APRIL 2002 HIGH SCHOOL E-NEWSLETTER
APRIL 2002 HIGH SCHOOL E-NEWSLETTER
1. STAR Submissions
2. CAHSEE Testing Dates
3. CAHSEE Accommodations
4. CAHSEE Evaluation
5. 11th Grade Test Takers
6. CAHSEE Student Guide
7. CELDT Update
8. CDE Releases Safe Schools Assessment
9. CDE Issues High School Resource Directory
10. CDE Publishes Online High School Newsletter
11. CDE Publishes Fact Book 2002
12. Standards & the Art of Teaching
13. “Reality Check 2002: The Impact of School Standards”
14. Survey: Students Fall Through Cracks in Large High Schools
15. Challenge of Recruiting High Quality Teachers & Principals
16. Actions Principals Can Take to Reduce New Teacher Attrition
17. Harvard Will Only Accept Top AP Score
18. Supreme Court: Peer Grading Does Not Violate Privacy Law
19. ECS Focus on the High School
20. Building an American Community
21. “Identifying a Standard of Care”
22. Community Engagement as a Component of Reform
23. ESEA and New Privacy Rules
24. Resources for Family & Community Connections with Schools
25. Dentists Oppose Vending Machines With High Sugar Content Foods
26. Baby Boomers Become Snooping Parents
27. “Technophobia To Technophalia”
28. Tips for Grant Seekers
29. “Coming Up Taller Awards”
30. Grant: Allstate Foundation
31. Grant: Community-Based English Tutoring (CBET) Program
32. Grant: Even Start (William F. Goodling) Family Literacy Program
33. Grant: HIV/STD Prevention Education
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1. STAR SUBMISSIONS
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Four potential contractors submitted applications for the
administration of the STAR program for review by the State
Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI). Upon completion of this
review, the SSPI will recommend a contractor to the State Board of
Education (SBE). The SBE is expected to designate a new contractor
by April 24th.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/star/request.html
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2. CAHSEE TESTING DATES
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The Superintendent of Public Instruction has changed the September
2002 and 2003 testing dates out of respect for the victims of
9-11-01. The new designated testing dates are September 17, 18, and
19, 2002 and September 16, 17, and 18, 2003.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/cahsee/updates.html
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3. CAHSEE ACCOMMODATIONS
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If a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan designates
accommodations or modifications for state testing, any standardized
testing, or classroom testing, the student must be allowed to use
them on the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). The CAHSEE
answer sheet has a place to indicate the test was taken with
modifications. If the student receives a passing score, the score
report will indicate that the score is invalid; however, the district
may then submit a waiver on behalf of the student for successful
passage of the CAHSEE.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/cahsee/administrativedocuments.html
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4. CAHSEE EVALUATION
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Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO), the independent
evaluator of the CAHSEE, released a report focusing on the results of
the first operational administrations of the CAHSEE in 2001. HumRRO
makes two key recommendations in this report. The legislature and
State Board of Education should: 1) continue to require students in
the Class of 2004 to pass the exam, but continue to monitor schools’
progress in helping most or all of their students to master the
required standards; and, 2) continue to consider options for students
with disabilities and English Learners.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/cahsee/independenteval.html
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5. 11TH GRADE TEST TAKERS
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In response to the numerous calls received by the California
Department of Education (CDE) regarding the possibility of CAHSEE
testing of current 11th graders who may become course deficient and
not graduate as part of the Class of 2003, the CDE Legal Office
reviewed the CAHSEE statute and issued the following conclusion:
“We conclude that, with respect to pupils graduating in the 2003-04
school year, the CAHSEE requirement applies only to those pupils
who received notice of the test at the commencement of Grade 9 and
each year thereafter, or who took the CAHSEE in 10th grade. This
means that the current 11th and 12th graders are not affected by the
CAHSEE requirements, even if they do not have sufficient credits to
graduate prior to the 2003-04 school year.”
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/cahsee/updates.html
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6. CAHSEE STUDENT GUIDE
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“A Student’s Introduction to the California High School Exit Exam,” a
new Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) product designed
to familiarize students and their parents with the format and content
of the CAHSEE, is available for $2.00 (for quantities up to 500),
$1.75 (501-1000 copies), $1.50 (1001-2000 copies),
$1.25 (2001-5000 copies), or $1.00 (5001-10,000 copies). This guide
is ideal for distribution to 9th and 10th graders at the beginning of
the school year, and for sharing with students and parents at 8th
grade orientations. A Spanish-language version will be available
soon. For ordering information, please call Pam Post at 562-922-6372.
