Recent GAO reports

From the Government Accountability Office (GAO):

HIGHWAY PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS: More Rigorous Up-front Analysis Could Better Secure Potential Benefits and Protect the Public Interest, GAO-08-44 (pdf, 96pp/1.24 MB), Feb. 8, 2008

Highway public-private partnerships show promise as a viable alternative, where appropriate, to help meet growing and costly transportation demands. The public sector can acquire new infrastructure or extract value from existing infrastructure while potentially sharing with the private sector the risks associated with designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining public infrastructure. However, highway public-private partnerships are not a panacea for meeting all transportation system demands, nor are they without potentially substantial costs and risks to the public--both financial and nonfinancial--and trade-offs must be made.....There is no "free" money in highway public-private partnerships.

HEAD START: A More Comprehensive Risk Management Strategy and Data Improvements Could Further Strengthen Program Oversight, GAO-08-221 (pdf, 41pp/632kB), Feb. 12, 2008

This report focuses on the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) oversight of the Head Start program in which 1,600 local organizations receive $7 billion in grants from ACF. GAO recommends that ACF establish better criteria to spot underperforming grantees, to improve the reliability of its data, and to reduce improper payments.


HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: HHS Is Pursuing Efforts to Advance Nationwide Implementation, but Has Not Yet Completed a National Strategy, GAO-08-499T (pdf, 17pp/228kB), Feb. 14, 2008

In 2004 Pres. Bush established the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) with HHS. The key areas of national health IT activities are electronic health records, standardization, networking and information exchange, and health information privacy and security.


STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE: Options to Improve the Cost-Effectiveness of Filling the Reserve, GAO-08-521T (pdf, 15pp/216kB), Feb. 26, 2008

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) was established in 1975. The SPR currently has almost 700 million barrels of crude oil, about 56 days of oil imports, in Texas and Louisiana. The Energy Policy Act of 2005, P.L. 109-58 (pdf, 551pp.), authorized the Department of Energy (DOE) to increase the SPR to 1 billion barrels by 2018. GAO recommends that DOE consider flexible, cost-effective ways when making fill decisions.

Two more for the new year

Two new year studies addressed revealing controversies in the US culture wars. The New York Times (NYT) reports of two economists' conference paper (pdf, 63pp) to this year's annual meeting of the American Economic Association. According to NYT, Professor Gordon Dahl of the University of California, San Diego, and Stefano DellaVigna, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, find

that violent films prevent violent crime by attracting would-be assailants and keeping them cloistered in darkened, alcohol-free environs.

Their paper suggests killing time at a movie is not spent in more violent behavior or tendencies.

"Economics is about choice," Professor Dahl said. "What would these people have done if they had not chosen to go and see a movie?...on days with a high audience for violent movies, violent crime is lower."

NYT quotes Melissa Henson, senior director of programs at the Parents Television Council, "The study's premise strikes me as somewhat goofy."


In 1999 the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) published a report (OpenBook, 48pp) which, according to the NAS website,

states unequivocally that creationism has no place in any science curriculum at any grade level.

However nine years later, NYT reported earlier this week that the NAS Committee on Revising Science and Creationism new book is meant to further defend and explain

the fundamental methods of science, document the overwhelming evidence in support of biological evolution, and evaluate the alternative perspectives offered by advocates of various kinds of creationism, including "intelligent design."

Including statements from biologists and members of the clergy, the report is intended for students, school boards, legislators, policy makers, and leaders of the community.

...science and religion should be viewed as different ways of understanding the world rather than as frameworks that are in conflict with each other and that the evidence for evolution can be fully compatible with religious faith.

Science, Evolution, and Creationism
(2008, OpenBook, 88pp)

ABCadabdra

The Washington Post (WP) reported today on the new study of state achievement tests published by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute. According to WP, the study:

offers evidence that the No Child Left Behind law's core mission -- to push all students to score well in reading and math -- is undermined by wide variations in how states define a passing score.

The study's aim was to investigate three research questions related to the NCLB policy calling for all students' proficiency in reading and mathematics by 2014, and expecting each state to define that "proficiency."

1. How consistent are various states' expectations for proficiency in reading and mathematics?
2. Is there evidence that states' expectations for proficiency have changed since NCLB's enactment?
3. How closely are proficiency standards calibrated across grades?

