Interview with Commissioner Smith

December 05, 2009
A weekend interview with Florida education commissioner Eric J. Smith
Florida's education system faces dilemmas as it tries to cope with funding declines, meet new federal requirements and reform some of its practices amid demands and expectations from all sides. Education commissioner Eric J. Smith talked with reporter Jeff Solochek about the current state of affairs.

The first thing I want to ask you about is funding. We've heard there might be more cuts coming even this year. I've heard something like $32 per student. Do you know what is happening?

What you're referring to is a possible impact of proration. The budget is built on an anticipated projected student enrollment. If it comes in above what funding level has been established, there are adjustments made. We don't have firm numbers yet, but it looks like because we originally had projections for a reduction in enrollment but it turns out we're going to be up about 1,000 or 2,000 kids for the entire state. That would equate to an estimate of $80 million statewide. That would be equal to about a $30, $35 per FTE adjustment that would have to be made. It's early in the process still. But those are some things we are looking at.

I know funding in general is a huge problem right now. I am curious what you see districts having as options. They have this proration, and property values going down, and federal funding is supplementing lost state funding. What can districts actually be doing right now?

It is a difficult time. If there is any way that we can provide relief on the proration it will be a wonderful thing. I can't say that will happen. Because the whole state is like the whole country, and the economy is what it is. Budgets and funding is a challenge. Any kind of relief we can offer to our districts is welcome relief. But saying that, certainly the State Board of Education adopted a budget that I tell everybody was an extraordinarily large budget - an unrealistically large budget - and also an extraordinarily conservative budget. You have both of those in the same proposal. It was there.

But it is lean in terms of consumer price index increase of 2.7 percent, really just maintaining what we have with adjustments for two major elements. One is class size. We plugged in a figure ... in the neighborhood of $350 million to bring us to the next step in class size. And the other big piece, and a major challenge for the districts, is about $470 million allocation that would deal with lost local revenue. Those are the two big drivers. We had a total education request that was up $1.4 billion. But $700 million or $800 million of that was because of constitutional requirements or lost local revenue.

That sounds like the wish list. How do districts deal with the reality when it comes down and there's just not enough money there? Are there things that have to go? I know you've been talking about science and technology. Is there the ability to do that? Or the end-of-course exams. I know that Race to the Top has taken end-of-course-exams out of the picture. How do you pay for those types of things?

Well, kind of the backdrop to all this right now is, with the stabilization funds we received last year from the federal government, there are some fairly significant strings attached to that. The Legislature very wisely divided that money into basically half for this year, half for next year. ... The federal government has as a requirement to access the second half ... certain kinds of compliance. Part of that is to keep the percent of state funding to education constant. ... That certainly is good news for our districts, that the percent of funding for education needs to be constant or the state would not be eligible or might have to pay back what it had already received. So huge incentive to keep that percent of money at the level where it is. But saying that, we certainly are facing rough times.

My best recommendation to superintendents and boards is to be very conservative in their district budgets, avoid building in increases in expenditures in the out years through purchases or whatever might be, and try to really keep close tabs and make sure you have some reserve. The other issues, the Race tothe Top and another piece of money that the federal government has, $350 million for assessment development, have the potential of being very important to us. Race to the Top gives us in a time where there is no new money an opportunity to do some very creative and very bold action in education and an opportunity to move the efforts of the state of Florida forward. ... I've been in the business for 38 years and I've never been afforded this kind of latitude in trying to really improve the quality of education in this country.

Do you have any more details about what Florida is looking for in Race to the Top?

It's still a bit early on that, but it's not too early. A lot of the stuff is still in flux, but we did get some clarification. There was a rumor last week, that there were a lot of requests to extend the deadline for application. ... There's not going to be any extension of the deadline. ... I stress it this way about Race to the Top. The application to be successful ... really needs to be something that this state believes in and wants to pursue. The federal government is really looking for two things. First and foremost, states that make a proposal that is really bold in its approach and tries to dramatically move the nation forward in its ability to educate all chidlren with highly skilled teachers ... and not have any tolerance for schools that are failing. ...

The second thing that is very important ... is they are looking for states that have the capacity to act on that boldness. In large part the way they measure that capacity is ... quite often we spend time arguing the adult issues among ourselves, the adult needs of education and unfortunately don't spend time arguing about the needs of our children. This really requires the adults to come together around the needs of our children. ...

What are districts' role in all of this? Do they apply for pieces of it? Do they have to do the whole thing? Is it a mandate from on high?

A little bit of all of the above. They play a critical role in all of this because that's where all the work takes place. To finish out this part about capacity of the state, we need to issue an MOU to districts about their willingness to participate in the Race to the TOp program. Which would mean for a district if there are contractual issues that they need to go back and renegotiate, they would agree that they're going to sit at the table and negotiate. ...

What if they say no?

What we're going to be asking for is, by the time we submit we would like to have a significant number of our districts have the MOU signed by the superintendent, the chairman of the board and the president of the district's union. And if they say no, then if we're successful in getting our grant, half the money that would come in, it's a $700 million grant, half of that would go out to the districts in the Title I formula. If a district that would be eligible didn't want to participate, their share would be allocated to other districts.

Doesn't that undermine the idea of Race to the Top? Because a district that could be one of the lowest performing districts might say they don't want to participate and then they don't get the money and then they don't improve.

Which might point to part of the problem. Because there is the opportunity to work on the solution. I hope we don't see that in Florida. ... The same holds true with states. The states that have the greatest need might not apply. .... There is a lot of money at stake. There is a lot of opportunity at stake.

Let's talk a little bit about class size. It's obviously coming upon us very quickly. Can we do it?

(Laughs) I get into different conversations with people about the class size requirement under the constitution. My first view of it is, I think the districts and the Legislature and the taxpayers have done an incredible job of moving forward on this. It's been a huge financial investment by the state of Florida and the taxpayers to this point. And we are doing very well with class size. The horror stories that might have been discussed ten years ago just, you don't see those today. At least you don't see them very frequently. I think it's going to be a challenge. We have $350 million in our recommended budget to deal with that. Getting that money is going to be a challenge.

But I think more than the money, it's going to be technically a challenge to implement, just as an educator, an administrator. There are going to be many stories in Florida about the student who wanted to take an AP course in a school that wanted the child to take an AP course to help with high school accountability, but was told no because it would have put them over the limit on class size and would have led to a financial penalty for the district and a constitutional violation. As a result the student would have been denied services.

Who says when you have to count? I've never seen that. Where does it say you have to count every day?

Right. Well we have a process where we do count in the fall. But again all those elements are subject to the implementation of the constitutional amendment.

Isn't that up to you?

A combination of the department and the Legislature to make those decisions and interpretation of the true intent of the constitution, what the voters voted on. I think at the end of the day I have a legal and ethical obligation to fulfill the state constitution and will do that, not work to circumvent it along the way. I think the biggest hardship is going to be in the actual application of it, just because it's so hard to do. Small rural districts that don't have other options for service to groups of students and they can't bus them to other locations or divide the classes. These things become a reality. I think that will be difficult. As an educator I am very comfortable where we are. But it doesn't meet the requirements of the state constitution.

Can you do different things for a little district and a big one?

Not according to the constitution. It's one size fits all.

I know there's a lot of talk about performance pay. It ties into a lot of these things. And there is some resistance from teachers. And then there's other teacher groups that say, Let's go in and do this. How can you balance the idea of performance pay, differential pay with the issue of fairness that the teachers are talking about and the idea that, I don't have those kids all the time. How can you hold me responsible when I can't even get them to come to class?

I think Florida has been working hard to find these answers, and they're difficult answers to come to. I think with Race to the Top we're focused on the business of connecting the work of teachers and school leaders to the success of the children, and that a dominant portion of how we get evaluated in terms of our performance needs to be based on our ability to be successful with those that we are entrusted with, our children. That's a big piece of where we are headed. And I think it's a big piece of where the nation is headed. We are looking at how well our teachers are prepared in teacher education programs, and evaluating that based on how well these graduates do in working with children. We are certainly examining the actual evaluations of teachers to see how well that matches up with the achievement of our kids. The time has come for educators not to argue the point, should we be evaluated based on how well we succeed with our kids, but how do we do that successfully so it really brings honor to the profession and respect to those teachers that are successful and brings the credibility to those teachers, both financial and career opportunities and promotions and so on.

