solutions
is a leading provider of information management solutions to the K-12 education
system. The companyÕs software, called Certifyª, enables local education
agencies to maximize funding, avoid penalties and audits, and reduce costs
associated with the collection, management and reporting of data.
OCPS
is the 11th largest K-12 school system in the U.S., with more than
175,000 students, 175 schools and 13,000 teachers. Like every school district
across Florida, OCPS is required to report information to the Florida
Department of Education several times each year. The information provides the
basis for state and federal funding to districts, and demonstrates districtsÕ
compliance with education regulations, such as FloridaÕs class size mandate.
Each submission period calls for districts to gather data related to student
demographics, attendance, course enrollment, special programs and a range of
other subjects. The task of preparing a complete and accurate data submission
is typically labor intensive and stressful for districts. Data that does not
meet the stateÕs requirements can result in funds being withheld while the data
is amended. Automating the process of data validation, monitoring and error
reporting in advance of the submission period Ð a process that Certica calls
Òdata certificationÓ Ð can provide districts with cost savings, operational
efficiencies and assurance of equitable and timely funding.
ÒWe
recognize that our student and school data is a critical underpinning of many
district initiatives,Ó said Roland Moore, OCPS chief information officer. ÒItÕs
important that we have full confidence in our data, and that our data is continually
monitored for accuracy and completeness. Certify software gives us the ability
to automate the processes of data validation and monitoring, allowing us to
spread our workload out across the year and ensure that our data is close to
100% accurate before each state submission period. This will take quite a bit
of the cost and labor intensiveness out of the reporting process, and ensure
that we receive every funding dollar that our schools have earned.Ó
Earlier
this year, OCPS and Certica Solutions completed a six-week pilot project, in
which selected schools used CertifyÕs reports to help them address data errors
in advance of the Florida Department of EducationÕs February data submission
period, known as Survey 3. The pilot demonstrated that the schools using
Certify software had an average reduction of 48% in their rate of data errors,
compared with schools which did not participate in the pilot.
OCPS is
undertaking a roll-out of Certify software this spring, so that it will be
available to school and district personnel at the start of the 2008-2009 school
year.
Three
high school science teachers from Palm Beach County schools will start their
six week summer internships on June 16 in the research laboratories of Scripps
Florida in Jupiter.
Palm
Beach County science teachers Retha Prescod from Atlantic Community High
School, Karensa Wright from Seminole Ridge Community High School, and Meghan
Cok from Boca Raton Community High School will be able to use the laboratory
experience as a springboard to create opportunities in discovery-based learning
for their students, affect change in their classrooms, and serve as a resource
for other educators.
"We
have a very intensive program designed for our science teachers this
summer," said Deborah Leach-Scampavia, Scripps Florida's Education and
Outreach Administrator. "They will be joined by 11 high school student
interns from throughout the County. We'll be announcing those internships very
soon."
This
year, students and teachers will come from 12 district high schools in Palm
Beach County and will participate in basic research efforts in cancer biology,
molecular therapeutics, chemistry, neurosciences, bioinformatics, virology, and
high throughput screening.
Sponsored
by the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust, the education outreach program
continues to grow each year. In the summer of 2005, four interns graduated from
Scripps Florida. For 2008, the research internships were awarded on a
competitive basis to 14 participants from a highly talented pool of 90
applicants. For both students and teachers, the program will emphasize the
scientific process, research planning, in-laboratory experience, experimental
design, data analysis, and interaction with Scripps Florida researchers.
Participants, who are matched with a Scripps Florida mentor, are also exposed
to various science-related career choices and academic opportunities in the
sciences at colleges and universities.
This
remarkable opportunity to work with world-class scientists at one of the
nation's top nonprofit independent biomedical research institutes is only one
of several education programs offered by Scripps Florida. For more information
about the Scripps Florida Education Outreach Programs, please visit www.scripps.edu/florida/edprograms.
The West Boca Raton Community High School's Culinary Arts
Academy achieved national model status as it works to prepare the next
generation of culinary artists. The culinary academy, established in 2004,
adopted national standards that have served as a foundation for its excellence.
In November 2007, the National Career Academy Coalition (NCAC)
recognized the academy for its achievements with the National Standards of
Practice "Award of Distinction." Drawn from many years of research
and experience, the National Standards of Practice were developed by an
informal consortium of national career academy organizations--including NCAC
and the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). Introduced at a
press conference in Washington, D.C., in December 2004, and endorsed by the
U.S. Departments of Education and Labor, the standards are framed around 10 key
elements for successful, sustained implementation of academies. West Boca's
model academy story inspires educators to develop academy programs that focus
on academic rigor and relevant career preparation--programs that will equip
students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in an international
marketplace.
Full
article:
http://www.eric.ed.gov:80/ERICWebPortal/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ788422
Kani Keita of Miami, Daren
Miller of St. Petersburg, Desiree Montgomery of Lakeland, and Bradley Pough of
Deltona Join 16 Other Students in Prestigious African American Scholarship
Program
The
Ron Brown Scholar Program, the nationÕs leading scholarship program for African
American youth, today announced that four Florida high school students have
been selected as 2008 Ron Brown Scholars. They are Kani Keita (Miami) of Miami
Killian Senior High School, Daren W. Miller (St. Petersburg) of St. Petersburg
High School, Desiree C. Montgomery (Lakeland) of Kathleen Senior High School,
and Bradley D. Pough (Deltona) of Deland High School. Chosen from more than
5,600 high school students, they are four of only 20 African American students
from across the country awarded this honor.
