Back to Basics for the "division clueless"

Johns Hopkins University Math Professor discusses elementary math curricula.

Baldacci-era Ed Reforms in a new age

Standards-based grading, RISC, Maine lap-top program, RSU 1 & RSU 2.

Amherst, MA: School board pushes for math changes

The Amherst School Board members want the administration to act quickly to adopt a new elementary math curriculum. Like Everyday Math, Investigations is used throughout Maine. Both programs were pushed by the Maine Math & Science Alliance with federal grant money.

BREAKING NEWS: Supt. Shuttleworth retiring from RSU 1 post

Matt Stone's WeeklyEducation Round-up for Maine

Brown needs to pull California out of Race to the Top

This explains the costs of adopting the Common Core State Standards, etc.

Replace math curricula? Administrators won't answer in writing

Spokane, WA parent blog.

(RISC) Budget woes slow expansion of standards-based education

The Maine DOE won't renew the contract it holds with the Alaska-Based Re-Inventing Schools Coalition (RISC) when it expires in June.

How are our high schools doing?

This is a follow up to the Timesrecord article on AYP. In just 5 years, Brunswick and Morse have widened the proficiency gap by 20+% across every subject. How can we close this gap?

Wake Up Call !! (Long Division)

Missouri parent tells of "insanity" in reform classroom

Another take on the PISA results

If Arne Duncan considers this a wake-up call, where has he been the last 20 years?

The Pros and Cons of Teacher Performance Pay Part 2

Everything but the elementary school math curriculum

Excerpt in response to the NYTimes piece on the PISA results:

Instead, in using terms like "taking responsibility" for ones learning, "critical thinking," "Creativity, " "Integrated curriculum," and "Authentic Problems," these authors, unwittingly or not, are echoing those terms used by supporters of our Reform Math programs to justify the continued use of a uniquely American approach to K12 math that is perpetuating, and exacerbating, or academic decline.

Willingham: What causes performance decline across grades?

Read the comments from teachers on this one. For example:

"I have taught high school algebra for more than 20 years and the kids who do poorly in algebra, do poorly because of lack of basic skills. The basic skill level of students has never been lower."

Does Dr. Willingham have some of it backwards?

RSU2 superintendent to step down in 2011

Here's another example of an administrator leaving the frontlines planning to "provide consulting services" for the districts making the switch to "standards based education". 

Maine: School closings on rise

Next generation workforce: Outperformed in math and science

Craig Barrett, former Intel CEO, on PISA results.

Sputnik for the 21st century

Chester Finn on the PISA results.

PISA test scores

This links to a blog with the latest PISA test results. In math:

Shanghai, China - 600
Singapore - 562
HongKong, China - 555
Finland - 541
USA - 487

Are the results believable?

How Do We Reform Math Education?

This blog contains an NBC video clip on the latest PISA Scores.

Top Test Scores From Shanghai Stun Educators

A wake-up call for the USA?

The Pros and Cons of Teacher Performance Pay

Pine Tree Politics discusses performance pay for teachers in Maine.

Portland (OR) -area schools debate proficiency-based education

Pros and cons are discussed on the article and the posted comments.

Standards-based grading blog

Mr. LePage goes to Washington (and discusses education)

Excerpt:

On education, LePage said he was encouraged by his meeting with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, but remained wary of the revived No Child Left Behind, the education reform law passed by the Bush administration.

"They did say they are going to work very hard at raising the standard of education and that was welcome news because that's what we feel, that in Maine, the education has been dumbed down quite a bit," LePage said. There's some talk about bringing back No Child Left Behind, a new version and that scared me. Because in Maine, I haven't heard any educator tell me that No Child Left Behind was good for a rural state. I think it's more of a large, metro, inner-city type program."

What performance pay for teachers can't accomplish

WPI to help redesign Connected Math curriculum

The Connected Math Projects curriculum is used in many middle schools throughout New England.

Math ‘reform’ fails our kids

Excerpt:

Are we wasting money teaching math to our students? Not as in: We shouldn't be doing it in the first place. Rather, as in: We are spending the money but not teaching them anything.

What's the cause?

In the eyes of those observing it most closely, the cause is the curriculum the district has chosen for teaching them math.

Also, check out what is considered a "passing" grade - 57%

Do We Teach Math the Wrong Way?

Excerpt:

US Math curriculum seems to throw too many topics at children in early grades and does not structure its subject matter so that one topic builds into another.

Too Many High School Seniors Unprepared for College-Level Math and Reading

Nov 29, 2010 Alliance for Excellent Education Public Education Policy & Progress Report

RSU 13 School Board and Super in the hotseat

Jim Skoglund, form Maine State House Rep, rips into consolidation, education fads and Superintendent Lucarelli.

Numbers Wars: School Battles Heat Up Again in the Traditional versus Reform-Math Debate

Scientific American: Weak student scores fuel the fight in mathematics education.

Ravitch answers Gates

Colchester, VT: Standards-Based Grading

Many high school math problems are made up of a variety of skills (or standards). Using Standards-based grading, do you break down each problem & grade each step?

Standards-based grading pilot

This school continues to us an A-F (15 level) scale with a standards-based grading.

Q&A: Standards-based grading expert Robert Marzano talks about Bangor Township Schools new grading system

Has the Maine DOE also hired Robert Marzano?

Equity and fairness Maine's publicly chartered schools

An excerpt for the article:

"Supt. William Shuttleworth of RSU 1 has been among the most aggressive "can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs" reformers in Maine - in large part because he recognizes that change is going to come. If we're to protect, preserve, and extend the promise of public education in the US, those of us in the system (those of us who ARE the system) need to embrace the new paradigm. Later this week, Maine Enterprise Schools will present this week a dollars-in, dollars-out plan for a collaboration with two or more local non-profits and the four districts that make up the Bath Regional Vocational and Technical Institute. Not only will this proposal not require additional infrastructure, it is explicitly designed to leverage other investment that will preserve and transform cultural assets such as Morris Farm in Wiscasset, the Boothway Railway Village and Museum, Round Top Farm in Damariscotta, or the Kennebec Freight Shed in Bath."

