December 2006
Copyright © 2006 • Queue, Inc.

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Education News

For back issues of this newsletter, as well as current and back issues of our other newsletters, U.S. Education News and Education Research Report, please go to: http://www.queuenews.com/

For the latest education research news, please go to:
http://www.queuenews.typepad.com/education_research_report/

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Florida Shows Moderate Gains for Needy Students

A new report from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation finds that just eight states can claim even moderate success over the past 15 years at boosting the percentage of their poor or minority students who are at or above proficient in reading, math or science.

The study also finds that most states making significant achievement gains-including California, Delaware, Florida, New York, Massachusetts, and Texas-are national leaders in education reform, indicating that solid standards, tough accountability, and greater school choice can yield better classroom results.

See the study here: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=104914603&u=998506

To see the rankings please go to:
http://www.edexcellence.net/foundation/global/page.cfm?id=388#tfr06edreformachieve

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Release of Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests

New, interactive version provides instant feedback

Eight Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests (FCAT) have been releaased. The reading and mathematics tests are actual tests taken by students in 2006 and are no longer in use. The reading and mathematics tests for grades 3, 7, 9, and 10 are available in two formats – one which can be downloaded, and a new, interactive version that allows you to take the test and get results online. The Department of Education began releasing full-length FCAT tests last year, starting with grades 4, 8 and 10 reading and mathematics tests.

The release includes test answer keys, a fact sheet explaining uses for the test and frequently asked questions. Released tests are identical to the tests taken by students except for questions that will be used on future tests. Parents and teachers can use the released tests as additional resources to increase students’ comfort level and familiarity with the FCAT.

The online version of the test allows users to toggle between the test book and a page that displays the correct answer to each question. In addition, the answer page provides the Sunshine State Standard tested by the question and the percent of students who chose each answer.

Test questions are written according to specific guidelines developed by Florida educators. Questions are reviewed and revised by teachers, curriculum experts and school and district administrators to ensure they are appropriate for the grade level tested. Each year, more than 500 classroom teachers, special education teachers, English language learning instructors, administrators, curriculum specialists, policy leaders, college and university experts, school board members and parents take part in the FCAT question review process.

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New Evidence Shows Bipartisan Support for School Choice Programs in Florida by Registered Latino Voters

A survey released by the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (Hispanic CREO) found an overwhelming support from both registered Latino Democrat and Republican voters, who favor school choice opportunities for disabled children and low-income parents. The poll was conducted by Dr. Mario Moreno from the Metropolitan Center at Florida International University.

At a time where the state of Florida is heavily contested for its next Governor; it is critical to pay close attention to this poll, which clearly defines where Latino voters stand on education issues. The survey found the following results: --

82 percent favor allowing parents of children with disabilities to use state funds to send their children to the school of their choice whether it is a public or private school. --

71 percent favor allowing low-income parents to use state funds to send their children to the school of their choice whether it is a public or private school.

The survey also notes that more than 75 percent of registered Latino Democrats polled are in favor of school choice. At the same time, the poll shows that Latino voters are more likely to endorse a gubernatorial candidate who supports school choice.

“This poll shows Hispanics in Florida are very concerned about the quality of education their children are receiving and are willing to look at other alternatives to public education,” said Dr. Moreno.

Currently, Miami-Dade’s graduation rates are ranked as the fourth lowest in the nation. In addition, 159,917 economically disadvantaged students in the county, most of who are Hispanic children are attending one of 129 failing public schools.

“This is a call for Florida legislators and gubernatorial candidates to give constituents what they are demanding – school choice. This poll unequivocally confirms everything we have known for years: Hispanics regardless of political affiliation support parent’s fundamental right to choice the best schools for their children,” said Rebeca Nieves Huffman, President and CEO of Hispanic CREO.

