“The truth is that, in the last decade, the Office for Civil Rights has not been as vigilant as it should have been in combating general and racial discrimination and protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities,” Duncan said at a school in Selma, Ala, where, on March 7, 1965, police beat hundreds of civil rights protesters in what has became known as “Bloody Sunday.”

“But that is about to change,” Duncan added.

These actions will go beyond simply ensuring that programs – for example, those serving English Language Learners — are in place, Duncan said, but also investigating the quality of these programs and the outcomes of students enrolled in them. And instead of just looking at minority students’ exposure to Advanced Placement courses, the department will examine whether the broader curriculum prepares all students for college.

The department expects to open investigations into about 32 school districts “to verify that students of both sexes and all races are getting equal access to college preparatory curriculums and to advanced placement courses,” the New York Times reported. And on March 10, the OCR plans to initiate “a major investigation … of one of the nation’s largest urban districts,” according to the newspaper; however, the agency said it would not identify the district until Congress and others are advised of the plans.

Katrina Kelley, director of NSBA’s Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE), agreed that  oversight of the academic outcomes of minority children have “been largely ignored at the federal level”  and that local school districts, including urban schools, “can benefit from federal guidance on issues of equity, access and academic success for all children.”

Once the Department of Education comes out with more specifics, Kelley added, “CUBE will help educate and prepare urban school board members so that they may ensure their respective districts are in compliance with the federal civil rights guidelines.”

NSBA General Counsel Francisco Negron said that the education department and local school districts are both interested in closing the achievement gap and expanding opportunities for minorities. “So I would hope the federal government would address our mutual goals through collaboration with our local school boards rather than by launching unilateral investigations,” he said. “When it comes to addressing educational concerns, unilateral federal action is nearly always imperfect.”

For instance, Negron said that during the last administration OCR reportedly told school districts – incorrectly — that they could not consider race in student assignments after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-based student assignment plans in Louisville and Seattle. Nothing, he said, “could be further from the truth.” In fact, districts can, in many cases, continue to make race-conscious decisions in assignments, especially where such decision are firmly rooted in the district’s academic goals, Negron said. (Recent publications that include NSBA’s guidance on diversity issues are available here.)

Lawrence Hardy, senior editor

Too many black male students are in academic trouble. Too many are held back a grade. Too many fail to enroll in rigorous coursework. Too many drop out. And too many graduate ill-prepared for college.

None of this is news to urban school leaders. Most have seen their school system’s disaggregated data on student achievement. Many have heard talk of the “school-to-prison pipeline” or the warning that young black men are an “endangered species.”

But what should give school board members pause is another reality about this vulnerable student population: All signs suggest that academic success depends greatly on the schools these students attend.

According to Given Half a Chance: The Schott 50 State Report on Public Education for Black Males, South Dakota graduated 89 percent of its black male students, yet in Michigan, “barely a third of its black male students” graduate on time with their peers. Similar disparities exist at the district level. In the 2005-06 school year, the report says, Fort Bend, Texas, graduated 82 percent of its black male students on time with their peers. The same students in Indianapolis had a four-year graduation rate of only 19 percent.

Such differences make clear that “the quality of [academic] opportunities available, not differences in students’ ability” determine the fate of young black males in school, the report concludes.

That finding should give urban school leaders a clear sense of their mission, says John Jackson, president and CEO of the Schott Foundation for Public Education, which focuses on issues surrounding black student achievement.

“If we truly want to address the achievement gap and move this country forward, we have to address this opportunity gap” confronting black male students, he says. “When you look at the data, in 46 of 50 states, black males are at the bottom of so many indicators.”

So many factors determine the poor academic performance of young black males, and it’s important to acknowledge those outside the control of school boards. High concentrations of poverty, particularly intergenerational poverty, create huge educational challenges for schools to overcome, yet such poverty also severely curtails the resources communities can focus on their schools.

Meanwhile students in these poorer communities also are distracted from their studies by dysfunctional family situations, gang activity, high crime rates, or the need to help support their economically struggling families.

How to offset these harsh realities is a question that’s being asked repeatedly these days. In Jacksonville, Fla., corporate, elected, and school leaders hosted a symposium last year specifically to talk about efforts to help young black men in the community. In Georgia, the 100 Black Men of Atlanta has joined forces with school officials to provide mentoring to the city’s young male students.