Click on the title to link directly to the entire piece!  Interesting reading.

The Battle for the Mind of the High School Student

A must watch video for all parents.

Time Record: Wiscasset explores withdrawal from RSU 12

PPH: Student tracking project, privacy on collision course

The effect of block scheduling high school mathematics courses on student

The effect of block scheduling high school mathematics courses on student
achievement and teachers’ use of time

Dr. ROBERT G. CRONINGER
Faculty of Education Policy Studies
University of Maryland, College Park

Block scheduling is intended to encourage more active teaching strategies,
reduce fragmentation inherent in single-period schedules, and improve
student performance. To the degree that such policies reallocate existing
resources to realize higher levels of desired educational outcomes, the
goal of productivity can be served. Despite widespread experimentation,
there is conflicting evidence on the impact of block scheduling on student
achievement, and little evidence of effects on classroom practice. This
talk will describe a study exploring these relationships. The study drew
from the National Education Longitudinal Study: 1988 to estimate the
impact of block-scheduled mathematics courses on tenth-grade student
achievement and teachers’ use of class time. Findings suggest that while
block scheduling is positively associated with teachers’ use of multiple
instructional methods and more individualized instruction, it has a
negative impact on students’ mathematics scores, controlling for other
factors. Implications for future research will be discussed.

FRIDAY, NOVEMER 19, 2010
Room 2121 Benjamin Building Univ. of Maryland
11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Nov 19th - Everyday Math article in American Thinker

Excerpt:

Few things could be more useless than a system of math instruction concocted by developmental psychologists, and serious questions must be raised about the real effects (and intent) of Everyday Math.

Are Mid-coast schools making progress?

This lists the Mid-coast (Maine) schools, their current AYP and - if not making AYP - how many years the school has not met the AYP standards.

Times Record: Schools scramble to meet shifting No Child Left Behind standards

"For a school that's not a Title 1 school, the stakes are actually fairly small," admitted Connerty-Marin. "No fund movement will be affected. There's no accountability beyond the public awareness of the status. That does have some impact, though. Nobody wants to be seen as having a school that's not making progress."

Cape Elizabeth, ME Everyday Math Parent Survey

The results of Cape Elizabeth School Board initiated survey of parents with respect to Everyday Math have been posted. The format is not as easy to read as one might wish, and the narrative responses of some parents have been truncated, presumably because of space concerns. In the meantime, the results are a window on the problems some students and their families have been experiencing with the Everyday Math program used in Cape Elizabeth schools. Parents' concerns about the adequacy of Everyday Math prompted the School Board to conduct the survey. Many families seems to be supplementing with outside tutoring (Kumon, etc).

Duncan: Stop Paying Teachers Like 'Interchangeable Widgets'

"THE NEW NORMAL: DOING MORE WITH LESS" Remarks of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan 11.17.10

Current Spending Statistics of Public Elementary-Secondary School Systems for 2007-08

Goodbye Grade Levels

Read the comments on this one. George & Nancy do a good job explaining some of the challenges of standards-based grading.

Fewer Maine schools meeting standards

Former Wiscasset School Board Member Calls For End Of RSU #12

Rumblings of an earthquake in national education policy?

Teacher poses the question: Is Everyday Math finished?

Read this post by a teacher on the PT Blog (11.13.2010): I pose this question to the PT community. I don't ask the question to debate the merits of Everyday math. There is already enough information there discussing pros and cons of Everyday Math. I will say this program is used by my district and I currently use it to teach math. With that said, the common core standards have been released. It appears that our country wants teachers to teach less topics in greater depth and is looking for more of a mastery focus. The common core standards require standard algorithms to be taught like long division. Also, students are to have their multiplication facts mastered by the end of grade 3. Everyday Math has objected to these common core standards in a public statement. It is clear to see that the new common core standards are in direct opposition to the Everyday Math curriculum. I don't see Everyday Math changing its entire philosophy. Are the days numbered for Everyday Math? Also, if school districts leave Everyday Math in what direction will they go? Singapore Math? Saxon? I'm curious what the PT community thinks.

NJ Superintendent Bitches about Making $175,000 a year, Gov. Christie says "Let Me Help You Pack"

4 minute video worth watching.  NJ Govenor sides with taxpayers over superintendent!

WA State local school board brushes off math concerns in meeting devoted to math concerns

This blog discusses standards-based grading, math curriculum, etc. Very timely!

More details about RISC at the State level

Informational Letter:  12
Policy Code:  GCI
TO: Superintendents of Schools
FROM: Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner of Education
DATE: August 6, 2009
RE: Superintendent’s Conference Follow-Up – Standards Based Education

Thank you for your continued interest in Maine’s transition to a standards-based system of education and our work with the Re-Inventing Schools Coalition.  This week we engaged 100 more participants for the 2009 Maine RISC Summer Institute to deepen their understanding and build action plans for this exciting work. 
As promised at the Superintendents' Conference in Bar Harbor, Rich DeLorenzo, Co-Founder of the Re-Inventing Schools Coalition, will be returning to Maine in September from the 10th to the 18th for a series of statewide events that are currently being planned.  These events will provide the opportunities you requested in order for regions and districts to go deeper into the Model to gain increased awareness and understanding. 
At the Superintendents’ Conference the idea of bringing conversations about standards-based education to the regional level surfaced. To that end, we have organized a series of meetings for groups to explore, go deeper and actually have customized interactions with stakeholders for the next steps.
The schedule is as follows:
Performance-Based Systems Workshop for Administrators – Designed for educational leaders who have previously attended RISC workshops

WHEN: Thursday, September 10, 2009 8:30am – 4:30pm
Friday, September 11, 2009 8:00am – 4:00pm
WHERE: Holiday Inn Portland West, 81 Riverside Street, Portland
Directions – http://www.portlandholidayinn.com/Directions

2009 Maine Re-inventing Schools Coalition Fall Symposium

WHEN: Sunday, September 13, 2009 4:00pm – 8:00pm
Monday, September 14, 2009; 8:30am – 4:30pm
Tuesday, September 15, 2009;  8:00am – 4:00pm
WHERE: Wyndham Portland Airport Hotel, 363 Maine Mall Road, South Portland
Directions – http://www.wyndham.com/hotels/PWMHT/mapanddirections/main.wnt?param=1
- Please Provide Feedback Response -
Regional Opportunities for Building/Deepening Understanding of Performance-Based Educational Systems
 
