President Barack Obama on Education

On February 24, 2009, President Barack Obama addressed a joint session of Congress. Below are some of his comments on education:

"In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity-it is a prerequisite."

"Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma."

"We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation."

"It is our responsibility as lawmakers and as educators to make this system work. But is is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. So tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But what ever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma."

"These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a parent-for a mother or father who will attend those parent/teacher conferences, or help with homework, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, read to their child. I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father, when I say that responsibility for our children's education must begin at home."

Black History Month (Years of Tears)

Left click on image to enlarge.

Expenditures Per Pupil, Louisiana, 2006-2007

This link will bring you to the 2006-2007 expenditures per pupil for all districts in Louisiana.

http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/12909.xls

Low Performing School Characteristics

The Louisiana Legislature requires reporting on low performing schools that are not making acceptable yearly progress. Currently, the report highlights schools with a School Performance Score of below 60 and growing at a rate of less than 2 points. The report is the Louisiana MFP Accountability Report. The most recent version is dated May, 2008.

The complete report is available at http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/uploads/12524.pdf

I am quoting below highlights of findings as reported in the Executive Summary.

• Schools with the "Academically Unacceptable label" have higher percentages of student poverty, student minorities, and teacher minorities.
• Schools with higher K-12 student attendance rates and higher percentages of certificated teachers have higher SPS.
• Schools with higher percentages of minority and impoverished students have lower SPS.
• Schools with the "Academically Unacceptable label" have higher expenditures and lower teacher salaries compared to the average for all schools.
• Schools with higher percentages of minority teachers and higher teacher turnover have lower SPS.
• Schools with the "Academically Unacceptable" label have a higher percentage of teachers with a Master's degree, a larger pupil-teacher ratio and slightly less years of teacher experience when compared to the average for all schools.

Certainly this information must be considered in context. And the findings should add to the public understanding of educational issues discussed in the local media. For example, Teacher Quality was recently the subject of several news stories.

This information should also be helpful to PTA, alumni and other civic organizations with a stake in this community.

Education Financial Information for Louisiana

Many conversations regarding school performance center around resources. The question of financial equality (or rather financial inequality) is inescapable. I am therefore creating a link to the Louisiana Division of Education Finance for easy a quick reference. The link is as follows:

http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/finance/home.html

Using this link, you can quickly get into critical financial reports and other financial information.

Governor's Education Focus

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was in Shreveport on February 11, 2009 in part to promote the need for new education legislation. There appear to be three major areas that have so far been identified. They include:

• A discipline agenda
• Value added testing
• Removal of barriers that limit or restrict faith-based organizations relationships with charter schools.

According to news reports, the discipline agenda aims to give teachers more options in controlling the classroom as well as turning up the heat on parents who fail to take responsibility for student behavior.

This site has previously suggested some type of legislative approach should be considered in the area of parental accountability. However, we also believe in balance and funding. Balance would include provisions for mental health services and adequate funding to provide these services.

It does not take much imagination or research to know that much of the student anti-social behavior has its roots in the home and that the home needs, in many many cases, mental health services.

In any event, this overall legislative package should be closely monitored by concerned community members, to make certain that thoughtful and constructive ideas are incorporated in any final product.

Data Availability

The state has made a final decision with respect to the low performing schools in the Caddo school district. Two schools, Linear Middle and Linwood Middle with be under state control effective July 1, 2009.

The remaining 8 Caddo schools identified as low performing are to be operated under local control but with tight supervision from the state.

This community should obviously rally around all Caddo schools with the idea of making them all successful.

We may, as a community, be called upon to make some difficult and controversial decisions regarding resource allocation etc., as we move forward. I am therefore creating two links below that will allow for easy access to critical data.

