Series 2558: Constituent Correspondence, 2000-2003
38707
From: "ECS e-Connection" <e-connection@ecs.org> To: Governor Musgrove Created: 8/23/2000 10:10 AM Subject: ECS e-Connection 08/23/00 Message: Welcome to the "e-Connection" from the EDUCATION COMMISSION OF THE STATES, a weekly e-mail publication with links to key education information. Please give us feedback by replying to this e-mail. ********************************************************** Highlights of this issue: * WHAT STATES ARE DOING: Florida on-line high school, school construction * GOOD READS: PDK/Gallup Poll on public schools, child poverty statistics * ECS NEWS: Quality teaching/higher ed workshops, CLC officers * UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS: NAEP online discussion, urban school reform * OTHER USEFUL WEB SITES: School administrators, curriculum development ********************************************************** ------------------------ WHAT STATES ARE DOING ------------------------ FLORIDA has established a traditional governance structure for its new Florida On-Line High School. Click on: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/session/2000/house/summaries/pdf/aec.pdf Scroll down to: CS/HB 2063 - Florida On-Line High School. For those Florida schools that are NOT virtual, and many others across the country, the problem of FACILITY CONSTRUCTION, maintenance and repair is significant. To address the issue in Florida, the legislature created a system to compile common designs (prototypes) for new construction. Policymakers also enacted SMART Schools (Soundly Made, Accountable, Reasonable and Thrifty) and required the state to maintain a clearinghouse of practices used by those designated SMART schools. The state also presents "thrift" awards to districts. Click on: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/citizen/documents/statutes/search/index.cfm Then type 235.2155 in the search bar and click on the "execute query" button. ------------------------ GOOD READS ------------------------ The 2000 "PHI DELTA KAPPA/GALLUP POLL Of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools" shows a high level of satisfaction with local public schools and increasing support of strengthening public schools (75%) over providing vouchers to pay for private schools (22%). A few other highlights: * The majority of respondents (52%) believe putting a qualified teacher in every classroom offers the greatest promise for improving schools. * Lack of money is seen as the biggest problem facing local schools. * Nearly seven in 10 people think schools should offer a balanced education rather than focusing on the basics. * Six in 10 believe teachers' salaries should be tied very or somewhat closely to student achievement. * The percentage of respondents who believe there is the right amount of emphasis on testing dropped five points from 1997, while the percentage who said there is too much emphasis on testing rose 10 percentage points. To see the full results: http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kpol0009.htm The CHILD POVERTY rate has improved in most states since 1993, according to a new study by the National Center for Children in Poverty, a nonpartisan research center at Columbia University."Child Poverty in the States: Levels and Trends from 1979 to 1998" reports that nine states reduced their child poverty rates by one-third or more since 1993, six of those in the South. Gains, however, have not fully offset the longer-term increases in child poverty in most states since 1979. From 1979-1998, the study says, the rate increased significantly in 14 states and decreased significantly in only four. http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nccp/cprb2txt.html ------------------------ ECS NEWS ------------------------ Twelve states will host policy workshops focused on QUALITY TEACHING, and another 16 have expressed interest. Funded with support from the Wallace- Reader's Digest Funds, the workshops are designed to help move states forward in their efforts to improve the quality of their teaching staffs. Confirmed states include New Mexico (September 20-21), New Hampshire (October 20), Alabama, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Ohio, Maryland, Mississippi, America Samoa, Minnesota and South Carolina. Hawaiian policymakers took part in a workshop there in March and are now involved in follow-up activity. ECS can accommodate up to 30 states, including technical assistance following the workshops. For more information, contact mallen@ecs.org. Also see: http://209.151.83.18/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/issue.asp?issueid=129 ECS and the Education Policy and Leadership Center will host on September 27-28 a Mid-Atlantic regional meeting on "The Future of HIGHER EDUCATION AND K-12 ACADEMIC STANDARDS: Implications for Statewide and Regional Collaboration." The Philadelphia meeting will look at K-16 systems, teacher quality, leadership, standards, preschool and other issues of interest to states in that area. For more information, contact Katy Anthes at canthes@ecs.org. New officers for 2000-01 of the COMPACT FOR LEARNING AND CITIZENSHIP (CLC), ECS' service- learning project, are: Chairman: * Dale Kinsley, superintendent of schools, Bellingham, Washington Board Members: * Barbara Grohe, superintendent of schools, Kent, Washington * Marilyn Howard, Idaho state superintendent of public instruction * Paula Papponi, superintendent of schools, Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico * Inez Tenenbaum, South Carolina state superintendent of education For more information about CLC, go to: http://209.151.83.18/ecsmain.asp?page=/html/projects.asp?am=7 Then click on the Compact for Learning and Citizenship. You also may contact Terry Pickeral at tpickeral@ecs.org or Lou Myers at lmyers@ecs.org. ------------------------ UPCOMING MEETINGS/EVENTS ------------------------ Join in a live discussion on Thursday, August 24, from 2-3 p.m. EDT, about the newest NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS report, "1999 Trends in Academic Progress." The assessment examines long-term trends in 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds' performance in reading, math and science. http://nces.ed.gov/statchat/conference/ The Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform is holding a National Working Meeting designed to stimulate URBAN SCHOOL REFORM efforts. The October 26-28 meeting in Baltimore will focus on equity issues and strategies for teaching and assessment that help urban students succeed in high school. Register by September 22. http://www.crosscity.org/announce/cuhs.htm ------------------------ OTHER USEFUL WEB SITES ------------------------ AASA ONLINE gives you the latest from the American Association of SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. Included is information about issues, publications, jobs and other areas of interest to district-level administrators and others. http://www.aasa.org/ The Association for SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT includes educators whose jobs cut across all grade levels and curriculum areas. The Web site includes resources, publications, training opportunities and more. http://www.ascd.org/ ---------------------------------------------------------- If you do not wish to receive this weekly communication, please reply to this e-mail with "unsubscribe" in the subject line. - Attachment Filename: C:\archives\governor\mail\Governor Musgrove\_attach\ECS e-Connection 08_23_00\Mime.822
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