You've been commissioner now for a little bit.

Two years. I'm a veteran.

I'm wondering how you've seen things progress here in Florida and what your goals are for things progressing while you're still here.

I couldn't be prouder of this state. I start with those out there on the front line, the teachers and school administrators, district leadership. They have aggressively taken on the challenges that have been asked of them, the goals that have been placed before them, and have taken them seriously and have dealt with them professionally. I think Florida is in a wonderful place. We have a uge hardship with our funding right now and that's a larger issue with our economy that the federal government and state government have to wrestle with. But where we are in terms of our commitment to children and our commitment to continue to transform this educational program to meet the kids' needs not for just now when they're in the classroom, but for when they graduate and go on, I've never seen it stronger in any state I've ever worked for.

From: http://blogs.tampabay.com/schools/2009/12/a-weekend-interview-with-florida-education-commissioner-eric-j-smith.html#more

Legislative Report #3

From Emergent Design and Development, Inc.
Legislative Update #3
November 17, 2009

We have completed two of the eight Committee weeks which are scheduled prior to the opening of the regular session on March 2, 2010. The only clear direction that has been signaled by Legislative Leaders is the agreement on the major shortfall of revenue that will face the Appropriations Committees. The Recession continues in Florida and it will take much longer than anticipated to recover and return to the “good old days” when revenue increased each year.

1. THE FLORIDA FINANCIAL PICTURE LEADS TO BUDGET DEFICITS
A. Next year’s revenue projection is less than the current year’s actual revenue. Recent reports indicate that Florida is among 10 states facing budget disasters.
- Appraised value of property …down
- Home prices …down
- Sales Tax collections…down
- Doc. Stamps, fee collections, etc….less than expected
- School Taxable Values…down by 11%
- Unemployment…up

B. Impact on the Budget
- Two years ago the State Budget was $72.2 billion
- Current State Budget is $66 billion
- The next State Budget could be $ 62.6 billion or less
- This year we used Stimulus money and Reserves to balance the Budget (reserves gone)

C. Impact upon Education?
- Possibly a reduction in the Base Student Allocation
- Special projects will not be funded
- PECO (construction) funds will be much less
- District costs will rise (unemployment insurance, salaries, and benefits)

2. The National Recession is ending ( the longest recession since the Great Depression)
A. The nation is in the 23rd month of an expected 28 month recession

B. The recovery will probably be delayed in Florida as much as 1 year due to:
- Reliance upon Tourism
- Reliance upon Home Sales and new Construction
- Reliance on sales tax

C. Florida’s economy will improve only after people in other states have expendable income

Page 2 of 7
3. “Race to the Top” Impact upon Florida
A. The “Pillars” of the Program:
1. Improving standards and assessments
2. Increasing the effectiveness of teachers and leaders
3. Building and using data systems to inform educator’s decisions
4. Turning around the countries lowest performing schools

B. Expect teacher evaluation to be tied to student achievement
C. Expect Salaries to be tied to evaluations
D. Relocation of “Excellent Teachers” to low performing schools?
E. Florida is in category 1 for potential funding ($350‐700 Million)

4. New High School Grading System Required by SB 1908
A. Current system 100% FCAT, new system 50% FCAT
B. Points for participation in accelerated coursework, e.g., AP, Dual Enrollment, IB, AICE.
C. Points for performance in accelerated coursework
D. Points for postsecondary readiness
E. Points for the graduation rate of at‐risk students
F. RECALCULATION OF THE GRADUATION RATE AS FOLLOWS:

In 2009‐10 and 2010‐11 non‐graduates are dropouts, recipients of certification of completion, GED recipients, and non‐on‐time graduates. In 2011‐12 and onward, non‐graduates include the above , plus Special diplomas and transfers to adult education or Division of Juvenile Justice who are not standard diploma recipients

G. The system has rewards for growth and penalties for decline, in components

5. Proposed for 2010 Session ‐ HB 61 (a similar bill failed to pass last year)
A. Requires that students must be advised of the AP, IACE, Career Academy coursework that leads to National Industry certification, and dual enrollment courses as well as courses offered by the Florida Virtual School.

B. Phases in the higher level Mathematics requirements from the current Alg. I requirement to include Geometry for 9th graders entering in 2011‐12 and to additionally include Alg. II for 9th grade students entering in 2013‐14.

C. Phases in the higher level Science requirements from the current Biology I requirement, to include one credit of Physical Science for 9th graders entering in 2011‐12 and to additionally include one credit in Chemistry or Physics for 9th graders entering in 1013‐14.

D. These new requirements have caused several interesting discussions centering on:
1. Will this increase the dropout rate?
2. Will it lead to a shortage of teachers (Certified and Qualified for higher level courses)?
3. Will it lead to discussions regarding differentiated diplomas?
4. Will it lead to the increased use of Virtual Education?

Page 3 of 7
6. Interim Committee Meeting Schedule for 2010‐11
December December 7‐11
January January 11‐15
January 19‐22
February February 1‐5
February 8‐12 (appropriations only)
February 15‐19

Special Session, if called would be held during one of the above scheduled weeks. The call for a Special Session has not been given. If issued ,it would only address the high speed rail system proposal for Central Florida. Oil drilling and the Seminole gaming contract will probably be addressed in the regular session.

7. Common Standards and Common Assessments
The Obama administration has proposed giving states that adopt common standards an advantage in seeking “Race to the Top funds”. Governors and chief state school officers in 51 states and territories have agreed to work on common standards. The U.S. Department of Education is now looking at assessments to match the development of common standards. The
USDOE has $350 million in economic stimulus money to aid consortia of states in developing common assessments in reading and mathematics. A display of the standards development process is available at:
http://www.corestandards.org/Files/CCSSIProcess.pdf

FCSS Commends Ed Commissioner on Social Studies Testing Program

FCSS Urges CCSSO to Implement Social Studies Standards

October 26, 2009


Gene Wilhoit
Executive Director
Council of Chief State School Officers
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20001-1431


Dear Mr. Wilhoit,

The Florida Council for the Social Studies is a leading voice for curriculum development and assessment within the state of Florida. For several decades our members have been immersed in discussions with both state and national leaders regarding the vital need to promote high quality curriculum performance standards and assessment instruments related to our vital academic discipline. We firmly believe the primary reason of a public school system is development of responsible citizens who possess the knowledge, skills and dispositions to sustain our nation’s ability to meet future challenges. It is with this in mind that we strongly urge the CCSSO to consider the inclusion of social studies in your deliberations regarding the proposed establishment of common core standards for the nation’s public schools. Most state constitutions reference the basic purpose of public education as one to equip students with the requisite skills, knowledge and dispositions for effective citizenship. Unfortunately, numerous studies reveal the sad truth that – to the ultimate future detriment of our nation – current American educational leaders are not sustaining that civic mission.

At no time in the history of NAEP periodic assessments have any states ever been held accountable for how well they fulfill the civil and historical mission of their schools. Repeated attempts by FCSS in the last three Congresses to pass such reform legislation have failed. Moreover, continued research reveals the reduction in instructional time devoted to social studies – particularly at the elementary level. Unless we change course, leading economic forecasters, political pundits and even our former enemies are predicting the imminent collapse of our nation. Leading civic educators and historians have long argued that it is the commitment of our citizens to the cherished beliefs and core democratic values of our forefathers which serves as the adhesive glue which binds our nation together. Quite frankly, without needed changes in national priorities, it is possible these ominous predictions will bear fruit.

The lack of state accountability in the area of social studies has already led one Florida governor to temporarily eliminate American History and American Government as graduation requirements for all Florida high school students. Although this measure has since been overturned, it gives additional evidence to the charge that social studies education has been less than a priority in state and national educational initiatives.

The NCSS Common Core Standards for Social Studies may well serve as the frame for which national standards for social studies may be discussed and hopefully approved. These standards include critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills in the context of civic and historical literacy, economic/financial literacy, and global awareness. Students well versed in this content should have the requisite skills and dispositions to be effective citizens and productive members of the domestic and global workforce.

The future of America and our democratic institutions depend on effective social studies teachers who provide each new generation with knowledge of our history and government, skills to make informed decisions about complex public issues, attitudes that support democratic practices, and commitment to engage in civic life. With the development and adoption of Common Core Standards in Social Studies, our nation can achieve this goal.

