EPLC Education Notebook
Friday, September 23, 2005
Pennsylvania Education Policy Activity
- This week, the Pennsylvania Department of Education
released results of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment
(PSSA) from the 2004-2005 school year. Except for a
slight decline in eighth grade reading, students improved in
both math and reading at all grade levels tested. This is the
first year PSSA results were reported for third graders. The
percentage of students statewide either advanced or proficient
was:
3rd grade math - 81%
3rd grade reading - 68%
5th grade math - 69%
5th grade reading - 64.2%
8th grade math - 62.9%
8th grade reading - 64%
11th grade math - 50.8%
11th grade reading - 65%
The Department also released its annual Adequate Yearly
Progress (AYP) determinations for schools and school
districts based on the 2004-05 PSSA results, as required by No
Child Left Behind. In order to make AYP, schools and districts
must meet certain proficiency targets for all students and for
student subgroups (racial and ethnic minorities, special
education students, students with limited English proficiency
and economically disadvantaged students); those that miss the
targets are subject to a variety of interventions. This year,
the targets for making AYP were increased to 45% of students
advanced or proficient in math and 54% of students advanced or
proficient in reading, up from 35% in math and 45% in reading
last year. The targets will increase again in 2007-08 and
continue to gradually increase until 2014. NCLB requires 100%
of students to be proficient by 2014. In addition to student
proficiency targets, in order to make AYP schools and districts
also must show improvement or 90% in attendance (for schools
without a graduating class), improvement or 80% in graduation
(for high schools), and 95% PSSA participation.
2,311 schools met AYP in 2005, down from 2,388 in 2004 (when
schools were being judged by different targets). 106 schools
were identified as making progress, 281 schools were given
warning status, 44 schools were placed in school improvement-1,
131 schools were placed in school improvement-2, and 119 schools
are in some level of corrective action.
308 of the state's 501 school districts met AYP for 2005. 141
districts were identified as making progress, 17 were given
warning status, 6 were placed in school improvement-1, 22 were
placed in school improvement-2, and 5 are in some level of
corrective action.
PSSA and AYP results are available at
www.pde.state.pa.us/a_and_t/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=115258.
- A federal judge has approved a settlement agreement
between the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and
plaintiffs in a ten-year law suit addressing services for
special education students (Gaskin v. Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania). A proposed settlement agreement was reached in
December but required judicial approval before taking effect.
The agreement requires PDE to establish a monitoring system to
hold school districts accountable for providing services to
students with disabilities in regular classrooms. For complete
terms and conditions of the settlement agreement, see
www.pde.state.pa.us/special_edu/cwp/view.asp?a=177&Q=109539.
- The House Select Committee on Student Academic
Freedom held its initial meeting on Monday. The Select
Committee was established by
House Resolution 177 of 2005, which
calls for an investigation into "the academic atmosphere and the
degree to which faculty have the opportunity to instruct and
students have the opportunity to learn in an environment
conducive to the pursuit of knowledge and truth and the
expression of independent thought" at state public higher
education institutions. David French, president of the
non-profit, non-partisan Foundation for Individual Rights in
Education (FIRE), provided members with an overview of First
Amendment responsibilities as they apply to colleges and
universities. French cautioned the Committee that its
investigation should focus on institutions, not individual
professors, and on unlawful acts, not constitutionally lawful
acts that make some uncomfortable. He said misunderstandings of
academic freedom offenses often occur when individuals register
complaints of offensive speech as violations of academic
freedom. French said institutions may not regulate speech based
on subjective listener offense.
Most publicly-funded institutions in Pennsylvania have adopted
speech codes that unconstitutionally censor students' freedom of
speech and are either vague or overbroad, said French.
According to FIRE, speech codes are "any university regulation
or policy that substantially prohibits constitutionally
protected expression" and are often found in university
regulations related to harassment, discrimination,
multiculturalism, tolerance and loyalty oaths. Such policies
typically were developed to provide a comfortable atmosphere at
institutions that were growing more diverse. French said 16 of
the 18 four-year public institutions in Pennsylvania currently
have at least one policy that "clearly and substantially"
restricts freedom of speech; the other two institutions have
policies that could be used to ban or regulate speech. A
Shippensburg University speech code was struck down in court in
2003 because it violated the freedom of conscience clause of the
First Amendment. According to French, Shippensburg is the only
publicly-funded university in Pennsylvania that has experienced
a legal challenge to a speech code. French said his
organization receives fewer complaints about academic freedom
violations from Pennsylvania relative to other states. For more
information about FIRE and speech codes in Pennsylvania, see
www.thefire.org/index.php/states/PA.