This spring, urban school leaders will discuss the topic in a CUBE Issues Forum on Saturday, April 10, at 2 p.m. during NSBA’s 70th Annual Conference and Exposition in Chicago.

High stakes

Fueling this debate is not just the human cost to young students, whose academic failures diminish their economic opportunities and put them at greater risk of poor health, imprisonment, and victimization by other societal ills. The communities where these young men live also pay the price.

Such communities “cannot thrive without having this population being successful,” Jackson insists. “Success is not just graduating, but success is about being fathers, being husbands, being gainfully employed. And if we don’t fix what’s happening in urban centers, it could impact any student, anywhere.”

Fortunately, many educators say school boards and superintendents can take steps to improve the success of these at-risk students. And the place to start is by focusing on equity—in the quality of teachers, instructional materials, facilities, expectations, and opportunities—available to young black males.

Given today’s economic slowdown, coupled with institutional disparities in school funding across the nation, equity isn’t so easy to provide. But one inexpensive start is to ensure that academic expectations are equal for all students. Studies show that about 60 percent of black male students never take high-level math courses, and these students often are disproportionately shut out of college-prep magnet programs.

Such findings highlight the inequities that exist—inequities that are partly due to low expectations for young black males. But school boards can change expectations. In Virginia Beach, Va., for example, the school board has made clear to administrators that they’re watching some measurements—such as test scores and dropout rates—and holding principals and central office administrators accountable.

Participation in more rigorous classes also is being scrutinized to identify where teachers and principals are too comfortable with the status quo.

The quality of teachers also is under scrutiny across the nation. In schools with high numbers of academically struggling black male students, teachers are more likely to be new to the profession and less qualified in the subjects they’re teaching. Most urban school districts are working to change that—or at least provide more training to offset this reality.

In looking at teachers, some say urban schools also lack enough male role models—particularly black male role models—for young boys. Bryan Nelson, founder of the Minneapolis-based nonprofit MenTeach, say urban schools aren’t trying hard enough to attract black male teachers.

Some school leaders would contest that judgment, but Nelson points out that some urban schools still wait until the summer to hire new teachers—when highly sought-after black male teachers already have a job. Certain stereotypes also hinder the hiring of these desirable teachers. For example, Nelson recalls a study in which administrators, after being given a list of potential job applicants, were half again as likely to hire a woman over a man with similar qualifications. “It’s a bias that happens.”

Pop psychology?

One subject of debate among educators is how much weight to give to arguments that urban black male students have unique needs and learning styles that should be addressed. In research on racial identity, psychologist Beverly Daniel Tatum has

written that black teens define themselves by what they see on video and television. Many black youth also are victim to cultural stereotypes that academics are for white students, and those youth sometimes are ridiculed by other blacks for making academic efforts.

Questions also have been raised about how well teachers understand young black men, particularly in schools where the majority of teachers are women, many from middle-class backgrounds with no experience in inner-city life. Student misbehavior and a disengagement from learning can stem from teachers simply not understanding how to relate to these students.

Some argue this impact isn’t that relevant, that good instruction is a far greater concern for school boards. But others suggest that there are times when educators need to look at black male students in a different light.

At Atlanta’s B.E.S.T Academy, an all-boys school serving a high-poverty area, Principal LaPaul Shelton says instructional and support strategies depend on the community served. Addressing the cultural surroundings of students is more important where stable families, good role models, and community support is lacking.

It’s undeniable that some black male students will benefit from additional support, which is why Shelton’s school relies on mentoring provided by members of the 100 Black Men of Atlanta. And it’s why some Toledo, Ohio, schools have turned to the Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB), established to address the academic and social challenges of African American males, for adult-student support.

“You just need such mentoring sometimes,” Shelton says.

It also is helpful to share with teachers research findings on how the brain works—and gender differences in learning, says Tamara Cotman, a senior administrator overseeing 21 school campuses in Atlanta. “Boys are wired differently in terms of what they value and appreciate. Boys like competition. They enjoy games. Researchers have graphs that show a change in brain activity if a young man is sitting too long. There are things that work for boys that help them learn best.”

Basic teaching

Every school system—indeed, every school—puts a slightly different emphasis on addressing the needs of young black male students. Some, like Virginia Beach, have launched initiatives directly aimed at these students’ needs. Others simply are conscious of the instructional challenges that exist and do their best to meet them, just as they do with any other student subgroup.