Respectfully,


Kristine Scola
President, Florida Council for the Social Studies

California Council for Social Studies Calls for National Standards

Calif. Council for Social Studies calls for National Standards - pg 2

Reading Is Not a Skill--And Why This Is a Problem for the Draft National Standards

Today's guest is Psychology Professor Daniel Willingham of the University of Virginia, who researches learning and the brain.

A draft of the voluntary national standards for reading was just released, and at first glance the 18 standards sound quite sensible: students should be able to determine what a text says, make inferences from it, discern the most important ideas, and so forth.

Many of the standards boil down to this notion: "The student will be able to comprehend the text.” For the others, comprehension is a prerequisite. The problem is that teachers and administrators are likely to read those 18 standards and to try to teach to them. But reading comprehension is not a “skill” that can be taught directly.

We tend to teach comprehension as a series of “reading strategies” that can be practiced and mastered. Unfortunately it really doesn’t work that way. The mainspring of comprehension is prior knowledge—the stuff readers already know that enables them to create understanding as they read.

Prior knowledge is vital to comprehension because writers omit information. For example, suppose you read “He just got a new puppy. His landlord is angry.” You easily understand the logical connection between those sentences because you know things about puppies (they aren’t housebroken), carpets (urine stains them) and landlords (they are protective of their property.)

The writer could have included all that information. The writer gambled that the reader would know about puppies, carpets and landlords. A writer who doesn’t assume some prior knowledge on the part of her readers will write very boring prose. What happens if the reader doesn’t have the prior knowledge the writer assumed she had? The reader will be confused and comprehension breaks down.

This is exactly what happens for millions of poor readers. They can “read” (they can sound out the words on the page) but they can’t consistently comprehend. They read it, but they don’t “get it.”

Remarkably, if you take kids who score poorly on a reading test and ask them to read on a topic they know something about (baseball, say, or dinosaurs) all of a sudden their comprehension is terrific—better than kids who score well on reading tests but who don’t know a lot about baseball or dinosaurs.

In other words, kids who score well on reading tests are not really kids with good “reading skills.”

The kids who score well on reading tests are ones who know a lot about the world—they have a lot of prior knowledge about a wide range of things--and so that whatever they are asked to read about on the test, they likely know something about it. (This is only true once kids have cracked the code of letters and sounds and can apply that translation fluently-- say, 5th grade and after.)

Can’t you teach kids how to reason about texts, and thereby wring the meaning out of it even if they don’t have the right prior knowledge?

To some extent, but it doesn’t seem to help as much as you might expect. For one thing, this sort of reasoning is difficult mental work. For another, it’s slow, and so it breaks up the flow of the story you’re reading, and the fun of the story is lost. Hoping that students without relevant prior knowledge will reason their way through a story is a recipe for creating a student who doesn’t like reading.

Oftentimes, knowledge gaps can’t be filled by a strategy. For example, suppose you read this: “The Obama administration will announce a new policy Wednesday making it much more difficult for the government to claim that it is protecting state secrets when it hides details of sensitive national security strategies such as rendition and warrantless eavesdropping, according to two senior Justice Department officials.”

In this instance, the writer assumed that the reader knew the definitions of “rendition,” “warrantless wiretaps,” what a state secret might be, and the significance of the announcement coming from the executive branch of the government, at the least.

If you know those things, comprehension is effortless. What strategy is going to lead you to correct guesses?

I didn’t pick that sentence randomly. It was the first sentence of the lead story of The Washington Post on the day I’m writing this post. If we want students to be able to read a serious newspaper, they need prior knowledge.

How do students get prior knowledge? It accumulates through years of exposure to newspapers, serious magazines, books, conversations with knowledgeable people. It should also come from a content-rich curriculum in school.

Oddly enough, the new national standards actually say that. The standards documents lists “have a strong content base” as one of the things that college-ready readers tend to have.

But the standards themselves don’t recommend that we ensure that students “have a strong content base” as a way to ensure that they are good readers! (A few months ago, I created a video called “Teaching Content Is Teaching Reading” that explains this. You can see it here on YouTube.

Instead, the standards document lists things that students ought to be able to do (summarize, find the main idea, etc.) that invite states, districts, and teachers to design curricula emphasizing practice in those skills.

The mistaken idea that reading is a skill—learn to crack the code, practice comprehension strategies and you can read anything—may be the single biggest factor holding back reading achievement in the country.

Students will not meet standards that way. The knowledge base problem must be solved.

By Valerie Strauss | September 28, 2009; 7:30 AM ET
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/daniel-willingham/willingham-reading-is-not-a-sk.html

FCSS - FASSS Legislative Goals

(For the most part, all goals continue to be 'secondary' to the implementation of a state-wide assessment program in social studies. These goals from the previous year reflect an update which took place at the Sept. 2009 FASSS-FCSS Board meetings.)

FCSS / FASSS
Position Paper on 2008-09 Legislative Issues

Level One Priorities are those immediately pressing needs that the organization is aggressively seeking to secure legislative support for in the coming session. Level Two Priorities represent longer range goals. These allow FCSS / FASSS to take positions supporting other issues when addressing the main priority of the organization.

RECOMMENDATION ONE: Florida Statute 1008.22 should be amended so as to add social studies as an area for statewide assessment. This law should go into effect no later than 2009.
Current status: The case for this is well known. We would be open to a strictly electronic assessment format to reduce fiscal impact, a sufficient percentage sampling of students in each district as opposed to census testing, and other reasonable compromises. Since the Legislature and Commissioner of Education have both called for rigorous end-of-course assessments similar to those for the N.Y. State Regent’s Diploma, we have lobbied key legislative leaders and D.O.E. officials for the purpose of making the American History high school course the next schedule assessment for high school students in Florida. (Since this time, the Commissioner has moved forward in the development of an End-of-Course high school exam for American History. The state still lacks accountability for social studies in grades K-8.)

Priority Level: One

THE FCSS BOARD OF DIRECTORS VOTED TO IMPLEMENT A SINGLE FOCUS FOR THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE – PASSAGE OF A STATE-WIDE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM FOR SOCIAL STUDIES. As a result, the goals which follow are presented here as secondary issues which teachers may also wish to support.


RECOMMENDATION TWO: FCSS should work with other civic-minded organizations to conduct a statewide campaign to incorporate social studies as part of the FCAT.

Current Status: As a result of efforts by former Governor Bob Graham, Congressman Lou Frey, Chief Justice Lewis and numerous others bills were introduced in the legislature by House and Senate leaders calling for social studies to become part of FCAT.

Priority Level: Two

RECOMMENDATION THREE: FCSS should work with other civic-minded organizations to conduct a statewide survey of student civic and historical knowledge at the elementary and secondary levels, the results of which should be released to the public and the Commissioner of Education.

Current Status: No such survey or assessment has ever been done with large numbers of students in Florida. Sample questions should be based upon N.A.E.P. assessment items and other previously known surveys so that some comparison might be made. Consideration should be given to institutionalizing such a survey for the purpose of annually bringing civic literacy to the state’s attention each September. When possible, the data should be disaggregated by region, gender, grade level, and race/ethnicity. Results should be shared with the Florida’s legislators, various media outlets and the Florida Association of Educational Writers.

Priority Level: Two


RECOMMENDATION FOUR: The state should establish the Florida Commission on Civic Education for the purpose of (1) educating students on the importance of citizen involvement in a representative democracy, and for (2) promoting communication and collaboration among organizations in the state that conduct civic education programs.

Current Status: There are now several organizations with state-wide reach that promote civic understanding – The Florida Law Related Education Association and the Florida Joint Center for Citizenship – which make this priority less critical than in the past.

Priority Level: Deleted in Sept. 2009



RECOMMENDATION FIVE: FCSS should continue to take the appropriate steps to communicate with NCSS and other national organizations as well as individual members of Congress on the urgent need for state comparative data regarding this year’s NAEP Civics and US History assessments.