Open for regional work with Superintendents and their shareholders.  I would like suggestions as to how to best utilize Rich’s knowledge and skills to build capacity for this work in your region. 
WHEN: Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
WHERE: Regions To Be Determined by Superintendent Responses
Please e-mail your ideas or suggestions for regional collaborative work to Tammy Morrill at tammy.morrill@maine.gov no later than Wednesday, August 19, 2009 at 12:00 noon.  We will try to accommodate as many ideas as possible. 
Meeting with the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs

WHEN: Friday, September 18, 2009
WHERE: Burton M. Cross State Office Building, 111 Sewall Street, Augusta
2nd Floor - Room # 202
Directions – http://www.maine.gov/education/directions.htm

If you are interested in attending any of the meetings, please know that they are inclusive and you are most welcome.  The groups gathering for September 10-11 are a little more ahead in the planning/implementation process, while the meetings scheduled for September 13,14,15 are for a broader awareness of the work.
I realize that the September dates may present a challenge with schools just getting started, but wanted to make the opportunity available to those who may be able to participate.  It is also important to note that the Winter Institute dates are being determined and will provide, yet, another opportunity.  In the meantime please visit the Maine Department of Education website with the latest resources on Standards Based Education at  http://www.maine.gov/education/sbs/index.html
Thank you again for your continued interest in this exciting work to deliver on the promise of Maine’s Learning Results.

RISC in Maine...here's the mandate!

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 88
POLICY CODE: IKF
TO: Superintendents of Schools
FROM: Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner
DATE: April 13, 2009
RE: Statewide Conference: Transitioning to a Standards-Based System of Education in Maine
In 1989, with the publication of Maine’s Common Core of Learning, Maine began its journey to develop a system of education that was focused on what students need in order to demonstrate proficiency in a common set of knowledge and skills. Much has been learned on this journey over the past twenty years. Learning from our past, the Department intends to build upon its collaboration with school administrative units and truly fulfill the promise of Maine’s Learning Results. Informed by the research of many, especially Dr. Michael Fullan and Dr. Robert Marzano, the Department intends to continue the journey by creating the conditions, policies, and resources to support transitioning from the current standards-referenced system to a standards-based system.
The Department has reached out to the Re-Inventing Schools Coalition (RISC), an organization with fifteen years of experience with standards-based practices and, as Dr. Robert Marzano states: “As far as I can tell, the Re-Inventing Schools Model, as implemented by Chugach and other districts in Alaska involved with RISC is the most comprehensive and well articulated approach to standards-based reform in the entire country.”
It is important to note that Rich DeLorenzo, RISC Co-Founder and Education Specialist, was superintendent of the Chugach School District, and both Wendy Battino, RISC Co-Founder and Executive Director, and Rick Schreiber, Co-Founder and Director of Operations, served as classroom teachers in the Chugach School District, which was awarded the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award in 2001.
Establishing pilot sites in Maine, Department staff and RISC staff will offer technical assistance to support the use of research-based processes and practices that create effective learner-centered, standards-based school cultures. These pilot sites will provide an opportunity to “make visible” in Maine examples of the transition to a standards-based system.
The purpose of this letter is to invite school administrative unit personnel and related stakeholders (school board members, students, and parents/community members) to a statewide conference. This will provide participants with an opportunity to:

• Develop an understanding of the RISC Model of a standards-based system of education
• Learn how to apply tenets of the RISC Model in school administrative units
• Learn about Maine Department of Education’s plans to facilitate and support this work.

More information and links to online conference registration can be found by clicking on the following link: http://www.maine.gov/education/sbs/
If you have any questions, please contact the following Department staff:
Diana Doiron- diana.doiron@maine.gov 624-6823
Nigel Norton- nigel.norton@maine.gov 624-6745
Sarah Simmonds- sarah.simmonds@maine.gov 624-6823

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The Shadow Scholar

This is just one example of why "Whole Language" needs to be banished as an instructional paradigm.

Portland Press Herald: Our View: New Legislature should make consolidation work

Portland Press Herald on school consolidation.

OUR VIEW: Dumbing down math

Ron White, CEO of HeavyStone Laboratory, told a Salt Lake City media outlet that his firm would hire Chinese graduates and let Utah's graduates flip hamburgers.

Coffee, designers, and U.S. education reform

Teachers are being scapegoated even as their autonomy is further stripped away. Those who have the most contact with children - parents, teachers, and principals - are largely pushed out of the conversation....

Group wants schools that mix business with lessons

Another article about the Maine Enterprise Schools.  This group is suddenly in the news because they're planning to enroll their first RSU1 students -- targeting 6th graders to make a 3-year commitment and 9th graders a 4-year commitment -- in the program THIS FALL (2011).  This is considered an 'alternate path' to graduation and seems to be a driver in the need for standards-based curriculum and grading (no grades), so that students partipating in 'farm school' can still 'meet the standard' and graduate.  What will a High School Diploma represent under this program?  Surely it's not the classical, well-rounded education college admissions and employers expect!?!

Students face tougher testing in math

Maine Reports School Progress to Feds

MATH!

RE: Everyday Math

A California state mathematics professor said, "In normal classrooms with normal teachers, I would characterize these materials (second grade materials) as 'dangerous'. My impression is that it would be very difficult to be sure that the most appropriate material is covered adequately....There is almost no routine practice, although a small amount is built into activities."

Percentage of Students at the Advanced Level in Math

Maine = 28th

THIS MATH DEPRESSES ME

A Canadian mom writes about her daughter's elementary math program...

InnovationMaine - Charter School Blog

Another local Maine charter school blog.....

Maine Enterprise Schools

RSU 2 & RSU 1....... check this out

Maine Enterprise Schools - serving 4 RSUs in mid-coast Maine

The proposal is led by Superintendent Shuttleworth of RSU 1 and Joel Austin of the Bath Regional Technical Institute.

Rally in the works....keep the first week of December open!

