MISSOURI EDUCATION NEWS
May 2006
Copyright © 2006 Queue, Inc.
IN THIS ISSUE:
FOUR MISSOURI DISTRICTS INCLUDED IN THE "BEST 100 COMMUNITIES FOR MUSIC EDUCATION IN AMERICA"

Parents, teachers, school administrators, and students from communities across the U.S. consider music education vitally important for a quality education—this was the resounding message from applicants that applied to be recognized as part of this year's "Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America" seventh annual survey. The American Music Conference sponsored the survey. The complete results, along with background information on music education and the survey, can be seen in their entirety at http://www.amc-music.org

The 2006 roster includes four Missouri school districts whose commitment to quality music education—measured across a variety of economic, curricular and programmatic criteria--has enabled them to stand out despite the many pressures on music and arts programs across the country.

In previous years, survey respondents cited that tight budgets in many of the 50 states squeezed school music budgets, but this year's survey revealed some changes in maintenance and overall support of music programs.

Some 86 percent of survey respondents indicated that music is included as a core academic subject in school curricula and instructional priorities that are in line with the definition of arts as core academic subjects as defined in No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy. Furthermore, more than 80 percent of survey respondents cited that their music programs are growing in terms of funding, size of programs, and public and school board recognition.

This outcome supports the views outlined in a 2004 nationwide Gallup Poll that revealed that 93 percent of Americans said that schools should offer musical instrument instruction as part of the regular curriculum.

The Missouri "Best 100 Communities for Music Education in America" districts are listed alphabetically below:
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MISSOURI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT ENROLLMENT AND SPENDING

Enrollment, per-pupil spending, labor costs, and three-year trends for every public school district in Missouri, and "65% solution" status for the 2003–2004 school year: http://www.eiaonline.com/districts/Missouri.pdf

The charts come from the Education Intelligence Agency (http://www.eiaonline.com/).

Established in June 1997, the Education Intelligence Agency (EIA) is a private, for-profit, one-man contract research firm. EIA itself supports no particular program or specific reform but does focus on the inner workings of the teachers' unions. Its clients cover the political spectrum, from conservative public policy organizations to teacher union affiliates themselves.

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S&P ISSUES NEW REPORTS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MISSOURI

Standard & Poor's recently posted analytical reports for nearly 5,000 school districts in 21 states, including California, on SchoolMatters.com

The reports provide a summary and analysis of each district's academic and financial performance in a demographic context—known as Return on Resources.

A district's Return on Resources examines the level of student learning, achievement and personal development that occurs given a district's available resources. The reports are intended to help educators better understand the complex relationship between achievement, spending and demographics, and were conceived as a benchmarking tool that district administrators can use to help diagnose challenges and make improvements.

Follow the instructions below to view a school district’s report.
  1. First, find the school district using the search bar located at http://www.schoolmatters.com/
  2. Next, once you have reached the School District Overview page, select the blue link that is available within the S&P Observations section, located toward the top of the page. Selecting this link will open the school district report.
  3. Individual school reports are also available.
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ST. JOSEPH'S ACADEMY, FONTENAC, NAMED FINALIST FOR SCHOOLS OF DISTINCTION AWARD

Forty-eight schools have been named as finalists for the Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction Awards. The awards honor schools for implementing innovative and replicable programs that support positive educational outcomes.

The schools will compete for $190,000 in grants from the Intel Foundation and additional prizes from sponsoring companies will be presented at an awards ceremony in October.

The 48 finalists were chosen from public and private schools that participated in the application and judging process, which was overseen by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory Center for Classroom Teaching and Learning. Sixteen winners will be selected in each of eight categories—one each for elementary and secondary schools. Winning schools will also compete to be named "Best of the Best."

St. Joseph's Academy, Frontenac, Mo, is a finalist  in Science Achievement—The science curriculum is designed to ensure high levels of achievement for all students and should include instructional strategies incorporating critical thinking skills, hands-on, investigative experiences and project-based learning.

The winners will be honored at an awards ceremony to be held October 5 in Washington, D.C., and will each receive a $10,000 grant. One elementary and one secondary school will be honored with a "Best of the Best" award and will receive an additional $15,000 for a total award of $25,000 each. Schools winning this award must have a comprehensive program addressing technology, involvement of parents and the community, professional development, teamwork and consistently achieve high academic standards. For more information about the Schools of Distinction Awards, visit http://www.schoolsofdistinction.com.

