From the editor

As I read over education news and commentary from the past couple of weeks, I see several specific reasons for optimism in the world of Colorado pre-K-12 education. But I'm afraid an underlying sense of pessimism remains. The potentially good news does not completely offset the gloom.

First, the cheery stuff.

1)      More good schools are on the way. Nineteen groups submitted letters of intent last week to apply to open  Denver Public Schools charters or "innovation schools." See this article for details. A review of the letters shows some exciting prospects - an expansion of West Denver Preparatory Charter, including a high school;  the first of six Envision Schools high schools , a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) school operated by the Denver teachers union - as well as some non-starters, which won't be approved. Also, the innovation schools bill appears set to coast through the legislature, paving the way for more innovation across Colorado.

2)      Schools are proving that the urban education malaise is preventable and curable. See West Denver Prep, above. And the Denver School of Science and Technology continues to achieve astounding success with its economically diverse student body. The school recently announced that 100 percent of its inaugural senior class has been accepted to four-year colleges. And DSST is opening a middle school in the fall.

3)      Districts are producing better data, which should help produce better results. DPS' School Performance Framework is an impressive tool, even in version 1.0. People need to use the data to improve student performance, but at least that's becoming increasingly possible.

4)      Teach for America is in Colorado to stay, and it's presence will continue to grow. Last week, TFA founder Wendy Kopp was in town to give a luncheon talk. It was impossible to listen without feeling that a few more creative thinkers like Kopp - which TFA is producing every year - will help crack the tough nut of urban education.

5)       The political stars may be aligning to fix at least big chunks of the constitutional hairball that is choking Colorado school finance. It's still an uphill battle, but there is at least some bipartisan support for the effort.

So, with all the good news, why the underlying pessimism? Watching the legislature tack a strange amendment onto the already flawed CAP4K bill brought to mind a compelling passage from former DPS Supt. Jerry Wartgow's recent book:

For the past 50 years we have attempted to solve every major education problem in America by passing laws. But in spite of all the well-intentioned legislation that has been adopted to improve public education, progress toward solving these problems has been disappointing at best.

That is because many of these laws, which were enacted to guard against arbitrary actions, have had the unintended consequence of preventing the exercise of judgment.

It's naïve to hope that state legislatures and Congress would ever declare a time-out and stop passing education legislation. After all, politicians have to run for reelection, and what better platform than fixing education? And how better to show that you're serious than by sponsoring as much education legislation as possible?

But Wartgow's point is a good one. In an already challenging field, practitioners are constantly being whipsawed by new local, state and federal mandates, many of them unfunded.

That's one reason for pessimism. The other is more global. It's obvious that our country faces significant social, not to mention economic challenges. All of those challenges come home to roost in our public schools, especially in cities and inner-ring suburbs. As Richard Rothstein says in his provocative book "Class and Schools," public schools have been saddled with all the blame for what really are underlying social issues confronting us all.

Until we figure out how to address the challenges of multi-generational poverty, family disintegration, crumbling health care systems, and the like, we can't really expect our schools to do much more than reflect the mess we've created. Several more good schools and a cadre of effective teachers will only make a small dent.

Speaking of Teach for America, what follows is the penultimate contribution from Kate Rapisarda, a first-year TFA corps member teaching at Denver's North High.

North students are rising to the challenge

By Kate Rapisarda

If you want a glimpse into the world of North High all you have to do is pick up a copy of the Rocky Mountain News and read.  If you are an avid paper-reader you probably already read the April 5^th article on the Academic Pep Rally that was recently held at North; and if you missed the front page coverage of the event I strongly suggest that you checkout the piece on the newspaper's website. 

This event is indicative in so many ways of where North is presently and where North is heading in the future.  Giving kudos to students for high academic performance may seem like an unconventional affair; however this is just one of the many creative ways that the faculty and students at North are building a culture of pride and enthusiasm around academic success. 

At first students seemed hesitant to accept their rewards.  As I walked my students down to the gym from last period, many expressed what seemed to be a shy embarrassment over being recognized for outstanding grade-point averages.  Some even said that they would not go up to accept the certificate. 