1. The District Composite Report is produced each year and covers all Caddo schools. Extensive information is provided about overall district operations as well as performance information on a school level basis. That link is:

http://www.louisianaschools.net/lde/pair/dcr0607/dcr009.pdf


2. The state also issues an annual report on each school. There is a Principal's Report Card and a Parent's Report Card. The following link will bring you to that historical information:

http://www.doe.state.la.us/lde/saa/1639.html

Council for A Better Louisiana (CABL)

This organization has an awful lot to offer to anyone interested in improving our state. This site should be a regular resource for factual information to aid in decision making. They can be reached at http://www.cabl.org/

I am also creating a link directly to their 2009 Louisiana Fact Book. This is excellent work and should be a valuable resource tool.

Link to fact book: http://www.cabl.org/pdfs/2009_fact_book.pdf

Louisiana Graduation Rates for 2007

On January 8, 2009 the Louisiana Department of Education released its cohort graduation rates for 2007. Indicated below are the rankings for our area. You may view the complete release together with attachments at http://www.doe.state.la.us/

1. Caddo Parish Magnet High School------------96.4%
-State Goal for 2016----------------------------80%
2. C.E. Byrd-------------------------------------76.9%
3. Captain Shreve-------------------------------75.6%
4. Northwood-----------------------------------71.2%
-State Average---------------------------------65.9%
5. Southwood------------------------------------65.6%
-Caddo District Average-------------------------59.4%
6. Huntington-------------------------------------57.4%
7.BTW--------------------------------------------55.4%
8. North Caddo-----------------------------------54.4%
9. Woodlawn-------------------------------------47.7%
10. Green Oaks----------------------------------44.2%
11. Fair Park-------------------------------------41.6%

Chronic Absence from School

Our community is very focused in this area. Recent efforts have included tracking school attendance, as well as launching a new program called ACT Now! all in hopes of reducing truancy.

This is obviously a national problem and it is good to stay in touch with the issue at that level. Good information can be a critical tool in helping us better shape and execute local initiatives.

A report by Hedy N. Chang titled "Present, Engaged and Accounted For" can be viewed at http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_837.html

I know those interested in this subject will benefit from even a cursory review of this material.

Mental Health Services

In a recent post, the availability of psychological services was identified as a key element in improving academic performance in some settings.

The Black Male Handbook, edited by Kevin Powell, makes an even stronger case for the need of these services. A chapter by Andrae L. Brown, PH.D, entitled Moving Toward Mental Wellness is certainly worth reading.

Dr. Brown talks about the prevalence of traumatic events in the everyday lives of black men and boys and makes the following observation:

"The most susceptible youth are young people from neighborhoods with high rates of female-headed households living below the poverty level, and low school attendance and employment rates. Research suggest, and my personal experience confirms, that up to 50 percent of youth involved in the justice system meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) This rate is up to eight times higher than in the general population."

He goes on to say "For instance, maltreated children (those experiencing abuse and neglect) are 59 percent more likely to be arrested before they reach age eighteen, and 30 percent more likely to be arrested for violent crime. Furthermore, 92 percent of youth involved in the juvenile justice system report some type of trauma, which then can result in hyperactivity, inability to pay attention, extreme impulsiveness, aggression, anger, paranoia, aloofness, and the inability to develop close relationships."

Our school district is now promoting The Caddo Plan as it attempts to jump start 11 low performing schools and improve academic performance. Does the plan consider the need for mental health services in view of the communities served by many of these schools?

This appears to be an area worth exploring no matter what entity ends up controlling these schools.

Barack Obama and the Achievement Gap

Our nation and the world just witnessed a history making event. With the election of Barack Obama as this nation's 44th president, the first African American to achieve such a goal, America clearly has demonstrated to itself and the world that what seems impossible can be turned around with the right preparation and effort.

So it is with the troubling academic achievement gap that has perplexed so many.

I believe Obama's election, with its accompanying high profile, will serve to inspire underachievers to recognize the fact that their futures are more within their own control than many have previously understood.

There is at last clear and compelling evidence that personal responsibility, hard work and high academic standards can propel anyone to new and previously unimaginable heights.

