Candidates Face Off at Education Debate

Incumbent State Senator Bob Duff (D) and Republican opponent Artie Kassimis squared off on education related issues during a debate at City Hall on Thursday night. Organized by the League of Women Voters of Norwalk and REd Apples of Norwalk, the two hour forum  was attended by all of Norwalk’s legislative candidates who focused on state funding of schools, the achievement gap, Race to the Top, charter schools and teacher merit pay.
Throughout the debate, Duff called education a “priority” that is linked with the long term success of the state. “Employers want an educated workforce,” he said. Kassimis focused on the state’s fiscal problems n repeatedly mentioning the state’s $3.4 billion deficit. “We have to tighten our belt. They [the Democrats] continue to sign bills that cost money. Who is going to pay for them?” he said.

Kassimis questioned why Norwalk was not receiving more money through the Educational Cost Sharing formula by which school districts in the state are allotted money per pupil. “Why is Norwalk not getting more money. We only get 8 cent on the dollar of what we send to Hartford,” he said. Kassimis faulted Duff for allowing Meriden, the town represented by Senator Thomas Gaffey, chair of the Senate’s appropriations committee to receives five times the funding that Norwalk receives despite being much smaller in size. Kassimis incorrectly referred to Duff as the vice chair of the appropriations committee. While not vice chair, Duff is a member of the committee.

“The formula is completely flawed,” said Kassimis. “Norwalk is being punished.”

“I have never been vice chairman of the committee, “ said Duff who focused of his bipartisan work to bring funds to Norwalk. While Kassimis said that funding has decreased in the last 10 years, Duff said that the amount of state funding to Norwalk increased 24% in the first four years of his term, before the recession. “We have to continue to fight for Norwalk on a bipartisan basis,” he said.

Early childhood education was cited by both candidates as the primary way to reduce the achievement gap. Both candidates support lifting the cap on charter school in the state. “Some children have different needs and learn better in different environments,” said Duff, explaining that while he supports charter schools they are are not a “silver bullet.”

Kassimis said he was not in favor of tying student test scores to merit pay for teachers, which is a central component of the Obama Administration’s education reform agenda. “This will pit teachers against each other,” said Kassimis. “Teachers are not doing this for the money, they are doing it for the kids. We lose the purpose of teaching if we base it on money.” Duff, however, said merit pay can be “done well”, based on a collaborative model, as is the case in New Haven.

Both candidates addressed the state’s rejected Race to the Top application. Kassimis said he supported the grant’s general goal to raise standards, but says that the stat is now burdened with $17 million of expenses to pay for increased high school graduation requirements. “Who is going to pay for the additional teachers?” he asked, also noting that the application did not address how to further early childhood education.

“I will not apologize for supporting Race to the Top,”  said Duff.  “The bill was about higher standards in math, science and world languages.  We must march forward.” 

After the first round of debate,  six of Norwalk’s legislative candidates shared the stage.  Chris Perone (D) & opponent Joanne Romano (R) of 137 District, Larry Cafero (R) & Anna Duleep (D) of the142rd District: Peggy Reeves (D) & Gail Lavielle (R) of the 143rd district discussed charter schools, the achievement gap, student achievement, and state funding to schools.


Regarding the achievement gap, Lavielle discussed the importance of early childhood learning and the necessity of making sure that children are reading by third grade. Reeves concurred suggesting that the state have universal preschool. Duleep, a Harvard graduate, talked about the importance of high expectations for minority students. “We need to challenge stereotypes and have high standards,” she said. Her opponent Larry Cafero said that parent involvement is the key to success. Romano cautioned about “constantly putting kids into categories.” Perone talked about the importance to making education a focus of the executive branch.

When asked about the first thing that they would do for education if elected, almost all of them said they try and bring more money to the city. “We have to reformulate the ECS formula,” said Romano referring to the formula by which districts receive state funding. Cafero went as far as to say that the decision about the ECS formula should be taken out of the legislature. “Let’s create a group outside of politics.” The Republican candidates, ?

