Articles in the NSBA Opinions and Analysis category

Evaluating teachers on student performance

If you try to keep up with whether teachers should be evaluated based on their students’ performance by using value-added models your head is probably spinning from all the conflicting conclusions. On one hand, researchers say value-added results are too imprecise to accurately evaluate teachers. While on the other had, another group of researchers claim using value-added results are better than how we evaluate teachers now.

So what are school board members and other policymakers to make of these conflicting findings?

Well, a report released today by NSBA’s  Center for Public Education helps makes sense of it all even for the non-researcher. Their report– Building a Better Evaluation System: Can value-added models be used in evaluations? –delves into the limitations of current teacher evaluation systems as well as into the conflicting research on using student achievement to evaluate teachers to help school board members and other policymakers make more informed decisions on how to best evaluate teachers. The report came to these general conclusions:

  • Current teacher evaluation systems are lacking: Research shows that less than 1 percent of teachers nationwide earn ‘unsatisfactory’ ratings even though by all accounts more teachers fall into this category.
  • Value-added models have their flaws but they are better than what are in place now: Value-added results may misidentify some effective teachers as ineffective and vise versa but they are more accurate than the current system that identifies both effective and ineffective teachers as ‘satisfactory’.
  • Similar statistical measures are used effectively to evaluate employees in other industries: Other professionals are evaluated based on similarly imprecise statistical measures.
  • There are ways to improve value-added models: There are tools available to make value-added results more accurate such as averaging results over multiple years.
  • Multiples measures that include value-added results provide the fullest picture of a teacher’s actual effectiveness: Value-added measures should be just one tool in determining a teacher’s true effectiveness. Other measures of teachers effectiveness should also be used as part of  comprehensive evaluation system that is not only used for personnel decisions but to help all teaches improve as well.

Of course the report provides a wealth of information for school board members when considering including student results in evaluating teachers so be sure check out the full report on the Center’s website at www.centerforpubliceducation.org.

Jim Hull|April 1st, 2011|Categories: Center for Public Education, Educational Research, Governance, NSBA Opinions and Analysis, Teachers|

Abolish NCLB Now

The Concord Monitor had a great commentary piece in their Sunday paper titled, “Education reform is failing kids” and noted, “The Obama administration wants to reform No Child Left Behind. Reform, however, is not what this act needs. NCLB should be abolished.”

NSBA is urging Congress to act by summer to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and replace the flawed accountability requirements in No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

NSBA’s timetable for action was reinforced by recent remarks from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Duncan warned that, based on Department estimates, as many as 82 percent of U.S. public schools could fail to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the 2011-12 school year—even in many schools that are exceeding previous achievement gains for their students. This year, 37 percent failed to meet the AYP benchmark.

“Although the intent of Congress was to improve academic achievement by all students, with particular emphasis on English language learners (ELL), students in poverty, and students with disabilities, the design of the current accountability framework in NCLB is seriously flawed,”said Michael A. Resnick, NSBA’s Associate Executive Director for Advocacy and Public Policy. “Further, when schools are identified as failing under this flawed system, the law then imposes a system of sanctions that is also flawed in terms of high cost, overbroad scope, and limited effectiveness in raising student achievement.”

Alexis Rice|March 28th, 2011|Categories: Elementary and Secondary Education Act, NSBA Opinions and Analysis, Student Achievement|

Showcasing edtech innovation

NSBA is showcasing the Newport News Public Schools in Virginia as one of our Technology Leadership Network site visits this April. They are truly using technology to transform “business as usual”…take a peek at their video!

To register, visit: www.nsba.org/tlnsitevisits

Alexis Rice|March 21st, 2011|Categories: Educational Technology, Multimedia and Webinars, NSBA Opinions and Analysis, Student Achievement, Teachers|

A new GED

The American Council on Education (ACE) and Pearson announced they will partner together to develop a new computer-based GED test, aligned with the Common Core State Standards.

Nearly 800,000 GED Tests are taken each year, and in 2009, more than 470,000 individuals were awarded their high school credential.

The three primary components of the GED new test will include: a new, more rigorous GED Test aligned with Common Core State Standards designed to ensure career- and college-readiness; a national test preparation program featuring an expanding array of innovative and personalized learning resources; and a transition network that connects GED test-takers to career and postsecondary educational opportunities.

Alexis Rice|March 16th, 2011|Categories: Curriculum, High Schools, NSBA Opinions and Analysis, Student Achievement|

With school budgets tight, virtual education is on the rise

Stateline.org reported recently on the boom in virtual education and notes:

A combination of higher proficiency standards and tighter budgets are prompting school officials to look more closely than ever at online education. In recent years, several states have put forward plans to expand the reach of virtual schools. Most prominent is Idaho, where state Superintendent Tom Luna wants to require students to take online courses in order to graduate.

“Budgets are being cut,” says Susan Patrick, president of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning. “We can’t do more with less by continuing to do the same thing we’ve always done.”

All but two states now offer online courses to at least some students. In most cases, online courses are blended with in-school courses. But 27 states allow students to attend virtual schools full time. Online courses allow students to work at their own pace, with advanced students moving through the curriculum quickly while others might get more of the attention they need from teachers.

Using the Internet allows poorer or more rural districts to have access to more specialized teachers without having to pay big incentives. And in some cases, it makes it possible for teachers to reach more students either in larger classrooms or at home, minimizing costs to school districts. An audit of Wisconsin’s virtual charter schools last year found the per-pupil costs of some of the schools were lower than those of traditional public schools, although they were higher in others because of high start-up costs.