Based in Washington, D.C. and supported by a growing membership, Hispanic CREO’s mission is to improve educational outcomes for Hispanic children by empowering families through parental choice in education. Hispanic CREO’s purpose is to be a national voice for the right of Hispanic families to access all educational options and to be an agent for equity and quality in education. For more information, please visit http://www.hcreo.org

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Duval County Public Schools Embrace Software for Literacy Support

Duval County (Fla.) Public Schools has expanded its use of Scientific Learning Corporation’s (NASDAQ: SCIL) Fast ForWord® family of neuroscience-based reading intervention products to nearly three dozen district schools.

As part of an ongoing commitment to support and fundamentally improve the academic lives of struggling learners across all its schools, the district has phased the Fast ForWord reading intervention products across multiple grade levels throughout Jacksonville, Florida. The Fast ForWord software is currently in use in 33 elementary, middle, and high schools and is helping students build and improve the four essential cognitive skills critical for learning: memory, attention, speech processing, and sequencing. The district is also using these data-proven Fast ForWord interventions to assist its students who are English-language learners (ELL) and students who are receiving district educational services within Department of Juvenile Justice facilities.

“We have been extremely impressed with the Fast ForWord products following implementation; the results to date are significant, and in addition to academic gains, we are seeing notable improvements in classroom performance and attendance,” said Dr. Joseph Wise, Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools. “We are committed to providing high-quality educational opportunities and interventions that will inspire our students, and we believe that Fast ForWord is and will continue to be an important part of these offerings.”

Duval County Public Schools, located in Jacksonville, Fla., serves approximately 130,000 students in 165 schools and alternative learning centers. It is the 19th-largest school district in the United States.

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Miami-Dade County Public Schools Improve Performance By Standardizing On Cognos 8 Business Intelligence

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has standardized on Cognos 8 Business Intelligence as a key foundation in its commitment to improve student and school performance.

M-DCPS is the fourth-largest school district in the U.S. with approximately 350,000 students, 50,000 employees and an annual budget of $6.1 billion. To better monitor school and student performance, M-DCPS began searching for a BI solution that could deliver critical information from their data warehouse to a wider audience. A solution that could fulfill the detailed reporting requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act was also needed. After a thorough assessment cycle, the evaluation committee selected Cognos 8 BI.

Everyone across the M-DCPS district, from principals to administrators, uses Cognos 8 BI to manage, analyze and report on student performance in areas such as attendance, grades, and suspension rates. Problem areas are spotted quickly and easily, allowing for intervention times to be drastically reduced. For instance, schools used to have to wait up to six weeks for attendance reports, but with Cognos 8 BI, schools can see student attendance rates drop almost immediately and take action right away. Soon, M-DCPS expects one million people, from students and teachers to parents and community members, to be able to see trending information on the schools and district using portals on the Web.

"We really love that we can drill down to the individual child and be very aware of what is going on for each student," said Debbie Karcher, CIO, Miami-Dade County Public Schools. "With Cognos 8 BI we can spot problems and weaknesses in schools and individual students much more quickly than before, allowing us to successfully meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. We can deliver this information to a wider audience and are able to let teachers and schools know where action needs to be taken."

Cognos 8 BI provides decision makers at all levels of the enterprise with a consistent, accurate view of information to better manage performance. As a single product that easily integrates into M-DCPS' existing infrastructure with multiple systems and data sources, Cognos 8 BI is a robust technology foundation for BI standardization and corporate performance management.

"Determining and understanding the critical drivers of student performance are the key challenges in meeting the goals of effectively measuring student and school performance, as set out by the No Child Left Behind Act," said Terence Atkinson, director of government and education solutions at Cognos. "With the insights Miami-Dade County Public Schools generates from using Cognos 8 BI, educators can make decisions about directing resources and drawing attention to problems areas that are not meeting the needs of individual students."

