Pages
Stay In Touch
More
© 2011 National Association of Secondary School Principals - All rights to the intellectual property contained herein, including copyrights, trademarks, and service marks, are reserved by NASSP.
After reading NASSP’s position statement on raising the compulsory school attendance age, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) approached NASSP for assistance in drafting legislation to provide resources and support for schools in states that elect to raise the dropout age to 18. The Broadening Opportunities Through Education Act will be introduced this afternoon, and many of the bill’s provisions mirror NASSP’s recommendations for middle level and high school reform.
“It is unacceptable and saddening that more than 9,000 students drop out of Maryland Public Schools each year,” said Rep. Edwards. “That is why my legislation…provides additional resources to states that increase compulsory school attendance through age 17 to help improve secondary schools and ensure that students at-risk of dropping out receive the support they need to reach their fullest potential. A quality education is critical to ensuring success in a 21st century global economy, and we must do all we can to provide one for our nation’s young people.”
Under the bill, states that have enacted laws to raise the compulsory attendance age could apply for a competitive grant to improve programs in their middle level and high schools. Funding would be used to establish or expand CTE programs, implement an early warning indicator system to help high schools and their feeder middle schools assist struggling students, create grade and school transition programs, personalize the school experience,
provide extended learning opportunities, and increase counseling and other nonacademic supports for students.
One study cited in the board position statement notes that 25% of potential dropouts remain in school because of compulsory schooling laws, but NASSP understands that raising the age of compulsory school attendance alone is not enough to ensure these students graduate. We were very pleased to work with Congresswoman Edwards and her staff to ensure that secondary schools can access vital resources that will allow them to provide supports to struggling students and help them get on track to be college and career ready when they complete high school.”
The position statement offers recommendations for school leaders aligned with the Breaking Ranks Framework. Principals are encouraged to personalize the school environment by creating small units within their schools, developing a personal plan for progress for each student, and assigning a personal adult advocate for each student. They are also called on to increase academic rigor through CTE or curriculum-based service learning; coordinate the delivery of physical, mental health, and social services for students in conjunction with community-based organizations; and provide intensive interventions to students who are at risk of dropping out.
Although Congress is unlikely to act on any education bills before the November elections, the Broadening Opportunities Through Education Act will likely be considered in future discussions of Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Status of ESEA Reauthorization
Although both the Senate and House education committees passed bills within the past year to reauthorize ESEA, none of those bills were considered in their respective chambers. House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and his staff said for months that the two bills passed by the committee in February 2012 would be considered on the House floor before the August recess, but a legislative agenda for the remaining weeks released by Speaker of the House John Boehner included no education legislation. On the Senate side, HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) had previously announced that the Senate would not bring his bill to the floor until the House passed a “bipartisan” bill. With few legislative days remaining before the looming November elections and a number of appropriations bills still to pass before the fiscal year ends on September 30, there’s slim-to-no-chance ESEA will be completed this year. While waivers and Race to the Top seem like the law of the land for principals and assistant principals in some states, the presidential and congressional elections will have a HUGE impact on whether they remain in place beyond 2014.
NASSP will continue to push for a comprehensive ESEA reauthorization that includes a focus on our key issue areas: school leadership, literacy, middle level and high schools, and education technology. See attached issue sheets.
ESEA Waivers
The U.S. Department of Education announced June 29 that they approved 5 more states for NCLB waivers: Arkansas, Missouri, South Dakota, Utah and Virginia. This makes 24 total states with waivers, and leaves 13 applications still under review, whose decisions may come out over the course of the summer. To date, Iowa is the only state to have been denied a waiver, and Round 3 applications are due on September 6.
Says Secretary Duncan about the approved waivers: “These states have joined in a nationwide movement toward state-led education reform now embraced by 24 states,” said Secretary Arne Duncan. “Their plans are the product of bold, forward-thinking state and local leaders who have moved beyond the tired old battles and partisan bickering to roll up their sleeves and start working together.”
Duncan pointed out that many of the new state-created accountability systems capture more students at risk, including low-income students, students with disabilities, and English learners, adding, “States must show they are protecting children in order to get flexibility. These states met that bar.” Read more about these states’ waivers here: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2012/06/five_more_states_get_nclb_waiv.html.
NASSP on Capitol Hill
During this quarter, NASSP staff participated in a number of meetings with congressional staff to discuss our recommendations for reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), including key bills to improve school leadership and provide additional resources for middle and high schools. Offices being visited during this time period include: Senate HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), and House Education and the Workforce Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA).
FY 2013 Budget/Appropriations
In June, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Senate FY 2013 Labor-HHS-Education bill, which allocates funding levels for various federal education programs for FY 2013. Though we have heard that this bill will not reach the Senate floor and that we are almost certain to start off FY 2013 with a Continuing Resolution (CR) which largely level-funds programs from the current fiscal year, this bill is still important to show us where the Senate is at in terms of spending on education programs.
