T C E B TRIANGLE COALITION ELECTRONIC BULLETIN MARCH 8, 2001 VOL. 7, NO. 10 _____________________________________________________ Published by the TRIANGLE COALITION FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION _____________________________________________________ THIS WEEK'S TOPICS: BUSH TO SEEK 11.5% INCREASE FOR EDUCATION IN EDUCATION, AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE CLOSING THE GAP WITH WHITES EVOLUTION RETURNS TO KANSAS SCHOOLS STATES SEEK MORE NSF FINANCING FOR MATH AND SCIENCE THE INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM SEEKS FIELD TEST SITES ENGINEERING A LIVELIER WAY TO STUDY SCIENCE ____________________________________________________ BUSH TO SEEK 11.5% INCREASE FOR EDUCATION (Source: Boston Globe, February 22, 2001) President Bush has proposed an 11.5 percent increase for the Department of Education. He said the boost would be the biggest he would seek for any agency. Bush said he would propose spending an extra $1.6 billion on elementary and secondary education in the coming fiscal year, raising the total to $19.8 billion. Overall, administration aides said, Bush's budget will propose increasing outlays for the Education Department from this year's $39.9 billion to $44.5 billion, up about 11.5 percent. The increases will include the first $900 million installment of a $5 billion, five-year proposal Bush announced in St. Louis, to help children read by third grade. The plan would consolidate dozens of programs into five general grant categories, would test students annually to hold schools accountable for how much they learn, and would award children vouchers to attend private schools in some cases. Bush also said that he favors moving the Head Start program from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Department of Education. ************************************ IN EDUCATION, AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE CLOSING THE GAP WITH WHITES (Source: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 22, 2001) Just two decades ago, barely half of African-Americans age 25 and older had finished high school or college. But last year, 79 percent were high school or college graduates, according to the Census Bureau's annual progress report on the nation's black population. In education, blacks aged 25 and over narrowed the gap significantly between their white counterparts. In 1980, just 51 percent of African-Americans in that age group had graduated from high school or college, compared to 71 percent of whites. Last year, that 20-point gap had narrowed to less than 10 -- with 88 percent of whites having completed high school or college, compared with 79 percent of blacks. "The high-school completion rates represent the closing of the gap with whites," stated Roderick Harrison, a researcher with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a black think tank in Washington. "Blacks are staying in high school and completing high school. There are gaps, but they're less than . . . a decade ago." But Harrison noted that the record percentage of college-educated African-Americans had not reduced the higher-education gap between blacks and whites. In 1970, 12 percent of whites were college-educated, compared to 5 percent of African-Americans. Today, 28 percent of whites hold college degrees, while 17 percent of blacks are college graduates. "I think we really have not yet caught up with the fact that the key struggles for education equality are now moving to the college level," Harrison said. "A large number of blacks who complete high school do go on to college. But the percent who are actually able to complete is much lower. That suggests a good deal of policy attention needs to be focused on improving, understanding what the barriers are at the college level." (Editor's Note: These findings on the African American population are available at www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/black.html in a series of 21 tables from the March 2000 Current Population Survey (CPS) titled Black Population in the U.S.: March 2000, PPL-142.) ************************************ EVOLUTION RETURNS TO KANSAS SCHOOLS (Source: Los Angeles Times, February 15, 2001) The Kansas Board of Education has restored evolution to the state science curriculum, 1 1/2 years after excising all references to the origin of man and the age of the Earth at the urging of conservative Christians. The new science standards, adopted by a 7-3 vote, require students to learn that all life on Earth evolved from a few scraps of genetic material over the course of 4 billion years. That theory, which most mainstream scientists view as the cornerstone of biology, was eliminated from the state's list of required study topics in August 1999, when a majority of the board members decided it was too speculative to merit a place in Kansas classrooms. The new standards also require children to study plate tectonics and the Big Bang theory, two topics the board had stricken from the curriculum in 1999 on the grounds that they, like evolution, were not true science because they could not be directly observed or measured. That position drew immediate ridicule -- it "made Kansas an international laughingstock," the Topeka newspaper wrote. After a ferocious election campaign, religious conservatives lost their majority on the board in November. One of the new board's first actions was to junk the old science standards. The version approved was written by a committee of 27 scientists and science educators. But activists on both sides warn the battle for control of Kansas' classrooms is far from over. "If the scientific community thinks they can sit back and say, 'Phew, we got that done,' that would be very presumptuous of them," said John Bacon, a Board of Education member who opposed the new standards. "Kids are not stupid. They're going to realize that what they've learned at home [about their origins] is not what their science teacher is trying to push on them. This issue is not going to go away." For one thing, the state standards only control so much: They indicate which topics will be covered on assessment tests but don't dictate grade-by-grade lesson plans. That's up to individual teachers. And about 40% of biology teachers in rural Kansas describe themselves as creationists. The number drops in urban areas. But still, on average across the state, 1 in 4 biology teachers finds truth not in man's evolution from primordial muck but rather in the biblical account of creation that holds God designed the Earth and all that's in it. ************************************ STATES SEEK MORE NSF FINANCING FOR MATH AND SCIENCE (Source: Education Week, February 28, 2001) States