Graduating
in the top one percent of her class, Keita also exhibits a profound commitment
to her community by logging more than 350 hours of community service. She
volunteers with several events including Race for the Cure, Relay for Life and
Waterford 5K. A founder of the Junior Statesman, she is active in many school
activities such as Florida Mock Trial, Asian Club, and the Math and English
Honor Societies. She plans to double major in Politics and Economics.
Winner
of the Kodak Young Leaders Award and the Bank of America Youth Leader Award,
MillerÕs commitment to his community is evidenced by his work with the Florida
state legislature to pass a bill regarding voter registration and education
among youth. He also serves as Youth Representative for Parks & Recreation.
In addition to being elected senior class president, he participates on the
Youth Advisory Committee, NAACP Youth Council, 4-H Youth Development Grant
Board and the Ebony Scholars Academic Club.
Never
afraid to challenge herself, Montgomery will graduate as the salutatorian at
Kathleen Senior High School, where only 15 percent of the students will attend
a four-year college. As well as taking a challenging curriculum, she serves as
senior class senator, president of the Inter-Club Council, secretary of the
National Honor Society, and secretary of the Key Club. Committed to helping
improve her local community and peers, she is self-publishing a cookbook with
her sisters to benefit teenagers transitioning out of foster care.
As
senior class president, Pough is dedicated to demonstrating his capacity for
leadership through youth government. Organizer of a community outreach project,
the John Knox Senior CitizenÕs prom, he also participates in YMCA Youth in Government,
DeltonaÕs MLK Day Committee, Boys State, Junior Statesman, Volusia County
TomorrowÕs Leaders, and the Academic Team. Pough will graduate in the top three
percent of his class at Deland High School.
ÒI
am continually impressed by the thousands of students who apply to become Ron
Brown Scholars,Ó said Michael Mallory, executive director of the Ron Brown
Scholar Program. ÒKani, Daren, Desiree and Bradley all share a remarkable
commitment and desire to use their knowledge and passion outside the classroom.
They are part of a tremendous group of gifted young people who all bring their
unique backgrounds and personal experiences to benefit the Ron Brown Scholar
Program and their communities as a whole.Ó
Founded
in 1996 and named in honor of the first African American Secretary of Commerce,
the Ron Brown Scholar Program provides students with the financial resources to
attend some of the finest colleges and universities in the country, in addition
to promoting outstanding service opportunities for the next generation of
promising African American leaders.
Ron
Brown Scholars are selected on the basis of demonstrated academic excellence,
leadership potential, social commitment and financial need. Some key highlights
of the program include:
á More than half of Ron Brown
Scholars attend Ivy League universities;
á Two Ron Brown Scholars were
elected to be the First Marshals of their Harvard University graduating
classes, considered the highest honor bestowed upon an undergraduate;
á One Ron Brown Scholar has been
selected as a Truman Scholar and two Ron Brown Scholars have been selected as
finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship;
á Ron Brown Scholars dedicate
themselves to enriching lives in their local communities and worldwide. For
example, nine Ron Brown Scholars have conducted AIDS research and community
service with the Institute of Human Virology;
á With a 100% graduation rate, Ron
Brown Scholars go on to succeed in a variety of leadership positions. From
finance executives and top lawyers, to award-winning playwrights and Supreme
Court Justice clerks, they have published books and documentaries, appeared as
expert guests on radio and television, and been invited as speakers to numerous
international conferences.
Applicants
must proceed through a highly competitive selection process against thousands
of other qualified candidates, culminating in an invitation to spend a weekend
in Washington, D.C. for the final round of interviews. Up to twenty winners are
chosen at the conclusion of this weekend where they are formally introduced as
lifelong members of the Ron Brown Scholar Program family.
Keita
is the ninth Miami student admitted to the Ron Brown Scholar Program since its
inception in 1996, while Miller, Montgomery and Pough are the first students of
their respective communities admitted to the program. For biographical
information on Kani Keita, Daren Miller, Desiree Montgomery, Bradley Pough and
all 20 Scholars, or for more information about the Ron Brown Scholar Program,
visit www.ronbrown.org.
About
the Ron Brown Scholar Program
Named
for the late Secretary of Commerce and inspired by his dedication to public
service, the Ron Brown Scholar Program was established in 1996 to provide
academic scholarships, service opportunities and leadership experiences for
young African Americans of outstanding promise. The Program seeks to
accelerate their progress into the mainstream of leadership positions in
business, education, government and a wide spectrum of professions, while
instilling a dedication to leadership and service.