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STATE EDUCATION OFFICIALS HONOR 13 "TECH-PREP STUDENTS OF THE YEAR"

State education officials honored 13 students as "Tech-Prep Students of the Year" in a ceremony March 3 at the Capitol in Jefferson City.  The honorees and their schools were:
Students were selected on the basis of their commitment to career and technical education, academic achievement, involvement in school or community activities, leadership abilities, and their involvement in student organizations related to career and technical education.

"Tech-prep" focuses on both academic and career education to prepare young people for postsecondary training in a technical or career field.  All tech-prep students take part in so-called "2+2" programs, in which they take career-oriented classes during 11th and 12th grades, and then move directly into related studies at a community college, a technical school or an apprenticeship program.

There are 15 regional tech-prep "consortiums" in Missouri, coordinated by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  Each consortium involves local high schools, area career and technical centers, community colleges and representatives of business, industry and labor.

The groups work to coordinate curriculum, academic standards and policies, and articulation agreements so that students are able to move smoothly from high school into postsecondary studies.

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KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION AWARDS $15 MILLION TO 13 METRO SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADVANCE MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE EDUCATION

Total of $22 Million Committed to Kansas City Area in First Year of Foundation's 10-Year Math and Science Agenda

Students in school districts throughout the Greater Kansas City area will receive enhanced mathematics and science education beginning next year through a three-year, $15-million commitment by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

The Foundation awarded the grants, ranging from $600,000 to $1.5 million, to 13 school districts across the five-county metropolitan area. The funding will go to develop quality math and science classrooms and learning experiences for students throughout the Kansas City area. Funding will help support new and innovative programs and curricula, professional development for math and science teachers and district leaders, new materials and equipment for students, and other support and resources to help students experience math and science in real-world applications.

The $15-million commitment to school districts builds on more than $7 million in grants that have been awarded by the Kauffman Foundation in the first year of its 10-year agenda to improve K–12 education in math and science in the Kansas City area. The Foundation's Board of Trustees adopted this education agenda in the spring of 2005 and funding of programs began in the fall.

The 13 grants were made based on district size, the number of disadvantaged students in the districts, and the quality and scope of the proposals. The school districts will implement a variety of education strategies and programs to engage K–12 students in math and science education. In the short term, the initiative will improve academic achievement outcomes in these subjects. Long term, the goal is to develop a vibrant and highly skilled workforce in the Kansas City region, ready and excited to take on the challenges that 21st-century careers will require.

"Better educating our future business leaders and workers in math and science is critically important, not only because it will help our young people survive and thrive economically, but because it will help our entire community stay strong and grow," said Carl Schramm, Kauffman Foundation president and CEO. "The Kauffman Foundation aspires to help Kansas City build a world-class approach for math and science education that can serve as a model of educational entrepreneurship for school systems across the country."

In May 2005, the Foundation invited the metropolitan area's 34 districts to submit a letter outlining the challenges and strengths in their district related to math and science education. From the letters received, the Foundation asked the 13 districts to prepare full proposals that outlined a three-year plan.

In their proposals, districts developed a vision, a strategy and an implementation timeline for improving math and science teaching and achievement in their schools. Districts identified their projected outcomes and their process for institutionalizing the effective practices after the grant period ended.

In addition to funding the 13 school district proposals, the Kauffman Foundation also will establish a Learning Innovation Network to provide a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers and school leaders, along with other types of resource and coordination support. This Network will provide services, resources and support not only to the 13 districts that received grants but to all schools in the five-county Kansas City metro area.

"Our goal is to help Kansas City become a national leader in mathematics, science and technology education," said Dennis Cheek, Kauffman Foundation vice president for education. "We want all students in the five-county area engaged in high-quality learning with well-prepared teachers and choosing to pursue further studies in math, science and/or technology in post-secondary education and throughout their careers."

Through its comprehensive 10-year agenda, the Kauffman Foundation will be working with a variety of partners to bring innovative programs to Kansas City students. More than $7 million has already been awarded in the past year to support professional development for teachers, new school models and several in-school and out-of-school programs such as FIRST Robotics, Project Lead the Way, the JASON Project, ChalkWaves, Crayons to CAD, Homework Zone, and several summer science enrichment camps.

