IALA

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick proposed Readiness Schools, as a radical departure from conventional district schools according to an article in the Boston Globe. Officials said these schools would be "freed from many constraints imposed by unions, school districts, and the state. The readiness schools would adapt to community needs and offer new alternatives in school systems across the state." Readiness schools were described as a hybred of charter schools and Boston's Pilot Schools.

The Governor will attempt the legislation in January, 2009 with the aim of opening schools by fall, 2009 and 40 within four years. "Readiness schools would be allowed to deviate from state curriculum guidelines and experiment with teaching practices." The schools would be a choice for parents and students.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 01:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Singapore Ministry of Education says, "Teach Less, Learn More is about teaching better, to engage our learners and prepare them for life, rather than teaching more for tests and examinations." Their website contains such refreshing gems as:
-TLLM aims to touch the hearts and engage the minds of our learners, to prepare them for life.
-It is about shifting the focus from “quantity” to “quality” in education. “More quality” in terms of classroom interaction, opportunities for expression, the learning of life-long skills and the building of character through innovative and effective teaching approaches and strategies. “Less quantity” in terms of rote-learning, repetitive tests, and following prescribed answers and set formulae.
-Thinking Schools, Learning Nation was adopted as the vision statement in 1997. It continues to be the over-arching descriptor of the transformation in the education system, comprising changes in all aspects of education.
-Since 2003, we have focused more on one aspect: nurturing a spirit of Innovation and Enterprise. This will build up a core set of life skills and attitudes that we want in our students.
-We should keep in mind that we do what we do in education is for the learner's, needs, interests and aspirations, and not simply to cover content.
-We should teach more to prepare our students for the test of life and less for a life of tests.
-We should focus more on teaching the whole child, in nurturing holistically across different domains, and less on teaching our subjects per se.

If only more systems of education could contain such wise guiding statements and the commitment to implement them!

See more information about the Singapore govenment's ambitions.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 08:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

‘Restoring Value’ to the High School Diploma: The Rhetoric and Practice of Higher Standards, a new report raises serious questions about the standards and testing movement as a vehicle for reforming high schools. It starts, "Four themes emerge from the fray: that standards and rigor are too low; that the high school has lost its relevance, particularly to future employment; that the high school is inequitable; and that the high school is simply boring."

It finds the arguments of "rigor" simplistic. Most standards and tests measure the narrow curriculum confines of the late 19th Century and stress breadth rather than depth. They suggest:
-New models of rigor aside from conventional test-based and course-based conceptions.
-Examining the inequality of standards as applied to neglected issues of raising achievement for the lowest-performing students.
-Alternatives to the conventional academic program be more seriously considered. They recommend "multiple pathways through high school.

The authors W. Norton Grubb and Jeannie Oakes, both professors at the U. of California, prepared the October, 2007 report and an executive summary for the Education and the Public Interest Center (EPIC) and the Education Policy Research Unit (EPRU).

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Doing School Choice Right, a new report from the Center on Reinventing Public Education states, "Choice programs will not be implemented easily or even cheaply. The surest way to help guarantee their success will be conscious, well-thought-out strategies drawing on the best thinking of the worlds of government and philanthropy. And perhaps the surest way to encourage their failure is to implement choice programs quickly, carelessly and cheaply, optimistic that at some point things will all work out for the best."

The report billed as "preliminary findings" begins with questions: "Will school choice be the end of public education? Or will it be the salvation of thousands of students who would otherwise fail in district-run schools? There is only one honest answer: it all depends." They promise further studies around choice: funding, parent information, impact on children, performance accountability and other areas.

A related report is School Choice: Doing it the Right Way Makes a Difference by the the First National Commission on Choice in K-12 Education.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 10:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Arising from discussions with Politeia, Brazil's democratic education institute, at the 15th Interntional Democratic Educatuon Confernece last summer in Sao Paulo a new work "A History of Democratic Education in American Public Schools" by democracy advocate and IALA member John Harris Loflin is available.

