Carney's Commentary

American School Board Journal, April 2005, Vol.192, No.4

This month’s theme: “How rural schools are tackling the twin problems of isolation and poverty.” (p.18f.)

p.16, “A trio of sobering new reports paints a detailed picture of life in high school and beyond.” 1-One-Third of a Nation: Rising Dropout Rates and Declining Opportunities (Educational Testing Service www.ets.org); 2-Life after High School: Young People Talk about Their Hopes and Prospects (Public Agenda www.publicagenda.org) ; 3-On Course for Success: A Close Look at Selected High School Courses That Prepare All Students for College (ACT and The Education Trust www.act.org; www.edtrust.org ).

p.28, Choosing to make a difference – how schools/districts are beating the odds and narrowing the achievement gap. “Shortchanges” come about by: 1-funding gaps, 2-teacher quality gap,3-curriculum gaps, and 4-assignment gaps.

p.32, A Story of School Governance relates what other school boards may learn from San Diego.

p.38, The Challenge of Teacher Quality. The shift is now from ‘teacher supply’ to teacher retention (and quality). Concerns rest with urban and rural areas physically, and with science, math, and special education academically. Granted, there will be rising enrollments and “surging teacher retirements.” The new challenge, according to the authors Hurwitz and Hurwitz, is to craft long-term strategies for locating and keeping high-performing teachers. Suggestions are outlined on p. 41.

p.42, Math that adds up! This article reflects Skypa’s geometry program, “Is There Math in This Town?” College students need remedial courses and businesses bemoan the lack of employees’ math skills. Again, teacher prep is addressed.

p.50, Research: Reaching the Older Reader. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, 8.7 million 4th-12th read below grade level. At 8th grade-70% are below level and 25% fail to read at the most basic level. P.51 relates strategies as offered by Reading Next, a2004 report from the Carnegie Corp of NY (and others).