“The loftier the building, the deeper must the foundation be laid.” – Thomas KempisGreetings from ABEC!
It seems like the very foundation of our public school system is in transition. Soon, Arizona’s expectations for student performance will be transitioning from AIMS to the Common Core Standards, and the labeling of schools will be transitioning from AZ LEARNS to the Arizona A-F labeling system. All of this can be very confusing to the public.
We will have a whole new way of communicating to the public about student achievement at the local neighborhood school. The old “performing” label eventually will be lifted – and a letter grade will take its place. There’s hope that the soon-to-be-announced Arizona A-F labeling system will be more meaningful to parents and the community. I’m hoping parents ask, “How did my child’s school get that grade?” and follow up with “What can I do to make it better?” Parents have a key role to play in improving student achievement, one child at a time.
Recognizing the importance of an engaged and educated public in forming a firm foundation for education, the Governor’s Office has launched Arizona Ready, a website targeted at non-educators to inform and raise awareness. Go to www.arizonaready.com and explore.
Every district deserves a deep foundation of strong leadership from their school board. The challenge is to identify thoughtful people and work to see them elected. The Center for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce, has published a document along with a list of non-partisan questions that could be posed to school board candidates, which could be helpful to community members.
And what is more foundational than stable and consistent funding for this education system in transition? Concern is mounting statewide, among parents, business leaders and educators, about the realization that we are headed into a crisis: the impending implementation, by 2015, of the Common Core standards and assessments, requiring investment in extensive professional development paralleling a funding “cliff” that could result in the loss of significant education funding. ABEC has been facilitating a small group of key leaders which has been exploring just this difficult issue with an eye toward finding common ground and taking action. Stay tuned.
Sincerely,
ABEC executive director
Many of us remember the early days of AZ LEARNS and the discussions about the school labels. Are they clear enough? Will the public understand what they mean? Are the labels descriptive enough that they tell the story of performance, but don’t denigrate progress toward achievement? In recent months, that conversation has been held again – with a new result: letter grades for schools. With the passage of legislation, policy makers decided that the public will understand letter grades easily enough – after all, they’ve experienced such grades themselves.
Now, how a letter grade is established is not all that uncomplicated. But the bigger question is, “will the information be used in appropriate ways?” This new approach may well change the conversation. Community members will have the opportunity to get involved and support efforts to “bring our grade” up … everyone has a role in working toward a B or better.
Let’s hear from you: “Are school labeling systems good for public education?” Send us your comments!
SCHOOL READINESS INDICATORS: AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP
By Patrick Contrades
We all want students to be healthy and ready to start kindergarten. But, how does one determine and measure if a five year old is socially, emotionally, cognitively, physically … or simply, ready to start school?
Research shows that 90 percent of a child's brain develops by age 5. The experiences a child has during this critical time shape the foundation for a lifetime of learning. Children who have positive experiences from birth and leading up to kindergarten are more likely to do well in school, graduate and go to college. Conversely, children who are not prepared when they enter kindergarten face challenges from the start. They often display more acting out behavior because of frustration and require more teacher attention to manage and educate, which often detracts from their peers.
Recently, the State Board for First Things First approved ten School Readiness Indicators which were created by child development experts and honed in with consultation from early childhood stakeholders, tribal leaders and the general public. Arizona was also one of 17 states that participated in the National School Readiness Indicators Initiative that also helped guide the development of these indicators.
The School Readiness Indicators give First Things First a unified, measurable way to gauge progress in its mission to ensure that all Arizona children reach their first day of kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed. With regular tracking of these indicators, policymakers and community leaders will be able to identify areas most in need of intervention, track the results of the public's investment, and monitor trends over time.
Establishing these indicators is a critical first step in assessing if a child is ready to start kindergarten. Future steps include setting up systems to collect and analyze data, and setting benchmarks for each indicator.
Why is this important? For ABEC, one of its strategic plan goals is to ensure children are reading at grade level by third grade. Similarly, a law signed in 2010 (HB2732) – also referred to as “Move on when reading” – prevents a child from moving beyond third grade until he or she is reading at grade level, as measured by AIMS. The law does include exceptions for English-language learners, disabled and special education students. Children who started kindergarten and those in first grade this year are the first to be affected.