Monday's meeting was the first in a series of hearings to be
held across the state. The Select Committee will issue a report
of its findings by November 30, 2006.
- On Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee
held a public hearing on changes to the law governing
community colleges, enacted by
Act 46 of 2005. The new
law represents the most substantive and comprehensive community
college policy changes since 1964. The Act established a new
formula for funding community colleges (including a new economic
development stipend for high priority occupation programs),
created a separate line item for capital expenses, revised the
colleges' auditing process, and increased accountability by
instituting annual performance reporting requirements. For a
more detailed description of the changes made by Act 46, see the
July 19 edition of the EPLC Education Notebook at
www.eplc.org/notebook/July19,2005.html. The Pennsylvania
Commission for Community Colleges currently has four work groups
working collaboratively with the Departments of Education and
Labor and Industry focused on implementation issues surrounding
four subjects: Economic Development Stipend; Capital; Audits;
and Data. Issues include the identification of programs with
high instructional costs, establishment of an application and
approval process for the economic development stipend, and
distribution of capital funds among the colleges.
- The Senate Veteran's Affairs and Emergency
Preparedness Committee approved legislation that
extends the eligibility period for receiving student
assistance grants for Pennsylvania National Guard members who
serve active duty in a combat zone.
Senate Bill 358
has been re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Similar legislation - House Bill 1259 - was passed by the House
on May 3 and has been referred to the Senate Education
Committee.
- Correction...Testimony provided on House Bill 1617,
referred to in the September 16 EPLC Education Notebook, was
provided by Harriet Dichter on behalf of both the Department of
Education and the Department of Public Welfare, not just DPW as
stated.
All legislation from the Pennsylvania General Assembly,
including bills cited in this Notebook, can be found at
www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/session.cfm.
National Education Policy Activity
- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has
established a Commission on the Future of Higher Education to
lead a national discussion on postsecondary education.
The Commission "is charged with developing a comprehensive
national strategy for postsecondary education that will meet the
needs of America's diverse population and also address the
economic and workforce needs of the country's future." It will
hold public hearings around the country to gather input on key
issues, such as what skills students need to succeed in the 21st
century and how to ensure higher education is accessible and
affordable for all students. Spellings said she is not
advocating a greater federal role in higher education but, given
that more than 80 percent of the fastest-growing jobs require
some postsecondary education and the large investment the
federal government makes in higher education, it is imperative
"to examine how we can get the most out of our national
investment." Charles Miller, former chair of the Board of
Regents for the University of Texas System will chair the
19-member Commission. Dr. Robert Zemsky who heads The Learning
Alliance for Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania
is a member. For a complete list of Commission members and more
details, see
www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2005/09/09192005.html.
Research and Reports
Assessment
- The National Center for Education Statistics
recently released two studies that evaluate the use of online
technology to conduct math and writing assessments.
The math study "addresses issues related to measurement, equity,
efficiency, and operations." The writing study explores "how
computer delivery affects the measurement of NAEP
performance-based writing skills," as well as the feasibility of
using automatic tools to score writing assessments. The reports
also look at student attitudes toward and access to computers.
A third analysis focused on Problem-Solving in Technology-Rich
Environments is in the works. To learn more about the Center's
Technology-Based Assessment Project, see
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/studies/tbaproject.asp.
Other
- Next week...Goods Schools
Pennsylvania hosts an information session on Rep.
Nicholas Micozzie's Successful School Budget proposal on
Tuesday, September 27, in Lancaster. The House Local
Government Committee meets Tuesday. The House
Education Committee meets Wednesday. EPLC hosts the
second annual Edward Donley Education Policy Leadership Awards
Dinner on Wednesday in Harrisburg. For information on these and
other upcoming events, see
www.eplc.org/calendar.html.
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