Cognos is the performance management platform of choice among U.S. K-12 organizations, who use Cognos to fulfill the reporting and program management requirements set out by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Cognos performance management solutions are deployed in over 530 K-12 school districts, 13 State departments of education, and the U.S. Federal Department of Education, empowering over 20,000 schools to deliver better education programs and improve student performance for over 12 million American children and young adults. In addition to Miami-Dade County Public Schools, other K-12 customers include TIES, an education technology consortium of over 400 schools in 37 school districts across Minnesota; School District of Palm Beach County (FL); Arkansas Department of Education; and the New York City Department of Education, the largest school board in the United States with over 1 million students.

For more information about Cognos K-12 solutions, please visit: http://www.cognos.com/solutions/industry/education/k12.html.

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Lake County Schools, Florida

Fitch Ratings has assigned an 'A' rating to the School Board of Lake County, Florida.

The 'A' rating is based on Lake County school district's (the district) trend of robust residential tax base growth and project essentiality enhanced by the master lease structure. The rating also considers the district's below-average wealth levels and limited economy as well as sizeable capital needs related to rapid enrollment growth. The Stable Rating Outlook reflects Fitch's expectation that fund balance levels will stabilize at the district's reserve policy minimum.

Several fiscal years of sizeable general fund surpluses built the unreserved general fund balance to a strong 8% of spending at the close of fiscal 2003. In an effort to bring the unreserved general fund balance to a lesser, though still adequate level consistent with the district's reserve policy minimum of 4% of general fund spending, officials budgeted for drawdowns used for capital projects in fiscal years 2005 and 2006. Based on unaudited fiscal 2006 results, the unreserved general fund balance represented 4% of total general fund spending. The fiscal 2007 budget includes an additional fund balance appropriation although Fitch expects reserve levels to stabilize at the district's policy floor.

Overall debt levels are moderate at $2,093 per capita and 3.1% of taxable assessed value (TAV) but are expected to increase as continued growth in enrollment will require additional capital spending. The fiscal 2007-2011 capital improvement plan (CIP) identifies $545 million of capital needs, including construction of nine additional school facilities and numerous renovations and expansions to existing facilities. The $545 million total includes $153 million of projects for which funding has not yet been identified. Of the funded portion of the CIP, approximately 43% will be funded on a pay-as-you-go basis from excess capital outlay millage and sales tax revenue, and 15% will come from impact fee proceeds.

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Okaloosa County Schools, Florida

Fitch Ratings has assigned an underlying 'A+' rating to the School Board of Okaloosa County, Florida. 

The 'A+' rating reflects Okaloosa County School District's (the district) ample financial reserves and low debt burden. The district's conservative tax base growth forecasting and historically stable student enrollment levels further strengthen credit quality, with a somewhat concentrated economy also a factor. The Stable Rating Outlook reflects Fitch's expectation that the district's management will continue its conservative approach to budgeting and financial management.
The district levies 1.93 mills of the local capital outlay tax; slightly below the 2-mill legal maximum. The district anticipates applying only 1/2-mill to debt service on lease payments, well under the 1.5-mill limit, while maintaining above-average amortization. This provides the district with considerable financial flexibility to use pay-as-you-go financing for future capital improvement projects. One mill generates roughly $17 million in revenue based on fiscal 2007 TAV.

The district's unaudited fiscal 2006 total general fund balance represented a strong 20.8% of expenditures, transfers out, and other uses - up from 13.2% in fiscal 2002 - and district officials note financial flexibility in the use of reserves. The majority of the fund balance is for class size reductions, supplemental instruction costs, and employee benefits. The district's unreserved general fund balance represented 3.2% of spending in fiscal 2006 (unaudited) and included a $1.5 million contingency to absorb an expected decline in fiscal 2007 enrollment despite the county's projections of a 1.56% enrollment increase; the district added $2.6 million to this contingency in the fiscal 2007 budget. The district expects a net $2.6 million drawdown in unreserved general fund balances in fiscal 2007 related to the enrollment decline and to pay-as-you-go spending on classroom refurbishments.

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