The full Committee approved the bill on a party line vote of 16-14 (with all Democrats voting yes and all Republicans voting no). Republicans opposed the bill largely over objections to funding for the Affordable Care Act. Overall, discretionary (non-mandatory) funds for education increased by $408 million (+0.6%). NASSP is happy to see an increase of $100 million each to Title I grants and to IDEA state grants, as well as level-funding for the School Leadership Program ($29 million) and the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program ($159 million). Most education programs were level-funded, but others received increases, including:
- Race to the Top
- Advanced Placement
- Promise Neighborhoods
- IDEA Grants for infants and families
- International education and foreign language studies domestic programs
- Research in special education
- Statewide data systems
Funding for other programs was decreased, including for:
- Mathematics and Science Partnerships
- Transition to teaching
- Safe and drug-free schools and communities national programs
- National assessment (NAEP)
- National Assessment Governing Board
NASSP Government Relations staff heard this week that the long-awaited House appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education will hold its markup the week of July 9. This subcommittee will determine funding levels for education programs for FY 2013 appropriations. At that point, the House and Senate are supposed to “conference” their bills to agree on one final appropriations bill, but this hardly ever happens due to disagreement and this year it is especially likely not to happen because it’s an election year. So, it is nearly certain that we will begin FY 2013 with a continuing resolution, or CR, that largely extends funding levels from the previous year (FY 2012), and will likely last through December. In January, it is more likely we will see a year-long CR that sets different funding levels for FY 2013. Stay tuned for news on the upcoming subcommittee markup!
NASSP Government Relations staff has met with several Congressional offices that sit on this subcommittee to advocate that education funding not be cut more than it already has the past few years, and we also reiterated the point that sequestration would be untenable for education funding and urged Congress to find another way to reduce the deficit responsibly. We are hopeful that our message will make an impact for FY 2013 education funding. NASSP Government Relations staff met with the following Congressional offices on the Senate subcommittee: Sen. Shelby (R-AL) and Sen. Inouye (D-HI); and the following Congressional offices on the House subcommittee: Rep. Jackson (D-IL) Rep. Lee (D-CA); and Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA). NASSP’s coalition partner, the Committee for Education Funding, has organized meetings with several other subcommittee offices this past quarter as well to deliver our unified message about education funding.
Sequestration
(As a reminder, sequestration is the drastic, across-the-board cuts to education that are scheduled to occur on January 2, 2013. These across-the-board cuts will occur-unless Congress acts to stop it-as stipulated in the August 2011 Budget Control Act. Congress put this measure of sequestration in place in case a 12-member Congressional committee was unable to approve a plan to reduce another $1.2 trillion from the federal deficit; this committee failed, triggering sequestration.
Sequestration would impose the largest education funding cuts ever, chopping funding for programs in the Department of Education by roughly $4 billion, or 8.4%, which would have a devastating impact on state and district budgets.)
In May, the House passed H.R.5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 in a near party-line 218-99 vote. The bill was supported by nearly all Republicans — only 16 opposed it, and no Democrats supported it.
As The Hill explains in a May 10 article, “The House voted Thursday to override steep cuts to the Pentagon’s budget mandated by last summer’s debt deal and replace them with spending reductions to food stamps and other mandatory social programs.
While doomed in the Senate and opposed by the White House, the legislation, which would reduce the deficit by $243 billion, is a Republican marker for post-election budget talks with the White House.”
NASSP is strongly opposed to this bill and feels that this legislation does not come anywhere near the balanced deficit reduction approach we must take to address our federal deficit.
NASSP encourages you to tell your legislators that sequestration is unacceptable by signing this online petition at www.cef.org/action. Join with thousands of other education stakeholders and sign this petition! NASSP Government Relations staff is also leading the efforts around grassroots activism to urge Congress to not let sequestration occur, and will be implementing key grassroots activities in the next quarter to attempt to stop the sequester. Please look for our emails in the coming months on ways we ask you to advocate against sequestration, and we thank you in advance for your participation.
School Principal Recruitment and Training Act
NASSP continues to advocate for the School Principal Recruitment and Training Act, although the bill was not reintroduced during the 112th Congress. The bill would authorize a grant program to recruit, select, train, and support aspiring or current principals with track records of transforming student learning and outcomes and prepare these principals to lead high-need schools. Selected aspiring principals would be provided with a pre-service residency that lasts for at least one year as well as ongoing support and professional development for at least two years after they commence work as school leaders. Grant funds would also be used to provide mentoring and professional development to strengthen current principals’ capacity in the areas of instruction, supervision, evaluation, and development of teachers and highly effective school organizations.
LEARN Act
Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) reintroduced the Literacy Education for All, Results for the Nation (LEARN) Act (H.R. 2272/S. 929) in 2011. The bill would authorize $2.35 billion for comprehensive state and local literacy initiatives, building on the best components of the federal Early Reading First, Reading First, and Striving Readers programs. Districts would support schoolwide literacy initiatives that include professional development for principals and teachers to incorporate literacy across the curriculum and targeted interventions for struggling students.
As a member of Advocates for Literacy, NASSP staff participated in meetings with key congressional staff to discuss the LEARN Act and the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Program. Offices visited this quarter include Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA).
The LEARN Act currently has 15 House cosponsors and 6 Senate cosponsors.
