Latest news with #NationalAssessmentofEducationProgress
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why it makes a difference if a teacher looks like you
The nationwide teacher shortage is staggering. From June to December 2024, the Oklahoma State Department of Education reportedly issued 4,676 emergency certifications, which are provisional licenses for the 2024-2025 school year. In response, there are legislative bills to improve teacher pay and provide technological tools. State agency incentive programs offer financial support to recruit and retain teachers to teach in high-needs schools and in content areas like math, science and special education. These are all initiatives to offset the disparities. In 2024, the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), the Nation's Report Card, reported Oklahoma's academic performance made little progress since the pre-pandemic levels. Major innovations are underway to close the achievement gaps and improve teacher shortages. However, Tyler Glover, an African American sixth-grade math teacher at Santa Fe South Middle School, a public charter school with Oklahoma City Public School (OKCPS), says too many underserved students are being left behind. More: Ryan Walters should support trauma-informed interventions for Oklahoma kids | Opinion Linda Darling-Hammond, president and CEO of the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), a national educational scholar and expert, echoes Glover's sentiments. Her research shows that teachers of color bring benefits to all students, and especially to students of color, including by improving academic performance and attainment. Talitha Tollett-Bray, an African American educator, now retired, taught at John Franklin Hope Early Childhood Center and in the Tulsa Public Schools system. As a child, Bray started school at the all-Black Dunbar Elementary School and, by fifth grade, she had entered the integrated Pershing Elementary School. 'When I attended Pershing Elementary, it was the first time I experienced racism. My teacher ... was very prejudiced. She belittled Black students," Tollett-Bray said. "One day, I wrote a derogatory statement on a piece of paper. Later, I balled it up and threw it in the trash. One of the white girls got it out of the trash and gave it to her. I still got in trouble for my behavior. However, the white principal understood because parents complained about (the teacher's) treatment of Black children." 'When I attended school as a child, my Black teachers showed interest in you. They were stern. They knew the importance of education. They emphasized the value of education in their teaching. They wanted you to succeed. They drilled into us daily that education is how you get ahead. Education is how you get a good job, take care of yourself, be a productive citizen, and become an independent thinker by obtaining an education,' Tollett-Bray said. More: Opinion: Bilingual teacher pipeline program at OKCPS helping to improve student outcomes Bray stressed that our communities of color need and benefit from more teachers of color, particularly in the early grades. The attrition rate for novice teachers is five years before they leave the classroom. Glover graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). She has taught for seven years, gaining experience from the Putnam City district and at KIPP OKC College Prep (OKCPS). 'Our schools are made up of children of color from underserved communities. These kids seldom see teachers or administrators who look like them,' Glover said. Isaiah Massing, founding principal of Santa Fe South West Middle School, said studies show that students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, tend to perform better when taught by teachers who share their racial or cultural background. The shared experience between the students and the teachers leads to a deeper understanding of students' experiences. Massing said shared experiences decrease the need for behavioral interventions with less harsh consequences. Suspension rates are greatly reduced. Reductions in suspensions give students more time in the classroom, and students benefit from increased learning. He added: "Having a teacher who looks like them makes students feel more comfortable with who they are. That increased comfort is crucial for learning. It is much easier to learn when you are not worried about how you are being perceived.' Giovanni Aleso, a fifth-grader at Santa Fe South West, said Glover, his teacher, "takes time to show us how to work on math problems when we did not get it the first time. I like that.' A classmate, Camila Chavez, added: 'Ms. Glover is kind. Tomorrow's her birthday. If we win (a school competition), we get a party. I hope we win.' Deena V. Thomas is a retired Oklahoma City Public Schools teacher This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Many school children never see teachers who look like them | Opinion
Forbes
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
A Blueprint For The Federal Role In Education Research And Development