On the topic of funding, the debate ended with Duleep questioning why Larry Cafero’s law firm, Brown, Rudnick, of Hartford, a top tier firm in Hartford continues to serve as expulsion officers for the Norwalk Board of Education. “We are spending $40,000 on expulsion hearings. We cannot afford that caliber of law firm. Isn’t there a less expensive alternative?” asked Duleep citing a study by the BOE finance committee.

“There are budgeted legal feels. I am doing a credible job and am entitled to be compensated,” said Cafero.

Feds Focus on Bullying

The US Dept of Education released a 10-page letter today reminding school districts and colleges across the country, including Norwalk Public Schools, that they have a legal obligation to prevent bullying.  You can read the letter here . Next year the White House will hold a one day session on bullying hosted by the President.

The letter warns administrators that bullying which involves race, gender, sexual orientation or religion violates several Federal laws. School systems that don’t address bullying may lose their Federal funding.

The letter comes in the wake of national stories that several teenagers have committed suicide because they were bullied in school. For example Jamarcus "Marcus" Bell, 14, a freshman in Fishers Indiana, hanged himself  last week after years of being tormented. Closer to home, a gay Rutgers student committed suicide last month after being outted by his roommate. A new survey released Tuesday found that half of U.S. high schoolers say they have bullied or teased someone at least once in the past year -- while nearly half say they have been bullied themselves.

Clearly it’s the responsibility of schools not only to keep children safe but also to provide an environment where students are going to able to learn.

The Obama Administration’s letter puts schools on notice – and rightfully so. In any large school district, including here in Norwalk, there are undoubtedly teachers and administrators who ignore bullying and try to brush it under the rug. Bullying is a serious issue and needs to be treated as such.

In New Jersey state legislators are doing just that.. According to “The Two Way” a blog by NPR,  they’ve proposed an  "anti-bullying bill of rights" The measure would create a standardized way to identify and investigate bullying in schools and require periodic reports on bullying and harassment in schools.

Do you think CT schools need to do the same?  Is our district doing all it can to prevent bullying? 

Movie Review: "Waiting for Superman"

I finally saw "Waiting for Superman", a heartbreaking documentary about the troubled, in some cases failing, state of public education in America. As someone who has written about education for the past couple of years, I was excited when the film came to the Garden Cinemas last week. I asked my childhood friend--a Teach for America Alum and former Ponus Ridge Middle School teacher to join me.

David Guggenheim, the film's director and co-writer , chronicles the stories of five adorable children from Harlem, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, the Bronx and Redwood City, CA who dream of going to college and a better life. The film paints a bleak picture of their neighborhood schools. Even if they even graduate, chances are they'll be several grade levels behind children in other schools and unprepared for college. In all the cases, the hardworking and caring families decide to apply to charter schools lotteries, where the chances of getting in are something like 50 out of 500. Predictably, at the end of the film there are a series of nail biting supspense scenes about who gets in and who doesn't. The film ends with a questionable assumption--all's well if you get into a charter school.

The movie is peppered with stats in a series of animated scenes about the flatlining of math and reading scores, high dropout rates resulting in "drop out factories", and America's standing in education compared with other countries. The film blames administrative bureaucracy and school unions for getting us into this mess. Like much of the education reform movement, the film both vilifies and celebrates teachers. Teachers' unions, according to the documentary, protect incompetent teachers, in some cases passing them from school to school, resulting in what is labeled a "Dance of the Lemons". There are several scenes in the film where Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, looks villanous and is presented as the roadblock for change. On the other hand, the film also cites research showing that teacher quality is the most important factor in student success.

If there are good guys in this story, they are charter school operators and "reformers" like Geoffrey Canada, founder of the Harlem Children's zone and Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of the D.C. public schools who rebel against the status quo and rail against bureaucracy.