Success in the Middle Act
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) reintroduced the Success in the Middle Act (H.R. 1547/S. 833) in 2011. Under the bill, states are required to implement a middle school improvement plan that describes what students are required to know and do to successfully complete the middle grades and make the transition to succeed in an academically rigorous high school. School districts would receive grants to help them invest in proven intervention strategies, including professional development and coaching for school leaders, teachers, and other school personnel; and student supports such as personal academic plans, intensive reading and math interventions, and extended learning time.
In June, NASSP cosponsored a congressional briefing on middle level education and early warning indicators with the Alliance for Excellent Education, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, and the National Middle Schools Association.
The Success in the Middle Act currently has 18 House cosponsors and 7 Senate cosponsors.
Graduation Promise Act
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) and Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) reintroduced the Graduation Promise Act (H.R. 778/S. 1177). The bill would support the development of statewide systems of differentiated high school improvement that focuses research and evidence-based intervention on the lowest performing high schools, and improves the capacity of the high schools to decrease dropout rates and increase student achievement. The bill would also provide competitive grants to states to identify statewide obstacles hindering students from graduating, and provide incentives for states to increase graduation rates.
The Graduation Promise Act currently has 34 House cosponsors and 1 Senate cosponsor.
National Assistant Principals Week Resolution
On April 19, newest member of the House Education and Workforce Committee Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) introduced a Congressional resolution (H.Res.626) officially recognizing the week of April 16-20, 2012 as National Assistant Principals Week.
Other Bills
College and Career Ready Classrooms Act
As part of major legislation to create jobs and improve the nation’s economic competitiveness, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) has introduced a proposal to assist schools in preparing all students to be college and career ready.
NASSP strongly supports the Common Core State Standards, and the board of directors recently approved a position statement offering recommendations on their successful implementation. We call on Congress to fund ongoing, professional development about these new standards to build the capacity of principals, assistant principals, and teachers. School leaders are also encouraged to provide professional development opportunities to instructional staff members to help them teach to higher standards and provide students with the supports they need to achieve them.
The College and Career Ready Classrooms Act would authorize a competitive grant program to support local school districts in the successful implementation of college- and career-ready standards. In providing professional development opportunities for teachers and other school staff, NASSP is pleased that the bill would require in-service activities for school administrators that support instructional leadership around the implementation of these standards and ensure coordination with pre-service teacher preparation programs. Local implementation strategies would also support the use of technology to personalize instruction and to enhance educators’ own professional learning.
The bill was introduced as one provision in the Rebuild America Act (S. 2252), which would provide investments in job training, manufacturing, and the transportation infrastructure; increase overtime benefits and establish a fair and equitable minimum wage; and make changes to the tax code. While not taking a position on the entire legislation, NASSP also strongly supports a provision that would authorize $20 billion in formula grants for the modernization, renovation, and repair of early learning facilities, K-12 public schools and community colleges.
American Dream Accounts Act
In an effort to expand college access for underserved students, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) has introduced the American Dream Accounts Act (S. 2194) to link college savings accounts to an online database that tracks college readiness. A companion bill (H.R. 4207) was also introduced in the House by Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA).
“One of the lessons we’ve learned from the recent recession is that unemployment has remained very low among those with a college degree,” said Sen. Coons in a press release. “Now more than ever, amid intensifying global competition and rapidly changing technology, it’s critical that young people not only finish high school, but pursue some kind of education after high school. American Dream Accounts are a way to strengthen the ability of teachers, parents, mentors, and students to work together to make sure that young people, throughout their entire education experience, prepare for, save for, train for, and then fulfill a vision for their own future—a dream for their life after high school.”
The American Dream Accounts Act would authorize $3 billion from existing U.S. Department of Education (ED) funds for competitive grants to school districts, charter schools, or nonprofit organizations to establish an administer American Dream Accounts, which are personal online accounts for low-income students that monitor college readiness and include a college savings account. Grantees would monitor student progress data, including grades and course selections, progress reports, and attendance and disciplinary records. They would also provide opportunities for students to learn about financial readiness and the college enrollment process and to identify their skills and interests.
While NASSP supports efforts to increase college access for underserved students, we are concerned that the American Dream Accounts Act does not authorize new federal funding for these competitive grants. Formula programs such as Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act have been woefully underfunded for years, and we are concerned that ED would target those resources or other vital education programs to pay for the bill.
Sen. Coons has created a Web page where anyone can post comments about their thoughts on the America Dream Accounts Act. For more information, go to: http://www.coons.senate.gov/issues/dreamaccounts/.
Student Loan Interest Rates
As reported by Education Week on June 29, 2527425274 Congress acted just under the wire Friday to save college students from paying more for student loans. The legislation will freeze interest rates on federally subsidized Stafford loans at 3.4 percent, avoiding a scheduled increase on July 1 to 6.8 percent.
Hours after Congress passed the measure, President Obama signed it into law—temporarily—effective through July 6. He is expected to make it permanent before the stopgap measure expires at the end of next week.