We, the concerned parents and citizens all over Maine, must come together and talk to our newly elected State officials and let them know where we stand. 

We don't want our students and schools to be guinea pigs -- the test case for the RISC model is the multiple Alaska schools that dumped it.

While we find Standards acceptable, we believe Maine taxpayers should have a voice in the Standards and that should be able to set higher standards when appropriate.  We don't want to participate in a further "dumbing down" of education that seems the goal of 'lowest common denominator' standards touted in the CCSS and National movement.  (Didn't anyone notice that Massachusetts had to LOWER their excellent standards to join the National movement?)

We believe traditional grading and its' inherent competition is essential to the education process.  Where better to learn how to compete than within the safe, nurturing school environment.  We are not properly preparing our students for life after public school -- or even college -- if we fail to teach them healthy competition or to provide real feedback on their efforts with a 15 scale grading system vise a 4 scale system of standards.

We don't want high-priced administrators siphoning off huge salaries and educator retirement pay simultaneously or setting up self-serving, lucrative consulting positions based on their experience implementing educational models, like RISC, that are not beneficial to our students.

We want community input into curriculum -- get rid of the paradigms that don't work like EDM and Whole Language.  Mastering mathematical algorithms does more to build self-esteem in a student than handing them a calculator and telling them which buttons to press.  (There is a place for technology, but you can't validate/audit work if you don't understand the logic.  One must wonder if Kindergarten is really the place for calculators.)

Readers - please post your concerns in the comment section (you can do this and remain 'anonymous') to help us ensure we capture the biggest issues appropriately.  Together we can effect a better outcome for our student!  Let us TAKE BACK OUR SCHOOLS!!!

Was Galileo wrong?

Has ed school theory called "constructivism" been the cause of America's decline in math & science? Everyday Math = constructivism

US students not measuring up in math

MSNBC video on the state of math education in the USA.

Grading system unsettles Hall-Dale parents

RSU 2 again! These parents have worked soooooo hard to get their School Board to listen.

Parents' petition protests change in grade system

Yet another RSU 2 Standards-based grading article (May, 2010).

Home schooling, education jobs and Social Security: An education roundup

Interesting article and very interesting comments from readers at the bottom of the article. 

School District Faces Failure, Adopts RISC

Wiscassett Newspaper – November 4, 2010

School District Faces Failure, Adopts RISC

By Alan Bebout

Staff Reporter

In a public hearing, Chris Chamberlain stood before an audience composed of her superintendent, teachers, students, parents, and school board members, and acknowledged that the school district has accepted responsibility for failure in its mission to educate students entrusted to it.   She said it was about time for the district to be honest with parents about how bad things are, and went on to describe the problem in painful detail.  More than once she told the audience that the world has changed and America’s schools have not changed with it.  The problem is not uncommon in Maine, and one that most Maine school districts will likely have to address in the near future.

Chamberlain is Director of Curriculum for RSU 2, which includes schools in Dresden, Richmond, Farmingdale, Hallowell, and Monmouth.  Her candid presentation confirmed that students have been passed from grade to grade without mastering basic material.  Prior to graduation, some students get frustrated with falling further and further behind, and become a drop-out statistic.  Chamberlain and RSU 2 Superintendent Donald Siviski are not content to see future graduates get a high school diploma just because they sat in a chair for twelve years.  It is disarming to see a District Superintendent and Curriculum Director openly admitting to the failure of public education.  It is time, they say, to face the problem and begin to solve it.

Chamberlain admits that the United States used to have the world’s finest education system, and now rank fifteenth out of thirty countries.  The US has been slipping in its ranking in the world, and Maine has been slipping in its ranking in the US.  Chamberlain laments that we are no longer equipping kids to be competitive in the world economy.  The picture she paints is bleak.

She recalls the well-worn saying, “If we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we’ll keep getting what we’ve been getting, and what we have been getting is no longer acceptable.”  That, she says, is why she is having meetings at each school in the district.  Her purpose is to expose the problem, and outline what the district sees as the beginning of the solution.

As funding has been available, teachers in the district have been attending classes about a Standards Based Education system called RISC which was created by the “Re-Inventing Schools Coalition”.  A standard may be something as simple as learning fractions in math or learning the alphabet.  Under RISC, a student has to master each standard at his level before moving to the next level.  Grouping students by age is no longer the guiding criteria. 

The student will attend classes with students at his/her level, regardless of age.  It is possible for a student to be learning third grade math and second grade language.  The goal is to be sure students have met all standards before graduation.  Unlike today, nobody will earn a diploma if they are reading at an eighth grade level and doing math at a tenth grade level.  A Diploma will recapture its integrity, and employers and institutes of higher learning will be offered more qualified applicants.

Chamberlain said teachers enthusiastically latched on to RISC, and began introducing it to their students as early as the last school term.  It has not always gone well.  Some of the parents attending the meeting mentioned that their kids, who get good grades and normally love school, are coming home frustrated because they are confused about the new system.  In answer, Chamberlain said that some teachers are apparently going into action without fully understanding how the system works, and it will take awhile to work out the kinks. 

Not everyone at the meeting was on-board with Chamberlain’s plan of action.  Some parents of children in RSU 1 (Bath), along with author Charlotte Iserbyt of Dresden, who identifies herself as the consummate education whistleblower, were sitting at one table and said one of the big reasons for Maine kids’ failing to meet the expectations of employers or colleges is due to curriculum choices.  Woolwich resident Beth Schultz, co-founder of the Maine Coalition for World Class Math, commented that reform is pointless unless school curriculum is intensely scrutinized.  She argues that Maine schools are squarely in the “Whole Language” and “Everyday Math” camp and that is one very strong reason why Maine is no longer #1 in the USA for math achievement.

Others at the meeting were concerned that the flurry of activity around RISC will distract from other systemic education problems like paying teachers based on years of service rather than effectiveness and perpetuating the damage done by ineffective teachers who are protected from termination.  Still others are worried that their children are being used as an experiment.  They wish the school district would offer students a choice of attending a RISC school or another non-RISC school.   

