Latest news with #Let'sGetReady!
Axios
2 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
How Colorado's governor is reimagining education
The legacy Gov. Jared Polis wants to leave behind is a roadmap for educating the next generation. Why it matters: The term-limited Democratic governor is issuing a call to action for the nation's governors to push a new vision that better connects education to workforce, civic and wellness outcomes. The big picture: The plan is outlined in a 48-page report released Thursday ahead of the conclusion of Polis' tenure as chair of the National Governors Association. Titled " Let's Get Ready!," it reimagines student readiness for life beyond school. The four pillars begin with competency in reading and math, but the knowledge base extends to workforce preparedness, lifelong well-being and civic engagement. To achieve this, states must develop new systems to measure outcomes and publish the data on a public dashboard, holding leaders and educators accountable. What he's saying: "We need better ways to measure the outcomes to make sure that kids are able to succeed in the world, and then … success spells economic success for our country," Polis told Axios Denver on the sidelines of the association's weekend meeting in Colorado Springs. The other side: One of the key components of the initiative is building a more effective partnership with the federal government on education. And it's unclear whether the Trump administration is willing to do so. In a discussion at the NGA conference between Polis and U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, he thanked her for releasing $66 million in withheld federal dollars now headed to Colorado school districts. But she made "no guarantees" the same thing won't happen again and promised "pencil sharpening" that cuts costs in the future. What's next: Colorado is expected to join a handful of other states in a pilot program to rethink how student achievement is measured by developing new benchmarks beyond standardized testing. "We plan to lead the way … [in] making sure we can take our schools to the next level and the results for students to the next level," Polis said. The bottom line: The report builds on Polis' other education initiatives — including state-funded, part-time preschool and full-day kindergarten — and affirms his legacy as the education governor.
Washington Post
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Grades fail the test. It's time to change education's status quo.
Regarding Daniel Pink's March 3 online column, 'Why not get rid of grades?': Governors across the country — Democratic and Republican alike — are rethinking how we measure success. There's no doubt the U.S. education system, from early childhood through college, is due for a redesign to keep pace with changes in technology and the job market. Though metrics such as grades, test scores or diplomas are important, these measurements alone are no longer sufficient to determine whether students are career- or college-ready. And it's not just metrics that need reevaluation; we also need to rethink how education meets the needs of our students and their futures. In Colorado, we have several innovative programs to help students transition to careers and higher education opportunities. For our future educators, Colorado's teacher apprenticeship program helps people who want to get a teaching degree. Apprentices get structured, on-the-job training alongside a mentor teacher as well as credit for prior classroom experience and related academic instruction — all while getting paid. Through FutureForward at Bollman, high school students can earn industry certificates and college credit in high-demand fields, such as automotive technology, cybersecurity and medical science. Some graduates heading directly into the workforce can start off in good-paying jobs on the strength of their training and certifications. At Colorado Early Colleges charter schools, students can earn an associate's degree in tandem with a high school diploma. A head start on degrees means they can complete their college studies faster, saving time and money. Through our bipartisan National Governors Association (NGA) initiative Let's Get Ready!, governors across the country are working with education leaders, parents and students to reexamine our assumptions, innovate to more effectively measure outcomes and do more of what works. To prepare our students for successful futures and our economy for greater success, it's time to move past the status quo. Jared Polis, Denver The writer, a Democrat, is governor of Colorado and chair of the NGA. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Role reversal Daniel Pink's online column reaffirms the negative impacts of grades in higher education. I would like to add two ideas to those Pink suggested. First, students should be given agency to develop their own learning goals and evaluation measures. For example, when I taught a writing methods course for education students, I modeled the idea that children, even at the elementary level, are capable of determining their own goals as writers in negotiation with their teacher. In addition, children can develop ways to evaluate their goals throughout the year based on specific skills modeled in class. This process reverses the typical top-down approach, in which students are graded on how well they conform to their teacher's expectations. Second, evaluation of university students should happen throughout a course, not just during finals week. Evaluating students early in a course makes teacher feedback relevant to readings and discussions later in the term. Paul Bodin, Eugene, Oregon The writer was an adjunct instructor in education studies at the University of Oregon. Grading gets an F Daniel Pink's online column about the flaws of traditional grading argues that our institutions of higher education must change how they assess students. If we truly care about preparing our nation's young people for future prosperity, we should apply this idea to our K-12 system