The measure was part of a bill to fund construction and federal flood insurance. On Tuesday, U.S. Senate leaders announced they had agreed on a plan to come up with $6 billion to cover the cost of the lower student loan interest rates. The bill passed on a 74-19 vote in the Senate and a 373-52 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Most of the money is expected to come from raising premiums for federal pension insurance. But students also will help foot the bill. Congress is looking to get $1.2 billion in savings from changing eligibility for student loans. It limits loan eligibility to 150 percent of a program’s time to degree — or six years for a bachelor’s degree and three years for an associate degree.
The move to stop interest rates from doubling is expected to affect 7.4 million students, saving each an average of $1,000 in extra financing fees.
Student groups have been actively lobbying Congress to keep interest rates down. On June 28, students and graduates carried banners to Capitol Hill and delivered a petition with 1 million signatures calling for action to freeze interest rates.
NASSP on Capitol Hill
Literacy
NASSP Associate Director for High School Services Mel Riddile served as moderator at a congressional briefing on April 17 hosted by Advocates for Literacy, a coalition of over 40 national organizations that support a comprehensive and systemic approach to improving literacy for students from birth through grade 12.
State Assistant Principals of the Year
The 2012 State Assistant Principals of the Year spent an entire day on Capitol Hill on April 19 meeting with their Congressional offices to have a significant collective impact on the federal conversation around secondary schools and school leadership. Besides effectively advocating for the issues that they are most passionate about, some assistant principals mentioned that they had already convinced their legislators to visit their schools to see their work in action and gain an even greater perspective on this incredibly difficult but rewarding job. The NASSP/Virco National Assistant Principal of the Year and finalists also spoke at a congressional briefing where they addressed hot topics in school reform.
MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools
On April 26, the 2012 MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools winners visited their Congressional offices for their Capitol Hill Day. These exemplary principals visited a total of approximately 40 Congressional offices to deliver their invaluable stories and perspective as school leaders to build upon the great advocacy that our 2012 Virco/NASSP Assistant Principals of the Year conducted last week for their Capitol Hill Day. There’s no doubt that dozens of legislators now have a much better sense of the critical role of school leaders for student success as a result of this collective advocacy. Finally, four of the 2012 MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools winners participated in a Capitol Hill briefing on Thursday in which they each spoke of their use of the NASSP Breaking Ranks framework to bring about significant school improvement, as well as their use of other strategies and their leadership skills to change the trajectory of their schools. To review quotes by the panelists that NASSP tweeted during the briefing, look under the hashtag #AEENASSP on Twitter.
NASSP Board of Directors
On May 3, the NASSP Board of Directors participated in a roundtable discussion with Congressional staff on the Senate and House education committees and visited their Congressional offices while in town for their spring Board meeting. This marks the 3rd straight week that NASSP had a group of its members on Capitol Hill to deliver their stories and impart their passion for their work. There’s no doubt that dozens of legislators now have a much better sense of the critical role of school leaders for student success as a result of this collective advocacy.
NASSP State Coordinators and Presidents-Elect
On June 27, nearly 100 NASSP members-state coordinators and presidents-elect-convened on Capitol Hill for a day of advocacy. This Hill Day marked the second year the state coordinators participated in a Hill Day in their new role as federal advocacy liaisons. Our members had very effective visits and most got a chance to meet with their legislators who listened to their perspectives and input as school leaders. NASSP Government Relations staff is excited to see these principals build on the success of their Hill Day and develop relationships with their Congressional offices, and we will continue to support them and advocate on their behalf on Capitol Hill. If you are on Twitter, you can read about their Congressional meetings and their impressions of Hill Day by searching for the hashtag #nasspdc. Congratulations to the state coordinators and presidents-elect!
Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), who is a former teacher and principal, recently established the Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus to address federal anti-bullying efforts, and NASSP is proud to endorse and support the work of this new caucus. “As an educator of more than 30 years and a member of Congress who was bullied as a child, I am inspired to help craft solutions that stop bullying in communities everywhere, both online and offline,” Honda told Education Daily®. “The bipartisan Anti-Bullying Caucus will give a voice to the voiceless by providing a premier forum to develop legislative solutions to stop bullying.” The caucus already has 20 members and Honda said that many other Democratic and Republican Representatives have also expressed interest in joining the caucus.
Rep. Honda says that he will introduce anti-bullying legislation this summer. As noted by Education Daily, “Anti-bullying measures already introduced include the Safe Schools Improvement Act, S. 506 and H.R. 1648 [which NASSP supports], the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Act, H.R. 83, and the Anti-Bullying and Harassment Act, H.R. 975.
As part of the launch of the Congressional Anti-Bullying Caucus on June 28, NASSP President-Elect Denise Greene-Wilkinson participated in a panel discussion on bullying at the US Department of Education.
News from the White House and the US Department of Education
Department of Education Releases Perkins Act/Career and Technical Education Blueprint
On April 19, the Department of Education issued its blueprint for reauthorizing the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The blueprint is based on 4 key principles:
Alignment: Ensuring that the skills taught in CTE programs reflect the actual needs of the labor market so that CTE students acquire the 21st century skills necessary for in-demand occupations within high-growth industry sectors.