However, once in the gym the energy and excitement surrounding the event were contagious.  Students cheered each other on and flaunted their certificates to their friends.  One sophomore I talked to was disappointed that he only received one certificate and was hoping to earn and few more at next year's rally. 

I think that at many schools and definitely at North, academic achievement has been regarded as taboo in the past. But the positive reception of events like this one provides evidence that barriers are being broken down and progress is being made. 

With the same intentions as the Academic Pep Rally, next Friday the student council at North has arranged a second event focused on honoring and congratulating upperclassman for stellar academic performance.  Council members have spent months generating support, planning and fundraising for an all-night event at North open to juniors and seniors on the honor roll. 

The event will begin after school on Friday and go until the following Saturday morning and will include a variety of fun activities such as a game room, movie room, sports games and a large supply of delicious food.  Many faculty members have agreed to chaperone the event, either in shifts or even committing their entire nights for the cause.  The ideas and preparations for the event were produced and executed by North students - a sign that the academic culture at our school is a collaborative initiative between faculty and students.   

When I think about the work being done at North or have conversations with colleagues and friends, I am overwhelmed by my excitement and pride in students at our school.   The investment and ownership students are taking in their own educations, as well as the dedication they show for their community and each other motivates and inspires my work. 

Many North seniors got their college acceptance letters this month from an impressive list of universities from coast to coast.  Students are deciding among a long list of schools including Stanford, Columbia and Wesleyan at a time when competition for acceptance into top universities is at an all time high.  One North senior received the honor of being the only student in DPS accepted to Harvard.   

Students are understandably excited about the fast-approaching, school-free months of summer. But in the classroom, the energy and effort seem to be increasing rather than dwindling with the fading months of the school year.  This month I presented the option of taking the SAT II subject test in biology on June 7^th as a way to enhance students' future college applications. 

When I first mentioned the idea none of my students were familiar with the SAT II subject tests or the potential college credit or requirement exemptions you could receive by taking them.  About 20 students signed up to take the exam and as a requirement have agreed to meet with me for an additional hour every week to review material and learn content that we did not cover in class. 

Students embraced the challenge of taking a test that would assess their knowledge of biology at a high level.  One student said to me as he added his name to the signup list that he did not think he could pass the test, but he wanted the opportunity to at least try and prove himself wrong.  Many others seemed somewhat surprised that I would even propose the SAT II as an option, as if it should be a privilege reserved for students in honors or AP classes. 

"The quality of expectations determines the quality of our action."  That's a quotation I believe in strongly, and the words are particularly resonant within the realm of the classroom.  A larger percentage of a student's academic identity is determined and strongly influenced by the expectations of their teachers. 

I know my students know how much I believe in them and their abilities to accomplish the goals they've set for themselves.  And at the end of the year, more than the content or any test score they may receive, I hope that students leave my classroom with confidence in their abilities to succeed. 

Ednews highlights

Constitutional amendments sprout like weeds

Written by Todd Engdahl   

Thursday, April 17 2008

With just 20 days left before legislative adjournment, three proposed constitutional amendments that would affect state financing of education have surfaced, promising lively debate as lawmakers race to finish their 2008 work.

The big act is expected to be House Speaker Andrew Romanoff's plan to significantly amend both the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and Amendment 23, which guarantees increased annual funding for K-20 education.

The Denver Democrat hasn't yet introduced his resolution, but he unveiled it Thursday during a packed Capitol news conference, along with big names like Gov. Bill Ritter and state Treasurer Cary Kennedy, both Democrats, and Republican Attorney General John Suthers.

DPS' new schools bait nets lots of nibbles

Written by Alan Gottlieb   

Sunday, April 20 2008

Any doubts about whether Denver Public Schools' new schools initiative would generate interest were laid to rest Friday when the district received 19 letters of intent from organizations and individuals interested in opening new charter or "innovation" schools.

Final proposal are due to the district by May 16.

Eight of the proposed schools would be charters, eight would be "innovation schools" - schools granted a degree of autonomy but expected to use the DPS curriculum and abide by labor agreements - and three didn't specify.