The researchers found that "improvements in passing rates on state tests can largely be explained by declines in the difficulty of those tests."

According to the study, "State tests vary greatly in their difficulty." Thus a student could pass in, say, Michigan where the proficiency passing score is among the lowest in the country, and test lower than five-sixths of the same-grade students in the rest of the country.

What [parents and teachers] don't know is that "proficient" doesn't mean much. This is the proficiency illusion.

The Proficiency Illusion
(October 2007, 238pp/pdf, 2.1MB)

In a Nutshell, a summary
(1p/73KB)

Give and get

One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is an education project to provide the world's children "with new opportunities to explore, experiment and express themselves.".

Any nation's most precious natural resource is its children. We believe the emerging world must leverage this resource by tapping into the children's innate capacities to learn, share, and create on their own. Our answer to that challenge is the XO laptop, a children's machine designed for "learning learning."

The XO laptop is a "a flexible, ultra-low-cost, power-efficient, responsive, and durable" laptop. Its operating system is built from free and open-source software:

The children-and their teachers-will have the freedom to reshape, reinvent, and reapply their software, hardware, and content.

Beginning November 12, OLPC will offer its Give 1 Get 1 Program: $399 will provide one XO laptop to be "sent to empower a child to learn in a developing nation," and one will be sent to your home.

Recent GAO reports

INTERNET ACCESS TAX MORATORIUM: Revenue Impacts Will Vary by State GAO-07-896T (pdf, 28pp/624kB), May 23, 2007

In 1998, Congress passed the Internet Tax Freedom Act (P.L. 105-277, Title XI, 112 Stat. 2681-719 et seq.), temporarily barring taxes by state and local governments on Internet access. GAO testified, "Because it is difficult to know what states would have done to tax Internet access services if no moratorium had existed, the total revenue implications of the moratorium are unclear." Bills have been introduced in Congress this year to make the moratorium permanent.

PEDIATRIC DRUG RESEARCH: The Study and Labeling of Drugs for Pediatric Use under the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act GAO-07-898T (pdf, 18pp/296kB), May 22, 2007

According to GAO, two-thirds of drugs prescribed for children have not been studied for pediatric use. Under the 2002 Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA), if manufacturers of drugs that are still on-patent (have marketing exclusivity) conduct pediatric studies at the requst of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA may extend the exclusivity period (no equivalent generic drugs to be marketed) for 6 months. GAO presents testimony on the drug studies conducted under BPCA for on-patent and off-patent drugs, and the impact of BPCA on the labeling of pediatric drugs.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Preliminary Analysis of Changes to and Trends in FTA's New Starts and Small Starts Programs GAO-07-812T (pdf, 30pp/496kB), May 10, 2007

In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) was signed into law. It authorized the New Starts program in which the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) recommends funding for new fixed-guideway transit projects. New Starts spawned a separate program called Small Starts for smaller transit projects. GAO discusses changes in New Starts and future trends for New Starts and Small Starts.

TEACHER QUALITY: Approaches, Implementation, and Evaluation of Key Federal Efforts GAO-07-861T (pdf, 17pp/224kB), May 17, 2007

Title II of both the 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act (HEA) and the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) provided funds for professional development and recruitment. This testimony discusses activities under the two acts, how the Dept. of Education (Education) supports these activities, and how funds are being used.

Global storm

Charged with finding the top ten actions federal policymakers could take to insure that America can successfully compete, prosper and be secure in the new world technology of the 21st century, the National Academies found the necessary technological and scientific building blocks seriously eroding.

"A comprehensive and coordinated federal effort is urgently needed to bolster U.S. competitiveness and pre-eminence in these areas [the marketplace, science and technology] so that the nation will consistently gain from the opportunities offered by rapid globalization," says a new report published by the National Academies Press (NAP).

Some of their recommendations include:

• Increase America's talent pool by vastly improving K-12 mathematics and science education.
• Sustain and strengthen the nation's commitment to long-term basic research.
• Develop, recruit, and retain top students, scientists, and engineers from both the United States and abroad.
• Ensure that the United States is the premier place in the world for innovation.

As reported in earlier FR posts, states have already begun the conversation focusing on the need for an educated and world aware citizenry .

Rising Above The Gathering Storm:
Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future
(2007, 590 pages, Open Book, NAP)

Education state cards

The Alliance for Excellent Education recently published their updated state cards. According to the Alliance web site, the state card

provides a statistical snapshot of high schools for the United States and includes data on funding, teachers' salaries, graduation rates, college readiness, and academic achievement.

