T C E B TRIANGLE COALITION ELECTRONIC BULLETIN JANUARY 11, 2001 VOL. 7, NO. 2 _____________________________________________________ Published by the TRIANGLE COALITION FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION _____________________________________________________ THIS WEEK'S TOPICS: BUSH LIKELY TO DROP VOUCHERS EDUCATORS' APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY FUNDING MATURES E-SCHOOLING FIRM SET TO OPEN DAVIS PROPOSES TEACHER TRAINING INITIATIVES SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD ANNOUNCES ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS NEW TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ____________________________________________________ BUSH LIKELY TO DROP VOUCHERS (Source: The Washington Post, January 2, 2001) The incoming Bush administration has concluded that it faces insurmountable opposition in Congress to its private school voucher plan and has decided to focus instead on two other key education goals: regular testing of students and increased education flexibility for states. President-elect Bush still intends to offer a voucher plan, but it will be more of a symbolic gesture to satisfy conservatives, according to transition and congressional officials. The proposal -- which would allow government funds to be used to send certain children to private schools -- likely will be sacrificed during negotiations aimed at achieving Bush's testing and state-funding goals, the officials said. Democrats and Bush advisers agree that the testing and state aid elements of Bush's education platform have good prospects for passage by Congress, perhaps quickly. With relatively minor adjustments, Bush should be able to win the support of large numbers of New Democrats in the House and Senate. Lawmakers say there could be as many as 25 Democratic senators and a majority of Republican senators in support, with similar margins in the House. Bush's plan will be introduced on his first day in office or "very close to it," as a top aide says. It would reduce the more than 50 categories of federal aid to states under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to five -- a simplification that will give states more freedom. Bush proposes spending an additional $25 billion over five years -- the largest chunk for a reading program and college grants for low-income students -- and he would have states devise annual tests for students. A New Democratic plan, proposed by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, would also reduce the federal aid to five (albeit different) categories. That plan proposes spending $35 billion over five years, targeting most of the money to the poorest areas, and it contemplates states testing students every fourth year. Thirteen Democrats supported the plan in the last Congress, but Lieberman expects a larger number to support it now. "We're very close to reaching a consensus with Bush," a Lieberman aide said, noting that Bush "essentially plagiarized our plan." This week, Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA), along with Sen. Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), will introduce legislation that would reduce categories under the ESEA, but to more than the five that Bush and Lieberman propose. The senators also will suggest plans to expand charter schools significantly as an alternative to vouchers. "People have the same concepts," Kerry said. "To some degree, it's at the fringes where the differences exist." The greatest unresolved question among Bush advisers is whether to split off the most popular elements of his plan -- his $5 billion reading initiative, for example -- to give the new president a quick and easy victory, or to offer the reforms as a comprehensive package. "We can move these things out in pieces, or move it as one big chunk," an adviser said. Inside the campaign, proponents of the former argue that Bush should introduce first the most popular elements of his program to get a quick win under his belt -- what one Republican aide called the "low-hanging fruit" strategy. Others in the transition argue that because Bush campaigned on this issue, he must seek to make a statement by introducing comprehensive legislation. On the Hill, both Democrats and Republicans argue for the full package, so that trade-offs can be made and compromises struck. *********************************** EDUCATORS' APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY FUNDING MATURES (Source: New York Times, CyberTimes Education, November 29, 2000) In what experts hail as a sign that schools are approaching technology funding in a more mature fashion, educators are carving out space in their budgets for hardware, software, and training instead of relying on donations and grants. As technology funding becomes more mainstream, the total amount being spent is also increasing. Market Data Retrieval, a Connecticut-based educational research company, recently found that public schools spent an estimated $5.67 billion, or $121.37 per student, on technology in the 1999-2000 school year. That figure is up 2.5 percent over the prior school year. What is true for hardware has also become true for training and curriculum. As the sophistication of school computer networks increases and demands on the technology grow, educators are finding that they cannot rely on volunteers and giveaways to flesh out their technology offerings. Schools have moved away from relying on grants and donations as the public money for education technology has increased. Federal education technology spending is estimated to reach $1.5 billion this year, with much of that money dedicated to programs which require matching funds from states and local school districts. And while federal funds account for only about 7 percent of overall education spending in the country, the government's share of technology funding is nearly 35 percent. "They've shifted their views on how they acquire and maintain equipment," said Kathleen Brantley, director of product development for Market Data Retrieval. "They've gotten smarter about budgeting for the long term." One federal funding initiative, the E-rate program, has been particularly influential in helping to boost dedicated technology spending in schools, Brantley said. The program provides federal money to offset the cost of Internet connections and other wiring for schools and libraries. Brantley said that this year's survey is the first to truly reflect the impact the E-rate program has had on technology spending. The program "forced districts to have a technology plan and update it more often," she said. The detailed technology plan is a central requirement for schools participating in the E-rate program, which is overseen by the Federal Communications Commission and is funded through telephone company contributions. (Editor's Note: For more information on the E-rate program, visit www.sl.universalservice.org.) *********************************** E-SCHOOLING FIRM SET TO OPEN (Source: The Washington Post, December 28, 2000) Led by high-profile advocates of a traditionalist approach to primary and secondary education, a new Virginia company specializing in online schooling will officially launch today, though it has already drawn fire from a leading teachers union. William J. Bennett, a traditional-values advocate who was education secretary in the Reagan administration, is chairman of K12, based in McLean. The new company, likely to be a closely watched player in the field of education technology, further illustrates the Washington area's growth as a center for online learning and the potential for cross-fertilization between the area's political and technology sectors. The company is developing an online curriculum for students in kindergarten through the 12th grade that will allow them to study all their major subjects via an online teaching and testing system, combined with some lessons in ink-on-paper workbooks. K12 intends to market the lessons to a variety of potential users, including parents of home-schooled students, charter schools in need of educational materials to supplement teachers' course work, students who need extra help after school, and even traditional public schools looking to add an online component to their curriculums. The