The strength of this film lies in its illustrating, through real life stories, a public education system in need of repair and in some cases, a complete overhaul. However, its analysis of solutions lacks depth. Like much of the reform movment, the film  places too much emphasis on charter schools which employ non-union teachers and are answerable to the state, not to local school districts. Studies have shown that charters are not the silver bullet -- less than 20 percent of charters outperform district schools. Not to mention that charter schools serve only a small minority of our nation's students. How can charters really be the answer to our problems? They do act as a laboratory for ideas, like extended day and early childhood learning, but then again so do many non-charter schools. The importance of teacher quality is not news to anyone, including parents and kids--it's a truth immemorial. The question is how to cultivate and support good teaching. It seems unwise to demonize unions, they must be part of any meaningful change.

So does "Waiting for Superman" apply to Norwalk"? I think so. Thankfully, we are not in as dire a situation as Harlem or Washington D.C., but I don't believe we are doing all that we can to have student's reach their full potential or to get to college. At the last Board meeting,  I was reminded that only 30 percent of Norwalk's 10th graders reach "goal" in math. That's deeply troubling. However unlike the film, I don't believe that any one Canada/Rhee-like figure can save us (though I secretly hope Susan Marks is Wonder Woman) nor do I think that a charter school is the only way to a superior education. It'll take a village of school leaders, parents, taxpayers, students themselves and fairly-treated unions to roll up their sleeves and engage in complex problem solving.
 
Did you see the film?  What did you think?

Education Debate Next Thursday

The League of Women Voters of Norwalk and Red Apples, a education reform-minded community coalition , have organized a debate, specifically on the topic of education,  for several local state legislative candidates.  A member of the League will serve as moderator.

Here are the details: Thursday, October 28th from 6:30 pm – 9 pm in the Community Room at City Hall, 125 East Avenue.

Here's who's coming: State Senate: Duff (D) & Kassimis (R), State House: 137th--Perone (D) & Romano (R), 142nd--Cafero (R) & Duleep (D) and 143rd-- Reeves (D) & Lavielle (R).

What kind of questions would you ask these folks?

Invitation to Forum[1]

Sup Focuses on AP Exam Results

A version of this story appears on TheDailyNorwalk.com

Half of Norwalk students who took Advanced Placement exams in high school last year passed them. But Superintendent Susan Marks would like to see that number closer to 70 percent. “A lot of things have to add up in our system for kids to be taking and performing well on AP exams,” says Marks who thinks participation in AP courses and passing rates of the exam are important measures for the school system.

Advanced Placement classes, available in a variety of subjects, are considered college level classes. High school students often receive college credit if they pass the AP exam taken at the end of a course. Taken mainly by seniors and some juniors, the exams are graded 1 to 5. Typically, 3 and above is considered passing. Earlier this week, 44 Norwalk students--33 from Norwalk High and 11 from Brien McMahon-- were designated as AP Scholars, meaning they scored at least 3 on three AP exams. 
The Central Office has not been tracking AP test data, but Marks plans to change that and says she’ll present information on last year’s AP exam results and SAT scores to the Board before the end of the year.

In addition to raising the number of students who pass the exam, Marks wants to increase the number of students taking the exam, especially minority students. According to data by the College Board, overall as well as minority participation has increased over the years. For example, in 2009-2010, 359 Norwalk students took AP exams compared to 206 in 2005-2006. “I’d like to see every senior take at least one AP class,” says Marks.

In 2009-2010, 36 percent of those who took the exam were minority students-- 11 percent more Blacks and 23 percent more Hispanics took the exam than in 08-09. Marks is encouraged by the upward trend but hopes for improvement. “That still doesn’t match the diversity in our schools. We need to make sure that we are taking away any barriers and low level classes that prevent minority kids from taking these classes,” she says.

Marks intends to drill down on the AP test results. She has requested a list of scores per school and by subject matter. “We need to find out which teachers are preparing their kids to take the test and which teachers need more training,” says Marks. She has reached out to the College Board representatives in CT and set up meetings with them for the high school staff.

In addition, Marks is adding a line item in next year’s budget that will pay for all tenth graders to take the PSAT. Marks says the PSATs are a predictive measure of how a student will do on the SAT and a good tool to focus study. “I want to get the kids started on taking these tests. Usually, each time they take them they get better,” says Marks.

“We expect our kids to be ready for college, “ says Marks. “We have to help them get there.”

