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School Board News Bulletin
November 1996

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IASB joins in partnership to encourage school improvement

The Illinois Learning Partnership was scheduled to be introduced at press conferences in Springfield and Chicago on Friday, November 22.

The Partnership is a broad-based initiative focused on encouraging systemic change in Illinois school districts.

Statewide educational organizations included in the Partnership are: IASB, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Association of School Business Officials, the Illinois Principals Association, the Illinois Parent Teacher Association, the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Illinois State Board of Education.

Motorola has accepted an invitation to be represented on the Council, and invitations have been tendered to the Business/Education Coalition, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Management Association of Illinois, the Latino Institute, and the Chicago Urban League. The Council also includes two students who represent student councils and vocational education.

The ILP will focus on encouraging systemic change in Illinois school districts. Its goal is to significantly and continuously improve learning in the public schools by fostering and supporting collaborative endeavors throughout the state. ILP Executive Director Victoria Davis has spent several months traveling around the state, talking with local school people and identifying existing regional partnerships.

The Partnership's goals include:

• altering the current culture of isolation and contention in public education;
• fostering collaborative improvement of the educational climate;
• supporting the collaborative endeavors of the partners organizations by establishing an informational database of best practices;
• stimulating local innovation through Learning Networks and other strategies;
• identifying and removing systemic barriers to educational improvement.

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FY 96 figures show state share of public school funding: 32%

State	$3,994.8	32.07%
Local	7,339.8	58.91
Federal	1,123.7	9.02
TOTAL	$12,458.3	100.00%

The figures reportedly will appear in the 1996-97 edition of "State, Local and Federal Finances for Illinois Public Schools," along with estimates of FY 97 funding levels. That essential reference work on Illinois school funding is scheduled to be published in March, 1997.

The 1995-96 edition of State, Local and Federal Finances for Illinois Public Schools contained only estimates for the state, local and federal support to schools for FY 96. The booklet slightly overestimated the proportion of state support, at 32.28 percent, and federal support, at 9.07 percent, meanwhile it underestimated the proportion of local support, at 58.65 percent.

For more information, contact Lou Audi, State Board of Education, at 217/782-2491.

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ACT to allow calculators

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State's high court dismisses school funding suit

As noted in the October 25 Newsbulletin, the state's high court dismissed a lawsuit supported by some 70 Illinois school districts, putting an end to a six-year court case. In the opinion issued for the majority by Justice John Nickels, the court ruled: "While the present school-funding scheme might be thought unwise--these objections must be presented to the General Assembly."

The lawsuit was brought in 1989 by nearly 100 school districts who claimed that Illinois chronically fails to fund schools adequately and equitably or as required by the state constitution of 1970. According to the education article of the state constitution, the state "has primary responsibility for financing the system of public education." Yet state aid makes up less than one-third of total funding to local schools, down from 47 percent in 1977.

Justice Moses Harrison, who dissented somewhat from the court majority's opinion, wrote: "The judiciary joins the legislative and executive departments in failing to fulfill our state government's constitutional responsibilities of providing for an efficient system of high-quality public education."

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Monthly IASB Website Statistics: June 1, 1996 to October 31, 1996

Not all visits to the Website involve the Homepage. Because IASB's Website is indexed by a number of international search engines, a visitor may enter the Website at virtually any document that is indexed somewhere by topic or key word.

The monthly Web Analysis was conducted by a private firm on behalf of Access Illinois, an online information service and Web service provider.

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Schools with low test scores accused of inflating grades

"In the process of conducting hundreds of educational effectiveness audits, we've found a close relationship between low student achievement and high grade point averages," said SchoolMatch advisory board chairman M. Donald Thomas. Thomas, a school administrator, researcher and author, alleged that in most U.S. high schools low student achievement is indicated by high grade point averages.

"Grade inflation is particularly extensive in high schools with a high percentage of disadvantaged or minority students. This indicates clearly that expectations for such students is very low," Thomas claimed. Thomas also charged that high schools in large cities are particularly prone to grade inflation.

For more information, contact M. Donald Thomas at 801/532-5340 or Steve Sundre at 614/890-1573.

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FEDERAL UPDATE

Health plan review urged

The limited Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 is nowhere close to the "universal health coverage" considered in the previous Congress. It applies only to people who are currently insured and who change or lose their jobs.

Thanks to lobbying efforts by NSBA, and other local government organizations, school districts can choose whether they want to comply with the new law's requirements on certification and disclosure.

The law makes it harder for insurers to deny coverage to people with health conditions that existed before enrolling in a health plan. The law also makes it harder to terminate insurance coverage or limit coverage due to an employee's health status.

Many school districts already have health plans that cover these provisions. The law could lead to higher health insurance premiums for school districts after a few years. The expanded coverage provisions of the act are likely to result in private health plans raising their rates.