Washington Post (WP) reported Thursday on the Maryland State Card, which "could be a crucial tool in Maryland legislators' discussions about educational funding priorities."

Using the national standardized test scores of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and compiling data on teachers' salaries and data collection abilities, the Alliance state cards reported on three overall findings for the U.S. (pdf) and for each of the fifty states and D.C.:

1. High school dropouts cost the United States billions in lost wages. High costs, 50-state breakdown (pdf)
2. The United States' economy could see billions in wealth accumulation by raising the high school graduation rate. Hidden benefits, 50-state breakdown (pdf)
3. The United States could save billions in health care costs by raising high school graduation rates. Health care costs, 50-state breakdown (pdf)
   

Besides these three findings, the Hawaii State Card includes:

Hawaii's economy would see millions if the minority graduation rate was raised to the level of their white classmates.

A risky education

Washington Post (WP) reported today on last week's published U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Center for American Progress joint school-improvement platform. The WP story writes:

Among the document's most controversial proposals is a call for states and school systems to "fairly and efficiently remove ineffective teachers."

The platform also urged the development of statewide data systems to help track student achievement and teacher effectiveness. It also called on schools to expand student learning time -- which encompasses classroom time, tutoring and after-school and experiential programs -- and called for states to adopt a common definition of graduation rates.

The Center states much of their recommendations was built on the data as reported in the interactive state-by-state map, Education Report Card.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce offered details of their grading methodology (Hawaii's grades follow each category):

1. Academic Achievement (F)
2. Academic Achievement of Low-Income and Minority Students (C)
3. Return on Investment (F)
4. Truth in Advertising About Student Proficiency (B)
5. Rigor of Standards (D)
6. Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness (F)
7. 21st Century Teaching Force (B)
8. Flexibility in Management and Policy (B)
9. Data Quality (A)

In the WP article, Tom Donohue, chamber president, says:

Without real leadership in education reform, our economic future and prosperity are at risk.

Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness
(February 2007, pdf, 88pp/1.2MB)

Overview (html)
Major Findings (html)

Safe Schools in Congress

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (SDFSCA), Title IV, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), was amended and reauthorized through FY2007 by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) (P.L. 107-110). The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has issued a report on possible actions the 110th Congress may take regarding reauthorization of SDFSCA.

According to the report, NCLB authorizes funding for the SDFSA program, "which is the federal government's major initiative to prevent drug abuse and violence in and around schools." Grants are awarded to state and local educational agencies and to governors. Governors receive 20% of a state allotment to award grants and contracts to public and private entities.

The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act: Reauthorization and Appropriations, CRS Report RL33870 (pdf, 16pp/120kB, from Open CRS), Feb. 8, 2007

NCLB in Congress

Anticipating that Congress will amend and extend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act which was most recently amended by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110), the Congressional Research Service (CRS) issued a report on NCLB reauthorization issues that it believes Congress will focus on:

• Assessments
• Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)
• Performance based sanctions - which generally apply only to Title I-A schools
• Staff qualifications - regarding "highly qualified teachers"
• Funding levels
• International competitiveness
• Federal role

A Jan. 15 editorial in the Honolulu Advertiser noted, "Last year, 66 percent of public schools in Hawaii failed to meet the AYP requirements under No Child Left Behind...(but) it did show an overall improvement in student proficiency in both math and English." The editorial urges the federal government to allow states to use such student progress as an assessment measure rather than a rigid pass or fail benchmark.

It's unfair to deny students the chance to be measured against this more-forgiving scale. During the next few months, Congress will decide whether to reauthorize the law, or make improvments to it. Considering the stakes--our children's education--making improvements is not an option. It's an obligation.

The No Child Left Behind Act: An Overview of Reauthorization Issues for the 110th Congress, CRS Report RL33749 (pdf, 33pp/196kB, from Open CRS), December 16, 2006

See related FR post: NCLB - Measuring progress

Little green schoolhouse

"Building design, materials, operation, maintenance, and cleaning practices can affect occupants' health and development," so The National Academies Press (NAP) introduces its study on the health and productivity benefits of green schools.

...students in buildings that rated as poor had test scores that were, on average, 5 percent lower than students in school buildings categorized as fair and 10 percent lower than students in buildings categorized as excellent.