Cuts and changes to the U.S. Department of Education—in contracts, grants, and staffing—will ... More profoundly change the capacity and impact of federal education research and development. When the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) released its results last month, revealing in stark detail the struggles of American children with reading and math, the nation collectively gasped. Some pointed to these findings as justification for maintaining a strong federal role in education, while others—including President Trump through his recent Executive Order to dismantle the Department of Education—cited them as evidence that states should have greater autonomy. Despite these differing interpretations, everyone acknowledges one crucial point: NAEP, commonly known as the Nation's Report Card, delivers the definitive, comparable data on student learning across the country. This vital assessment helps educators and policymakers address two fundamental questions that drive education research and development (R&D): Are children learning, and what specific strategies can we implement to better support their academic growth? Yet, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)—the federal agency responsible for administering this vital assessment—is badly diminished. In February, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency canceled nearly $1.5 billion in contracts and grants for core data and research activities, many of which are Congressionally mandated. Then, just weeks ago, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced she would terminate 50% of the overall Department of Education staff, with IES losing approximately 90% of its personnel. These cuts and changes—in contracts, grants, and staffing—will profoundly change the capacity and impact of IES, the primary actor in federal education R&D. We should all be concerned about the impact on the quality of data, research, and technological advancement the federal government supports—and more importantly, its unintended effects on America's 50 million students. Yet, in this challenging moment, I'm compelled to focus on the future. I see an opportunity to work with stakeholders on both sides of the aisle to update—not upend—the federal government's approach to supporting education R&D. As the leader of the Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI), I'm working with partners and our coalition members to draft a blueprint envisioning a revitalized and rebuilt federal education R&D system. From conversations with state education leaders and many others, I hear consistent themes about what the federal government is best positioned to do so that it can support states to dramatically improve student outcomes. So far, ALI has identified three essential pillars that can form the basis for rebuilding the federal education R&D infrastructure. The federal government should: President Trump ran on an education platform that would 'let the States run our educational system as it should be run,' and Secretary McMahon echoed his call to 'return education to the states.' Republicans and Democrats will debate the exact role the federal government should play in education, but both can agree that state and local education leaders should be empowered to make the best use of data and evidence to improve outcomes in their communities. IES has a mandate from Congress to 'widely disseminate information on scientifically valid research, statistics, and evaluation on education, particularly to State educational agencies and local educational agencies' and to provide them with technical assistance to effectively implement research-backed approaches. In an updated education R&D ecosystem, the federal government must retain its essential role in supporting states and local school districts to know and apply evidence-based practices. However, the federal approach can be improved to be more responsive to community needs. First, federally-supported education research should primarily address urgent national challenges, like chronic absenteeism and lagging math and literacy achievement. This will help guide state and local policy and the adoption of effective, proven practices and interventions. Responsive, large-scale research investments will build a robust, actionable evidence base for state- and district-level education leaders to follow. Second, the federal government can more effectively translate research findings into practical, applicable information for educators and families. For instance, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) is a valuable repository of evidence-based programs and approaches, but some teachers and parents may find it too academic to be useful. A reimagined federal infrastructure for education R&D must make resources like the WWC much more accessible—and this must involve seeking and incorporating input from the practitioners, families, and students it seeks to serve. As proposed in a recent article in The 74, IES could give educational interventions A-F ratings so that it's easy to understand what has a strong evidence base and what does not, and it could convene experts, like the National Reading Panel, to resolve key education debates and provide clear, evidence-based guidance. This could also be done for writing, math, and science. IES facilitates national data collection that provides the source of truth about how our students are performing. As I laid out above, NAEP is the only national test that shows how students are faring within a state and across the nation to hold states to a common standard for achievement. Additionally, IES manages the Common Core of Data, a comprehensive database of the nation's public elementary and secondary schools and districts. Without the Nation's Report Card or the Common Core of Data, policymakers, educators, and the public are in the dark about our schools–and progress becomes more difficult. While NAEP must be preserved