School Readiness Indicators:
1. #/% of children demonstrating school readiness at kindergarten entry in the development domains of social-emotional, language and literacy, cognitive, motor, and physical.
2. #/% of children enrolled in an early care and education program with a Quality First rating of 3-5 stars.
3. #/% of children with special needs enrolled in an inclusive early care and education program with a Quality First rating of 3-5 stars.
4. #/% of families that spend no more than 10% of the regional median family income on quality care and education with a Quality First rating of 3-5 stars.
5. % of children with newly identified developmental delays during the kindergarten year.
6. # of children entering kindergarten exiting preschool special education to regular education.
7. #/% of children ages 2-5 at a healthy weight (Body Mass Index).
8. #/% of children receiving timely well child visits.
9. #/% of children age 5 with untreated tooth decay.
10. % of families who report they are competent and confident about their ability to support their child’s safety, health and well-being.
For more details, click here.Patrick Contrades is the Deputy Director for ABEC. He also serves as the vice-chair for the Northwest Maricopa County Regional Partnership Council for First Things First.
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CALL FOR Want to go into the classroom to share information on your career field with middle school students? ABEC is seeking business volunteers to do just that. If interested and for more details, please contact Patrick Contrades, ABEC deputy director, at (602) 261-6701 or patrick@azbec.org. |
UPCOMING EVENTS
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4TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT Friday, October 7, 2011 Shotgun start @ 1:15 PM
The Legacy Golf Resort
6808 South 32nd Street Phoenix, Arizona 85042 There is still time to register, but hurry!
Contact Patrick Contrades at patrick@azbec.org or
602-261-6701.
ABEC LEGISLATIVE CONNECTION
ABEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS: 2012 ABEC ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Monday, June 4, 2012
HOST SPONSOR:
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Watch ABEC's video 
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BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR EDUCATION
by Kailin Biggerstaff
ABEC's unity of business and education leaders is about two influential parts of the community working together to achieve the goal of better education. But how do business leaders help build the foundation of student's futures? Orcutt|Winslow Partnership, an architecture, planning and interior design firm, does just that - builds the foundation.
The firm was started almost four decades ago by two Arizona State University graduates, Herman Orcutt and Paul Winslow, who believed a good project stemmed from a wealth of background information and a complete understanding of their clients' needs. The clients Orcutt|Winslow understand and cater to, among others, are students. They have designed over 400 education-related projects in Arizona alone, according to their website. "Education is what drives our advancement as a society," Paul Winslow, FAIA, co-founder of Orcutt|Winslow and ABEC Board President said. "It is the underpinning of virtually all of the rest of what we do."
When it comes to designing a place of education, the little details make the difference. A different social structure has a direct impact on the learning environment, Winslow said. By replacing the word classroom with "learning or educational space," Winslow said, it allows us to think differently about education and forces us to look ahead.
Education is also the foundation of the process an architect goes through when designing an optimal learning environment. When designing projects, the firm uses a concept called experience mapping. This process enhances the probability that the client, or in this case the student, gets the aspects of the building or environment they most desire. As a part of the experience mapping at some projects, children along with teachers are asked to brainstorm the most important aspects they want included in the new learning setting. The ultimate goal of the firm is to "build places that will support an experience that will enhance the learning environment," Winslow said.
When asked what he would look for when hiring this next generation of students that the firm meticulously details building plans for, Winslow said, "A surgeon who plays in a garage band." This balance of intelligence Winslow seeks in today's students mirrors this firm's dedication to making each project aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. This balance also creates spaces that provide students with more opportunities to learn and betters the educational community in Arizona.
Kailin Biggerstaff is a sophomore at ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and is interning at ABEC this fall.
ABEC/MEMBER UPDATES
Technology Recycling Day – The Arizona Technology Council is hosting the second state-wide Technology Recycling Day on October 1, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Council will be collecting any used or no longer operating computers or electronic equipment to recycle and refurbish. For drop-off locations and more info, go to http://www.aztechcouncil.org/CWT/External/WCPages/WCEvents/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1655.