Buildings account for 40 percent of U.S. energy use and 40 percent of atmospheric emissions, greenhouse gases, and other pollutants. The report undertakes the complex task of comparing studies which analyze overall building condition with student achievement and examine the total building health environment (dampness, mold, lighting, fresh air, etc) affecting not only students' performance but that of the professional stakeholder group, i.e., teachers, administrators (principals, financial staff, counselors, librarians) and support staff . The quality of building support staff "may significantly affect the performance of building systems, the timeliness and quality of maintenance repair, and cleaning practices." As buildings deteriorate, performance suffers and development is affected.

Of course, the issue is more than buildings.

Given the complexity of the interaction between people and their environments, establishing cause-and-effect relationships between an attribute of a green school or other building and its effect on people is very difficult.

Though the many societal factors influencing student and teacher health, productivity and learning are complex, the study concludes it may be possible to further determine whether and how a green school may be of benefit:

Future green school guidelines should place greater emphasis, on building systems...identify potential interactions between building systems, occupants, and operation and maintenance practices and identify conflicts that will necessitate tradeoffs among building features to meet differing objectives

Green Schools: Attributes for Health and Learning
(an Open Book from NAP, 2006, 208 pp)

Executive Summary
(pdf, 25pp/220kB)

For better teachers, better (not merit) pay

In late October, the U.S. Dept. of Education awarded an initial $42 million from the Teacher Incentive Fund to teachers who raise test scores. In a news release Oct. 23, 2006 , Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association (NEA), called the program "short on substance and long on politics." This was part of his statement:

Students learn best when teachers work as a team, not as free agents competing for a financial reward. These grants will promote unhealthy competition in a profession that thrives on teamwork and collaboration. Real learning is the casualty when teachers shift their focus from quality instruction to boosting test scores.

Mr. Weaver reiterated his views in a commentary in the Christian Science Monitor, Nov. 13, 2006. He also cited a recent MetLife survey that found one-quarter of teachers likely to leave their jobs within five years because of low salaries and little control over their work. But, Mr. Weaver maintained, "Bonuses cannot subsitute for a working environment high on trust and meaningful work." He concluded:

Don't let policymakers reduce teaching to the Darwinian philosophy of survival of the fittest. Instead, demand of them the judgment and courage necessary to reform teacher quality at its core.

The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: Expectations and Experiences, 2006 (Sept. 26, 2006, pdf, 167pp/704kB)

Online learning

The Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) is a "consortium of institutions and organizations committed to quality online education...[and] encourages the collaborative sharing of knowledge and effective practices to improve online education in learning effectiveness, access, affordability for learners and providers, and student and faculty satisfaction."

Sloan-C maintains a catalog of certificate and degree programs offered by accredited members (both University of Hawaii at Manoa and at Hilo offer certificate and degree programs); provides workshops, conferences, consultants; and publishes studies and surveys on online learning.

Associated Press (AP) reports today on the Sloan-C fourth annual survey of online learning in U.S. higher education. Findings include:

• Nearly 3.2 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2005 term, a substantial increase over the 2.3 million reported the previous year.
• The more than 800,000 additional online students is more than twice the number added in any previous year.
• Online students, like the overall student body, are overwhelmingly undergraduates.
• More than 96 percent of the very largest institutions (more than 15,000 total enrollments) have some online offerings.
• Doctoral/Research institutions have the greatest penetration of offering online programs as well as the highest overall rate (more than 80%) of having some form of online offering (either courses or full programs).
• 62 percent of academic leaders rated the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those in face-to-face.
• Faculty issues, both acceptance of online and the need for greater time and effort to teach online, are also important barriers.

Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006
(November 2006, pdf, 27pp/424kB)

Public reality checks

Public Agenda is a nonpartisan, research organization, an "explorer of public opinion" through surveys, pollings, education and civic engagement, whose mission is to:

• Help citizens understand complex problems
• Involve those who are normally excluded from policy debates
• Promote productive public and leadership dialogue
• Create momentum for change by building common ground, managing differences and creating new partnerships

Public Agenda 2006 reports include their "Reality Check" series, publications examining public opinion on important issues. The most recent reports focus on education, professional and public attitudes toward the learning experience and standards and procedures.