Special Ed Parents Launch Lecture Series

Norwalk’s Special Education Parent Action Committee launches a monthly lecture series, starting this Wednesday, designed to educate parents.  “Parents of special needs children need knowledge so they can advocate for their children,” says Natalie Alonso, president of the PAC, which is working with the school district’s special education department. Alonso says approximately15 percent of NPS students are identified as special needs.  “I believe that number is going to go up in the future,” says Alonso, mother of two children at Cranbury Elementary School.

The October 20 lecture will feature an overview of Special Education services presented by Pauline Smith, the recently hired department director.  On November 10, theConnecticut Parent Advocacy Center(CPAC), gives a talk about children’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). Other speakers planned include a developmental psychologist, a family therapist and a reading specialist.  Visit the website for the spearkers' schedule for the rest of the school year.

“We are trying to educate parents on what are the questions to ask:  What are the best practices for including children with special needs in the classroom? What does good co-teaching look like?  How do you address the needs of a child with autism?,” Alonso says.

Started in June 2009, the Special Education PAC was created as a result of the CREC report. It offered a critical assessment of the special education department and highlighted communication problems as a major area in need of improvement. Last year, the newly formed group created a parent handbook and sent out a parent survey.  “The lecture series came about because of what we read on the parent surveys,” says Alonso.  Next, the PAC is working to expand its membership.

Alonso is excited about the future of Special Education in Norwalk, especially because of the district’s new leadership. Smith started as the district’s new Director of Special Education in July.  “Pauline is on board.  She is the key element we were missing.   She is approachable and collaborative.  She's also very knowledgeable and knows the law.” Alonso is also optimistic about the district’s new superintendent, Susan Marks.  “I have a renewed hope and excitement about our schools.  This is our time to turn things around.”    

All lectures are free and open to the public:  

October 20, 2010, Wednesday,7:00 to 9:00 pm- NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. This is an opportunity for Norwalk parents to MEET AND GREET some of the central office staff in charge of special education services in Norwalk.  Department staff will give an overview of services. The forum will take place at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Ave., Norwalk and is sponsored by Norwalk Public Schools- www.portal.norwalkps.org. Questions? (203) 854-4126.  The forum is free and open to the public.

November 10, 2010, Wednesday, 7:00 to 9:00pm- CONNECTICUT PARENT ADVOCACY CENTER at cpac@cpacinc.org will present on DEVELOPING THE IEP.  Training will focus on how parents can be actively & effectively involved in the development of their child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). Participants will learn the key components of an IEP and will become familiar with the new Connecticut IEP forms. Registration is required. Please contact CPAC at (800) 445-2722 or Norwalk Public Schools at (203) 854-4126. The forum will take place at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Ave., Community Room, Norwalk and is co-sponsored by Norwalk Public Schools www.portal.norwalkps.org and Connecticut Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities-CACLD- www.cacld.org.  January 19, 2011, Wednesday, 7:00 to 9:00pm- TODD KELLOGG, MA, LMFT at toddkellogg@positivefamilybehavior.com will discuss SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FOR CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES: MAKING AND KEEPING FRIENDSHIPS.  Mr. Kellogg is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice at Positive Family Behavior, LLC in Trumbull.  He specializes in providing structural family and behavioral therapy to resolve challenging behaviors in children both at home and at school, to build partners between home and school and to increase parenting skills. Mr. Kellogg also worked at the Greenwich Autism Program (GAP). While at GAP, he developed a series of social skills groups for children with Aspergers and high-functioning Autism. 

February 16, 2011, Wednesday, 7:00 to 9:00pm - MICHAEL WEISS, PH.D., Consulting Developmental Psychologist, Adjunct Professor at Fairfield University, will present THIRTEEN ELEMENTS THAT INFLUENCE BEHAVIOR, an in-depth look at factors that influence children's behavioral growth and development. He will discuss these factors in a context of elements that should be reflected in a child's Individual Education Plan (IEP). The over-arching point of this discussion is that an integrated set of services, therapies and approaches to education, along with a thoughtful set of behavioral strategies, is what promotes a child's self-control and ability to relate well to others. This discussion will be framed around children with diverse diagnoses ranging from AD/HD to autism spectrum disorders. The forum will take place at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Avenue, Community Room, Norwalk. Registration highly recommended: rsvp@spednetwilton.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 203-563-9994. Co-sponsored by SPED*NET Wilton, .www.spednetwilton.org.