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7. CELDT UPDATE
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Preliminary results of the 2001 California English Language
Development Test (CELDT) were made available in March. These
results will be finalized and posted online in May. The preliminary
data indicate that 79% of the students taking the initial
identification assessment scored Beginning, Early Intermediate,
or Intermediate. At Grade 12, more than half of the students taking
the annual assessment scored Early Advanced or Advanced. Check the
March 11, 2002 Assessment Notes for additional preliminary findings.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/statetests/celdt/updates.html
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8. CDE RELEASES SAFE SCHOOLS ASSESSMENT
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The CDE recently released the California Safe Schools Assessment.
As required by the Legislature, the sixth annual report “provides an
objective set of data for local and state school officials to use in
assessing the safety of California's public schools. This report
contains school crime data collected for the 2000-01 school year
from all public school districts and county offices of education
serving kindergarten through grade twelve.”
http://www.cde.ca.gov/spbranch/safety/cssa/00-01results.pdf
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9. CDE ISSUES HIGH SCHOOL RESOURCE DIRECTORY
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The CDE has an online High School Resources Directory that profiles
75 programs within the CDE that support high school programs.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/shsd/hsrd.doc
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10. CDE PUBLISHES ONLINE HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
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The CDE has begun publishing a monthly online high school newsletter.
The publication is designed to provide updates on current legislation
and resources, book reviews and other information of interest to high
schools.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/shsd/newsletter/Jan2002.pdf
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11. CDE PUBLISHES FACT BOOK 2002
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Fact Book 2002, a compendium of statistics and information on a
variety of subjects and issues concerning education in California, is
now available online at the CDE Web site. The information in this
document includes, but is not limited to, education agencies,
assessment, accountability, instructional resources, specialized
programs, alternative education, and school finance.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/resrc/factbook/
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12. STANDARDS & THE ART OF TEACHING
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"When educators accept responsibility for effective practice in their
profession," writes education researcher Carol Ann Tomlinson, "they
in turn ensure that standards support rather than prevent excellent
curriculum." In the February 2001 online National Association of
Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Bulletin, Tomlinson offers nine
guidelines for aligning standards-based practices and instructional
best practices in schools and classrooms.
http://www.nassp.org/news/bltn_hi_qlty_clsrms201.htm
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13. “REALITY CHECK 2002: THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL STANDARDS”
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For the past five years, Public Agenda has conducted annual
surveys to determine the progress of the school standards movement.
The survey asks parents, teachers, and students about activities in
the schools. The survey also asks for information from employers
and professors about the skills that students possess. In the
current report, “Reality Check 2002: The Impact of School Standards,”
five findings were reported: 1) very few students seem apprehensive
about school or unnerved by what is currently being asked of them;
2) many students say they could work harder in school, and many say
classmates often get diplomas without having learned what was
expected; 3) broad agreement exists that local schools are moving in
the right direction on standards, and that testing has genuine
benefits; 4) higher academic standards are taking root, and teachers
and parents report notable changes in policies on testing, promotion,
and summer school; and 5) employers and professors still say that too
many of today's high school graduates lack basic skills.
http://www.publicagenda.org/specials/rcheck2002/reality.htm
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14. SURVEY: STUDENTS FALL THROUGH CRACKS IN LARGE HIGH SCHOOLS
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“Teachers in the nation’s large high schools are more likely to
report problems with students dropping out or falling through the
cracks than teachers in smaller high schools. But regardless of what
size school they work in, today’s American high school teachers voice
a notable degree of unhappiness with their school, the academic
achievement of their students, and low morale.” These findings and
others are part of a nationwide survey of 920 high school teachers
conducted by the non-profit organization, Public Agenda.
http://www.publicagenda.org/aboutpa/aboutpa3qq.htm
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15. CHALLENGE OF RECRUITING HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS
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“The Challenge of Attracting Good Teachers and Principals to
Struggling Schools,” a paper released by the American Association
of School Administrators (AASA), explores the problem of bringing
high quality educators to schools with low student achievement.
Author Cynthia D. Prince discusses policy and incentive efforts by
various school districts as they work to bring the best teachers and
principals to serve the students with greatest need. AASA also
calls for a national strategy and advocates a federal income
tax credit for fully certified teachers and principals who work in
low-performing schools.
http://www.aasa.org/issues_and_insights/issues_dept/challenges_teachers_principals.pdf
* For those who could not open this link, copy the entire URL and
paste it into your browser address window.
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16. ACTIONS PRINCIPALS CAN TAKE TO REDUCE NEW TEACHER ATTRITION
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Amy C. Colley, writing in the Principal Magazine (March 2002) notes
three major roles that principals can play in fostering the support
and retention of new teachers. These roles are: “the principal as
instructional leader, as culture builder, and as mentor coordinator.”
In the article, “What Can Principals Do About New Teacher Attrition?”