Collaboration: Incentivizing secondary schools, institutions of higher education, employers, and industry partners to work together to ensure that all CTE programs offer students high-quality learning opportunities.
Accountability: Requiring CTE programs to show, through common definitions and related performance measures, that they are improving academic outcomes and enabling students to build technical and job skills.
Innovation: Promoting systemic reform of state-level policies to support effective CTE implementation and innovation at the local level
In addition, ED will be holding a Perkins Blueprint webinar. Please see the “Events” section below for this information.
For more information, go to: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/cte/transforming-career-technical-education.pdf.
U.S. Department of Education Seeks Input on “RESPECT” Project to Transform the Teaching Profession
From a Department of Education press release: “A vision document for reforming the teaching profession created by active classroom teachers working temporarily for the U.S. Department of Education was posted for public comment on the Department’s website as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. The 14-page document reflects input from more than 2,500 teachers across the country who participated in approximately 200 roundtable meetings over the past six months.
NASSP worked with ED to hold 4 focus group sessions with principals and assistant principals to discuss RESPECT. These sessions were conducted at the NASSP annual conference in Tampa (March), and here in Washington, DC, with the State Assistant Principals of the Year (April), the MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools (April), and a group of local principals from DC, Maryland, and Virginia (May).
The RESPECT Project, which stands for Recognizing Educational Success, Professional Excellence and Collaborative Teaching, is the Obama Administration’s effort to honor and elevate America’s educators. The administration’s proposed 2013 budget seeks $5 billion for a new competitive program to support states and districts working to reform the teaching profession.
RESPECT explores transformative ideas for improving classroom instruction, making the most of the school day and year, strengthening the relationship between principal and teachers, and distributing talent to high-need schools and subjects. In addition, it discusses effective methods for recruitment, training, development, and creating career pathways that encourage talented teachers and leaders to maintain professions in education.
For more information, go to: http://www.ed.gov/teaching/national-conversation/vision.
Department of Education Announces District-Level Race to the Top Applications
In May, the US Department of Education released the draft guidelines for a district competition for Race to the Top funds. For more information about the draft guidelines and NASSP’s comments, read this article in Education Week: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2012/05/department_announces_game_plan.html
To read the draft guidelines, visit the Department’s Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/race-top/district-competition.
Obama Announces Plan to Halt Deportation of Illegal Immigrant Youths
The Obama administration announced that it will start granting work permits to illegal immigrant youths (instead of deportation) who meet the following criteria: they were brought to the United States before they turned 16 and are younger than 30; they have been in the country for at least five continuous years; have no criminal history; graduated from a U.S. high school or earned a GED; or served in the military.
As Education Week notes, “The election-year initiative addresses a top priority of an influential Latino electorate that has been vocal in its opposition to administration deportation policies.
The policy change, described to The Associated Press by two senior administration officials, will affect as many as 800,000 immigrants who have lived in fear of deportation. It also bypasses Congress and partially achieves the goals of the so-called DREAM Act [strongly supported by NASSP], a long-sought but never enacted plan to establish a path toward citizenship for young people who came to the United States illegally but who have attended college or served in the military.
NASSP Board Position Statements
In May, the NASSP Board of Directors gave final approval to a position statement on Charter Schools: http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=47108
NASSP Federal Grassroots Network
The Federal Grassroots Network held its quarterly call on May 8 and a make-up call on May 10. The five “hot topics” the Network reported on in their states and that NASSP Government Relations staff created action items on were: teacher evaluation, principal evaluation, implementation of common core state standards, No Child Left Behind waivers ,and state education funding. If you are not yet a member of the Federal Grassroots Network and would like to become one, please email Mary Kingston at kingstonm@nassp.org. For an overview of what membership in the Network involves, please go here: http://www.nassp.org/Legislative-Advocacy/NASSP-Federal-Grassroots-Network.
The quarterly call dates for 2012-2013 are the following (members will choose one date/time per quarter):
- August 2012: Tues Aug 21 2012, 10 am EST; Wed Aug 22 2012, 3:30 pm EST
- November 2012: Tues Nov 13, 10 am EST; Wed Nov 14 2012, 3:30 pm EST
- February 2013: Tues Feb 12, 10 am EST; Wed Feb 13 2013, 3:30 pm EST
- May 2013: Tues May 14, 10 am EST; Wed May 15 2013, 3:30 pm EST
NASSP Advocacy in the States
NASSP Director of Government Relations Amanda Karhuse was in Harrisburg, PA, on April 13 to speak to the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals.
NASSP Manager of Government Relations Mary Kingston was in Yukon, Oklahoma on June 23 to present the platforms of the presidential candidates as part of a mock presidential election to student council members for the National Association of Student Councils conference.