NSBA contact: Kathy McMichael, director, federal relations, 703/838-6782.

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Technology grants go to nine districts

The federal grant will provide nearly $4 million to the Reality-Based Learning Project during the next five years. The award is one of 24 funded from nearly 600 entries across the nation. Pekin District 108 and its partners were also awarded a grant for their "Learning Community 2000" project.

The Reality-Based Project will create a network of schools in which students and teachers will help solve real-world (reality-based) issues designed jointly by the various project partners. The focus is to create student "consulting firms" to address issues, while developing new teaching and learning models for teachers and students.

Sponsors say it will be an active collaboration among business, elementary and secondary students, teachers, government, communities, and higher education. These relationships will be supported by interactive computer and communications technologies.

"Solving real-world problems will help students make the connection between theory and application," said State Superintendent of Education Joseph Spagnolo.

Consortium schools are located in the following districts: Kirby District 140, Tinley Park; Alan B. Shepard High School District 218, Oak Lawn; Braceville Elementary District 75, Braceville; LaGrange District 102, Brookfield; North Chicago District 187; Scott-Morgan C.U. District 2, Bluffs; Wabash C.U. District 348, Mt. Carmel; Chicago District 299; and Leepertown District 175, Bureau.

Business partners include: Apple Corporation, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, The Illinois Coalition, Ameritech, and Sears. Research partners include: ISBE, Argonne National Laboratory, Northwestern University, Western Illinois University and the Center for Children and Technology.

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Center to seek high standards

The corporate-funded center, to be located in Washington, DC, will be called "Achieve." Its goals are to provide national leadership on the issues of high academic standards, assessments, accountability, and the use of technology to achieve high standards.

The governors and business leaders who participated in the summit last March adopted a policy statement urging all states to establish internationally competitive academic standards, assessment tools, and accountability systems within two years.

Source: School Board News, NSBA, October 29, 1996.

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Student absenteeism a warning: Riley

"Truancy is the red blinking light that tell us that a young person may be going down the wrong road," according to U.S. Education Secretary Richard Riley. Therefore, Riley announced every school district in the nation would be sent a copy of A Manual to Combat Truancy.

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THE NATIONAL SCENE

AT&T program to help schools go online

"The 85 million consumers who use AT&T's long-distance services can help schools obtain the latest technology simply by making AT&T telephone calls," said company chairman Robert E. Allen.

The Learning Points Program is the newest component of the AT&T Learning Network, the company's five-year, $150 million commitment to improving education through use and support of technology.

Customers can earn five Learning Points for every dollar they spend on qualifying AT&T calls and may designate the points to any accredited K-12 school of their choice in the nation. Schools can redeem the points for free hardware, software and teacher support offered in a catalog AT&T developed with Scholastic, Inc. To register for the AT&T program, schools and consumers should call AT&T at 1-800/354-8800.

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Grant launches NSBA foundation

The project will encourage school board members to become users of technology to learn to increase their ability to collaborate and communicate with members of their community, NSBA stated.

"School districts are experimenting with improving the teaching and learning environment using technology, and the evidence demonstrates that technology is effective," said Jonathan Howe, Chairman of the NSBA Foundation.

Howe, a senior partner of Howe & Hutton in Chicago, added that "few of the successful strategies using technology have been adopted across entire school systems."

This is a vital but missing link, which will become increasingly critical if schools are to be successful in using technology to improve the teaching and learning environment, Howe said.

The NSF grant is the first major project grant to the NSBA Foundation, created last year to help local boards "become catalysts for educational change and agents for systemic reform in the public schools."

The NSF grant will fund a policy makers Tool Kit that will include a broad range of ways to use technology to improve student achievement. The project will also give on-line assistance to school board members and network them to technology and education experts to share information and gather resources.

For more information, contact John Butler at NSBA at 703/838-6225; or e-mail him at: jbutler@nsba.org

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Anti-diploma deters potential dropouts

The dropout rate at North High School has been rising steadily since 1991 and by last year reached 20 percent. Under orders from Denver Superintendent Irv Moskowitz, Principal Joe Sandoval developed a prevention plan involving intensive efforts to identify and counsel potential dropouts.

The anti-diploma is a last resort. The "Disclaimer for Being a High School Dropout" states: "By signing this disclaimer, I realize that I will not have the necessary skills to survive in the 21st century." It lists those skills, including reading, writing, decision making, leadership and self-esteem, and includes two bar charts showing the gap in earnings between dropouts and high school graduates.

Those who sign the form receive a "Certificate of Dropping Out." So far, Sandoval says, two students who were planning to drop out changed their minds when they read about the consequences.