Parents, you remain the key to creating the right environments within which your impressionable youngsters can succeed. They will model your actions and expectations.

Study this site and others for suggestions and ideas on how to make it happen.

At this point, there simply are no more excuses.

Low Performing Schools-Caddo Parish

There are apparently 11 identified "low performing schools" in Caddo parish that are currently sweating possible state takeover. Recent news media reports indicate superintendent Dr. Gerald Dawkins is planning some major changes at each of the schools.

There is also state superintendent Paul Pastorek breathing down everyone's neck, threatening (or maybe promising) major changes as well.

OK with me! Something clearly must be done to generate real change which leads to improved academic performance.

In the October 22, 2008 edition of Education Week, I came across an article about a program called Making Waves. This program appears to look at a wide range of student needs and provide the necessary services. These services go well beyond the usual tutoring etc., and of course, the program is voluntary.

I wonder if the interested parties ( State Legislators, State School Board, Caddo School Board and local citizens) could reach a consensus around recommending the following elements of change on a non-voluntary basis.

1. Zero-tolerance policy regarding unexcused absences
2. Required parent workshops to aid in equipping parents to participate in the child's education
3. Mandatory parent/teacher conferences
4. Mandatory additional support for students who earn a (C) or below in any core subject
5. Make psychological services easily available to students in need of same

There is also the need to make certain the students have inspired leadership at each location. This battle to improve academic performance starts in the home and will be won or lost there.

What do you think?

Excerpts from Sen. Barack Obama's Speech to the NAACP

The selected excerpts track closely with the focus and philosophy of this site. However, Sen. Obama makes the points with such passion and precision. Now, Barack in his own words:


" ...the fight for social justice and economic justice begins in the classroom."



"But I'm not going to stop talking about it (personal responsibility). Because I believe that in the end, it doesn't matter how much money we invest in our communities, or how many 10-point plans we propose, or how many government programs we launch-none of it will make any difference if we don't seize more responsibility in our own lives."



"I know that Thurgood Marshall did not argue Brown versus Board of Education so that some of us could stop doing our jobs as parents. And I know that nine little children did not walk through a schoolhouse door in Little Rock so that we could stand by and let our children drop out of school and turn to gangs for the support they are no getting elsewhere.


"...we have to do more in our own lives, our own families, and our own communities. That starts with providing the guidance our children need, turning off the TV, and putting away the video games; attending those parent-teacher conferences, helping our children with their homework, and setting a good example."


"It starts with teaching our daughters to never allow images on television to tell them what they are worth; and teaching our sons to treat women with respect, and to realize that responsibility does not end at conception; that what makes them men is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one."

Our thanks to Sen. Obama for framing this issue so clearly.

The Achievement Gap Initiative (Harvard University)

The Achievement Gap Initiative has as its mission in part "...to help raise the achievement of all children..." with some particular emphasis on those traditionally lagging their peers. I like this site and the awesome array of information provided. It is a must reference point for any serious education advocate. This initiative is led by Mr. Ron Ferguson.

Please visit this site at http://www.agi.harvard.edu/ for more information.

Louisiana House Should Pass LA4 Bill

The Louisiana Senate has passed SB286 and it is now in the hands of the House. This bill provides for the implementation of universal early childhood education in this state. Although this bill takes a phased in approach, it does nevertheless clearly point the state in the right direction.

The value of early childhood education and in particular the LA4 program is well documented.

This type of training should be made available to all students in our state without a needs based test. That is the direction we are headed and we concur with this movement.

So please get involved. You can go to http://www.legis.state.la.us and make your voice heard. There you can identify your local representative and send a quick email asking for their support.

Also, you may wish to see today's edition of The Times. Dr. Phillip Rozeman writes an excellent piece on this program

Thank you for your support.

Grade Retention and Accountability

I make no secret of the fact that I am not a fan of high stakes testing. The pass/fail nature of these tests is simply unfair and wrong in my view.