Alliance for Excellent Education
Association for Middle Level Education
National Association of Secondary School Principals
National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform
with
Honorary Co-hosts
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (AZ-7)
INVITE YOU TO
A SPECIAL BRIEFING
Early Warning Indicator Systems:
A Tool for High Performing Middle Grades Schools
This briefing will discuss the impact of using early warning indicator systems—which identify students at high risk of dropping out as early as sixth grade—to keep students on track for graduation and accelerate successful student progress. Hear from representatives from a middle school, the research community, and Congressional staff.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
HC-8 in the Capitol
*Please bring identification for entrance via the House side of Capitol *
Presenters Include
Bob Wise, President
Alliance for Excellent Education
Bob Balfanz, Co-director, Everyone Graduates Center
Johns Hopkins University
Catherine Miller, Teacher and Data Specialist
MS 244, The New School for Leadership and the Arts
Bronx, NY
Regan Fitzgerald, Legislative Counsel
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
|
RSVP to: Ellen Fern – efern@wpllc.net
Renewing an effort to strengthen middle level education as a way to increase high school graduation rates, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) have reintroduced the Success in the Middle Act (H.R. 1547/S. 833).
“This bill recognizes the role of the middle grades as a tipping point in the education of many of our nation’s students, especially those who are at risk of dropping out,” said Sen. Whitehouse in a statement on the Senate floor upon the bill’s introduction. “Success in the Middle invests much-needed attention and resources in middle grades education, requiring states to create plans to specifically address the unique needs of students in the age group, and focusing on schools that feed into some of our country’s most dropout-prone high schools so they are ready for the curriculum and the unique social pressures they will encounter there.”
NASSP worked with the National Middle School Association, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, and a number of other education groups to draft the Success in the Middle Act, and the bill incorporates many of the recommendations outlined in Breaking Ranks in the Middle. Specifically, the bill would:
In an effort to improve high school graduation rates, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) and other Democratic leaders have introduced legislation aimed at turning around the nation’s “dropout factories” and their feeder middle schools.
“We are failing our students, failing our communities and failing our nation if we allow this dropout crisis to continue,” said Miller in a press release about the Graduation for All Act (H.R. 4122). “Ending this epidemic is a civil rights imperative, a moral issue and an economic necessity. This bill says that it is no longer acceptable to let an at-risk student fall through the cracks and empowers schools to make changes needed to help at-risk students thrive in school, earn a diploma and go on to college or a good job.”
Under Title I, the bill would authorize a $2 billion competitive grant program for districts to support high schools with a graduation rate of 65 percent or lower and their feeder middle schools. Specifically, participating districts would implement a “Model of Success” in secondary schools similar to the four school intervention models outlined in the School Improvement Grants program:
Transformation Model, which includes increasing teacher and school leader effectiveness through mentoring and induction programs and career-ladder opportunities;
Turnaround Model, which includes 1) replacing the principal if student achievement has declined during his or her tenure; and 2) replacing or reassigning teachers who do not have subject-matter expertise in the subjects they teach or are not highly qualified
Restart Model, which includes closing a school and reopening it under a school management organization or charter management organization; and
Close-Down Model, which includes closing a school and re-enrolling students in other, higher-achieving schools in the district.
The legislation would require districts to implement an early warning system to identify students at risk of dropping out and provide them with academic and social supports to help them succeed—a concept endorsed by NASSP and embodied in the Success in the Middle Act and the Graduation Promise Act (GPA). Finally, districts would provide school leadership teams with more operating flexibility with respect to staffing, budgets, scheduling, and use of school-time decisions; establish credit-recovery programs; and enhance college and career counseling in secondary schools.
Title II of the bill would authorize $150 million for schools districts to partner with local colleges or universities in establishing an early college high school or other dual enrollment program; and Title III would facilitate research on effective best practices to improve student achievement in the middle grades.
“While NASSP is pleased that Congress is focusing attention on middle level and high schools as part of its reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we are concerned that the Graduation for All Act emphasizes four school reform models whose success remains untested and unproven,” said NASSP Executive Director Gerald N. Tirozzi. “We will continue to advocate for legislation that promotes genuine school improvement and encompasses the Breaking Ranks framework, including the Success in the Middle Act and GPA.”
Renewing an effort to strengthen middle level education as a way to increase high school graduation rates, Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) have reintroduced the Success in the Middle Act (H.R. 3006/S. 1362). Although there was strong support to pass the legislation as part of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, action on all education bills was postponed during the 110th Congress.
“Middle schools are a forgotten area,” said Congressman Grijalva. “We need to invest in the most crucial years of the education pipeline to ensure our students succeed. Middle school students are faced with many changes in their personal life and the pressures of adjusting into teenagers. Our schools need to invest in this transitional period, to create the support mechanism these students will need to continue through high school and on to other higher education opportunities.”
“There has been significant focud during K-12 reform discussions regarding high school reform, and while there is no doubt that this is an essential component of improving our education system, addressing dropout prevention must begin earlier,” said Sen. Reed in a statement on the Senate floor. “As one of the leading experts in the area of middle and high school reform, Robert Balfanz has stated, middle schools are the ‘first line of defense’ in identifying at-risk students and then effectively intervening to prevent them from dropping out.”
NASSP worked with the National Middle School Association, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, and a number of other education groups to draft the Success in the Middle Act, and the bill incorporates many of the recommendations outlined in Breaking Ranks in the Middle. Specifically, the bill would:
- Authorize $1 billion annually for grants to local school districts to improve low-performing schools that contain middle grades.