have made significant improvements in their mathematics and science instruction during the past decade, but they still want federal help in targeted areas to aid their progress, a report suggests. In the 10 years since the National Science Foundation started a program to improve states' classes in those subjects, the report says, financing of $325 million from the independent federal agency has assisted states in their efforts to set their own math and science standards and tailor teaching to them. But state education officials say they still need the Foundation's subsidies so they can improve state tests and ensure that students have teachers capable of helping them reach the academic standards, according to the report released last week by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Among the top priorities, according to the CCSSO's report, are: - Helping states review their standards and testing programs to ensure they match; - Establishing a set of skills and a body of knowledge that high-quality math or science teachers need, and specific goals for all new teachers to reach at certain points in their careers; - Teaching educators how they can examine test-score data and learn their implications for policies and classroom practices; and - Offering examples of how disparate groups -- from state education agencies to business organizations to colleges -- can work together on improving math and science instruction. The recommendations will be considered as the National Science Foundation decides how it will change the program, according to Judith S. Sunley, the interim assistant director for the NSF's education and human resources directorate. Over the past decade, about half the states and Puerto Rico received about $2 million annually under the initiative. To win the competitive grants, the states promised to set academic standards that outline what their students would learn in science and math and then create tests linked to them. The initial awards promised five years of funding, but the NSF cut off several states because they failed to deliver on their promises. While most states had five years of aid, seven states and Puerto Rico continued to receive money for 10 years. The NSF also provides financial aid for school districts in urban and rural areas that are redesigning their math and science programs. Last year, it committed $89 million over five years to 13 cities, including Chicago, IL, Memphis, TN, and Birmingham, AL. For more information, the report is available for $10 from the Council of Chief State School Officers, 1 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20001; 202-336-7016; www.ccsso.org. ************************************ THE INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM SEEKS FIELD TEST SITES The Integrated Mathematics, Science, and Technology (IMaST) program provides an integrated sixth, seventh, and eighth grade curriculum that promotes hands-on learning for students and teamwork among teachers from different disciplines. IMaST is facilitated by the Center for Mathematics, Science, and Technology (CeMaST) at Illinois State University -- a Triangle Coalition member. IMaST emphasizes learning based on constructivist theory and active student participation involving a hands-on approach comprised of a wide variety of activities. It strives to get away from the traditional teacher-centered strategies that treat students as passive learners. The IMaST program has had teams of mathematics, science, and technology specialists who, in collaboration with other field experts, have done the research to create an integrated curriculum. While the current curricula in many states today lag behind the national standards, the IMaST curriculum has been carefully put together to meet national standards in mathematics, science, and technology. The IMaST project is currently seeking educators to field test a sixth grade integrated curriculum in the United States in the 2001-2002 school year. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, visit www.ilstu.edu/depts/cemast/application.htm or call 309-438-3089. The deadline for returning the field test application is March 30, 2001. ************************************ ENGINEERING A LIVELIER WAY TO STUDY SCIENCE (Source: The Christian Science Monitor, February 20, 2001) In December, Massachusetts became the first state in the US to require engineering in K-12 curriculum. It might seem strange to require engineering when K-12 students here and across the United States are struggling just to master basic math and science knowledge. But some see it as the perfect catalyst. Ioannis Miaoulis is dean of the Tufts University School of Engineering in Medford, MA, and a driving force behind the state initiative. Engineering, he says, melds math, science, social studies, language arts, and other subjects -- making information understandable with engaging projects. "Children spend a lot of time learning how volcanoes work, and little time learning about how a car works -- yet they spend a much larger part of their time in car than they do around volcanoes," he says. "It's all about relevance." Dr. Miaoulis has worked with schools in the area for more than a decade to get engineering into K-12. With the right curriculum and training, teachers in all grades can weave engineering into classwork and reap large benefits, he insists. Already, some are calling Massachusetts a national model for producing a new generation of students who will love math and science because they will see its practical applications. Gone will be the bad-old days (like right now) when US eighth- and 12th-graders score far below other industrialized nations on math and science tests. Toward that end, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has provided Tufts with funding for the Miaoulis-inspired pilot project. "What Massachusetts is doing is exciting because this type of development will lead students to have a real-world appreciation for math and science," says Norman Fortenberry, NSF's director of undergraduate education. Right now, no K-12 engineering textbooks exist. Yet even though the curriculum is still under development, state officials felt compelled to take the leap. The Massachusetts Board of Education voted 7 to 0 to work toward putting engineering in the state curriculum. Amid hopes that the state will be a model, though, some question whether it might put teachers under a strain. There is already an acute shortage of math and science teachers in the state and nationwide -- let alone teachers with a knowledge of engineering. _____________________________________________________ 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]/>