Current Status: Senator Lamar Alexander has for the third time filed legislation (S860, S2721, & S1414) to provide for a pilot assessment of up to ten states to be compared to the national profile which will be obtained from periodic NAEP History and Civics assessments. NCSS during the 110th Congress was able to have Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduce an identical measure (H6525) in the House of Representatives for which she is securing co-sponsors. As no action was taken on these measures during both sessions of the last Congress, they will have to be reintroduced for a FOURTH time in the 111th Congress when it convenes in 2009. (Since this time, S659 has been filed for the FOURTH time to underwhelming national fanfare.)
Priorit Level: One


RECOMMENDATION SIX: We recommend inclusion of “social studies” in the state Student Progression Law (F.S. 1008.25).

Current Status:
- Current law requires educators to review a student’s performance in Reading, Writing, Math, and Science when being promoted from one grade level to the next. Moreover, should a student be found to be deficient in his/her performance in of these core subject areas, parents must be notified and an opportunity for remediation of that content needs to be made available to the student.
- To permit the current law to state that students’ performance in elementary social studies need not even be considered for promotion purposes – when reading, writing, math and science must be – is an intolerable and ominous development for the future civic health of our state and nation. Students must complete three years of successful Social Studies instruction in the Middle Grades and must be remediated before being promoted to the next grade.

Priority Level: Two



RECOMMENDATION SEVEN: The Legislature should require that the Florida Department of Education complete a comprehensive survey on the Status of Social Studies Education in Florida.

Current Status: Due to the lack of data pertaining to student performance in the area of Social Studies and with regard to how districts implement the many legislative mandates under Florida Statute: 1003.42 (Required instruction.), it is imperative that the Florida legislature require the Department of Education to undertake a district analysis of the status of social studies. Two years ago the legislature pass a measure to complete a study on Physical Education throughout the state.

Priority Level: Tabled in Sept. 2009


RECOMMENDATION EIGHT: The length of time for which an ESOL student’s F.C.A.T. score should be used for accountability purposes should be extended from two to three years.
Current Status: (TABLED by FCSS in the past although supported by FASSS ) Research states that it takes six or seven years for a student whose native language is different from English to be proficient in reading and writing in our language. Federal guidelines for No Child Left Behind use a three year period of time before such scores are factored into accountability measurements. Florida’s accountability provisions should not be more punitive than federal standards.
Priority Level: Two


RECOMMENDATION NINE: We urge the repeal of the Special Teachers Are Recognized Program.
Current Status: By another statute, Districts must provide differentiated salaries to instructional personal. The S.T.A.R. program was hastily devised and there are not enough reliable or valid measures of student performance to implement it. Through its enactment the legislature has added to the burdens of districts.
Priority Level: Deleted in Sept. 2009


Other:

Possibly Recommend the Establishment of a Veteran’s Curriculum Taskforce to consolidate, develop and promote instructional resources related to Florida Statute 1003,42.

(Since this time, FASSS and FCSS Boards have approved the concept of expressing our official concern with the Florida Department of Education on the Middle School Integrated Certification requirements.)

Constitution and Citizenship Day Act of 2009

See below for another new measure in Congress to allow local districts to apply for federal funds for the teaching of civics each September. As commendable as this measure may be, one wonders if the money could better be used to hold the states accountable for how well they are actually doing this. For the want of a mere $8 million when the government is spending trillions, Congress has failed to enact such legislation for the last three Congresses! The NAEP assessment scheduled for this coming January will represent yet another failed opportunity to give 'equity' to our important discipline with respect to comparing states to one another in student achievement in Civics and United States History. Without state accountability Governors will likely continue to ignore the crisis the nation currently faces with regard to all the disciplines in the social studies area. Helping individual school districts through grants such as that being proposed below -- while ignoring the states as a whole -- is NOT the solution. (Editorial comment, JB)

* * *

Constitution and Citizenship Day Act of 2009 (Introduced in House)
HR 3591 IH
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3591

To establish a grant program to enhance existing secondary education programs for the purpose of teaching high school students about the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the individual States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 17, 2009

Mr. CUMMINGS (for himself, Ms. NORTON, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. WATSON, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Ms. WATERS, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, and Mr. WATT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor
________________________________________

A BILL

To establish a grant program to enhance existing secondary education programs for the purpose of teaching high school students about the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the individual States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Constitution and Citizenship Day Act of 2009'.
SEC. 2. CONSTITUTION DAY AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY SYSTEM FOR STUDENTS.
Part C of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new subpart:
`Subpart 6--Teaching of the Constitution

`SEC. 2371. ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF CONSTITUTION DAY GRANT PROGRAM.
`(a) Grant Program Authorized- The Secretary shall establish and implement a grant program, to be known as the `Constitution Day Grant Program', under which the Secretary shall award grants on a competitive basis to local educational agencies and charter schools for the purposes of enhancing educational programs to teach students about the United States Constitution and the constitution of the State in which the grant recipient is located.
`(b) Grantee Eligibility Requirements- Grants under this section may only be awarded to a local educational agency or charter school with established secondary educational programs to teach students about the United States Constitution and the constitution of the State in which the grant recipient is located.
`(c) Operation of Educational Programs- An educational program funded by a grant under this section shall--
`(1) occur on Constitution Day, September 17, of each calender year (or on the Monday immediately following Constitution Day, if Constitution Day falls on a Saturday or a Sunday);
`(2) include assemblies, discussions, presentations, or events commemorating the Constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State in which the grant recipient is located;
`(3) include efforts to reinforce existing Constitutional curricula conducted by the grant recipient; and
`(4) make available to eligible students participating in such program the ability to register to vote.
`(d) Voter Registration Laws- A grant recipient under this section shall abide by all applicable State and Federal voter registration laws.

`SEC. 2372. GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS.
`(a) Secretary Created Process- The Secretary shall develop an application process for the grant program under this subpart, consistent with the requirements of this section.
`(b) Grant Application Requirements- An application for a grant under this subpart shall--
`(1) describe the educational activities to be funded by the grant; and
`(2) provide assurances that the requirements of section 2371(c) will be met, and any additional assurances that the Secretary determines to be necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements of this subpart.

`SEC. 2373. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
`There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014 to carry out this subpart.'.



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LAWMAKER PUSHING FOR MANDATORY CIVICS CLASS

Immediate, Continual Updates at
www.newsserviceflorida.com

By KATHLEEN HAUGHNEY
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, Sept. 16, 2009

A Jacksonville Republican is renewing his push to require all Florida students to take civics.

Rep. Charles McBurney, R-Jacksonville, has filed legislation that has failed for the past two years that would require middle school students to take a civics class and be tested on their knowledge. A testing system would be phased in, so that eventually, students would have to pass a civics assessment exam to be promoted to the next grade.

"We have a real crisis in our institutions when more than 40 percent of Floridians can't correctly identify the three branches of American government," McBurney said. "Or they can't define the concept of checks and balances."

McBurney's bill was not given a hearing in the House's education budget committee this past spring, but he was able to amend it onto three bills that were passed by the entire House. The amendments did not survive the Senate; however, McBurney says he feels more confident about the bill's chances for the upcoming year than ever before.

"I think to do this is just vitally important," McBurney said.

The legislation did get some buzz toward the end of the 2009 legislative session, largely because former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor spoke to a joint session of the Legislature promoting civics education. Former U.S. Senator and Florida Gov. Bob Graham has also been promoting a new book he wrote about civics and touting the benefits of improved civics education.

But it wasn't enough to get McBurney's bill approved by the entire Legislature. In the Senate, a fight ensued over the bill's requirement of an end-of-the-year civics exam and how much it would cost and ultimately affect schools. Given that the bill has gotten a little more attention each year he has proposed it, McBurney said he feels the chances of its passage are getting pretty good.

"Unless children of our state...understand the basics of our democracy, we may not be able to preserve that," McBurney said.

The bill would ultimately phase in the testing component of the bill. At first, the exam grade would simply be part of the final grade, but eventually would become a requirement to move on to the next grade in 2015.

According to the legislation, in the 2012-2013 school year, students entering sixth grade would be required to take a minimum of one semester of civics education that includes "the roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments; the structures and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government; and the meaning and significance of historic documents, such as the Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States."
The bill is HB 105.

-END- 9/16/09

Independent and Indispensable
http://www.newsserviceflorida.com

Is America Coming Apart?

by Patrick J. Buchanan
09/11/2009 http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=33517#c1

Flying home from London, where the subject of formal debate on the 70th anniversary of World War II had been whether Winston Churchill was a liability or asset to the Free World, one arrives in the middle of a far more acrimonious national debate right here in the United States.