Blog highlights

Don't throw CSAP baby out with bathwater

Monday, April 21, 2008
Written by: Captain Haddock

A new proposal in the state legislature would dramatically change Colorado's K-12 assessment system.  This proposal, the subject of much debate in last fall's P-20 Council meetings, would align state standards with the ACT college admissions test, downplaying the importance of the CSAP.  The Post reports:

Supporters said the change would better prepare Colorado schoolchildren for college and for life after school.

"The Senate took a historic step today in improving, modernizing and strengthening student assessments," said Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction.

The move means state grade-level standards will be set so that each year students move closer to comprehending the issues presented on ACT tests.  ...

The change came during floor debate Thursday morning over Senate Bill 212, which requires that the state align K-12 educational standards with college requirements so that students can make a seamless transition. But the bill did not specify what the standards should be and laid out a multi-year collaborative process for state education officials to develop the standards.

The bill seems to have split some education advocacy organizations that are frequently aligned, such as the Colorado Education Association  and the Colorado Association of School Executives (pro), and the Colorado Department of Education and Colorado Association of School Boards (against).  Support for the bill also does not fall along party lines, with sponsors on both sides of the aisle.

At the heart of the issue is the effectiveness of the CSAP in assessing student progress towards grade-level and graduation standards.  Unfortunately, the CSAP is often unfairly maligned in these discussions, a victim of Governor Owens' haphazard accountability policymaking.  This bill is meant to fix real flaws with CSAP testing, especially the fact that CSAP results are not useful to teachers in improving instruction for students, because results arrive late and at a high level of aggregation. 

Rather than dump the CSAP altogether, though, CSAP testing could be modified to address this and other concerns.  For example, a computer-adaptive test, while it would come with significant technical challenges, could provide both diagnostic and summative performance information with less burden on classroom time. 

Supporters of this bill mean well (I assume), but it's too early to the CSAP baby out with the bathwater.

Bravo to DCTA for its innovation proposal

Friday, April 18, 2008
Written by: Alan Gottlieb

Denver Public Schools' "Innovation Schools" scheme is attracting interest from some intriguing quarters.

Although letters of intent aren't due until the end of the day, several have rolled in already. I especially love the fact that the Denver Classroom Teachers Association is proposing to open a K-8 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Leadership Academy.

I've been a consistent and harsh critic of the DCTA on this blog for reasons I will not rehash here. But the union's eagerness to open a school speaks well of its willingness to lay it all on the line and demonstrate that a school run by teachers can compete with the best schools the city has to offer.

Obviously, whether the DCTA succeeds in making this happen remains to be seen. But the fact that the union is willing to open a school focused on the same subject areas as the astoundingly successful Denver Schools of Science and Technology shows that the organization's leadership has some cojones.

A major expansion of West Denver Preparatory Charter School, and the introduction of Envision Schools are welcome developments as well. More on all of this will be coming soon, to this blog and to Ednews Colorado 

Colorado dreamin'?

Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Written by: Pol Econ Ed

It is difficult to tell from press reports whether or not Speaker Romanoff's plan to propose to voters a way to simplify the state Constitutional constraints has a realistic political chance of moving forward.

On the plus side, the Denver Post did editorialize positively about it today, Romanoff does have a Republican co-sponsor, and he doesn't face a bunch of competing proposals this year.  On the negative side, it requires two-thirds votes, the governor is non-committal, and the late introduction leaves little time to build a supportive campaign.

Regardless of the political prospects, it is also hard to tell if this is a good solution.  In some sense, given the current Constitutional contradictions and vise-like grip on the state budget (and therefore the virtual irrelevance, in a budgetary sense, of the legislators themselves, in terms of representative government), virtually any proposal is likely to be an improvement.  And, achieving comprehensive reform in a time of single subject initiatives and referred measures, absent a Constitutional convention, is nearly impossible.  So, Romanoff deserves credit for trying.

The idea behind the deal seems to be: keep the TABOR requirement to vote on new taxes, eliminate the spending limit, end the Amendment 23 requirement of K-12 budget growth, but protect K12 spending with a reserve fund, and maintain Senate Bill 1's requirement that increased revenue, above a certain level, flow to transportation.