It’s not so much the specific strategy that matters as the conscious effort to meet the needs of these students, Jackson says.

“School board members play a very essential role in raising questions. It’s not just about looking at the achievement gap data, but strategically focusing on what’s their plan for closing this opportunity gap. We have schools where students aren’t given access to highly effective teachers. If you plan to close that gap, then, where are the resources that are needed as a school or district to accomplish it? How do you align community resources to create a cradle-to-career pipeline?”

Del Stover is editor of Urban Advocate.

Like all TLN site visits, the jam-packed three-day tour highlights innovation in action — in this case, a district that has embraced 21^st century teaching and learning modalities through things like technology enabled reading interventions, digital science notebooks, and pre-engineering programs.

“Hearing about a district’s initiatives through a conference workshop or webinar presentation is simply not the same as seeing first-hand how they have been implemented,” says Ann Flynn, director of NSBA’s Education Technology Programs, the department that oversees TLN, organizes the site visits, and runs the annual T+L conference.

“Participants get a 360 degree look that encompasses the district’s vision around adopting particular strategies, their implementation decisions, and the retrospective view of what has and has not worked, as well as originally anticipated.”

By talking with teachers, students, administrators, board members and business partners, Flynn says, attendees gain a depth of knowledge to help them evaluate their own technology planning efforts, building on the success of the host district.

The 2010 line up, which includes trips to Colorado’s Jefferson County Public Schools, suburban Chicago’s Avoca School District 37, and a first-ever trip across the northern border to Quebec’s Eastern Townships School Board, promises to inspire and show other districts how technology can drive their entire system, not just teaching, into the 21^st century.

To register or get more information on the education technology site visits go here.

March 5, Wall Street Journal

On Thursday, the Obama administration announced that the District of Columbia and 15 states were chosen as finalists in the federal Race to the Top competition, with each vying for $4.35 billion in federal funds.

Related:

Washington Post

Lincoln [Neb.} Journal Star

Tulsa World

Sacramento Bee

Minnesota governor proposes revising teacher tenure

March 5, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune

Gov. Tim Pawlenty introduced a bill Thursday that would require teachers to reapply for tenure every five years.

California students protest cuts to education

March 5, New York Times

Parent, faculty, and students from college to grade school campuses rallied across the state on Thursday, decrying the steep cuts made to public education.

Florida school superintendent calls on parents to be partners in dealing with disciplinary issues

March 5, St. Petersburg Times

Exasperated with the frequent brawls that occur at one of its middle schools, the superintendent of the Pinellas school district sent a message to parents Thursday, asking them to stand with the district in sending a united message that unruly behavior will not be tolerated.

The Phase 1 finalists are:

• Colorado
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Illinois
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee

“These states are an example for the country of what is possible when adults come together to do the right thing for children,” Secretary Arne Duncan said in the much-anticipated announcement. “I salute all of the applicants for their hard work. And I encourage non-finalists to reapply for phase 2.”

The Education Department outlined its selection process in a press release, here. NSBA’s advocacy department also has offered guidance on navigating the RTTT application process.

The House Committee on Education and Labor discussed upcoming legislation to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act on March 2.  The law impacts all food sold in schools as well as the federal school lunch and breakfast programs, after-school and summer school food programs, and other programs that provide nutrition to children and families. (Read NSBA’s Issue Brief here).

Lucy Gettman, NSBA’s director of federal programs, told the House panel that local school board members and administrators best understand and meet their individual district’s needs, with the federal government playing an important supportive role.

According to Gettman, NSBA’s school health department highlights nutrition programs in local schools that feature good practices such as increased offerings of local fruits and vegetables, partnerships with parents, and the creation of schoolwide wellness committees. Many schools now offer students a healthy breakfast as well as lunch.

“The commitment to increasing student access to healthy and nutritious food is not unique,” said Gettman. “What is unique; however, are the circumstances of each school district. What is successful at one won’t necessarily work at another district. The geography, economy, demographics, and resources available in the community vary for each district.”

The hearing comes as school officials and parents are demanding better quality, nutritious food for students and First Lady Michelle Obama is promoting childhood nutrition and anti-obesity causes through the “Let’s Move” initiative. NSBA supports the campaign’s mission to use partnerships to help children make better food choices and stay active, instilling habits that will last through their lives.