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School building funds in crisis

Crumbling schools, increased enrollment, changes in curricular and technological needs, changing student populations--all these factors have combined to create a crisis for the nation's schools, states the NASBE report, Building Our Future: Making School Facilities Ready for the 21st Century.

The report says that states commonly hinder localities that try to fund school improvements. States often burden school districts with debt limits or tax caps and some (not Illinois) require more than a simple majority of voters to pass school bond issues.

NASBE recommends state and school district leaders consider alternative school infrastructure funding schemes, such as lease purchase agreements, corporate underwriting in return for guaranteed student slots, and impact fees charged to developers. But it cautions against measures that might increase inequities within a state or district or actually damage long-term public support for schools.

A recent study by the U.S. Government Accounting Office found 60 percent of the nation's schools had at least one major building feature (such as electricity, heating, or plumbing) in need of repair.

Contact: NASBE, Alexandria, Virginia, 703/684-4000.

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RESEARCH REPORTS

Going private doesn't guarantee results

This new report looks at the experiences of Baltimore, Dade County (Florida) and Hartford (Connecticut), where Education Alternatives Inc. had contracts--and Minneapolis, where Public Strategies Group is contracting to improve test scores and reduce suspensions.

Private Management of Public Schools concludes that "private management efforts yielded mixed results." In fact, scores on standardized achievement tests "did not substantially improve" in the three districts where results were available.

In Dade County, however, and Minneapolis, student attendance did improve. What is more, EAI placed teaching assistants in classrooms in Baltimore and Dade County; repaired buildings and provided computers in Baltimore; and began a similar effort in Hartford.

For more information, contact GAO at 202/512-6000.

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Midwest parents attend more school activities

Those findings come from the U.S. Department of Education's Statistics in Brief, "Parents and Schools: Partners in Student Learning," NCES 96-913, released in October.

The findings are important because studies show greater family involvement in children's learning is a critical factor in achieving a high-quality education in a safe, disciplined learning environment. The Midwest also led the nation by a significant margin in drawing "most or all" parents to school arts events (48 percent), science fairs or academic demonstrations (27 percent), and sports events (18 percent).

For more information contact: Judi Carpenter, National Center for Education Statistics, 202/219-1333.

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Poverty not main cause of dropping out

The finding belies the conventional wisdom about dropouts. Meanwhile, it points up a growing problem--good paying jobs are seldom in the cards for most dropouts. Because they are not prepared for jobs, dropouts are more likely to go on public aid than other young people, and are much more likely to go to prison.

The answer to reducing the dropout ratio could be early intervention--ith parents. The Carnegie report notes that many teachers believe they can spot potential dropouts as early as the third grade. Students who do not arrive at school ready to learn--that is, those who aren't well rested, clean, fed, and receptive--are most likely to drop out. Thus, parents need to play the key role in reducing school dropout rates.

The Carnegie Corporation report in question, Great Transitions: Preparing Adolescents for a New Century, is available in an abridged version. This can be obtained free of charge from Carnegie Corporation of New York, 437 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022; phone 212/ 371-3200. Single copies of the full report may be obtained for $10 (bulk rates available) from Carnegie Corporation of New York, P.O. Box 753, Waldorf, MD 20604; phone 212/371-3200.

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Students need more physical activity

The report, Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, "recommends that educators develop methods to regularly track physical activity for students under age 12." Also, the report said that "schools need to routinely monitor their policies and student participation in physical education at elementary, middle and high schools."

The report is $19. Call Superintendent of Documents at 202/512-1800.

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Confidence key to academic success

Miserandino surveyed 77 third- and fourth-graders from Rochester, N.Y., who showed sixth-grade ability on the Stanford Achievement Test. Students who indicated self-confidence scored at the grade equivalent of 6.71, while those who indicated uncertainty about their competence scored at grade 6.13.

When Miserandino held test scores constant, she found that children who saw themselves as competent earned higher grades in math and social studies.

Similar findings sprang from a study of the link between autonomy and school performance. Achievement scores of above-average students who saw themselves as self-directed did not differ much from the scores of students driven by outside pressures, but those who felt in control earned better grades across various subjects.

"These results are surprising because these children's perceptions of lack of ability were so at odds with their achievement scores, yet the effects of their beliefs were strong," Miserandino said in the report. The report was published in the American Psychological Association's Journal of Educational Psychology.

"We have basic human needs that need to be fulfilled [for us] to do our best," Miserandino said in an interview.

"Teachers can help children feel competent by setting realistic expectations, breaking down difficult tasks into small chunks and consistently giving positive feedback for good work. Educators can foster autonomy by providing choices and allowing initiative," she added.

The June issue of Journal of Educational Psychology is $26, plus $3.50 shipping, from American Psychological Association, Book Order Dept., 750 First St., NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242; phone 800/374-2721.