- Require states receiving grants to implement a plan that describes what students are required to know and do to successfully complete the middle grades and transition to and succeed in an academically rigorous high school that prepares them for postsecondary education and the workplace
- Require states to develop early warning and intervention systems to identify those students most at-risk of dropping out and intervene appropriately to help them succeed.
- Encourage states and districts to invest in proven strategies, such as: 1) Providing professional development and coaching to school leaders, teachers and other school personnel in addressing the needs of diverse learners and in using challenging and relevant research-based best practices and curriculum; 2) Developing and implementing comprehensive, school-wide improvement efforts in eligible schools; and 3) Implementing student supports, such as extended learning time and personal academic plans that enable all students to stay on the path to graduation.
- Authorizes an additional $100 million to facilitate the generation, dissemination, and application of research to identify promising practices in middle grades education, as well as review existing research on middle grades education practices.
Take action! As a school leader, you are in a prime position to educate your members of Congress about the needs of middle level schools and their students. Please visit the Principal’s Legislative Action Center and urge your representative and senators to cosponsor the Success in the Middle Act.
The level of academic achievement that students attain by eighth grade has a larger impact on college and career readiness than anything that happens academically in high school, according to a report released in December by ACT. The Forgotten Middle examines the specific academic and nonacademic factors that influence postsecondary success and how these factors have a greatest impact during a student’s educational development.
“NASSP has long recognized the important role middle level education plays in preparing students for their future, and this report should serve as a call to action for national attention and a national initiative to support students in the middle grades” said NASSP Executive Director Gerald N. Tirozzi. “We believe that The Forgotten Middle, especially when coupled with the early identification and effective intervention research done at Johns Hopkins University, sends a clear and urgent message to policymakers that the middle level can no longer be ignored. If we want to improve the graduation rate in our nation and give all students an opportunity for postsecondary education, we cannot wait until high school to begin that work.”
The ACT report analyzed data from approximately 216,000 students in the 2005 and 2006 high school graduation classes who had taken all three programs included in the longitudinal assessment component of the ACT College Readiness System: EXPLORE (grades 8-9), PLAN (grade 10), and the ACT test (grades 11-12). By measuring the four EXPLORE scores in English, mathematics, reading, and science, the study shows that “eighth-grade achievement displays a stronger relationship with eleventh- or twelfth-grade ACT scores, and therefore with college and career readiness, than does any other factor—more than students’ family background, high school coursework, or high school grade point average.” Similar results were found for racial/ethnic minority students and also when data was analyzed by students’ annual family income level.
ACT also collected data from students at 24 middle level schools throughout the nation to examine the role that academically related psychosocial factors play in predicting course failure in the eighth grade and high school grade point average in the ninth grade—two important indicators in predicting future academic success in. The ten factors were academic discipline, commitment, family attitude, family involvement, optimism, orderly conduct, relationships with school personnel, school safety, steadiness, and thinking before acting. The findings showed that academic discipline and orderly conduct both had a “substantial impact” on course failure in the eighth grade, and the same factors combined with having positive relationships with school personnel greatly impacted grade point average in the ninth grade.
The Forgotten Middle outlines 55 nonnegotiable knowledge and skills that all eighth-grade students must have in order to be on target for college and career readiness: 7 in English, 26 in mathematics, 6 in reading, and 16 in science. According to the report, the standards serve as instructional links and “should be used to articulate skills and courses among elementary school and middle school and between middle school and high school.”
Finally, ACT offers recommendations to improve academic achievement and college and career readiness for all middle level and high school students:
- Focus K-8 standards on the knowledge and skills that are essential for college and career readiness, and make these knowledge and skills nonnegotiable for all students
- Monitor student progress in becoming ready for college and career, and intervene with students who are not on target to becoming ready, beginning in upper elementary school and continuing through middle school
- Improve students’ academic behavior
- Increase federal and state support for schools to implement intervention programs that help all students become ready for college and career
The Forgotten Middle clearly points to the need for a federal investment in middle level education as outlined in the Success in the Middle Act, a bill introduced last year by President-Elect Barack Obama (D-IL) and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).Outlining many of the policy recommendations made in Breaking Ranks in the Middle, the legislation would authorize $1 billion to support states in creating middle school improvement plans, implement early warning identification systems for students most at risk of dropping out, and invest in proven interventions to help all middle level students succeed.
To read the full ACT report, go to www.act.org.
Middle schools are garnering national attention and could become a key issue in the 2008 presidential election now that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has introduced the Success in the Middle Act (S. 2227). The legislation is nearly identical to a bill (H.R. 3406) introduced by Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) in September.
“For far too long, our education system has overlooked our nation’s middle schools and failed to provide them the resources they need for our kids to succeed,” said Sen. Obama. “The middle school experience is vital to success in high school and college, and the lack of attention to middle school on a federal level is reflected in the rising high school dropout rate…We need to do more to invest in these schools, and this legislation will invest in a new generation of leaders by strengthening our middle schools, teachers, and students. If our country wants to remain competitive in math and science on a global level, we must break down any barriers that are preventing our kids from getting the world-class education they deserve.”