After the meeting, a Richmond High student approached Chamberlain with his concerns.  Since 65% of the student body is not proficient at grade level, he sees them being innocent victims caught in the jaws of a policy change.  Because they have been passed from grade to grade without meeting past standards, by the time they enter high school they are so far behind they cannot catch up in just a year or two.  Yet, the system says they must master all standards prior to graduation.  The student expresses deep concern that many of his friends may not graduate with their class.

Chamberlain was not prepared to respond to him with a clear plan of action, but did try to reassure the student that the district will face the problem and find a solution that does not victimize large groups of students.  She indicated that there are still many questions that have no well thought out answers as yet.    

Chamberlain and Siviski admit that every “I” has not been dotted and “T” crossed, but are intent on not perpetuating something that is not working.  Rather than wait until all the questions are answered, they have chosen to act.  Most teachers are with them.  Their current challenge is to get students and parents on board.

Alan Bebout is the reporter for this article and can be reached at alanbebout@roadrunner.com

Even our best kids lag in math--middle schools to blame

Interesting column from today's Washington Post.

Report Card: A close look at the world of Maine Education

Home schooling, education jobs and Social Security Numbers....an education roundup.

Maine's pupil count drops below 190,000. Rep Finch asks, "Do we have 2,700 fewer kids, or do we have 2,700 fewer choosing public schools?"

Your Child Left Behind

Dec 2010 - Atlantic Magazine

Massachusetts used to "lag behind" states like Maine & Connecticut. Now they just "lag behind" other countries.

Today, Maine's largest demographic ranks approximately 38th in 4th/8th grade math....Massachusetts ranks #1 (regardless of demographic).

New system for grading in more schools (RSU 2)

This is from May. Parents at RSU 2 have organized a Standards-based grading Facebook page.

Standards Based Report Cards - Maine & Hawaii

Apparently, in Pelham NY a standards-based report card comes with 14 extra pages to explain it. This seems like a lot of work for the teachers.

RSU 2's 'standards-based' grading to get oversight

According to an RSU 2 parent, RSU 2 might need to expand the 1-4 grading scale (to include 1.5, 2.5, etc.)

Rethinking Report Cards

More on Standards-based report cards. Be sure to read:

Why don't we see standards-based report cards in middle or high school? (note what they say about college applications)

It seems that the Maine Dept of Education wants schools to "pioneer" this new grading system. Did they sign up for it to try get RttT (Race to the Top) $$? Maine's RttT applicaiton came in almost dead last.

RSU1 Administrator Admits Goal is NO-GRADES at ALL Levels K-12

Dear XXX,

         What thoughtful questions! I will do my best to answer them.  I am currently principal at Fisher Mitchell School, but previously served as K-12 Curriculum Coordinator for the district. In that capacity I worked with at team of K-5 teachers from U47 and Bath schools who volunteered to design a common RSU 1 elementary report card back in spring '08.  At that time we looked at models from numerous other districts as well as a draft card that a committee had been working on in U47.  THe card can best be described as standards-referenced.  For each academic subject area a student gets an overall Effort rating, and then ratings on specific skills or processes within that subject area. The ratings indicate whether a student MEETS expectations for his/her grade level for that time in the year, EXCEEDS expectations, PARTIALLY MEETS them, or DOES NOT meet them. 

           This provides parents with much more specific information about students strengths and weaknesses than a global letter grade of A,B,C which is usually obtained by averaging grades on assignments or tests over a period of time.  For example, on an letter scale a student who does really well at the beginning of the term on one skill area but was much weaker at the end of the term on another skill area would get the same grade as a student who scores fairly well on both (B or C ). Standards referenced ratings would show that the student EXCEEDED standards on the first skill area but only PARTIALLY met standards on the second skill area.

          Although grade level teams have continued to refine some items & calibrate scoring of different items, the K-5 Report Card has not changed in any significant way over the first three years of the RSU. The items are aligned with the Maine Learning Results and RSU 1 Curriculum.  Last year Mr. Shuttleworth convened a K-12 Standards-based Grading Committee to study and plan for transitioning to standards-based grading at all levels.  Meanwhile, the Common Core standards were developed, so as a first step, staff have developed RSU #1 standards for math and language arts, K-12. They are not posted yet on the website as staff at some grade levels are still are in the final stages of review/revision.  Kari Babcock, principal at Phippsburg has been a key leader for this work.

         However, a chart of District Assessments can be viewed on the RSU 1 Website under Depts. Curriculum.  Yes, the NWEA and the DRA2 are definitely used as formative assessments for planning instruction as well as to assess student growth.   

          As the district moves forward in designing a standards-based system, it is definitely important to include parents and community. It's likely we'll get to that point this spring, although the district level Committee has not started the system design work yet this year.  A live and/or online forum with Q & A are on the list of possible ways to include parents that were discussed last spring. We'd welcome your involvement when we get to that point.

                                                         Sincerely,

                                                                    Nancy Harriman 

Nancy Harriman, Ph.D.

Principal

Fisher Mitchell School

597 High St. 

Bath, Maine 04530

Tel.  (207)443-8265

Fax  (207)443-4167

 >>> 'XXXXX Concerned Parent' 11/4/2010 1:46 PM >>>

Hi William-

I understand that the school board will be discussing implementation of the number grade system at the middle school level.  Betsy Varian had indicated that this is tied in with Standard Based Learning.  My understanding of Standard Based Learning is that this provides a way for children with learning differences to receive differentiated instruction within the classroom setting.  Is there a tie between that and the number grade system?  I was unable to find a link between the two when searching the web.  Can you provide me with this information so that I can have a better understanding of it's purpose?  From my perspective, the 4-number grading system is more vague than the range (of 15) that is used with the letter grade system.  

Also, where can I find grade level benchmarks for RSU1 and info. on the core school-based assessments that are given at each grade level.  I was surprised to learn at my daughter's 4th grade conference that the only formal assessments given this year were the NWEAs.  Do the NWEAs provide info. data to drive individual student instruction?  Not even a DRA was done this fall because 'XXX student name' was on grade level in the Spring. 

Before the school board votes on a possible new grading system, I think it would be helpful if parents were given the opportunity to attend a question/ answer forum on the matter.  I feel with the consolodation, parents are less informed and are becoming less of a part of the decision making process.