Report Includes City-by-City Profiles of Big-City School
District Trends On Math and Reading Assessments
Broward County Public Schools
http://www.cgcs.org/BTO8/Broward.pdf
Duval County Public Schools
http://www.cgcs.org/BTO8/Duval.pdf
Hillsborough County School District
http://www.cgcs.org/BTO8/Hillsborough.pdf
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
http://www.cgcs.org/BTO8/Miami.pdf
Palm Beach County Public Schools
http://www.cgcs.org/BTO8/Palm%20Beach.pdf
Students in the nationÕs major city public
school districts continue to advance in reading and math on state tests and on
the more rigorous federal testÐ the National Assessment of Educational Progress
(NAEP).
A new report analyzing academic progress in 66
urban school systems in 37 states and the District of Columbia shows
substantially higher test scores in 2007 than in 2003 in fourthand eighth-grade
mathematics and reading on state assessments. It indicates that the state and
national test scores are at their highest levels since academic proficiency
data have been collected for urban schools.
Beating the Odds: An Analysis of Student
Performance and Achievement Gaps on State Assessments by the Council of the
Great City Schools compares this past school yearÕs state test scores with
those reported a year after the federal No Child Left Behind law was implemented in
2002, requiring school districts to report performance levels based on state
tests and show the percentage of students who score at the ÒproficientÓ level.
The Beating the Odds findings for the 2006-
2007 school year show that 63 percent of urban school students scored at or
above the proficient level in fourth-grade math on their respective state
assessments, a whopping 14 percentage point gain from 49 percent in 2003. For
eighth-graders, the percentage climbed to 55 percent, compared with 42 percent
in 2003, a 13 percentage point rise.
In reading, urban schoolchildren also posted
gains over the past four years. From 2003 to 2007, the percentage of
fourth-graders scoring at or above the proficient level in reading on state
tests rose to 60 percent from 51 percent Ð a 9 percentage point hike. For
eighth-graders, the percentage increased to 51 percent from 43 percent in 2003,
an 8 percentage point gain.
National Test Assessments
The report also reveals that the state-test
trends coincide with NAEP gains by urban students, but with lower percentages
of students scoring at or above the proficient level on what is generally
considered a more rigorous exam than most state tests.
Students in big-city public schools have made
faster math and reading gains than the nation on the NAEP over the past few
years, according to The NationÕs Report Card for 2007 released by
the U.S. Department of Education. The report last November marked the first
time that the nation could see four- or five-year trends on NAEP for the
countryÕs major urban public school systems since the Trial Urban District
Assessment (TUDA) was launched in reading in 2002 and math in 2003.
Some 28 percent of urban fourth-graders scored
at or above the proficient level in math in 2007 on NAEP, an 8 percentage point
hike from 20 percent in 2003. In reading, 22 percent of urban schoolchildren in
fourth grade reached or went beyond the proficient level in 2007, a 5
percentage point increase from 17 percent in 2002.
Beating the Odds also includes how
student test scores in 11 big-city school districts that volunteered for the
trial urban NAEP compare with scores on their respective state tests. Among the
11 cities are New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, the nationÕs three largest
school systems.
Although urban schools show gains in math and
reading performance, the districts still generally lag behind state and national
averages in fourth and eighth grades, and acknowledge that they still have a
long way to go to reach proficiency levels. But there are exceptions.
State Math Achievement
In the reportÕs eighth annual analysis, data
show that 22 percent of urban school districts now score as high as or higher
than their respective states in fourth-grade math, and 16 percent score as high
or higher at the eighth-grade level in 2007.
The school districts with both fourth- and
eighth-grade math scores equal to or greater than their respective states are
Anchorage, Broward County (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)., Charleston, New Orleans,
Palm Beach and Portland, Ore.
State Reading Progress
In 2007, 16 percent of urban school districts
scored at or above their respective states in fourth-grade reading, and 14
percent at the eighth-grade level. The school districts with both fourth- and
eighth-grade reading scores equal to or greater than their respective states
are Anchorage, Broward County (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Charleston, New Orleans,
Portland, Ore., San Diego and San Francisco.
Achievement Gaps
Beating the Odds VIII also indicates that
racial achievement gaps in urban schools narrowed in math between 2003 and
2007, although they remain wide. Some 66 percent of bigcity school districts
narrowed the gap between their fourth-grade African-American students and white
counterparts statewide in math proficiency Ð 63 percent in eighth-grade math.
Among Hispanic students, 63 percent of the
urban school districts narrowed the gap with white fourth-graders statewide Ð
58 percent in eighth-grade.
In reading, between 2003 and 2007, 64 percent
of major city school systems narrowed the achievement gap between fourth-grade
African-American students and white counterparts statewide in reading
proficiency Ð 67 percent at the eighth-grade level. Among Hispanic students, 57
percent of urban school districts narrowed the gap with white fourth-graders
statewide Ð 63 percent in eighth grade.
Urban Environment AmericaÕs big-city
school systems enroll about one-quarter, or 26 percent, of all students of
color in the nation, and a disproportionately high number of English language
learners and poor students.
The report attributes the standards movement
as the catalyst that triggered change in urban schools. It gave urban school
administrators direction on what they were being held responsible for
delivering.
Beating the Odds analyzed two
assessments Ð state and national Ð because the nation does not have a single
system to measure progress relative to the same standard across school
districts in all states.