20 states to lead effort to write new science standards - Next Generation Science Standards, 09/20/11
A group of 20 states (including Arizona) has been selected to lead an important effort to improve science education for all students. The 20 states will lead the development of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), a state-led effort that will clearly define the content and practices all students will need to learn from kindergarten through high school graduation. The NGSS process is being managed by Achieve, a non-partisan education non-profit. Read more>
Are High Schoolers Prepared for College? New Data Says Only 43% of Class of 2011 is Ready – Huffington Post, 09/20/11
There are many valid questions to be asked about the future of education in the United States, but there's one simple proposition with which I think most Americans would agree: college and career readiness are essential to America's future. We must ensure that by the time our students graduate high school, they are prepared to succeed and to compete -- to be the best in the world. Read more>
Tempe Union considering Montessori high school - www.azcentral.com, 09/17/11
Tempe Union High School District Superintendent Kenneth Baca envisions a school where students are working together, spending time in the community and maybe even milking cows. Read more>
Court throws out Ariz. law over unused school bond money – www.azcentral.com, 09/16/11
A Maricopa County Superior Court ruling this week has found unconstitutional a portion of a year-old law that had allowed Arizona school districts to spend unused bond money on other construction projects. Read more>
New program 'clusters' gifted, non-gifted students at 4 schools – www.azcentral.com, 09/15/11
Gifted and non-gifted students are "clustered" at four schools under a new program the Scottsdale Unified School District is piloting this year. Read more>
Rodel math program big help to elementary AIMS scores – www.azcentral.com, 09/15/11
A math-enrichment program offered to high-need elementary schools in the state has been shown to boost the AIMS scores of students who participate. Read more>
Arizona Board of Regents eyeing changes to scholarships – www.azcentral.com, 09/15/11
Students who receive scholarships through the three state universities could face more restrictions if they want to keep all their awards. Read more>
Arizona schools luring students with specialty programs – www.azcentral.com, 09/12/11
Charter schools, open enrollment and niche programs are luring students from neighborhood schools in a massive school-choice movement sweeping the state and country. Read more>
SAT reading scores drop to lowest point in decades - The Washington Post, 09/14/11
SAT reading scores for graduating high school seniors this year reached the lowest point in nearly four decades, reflecting a steady decline in performance in that subject on the college admissions test, the College Board reported Wednesday. Read more>
RELATED: 2011 College Bound Seniors: Arizona – The College Board
Thousands of Arizona children are being homeschooled – www.azcentral.com, 09/13/11
For Stephanie Lovett, a Maricopa mother of four, there will be no back-to-school nights or parent-teacher conferences. She doesn't need to purchase extra tissue boxes for the class or navigate through student drop-off traffic. Read more>
Environmental studies popular, but course quality varies – www.azcentral.com, 09/10/11
When Mesa High School science teacher John Jung launched a trial environmental-science program 18 years ago, only about a dozen students signed up. Read more>
Gov. Jan Brewer unveils education site – www.azcentral.com, 09/09/11
Gov. Jan Brewer on Thursday said she hoped any fiscal surplus would help the state avoid making future cuts to public education but stopped short of promising an end to such reductions. Read more>
Educators say kids need more exposure to outdoors – www.azcentral.com, 09/09/11
American school children need more exposure to the great outdoors, educator say. It's difficult to explain river systems and air quality to students who rarely visit their own neighborhood parks let alone places like the Grand Canyon. Read more>
Obama's plan includes fixing schools, saving teachers – www.azcentral.com, 09/09/11
Arizona would have until the end of September 2012 to decide how to spend its share of $30 billion in school building money included in a job creation package proposed by President Obama. Read more>
Stop the tuition madness – CNN Money, 09/09/11
(MONEY Magazine) -- For parents with college-bound kids, it seems like a no-win situation. Your child is eyeing the grassy quads and Gothic dorms of Dream U., while you're staring down at a too-small 401(k), a shaky job market, and a house worth a lot less than a few years ago. Read more>
In classroom of future, stagnant scores – The New York Times, 09/03/11
(CHANDLER, AZ) — Amy Furman, a seventh-grade English teacher here, roams among 31 students sitting at their desks or in clumps on the floor. They’re studying Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” — but not in any traditional way.