Thank you,

XXX

 Concerned Parent  (Private individuals names removed, any parent could ask same questions.)

Say goodbye to local control of our schools

A biology teacher's thoughts on the CCSS.....

RSU 1 - email sent to board and superintendent on Nov 1

The following email as sent to the RSU 1 board & superintendent in regard to the elementary math curriculum:

I am glad that you are piloting some supplementary programs and reviewing the calculator policy. I urge you to also do the following:

1) Research alternative elementary math curriculums (avoid "spiraling" curriculums)
2) Start training elementary teachers on ways to teach the standards algorithms
3) Begin teaching the standard algorithms immediately (this year)
4) Immediately do away with Everyday Math for special education students

I am not in favor of the increased federal control that comes along with the adoption of the Common Cores State Standards (CCSS). While the CCSS do have some things that I like (i.e. standard algorithms), they are far from perfect. We'll find out what the Maine Legislature decides in January. If Maine chooses not to adopt the CCSS, it's still likely that they will adopt revised standards and these will specify the standard algorithms.

Many districts in CCSS states are moving away from Everyday Math. We'd be wise to do the same. I'm sure that EDM is working to try to align their text to the CCSS. Do we want to risk adopting their first attempt at a program aligned to the CCSS? Will the writers of EDM continue to push too many different algorithms onto our students? Will the drop algorithms like the "Lattice Method?" Will they do away with the spiraling? The National Math Advisory Panel WARNS against spiraling.

It's been years since many of our RSU 1 elementary teachers have taught the standard algorithms. They will need training to switch back to traditional algorithms. Please commit to giving them this training.

Montgomery MD "Back to Basics" in Math

Reform math programs (Everyday Math) introduce probability in 2nd grade. Under the Common Core Standards, it will be taught in 6th, 7th and 8th grades. This allows more time in elementary school to master the basics in math.

Election Results Raise Questions for Common Standards

More Disappointing News on the Maine Educational Front

The State of Maine placed 3rd highest overall with students graduation from four-year school with an average debt load of $29,143.00.

48th Is Not a Good Place

The US now ranks 48th out of 133 developed and developing nations in quality of math and science instruction.

Outrage at banning spelling tests

Concerns addressed to the Accreditation Committee of the NEASC

Before I share the thoughts and concerns of myself, students, parents and citizens with the Accreditation Committee of the NEASC, I must make clear that these concerns are NOT a referendum on our teachers--Morse teachers are very dedicated, talented and capable professionals who have imparted great learning in interested students; these concerns are a referendum on both our administration’s and school board’s communication and policy.   These are serious concerns shared by many parents and citizens regarding our local and state education system.  We have high and well achieving students at Morse and it is our goal to bring the rest of the student population up to the standards of these students.   We do not want to reduce the quality of our education by manipulating the curriculum and paradigms to enable students to graduate without the basics (i.e. unable to read, write or perform basic math calculations). 

I.   Communication – The School Board and Administration exhibits a pervasive disregard for the most basic communication and transparency. 

A.      Lack of administrator communication with parents/taxpayers and students

1.  Notice of event often ‘day of’ or ‘day before’ via “InfiniteCampus” email or NONE

2.  Notice of schedule change to 4X4 was June 2010 (last week of school) for Sept 2010 implementation.

3.  School Board Agendas improperly posted, not posted in advance of meeting, no longer published in newspaper, etc.

4.  Requests by parents/taxpayers to be included in agenda are ignored/denied.

5.  Student petition of 220+ students to Principal and School Board Chair regarding schedule change to 4X4 acknowledged then ignored.   Parent petition also ignored.

6.  Notice of events targeted to perceived interested parties rather than community as a whole.

7.  Minutes from School Board and SAG meetings are written by administrators and not by professional secretaries/recorders; often resulting in a self-serving PR piece and not an accurate representation of discussions and concerns expressed by dissenting participants.

                B.   Lack of administrator communication with teachers

                       1.  Mid-term exams cancelled in 2009 – teachers couldn’t answer    parent’s questions because the administration hadn’t informed them

                       2.  Teachers did not know about move to 4X4 until April 2010 -- not enough time to change syllabus, learn new teaching methodologies (no instruction provided, either), etc. to  prepare/implement such a dramatic change.

               

II.  Curriculum & Paradigms

A.   No transparency in curriculum decisions/considerations.  (Should be committee comprised of faculty members, community members and area academics like Bowdoin College faculty in addition to administrators and should not be reserved exclusively for administrators.)

B.   Administration/School Board not responsive to parent/taxpayer requests for information and input into curriculum.

C.   Published goals of School Board and Administration do not align with those of parents/taxpayers.

D.   Administration expects teachers to monitor “independent study” courses for students unable to take course due to schedule conflicts inherent in 4X4 Block but does not carry schedule space for “independent study” in student or teacher blocks.

III.  Schedule

A.    Implemented without teacher training in block methodologies

B.   Class periods exceed attention span

C.   Compressed curriculum and accelerated pace make course more difficult for students – increases stress not learning

D.   No time to refresh skills from prerequisite courses (i.e. start Algebra II in middle of book when most students’ last math class was Geometry with no refresher of Algebra I taken over a year previous)

E.    All courses not offered all periods/all semesters.  Many courses taken by same type student conflict requiring student to take lesser/greater-challenging course to make schedule work; this is resulting in students taking more “independent study” options.

F.    Too much increase in homework and still compromised curriculum

G.   Leaves students stuck in remedial courses (i.e. student receiving ‘straight As’ in remedial program seeking move to regular classes was told “not possible under this schedule, class too accelerated for remedial learner”.)

H.   Morse has continued to fail to meet AYP and the scores are increasingly worse, not better, in the 3+ years of this administration which coincide with the block schedule implementation (all formats).  It is not possible to truly assess this principal cumulatively with regard to AYP and schedule, because this schedule was foisted on Morse prior to the principal’s arrival.  He is, however, at the helm for the move to the 4X4, which has not yet been assessed at AYP.