The Insiders: How Principals and Superintendents See Public Education Today (2006, pdf, 29pp/372kB) - "Superintendents are substantially less likely than classroom teachers to believe that too many students get passed through the system without learning."

Is Support for Standards and Testing Fading? (2006, pdf, 31pp/283kB) - "...five years into the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act and over a dozen years into the so-called standards movement in American education, the public now sees these reforms as 'necessary, but not sufficient.'"

A Fresh Look at Public Attitudes About Libraries in the 21st Century (2006, pdf, 84pp/1.06MB) - "Americans prize public library service and see libraries as potential solutions to many communities' most pressing problems..."

Report card on higher ed

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in San Jose, CA, "promotes public policies that enhance Americans' opportunities to pursue and achieve high-quality education and training beyond high school." On Sept. 7, the Center released Measuring Up 2006, the fourth in its series of biennial report cards for higher education in the nation and each state. A web page gives national snapshots of the six criteria used in the report cards:

Preparation for college: How well are young people in high school being prepared to enroll and succeed in college-level work?

Participation: Do young people and working-age adults have access to education and training beyond high school?

Affordability: How difficult is it to pay for college in each state when family income, the cost of attending college, and student financial assistance are taken into account?

Completion: Do students persist in and complete certificate and degree programs?

Benefits: How do workforce-trained and college-educated residents contribute to the economic and civic well-being of each state?

Learning: How do college-educated residents perform on a variety of measures of knowledge and skills?

Measuring Up 2006, the National Report Card on Higher Education (pdf, 1.6MB, 32p.)

Report card for Hawaii (pdf, 200KB, 16p.)

Related FR post: A model of college-level learning for the states

After School enrichment

The After School Project, a five-year, three-city demonstration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), "aimed at connecting significant numbers of young people in low-income neighborhoods with responsible adults during out-of-school time." At the end of June, RWJF published its final report on the Project.

...the Project focused on developing: (1) an array of developmental opportunities for youth, including physical activity and sports, educational, social and recreational programs; and, (2) strong local organizations with the necessary resources, credibility, and political clout to bring focus and visiblity to the youth development field.

The Project's demonstration sites were:

• Boston After School & Beyond
• After School Matters (Chicago)
• Team-Up for Youth (San Francisco)

RWJF's report emphasizes the importance of keeping after-school programs local, to accommodate "the different priorities, needs, ideas, and opportunities that predominate in different places." While acknowledging the resources that can be provided by such federal programs as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, RWJF feels such a one-size-fits-all philosophy is "regrettable."

Supporting and empowering intermediaries that can rally local actors around local solutions is the surest way to produce a system that genuinely serves each community's parents, schools, and youth - that holds the allegiance of the many leaders and organizations on which all these programs depend.

Making the Most of the Day, the Final Report of The After School Project (pdf, 3.1MB, 40p.)

RWJF contracted with Conwal as its evaluation consultant on this Project and is awaiting Conwal's full report. FR will do a follow-up post when that report is published.

States and the Child Care and Development Fund

The National Association of State Child Care Administrators (NASCCA), an affiliate of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), and Child Trends, with the Bank Street College of Education, released a study in April evaluating states' use of funding from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) to invest in child care quality.

The flexibility inherent in the CCDF block grant structure allows the implementation of quality initiatives that fit the diverse geographic, demographic, and cultural landscapes of each state.

The study finds most states focusing "on a relatively small set of objectives that research suggests can contribute to child care quality:"

• promoting healthy and safe environments;
• professional development, including providing training and formal education for individual providers and programs;
• initiatives that aim to increase emotionally supportive and responsive caregiving and those that support early learning.

However, the study's authors felt states needed to improve their evaluation and data collection methods, shifting from documenting the targeted population to more evaluating the effects.

Investing in Quality: A Survey of State Child Care and Development Fund Initiatives (April 2006, pdf, 54 pages/4mB)

See also,
PL 104-193 - Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (authorizing the CCDF)

NCLB - Measuring progress

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires that states (1) improve students' academic performance so that they achieve reading and math proficiency by 2014, and (2) close achievement gaps between high- and low-performing students. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently did a study on how states measure schools' academic achievement, or adequate yearly progress (AYP), in meeting these goals. States now set annual targets using status models that calculate test scores 1 year at a time. In addition to status models, 26 states use growth models that measure changes in test scores over time. Another 22 states, Hawaii among them, are considering implementing growth models. In its report, GAO assesses states' use of growth models, whether they achieve NCLB goals, and how the Department of Education (Education) is assisting states in using growth models.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce asked GAO to testify on its report. The testimony was released on July 27.