At issue: Should Barack Obama be allowed to address tens of millions of American children, inside their classrooms, during school hours?

Conservative talk-show hosts saw a White House scheme to turn public schools into indoctrination centers where the socialist ideology of Obama would be spoon-fed to captive audiences of children forced to listen to Big Brother -- and then do assignments on his sermon.

Yet Byron York of The Washington Examiner dug back to 1991 to discover that, when George H.W. Bush went to Alice Deal Junior High to speak to America's school kids, the left lost it. "The White House turned a Northwest Washington junior high classroom into a television studio and its students into props," railed The Washington Post. Education Secretary Lamar Alexander was called before a House committee. The National Education Association denounced Bush. And Congress ordered the General Accounting Office to investigate.

Obama's actual speech proved about as controversial as a Nancy Reagan appeal to eighth-graders to "Just say no!" to drugs. Yet, the episode reveals the poisoned character of our politics.

We saw it earlier on display in August, when the crowds that came out for town hall meetings to oppose Obama's health care plans were called "thugs," "fascists," "racists" and "evil-mongers" by national Democrats. We see it as Rep. Joe Wilson shouts, "You lie!" at the president during his address to a joint session of Congress.

We seem not only to disagree with each other more than ever, but to have come almost to detest one another. Politically, culturally, racially, we seem ever ready to go for each others' throats.

One half of America sees abortion as the annual slaughter of a million unborn. The other half regards the right-to-life movement as tyrannical and sexist.

Proponents of gay marriage see its adversaries as homophobic bigots. Opponents see its champions as seeking to elevate unnatural and immoral relationships to the sacred state of traditional marriage.

The question invites itself. In what sense are we one nation and one people anymore? For what is a nation if not a people of a common ancestry, faith, culture and language, who worship the same God, revere the same heroes, cherish the same history, celebrate the same holidays, and share the same music, poetry, art and literature?

Yet, today, Mexican-Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a skirmish in a French-Mexican war about which most Americans know nothing, which took place the same year as two of the bloodiest battles of our own Civil War: Antietam and Fredericksburg.

Christmas and Easter, the great holidays of Christendom, once united Americans in joy. Now we fight over whether they should even be mentioned, let alone celebrated, in our public schools.

Where we used to have classical, pop, country & Western and jazz music, now we have varieties tailored to specific generations, races and ethnic groups. Even our music seems designed to subdivide us.

One part of America loves her history, another reviles it as racist, imperialist and genocidal. Old heroes like Columbus, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee are replaced by Dr. King and Cesar Chavez.
But the old holidays, heroes and icons endure, as the new have yet to put down roots in a recalcitrant Middle America.

We are not only more divided than ever on politics, faith and morality, but along the lines of class and ethnicity. Those who opposed Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court and stood by Sgt. Crowley in the face-off with Harvard's Henry Louis Gates were called racists. But this time they did not back down. They threw the same vile word right back in the face of their accusers, and Barack Obama.

Consider but a few issues on which Americans have lately been bitterly divided: school prayer, the Ten Commandments, evolution, the death penalty, abortion, homosexuality, assisted suicide, affirmative action, busing, the Confederate battle flag, the Duke rape case, Terri Schiavo, Iraq, amnesty, torture.

Now it is death panels, global warming, "birthers" and socialism. If a married couple disagreed as broadly and deeply as Americans do on such basic issues, they would have divorced and gone their separate ways long ago. What is it that still holds us together?

The European-Christian core of the country that once defined us is shrinking, as Christianity fades, the birth rate falls and Third World immigration surges. Globalism dissolves the economic bonds, while the cacophony of multiculturalism displaces the old American culture.

"E pluribus unum" -- out of many, one -- was the national motto the men of '76 settled upon. One sees the pluribus. But where is the unum? One sees the diversity. But where is the unity?

Is America, too, breaking up?

________________________________________
Mr. Buchanan is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War": How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World, "The Death of the West,", "The Great Betrayal," "A Republic, Not an Empire" and "Where the Right Went Wrong."

Va. Ponders Eliminating Third-Grade History Exam

(FASSS members are currently analyzing state testing programs around the country and are unfortunately discovering many proposals to scale back social studies assessments. The reason most often cited for these cutbacks is the need to bring needed resources to Reading, Mathematics, Science and Writing. Despite this trend, Florida appears ready to move forward with proposals for end of course testing in all areas required for high school graduation except Economics.

Thanks to Jason for the article below, which once again serves as a reminder for the importance of passing the NAEP reform legislation currently filed for the FOURTH Congress. These proposals, quickly endorsed by FASSS and FCSS would begin to hold at least a 'few' states accountable for the civic mission of their schools. The lack of strong support for these measures over the last few years ought to be an embarassment to NCCE, NCSS, AHA, etc. Should anyone have documented position papers from these national groups in favor of these proposals, we would welcome receiving a copy.

Ed. comment -- JB)

By Michael Birnbaum
Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, May 28, 2009

In the seven years since enactment of the federal No Child Left Behind law, students have spent ever more time filling in bubbles on high-stakes tests. But Virginia could soon join a movement to roll back testing programs, as it considers abandoning an exam that spans such matters as bartering, the ancient empire of Mali and pie charts.

Florida and Georgia have cut testing budgets, citing financial pressures. North Carolina might soon follow. And today, the Virginia Board of Education will take up eliminating the third-grade history test, a move state officials say would open up time for core subjects such as math and reading. But critics say they worry that ditching the test would hurt history education in the primary grades.

For 11 years, Virginia has given third-graders a Standards of Learning history test. Forty multiple-choice questions cover material from kindergarten through third grade, which state officials say puts an unfair burden on the memories of young children.

Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright predicted that teachers and administrators would welcome the change.

"It's not just about money, and it's certainly not about diminishing social studies," she said. "This is about freeing up elementary teachers' time to be more creative. . . . I am the last person that will go out on a limb and start unraveling our accountability system."

But some educators say that without test pressure forcing history standards to be taught, class time devoted to the subject could dwindle.

"I view this as a frontal assault on the value of social science education at the early grades," said Ken Bassett, president of the Virginia Consortium of Social Studies Specialists and College Educators and director of social studies education in Prince William County schools. "What we've seen from all across the country is that in places where they don't have these tests, the amount of time devoted to social studies instruction diminishes significantly."

Wright said the $380,000 a year saved through elimination of the exam could be used to construct new kinds of questions for math tests, put fifth- and eighth-grade writing tests online and bolster elementary reading exams.

Last year, 93 percent of Virginia's third-graders passed the history exam, and 84 percent passed reading, which Wright said pointed to a need for more lesson time on that skill. She said that reading classes could incorporate history lessons and noted that the state would still test students in history four times before they reached high school. Wright also said the underlying teaching standards wouldn't be changed.

Under the 2002 federal law, states are required to test students in reading and math in grades three through eight and once in high school. The law also calls for more science testing. Virginia is one of a few states with a history testing program, and education groups praise its curriculum routinely. In a 2006 study of world history standards in the 50 states and the District, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a District-based education think tank, ranked Virginia second in the country, tied with Massachusetts and behind California. The District ranked 27th and Maryland 29th. But neither the District nor Maryland tests history.

Many Virginia history education proponents confess to a love-hate relationship with the tests. They often complain that the multiple-choice format emphasizes rote memorization over analytical skills. But they say they would rather have something than nothing. "In an environment where some subjects are tested and some are not, guess which lose out," said Bill Brazier, social science supervisor for Loudoun County schools.

Third-grade teacher Christina Hepner of Ball's Bluff Elementary School in Leesburg questioned whether it was fair to hold students accountable for material learned in kindergarten. She said that she teaches history with skits, writing exercises and games, and that her kids would not learn as much if the subject was taught with an emphasis on reading skills.

"Students can't just read it and connect to it," Hepner said. "A good lesson has to have more than one leg to stand on."

The state Board of Education could vote on the matter as early as today. Wright said a decision must be made within the next month or two if the exam is to be eliminated for the next school year.

Gerald Celente Predicts Revolution, Food Riots, Tax Rellions by 2012

A favorite reading of world history is the story of Nero fiddling while Rome burned. If history has seen fit to condemn Nero, what might it eventually say of our elected officials today?

