Education Reform IF you don’t know where you are going? How will you know when you get there? How do you think teachers decide what they are going to teach each day, and what students are going to learn each day?

School population: 1 million students educated in public schools; 100,000 in private schools or homeschooled Public school annual spending in 2011: $10.2 billion from state, local, federal sources — up from $8.08 billion in 2005 Between 1980 and 2010, spending in constant 2010 dollars increased from $6,861 per student to $10,237 per student Only 59 cents of every education dollar reaches the classroom — highly centralized, top-down system Washington Public Schools – Number of school districts: 295 – Number of schools: 2,345 – Number of charter schools: 0 – Per-student spending in 2010: $10,200 – Student/teacher ratio: 20 to one – Student/school employee ratio: 10 to one – Total public school employees: 100,310 – Number of teachers: 47,662 classroom teachers, or 47% of all employees – Average teacher salary in 2011–12: $61,116, plus benefits and pension $18,334; total salary and benefit cost: $79,450 Washington Public Schools — The Inputs

Everything Changed in 1993  1983 – 1988 “First Wave”  Top down, cosmetic change  1988 – 1993 “Second Wave”  Grass roots, performance based  Since 1993  Cognitivism  Student-centered

Instructional Changes Resulting from the 1993 Washington State Education Reform Act Pre-1993Post-1993 Teacher-centeredStudent-centered Norm referencedCriterion referenced Normal curveJ curve Teacher informationStudent performance Student complianceActive inquiry Covering the adopted curriculum Gathering evidence of student learning Sorting students by levels of knowledge Securing levels of student performance

Past State Efforts at Education Reform 1993 Education Reform Act set three goals: – 1) Created statewide standards for what students should know in six subjects – 2) Created test (WASL) to evaluate student knowledge and progress toward standards (WASL is no longer used) – 3) School accountability (not accomplished yet) Giving every school a “grade” for performance Holding schools accountable for student achievement

Created Washington State Learning Goals for all students  Common goals to communicate to parents, teachers and students  Make sure that all curriculum and learning reflects these goals

WA STATE LEARNING GOALS 1. Read with comprehension, write with skill, and communicate effectively and responsibly in a variety of ways and settings 2. Know and apply the core concepts and principles of mathematics; social, physical and life sciences; civics and history; geography; arts; and health and fitness

WA STATE LEARNING GOALS 3. Think analytically, logically and creatively, and integrate experience and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems. 4. Understand the importance of work and how performance, effort and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.

WA State Learning Goals  These are the skills and knowledge the legislature determined students needed to live, learn and work as adults.  These goals are the foundation of our instructional programs.  Teachers and school districts were given wide latitude on choosing curriculum and teaching methods to help their students achieve the goals, and are held accountable to the effectiveness of their teaching.

EALRS- The Standards Essential Academic Learning Requirements  To meet these goals the legislature established an 11 member commission on student learning. Working with teams of teachers, students, parents, businesses, and community members, the commission identified what all students should know and be able to do.

EALRS- The Standards Essential Academic Learning Requirements  These standards are called the EALRS or essential learnings. They establish clear and high academic standards for students in science, social studies, arts and technology, and health/fitness.  WHAT SHOULD STUDENTS KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO; High and Clear academic standards

EALRS- The Standards Essential Academic Learning Requirements  The commission was also charged with determining an assessment system to measure student progress and establish an accountability system to ensure districts and schools are successful.  That assessment system was--- THE WASL

WASL  The commission was responsible for measuring student progress towards the goals/essential learnings. They established a new test to be taken in 4 th, 7 th and 10 th grades—called WASL

Assessment-WASL Washington Assessment of Student Learning  When you are driving on the freeway you see a state patrolman parked on the side of the road up ahead….. What are the things you do??

Assessment-WASL Washington Assessment of Student Learning  Why??  Because assessment drives behavior. We know our performance is going to assessed or evaluated against the standard (driving laws), we align our behavior with those laws.  What does assessment drive in the classroom?

Assessment--WASL  Accomplished teachers use assessment as an integral and important part of student learning. If a teachers knows the student needs to pass the test? What do they do????  First they determine what is important, or essential for students to know and be able to do as a result of the lesson (objective). These were given to teachers by this commission and the state  Then they determine the best way to teach the objective by selecting curriculum and teaching methods based on their knowledge of the students. However, Districts adopt curriculum, or change curriculum to match the test

Assessment--WASL  During and following instruction teachers evaluate how students are learning. This evaluation is called assessment. The assessment lets the teacher know if their teaching strategies have been successful. Teachers use assessments in their classes, but ultimately students have to pass the standardized test.  There are many kinds of assessments teachers can use in their classroom: informal and formal observation, self-evaluation, tests, written reports, portfolios, and performance tasks (doing science experiment, or building math model.) But the standardized test is the final assessment for teachers and students.

Authentic Assessment  Performance based assessment— having students perform a “real- life” task, it is often most relevant for the student and provides the teacher excellent insight on student understanding.  This is not what is done on standardized testing? Why?