as well. Too often, grading sends mixed messages. In fact, a recent study from the Equitable Grading Project found that nearly 60 percent of classroom grades didn't match the standardized test scores that were designed to measure the same students' content comprehension. Additionally, the Center for American Progress estimates that 40 percent to 60 percent of first-year college students require remediation in English, math or both, which tells us that a large portion of students are entering postsecondary institutions without the academic preparation they need to succeed. Clearly, our K-12 assessment systems need some rethinking. Education innovators across the country — from Lindsay Unified School District in California to Bellows Free Academy in Vermont — are already leading the way in alternative, proficiency-based grading by redesigning curriculums and ensuring students move ahead only after demonstrating proficiency. Let's follow their lead. Virgel Hammonds, Arlington The writer is chief executive of the Aurora Institute, an education nonprofit. Full stomachs, full brains Federal funding for school breakfast and lunch is back on the chopping block. As a K-12 educator for 25 years, I have seen why the federal government should continue funding our kids' meals. Children don't learn when they are hungry. They become disruptive, taking away precious learning time from themselves and others. In my experience, this pertains to all schools and students across socioeconomic levels; even students from wealthier backgrounds sometimes miss breakfast in the morning, as forgetful kids rush out the door of their busy household. Why do we need federal funding for school meals as opposed to state or local funding? Funding for public schools is based largely on property taxes, so many schools don't have the money to purchase sufficiently nutritious food. But every student should have a full stomach to fuel their brain. By feeding our children, we can help give them a good education, which could ultimately contribute to a stronger U.S. workforce. Ross Freshwater, Milwaukee Story continues below advertisement Advertisement No surprises with grades My eldest daughter spent her junior year at a school that did not give out grades. I was thrilled … until I wasn't. Every semester, we received report cards indicating she was 'progressing,' accompanied by a narrative discussing her accomplishments. In May, the school informed us — for the first time — that she was not progressing fast enough and would need to repeat the grade. She left and attended a school with grades, no surprises and a focus on students' individual needs. She has dyslexia, and the new school taught her to write for the first time in her life. They also taught her to advocate for herself, a skill she successfully uses at college. Now, she's excited about learning. She receives grades, but they aren't what motivates her. Bill Reuter, Arlington The writer was an eighth-grade teacher for 10 years. Too many students, too few teachers Though grade inflation might be worse at prestigious universities, in my experience, it's pervasive at all higher education institutions. I agree that it might make more sense to provide a nuanced personal evaluation of learning along with a pass/fail result rather than a letter grade, but there is one basic problem that's hard to get around: money. Throughout my 38½-year career as a college professor, funding for faculty positions was always an issue. There were never enough professors to go around, and funding was cut year after year. It's not like we were paid a lot, either — you don't get into teaching for the money. My introductory course often had 160 students, and higher-level courses typically had 30 to 35 students. The only way I could do my job efficiently was by assigning grades. There's no way I could give narrative evaluations with classes this big. Thus, you would need an incredibly different student-to-professor ratio. Where is that money coming from? Part of this problem is generated by far too many professions requiring college degrees. Whatever happened to apprenticeships? All a degree proves is that you are able to learn in a formal academic setting — and that doesn't tell you much about a person's ability to do certain kinds of work. I know from experience that some students do not belong in college, but that does not mean they can't be valuable employees. Thomas Rowe, Stevens Point, Wisconsin The writer is a professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Participation trophies Many commenters on Daniel Pink's online column are missing the point. Getting rid of grades does not encourage 'participation trophies'; instead, Pink argued that the grades now, especially A's, are the participation trophies. That's because students and their parents, in both high schools and universities, demand high grades to reflect effort rather than the actual mastery of a skill or field of knowledge. There is a massive misconception that grades can be earned through rote memory of basic information or the completion of an assignment instead of the ability to demonstrate their proficiency. Students should be able to apply their understanding of a subject by using critical thinking and creativity to explain complex concepts or perform difficult tasks. Teachers are sometimes pressured or even bullied by parents, students and administrators to provide good grades with little or no support for whether they are accurate. Administrators are pressured to maintain high grade-point averages to reflect schoolwide academic success, and some pressure teachers to instruct standardized test material only to ensure high scores. All of this makes getting an A an all-or-nothing gambit. Students see anything less than an A as a failure, and they often face consequences or react with despair when earning B's. Grade inflation is already high among high-schoolers, and many are not adequately prepared for college. If anything is a participation trophy, it is our current letter grading system. William Wallin, Tampa