Report Cards Give Up A’s and B’s for 4s and 3s

Is RSU 1 considering going to a 1-4 Standards Based Grading system in grades K-12? If they are, should they consider a "hybrid" standards based report card....keeping the A-F (with - and +) for academic achievement? The hybrid gives you 15 possible performance levels compared to just four (1-4). The standards based report card seems to evaluate many more skills, but do the parents get the feedback that they need with a shortened grading scale of just 4 levels?

Be sure to read the comments on this one....

Sputnik Screwed Up American Schools and Superman Can't Save Them

Everyday Math in today's Huffington Post. Are we stacking the deck against teachers with reform math programs?

Fuzzy Math: A Nationwide Epidemic

Michelle Malkin on the Everyday Math Curriculum.

RSU 2 won't delay standards-based grading

Standards-based grading K-12....

The Yarmouth school administration just proposed eliminating letter grades in middle school, but their board voted to keep traditional grades. Do we want to go the way of RSU 2 or Yarmouth in regard to Standards Based grading?

Did RSU 2 share false NAEP data to push RISC reform?

Today, the Kennebec Journal added a clarification to their RSU 2 article from October 22nd. RSU 2 shared "their" NAEP results with their parents. They used this data as an argument to switch to the RISC model of Standards Based Education. There was one slight problem....individual districts in Maine have NO WAY of learning their NAEP data. This Federal test only gives the results for the entire state.

If you are trying to create a case that reform needs to take place....use REAL data!

When a School Board meeting goes wrong.....

Un....Be.......Lievable!!!

School Board Members take note RE: book selection

According to this ruling, a school board is beholden to the voting citizenry and has absolute authority to regulate what happens in the classroom, even after the fact. School Boards have the sole and ultimate authority over every aspect of the curriculum.

RSU 12's Ralph Hilton Petitions Board To Change Funding Formula

"Alna pays roughly $9000 per student while Wiscassett, a much larger town, pays $3000, " Hilton Said. Despite having two RSU 12 school board members, Alna does not have a full vote since it's a town's population that determines representation.

How is RSU 1 set up?

Who is Marc Tucker?????

Marc Tucker is one of the drivers of education reform. He's overseeing the new "Board Examination" system.

It's time that parents start investigating his agenda. Are you in agreement with his plans for education reform? Are we currently seeing his plan, outlined in his famous 1992 letter, take hold?

Why Lou Gerstner Is Wrong

Lou Gerstner is influencing education policy. He's on record as saying that he'd like to abolish local school boards and all local school districts. Is it really necessary to eliminate the nations local school boards? While some of his ideas might work, this one is concerning....

Key talking points from Marc Tucker in regard to Board Exams

Eight states are joining with NCEE. Maine is one of them.

A Diploma in 10th Grade?

10th grade diploma. Thoughts?

Do the goals of RSU1 align with those of the contributing communities?

Some of the RSU1 goals.......

“…support and supplement the Everyday Math program…”   Why are we continuing to support a program that is Nationally rated among the worst math program available?

“…review the superintendent’s vision document and discuss next steps towards achieving…”  What about the communities’ goals for our education system?

“…expert and wise staff negotiations that address current economic needs.”  The vast majority of the staff are paid less than half the salary of the administrators, are the ‘expert and wise’ negotiations targeting the right employees?  Is the lay-off of multiple teachers in the Spring on 2010 followed by the quiet hiring of the superintendent’s daughter in the Summer of 2010 included in ‘expert and wise staff negotiations’ or is it simply nepotism?

Something to think about.

U.S. High Schools in Eight States to Implement Board Exams

Marc Tucker announced that Maine will work with NCEE. "Board Examinations" will be introduced in pilot schools in Maine as early as the 2011-2012 school year. Exactly which districts in Maine are slotted for board exams? One such exam , the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program Exam, comes with controversy.
See
http://www.truthaboutib.com/

Adams 50 latest test results

Refer to "Standards in Westminster." This article presents Adams 50 results after a year with RISC. The district says that the drop in scores was expected. Perhaps the growth model (see other posting) is the model to watch closely?

Adams 50 latest "Growth Model"

This shows the latest % at or above proficient at Adams 50 (currently using the RISC model of reform).

Adams 50 performance levels spelled out

This link brings you to the exact performance levels for Adams 50 (by content). They have "personal and social skills" levels.

RISC - Westminster Schools Launch Radical Overhaul (Adams 50)

Another article on the Adams 50 district. This sounds like an interesting model to try out at an alternative school or a charter school. What are your thoughts about converting an entire RSU to this "radical" model in Maine?

Which school board candidates will fix TERC math?

Interesting! These parents are getting involved! See their petition:

www.petitiononline.com/FERTERC/

863 signatures and counting!

Clearly, these parents feel that school board members should be informed on curriculum choices before voting!

Math Audit Signals Curriculum Changes Coming

Below is a comment posted to this article. The poster is a current School Board Member in a prominent New Jersey School District.

The SOMSD can spends thousands and thousands of taxpayer dollars on expensive audits/reports and professional development and spend months looking at data trying to align existing curricula to NJ's standards, etc., or they can face up to the fact that it is the math program itself that is the cause of their state test scores and troubling achievement gaps. The Everyday Math program just does not work for many, many kids unless there is a huge amount of outside tutoring to fill the gaps. In my opinion, the kids in the top 5% of cognitive ability or so will probably be fine with the program. But average kids and kids "at risk", especially those with learning disabilities or ELL, will really suffer with this reform math program and they will be behind the eight ball with regard to their mathematical skills for too long.

For years, parent organizations have formed all across the country trying to rid this program (or others like it, such as TERC Investigations and Connected Math) from their school district. I formed one myself just 30 miles away, in the Bridgewater-Raritan district, then I ran for the BOE and helped to convince our new administration to evaluate the math program. They did evaluate it and found it was not working. We dumped it and adopted Harcourt's HSP Math last year and it is working well. Everyday Math does not provide enough practice on the foundational skills required for higher level math. It spends too much time on teaching silly algorithms, while "spiraling", or jumping from topic to topic without having kids attain mastery first. Everyday Math is not a balanced program. All the money in the world paying for professional development and data analysis will not fix the problem. One other problem is that teachers are afraid to speak out against a program for fear of retribution, so it's difficult to get an accurate gauge on what teachers think of the program. We gave an anonymous parent and teacher surveys which were very revealing.