NASSP joined forces earlier this year with National Middle School Association, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, and a number of other education associations to form the Middle Grades Coalition on NCLB. The coalition promoted joint recommendations for NCLB reauthorization and drafted the Success in the Middle Act, which reflects NASSP Policy Recommendations for Middle Level Reform. Specifically, the bill would:
- Authorize $1 billion for formula grants to states to help local school districts improve low-performing schools that contain middle grades
- Require states receiving a grant to implement a statewide plan for improving student achievement in the middle grades
- Ensure that statewide plans describe what students are required to know to successfully complete the middle grades and make the transition to succeed in an academically rigorous high school
that prepares students for postsecondary education and the workplace - Require states and districts to develop an early identification data system to identify those students most at risk of dropping out, and to help school districts provide proven interventions to help all middle level students succeed
- Ensure that states and districts invest in proven intervention strategies such as 1) providing professional development and coaching to enable school leaders, teachers, and other school personnel address the needs of diverse learners and use challenging and relevant research-based best practices and curriculum; 2) developing and implementing comprehensive, schoolwide improvement efforts in our nation’s lowest-performing schools; 3) and implementing student supports, such as extended learning time, personal academic plans, and intensive reading and math instruction that enable all students to stay on the path to graduation
- Authorize an additional $100 million for research to identify and implement effective practices that lead to student learning and success at the middle level
“Students in grades 5 through 8 represent 57% (14 million) of the nation’s annual test takers under the No Child Left Behind Act, but middle schools are not receiving adequate federal funding and support to help these students succeed,” said NASSP Executive Director Gerald N. Tirozzi. “The Success in the Middle Act would provide the support necessary to turn around our nation’s lowest-performing middle schools and give our struggling students the help they need to achieve in high school, college, and beyond.”
Patti Kinney, the recently appointed director of NASSP’s National Center for Middle Level Leadership said, “It is very exciting and gratifying to see that Congress is finally beginning to realize the importance of middle level education. Without programs and support directed specifically toward this level, our nation will be unable to meet the provisions of No Child Left Behind and provide all young adolescents with a challenging, engaging education that prepares them for a successful future.”
The House and Senate sponsors of the Success in the Middle Act are working diligently to incorporate the bill into NCLB, but reauthorization will likely be postponed until spring 2008 at the earliest.
Take action! As a school leader, you are in a prime position to educate your members of Congress about the needs of middle level schools and their students. Please visit the Principal’s Legislative Action Center and urge your senators to cosponsor the Success in the Middle Act.
Middle level reform is finally receiving national attention now that Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) has introduced the Success in the Middle Act (H.R. 3406). The bill, which would create a Middle Schools Improvement Fund, will likely be incorporated into the reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
“Middle schools are a forgotten area in this whole NCLB reauthorization process,” Grijalva said in a press release announcing the bill’s introduction. “We need to invest in the most crucial years of the education pipeline to ensure our students succeed.”
The Success in the Middle Act was drafted by NASSP in collaboration with National Middle School Association, the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, and a number of other education organizations. The groups joined forces earlier this year to promote joint recommendations for NCLB reauthorization, and the Grijalva bill is a key piece of the agenda to improve middle level education. Specifically, the bill would:
- Authorize $1 billion for the Middle Schools Improvement Fund to help local school districts improve low-performing schools that contain middle grades
- Require states receiving a grant to implement a statewide plan for improving student achievement in the middle grades
- Ensure that statewide plans describe what students are required to know to successfully complete the middle grades and succeed in an academically rigorous high school that prepares students for postsecondary education and the workplace
- Require states and districts to develop an early-warning data system to identify those students most at risk of dropping out and implement interventions that will help those students succeed
- Ensure that states and districts invest in proven intervention strategies such as providing professional development and coaching for school leaders, teachers, and other school personnel to address the needs of diverse learners and use challenging and relevant research-based best practices and curricula; and developing and implementing comprehensive, schoolwide improvement efforts in the nation’s lowest-performing schools; and implementing student supports such as personal academic plans, mentoring, intensive reading and math instruction, and extended learning time, which help all students to stay on the path to graduation
- Authorize an additional $100 million dollars to facilitate the generation, dissemination, and application of research to identify and implement effective practices that lead to continual student learning and high academic achievement at the middle level.
The future success of NCLB rests largely on the shoulders of middle level leaders, teachers, and students. Students in grades 5 through 8 represent 57% (14 million) of the nation’s annual test takers, but students are leaving middle level schools underprepared for the rigorous academic and social demands of successful high school participation and completion. NASSP firmly believes that the Success in the Middle Act will ensure greater academic achievement in high school, lower dropout rates, higher graduation rates, and more students attending college in the future.
Take action! The House Education and Labor Committee is moving quickly on NCLB reauthorization and plans to mark up a bill when Congress returns from its summer recess in September. As a school leader, you are in a prime position to educate your members of Congress about the needs of middle level schools and their students. Visit the Principal’s Legislative Action Center (www.nassp.org/PLAC) and urge your members of Congress to cosponsor the Success in the Middle Act.
