February 2006: Education Updates
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Political Landscape Archives >
Political Landscape section is a collection of news items, updates, and essays on policy issues, state and federal legislation, academic standards, testing issues, the politics of funding, and other issues.
Joan Platz from the league of Women’s Voters summarizes current legislative activity in her Education Update, published weekly. The entire text of “Education Updates” can be found on Ohio Fair Schools Campaign Website. Following is an excerpt from her January Education Update.
Florida Voucher Program Found Unconstitutional
The Florida Supreme Court issued a ruling on January 5, 2006, finding the state’s school voucher program, called the Opportunity Scholarship Program, to be unconstitutional. The 5-2 opinion states that the program, which currently provides 700 students with state funds to attend private schools, violates the state constitution’s requirement for a uniform system of free public schools, because it diverts public money to schools that follow separate and different standards than public schools. The program therefore is inconsistent with the Florida Constitution which requires a “uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools.”
Education Week Releases 10th Annual Quality Counts 2006
This year Education Week’s annual report on the status of education in the United States, “Quality Counts 2006,” focuses on the success of education reform efforts related to standards, assessment, accountability, and teacher quality to improve student achievement over the past 10 years. “Quality Counts 2006” also includes articles on the impact of standards-based policies on student achievement and education reform, and how the 50 states and the District of Columbia progressed in four graded categories—Standards and Accountability, Efforts to Improve Teacher Quality, School Climate, and School Resources and the Equity of school finance systems. This data is included on the State Policy Report Card, which is accessible through http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2006/01/05/.
Overall, states averaged a C+ across the four graded categories included on the State Policy Report Card based on the results of 24 indicators. Ohio's overall score is a B-, but Ohio scored at or above average in all the categories: Standards and Accountability A-; Efforts to Improve Teacher Quality B; School Climate C+; and Resource Equity C.
According to the report for Ohio:
- The state earns its highest grade for policies related to standards and accountability. Ohio scores particularly well in the area of academic standards. Its standards for the four core subjects at nearly every grade span have been rated as clear, specific, and grounded in content by the American Federation of Teachers. The single exception is for elementary-level standards in social studies.
- Ohio also posts a better-than-average grade in teacher quality. The state receives full credit for its measures related to professional support and training for teachers. Ohio is one of 15 states that require and finance mentoring for new teachers. However, Ohio loses points in the area of teacher education and qualifications because it does not require a minimum amount of student teaching or other types of clinical experiences.
- The state receives an average grade for school climate, with room for improvement on indicators related to parent involvement and student engagement. Ohio fares better on measures of class and school size. And it has a strong showing for school facilities because it tracks the condition of its schools and provides funds for school construction.
- Ohio earns an average grade for resource equity. Ohio’s wealth-neutrality
score shows that, as in most states, its wealthier districts tend to have
higher per-pupil funding levels than its poorer districts.