I told my success story to the blogger of Parents for Quality Math Education:

http://pqme.org/uncategorized/encouragement-from-bridgewater-nj/

Bridgewater-Raritan District BOE Votes 9-0 to Drop Everyday Math and Adopt Harcourt HSP Math 2009:

www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090227/NEWS/902270359

Complete Bridgewater-Raritan Math Program Evaluation:

www.brrsd.k12.nj.us/files/filesystem/K-6%20Math%20Program%20Evaluation%20Complete%20Document.pdf

Bridgewater-Raritan Math Program Evaluation PowerPoint:

www.brrsd.k12.nj.us/files/filesystem/Math%20Program%20Evaluation%20v%202.ppt

Jill Gladstone
1981 graduate of the SOMSD
Co-founder, US and NJ Coalition for World Class Math,

http://njworldclassmath.webs.com/  and http://www.usworldclassmath.org/

*I am a BRRSD BOE member and am expressing my thoughts as an individual. I do not represent my BOE as I have no authority to do so

NORTH AMERICA: Big drop in maths skills of students

According to US Universities:

"It's not merely a matter of students being unable to handle trigonometry or algebra.....Even basic arithmetic is throwing them, and we're talking about adding three two-digit numbers."

"While most educators agree that numeracy has declined, there's no consensus on how much it matters. Some argue that in the age of calculators, people don't need basic skills to acquire higher level mathematical knowledge, and that it's more valuable for students to spend their time learning larger concepts. Others say that the more fluent you are in the basics, the more easily you can grasp more advanced maths."

Which camp are you in?

NAEP vs NECAP

This piece from NH explains how the NECAP results can mislead parents. RSU 2 parents just found out the districts 2009 NAEP scores compared to their 2009 NECAP results. The discrepancy was shocking.

Parents in NYC recently found out that their state exam inflates proficiency, causing parents to disrupt school a board meeting.

See:
Parents bring school board meeting to halt
August 16, 2010
www.gothamschools.org

NECAP is flawed

Another article on the NECAP (Maine's state test).

Questions to ask your school board candidates before you vote

Election time is here. Keep in mind the importance your school board vote that this time of year.

Why use the NECAP to assess Maine’s math standards?

RSU 2 just shared their NAEP data with parents. The results were shocking. Approximately 65% of students are not proficient in math or reading according to their NAEP results. Their NAEP results looked nothing like their NECAP results. Their NECAP results told many more parents their their children were proficient. Parents need to know that the bar for proficiency on the NECAP is very low.

If a parent truly wants to know their child's profeciency, do they need to hire someone to privately test them?

Parents skeptical of new system as math scores stagnate

Reporter summarizes RSU2 meeting run by the Curriculum Director for parents.  This was the "set the stage" meeting to shock parents with the terrible the RSU2 academic performance data.  Create the atmosphere to welcome radical change.  Unfortunately for the RSU, only a handful of parents attended and many weren't embracing the RISC model.

Especially noteworthy are the comments that follow the article. 

RISC School - Adams 50 - Do they have school choice?

In looking at the Adams 50 school website, they say that it's the "district of choice.". This implies that Colorado has school choice. Is this the case?

Massachusetts: If new math just won’t do

Parents find specialized schools to fill in the gaps. Read the parent comments. There are several references to Everyday Math.

RSU 2 workshop examines standards base

It appears that RSU 2 began implementing RISC last year with a reformatted report card. At what point in the process did the district begin to hold meetings on this model involving the public?

Some schools grouping students by skill, not grade level

The RISC public relations people sure "stay on message."

Forget grade levels: Schools try something new

School District Does Away With Grade Levels; Students Craft Lesson Plans

It seems that the RISC model is so new that most of the articles are about this one school in Colorado (Adams 50). I'm sure that we'll soon notice some Maine articles, since the ME Department of Education has hired the RISC consultant. Are the Maine schools going to be the "case studies" for RISC?

Adams 50 skips grades, lets kids be pacesetters

This is an article about RISC & Adams 50 (Denver). Read the comments. There are some in favor and some against the model. There are also two parent posts indicating that the high achieving students are leaving Adams 50.

21st century skills soft at core

According to the writer, 21st century skills and the national standards initiative both stress skills over academic content.

Almost two-thirds of students entering RI Community College not ready for college work

This is a must read! Keep in mind, RI develops Maine's state exam (NECAP). What does it really mean to pass the NECAP? Are the community colleges in Maine willing to share the remediation data like they did in Rhode Island?

In the Basement of the Ivory Tower

The idea that a university education is for everyone is a destructive myth.   An instructor at a "college of last resort" explains why.

OUTCOMES-BASED EDUCATION & THE DEATH OF KNOWLEDGE

This is an interesting paper from Western Australia. Is OBE simply a newer version of Bill Spady's Chicago "Mastery Learning?" What is the differences between Standards Based Education and Outcomes Based Education? Below is an excerpt from this paper:

"I will conclude with an anecdote. I have a colleague who, until recently, taught at Lyndhurst House Preparatory School in Hamstead, England. A Preparatory School is essentially a school that prepares children to enter selective schools, usually at age 11 or 13. There are many such schools such as Eaton, Westminster and Charter House. A significant aspect of the curriculum focuses on a classical education and encompasses exam taking technique and all these public schools (i.e. private under Australian nomenclature) based selection on the Common Entrance test which all children, including those in state schools, can attempt if they wish to go to a private secondary school. I asked my colleague weather her school was in any way committed to the notion of OBE. With a wry laugh she simply said "no, outcomes based education is for the masses, here we teach the country's future leaders"."

Maine: Moving from Tradition, SAD15 Pilots Standards-Based Learning

Can anyone answer this question - If a student is in 6th grade, but working on a 5th grade standard for math, do they take the 5th grade level NECAP? How does a teacher manage a "spiraling" curriculum with the RISC model? Is the RISC model anything like the controversial Outcomes Based Education model in Western Australia? A quick Google search on this will bring up many Western Austraila articles on OBE.