March 16, 2011, Wednesday, 7:00 to 9:00pm- SHARON McCLOSKEY, Director, Constellation School Based Therapy at www.constellationhs.com will discuss issues involving OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY.  

April 13, 2011, Wednesday, 7:00 to 9:00pm- MUNCIE KARDOS,   will discuss TRANSITIONS options for public school students ages 18-21. Included will be a discussion of the range of options for students who have completed their high school program and will be transitioning into adult services when they leave public education. 

May, 11, 2011 Wednesday, 7:00 to 9:00pm- DR. MARGIE GILLIS will present FROM BRAIN SCAN TO LESSON PLAN: READING RESEARCH INFORMING INSTRUCTION. Dr. Gillis received a Doctorate of Education from The University of Louisville in Special Education and a MEd from the University of Connecticut where she studied with Isabelle Liberman, the scientist who discovered the role of phonemic awareness in learning to read. She was the Co-Principal Investigator of a first grade professional development research project, Mastering Reading Instruction, at Haskins Labs in New Haven www.haskins.yale.edu.  In this applied research initiative she directed Haskins Literacy Specialists as they mentored and trained first grade teachers in districts throughout Connecticut. Dr. Gillis is a Senior Scientist at Haskins Laboratories and the President of Literacy How, Inc. www.literacyhow.com, promoting the science of teaching reading through comprehensive professional development, coaching and classroom support. In this work she directs PreK through middle school professional development projects. She is cofounder and vice-president of Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities and the Northeast Regional Representative of the International Dyslexia Association www.connbida.org.  The forum will take place at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Ave., Community Room, Norwalk  and  is co-sponsored by Norwalk Public Schools-www.portal.norwalkps.org, SPED*NET Wilton- www.spednetwilton.org,  Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities- www.smartkidswithld.org and CACLD- www.cacld.org. Registration highly recommended: rsvp@spednetwilton.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 203-563-9994. 

CT Teacher of the Year Named

The State Dept of Education has named Kristen Ann Record, a physics teacher at Stratford’s Bunnell High School, as CT's 2011 Teacher of the Year.

Record, 33, who has taught Physics for 10 year has also received a Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science and the General Electric STAR Teaching Award. She is an expert in the science of renewable energy and has done research at Harvard University and at the National Renewable Energy Academies in Golden, Colorado as U.S. Department of Energy Teacher Scientist Fellow during the summer months. She has also conducted numerous professional development presentations on science teaching and on the science of renewable “green” energy systems.

Record had the opportunity to continue her career as a research scientist after earning her B.S. in Physics from Fairfield University and her Ed.M degree from Harvard University, but chose teaching after completing a semester student teaching. “It has been said that I was destined to be a teacher,” says Record, “teaching is in my DNA.” She is the daughter of two public school teachers.

In a press release State Education Commissioner Mark K. McQuillan and Governor M. Jodi Rell praised Record for here accomplishments.

Connecticut’s Teacher of the Year is selected from over 50,000 public school teachers in the state and will represent professional educators in forums and advisory committees that affect education policy and public awareness of the successes and the challenges that schools face today.

Connecticut’s Teacher of the Year will travel to Washington D. C. in the spring to meet with the President and U.S. Secretary of Education. Connecticut’s Teacher of the Year will automatically become a candidate for National Teacher of the Year, which will be announced by President Obama in June, 2011.

Check out the News 12 story about her.

Updated: Racial Disparities in Discipline Trouble Feds

The Obama Administration is planning to make racial disparities in school discipline a priority, reports Education Week’s Mary Ann Zehr.

“Regrettably, students of color are receiving different and harsher disciplinary punishments than whites for the same or similar infractions, and they are disproportionately impacted by zero-tolerance policies—a fact that only serves to exacerbate already deeply entrenched disparities in many communities,” Thomas E. Perez, the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, recently said at a Sept. 27th conference on school discipline and civil rights, according to a transcript of his speech.