This education agenda also will work to foster local, state and national policies that improve math and science education and to evaluate the effectiveness of various strategies and programs, so that what is learned in Kansas City can be shared with other communities throughout the nation.
 
Kansas City Math and Science District Initiative
Grants Awarded to the Seven Missouri School Districts
 
Districts Approximate 3-Year
Hickman Mills 7,100 $1,250,000
Kansas City, Missouri 33,000 $1,500,500
Liberty 7,900 $900,000
North Kansas City 17,200 $1,400,000
Raytown 8,600 $1,100,000
West Platte 650 $600,000
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph 10,270 $1,075,000

About the Kauffman Foundation

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City is a private, nonpartisan foundation that works with partners to advance entrepreneurship in America and improve the education of children and youth. The Kauffman Foundation was established in the mid-1960s by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Kauffman. Information about the Kauffman Foundation is available at http://www.kauffman.org.

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A DIFFERENT KIND OF SCHOOL LUNCH; STUDENTS ENJOY TACOS AND TALK AT KANSAS CITY DIA  DE LOS NINOS EVENT

This is a lunch hour they'll never forget. On Monday, May 1, students from three Kansas City schools stepped off the bus and into a world of potential and possibilities.

Mattie Rhodes Center, with support from GE, sponsored Kansas City's "Dia de los Ninos" by throwing a "working" lunch for selected students of Northeast Middle School, Westport High School and Cristo Rey High School. This is the first year the event has focused on teenaged children; previous events have focused on younger children.

The students were hosted by Mattie Rhodes staff, school counselors and administrators and GE volunteers, each of whom shared their personal stories of overcoming adversity to succeed.

Dia del Nino is Day of the Child in Spanish and is an annual celebration of children. It started in 1925 in Mexico and has since spread to other countries, including the United States. It's also a time of reflection, when adults and mentors consider what they can do to help our community's young people see their potential and succeed.

The Kansas City event will feature remarks from various speakers and words of encouragement and inspiration from special guest, Wizards Defender Nick Garcia.

At the conclusion of the program, GE and Mattie Rhodes Center will present a $1,000 check to each school to help fund tutoring programs, fulfilling their shared purpose of promoting education among urban youth.

Among the schools, Westport High School will send 35 students to the celebration along with Principal Connie Espinoza-Springfield and one of her counselors.

"I'm excited and looking forward to seeing the students take part in such a vital activity," said Espinoza-Springfield. "Hispanic students need more role models and they can benefit from having relationships with people who can show them it's possible to succeed in life."

Espinoza-Springfield says her school uses almost all of the family and children's services offered by Mattie Rhodes Center—from mentoring to housing and counseling services.

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FIFTEEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RECEIVE CITIZENSHIP AWARD 

Fifteen public high school students have been honored by the State Board of Education as recipients of the 2006 Outstanding Achievement in Citizenship Award. The students were recognized at a noon awards luncheon Friday in the Governor's Mansion.

The Missouri Legislature established the citizenship award in 1990. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education conducts the awards competition with assistance and financial support from The Missouri Bar.

The citizenship award recipients are:
More than 50 students were nominated for the award. Educators and members of the Missouri Bar's Advisory Committee on Citizenship Education reviewed the nominations and selected the winners.

Every public high school is eligible to nominate one senior for the award. Students are selected for the award on the basis of their academic achievement in civics and government courses, performance in civics and government-related extracurricular activities, and exemplary community service. Students also must submit an essay about the importance of citizenship.

Each student received a plaque and a $50 U.S. Savings Bond.

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MAJORITY OF SCHOOL LEADERS REPORT GAINS IN ACHIEVEMENT, BUT A NARROWER CURRICULUM FOCUS UNDER NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND—CASE STUDIES INCLUDE HERMITAGE R-IV SCHOOL DISTRICT

NCLB Affecting Everyday Lives of Students & Educators; Greatest Impact in Urban Districts, According to New Report, Survey

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is having a greater impact on the everyday activities of schools and districts, including prompting districts to better align instruction and state standards and more effectively use test data to adjust teaching, according to a report from the Washington, D.C.-based Center on Education Policy, which is tracking federal, state and local implementation of the law. However, the Center also found that a majority of districts surveyed—71 percent—reported having reduced instructional time in at least one other subject to make more time for reading and mathematics, the topics tested for NCLB purposes.