Another dire prediction of the collapse of the U.S. bodes ill will for the future of the Republic. Without a common culture or sense of our past, experts continue to predict the U.S. will cease to be a unified national state in the very near future. To what extent does the lack of holding any state responsible for how well they imbue their students with civic and historical knowledge play a role in accelerating these predictions? FCSS has sponsored a bill in Congress for the last FOUR sessions—where it has languished without much national support—which would address the above possible national catastrophe. Clink here for more information on S659 and here , here or here for other predictions of our nation’s supposedly imminent collapse.

Former key legislators once before killed plans to have Florida students held accountable for understanding a common, unifying history of America's past by noting it is general practice to teach American history differently in various communities around the state. Rather than see a common state assessment as a means to provide a shared understanding of our national heritage, these adherents apparently believe it is more important to allow individual schools to celebrate unique views of America’s past. This is indeed a recipe for national disaster. Florida remains virtually the only southern state that refuses to hold its students accountable for historical and civic understanding. Noted historian David McCullough once commented that he more feared the consequence of the lack of understanding about America's past more than he feared Al Qaeda.

Is it any wonder that noted experts around the world are predicting our demise?
___________________________
By 2012 Trend forecaster, renowned for being accurate in the past, says that America will cease to be a developed nation within 4 years, crisis will be "worse than the great depression"

The man who predicted the 1987 stock market crash and the fall of the Soviet Union is now forecasting revolution in America, food riots and tax rebellions - all within four years, while cautioning that putting food on the table will be a more pressing concern than buying Christmas gifts by 2012.

Gerald Celente, the CEO of Trends Research Institute, is renowned for his accuracy in predicting future world and economic events, which will send a chill down your spine considering what he told Fox News this week. Celente says that by 2012 America will become an undeveloped nation, that there will be a revolution marked by food riots, squatter rebellions, tax revolts and job marches, and that holidays will be more about obtaining food, not gifts.
"We're going to see the end of the retail Christmas....we're going to see a fundamental shift take place....putting food on the table is going to be more important that putting gifts under the Christmas tree," said Celente, adding that the situation would be "worse than the great depression".

"America's going to go through a transition the likes of which no one is prepared for," said Celente, noting that people's refusal to acknowledge that America was even in a recession highlights how big a problem denial is in being ready for the true scale of the crisis.
Celente, who successfully predicted the 1997 Asian Currency Crisis, the subprime mortgage collapse and the massive devaluation of the U.S. dollar, told UPI in November last year that the following year would be known as "The Panic of 2008," adding that "giants (would) tumble to their deaths," which is exactly what we have witnessed with the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns and others. He also said that the dollar would eventually be devalued by as much as 90 per cent.

The consequence of what we have seen unfold this year would lead to a lowering in living standards, Celente predicted a year ago, which is also being borne out by plummeting retail sales figures. The prospect of revolution was a concept echoed by a British Ministry of Defence report last year, which predicted that within 30 years, the growing gap between the super rich and the middle class, along with an urban underclass threatening social order would mean, "The world's middle classes might unite, using access to knowledge, resources and skills to shape transnational processes in their own class interest," and that, "The middle classes could become a revolutionary class."

In a separate recent interview, Celente went further on the subject of revolution in America.
"There will be a revolution in this country," he said. "It’s not going to come yet, but it’s going to come down the line and we’re going to see a third party and this was the catalyst for it: the takeover of Washington, D. C., in broad daylight by Wall Street in this bloodless coup. And it will happen as conditions continue to worsen."

"The first thing to do is organize with tax revolts. That’s going to be the big one because people can’t afford to pay more school tax, property tax, any kind of tax. You’re going to start seeing those kinds of protests start to develop." "It’s going to be very bleak. Very sad. And there is going to be a lot of homeless, the likes of which we have never seen before. Tent cities are already sprouting up around the country and we’re going to see many more."

"We’re going to start seeing huge areas of vacant real estate and squatters living in them as well. It’s going to be a picture the likes of which Americans are not going to be used to. It’s going to come as a shock and with it, there’s going to be a lot of crime. And the crime is going to be a lot worse than it was before because in the last 1929 Depression, people’s minds weren’t wrecked on all these modern drugs – over-the-counter drugs, or crystal meth or whatever it might be. So, you have a huge underclass of very desperate people with their minds chemically blown beyond anybody’s comprehension."

The George Washington blog has compiled a list of quotes attesting to Celente's accuracy as a trend forecaster.

"When CNN wants to know about the Top Trends, we ask Gerald Celente."— CNN Headline News

"A network of 25 experts whose range of specialties would rival many university faculties."— The Economist

"Gerald Celente has a knack for getting the zeitgeist right." — USA Today

"There’s not a better trend forecaster than Gerald Celente. The man knows what he’s talking about."- CNBC

"Those who take their predictions seriously ... consider the Trends Research Institute."— The Wall Street Journal

"Gerald Celente is always ahead of the curve on trends and uncannily on the mark ... he's one of the most accurate forecasters around." — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Mr. Celente tracks the world’s social, economic and business trends for corporate clients."— The New York Times

"Mr. Celente is a very intelligent guy. We are able to learn about trends from an authority."— 48 Hours, CBS News

"Gerald Celente has a solid track record. He has predicted everything from the 1987 stock market crash and the demise of the Soviet Union to green marketing and corporate downsizing."— The Detroit News

"Gerald Celente forecast the 1987 stock market crash, ‘green marketing,’ and the boom in gourmet coffees."— Chicago Tribune

"The Trends Research Institute is the Standard and Poors of Popular Culture." — The Los Angeles Times

"If Nostradamus were alive today, he'd have a hard time keeping up with Gerald Celente."— New York Post

So there you have it - hardly a nutjob conspiracy theorist blowhard now is he? The price of not heeding his warnings will be far greater than the cost of preparing for the future now. Storable food and gold are two good places to make a start.

DOE Proposed Schedule for End-Of-Course Exams

This American Tradition Endangered!

Legislative Update #19 - End of Session

Emergent Design and Development
Legislative Update - May 17th 2009

The Legislative Session finally ended at approximately 2:45 pm on May 8, 2009. The budget passed, with education protected more than any other agency. The final budget approaches $66.5 Billion and was made possible through a combination of new fees and a heavy influx of Federal stimulus dollars. The budget also accounts for a decrease of 10,000 students in the 2009-2010 school year.

Of the 308 bills that we were tracking, only 29 bills, the budget, the implementing bill, and the conforming bill managed to pass both houses. These bills are now sent to the Governor for his action.

BUDGET ITEM COMPARISON ( last year’s Session, special session reductions and 2009 session)


NOTE: Instructional Materials, Transportation, the Stabilization money, and Teacher Lead are rolled from categoricals into the Base Student Allocation. Also, Bright Futures does not pay for the increase in tuition.


BUDGET INTEREST FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
Science Materials allocation was $3,254,969
Science Fair allocation was $43,676
Specific Appropriation 100 has $30,319,115 for technology for grants related to STEM.
The language for Supplemental Academic Instruction, now sets intensive math instruction for students in grades 3-10, who scored at level one as first priority (along with reading.)

PROGRAM COST FACTORS (compared to this year)
PROGRAM (08-09) (09-10)
Basic K-3 1.066 1.074
Basic 4-8 1.000 1.000
Basic 9-12 1.052 1.033
ESOL 1.119 1.124
ESE level 4 3.570 3.520
ESE level 5 4.970 4.854
Career Ed. 1.077 1.050

BILLS THAT FAILED BUT PROBABLY WILL RETURN NEXT YEAR

The large curriculum bills SB 2654 and HB 1293, failed to pass. Both of these bills would have increased the rigor of subjects needed by High School students, in order to receive a diploma. (Higher levels of Math and science) The bill to replace science on the high school FCAT with an end-of-the-year biology test failed. HB 543

The bill which would have required a specific semester course in civics for the middle school failed. The bill was to be named for Chief Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. HB 0013

There were also pieces of bills that failed that included; the % of funds that must be spent on the classroom, reduction to the program weights for A.P., A.I.C.E., and I.B. and the reduction in the teaching bonus for A.P., A.I.C.E., and I.B.
NEW SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN TEMPLATE
Nikolai Vitti, Chief of the Bureau of School Improvement has released to districts, a new template which will fulfill all Federal and State School Improvement Plan requirements. Districts are receiving instruction on completing the template. All schools are required to complete a school improvement plan.
The new template should reduce duplication and assist schools in defining strategies to improve student achievement.
Nickolai.vitti.@fldoe.org or (850) 245-0426

Another Argument in Favor of Teaching Content!