The hearing is a first step toward reauthorization of the federal child nutrition law, which expires Sept. 30. School breakfast and lunch programs are permanently authorized.

NSBA’s recommendations include:

• Recognize local school district authority and the variance among local circumstances in laws or policy addressing childhood nutrition;
• Refrain from imposing additional regulations or mandates on schools outside of the federally subsidized school lunch and breakfast programs and adequately reimburse school districts for the cost of those services;
• Give incentives and grants to support school districts, communities and states that are assuming greater responsibility for health and nutrition;
• Ensure that adequate resources are available for school nutrition programs, including meals and administration, equipment and facility improvements, training for staff, educators and other stakeholders, nutrition education and support for other local initiatives.

Joetta Sack-Min, Online Editor

The House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing this week on charter schools, where many charter proponents urged lawmakers to ensure that charters are properly monitored in areas such as admissions, academic achievement, and finances, according to the New York Times.

President Obama and his administration have pushed states to increase the numbers of charters as a central piece of his education reform plans, and charters are expected to be included as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization.

Until recently “charter schools have operated mostly on the fringe. In a rather bold move emanating from the overriding influence of the Chicago Public Schools’ experiences, today they are a cornerstone of President Barack Obama’s and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s education agenda,” NSBA’s statement says. “Because [charters] do not exist in every state and the knowledge base of members of Congress on their operations varies widely, it is critical that we educate our elected representatives on some basic issues relating to charter schools,” NSBA’s statement reads.

NSBA’s recommendations for lawmakers include:

• Any new legislation should rectify areas where charters are not held to the same accountability standards as traditional public schools;
• Public school systems led by school boards should be the only allowed sponsors of charters;
• Local school boards should retain the authority to decertify or not renew the charter of any school that fails to meet its agreed upon goals, such as requirements that charter schools demonstrate improved student achievement; and
• More data is needed to fully understand the charters movement, including their enrollments, locations, and types of services offered. Other data needed include student mobility, suspension and expulsion rates and demographics.

Advocates are hopeful that the ESEA reauthorization will pass later this year.

Joetta Sack-Min, online editor

A $15 billion economic stimulus package, much smaller than what President Obama had requested and smaller than a companion piece of legislation passed by the House of Representatives late last year, would be the first of several measures designed to create new jobs and keep the U.S. economy afloat. The measure passed the Senate by a bipartisan 70-28 vote on Feb. 24.

Since much of the money in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed one year ago has already been allotted and estimates for state budget shortfalls for K-12 education have reached as high as $38 billion for this year, states and districts need immediate help, NSBA Executive Director Anne L. Bryant said. Read NSBA’s statement here.

“The loss of jobs in communities has impacted local and state revenues for education and other vital public services,” Bryant said. “We have seen the devastating results of layoffs in our school districts including larger class sizes that do not facilitate the type of interaction and specialized instruction for many students and teachers, the loss of specialists for intervention programs such as reading and math coaches and after school tutoring, and discontinued extracurricular programs that help provide a well-rounded education program for our students.”

In many states, school officials have already begun handing out layoff notices to teachers and other staff, as union contracts often dictate that any employee whose job could be eliminated receive notice months in advance. This week, for instance, the San Francisco school board voted to send about 900 pink slips to teachers in March, and the Fairfax County, Va., school district has announced plans to eliminate some 600 jobs next year.

The federal government, though, must provide more relief specifically for school districts, Bryant said.

“While the Senate’s recent action is a good step, NSBA urges continued diligence in passing a jobs package that includes fiscal aid to school districts and states,” she said. “This is critical to helping our nation’s schools continue effective programs and save jobs.”

The Senate bill would extend funding for the Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) and Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs). These bonds, which also were included in last year’s stimulus funding, provide zero-interest financing to school districts for infrastructure projects by giving the bond buyer a federal tax credit in lieu of interest payments from the school district. The program’s goal is to help state and local governments finance capital improvement projects at a lower cost, with the federal government subsidizing a portion of the interest paid, which would create jobs.

Joetta Sack-Min, Online Editor

Speaking of social media, NSBA will host a free webinar on March 16 at 3 p.m. EST to show how school board members can use free social media sites to communicate with their communities, network with other board members throughout the country, do research, and much more. Registration information will be available within the next two days here.