How has your school district utilized virtual education?

Alexis Rice|March 15th, 2011|Categories: Educational Finance, Educational Technology, NSBA Opinions and Analysis|

Video: NSBA speaks out on school bullying

NSBA’s General Counsel, Francisco M. Negrón, Jr., was on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal on Saturday discussing school bullying.

Here is the video:

Last week, Earl C. Rickman III, President of NSBA, joined President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention and called for a united effort to address bullying in our schools.

Alexis Rice|March 14th, 2011|Categories: Diversity, Federal Programs, Multimedia and Webinars, NSBA Opinions and Analysis, Student Achievement, Teachers|

Video from the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention

Yesterday, Earl C. Rickman III, President of the National School Boards Association (NSBA), joined President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House Conference on Bullying Prevention and called for a united effort to address bullying in our schools.

Approximately 150 students, parents, teachers, non-profit leaders, advocates, and policymakers attended the conference and discussed ways they can work together to make our schools and communities safe for all students.

“School board leaders and school officials are committed to safe educational environments for all students,” said Rickman. “With the right guidance and resources school leaders can meet the challenge of ensuring schools are a safe place for all students, free of bullying and harassment.”

Here’s the White House video from the conference:

As announced at yesterday’s conference, NSBA will launch a series of student conversations between school board members and students in middle and high school about the climate in their schools. The sessions will be guided by questions from the research-based school climate surveys developed by NSBA’s Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) and by the Pearson Foundation’s Million Voices project.

“As school boards across the country develop policies and initiatives to combat bullying, it is important they hear from students about the current realities they face in their schools,” said Rickman.

Alexis Rice|March 11th, 2011|Categories: Federal Programs, Multimedia and Webinars, NSBA Opinions and Analysis, Student Achievement, Teachers, Urban Schools, Wellness|

Obama warns that cutting education funding is irresponsible

President Barack Obama was at TechBoston Academy in Boston yesterday and warned that cutting funds for education is irresponsible and harmful to our nation’s long-term economy noting, “There’s nothing responsible about cutting back on our investment in these young people.”

View the video of Obama’s speech:

Alexis Rice|March 9th, 2011|Categories: Educational Legislation, Federal Programs, High Schools, Middle Schools, Multimedia and Webinars, NSBA Opinions and Analysis|

“Let’s Move!” initiative workout event planned

The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation has announced that it is spearheading a “Let’s Move! Flash Workout” featuring 16-time Grammy Award winner Beyoncé to demonstrate support for First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative aimed at curbing childhood obesity.

The event, produced in partnership with the National School Boards Association, National Middle School Association, and the American Association of School Administrators, calls for middle school students across the country to participate in a pre-choreographed “Let’s Move!” dance exercise routine at an identical time — Tuesday, May 3, at 1:42 p.m. Eastern Time.

Beyoncé will be the exclusive featured performer for the “Let’s Move! Flash Workout.” She has re-written and re-recorded one of her songs and is providing an instruction video demonstrating the dance/exercise routine. The Beyoncé video will then be distributed to participating schools.

BoardBuzz  commends the “Let’s Move” initiative and this workout event to combat widespread childhood obesity.

Alexis Rice|March 7th, 2011|Categories: Announcements, Middle Schools, Multimedia and Webinars, NSBA Opinions and Analysis, School Boards, Student Achievement, Wellness|

Former school board member, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, promotes the need to invest in public education

Federal Reserve Chairman and former Montgomery Township Board of Education (N.J.) member, Ben Bernanke, gave a speech early this week about the financial challenges local governments are facing and as The New York Times observed, “explicitly advocated against cuts to education spending.”

Bernanke noted that:

Budget balance and budget stability are important fiscal issues. In the long run, though, the most important fiscal issue is whether the structure and composition of the government budget best serves the public interest. Certainly, most people would support the goal of fostering healthy economic growth. Government can contribute to this objective in a number of ways. One critical means is by ensuring an adequate investment in human capital–that is, in the knowledge and skills of our people. No economy can succeed without a high-quality workforce, particularly in an age of globalization and technical change. Cost-effective K-12 and post-secondary schooling are crucial to building a better workforce, but they are only part of the story. Research increasingly has shown the benefits of early childhood education and efforts to promote the lifelong acquisition of skills for both individuals and the economy as a whole. The payoffs of early childhood programs can be especially high. For instance, preschool programs for disadvantaged children have been shown to increase high school graduation rates. Because high school graduates have higher earnings, pay more taxes, and are less likely to use public health programs, investing in such programs can pay off even from the narrow perspective of state budgets; of course, the returns to the overall economy and to the individuals themselves are much greater.

Last year our Center for Public Education (the Center) released a report, “Cutting to the Bone: How the Economic Crisis Affects Schools,” that revealed public K-12 schools are facing severe funding conditions.

Currently, public K-12 education is suffering from declines in both state and local funding. At the same time, many also face dramatic cost increases in areas ranging from utilities to pension funds, forcing school leaders to make tough decisions between balanced budgets and student needs.

As Jim Hull, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center noted, “The current system of school funding isn’t working for our students. With no fat to cut, schools are forced to cut effective educational programs that directly impact student achievement. Such cuts will not only impair student achievement but also impede our economic competitiveness for years to come. For schools to succeed in the long run, school boards, other policymakers, and the public need to reexamine how public education is funded at the local, state, and federal levels.”

Alexis Rice|March 4th, 2011|Categories: Center for Public Education, Educational Finance, Educational Research, NSBA Opinions and Analysis, Preschool Education, Student Achievement|
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