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT: States Face Challenges Measuring Academic Growth That Education's Initiatives May Help Address, GAO-06-661, July 17, 2006
     Full report (pdf, 2MB, 54p.)
     Highlights (pdf, 372KB, 1p.)
     Abstract (html)

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT: States Face Challenges Measuring Academic Growth, GAO-06-948T, July 27, 2006, Testimony (pdf, 1MB, 24p.)

Related FR posts:

• Report card on NCLB, year 4
• No Child, "a product of negotiation, not law"

See Hawaii Dept. of Education (DOE) AYP news release, July 20, 2006

High balancing act

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education released in June a report on Virginia's restructuring of their public higher education system. The foreword states:

an almost perennial tug-of-war has existed between the states and their colleges and universities: the states seeking more control over their institutions, and these institutions seeking greater autonomy.

Analyzing the 2002 Virginia conflict involving the setting of tuitions, the report's author found Virginia's statewide examination and discussion of institutional management and accountability "yielded an almost unprecedented broad legislative 'reconstruction' of Virginia's public higher education system in 2005."

The resulting groundbreaking legislation promises now to serve as a valuable framework for eliciting measurable institutional progress toward explicit public policy goals in exchange for a state commitment to funding and institutional autonomy in certain key areas.

The accountability of public colleges and universities to public policy goals is felt to be necessarily balanced by higher education's need for "an appropriate degree of flexibility in the means by which they achieve these goals."

Checks and Balances at Work: The Restructuring of Virginia's Public Higher Education System (June 2006, pdf, 105 pages/338 kB)

Executive Summary (available in html)

Report card on NCLB, year 4

As stated on their website, the Center on Education Policy (CEP) "is a national, independent advocate for public education and for more effective public schools." In March CEP released their fourth annual analysis of the state by state implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). (The U.S. Department of Education also has an all states evaluation, How NCLB is making a difference in your state, available on the Ed.gov website.)

According to the CEP's news release, the NCLB has affected the "everyday lives of students and educators; [with] greatest impact in urban districts." Their survey of 50 state education officials, 299 school districts, and 38 geographically diverse case studies and 42 individual schools found that 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 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."

From the Capital to the Classroom: Year 4 of the No Child Left Behind Act
(available in pdf, 1.5MB, from CEP)

Summary, available in pdf, 428KB.
News release, available in pdf, 32KB.

Reining in textbook costs

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) of April 25, p. D2, reported on state and federal lawmakers coming to the aid of college students against high textbook prices, as some books now cost over $100. The article cited laws enacted in Virginia (Chapter 561, 2006 Session, pdf, 16KB, 1p., from the Virginia General Assembly) and Washington (Chapter 81, Laws of 2006, pdf, 12KB, 3p., from the Washington Legislature) to make textbooks more affordable.

The Virginia law directs public universities to adopt textbook guidelines, including urging professors to be aware of book prices and discouraging them from switching to newer, more expensive texts that don't differ substantially from the older ones.

The Washington law orders state universities to promote textbook-buyback programs and to give students the option of buying books without additonal materials such as workbooks and CD-ROMs.

In Congress, the College Access and Oppportunity Act of 2006 (HR 609, pdf, 720KB, 390p., from GPO), §930, encourages publishers and college bookstores to cooperate with faculty and to implement options "to address textbook affordability."

Digital technology may also help in bringing book costs down. The Washington Post (WP) on April 23 reported on e-books where titles can be downloaded to readers that mimic paper pages, like iPods for books. They "could change the landscape of how books are both purchased and read."

See earlier FR post, Supplements raise textbook prices

Charter schools on par

RAND Education released a 10 page occasional paper last month examining charter schools in California, the state with more charter schools than any other state. The paper discusses the effects of charter schools on traditional public education, evaluates the sometimes contentious issues surrounding the schools, and analyzes student performance and test scores over time. The RAND summary states:

• charter school students are keeping pace with comparable students in traditional public schools.
• minority students are performing no better in charter than in traditional classrooms.
• competition from charters...[do not] improve the performance of traditional public schools.
• charter schools have achieved comparable test score results with fewer public resources.
• school level operations varied considerably between charter and traditional schools...[with] little effect on student achievement.