Our thanks to Jason Caros for bringing to our attention the work of Professor Daniel Willingham, author of Why Don't Students Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom . FASSS has been strongly arguing for years that the work of cognitive psychology is reaffirming the contention of educational theorists like E.D. Hirsch and Robert Marzano that 'content knowledge' is vital to reading comprehension. Supervisors will remember our sharing the "Background Knowledge" powerpoints [see the training links area of this website] with former D.O.E. Chanellor Cheri Yecki and Deputy Bureau Chief Todd Clark about this very issue a few years ago. When Jason and Jack made it a point to bring out the reading titles and topics in the D.O.E. approved "Third Grade Reading Portfolio" and compared these with titles and topics from the typical third grade CORE KNOWLEDGE curriculum, Dr. Yecki could only profess that she could only 'wish for a magic wand to be able to immediately change the booklet into something more meaningful.' Urged to make the revision of the third grade portfolio a priority by including many more non-fiction readings for children, FASSS is aware that minor changes have been made, but for the most part these were superficial and the document remains an embarassement to the Department.

The influence of cognitive psychologists have indeed made considerable headway with the legislature in recent years. Florida's assessment statute was heavily amended two years ago with repeated references to the need for FCAT to assess not only 'skills' but 'content knowledge'. It appears that FASSS members who have been showcasing to other educators in their districts the arguments of Marzano and Hirsch are indeed making a difference. Add to these educational theorists the new work of Dr. Daniel T. Willingham from the U. of Virginia. His colleague, E.D. Hirsch, writes of the above work, "This readable, practical book by a distinguished cognitivescientist explains the universal roots of effective teaching and learning. With great wit and authority it practices the principles it preaches. It is the best teachers' guide I know of—a classic that belongs in the book bag of every teacher from preschool to grad school."
—E. D. Hirsch, Jr., university professor emeritus, University of Virginia

Educators now have the benefit of a powerful video that clearly illustrates the points these pundits have been making for years. Go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiP-ijdxqEc .

All Social Studies educators should be familiar with their work and should share it with the school administrators in their district.

Letter to Jeb Bush's 'Foundation for Florida's Future'

April 30, 2009 DRAFT LETTER

Kristy Cambell
Communications DirectorFoundation for Florida’s Future
kristy@afloridapromise.org

http://www.foundationforfloridasfuture.org/who_we_are.php?sub_page_id=25


Dear Ms. Cambell,

In what way, if any, does the Foundation for Florida’s Future have a role for ensuring that students in Florida’s public schools will be given the requisite skills for historical knowledge and citizenship that will enable them to lead productive lives as participants in the democratic process? Civics, History, Social Studies (whatever we wish to call it) represents a majority of what is commonly referred to as Florida’s Required Instruction Act (FS1003.42), but by statute it is not even required to be taken into consideration when a student is being promoted from one grade to the next at the elementary grades. (A former Florida Chancellor of Public Schools supported adding social studies to the state’s Student Progression Law and despite unanimous approval one year by the Florida House of Representatives and the entire Senate Education Committee, this bill also somehow ‘died’.)
For over 22 years social studies educators have REQUESTED accountability from the state for the efforts they make in classrooms each day. Repeated attempts to introduce legislation to address this need seem to be stalled almost every year.
Over two-thirds of approximately 1700 elementary teachers across Florida admit they teach civics and history less than 2 hours per week. They must wonder why teach it at all, of it’s not even needing to be considered for grade promotion. Florida is only one of two southern states not assessing social studies in any way at some grade level. We have been told by former key legislators that because subjects like American History are taught in a widely different manner in many different areas of the state depending upon local needs and demographics that it would be very difficult to assess Social Studies in Florida. I personally believe that if the legislature as a whole believed this, it would be a recipe for state and national disaster. Already our former adversaries are almost gleefully predicting the dismemberment of the United States in 2010.
Numerous reports abound about the lack of knowledge our students have about their own nation’s history and its governmental and economic system. I need not list them all here. Our state has been criticized in the by national leaders in the Congressional House and Senate for its shortsightedness. Having lobbied for over one generation for the state to live up to its civic responsibility, I would be very interested in what how Foundation is planning to address this crisis. I would be most delighted to see some literature from the Foundation or your plan for how our state may reverse this dangerous course.

Sincerely,

Jack Bovee
Legislative Chair, Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors and the Florida Council for the Social Studies

Florida Statutes Pertaining to Social Studies

FS 1003.4156 Middle School Promotion. This statute now requires “Three middle school or higher courses in social studies, one semester of which must include the study of state and federal government and civics education.”

FS 1003.42 Commonly called the “required instruction statute” this is a time-honored list of content knowledge with all school districts and schools must teach to children in enrolled in public school. This statute pertains primarily to Social Studies. You will search in vain for any mention of Reading, Science or Math content knowledge.

FS 1003.421 Commonly called the “Celebrate Freedom Week Law” this law establishes the last full week of September of each year as a time where all students must recite daily several key sentence from the Declaration of Independence. Moreover, each school district must ensure teachers must provide “at least 3 hours of appropriate instruction in each social studies class, as determined by each school district, which instruction shall include an in-depth study of the intent, meaning, and importance of the Declaration of Independence.

FS 1003.43 General Requirements for Graduation. Specifies the number of social studies credits and what specific courses students must successfully complete to earn a diploma.

FS 1003.44 Patriotic Programs, Rules Allows school districts to adopt rules which require teachers and students to participate in programs of a patriotic nature, specifying how the Pledge to Allegiance is to be conducted and how documents of a religious nature may be used with students. It also describes an exemption process.
FS 1003.45 Permitting the Study of the Bible and religion; permitting brief meditation period

FS 1003.45 Permitting the Study of the Bible and religion; permitting brief meditation period

FS 1008.22 Florida’s Assessment Statute

FS 1008.25 Public school student progression; remedial instruction; reporting requirements. This law s repeatedly specifies that student performance in reading, writing, mathematics and science must be taken into consideration when a student is being considered for promotion from one grade level to the next.

Sport Rules

The New Media Journal.us [IL]
All-Athletics

by Will Fitzhugh, The Concord Review
April 29, 2009


The Boston Globe has been publishing for 137 years, and the news that it may have to fold has distressed its many readers. Each Fall, Winter and Spring the paper publishes a special section, of 14 pages or so, on notable local public high school athletes and their coaches. There is a mention of athletes and coaches at local prep schools as well.

The latest Boston Globe's Winter "ALL-SCHOLASTICS" section arrived, with the "ten moments that stood out among the countless athletic stories in Massachusetts." There are reports on the best HS athletes and coaches in Skiing, Boys' Basketball, Girls' Basketball, Boys' Hockey, Girls' Hockey, Boys' Track, Girls' Track, Boys' Swimming, Girls' Swimming, Preps, Wrestling, and Gymnastics. The Preps and Gymnastics parts consolidate boys' and girls' accomplishments, perhaps to save space (and cost).

Each full-page section also features photographs of 9-16 athletes, with perhaps a twitter-sized paragraph on their achievements. In addition, there are 30 photos and tweets about some coaches, spread among the various sports. There are 26 "Prep" athletes mentioned, from various sports, but I didn't see any "Prep" coaches profiled. For each high school sport there are two "athletes of the year" identified, and all the coaches are "coaches of the year" in their sport.

There may be, at this time, some high school "students of the year" in English, math, Chinese, physics, Latin, chemistry, European history, U.S. history, biology, and the like. There may also be high school "teachers of the year" in these and other academic subjects, but their names and descriptions are not to be found in The Boston Globe, perhaps the best-known paper in the "Athens of America" (Boston).

It may be the case, indeed it probably is the case, that some of the athletes featured in the Winter "All-Scholastics" section today are also high school students of math, history, English, science, and languages, but you would not know that from the coverage of The Boston Globe. The coaches of the year may in many, if not all, cases, also be teachers of academic subjects in the Massachusetts public and private schools, but that remains only a guess as well.