However, there seems to be another side of this question that bears closer examination. Is grade retention itself an effective strategy for improving student achievement.

Enter the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) with some interesting observations. In a position statement on this subject, the association states "...that as many as 15% of American students are held back each year, and 30% -50% of students in the US are retained at least once before ninth grade. Furthermore, the highest retention rates are found among poor, minority, inner-city youth."

Now I am no supporter of a simple policy of so called "social promotion" either. In fact, the association points out that "...neither grade retention nor social promotion is an effective strategy for improving educational success."

NASP argues in favor of what it calls "promotion plus" specific interventions that focus on student needs. I particularly like the very first thing on its list which is to "encourage parents' involvement in their children's schools and education through frequent contact with teachers, supervision of homework, etc..

Other suggestions include:

-offer extended year, extended day, and summer school programs that focus on facilitating the development of academic skills
-establish full-service schools to provide a community-based vehicle for the organization and delivery of educational, social and health services to meet the diverse needs of at-risk students
-Implement effective school-based mental health programs

NASP says "a recent systematic review of research exploring dropping out of high school indicates that grade retention is one of the most powerful predictors of high school dropout."

With local and national emphasis on understanding and reducing what is called a dropout crisis, it is clear to me that automatic grade retention policies are part of the problem and not the solution. They should be stopped immediately in favor of more innovative approaches. Start with a detailed study of NASP recommendations.

Improving the Lives of Children

Today we highlight the efforts of one of my heroes and his lovely wife. I speak of General Colin Powell and, his wife, Mrs. Alma Powell. General and Mrs Powell have launched a nationwide effort to contain and reverse the high school drop out crisis that we face as a country. In particular, they focus on the at risk child which more often than not tends to be black and/or Latino.

Mrs. Alma Powell, chair of America's Promise Alliance, recently launched its 15 in 5 initiative.
This effort has at its core the goal of reaching 15 million young people (particularly those most as risk) in the next five years by exposing them to the five promises.

The five promises that have most been correlated with future success are:

• Caring adults
• Safe places and constructive use of time
• Healthy start and development
• Effective education for marketable skills and lifelong learning
• Opportunities to make a difference through helping others.

This effort, together with its overarching message, is one our site is proud to showcase. It promotes the right values and focus. We concur with the promises and encourage you to join us and the 15 in 5 campaign.

We have created a link to the 15 in 5 Web site for your easy use. It is a great site. A powerful resource for anyone interested in kids and their education. I look forward to making it one of my first daily reading sources.

Thank you General and Mrs Colin Powell. You are an awesome team and an inspiration to me and I suspect many, many others.

Best Practices 2007- 2008 School Year

"What we do well here is teaching middle-class predominately white children whose parents push them," he said of Caddo Parish's school system. "The thing we don't do well is teaching the kids of color whose parents may be poor or who have other risk factors."

The above quote is taken from a January 29, 2008 editorial from The Times. The central focus of the piece was our local dropout problem. The quote is from Dr. Terry Cash, of the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University in South Carolina.

I have been corresponding with 21 local leaders since January, 2006 regarding the Learn to Learn initiative.

I am now inviting those leaders or other interested parties to post to this entry, as a comment, things they are doing to promote academic excellence and to reduce the unacceptable dropout rates in the black community.

By sharing in this format, we can catalog opportunities for overall community improvement, and achieve a wide distribution. Please post contact information with strategies in the event others may want more details.

Thanks for your participation.

Financial Aid

As the cost of a college education continues to rise, it becomes critical for students and parents to access as much information as possible regarding potential aid. The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) is a great resource. There you can find solid information about financial strategies for college.

The Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) is one such possibility for completing college in Louisiana. However, you must know and understand the requirements to properly prepare for the chance to compete. Again, detailed information on this program is provided at the LOSFA site.

LOSFA can be accessed at http://www.osfa.state.la.us. See the link from this site and be sure to share this information with a friend. Good luck.