I suppose a computer at the Budget Office could figure out all of the future scenarios for this compromise, but I can't.  In good economic times, it seems clear that more tax revenues would flow in, which state government could now retain, though much of that would then flow to transportation.  It is less clear how K-12 and higher education would do under this plan.

In any event, kudos to Romanoff for opening a serious discussion, and it is probably worth figuring out the pros and cons in more detail.

If Catholic schools die by choice, so be it

Friday, April 11, 2008
Written by: Pol Econ Ed

Coinciding with the Pope's coming visit to the US, the Fordham Institute has a new report out on the decline of Catholic schools, "Who will save America's Urban Catholic Schools?"

Close observers know that Catholic schools have been closing in huge numbers in cities and metropolitan areas all over the U.S. Indeed, the report cites 1,300 closed schools since 1990, with many more likely ahead.

Since I have been studying education, choice supporters have been very high on the role of Catholic schools. Studies from the 1980s and 1990s, by prominent education scholars (Coleman, Bryk and Lee, Neal, etc.), found higher achievement in urban Catholic schools than in comparable public schools. The consensus was that values, discipline, and unity of purpose in Catholic schools lead to better outcomes for students, and that became fairly accepted orthodoxy.

It always remained a bit of a puzzle to me, then, about why Catholic schools were rapidly losing students in an era of expanded choice and even, as the Fordham report notes, in a time of subsidized public vouchers for use in private schools in Milwaukee and DC, where Catholic schools are still bleeding students (and when many saw public voucher laws as the "Catholic school savior acts").

On the other hand, more recent studies of NAEP scores by the National Center on Education Statistics and of 12 years of longitudinal data by the Center on Education Policy with significantly better data available than the earlier studies, find no significant improvement in achievement in Catholic (and other private) schools, when you control for other factors that prior studies did not/could not control for.

In addition to having more data than earlier studies, these newer studies utilize NAEP tests in 4^th and 8^th grade, and the longitudinal study is a better approach in terms of "value added" than any of the "snapshots." Like so many areas of education outcomes research, no study is definitive, but these at least cast considerable doubt on the earlier findings about the superiority of Catholic schools.

I also bring some bias to this issue. While I like school choice, I confess that I never really believed the orthodoxy about Catholic schools being so great in the urban context, although I applaud the fact that some are quite good (but so are some charter schools, so are some public schools). Partly this comes from growing up in suburban New York City, with lots of (Catholic) kids who went to both public and Catholic schools at different times, and who overwhelmingly told me about how inferior the Catholic schools were - lots of values, lots of discipline from the nuns, but very little learning, according to them.

Now, I always figured, OK, that was compared to really good, really well funded public schools that I attended, not really bad urban schools, from which families might flee to "superior" Catholic schools.

But, the most important point here is: should we care? The Fordham report's take is YES, of course, we should care and we (and the Pope) should fix it. The report cites the Wichita revitalization, where tuition was cut to zero based upon donations, scholarships, etc., and enrollment grew. It also proposes that more Catholic schools "go charter," in which case they have to give up the religious affiliation (in nearly all states that is law). I personally have some doubts about how effectively you take the "Catholic" out of a school that becomes a charter.

But, my larger take is: why do we care about parents not choosing Catholic schools, when most of the same advocates of these schools would happily point to people "voting with their feet," and "market-like decision processes" when they flee public schools? Either you embrace parental choice and market outcomes or you don't.

For years, Catholic schools had a huge cost advantage: tuition was low because nuns and brothers taught practically for free, and the Church contributed other resources. Now, in part because of widespread child abuse scandals, Church resources are more limited and there are of course fewer free workers.

So, tuition goes up, and more parents make other choices. Why is that a problem? Especially when there is growing evidence that these schools don't, in fact, mostly perform miracles? Should we be worried that there aren't enough Muslim, Jewish, or Protestant schools?

The legal reasoning that upheld public dollar vouchers for private schools against a religious challenge (the Zelman case) was that parents made the choice, not the state, so it was OK. It seems like parents are making their choice here, as well.

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