In his speech, Perez cites a recent study by the Southern Poverty Law Center:

The numbers tell the story. While blacks make up 17 percent of the student population, they are 37 percent of the students penalized by out-of-school suspensions and 43 percent of the students expelled. Black boys account for 9 percent of the nation’s student population, but comprise 24 percent of students suspended out of school and 30 percent of students expelled. A study written by participants in this room and released just two weeks ago by the Southern Poverty Law Center found that black male middle school students are suspended at three times the rate of their white counterparts. For middle school girls, while they are suspended less frequently than males, black girls were more than four times as likely to be suspended as white girls. 

Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, also spoke at the conference.  Duncan said he was “deeply troubled by rising discipline rates and disparities in discipline” in the nation’s schools.  He told conference attendees that the Obama administration has already launched five compliance reviews on school discipline.

The Administration intends to “release guidance” on school discipline this winter,  Zehr reports,  to make sure that districts are in compliance with civil rights laws.  The guidance will focus on how to address “disparate impact”--when a particular group is disproportionately affected by a policy though no intention of discrimination may exist.

Zehr reports that some fear a crackdown on discipline disparities by race may make administrators "worry about the numbers" more than discrimination, if they fear they could be hauled into court or face cuts in federal aid.

Does "disparate impact" play out in Norwalk? If so,  is it addressed?  Stay tuned for the local angle.
Update:  Connecticut is not immune to the national trend. Data from the State Dept. of Education shows that for the 2004-2005 school year (the latest date that I could find race based statistics) shows that Black and Hispanic students were disproportionately disciplined. For example African American made of 42.5% of general ed students who were suspended or expelled while they only made up 14% of the student body. In contrast White students make up 66.7% of the district but only 30.5% of students suspended.

Are minority students getting in trouble more or just being singled out more often?

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Kimmel on Rigor and Study Halls

The local media recently reported that last year’s SAT scores for Norwalk high school students were again below state averages, and that there was still a large achievement gap among our secondary school students. Also of interest was a report that Norwalk did not have a single Merit Scholarship semifinalist – not to mention finalist – last year. Cities the size of Norwalk generally have a few semifinalists each year.

In response to this information, Superintendent Marks, who characterized the SAT scores as “disappointing,” emphasized the need to add “rigor” to the city’s curriculum and instructional practices. Her forceful public statements, predictably, generated a discussion of the definition of “rigor” and, more importantly, what exactly was going on in our classrooms.

Of course, I agree that all instruction should be consistently demanding. But I have reservations about the concept of “rigor.” It is vague and means different things to different people. And how is it measured? If test scores are low, do we ipso facto attribute them to the absence of rigorous instruction? Since I see the word cropping up in newspapers and magazines frequently, could it be merely another buzzword, just as “reflection” was the word of choice a few years back among educational experts?

(One measure of “rigor” that might prove illuminating would be the percentages of students in Advance Placement courses who pass the end-of-year AP tests with scores of three, four or five. If it turns out that Norwalk has comparatively few fours and fives, I believe it would be safe to assume “rigor” is truly a problem in our school system.)

I would prefer to examine something more concrete than “rigor,” such as the amount  of classroom instruction students actually receive. A few weeks back, our Superintendent mentioned instructional time as something she planned to look into. I agree, and would suggest that one area worthy of examination is the number of our high school students who average more than one study hall per day.

In January 2007, during an early discussion of the 2007-2008 operating budget, former Superintendent Corda presented the Board of Education with statistics showing that many of our high school students had multiple study halls each day. He attributed this peculiar situation to staffing problems and the absence of electives caused by budget cuts, and it became a rationale for a Board-approved request – that was shot down by the Common Council and Board of Estimate and Taxation – to increase spending by roughly 7.8 percent.

During that year’s budget discussion, I discovered there was (and still is) an interesting debate going on across the nation on the value of study halls. I was perplexed: While Norwalk was wrestling with the problem of multiple study halls, districts nationwide had gotten rid of them altogether.