Assessment  If student meets the standard set by the assessment, he or she is ready to move on to the next level of learning.  If the student has not mastered the “essential learning” the teacher determines the best way to re-teach the information. In that way, assessment drives instruction and curriculum. If the student doesn’t pass the assessment there are also further consequences—having to retake classes, retake test, prevent graduation, etc.

WASL  In WA, the WASL was the tool that measured whether their instruction had successfully taught the EALRS.  With the WASL results, schools had information now on what students are learning, and how well. Students who have not mastered the Essential Learnings must be re-taught, using a variety of strategies, since they cannot graduate until they have reached the state goals.

Than came…..NCLB  No Child Left Behind—4 Pillars (otherwise known as No child left untested..) Stronger accountability for results More freedom for states and communities Proven education methods More choices for parents Title 1 schools are the only ones that required to take corrective action in the beginning WA used the WASL to determine results

No Child Left Behind Act – 2001 – Required states to measure student achievement annually in reading and math between 3rd and 8th grade and once in high school (WA used WASL) – Requires all students to achieve proficiency in these subjects by 2014 – Required states to disaggregate student achievement data – Revealed that large percentages of students were failing to meet state standards, especially poor and minority students

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as part of NCLB  AYP– primary measure of year to year progress towards NCLB, and tracks student progress on WASL.  Each year the state RAISES THE BAR so that by all 100% of students will achieve proficiency.  Must meet AYP for all pop groups— ethnicity, disability, limited english, and economically disadvantaged  It applies to all schools in the state!!!

GLES!  More specific than EALRS, the GLEs (grade level expectations) say what they need to learn at each grade level (k-10 th ) to pass the test, and build on learning.  Connect series of learning competencies in a hierarchy, that are necessary to be proficient in reading, writing, communication and social studies (2007), arts (2008) and health/fitness (2009)  Continuum exists for each subject area that describes the journey students experience along the pathway.

Changes in 2009  Good-bye WASL --- Hello, MSP and HSPE!  Testing with a New Name—Shorter Test but same type of questions, moving to online testing for writing and Reading. -MSP (Measurement of Student Progress, grades 3-8) -HSPE (High School Proficiency Exam)

New For 2011  End of Course Exams (Math Only, 7-12 grades)

Federal Efforts at Education Reform  In 2009, President Obama offered $4.3 billion in competitive “Race to the Top” grants to states that allow charter and innovation schools, teacher and principal evaluations which include student achievement growth as a significant factor of evaluation, allowing teachers and principals to receive performance pay, collecting data on students, adopting Common Core Standards, turning around the lowest performing schools  March 2010, the Legislature passed SB 6696, the Governor’s “Race to the Top” bill  Washington’s “Race to the Top” application was rejected by the Obama Administration  Nevertheless, Washington state has now adopted the Common Core standards, ceding control over its learning standards to national group to try to qualify for the grant money

Federal Efforts at Education Reform Reauthorization of No Child Left Behind has stalled in Congress States are seeking waivers from the U.S. Department of Education from NCLB requirements Waivers are being granted to states, with many conditions attached. Over two-thirds of states have applied for waivers. The U.S. Department of Education is imposing numerous conditions on states seeking waivers. These conditions are similar to requirements of the “Race to the Top” Washington was granted the waiver in 2012.

Waivers: US Secretary of Education Duncan’s rationale for waivers: recognizes that a great majority of schools are labeled as “failing” ESEA reauthorization is moving too slowly in Congress and realizes states need “relief” from AYP Waiver Proposal: states must agree to changes in four main areas in exchange for relief from AYP requirements –including

4 Criteria of Waivers  College- and Career-Ready Expectations for All Students  State-Developed Differentiated Recognition, Accountability and Support  Supporting Effective Instruction and Leadership  Reducing Duplication and Unnecessary Burden

Washington State Reforms continue….  Clear efforts to clarify what to teach EALRs, Frameworks, Benchmarks, GLEs, Curriculum and now Common Core Standards  Clear efforts around what to test WASL to HSPE/MSP, EOC, NCS Mentor, Released Items, Test Specifications  Essentially no support around how teach, or in funding to schools and teachers Powerful Teaching & Learning, Brain-based research, budget cuts, professional development days cut

Current Data Trends 10th grade 2010–11 state test results: – 83% students are meeting standard in reading, 86% in writing, 62% meet standard in End of Course math I, 50% meet standard in science 8th grade on 2011 federal National Assessment of Student Progress (NAEP): – Washington’s students score slightly above national average, with only 40% proficient or better in math, and only 37% proficient or better in reading

Current Data Trends 10th grade 2010–11 state test results: – 87% of white students pass reading test, 68% white students pass math End of Course Math 1 – 68 % of black students pass reading, 36% black students pass math End of Course Math 1 – 69% Hispanic students pass reading, 39% Hispanic students pass End of Course Math 1

Current Data Trends One-third of students drop out of high school, another third graduate without skills they need to succeed in college or workplace 52% of 2006 high school graduates who entered two- year community colleges or technical schools had to enroll in remedial math, English or reading 37% of students entering two-year and four-year colleges have to enroll in remedial math or English Only 53% graduate from college Washington state spends $17.2 million per year on remediation in community and technical colleges