Though the analysis focused on California, the researchers found that within the state, charter school performance varies by charter type, suggesting performance will vary "as charter laws vary from state to state," and that it is important to study the differing environments, laws and designs to better understand charter schools and their role in school improvement.

It is important to examine under what local circumstances, governing laws, and instructional and educational designs charter schools are most likely to have positive effects on students who choose to attend these schools and on those who do not.

Making Sense of Charter Schools, Evidence from California
(available in pdf, 165KB, from RAND)

Pre-k and the states

Pre-K Now is a public education and advocacy organization originally created as a funding strategy of the Pew Charitable Trusts and a project of the Institute for Educational Leadership. They describe their mission and goal:

Our mission is to collaborate with advocates and policymakers to lead a movement for high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten for all three- and four-year-olds. The goal of Pre-K Now is to advance high-quality pre-kindergarten programs for all children.

Pre-K Now publishes a resource center on its web site offering state profiles and their efforts in pre-k; availability, political, quality and climate mappings of progress; and recommended resources, both digital and traditional.

Two Pre-K Now publications of interest are also available as downloads:

Funding the Future: States' Approaches to Pre-K Finance - the press release describes as examining "the range of financial approaches states employ, how effective they have been in raising funds for high-quality programs, how sustainable those sources of funding are, and how they can be increased to improve the quality of and expand access to pre-k." 20p., pdf, 424 KB.

Pre-K and Politics 2005 - an analysis of the past year in the pre-kindergarten movement, reporting the bold approaches of commitment to pre-k programs while also examining the "states that have fallen behind the pack on pre-k." According to the press release, the annual identifies "ten essential conditions that comprise a political barometer and are associated with states that are serious about expanding pre-k to all children." 20p., pdf, 544 KB.

See related FR post, Challenges to universal pre-K.

States v. Federal, student performance evaluations

The Education Trust released a report Thursday evaluating student achievement patterns in a state-by-state comparison with the federal benchmark. Their analysis according to the press release:

raises questions about the rigor of state tests and standards, putting a spotlight on the huge disparities in student performance on state tests and on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

In the comparison, it was found that states' standards were generally lower than the national. Hawaii reported 56% of grade 4 students were proficient and advanced in reading. The NAEP tests determined only 23% were. In reading proficiency scores for grade 8, Hawaii reported 38%, while the national reported it to be 18%. Many states had more extreme gaps between their test scores and the national, especially for middle and high school student scores. The Trust suggested:

While important, overall trends do not tell the whole story. To ensure that all students meet grade-level standards, schools must increase achievement for all students while accelerating gains for poor and minority children who are often the furthest behind. Many states are meeting this goal in the elementary grades, but the results in middle and high school are disturbing.

Primary Progress, Secondary Challenge: A State-by-State Look at Student Achievement Patterns
(available in pdf, 472KB, from The Education Trust)

See related FR posts:

• A product of negotiation
• Basic is not proficient
• Crisis at the core
• States' graduation rates

No Child, "a product of negotiation, not law"

Reuters published an article today on Harvard University Civil Rights Project's newly released 60 page examination of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the subsequent policy shifts in states' accountability. The report charges that "political compromises forged between some states and the federal government have allowed schools in some predominantly white districts to dodge penalties faced by regions with larger ethnic minority populations." The report's executive summary states:

This report documents the changes states have made to their accountability plans and examines how these policy shifts affect the meaning of accountability and who benefits (and loses) from the changes. We reviewed decision letters sent to all 50 states that outlined the changes approved by ED through December 2005. The intent of this report is to provide policymakers with information they can use to develop a systemic approach to correcting the flaws in NCLB by documenting the requirements that are difficult for states to implement and identifying areas where the law may not be working as intended. The report provides an easy to understand synopsis of the changes allowed by ED and state-by-state summaries of the amendments each state adopted.

The news article quotes Gail Sunderman, lead author of the study, as saying, "There's a very uneven effect. There are no clear uniform standards that are governing No Child Left Behind. If one state gets one thing, another state can do something else."

The Unraveling of No Child Left Behind: How Negotiated Changes Transform the Law, by Gail L. Sunderman
(available in pdf, 504KB, from The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University)

School stats

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) published recently its data report from the "Common Core of Data (CCD) non-fiscal 2003-04 state, local education agency, and school surveys." The CCD annually compiles data on all public schools, public school districts and state education agencies in the United States. The report provides descriptive, easy to compare information in table format, including demographics of student bodies and staff; revenues and current expenditures; charter school number; and percentage of students served.

