CASEL promotes the development of five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective, and behavioral competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. The result: A shift from being  predominantly controlled by external factors to acting with internalized beliefs and values, caring and concern for others, making good decisions, and taking responsibility for one’s choices and behaviors.

Two major criticisms of these studies have been made aside from their conflicting findings. One regards a definition of charter schools. Are we talking about innovative charter schools vs. those following traditional approaches, charter schools in their first few years vs. well-established ones, charter schools with mostly beginning teachers, schools serving mostly at-risk students, etc.? One may as well say parochial schools achieve better than public schools; that would dismissed as making an incomplete and unwarranted comparison.

The second major criticism of charter school studies regards a level playing field on finances. Repeated studies by Ball State University show that in all states, charter schools receive fewer revenues and in many states substantially fewer revenues–on the order of 20 percent less revenue. This factor also makes student achievement comparisons suspect and unfortunately is rarely mentioned or factored in. The study, Charter School Funding: Inequity Persists updates an earlier study which also found a considerable difference in the resources available to charter schools as compared to district schools in the same locales.

People want to know about this major reform effort, charter schools and its degree of success. Once again, the complexity of valid research rears its annoying head. I, for one, want to see charter schools actually depart from conventional practices. That is the primary purpose of charter school statutes! My observation and experience with charter schools from the earliest years show that the majority of charter schools reconstitute the conventional school. A small percentage, perhaps 30 percent, (my estimate) pioneer different approaches to education. Those interesting schools have much to teach us about learning and the results for producing responsible citizenship, productive careers and lifelong learning. How about research along these lines rather than the repeated flawed and unhelpful existing studies?

One of the developers Dr. Mark Van Ryzin has not only proved that taking a more “whole child” approach with students is good for them psychologically but also showed a correlation to raised achievement in students. In short, giving students hope can literally last a life time. For more information on the Hope Survey, check out the new website at: http://hopesurvey.org or contact Aaron Grimm: aaron@edvisionsschools.org or 507 248-3738 x7.

Ray Morley and the Iowa Association of Alternative Education prepared a thoughtful document, Alternative Learning Environments: a Checklist of Quality Indicators. This offers a program the opportunity to examine its practices for their alignment with some of the best thinking about alternative education.

The Seattle Public Schools under the leadership of Elaine Packard adopted a well-worded document, Quality Indicators for Alternative Schools in the Seattle School District.

Member John Loflin wrote a valuable document which is part of our resource bank of materials. His Pseudo-Alternative School Checklist identifies numerous aspects of alternative education which are not truly “alternative” practices. It is a thoughtful and provocative document.

A Tennessee official has written what they describe as the first national framework of practices that are common to alternative education which have been adopted by the National Alternative Education Association. The framework covers 10 areas: Mission, Leadership, Climate, Staffing, Curriculum, Assessment, Planning, Parents, Collaboration, Program Evaluation.

The Iowa Dept. of Education and the Iowa Association of Alternative Education created the Inventory of Policies & Practices Related to Student Failure and Dropping Out defining over 50 policies and practices that contribute to student failure. This powerful tool helps in the review of school policies and in creating new policies to increase student success. This carefully developed inventory is free and can be modified to fit local needs. Also included is a student questionnaire for their views.

Dr. Ray Morley on a recent webcast (see below) reported on this excellent tool on crucial factors impacting student dropouts and what unfortunately may result in “push outs.”

Of the ten major goals of schooling (basic academic skills, critical thinking and problem solving, social skills and work ethic, readiness for citizenship and community responsibility, foundation for lifelong physical and emotional health, appreciation of the arts and literature, and preparation for work) only two or three areas are systematically assessed. We’re left to guess about the rest with considerable doubt about their achievement. In addition, national measures, such as they are, show the familar gap between black and white students.

This thought-provoking double-spaced 27 page report will be a foundation for an upcoming book.

A second source of student opinions about their ideal school is the 2003 book, The School I’d Like by Catherine Burke and Ian Grosvenor. “No one reading this collection will be left with any doubt that children and young people are capable and entitled to help shape their present and future learning” Becky Gardiner. A 12 year-old said, “My ideal school is no school.”

This amplifies the situation described by Ted Sizer: “Schools are places where students come to watch teachers work.” See research findings below.

Here’s some research on the positive effects of giving students a voice:
Children

The archives of this majestic study and interviews with participants have just been captured in a wonderful new book: Stories of the Eight-Year Study: Reexamining Secondary Education in America by Craig Kridel and Robert V. Bullough Jr.

A second valuable book is The Eight-Year Study Revisited: Lessons from the Past for the Future by Richard P. Lipka et al, published by the National Middle School Association (1998). This excellent, well-written book with chapters written by six authors illuminates key findings that have relevance for schooling today. While written with the middle school in mind, its concepts are applicable across the secondary grades.

CHARTER SCHOOLS in U.S.2006-07
40 states + DC 3977 schools, about 1,150,000 students
A +++ B++ C D- F–
Alaska 26-
Arizona 466 +++
Arkansas 17 -
California 625 ++
Colorado 133 ++
Connicticut17

Deleware19 +++
District of Columbia 70 +++
Florida 391 ++
Georgia 55
Hawaii 27
Idaho 26
Illinois 53
Indiana 37++
Iowa 7–
Kansas 27 -
Louisiana 54
Maryland 25-
Massachusetts 59 +++
Michigan 241+++
Minnesota 137 +++
Mississippi1 –
Missouri 25 ++
Nevada 22
New Hampshire 9
New Jersey 55 ++
New Mexico 64 ++
New York 98 ++
North Carolina 100 ++
Ohio 293 ++
Oklahoma15
Oregon 67 ++
Pennsylvania 122 ++
Rhode Island 11 -
South Carolina 34
Tennessee 12
Texas 269 ++
Utah 54
Virginia 4 -
Wisconsin 207 ++
Wyoming 3

Report card grades were abolished in favor of competency achievement. They work smart and are enormously dedicated to performance. They spend 30 days per year on staff development, use progressive methods of instruction and involve students in community-based learning. Much can be learned from their example and their amazing story.

Another source of 100s of instruments to measure a huge variety of outcomes is the Compendium of Assessment and Research Tools (CART), a valuable compository.
——-

Sadly, the past lengthy history of school reform efforts, even when well funded, demonstrates that not much happens and little endures.