When the British architect Christopher Wren was buried in 1723, part of his epitaph, written by his eldest son, Christopher Wren, Jr., read: "Lector, si monumentum requiris, Circumspice." If you wanted to judge his interest, efforts and accomplishments, all you had to do was look around you. His work was there for all to see.

The work of Massachusetts high school athletes and coaches is all around us in The Boston Globe on a regular basis, but the work of our high school scholars and teachers is nowhere to be seen in that public record.

If one seeks a monument to anti-academic and anti-intellectual views and practices in Boston today, one need look no further than The Boston Globe. I read it every day, and I will be sorry to see it fold, if it does, but I will not miss its attention to and recognition of the academic efforts and accomplish-ments of Massachusetts secondary students and their teachers, because there is none now, and never has been any, no matter how many reports on education reform and academic standards it may have published over the years. If you ask how much The Boston Globe editors (and I am sure The Globe is not alone in this) care about the good academic work now actually being done by high school teachers and their students in Massachusetts, the answer is, from the evidence, that they do not.




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"Teach by Example"
Will Fitzhugh [founder]
Consortium for Varsity Academics® [2007]
The Concord Review [1987]
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National Writing Board [1998]
TCR Institute [2002]
730 Boston Post Road, Suite 24
Sudbury, Massachusetts 01776 USA
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Varsity Academics®

The Sandra Day O'Connor Civics Education Act: A Summary

FCSS Ex Dir Trimble on Textbook Changes!

April 8, 2009

Dear Senator Wise,

As a long time Social Studies Teacher and Supervisor and a former participant or chair of three state social studies adoption committees, I would like to express my concern regarding current plans to extend the adoption cycle from 6 to 8 years. My concerns focus on four issues:
(1) Content of the material - new discoveries and developments, changes in curricular focus and events make science and social studies materials very time sensitive. Although technology has been of assistance in providing current information, its accessibility, format, and readability for students make it less valuable than current information in a basic textbook.
(2) Pedagogy - ways of organizing and presenting material in texts are constantly evolving. Students today are exposed to a greater range of media than students in the past and need the most interesting and stimulating instructional materials possible. Format alone changes drastically in an 8 year period.
(3) Physical practicality - 8 years us a long time for a book to last, with 8 to 16 users, depending on its use in an 18 or 36 week course. As textbook conditions deteriorate, so does the care students utilize, further impacting durability. From a fiscal standpoint, districts will often have to spend money at the six year point to replace unusable books, which will then have a shelf life of only 2 years before needing to be replaced in the new cycle.
(4) Fiscal practicality - the possibility of maintaining the same price for an 8 year period is unlikely. Although on rare occasions, costs go down, more commonly they increase, resulting in the state paying more money for a product that is as much as 8 years behind the current best methodology in textbook production.

Your assistance in opposing the effort to change the adoption cycle would be appreciated. A short term budgetary downturn should not translate into an 8 year impact on Florida's students. In spite of efforts to change classroom environment and improve
tools available to teachers, the textbook still remains the basic tool of teachers.

Theron L. Trimble,
Executive Director, Florida Council for the Social Studies
Chair, Fund for the Advancement of Social Studies Education, National Council for the Social Studies

O’CONNOR: BOOST CIVIC EDUCATION

By KATHLEEN HAUGHNEY, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA, THE CAPITAL, TALLAHASSEE, April 7, 2009....

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor brought her campaign for civics education to Tallahassee Tuesday, addressing the Florida Legislature about the importance of teaching social studies in American schools. “It's about teaching students that one person can ignite political fires on the ground and those fires almost always begin with a very small spark,” she said in her address to the joint session of the Florida Legislature.

O'Connor, who was the first woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court in 1981, retired in 2006. Since her retirement, she has focused on pushing civics education, saying she became increasingly aware of the lack of knowledge many people had about government, particularly the courts.

In connection with Georgetown University and Arizona State University, she has launched http://www.ourcourts.org/, a site designed to promote interactive civics curriculum to students and teachers. She even touted the site on The Daily Show. O'Connor said she believes using an interactive site was a “powerful tool” that could educate students.

Her visit comes just as the House's PreK-12 appropriations committee is looking at a bill requiring an end-of-course civics assessment for all Florida students. The bill was previously scheduled for a committee vote, but pulled off the calendar so that a few tweaks could be made, said committee chair Anitere Flores, R-Miami. Flores said she cannot guarantee the measure will come to a vote because she is unsure if her committee will meet again before the end of the legislative session. However, she said she is hopeful that the committee will be able to take up the measure before the end of session. “It's very sad that we know that more people know about American Idol than about the President of the United States,” Flores said. “We need to have a concerted effort to curb that.”--END--04/07/09

Keeping Our American Identity

January 9, 2009 by Phyllis Schlafly

Can you name the three branches of American government, legislative, executive, and judicial? If so, you are among the one-half of Americans who know this very basic fact about the U.S. government and Constitution.

The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), which earlier has conducted in-depth studies of what American college students know, and don't know, about civics, now reports equally depressing facts about grown-ups. It appears that adults, too, lack the civic knowledge they need to be informed citizens and intelligent voters. ISI administered a very basic test on American history, government and economics to 2,500 Americans age 25 and older. The multiple-choice test asked citizens to identify terms that everybody should know, such as the New Deal, the Electoral College, Sputnik, I Have a Dream, and progressive tax.

The 2,500 adults scored an average of 49 percent; that means they get a pitiful F. Those who had received a bachelor's degree averaged 57 percent on the test, compared to 44 percent for those with only a high school diploma and, worse still, 164 adults who had held elected office also scored an average of 44 percent.

Almost 40 percent of respondents said they thought the president (rather than Congress) has the power to declare war. Only 50 percent knew that Congress shares authority with the president over U.S. foreign policy, and almost one in four thought Congress shares authority over U.S. foreign policy with the United Nations. Americans who lack knowledge of our country's history, Constitution, and institutions really have no frame of reference to judge current politics and policies. Federal law requires public schools to teach about the U.S. Constitution on Constitution Day, September 17, but it looks like American adults need those lessons, too.

The 2006 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Civics Test revealed that the majority of eighth graders could not explain the purpose of the Declaration of Independence. No wonder young voters are not shocked at those who talk about "interdependence," globalism, and becoming "citizens of the world."

It's not just that American citizens lack knowledge of historical and constitutional facts about our country, but they also show a declining appreciation of who we are. A survey by Harris Interactive reported that 84 percent of respondents believe we have a unique American identity, but 64 percent believe this identity is weakening, and 24 percent believe we are already so divided that a common national identity is impossible.

Political Correctness in colleges and public schools over the last decade has gone a long way toward replacing patriotism with the trendy dicta of multiculturalism, diversity and global citizenship. Are we losing our identity as Americans?

To address this question, the Bradley Foundation has started a national conversation on America's National Identity called "E Pluribus Unum." The question is, Is America still "from many, one" ("indivisible," as our Pledge of Allegiance affirms), or are we fast becoming "from one, many"?

A review of history textbooks used in public schools today reveals a big source of the problem. Textbooks now emphasize America's faults and mistakes rather than our incredible achievements. History textbooks should tell the exciting story that the United States has produced nearly all the world's greatest inventions, and that these inventions have produced living standards that are the envy of the world. This exciting narrative is not based on Americans being smarter than other nationalities, or our having more natural resources than other countries, but on the wisdom of the Founding Fathers who gave us the superior political and economic system enshrined in our Constitution.

We should celebrate and honor our nation's heroes starting with George Washington. Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) clearly specifies that the name of the "legal public holiday" on the third Monday in February is "Washington's Birthday." Americans should refuse to buy the calendars that wrongly label this February holiday as "President's Day." This calendar mischief is very offensive because there are quite a few Presidents who are not worthy of a special "Day."

Maintaining our national identity depends on keeping our Constitution safe from the supremacist judges who want to change it to comport with what they call "emerging standards." Our national identity depends on keeping English as our official, national language so we don't suffer the conflicts endured by nations with competing languages.

America was founded by men who shared a common inheritance in the British rule of law developed over centuries (beginning with the Magna Carta), the Christian religion, and the English language. They also shared the belief later expressed by Alexis de Toqueville that America is "quite exceptional" and by Ronald Reagan that America is "the shining city on the hill."