The report is based on the most comprehensive national study of the impact of NCLB, and comprises an extensive body of original research and analysis, including a survey of education officials in 50 states, a nationally representative survey of 299 school districts, and in-depth case studies in 38 geographically diverse districts and 42 individual schools, including Hermitage R-IV School District, MO.

According to state and local officials surveyed, scores on state tests are rising in a large majority of states and school districts, and many school leaders cited NCLB requirements for adequate yearly progress (AYP) as an important factor in rising achievement, though far more credited school district policies and programs as important contributors to these gains. In addition, the vast majority of state and district officials say that the Act's focus on the academic performance of student subgroups is having a positive effect.

The report also notes that officials in several case study districts, as well as some district survey respondents, feel the law has escalated pressure on teachers to a stressful level and is negatively affecting staff morale in some schools.

"The effects of NCLB are complex, and this policy has both strengths and weaknesses," said Jack Jennings, president and CEO of the independent, nonpartisan CEP. "If anyone is looking for a simple judgment on NCLB, such as 'good' or 'bad,' they will not find it in this report."

The report, From the Capital to the Classroom: Year 4 of the No Child Left Behind Act, is the fourth in a series of annual reports to be issued through 2008 by CEP, and offers a long-term look at how the law's implementation is affecting states and school districts.

Urban districts appear to be experiencing the greatest effects of the law. According to the report, the majority (54 percent) of Title I schools identified for improvement nationwide are in urban districts—a disproportionate share because only 27 percent of Title I schools are located in urban districts. Altogether, 29 percent of urban Title I schools are in improvement, compared with 11 percent of suburban Title I schools and six percent of rural Title I schools. And 90 percent of the schools now in restructuring, the last stage of NCLB's sanctions, are located in urban districts. Moreover, a greater proportion of urban districts than suburban or rural districts have been identified for district improvement.

A combination of factors has led to this pronounced impact in urban districts, including the fact that many urban districts must demonstrate AYP for 6-10 student subgroups while some rural districts must show progress for only two, white and low-income students. In addition, urban districts tend to be larger, so they have many more schools that must make AYP than smaller districts do; they also enroll higher percentages of low-income students.

Nationwide, the number of schools identified for improvement under NCLB has remained steady, in part due to changes in federal and state rules for testing students and determining adequate yearly progress that have made it easier for some districts and schools to make AYP. The report also finds:
The Continuing Capacity Gap

The Center’s survey again finds that the lack of capacity is the greatest NCLB-related challenge for most states and districts. In fact, nearly every state (47) cited providing assistance to all schools identified for improvement as their greatest challenge in implementing NCLB, while 42 states indicated that the size of the state education agency staff presented a serious or moderate challenge to NCLB implementation.

Meanwhile, 37 states said that the adequacy of state funds to carry out NCLB duties was a serious or moderate challenge, while 34 said that the adequacy of federal funds presented a serious or moderate challenge. In addition, 33 states reported that funds have been inadequate to assist all schools identified for improvement, while 80 percent of school districts said they had costs for NCLB that were not covered by federal funds, such as costs for administering assessments, managing data, and providing professional development to help teachers meet the law’s requirements.

The Center’s 2005 report on NCLB made eight recommendations for improving the law, four of which were acted on at least partially by the U.S. Department of Education. The Center’s current report includes a series of new recommendations for federal action, including:
  1. The Department should provide more information to the public about the process for considering state changes to their accountability plans.
  2. The Department should monitor and report on how confidence intervals, the safe harbor provision, and similar flexibility provisions are affecting the number of schools and districts making AYP.
  3. The Department of Education should move swiftly to help states develop assessments for certain students with disabilities, the so-called “gap children,” using modified standards.
  4. The Department and the Congress should provide more funding for the act in general.
  5. The Department and the Congress should earmark more funding and provide other types of support to help strengthen states’ and districts’ capacity to assist schools identified for improvement.
  6. The Department and the Congress should give states and school districts sufficient authority and resources to monitor and evaluate supplemental educational service providers.
  7. The Secretary of Education should use her waiver authority to expand the pilot program that allows some districts to offer supplemental educational services instead of school choice in the first year of improvement and to wait until the second year of improvement to offer choice.
  8. The Secretary of Education should use her bully pulpit to signal that social studies, science, the arts, and other subjects beside reading and math are still a vital part of a balanced curriculum.
To read the case studies and the full report, please go to: http://www.cep-dc.org/nclb/Year4/Press/
 
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