Almost two years later, I asked the BOE’s Curriculum Committee to revisit the study hall issue to see if we had been able to reduce the number of students with multiple study halls. In October 2008, the Deputy Superintendent presented the committee with some disquieting data: Out of roughly 3,200 students in our two comprehensive high schools, 685 students had more than one study hall on one or most days during the week.

The committee was not happy with this information and requested a detailed report as soon as possible. Three months later, we received a second report. It triggered a convoluted discussion, which required some understanding of the different “designs” of our high school schedules, “open ended” first and last periods (apparently seniors, with parental permission, do not have to attend these periods), and the differences between “required” (at Brien McMahon) and “suggested” (at Norwalk High) tutorial centers for study hall students who need extra help.

But through the fog, the bottom line was clear: Not only did many students average two study halls per day, there were some who had three. This came dangerously close to what is often referred to as “warehousing” students. Upset, I made some inquiries in Hartford, only to be told the state does not have guidelines on study halls.

So, while many districts were removing the very possibility of students having even a single study hall per day, our high school students were… well, it wasn’t clear what they were doing because there were no statistics on how many of those students with extra study halls were actually using the tutorial centers. And this was happening as the state of Connecticut, like other states, was increasing the graduation requirements for high school students.

The data in the committee report begged another set of difficult and possibly disturbing questions: Who exactly were these students with multiple study halls? Were there patterns based on race, nationality, special needs, or income? And what kind of correlation was there.

Unfortunately, soon after the January Curriculum Committee meeting, I had to resign from the BOE for health reasons. I do not know the current status of our study hall situation. But perhaps academic “rigor,” however the Superintendent defines it, is only a small part of the SAT problem. Students cannot receive rigorous or any other type of instruction if they are not in classrooms taking courses.

Workgroups Tackle Hot School Issues

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com

Superintendent Susan Marks and the district's central office are ready to address hot school topics like the calendar, staff evaluation and out-of-district assignment policies. At the Tuesday night Board of Education meeting, Marks announced that she is organizing workgroups in 16 areas (see list below).  “The purpose of these groups is to improve processes and bring about more consistency,” she said.  “They will be cross-functional with representatives from the unions and parent groups.  They’ll have specific deliverables.”  Marks expects to form the teams by the end of the month.

Marks, herself, will be in charge of the school calendar group and the district survey group.  She insists the groups must have specific time frames. For example, she expects that the middle school code of conduct should be completed in a couple of months.  Marks intends to distribute a survey to the school community in the spring and expects a high school schedule to be ready for next fall. “Some things like high school reform will take more time,” says Marks.  High school reform initiatives were passed into law in May.

Marks is working with Lisa Lenskold, the new PTO Council president, to find parent participants. "We want people who don't have a single agenda, but can look at district wide issues." The workgroups include:

1.     Out of District Assignment Policy:  Carol Marinaccio, Director of Elementary Education

2.     Magnet Programs Lottery Process:  Carol Marinaccio

3.     Elementary School Walkthrough Protocol and Consistent Expectations: Carol Marinaccio

4.     After school Programs:  Carol Marinaccio

5.     Kindergarten Screening and Orientation:  Karen Helyer

6.    High School Reform:  Tony Daddona, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

7.    High School Schedule:  Tony Daddona

8.    Middle School Code of Conduct:  Tony Daddona

9.    High School Code of Conduct:  Tony Daddona

10.  School Calendar:  Susan Marks, Superintendent and Bob Polselli, Director of IT

11.  Academically Talented Identification Process:  Diane Filardo, Instruction Specialist of Data and Testing and Joan Glass, Instructional Specialist of the Academically Talented Program

Also at Tuesday's BOE meeting, Marks said that NPS will be partnering with the College Board to evaluate how the district can increase the number of students who take the PSATs and SATs.  In addition, NPS will work with the College Board to make sure that teachers are well-trained to teach AP Courses.  