Colley states, “Given the projections for teacher shortages in the
next decade, the principal’s role as a supporter and nurturer of new
teachers becomes increasingly significant.”
http://www.naesp.org/comm/p0302b.htm
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17. HARVARD WILL ACCEPT ONLY TOP AP SCORE
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The New York Times (2-22-02) reports that Harvard University,
starting with the class of 2007, will award college credit for
Advanced Placement (AP) courses only if the score is “5”. This is
the top score that can be earned. It was noted that the Harvard
decision“ was based in part on a finding that in second-year chemistry
and economics, students with scores of four, and no previous Harvard
courses, did far worse than those who scored five, and worse than the
class as a whole.”
There is a growing concern that the AP courses include too much
material in the curriculum and short-change problem solving and a
conceptual understanding of the content. Daniel L. Groff, Harvard
math professor, states “Students who do well on the AP exams have
learned to answer the kind of questions that appear on the AP exams
but they may or may not be prepared to think on their own and grapple
with conceptual questions at the college level.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/22/education/22HARV.html
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18. SUPREME COURT: PEER GRADING DOES NOT VIOLATE PRIVACY LAW
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The New York Times (2-20-02) reports that the Supreme Court
unanimously ruled “the common classroom practice of students’
grading one another’s work under the teacher’s direction does not
violate a federal law intended to protect the privacy of educational
records.” A lawsuit challenged the practice of peer grading.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/20/national/20SCHO.html
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19. ECS FOCUS ON THE HIGH SCHOOL
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The Education Commission of the States (ECS) has an online issues
paper on high schools. The paper summarizes a number of reform
strategies that have been used to rethink and redesign the high
school. The paper notes, “It is too early to determine how such
strategies are affecting student achievement. What we do know is
that raising expectations often raises achievement.” A summary of
the reform efforts in a number of states, selected readings and
research, exemplary programs and practices, and links to other
Web sites related to high school reform are also available.
http://www.ecs.org/html/issue.asp?issueid=108
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20. BUILDING AN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
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Education historian Diane Ravitch, writing for the Brookings Review
(Winter 2002) states that, “public schools have turned away from
their traditional emphasis on assimilating newcomers into the
national melting pot.” Instead, they have put a new emphasis on
multicultural education, de-emphasizing the common American culture
and teaching children to take pride in their racial, ethnic and
national origins.” Ravitch writes that the events of September 11
have taught that human equality, national spirit, and civic unity are
very important concepts for the schools to teach. In discussing the
role of multi-cultural education, Ravitch calls for schools to “honor
the strong and positive values that the children’s families bring to
America” yet, she notes that “all groups must recognize that,
whatever their origins, they share a common destiny as Americans.”
http://www.brook.edu/press/REVIEW/winter2002/ravitch.htm
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21. “IDENTIFYING A STANDARD OF CARE”
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In reviewing court cases that involve a student’s injury, most cases
allege that the “student had been harmed as a result of the action or
inaction of a school district and several of its employees.” In the
NASSP journal “Principal Leadership,” the article “Identifying a
Standard of Care,” (March 2002), reviews the concept of a standard
of care for school principals and suggests ways a principal and staff
can document incidents according to the accepted standard. At the
end of the article, the author includes a “Standard of Care
Checklist” and suggested risk management activities.
http://www.principals.org/news/pl_idstandardcare_0302.html
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22. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS A COMPONENT OF REFORM
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The National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform highlights
community engagement in its Bookmark Topic in the January 2002
newsletter. “Community engagement is an important component of
comprehensive school reform. Involving the community can provide
a wide range of resources that are extremely valuable to schools and
the families they serve. Such resources can contribute to the
narrowing of the achievement gap and the betterment of student
performance.” The online article highlights a number of resources
and strategies for increasing community engagement.
http://www.goodschools.gwu.edu/pubs/book/jan02.html#2
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23. ESEA AND NEW PRIVACY RULES
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An online legal brief by the National Association of Secondary School
Principals (2-26-02) explores the new federal mandates under Section
9528 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) also known
as the “Armed Forces Recruiter Access to Students and Student
Recruiting Information.” The brief notes potential conflict with the
Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) that protects
information about students. Schools should be aware of the
provisions of both acts and districts are encouraged to develop
careful guidelines for the release of student’s information both to
military recruiters and colleges and universities.
http://www.principals.org/services/lowdown012902.html
NASSP also provides links to a number of legal resources related to public
education.
http://www.principals.org/services/legallinks.html
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24. RESOURCES FOR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS WITH SCHOOLS
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The National Center for Family and Community Connections with
Schools, part of the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory,
has two online resources to help schools make the family and
community connections necessary to strengthen programs for students.