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WORKSHOPS & MEETINGS

Technology transfer takes center stage

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Technology integration is the theme

Keynote speakers include Ken Pavlicek, a technology futurist, during Thursday's lunchtime session. Also, Pat Cooper, executive director of the Denver Children's Museum and a founding member of Girls Count, will speak Friday about gender equity.

For more information, contact Kate Ranieri, IAECT Conference Promotions Learning Center, at 815/753-1241.

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Small schools share big ideas

Participants will have the chance, organizers say, to see some of Chicago's new small schools and converse with the Chicago teachers, principals and parents who developed those schools. Site visits, panels and interactive sessions on the history and challenges of building new small schools will be featured. Leaders in school restructuring from New York, Philadelphia, and other cities will share their experiences.

The keynote speaker will be Debbie Meier, a founder of the Central Park East Secondary Schools in New York City, and author of The Power of Their Ideas.

The conference registration fee is $150 per person or $125 per person for groups of three or more. For more information contact: Olivia Mulcahy, phone 312/413-9417 (e-mail: ssw@uic.edu).

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NEWS FROM IASB

Bus drivers need post-accident test

Federal regulations state that a school bus driver must be tested for drugs and alcohol if the driver: 1) has an accident in a commercial motor vehicle and there is a fatality, or 2) the driver was issued a citation for a moving violation and either one or more vehicles incurs disabling damage, or 3) bodily injury is done to any person who, as a result of the injury, must immediately receive medical treatment away from the scene of the accident.

Experts at the Illinois School District Drug & Alcohol Testing Consortium, an IASB-endorsed bus driver testing program, say member school districts have one additional responsibility. That is, districts must notify the Consortium within the proper time frame to initiate a post-accident drug and alcohol test. Districts should educate their drivers to remain readily available for the post-accident testing. The driver is not allowed to drink alcohol until eight hours after the accident or until an alcohol test has been completed, whichever comes first, experts say. The alcohol test must be completed within eight hours and the drug test must be completed within 32 hours after the accident.

After an accident, members of the Consortium should call the Mid-West Truckers Association, the organization that administers the program, to set up post-accident tests. To obtain a post-accident test, or to find out if one needs to be performed, call Mid-West Truckers' 24-hour hotline at 217/525-0310.

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Assist IASB to update membership records

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TOOLS FOR SCHOOLS

CPAs to help at pilot schools

Among the services to be offered are financial forecasting, internal controls, cash flow accounting, and budgeting assistance. If the pilot program is a success, the program will likely be expanded to respond to requests from other school districts throughout the state. The program was developed by CPAs for the Public Interest (CPAsPI), the pro bono service arm of the Illinois CPA Society.

For more information on the CPAs Helping Schools, contact Leslie Anderson, CPAsPI Public Education Program Manager, at 312/993-0407, ext. 259; or 800/ 993-0393.

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Prize will recognize spirit of service

For further information, contact the student activities department at NASSP, at 703/860-0200.

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Materials feature women in math, science

Computer programmer Admiral Grace Hopper and biologist Ida Hyde are among 68 women profiled in Women in Science, an inexpensive, 16-page gazette containing puzzles and quizzes on science.

That is just one of 21 excellent, multicultural items featuring women in math and science available from the National Women's History Project. Ask for their free catalog. Contact the project at 7738 Bell Road, Dept. P, Windsor, CA 95492-8518, or 707/838-6000.

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New book covers superintendency

The authors, William L. Sharp, and James K. Walter, say the book covers subjects "rarely, if ever, found in textbooks," including personal guidance, and advice about how to get a superintendency.

The book covers recent developments in theory and practice such as site-based management, according to the publishers. In the area of career strategies and family considerations, topics such as job-seeking and job survival, and work pressures and the family are examined.

To order this 238-page textbook, priced at $38, contact Technomic Publishing Company, Inc., at 1-800/233-9936. Or for more information call the company at 717/291-5609 or fax 717/295-4538.

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Recent mailings from IASB

October 29: Announcement of professional advancement seminars on seeking the superintendency, to district superintendents.

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Illinois School District Liquid Asset Fund Plus

More than $650 million was invested in the Fixed Rate program (including Certificates of Deposit), at rates of 5.14 percent for a 30-day certificate to 5.65 percent for a one-year certificate. For more information about ISDLAF+, call, toll-free, 1-800/221-4524.

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Classified ads

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IASB School Board News Bulletin
Illinois Association of School Boards

IASB: one Association, two phone numbers

Call 630/629-3776 and -- for all practical purposes -- you get the same "office" as when you call 217/528-9688. And vice versa. Either number reaches staff in both locations.

So call the Area Code nearest you to cut your toll charges and use the following extensions to reach the person or department you need. Or just punch 1100 for the Receptionist.