Read more>
Phoenix private schools adjust during economic hard times – www.azcentral.com, 08/29/11
In the earliest part of the recession, several northeast Phoenix private schools decided to expand. Two began high schools on new campuses, another merged with a grade school and is in the process of merging with another. Read more>
SPECIAL REPORTS
If Education Fails, Will Business Follow? – Greater Phoenix inBusiness Magazine, Sept. 2011
Education is seen by many as a core element in Arizona’s long-term economic health. The strength or weakness of education critically impacts our ability to attract and grow business. But, while we need to build business to boost the economy — to improve quality of life elements that include education — we need to have high-quality education to create the work force that will bring and keep businesses here. Read more>
Projections of Education Statistics Through 2020
The National Center for Education Statistics released a report projecting trends in higher education. Among the projections: the gender gap in college enrollment will widen, Latinos will lead in enrollment growth, and college completion rates will fall far short of the White House's 2020 goal. Read more>
Chancellor’s report: Pima Community College – September 2011
Dr. Roy Flores, Chancellor of Pima Community Colleges, summarizes the accomplishments of the community college district at a speech on August 19, 2011. Read more>
43 Percent of 2011 College-Bound Seniors Met SAT College and Career Readiness Benchmark – The College Board
The SAT College and Career Readiness Benchmark represents the level of academic preparedness associated with a high likelihood of college success and completion. The SAT Benchmark is a very reliable tool for measuring the college and career readiness of groups of students. It was developed to help secondary school administrators, educators and policymakers evaluate the effectiveness of academic programs in order to better prepare students for success in college and beyond. Read more>
2011 College Bound Seniors: Arizona – The College Board
This report presents data for Arizona high school graduates in the year 2011 who participated in the SAT Program. Students are counted only once, no matter how often they tested, and only their latest scores and most recent SAT Questionnaire responses are summarized. Download report>
The Mission of the High School: A New Consensus of the Purposes of Public Education? - www.ets.org
As the mission of the high school is redefined and implemented to prepare all students to be both college- and career-ready, it is increasingly important that policymakers have access to comprehensive information on a variety of related issues. Download report>
Expanded Learning Opportunities: A More Comprehensive Approach to Preparing High School Students for College and a Career – Alliance for Excellent Education
Expanded learning opportunities for high school students through methods such as work-based experiences, innovative technology, and personalized lesson plans have the potential to help address projected skill and knowledge shortages in the nation’s workforce, according to this new policy brief. Download report>
The Global Competitiveness Index 2011–2012: Setting the Foundations for Strong Productivity – World Economic Forum
The United States fell from number two to number four in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) latest Global Competitive Index (GCI). As recently as 2008–09, the United States ranked first. WEF reports on the key factors that determine economic growth and explain why some countries are more successful than others in raising income levels and opportunities for their populations. Individual country profiles are contained in the report. Download report>
STEM Learning in Afterschool: An Analysis of Impact and Outcomes – Afterschool Alliance
Strong after-school programs targeting the STEM fields deliver a number of outcomes for participants, concludes a new study, such as increased knowledge and skills, as well as greater interest and even a higher rate of pursuing a career related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Download report>
The Arizona Business & Education Coalition (ABEC) is a 501(c)(3) organization providing a balanced forum for business and education leaders to collaborate and improve K-12 education policy, with linkages to pre-kindergarten and postsecondary education. Guiding principles include: increasing public awareness about the relationship between Arizona’s future workforce and the quality of the K-12 system; actively and effectively influencing education policy; and sharing responsibility for the growth of student achievement in Arizona. For more information, visit www.azbec.org. You are receiving this e-mail because you are a member of ABEC, have signed up to receive our eNewsletter, attended an ABEC or ABEC-related event, or have made direct contact with ABEC.
Copyright 2011. Arizona Business & Education Coalition. All Rights Reserved.