in the new version of IES, there is an opportunity to modernize another critical data investment: the Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) program. This is an essential grant program that helps states track data from early learning through the workforce. Updates to the SLDS program, as proposed in the bipartisan New Essential Education Discoveries (NEED) Act, could incentivize and support states to integrate data across multiple systems and agencies, including education, workforce, and nutrition, to provide a more holistic picture of factors influencing learning outcomes. States could use an improved SLDS to promote and generate accurate data in usable formats that help students, families, educators, and policymakers make informed decisions. In this new era, a big opportunity for IES is the development side of R&D, investing and helping scale cutting-edge educational tools and approaches. With the advent of high-performing large language models and other advancements in artificial intelligence, IES should invest in bold research that explores the frontiers of emerging technologies and how they can spur innovation in America's classrooms. IES already started to do this through its Accelerate, Transform, and Scale Initiative, which has been carrying out DARPA-inspired, interdisciplinary R&D to solve the biggest challenges in education. In partnership with the private sector, IES should double down on this type of R&D. It's a downpayment to ensure the U.S. remains globally competitive and at the leading edge of innovation. The cuts made to federally-supported education R&D in just the last few weeks have been devastating. Yet, I know that IES performs vital, Congressionally-required work, and I am hopeful that others will join me to stand up for and help shape its future. We can't lose sight of why IES exists in the first place: to improve the quality of education students receive. Let's ensure student achievement continues to be our north star–and if the Trump administration is willing, start rebuilding. Connect with Sara Schapiro on LinkedIn.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Secretary McMahon vows to make education 'better' for students so they won't be held 'prisoner' in schools
President Donald Trump signed a long-awaited executive order Thursday at the White House to begin dismantling the Department of Education, capping a campaign promise and setting up a congressional showdown. Trump repeatedly vowed on the 2024 campaign trail to shut down the federal agency and give school power back to the states. The Education Department, however, was created by Congress in 1979 and cannot be unilaterally shuttered by executive action. It can only officially be dismantled by an act of Congress. Republicans maintain slim majorities in both the House and Senate. Soon after Trump signed the executive order in the East Room, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., announced in a post on X that he would submit legislation to accomplish the president's goal. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon acknowledged the agency will face some hurdles in the months ahead but promised to work with Congress to get the job done. "We've spent almost $3 trillion. We've seen our scores continue to decline. We're doing something wrong. We need to change," she said in an interview Thursday on "Special Report." "I want Congress to be a partner in this, and I believe they will be because both sides of the aisle know that what is happening to education in our country cannot be allowed to stand because we are failing our students." Read On The Fox News App Dem Ags Sue Over Trump Administration's Department Of Education Layoffs Data from the National Assessment of Education Progress, commonly known as the Nation's Report Card, shows math proficiency at 39% for 4th graders and 28% for 8th graders. Reading proficiency isn't much better, at 31% and 30% respectively. Democratic lawmakers released statements shortly after Trump's executive order signing, condemning his decision. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the move will only hurt students. "This horrible decision by Donald Trump will be felt by teachers, parents, school leaders, and in the quality of education our children receive. Across the country property taxes will go up, while the quality of many schools will go down," he said. Dept Of Ed Spending Soared 749% Despite Downsizing, New Doge-inspired Initiative Reveals McMahon told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier that the Trump administration wants students to improve and have more opportunities. "We want to make education better for children. The president is an absolute proponent of school choice, and we are going to work very hard to make sure that children are not held prisoner in failing schools," she said. "I do think returning to basics is the best way to do it. We need to teach math and English and literacy and writing. We don't need to teach ideology. We have to let teachers teach." The former WWE CEO added that she's begun traveling across the country, meeting with governors to understand what they need moving forward to improve the education systems in their states. "What kind of plans for best practices can we make available to you so that you can see what other states have done and done successfully? And that's going to be the goal. Let's make sure that we are providing as much information to our states as we can so that we can get the best outcomes," McMahon explained. She acknowledged she could soon be out of a job if the Education Department is gutted, but said in the meantime, she wants students to be taken care article source: Secretary McMahon vows to make education 'better' for students so they won't be held 'prisoner' in schools
