Education News in Alabama
February 23, 2004 (archive)
It Was a Good Week For:
Partisan politics, as Republicans and Democrats in the Alabama State
Legislature continued to argue over such issues as no-bid contracts,
state employee health benefits, and "accountability."
To date, very little progress has been made on issues that will
restore trust in government.
It Was a Bad Week For:
Accountability, as state legislators passed watered-down versions
of once-strong accountability measures. For example, in addressing
the issue of pass-through pork, the penalty was reduced from a felony
to a misdemeanor for state agency directors who allow pork to pass
through their agencies. It was also a bad week for problem solving,
as legislators debated items without the benefit of meaningful analysis
of issues and suggested solutions.
Interim State Superintendent Report
At the February 12 meeting of the Alabama State Board of Education,
Interim State Superintendent Joe Morton gave a presentation detailing
the critical issues facing the department and the priorities for
his tenure.
Funding: Dr. Morton pledged to work with the Legislature
to convince them of the importance of restoring cuts made to the
Education Trust Fund in 2004. It is his hope to see textbook funding
restored to $57.50 (from $7.19), library enhancement funding restored
from $0 to $135 per teacher unit, technology funding restored from
$0 to $181 per teacher unit, and professional development funding
restored from $0 to $60 per teacher unit.
Improving Quality: Dr. Morton will focus on fully funding
the Alabama Reading Initiative; expanding of the Alabama Math, Science
and Technology Initiative; and completing a data system that will
provide better information on student achievement. Dr. Morton also
listed three programs that the department will initiate or implement
to improve quality. There will be new state standards for teacher
and administrator preparation programs (the State Board of Education
will discuss and approve these standards in March). The department
will move forward with its thoughtful implementation of "No
Child Left Behind" requirements and will streamline its monitoring
efforts in order to ensure that time and money is spent helping
local systems create effective schools.
Communications: Dr. Morton pledged to improve communications
with all constituents, from those in the education family to state
and local governments, parents, and others. His priority will be
to show the true value of public education, describing the "what
and the how" and emphasizing successes without running from
problems.
Powerful Conversations Project Continues
On February 17, 60 educators representing 21 schools attended a
follow-up session for schools that have participated in the Powerful
Conversations About Professional Development Project administered
by the Alabama Best Practices Center and the Alabama Teacher Quality
Enhancement Project. The theme of the meeting was "Closing
the Achievement Gap: Strategies for Success." Keynote speakers
for the meeting were Mike Looney, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum
and Instruction, and Margaret Allen, Director of Professional Development,
both with the Montgomery Public Schools. Mr. Looney and Mrs. Allen
spoke from two perspectives: as former principals and as members
of the leadership team of a school system. Both speakers shared
personal anecdotes about how building a learning community based
on a culture of high expectations for everyone in the building helped
both teachers and students improve their performance.
After the keynote presentation, attendees participated in a reflection
exercise using the "closing the gap" issue of Working
Toward Excellence, the quarterly journal of the Alabama Best Practices
Center (see "Schools
that Beat the Gap," Working Toward Excellence Journal, Volume
3, Numbers 1&2, Winter/Spring 2003). They were asked to
take the discussion to a higher level by beginning to develop an
action plan to address the achievement gap in their school.
IN THE NEWS (Source: PEN Weekly Newsblast)
Making Good on What Matters Most
A new report from The Teaching Commission, "Teaching at Risk:
A Call to Action," reminds the American people of how much
more needs to be done to improve teacher quality in our public schools.
The report raises a familiar specter, one that haunts reformers
who are committed to closing the achievement gap in America. Poor
children and those of color are far more likely not to have a qualified
and effective teacher. Yet growing research evidence shows that
a teacher’s knowledge, skills, and experience are the best
predictors of whether a child will learn in school, writes Barnett
Berry, executive director of the Southeast Center for Teaching Quality,
in this critique and call to action.
http://www.teachingquality.org/resources/pdfs/GerstnerReview.pdf
Highly Qualified Educators Earn Bonuses At Low-Performing
Schools
In what educators called a "massive reallocation of funding,"
the Mobile County school board has agreed to pay highly qualified
teachers up to $16,000 in bonuses for voluntarily moving to any
of five low performing schools this fall. School officials said
the plan would attract higher quality teachers to the underachieving
schools. Research shows that a caring, qualified, competent teacher
is one of the most important factors in improving student learning
and test scores.
http://www.al.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1076496301284920.xml?mobileregister?nmet
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Wal-Mart Announces Teacher of the Year Program
Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club invite nominations for the ninth annual
Teacher of the Year program. Through the 2004 program, Wal-Mart
will donate $4.3 million to the schools of winning teachers across
the United States. Winning teachers will receive $1,000 educational
grants from the Wal-Mart/Sam’s Club Foundation to benefit
their local school. Winning teachers also have the opportunity to
apply for state and national Teacher of the Year honors. State winners
will receive an additional $10,000 educational grant and will automatically
be entered in the national competition. The national winner will
receive an additional $25,000 educational grant for a total of $36,000
to his or her school. For more information, please visit http://www.pdkintl.org/walmart/home.htm
Overheard:
"Let's quit this partisan bickering, put our heads together
and solve this problem the best way we can" (Rep. Mac Gipson,
R-Prattville).
Words of Wisdom:
"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: and a people who
mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power
which knowledge gives" (James Madison, 1822).
Education News in Alabama is published bi-weekly by the
A+ Education Foundation and is distributed to A+ board members,
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