Supported by IALA, the paper aims at persuading American urban public classrooms and schools to become more democratic. In doing so, he encourages public schools to enter solidly into the 21st century by questioning, rethinking and providing alternatives to 20th century concepts. America’s multi-cultural society needs democracy, and so do its public schools.

The paper challenges the hegemony of corporate thinking behind NCLB by emphasizing that public schools were created for public, not private purposes. So, say hello to a 21st century democratic orientation to make schools work for youth of color and the working class.

Loflin's paper will be linked in the next weeks on this website (now undergoing remodeling). In the meantime, you may contact John at johnharrisloflin@yahoo.com.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 09:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mark your calendar for any of the following conferences about alternatives of interest to you or colleagues.

The International Democratic Education Conference (IDEC) will hold its annual conference August 11-18, 2008 in Vancouver, Canada.

The second annual Reaching At Promise Students Association conference Oct. 22-24, 2008 in San Diego.

The California Consortium for Independent Study will hold its fall conference Oct. 27-29, 2008 in Rancho Mirage, CA.

The North American Council for Online Learning will hold its annual conference Oct. 27-28, 2008 in Phoenix.

The Washington Association for Learning Alternatives will hold its fall conference Nov.13-15, 2008 in Pasco, WA.

The Community Day School Network (California) will hold its annual conference Jan. 11-13, 2009 in Fresno, CA.

The Alternatives to Expulsion, Suspension & Dropping Out of School will hold their annual national conference January 28-31, 2009 in San Antonio.

The Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs will hold its annual conference Feb. 18-20, 2009 in Rochester, MN.

The California Consortium for Independent Study will hold its spring conference March 2-4, 2009 in Sacramento, CA

The 31st annual Connecticut State Alternative Education conference will be March 25, 2009 in New Britain, CT.

The 9th annual national Charter Schools conference will be June 20-23, 2009 in Washington, DC.

The AERO 6th annual conference will be June 25-28, 2009. Location to be determined.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a stunning development, the Community College Baccalaureate Association fosters the conferring of a traditionally earned four year degree from community colleges, which traditionally offer a two year degree.

They say: "The baccalaureate degree is an important entry requirement for the better jobs and a better lifestyle. Therefore, every person should have an opportunity to pursue the baccalaureate degree at a place that is convenient, accessible and affordable. We will ... promote the community college baccalaureate degree to governors, state legislatures, national policy boards, and other appropriate persons and organizations."

The book The Community College Baccalaureate: Emerging Trends and Policy Issues edited by Deborah Floyd et al provides a useful source of information on this movement.

Such is the state of innovation and competition in higher education today. Now, imagine coupling the early college movement with the community college baccalaureate degree. A student could theoretically complete a college education in a much shorter period of time at far less personal expense than the traditional eight years of high school and college!

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the newest stars in the education constellation is combining secondary education with college and it has taken off dramatically. In just one major program this year, 159 schools in 24 states operate with an expected 100,000 students served at 250 sites within the next few years. What are early college programs?

Early college schools are partnerships between public secondary schools and higher education institutions. These small schools are designed so that students accumulate high school and college credit simultaneously. Going beyond typical dual enrollment programs, the early college curriculum is a coherent unit, with high school and college-level work blended into a single academic program that positions students to leave high school with one to two years of college credit. This initiative funded by conventional revenues but augmented by numerous foundations aims at breakthroughs with youth underrepresented in college enrollments.

A stunning example of using almost every progressive reform idea is that of the Empowering Students program of the Georgia state colleges. It begins in the 7th grade with schools on college campuses, uses students as resources, involves community volunteers, integrates curriculum and impressively raises student aspirations.

This astonishing movement is a striking example of an institutional bypass! A major initiative is coordinated by the Early College High School program of Jobs for the Future. There are others as has been noted on this weblog earlier.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A national opinion poll conducted in March, 2008 of 800 registered voters found that 81% of parents support having more public school options for their children. The poll conducted by The Glover Park Group for the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools also found 60% support for charter schools.