With data from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Defense (DoD) dependents schools (overseas and domestic), Puerto Rico, and the other jurisdictions of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marianas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the NCES report:

presents data about the students enrolled in public education, including the number of students by grade and the number receiving special education, migrant, or English language learner services. Some tables disaggregate the student data by racial/ethnic group or community characteristics such as rural - urban. The numbers and types of teachers, other education staff, schools, and local education agencies are also reported.

Public Elementary and Secondary Students, Staff, Schools, and School Districts: School Year 2003-04, NCES 2006307
(only available on the Web, in pdf, 464KB, from NCES)

Numbers for the future

In his State of the Union Address, President Bush announced the American Competitiveness Initiative and proposed, as reported by Associated Press (AP):

training an additional 70,000 teachers over five years to teach advanced math and science courses in high school, where demand for such classes has soared nationwide. He also proposed new math programs for elementary and middle school students, and reiterated his goal to lure thousands of mathematicians and scientists to become adjunct high school teachers.

There is reported a concern where Congress would find money to support this math and science push in education, "which would cost tens of billions of dollars, and whether other education spending would be cut."

The National Academies Press (NAP) has two current publications addressing science education and its assessment in the schools.

America's Lab Report: Investigations in High School Science examines the lab experience in the current high school curriculum and questions its current effectiveness, potential for improvement, and the needed changes for improvement. Recommended for educators, school administrators, policy makers, and parents. (Susan R. Singer, Margaret L. Hilton, and Heidi A. Schweingruber, Editors, Committee on High School Science Laboratories: Role and Vision, National Research Council. 254 pages.)

Systems for State Science Assessment examines tools and methods necessary to assess science learning and content standards and to measure student progress. Self-described as, "a critical resource for states that are designing and implementing science assessments to meet the 2007-2008 requirements of NCLB." Recommended for policy makers, schools, teachers, scientists, and parents. (Mark R. Wilson and Meryl W. Bertenthal, Editors, Committee on Test Design for K-12 Science Achievement, National Research Council. 248 pages.)

Both publications are also available as Open Books from NAP, to read or browse online:


America's Lab Report (Open Book)
(and available as download, the Executive Summary, in pdf, 396KB)

Systems for State Science Assessment (Open Book)
(and available as download, the Executive Summary, in pdf, 280KB)

Basic is not proficient

Associated Press (AP) published a story Friday on the literacy of today's college students. The same test the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) gave to evaluate English literacy among adults (see FR, here), and which determined one in 20 adults to be not literate in English, was used for the college survey by the American Institutes for Research (AIR). According to AIR's press release:

Twenty percent of U.S. college students completing 4-year degrees - and 30 percent of students earning 2-year degrees - have only basic quantitative literacy skills, meaning they are unable to estimate if their car has enough gasoline to get to the next gas station or calculate the total cost of ordering office supplies...

While the findings put current students well above adults with similar levels of education, it is suggested basic is not good enough for an educated population.

The Literacy of America's College Students, Final Report
(available in pdf, 1MB, from AIR)

Final Report's Appendices
(available in pdf, 1MB)

Adult Literacy

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released Thursday its assessment of adult literacy in the U.S., a report the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) calls, "the most comprehensive look at the state of literacy among the U.S. population since 1992."

The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) in its press release noted,

five percent of U.S. adults, about 11 million people, were termed "nonliterate" in English, meaning interviewers could not communicate with them or that they were unable to answer a minimum number of questions.

and overall,

found little change between 1992 and 2003 in adults' ability to read and understand sentences and paragraphs or to understand documents such as job applications.

The assessment defines literacy as "using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential." NAAL uses three categories to define English-language literacy: prose (e.g., understanding newspaper articles), document (e.g., understanding prescription drug labels) and quantitative (e.g., computing and comparing the cost per ounce of food items).

A First Look at the Literacy of America's Adults in the 21st Century
(The National Assessment of Adult Literacy, available in pdf, 1.7MB, from NCES)

Key Concepts and Features of the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy
(describes the assessment's key features and data types and reviews key elements carried over from the 1992 assessment; available in pdf, 1.6MB, from NCES)