http://www.sedl.org/connections/resources//
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25. DENTISTS OPPOSE VENDING MACHINES WITH HIGH SUGAR CONTENT FOODS
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In a press release (Feb. 2002), the American Dental Association (ADA)
notes that “children’s health and welfare should be the primary discussion
points when decisions are made regarding exclusive vendor contracts
in schools.” The ADA is opposed to promoting or advertising foods
and beverages with “low nutritional value and high tooth decay-
enhancing carbohydrates.” The ADA notes that “one of every four
beverages consumed in America today is a soft drink, and the ADA says
it is clear that soft drinks have displaced other nutritious
beverages and foods from the diet.”
http://www.ada.org/public/media/newsrel/0202/nr-05.html
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26. BABY BOOMERS BECOME SNOOPING PARENTS
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In the Christian Science Monitor (2-21-02), Daniel B. Wood reports
that Baby Boomer parents are stricter with their children than their
parents were with them. In the era of Columbine, terrorism, Internet
communication capabilities and more, there is a growing trend for
parents to resort to snooping tactics to learn about their children.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0221/p01s01-ussc.html
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27. “TECHNOPHOBIA TO TECHNOPHILIA”
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"'I have almost made it to retirement without learning about
computers and I'm not about to bother now!'" declared a teacher
in response to required technology training. "Recently the same
teacher exclaimed, 'I love my new computer set-up, and there are
so many great things I can do with it. I am almost sorry that I have
only one year to go before retirement!'" An article by
Dr. Mary Ann Bell in The Teachers.net Gazette (February 2002)
highlights four factors that helped turn teachers toward technology.
The factors are mentors, communication, relevant application, and
“sink or swim.”
http://teachers.net/gazette/FEB02/mabell.html
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28. TIPS FOR GRANT SEEKERS
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FoCal Points (February 2002), a publication of the Public Education
Network, offers a number of tips for teachers who are writing grants
for their school or classroom. Also included in this article are
references for Web sites and print materials that provide additional
information for grant seekers.
http://www.publiceducation.org/download/FocalPoints_18.pdf
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29. “COMING UP TALLER AWARDS”
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“The Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and support outstanding
community arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of
America's young people, provide them learning opportunities and chances
to contribute to their communities. These awards focus national attention
on exemplary programs currently fostering the creative and intellectual
development of America's children and youth through education and
practical experience in the arts and the humanities. Accompanied by a
cash award, the Coming Up Taller Awards not only reward these
projects with recognition but also contribute significant support to
their continued work.” Every year, ten awards of $10,000 each are
presented to honorees. The nomination deadline is April 26, 2002.
http://www.cominguptaller.org/awards.html
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30. GRANT: ALLSTATE FOUNDATION
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The Allstate Foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations,
including public K-12 schools, for projects that are related to
automobile and highway safety, homes and neighborhoods, and personal
safety and security. There are no annual deadlines for submission of
an application.
http://www.allstate.com/foundation/
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31. GRANT: COMMUNITY-BASED ENGLISH TUTORING (CBET) PROGRAM
=============================
The CDE announced a grant to ”provide free or subsidized adult
English language instruction to parents or other community members
who pledge to provide English language tutoring to California school
children with limited English proficiency. According to regulations,
these funds may be used for direct program services, community
notification processes, transportation services, and background
checks related to the tutoring program.” The application deadline is
June 7, 2002.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/funding/profile.asp?id=191
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32. GRANT: EVEN START (WILLIAM F. GOODLING) FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM
=============================
The California Department of Education announced the Even Start
Family Literacy Program Grant. “As part of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, No Child Left Behind (Title I Part B
Subpart 3), the goal of the William F. Goodling Even Start Family
Literacy Program is to break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by
integrating early childhood, adult, and parenting education.
Eligible age levels for the grant are from 0 through 7 and adults.
The application deadline is May 3, 2002.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/funding/profile.asp?id=193
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33. GRANT: HIV/STD PREVENTION EDUCATION
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The California Department of Education has announced a grant for
students in grades 7-12. “Education Code 51201.5 requires that
students receive HIV/AIDS prevention instruction at least once in
middle school and once in high school. These grants are targeted to
students attending “alternative schools” because they are at greater
risk of obtaining an STD (including HIV) than their “traditional”
school counterparts.” The application deadline is May 3, 2002.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/funding/profile.asp?id=183
This electronic newsletter is sponsored by the Region 8 California
Professional Development Consortium (CPDC) administered by the
Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from this newsletter, or to subscribe to
our other our free electronic Newsletters for Professional Development
or Middle School issues, email call or fax Christina Doyle:
email - cdoyle@kern.org, phone (661) 636-4331 or fax (661) 636-4135.
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