This finding affirms the mission of IALA: to lead, promote and support learning alternatives in education.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 08:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Many have noted the near impossibility of changing district schools. Many have tried. Billions (literally) have been spent on the effort. Despite small and temporary changes, there is virtually nothing to show for the exertion in the past 100 years. That's why alternatives, charters, vouchers and other choice programs have arisen--or an institutional bypass, if you will.

Now, Boston with $400,000 of foundation support will expand their Pilot Schools program by reducing regulations on another series of schools. Schools will be freer to make program changes, alter staffing configuration, control staffing and determine budget allocations. This move long known in the trade as site based decision making often ends up as a tepid non-event because central offices (and often unions) will not support delegation of authority to that degree.

The only hope for new kinds of schools lies with alternatives of various kinds. However, a full blown program of the type Boston proposes has possibilities of bringing reform into a school district. Time will tell whether the bureaucracy smothers another reform.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 02:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A new study School Choice: Evidence and Recommendations by the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice is a set of papers by leading scholars on the topic including the most recent information on:

-Philosophical frameworks
-Legislation
-Litigation
-Policy
-Funding of advocacy
-Working conditions
-Innovations
-Race, class and achievement
-Impact on traditional education

A good summary of the topics. The study provides hope for the future of alternatives but raises cautions.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 01:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The 2001 “District Survey of Alternative Schools and Programs,” conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics is the first national study of public alternative schools and programs to provide data on topics related to the availability of public alternative schools and programs, enrollment, staffing, and services. There are 10,900 public alternative schools serving at-risk students in the U.S. during 2000-2001, the latest year with available data.

The focus of the study is on alternative schools and programs that serve students who are at risk of educational failure, as indicated by poor grades, truancy, disruptive behavior, suspension, pregnancy, or similar factors associated with early withdrawal from school. The study presents a snapshot of alternative schools and programs for at-risk students during the 2000–01 school year.

Remember, this is for labeled at-risk students. There are other types of alternative schools. Furthermore, we question the emphasis on the "deficits" of the student and ought to raise questions on the deficits of a system that did not adequately respond to student needs and turned to separating students into programs serving at-risk youth.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Many students identified as at-risk become dropouts from school. Most of the discussion about dropouts focuses on characteristics of the students with little examination of the policies and practices of schools that contribute to student failure. Those policies and practices represent the second side of the story about why so many students dropout or give up. Revision of school policies can contribute greatly to student success.

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."

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 10:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ray Morley, long time educator on alternatives and at-risk and IALA board member presented an informative webcast March 25, 3:30-4:30 EST on Solutions to the Dropout Crisis, Policies and Practices Related to Student Failure and Dropping Out: Tools and Resources. The program was sponsored by National Dropout Prevention Center/Network at Clemson University and Penn Foster.The program was archived in its entirety on the Web site and is available in case you missed the March 25 broadcast.

Information about participating in dropout professional development opportunities is at www.dropoutprevention.org/webcast. If you have further questions, feel free to contact the National Dropout Prevention Center or 864•656•2580. Participation in their monthly webcasts is free and no registration is required.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Marion Brady writes in "Cover the Material--Or Teach Students to Think?" that schools overwhelmingly teach factual material and recall, among the most primitive areas of learning. Textbooks and the conventional curricula fail in the important tasks of helping children and adults cope with complexities of modern life. Brady provides an inspiring list of how schools can use their immediate environments and issues for developing problem solving and critical, creative thinking skills, and in the process learn much of the conventional subject matter.

Brady is one of the most thoughtful and clear educators writing today. His article appeared in Educational Leadership (Feb., 2008, pp 54-67). The issue contains other thoughtful articles calling for schools to ramp up thinking skills--in my view, a terrific objective but unlikely to be achieved in today's environment.

Posted by Wayne Jennings at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)