Fox News
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Secretary McMahon vows to make education 'better' for students so they won't be held 'prisoner' in schools
President Donald Trump signed a long-awaited executive order Thursday at the White House to begin dismantling the Department of Education, capping a campaign promise and setting up a congressional showdown. Trump repeatedly vowed on the 2024 campaign trail to shut down the federal agency and give school power back to the states. The Education Department, however, was created by Congress in 1979 and cannot be unilaterally shuttered by executive action. It can only officially be dismantled by an act of Congress. Republicans maintain slim majorities in both the House and Senate. Soon after Trump signed the executive order in the East Room, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., announced in a post on X that he would submit legislation to accomplish the president's goal. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon acknowledged the agency will face some hurdles in the months ahead but promised to work with Congress to get the job done. "We've spent almost $3 trillion. We've seen our scores continue to decline. We're doing something wrong. We need to change," she said in an interview Thursday on "Special Report." "I want Congress to be a partner in this, and I believe they will be because both sides of the aisle know that what is happening to education in our country cannot be allowed to stand because we are failing our students." Data from the National Assessment of Education Progress, commonly known as the Nation's Report Card, shows math proficiency at 39% for 4th graders and 28% for 8th graders. Reading proficiency isn't much better, at 31% and 30% respectively. Democratic lawmakers released statements shortly after Trump's executive order signing, condemning his decision. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the move will only hurt students. "This horrible decision by Donald Trump will be felt by teachers, parents, school leaders, and in the quality of education our children receive. Across the country property taxes will go up, while the quality of many schools will go down," he said. McMahon told Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier that the Trump administration wants students to improve and have more opportunities. "We want to make education better for children. The president is an absolute proponent of school choice, and we are going to work very hard to make sure that children are not held prisoner in failing schools," she said. "I do think returning to basics is the best way to do it. We need to teach math and English and literacy and writing. We don't need to teach ideology. We have to let teachers teach." The former WWE CEO added that she's begun traveling across the country, meeting with governors to understand what they need moving forward to improve the education systems in their states. "What kind of plans for best practices can we make available to you so that you can see what other states have done and done successfully? And that's going to be the goal. Let's make sure that we are providing as much information to our states as we can so that we can get the best outcomes," McMahon explained. She acknowledged she could soon be out of a job if the Education Department is gutted, but said in the meantime, she wants students to be taken care of.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: State AG's decision to join education lawsuit shows commitment to poor performance
To the editor: Are we to believe that our schools are performing well based upon state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta's citing of an obscure study from 2022 ("California joins 19 Democratic states in suit to stop massive Education Department layoffs," March 13)? This speaks volumes to just how out of touch with reality the Democrats have become. It was exactly this kind of talk by Democrats on the economy that ultimately led to their huge losses at the polls. They have not learned their lesson and are running the same tired everything-is-fine speil. Schools are in dire straits, as evidenced by their dismal performance on the most recent National Assessment of Education Progress report. The Department of Education is a boondoggle at best. Jason Y. Calizar, Torrance .. To the editor: So, the educational swamp creatures at the Department of Education are weeping, wailing and gnashing their teeth about the president's plan to dismantle the agency. Our own attorney general, Rob Bonta, has joined 19 other states in an attempt to halt Tump's plan. And all 19 states accused Trump of having an 'anti-education agenda.' Really? According to Bonta, 'In 2022, out of 37 developed nations, American students ranked 28th in math and 12th in science. Those numbers don't stand a chance without the invaluable programs the Department of Education provides.' 'Invaluable programs'? Let's look at the facts. The Department of Education was established in 1979 by then-President Carter. Then why, after 43 years, have American students shown such dismal progress? Joseph A. Lea, Mission Viejo This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