NHS Grad Returns to Teach

A version of this story appears in TheDailyNorwalk.com

Not so long ago, Julie Ritch roamed the hallways of Norwalk High School as a student.  The 2005 NHS graduate returned to her alma mater this September as a first year Algebra and Pre-Calculus teacher. “I was dying to come back to this community and teach. I loved my high school experience here.”

Born and raised in Norwalk, Ritch has also always loved math.  “I like that there is a definite answer.“  Ritch says she works hard to share her enthusiasm for the subject with her students.   “I keep telling them it’s not as hard as they think and that it takes practice. For me, teaching is about the ‘ah-ha’ moment,” she says.

Ritch is concerned about the effect of technology on students’ math skills.  “A lot of kids don’t know mental math.  Cell phone calculators have replaced mental math.”  She admits that she’s had to use flash cards to teach multiplication facts for ninth graders.

Student discipline, however, has not been an issue for Ritch.  “The students are respectful and attentive.”  Ritch explains that a couple of her classes, by coincidence, are largely only boys or only girls. “I really think this helps them to focus.  There is less distraction.”

Ritch considers herself a “type A” person.  “I like a lot of structure,” she says.  Color coded binders line the shelves and  precisely hung posters cover the wall.  “ I would plan every minute of the class if I could," says Ritch.  However, over the month she has learned that teaching requires flexibility.   “I’m learning you have to be able to go on the fly and embrace the teachable moment.”

Since she's not much older than her students, Ritch works at creating a student/teacher distinction. “I make sure to dress professionally.” Ritch also feels her height works to her advantage—she’s 6 feet 2 inches.

Over the past month, Ritch says she hasn’t had much of a life outside of school.  “I’m here until 9 p.m. most nights.” When she isn’t grading or writing lessons, Ritch is a NHS color guard instructor.

Ritch, who graduated from NHS in the top five percent of her class, attended Quinnipiac College where she received an undergraduate degree in math and a graduate degree in teaching.  Last year, she student-taught with NHS math teacher, Susan Weber. “My mom keeps asking me when is teaching going to start feeling like a job.  I tell her--hopefully never! I plan to be in this class room for the next 35 years.”

The obsession with testing is nuts

 Diane Ravitch, an NYU Historian and education expert, thinks testing in this country has "gotten out of control".   Ravitch is author of "The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education."  In an op-ed in the HuffingtonPost.com, she writes that our focus on testing is narrowing curriculum.    Ravitch writes:  

Last year I exchanged emails with a high-ranking official at the US Department of Education. I complained that the accountability movement had gotten out of control, that too much time was spent preparing to take tests, learning to take tests, and taking tests, especially in low income districts. I said that the time spent on testing was reducing time for the arts, history, science, civics, geography, even physical education. Thus, kids have more tests and worse education.

His first response was "you measure what you treasure." I replied, "No, you cannot measure what you treasure." How do you measure, friendship, love, courage, honor, civility, love of learning? I suppose he was moved a little bit, because he replied, "How can we incentivize the teaching of the arts?" I should have given up then, but responded that you do some things not for economic reward, and not because they are utilitarian, but because they are right.

A couple of weeks ago, I participated in an event sponsored by the Economist magazine in New York City. As I waited to go on, the previous speaker talked enthusiastically about why we should look to the arts and artists as sources of inspiration, creativity, and innovation. When my panel started (billed as a "debate" between me and Eva Moskowitz, founder of Harlem Success Academy), the first question was: "How do you envision schooling five years from now?" Eva spoke of individualization and personalization. I predicted, based on current policies in the US, that kids will be drilled endlessly for the next test. That the machinery will be in place to measure and test, driving out innovation, creativity, and divergent thinking. This is not wise and it is not smart.

It's a frightening scenario. I hope I am wrong. If there is not a major change in federal education policy, this is the likely outcome of where we are heading.

With so much riding on test scores, who can blame administrators and teachers for focusing on testing?  And with the Obama Administration's focus on using test scores for teacher evaluation,  it seems like testing may get even more high stakes.  Do you think it's too late to change course on testing?  What do you see in your classrooms?  Do you think a rich and varied curriculum is being sacrificed for filling in bubble sheets?