lessons will follow the vision of education propounded in Bennett's 1999 book "The Educated Child: A Parent's Guide from Preschool Through Eighth Grade," which he co-wrote with Chester E. Finn, Jr. and John T.E. Cribb, Jr. It calls for tough academic standards and frequent testing to make sure students are keeping up. At least one teachers union is skeptical. Anticipating K12's announcement, Sandra Feldman, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, issued a statement declaring that "an excellent elementary and secondary education cannot be based solely in technology. We have serious questions whether K12 will offer the proper in-person content and technical support." K12 will not be the first company to offer such core material online, but is the first with such high-profile backing. The company has an initial investment of about $10 million from Knowledge Universe Learning Group, which invests in education-related companies and is in the process of securing further funding, according to chief executive Ron Packard. In a winter of dot-com discontent, with layoffs prevalent among technology companies, K12 has hired 80 people to work in its McLean offices, and anticipates having 125 on staff by March, most of them devoted to preparing the educational content. Company officials say the first wave of the product - online content for kindergarten through second grade - will be available for sale by September 2001. Material for subsequent grades will be introduced over the next five years, and the content will be continuously updated in hopes of making it more effective, officials said. Prices have not been set, but company officials say that for a single course, such as math, the price might be anywhere from $150 to $500 a year per student, depending on whether the student orders additional services, such as live tutoring from K12 personnel by phone or other means. For more information, visit www.K12.com. *********************************** DAVIS PROPOSES TEACHER TRAINING INITIATIVES (Source: Los Angeles Times, January 4, 2001) (California) Gov. Gray Davis is calling for $380 million to be spent on a variety of public school initiatives, including a new teacher training program and improvements in algebra instruction, administration officials said Wednesday. Davis wants to spend $335 million as part of a three-year plan to provide training in math, English, and related subjects to 252,000 public school teachers during a three-year period, said the officials, speaking on the condition that they not be identified. In addition to the teacher training money, Davis proposes to spend $30 million to attract and retain algebra teachers. The state already requires that students take--though not necessarily pass--algebra as a condition of high school graduation. To carry out that requirement, the administration says the state must attract 1,300 more middle and high school math teachers. As part of the plan, Davis will offer schools $50 for each student who takes algebra and the algebra test in the 2001-2002 school year. Finally, Davis proposes to spend $15 million to increase training for school principals. *********************************** SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD ANNOUNCES ONLINE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS Schools Around the World, or SAW, is a professional development program designed by the Council for Basic Education, an education interest group that advocates high academic performance for all students. The program grew out of the need to understand what constitutes "world class" standards and works by giving teachers in each of the participating nations/regions the opportunity to examine and reflect upon their teaching practice via the analysis of student work. Teachers collect student work on topics that are taught in nations that rated highly on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. Nine nations/regions currently participate in the Schools Around the World program, and are actively contributing examples of student work to develop this international exchange. Beginning in February, SAW will offer on-line, five-week seminars to prepare K-12 science and math teachers to use student work from their own classrooms to improve teaching and learning. Participants will use samples of national and international student work to look for evidence that students understood and synthesized the knowledge, skills, and concepts addressed in the assignments. Participants will collaborate with colleagues to examine international samples of student work and, in the process, reflect on their own student work to answer the questions: How can I use student work from my classroom to improve my instruction and assessment? What is the evidence that students understand? Do I expect enough from my students? For more information call 202-661-0226, e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], or visit www.s-a-w.org. *********************************** NEW TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS (Source: New York Times, CyberTimes Education, December 27, 2000) A group of school leaders and education associations are exploring a new set of technology standards for what school administrators should know about and do with technology. The focus on administrators is needed, participants in the effort say, because they are ultimately responsible for coordinating technology efforts for their schools or districts. While individual teachers have spearheaded a number of successful school-based technology programs, the projects are difficult to replicate without district-wide coordination. The endeavor follows efforts over the past several years by the International Society for Technology Education and others to create national technology standards for teachers and students. It is a way, participants say, to institutionalize the use of technology in education. The group recently met in Washington, D.C., to discuss what form the standards should take. Representatives from the participating organizations including ISTE, the National School Boards Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and others -- will begin writing draft standards in January to circulate for comments, with a goal of having a final product by October. The collaborative aims to develop what it calls the "foundation of knowledge and competencies necessary" for school administrators, regardless of whether the individual is a superintendent or elementary school principal. It also plans to craft supplemental standards geared toward specific administrative roles that the individual education associations will present to their members. _____________________________________________________ This TCEB is made possible by a grant from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company. Please visit their web site at www.dupont.com for more information about their educational support programs. The TCEB is a newsletter provided to members of the Triangle Coalition. Members may forward individual articles or the issue in its entirety providing that credit is given to the Triangle Coalition, and all of the following contact information is included in any republication. For TCEB subscription or membership information, contact: Triangle Coalition for Science and Technology Education 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005 phone: 800-582-0115 fax: 202-289-1303 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.triangle-coalition.org To submit information for possible inclusion in TCEB, contact: Joanne Van Voorhis, Target Marketing, Editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************ THE MISSION OF THE TRIANGLE COALITION IS TO FOSTER COLLABORATION AMONG LEADERS IN EDUCATION, BUSINESS, AND GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION. The Triangle Coalition membership includes business, labor, education, science, mathematics, technology and engineering organizations, and community and state-based alliances. ************************************ -- This is the ISTA-talk mailing list. To unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For more information: <http://www.ista-il.org/about/mail_list.html> To search the archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>
