Obama addresses school-dropout crises

We commend former Secretary of State Colin Powell and his wife Alma for their group, America's Promise Alliance, which is an advocacy group for stay in school.

There are many more problems with today's education system then just graduation rates.
Large inner city schools have been a problem for years with not only graduation rates but also what students are taught so you would think that when the Secretary of Education was named by President Obama, he would have chosen someone from a city school system that works. But he didn't, he chose the Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools, Arne Duncan, as his Education Secretary. That caused us sometime back to look at Chicago schools as we did not understand the choice and still don't.

There is one problem about graduation rates in some of the city schools districts like Chicago where their dropout rate has gone down but can they read, write, or do math? Are they being passed from grade to grade to raise the graduation rate? The answer is YES they are being passed to raise graduation rates.

In the latest report for 2005 43.7% of the Chicago 3rd - 8th graders could pass the Iowa Test for Reading Comprehension in 2005. The reason for using 2005 figures is that some of those students have graduated or are in high school today. If you cannot read, how do you pass and more importantly how do you graduate? Teacher's in Chicago schools are encouraged not to to fail too many students and 1 in 5 high school teachers have felt pressure to change the grade or had their grades changed per a Chicago Sun Times Investigative Report. Passing school children so the school does not get a failing grade is wrong and short changes the students.

What is more alarming is that one in ten teachers in Chicago Public Schools cannot pass their basic skills exam. Basic skill test for teachers still fails state's students STATE 35 percent right as passing math grade horrifies educator -- the headline from the Chicago Sun Times on Feb 13, 2010. We have public school teachers in the Chicago Public Schools who starting in September only have to get 35% right on the Math portion of the Basic Skills Test. That should be a failing grade.

Many of their students who do attend college in Chicago have to take remedial English if they go to college. We decided to look at a synopsis of testing for Chicago Schools and found some interesting data on why so much remedial English is required for college students:

PSAE Reading Scores -- Percent who meet or exceed standard

67.7% White
63.2% Asian/Pacific
36.1% Hispanics
24.2% Blacks

ACT Scores

22.2 - White
20.5 - Asian/Pacific
17.3 - Hispanics
15.7 - Blacks

No wonder so many college students have to take remedial English and why they attend private schools in Chicago as some private colleges do not require an ACT/SAT score to be admitted.

Graduation rates are fine to improve but not if you are going to pressure teacher's to change grades so when a student graduates they still don't have basic skills. They have not earned their high school diploma and will be at a disadvantage in the job market once they start work.

This is why we objected to the Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools being named Secretary of Education when he comes from a failing school system. Just like President Obama wasting millions as head of the Annenberg study in Chicago on friends involved in Chicago education but it didn't improve education in Chicago Public Schools.

It is a travesty repeated in major city after major city across America. Until we have fully qualified teachers who are allowed to teach the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic in the formative years instead of throwing a lot of non-essential subjects at first through third graders, our schools are going to have problems. Science/history should be fun in those first years not regular courses. Learn the basics first. Reading comprehension is so important to all other areas of study that sometimes its importance is underestimated.

One primary problem we see in schools where students have problems is lack of parental support. The parents are the backbone of education and if they don't care, their children in a lot of instances are going to fall through the cracks. Suburban schools districts by and large across America turn out better prepared students, parents participate, and teachers can pass a basic skills test with no problem. A lot of teachers in Suburban schools have Master's and some have PhD's and all have school boards that push a quality education. Rural areas in many states have some of the same problems as the city schools -- a lot of parents do not support their schools and refuse to attend parent conferences.

Throwing money at under performing schools is not the answer. If you are going to expect more of your students, then districts need to expect more of their Administrators and Teachers and all districts need to expect more from parents. Quality schools don't happen overnight -- they have to start with a School Board who cares about students and getting them a good education first and foremost. Somewhere in this equation, parents have to become actively involved in their child's education to help their children be successful in school.

Obama addresses school-dropout crisis

By Kara Rowland
March 1, 2010

President Obama on Monday said the United States must get a handle on its high-school dropout crisis if it is to succeed in the next century, arguing that giving up on school means "giving up on your family's future and giving up on your country's future."

"We know the success of every American will be tied more than ever before to the level of education they receive," Mr. Obama said before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at an event hosted by America's Promise Alliance, an advocacy group headed by former Secretary of State Colin Powell and his wife, Alma.

The speech marked a return to one of Mr. Obama's key priorities -- education -- which has taken a back seat as the White House has been focused on the economy and a health-care overhaul.

Saying that more than 1 million students fail to graduate each year, Mr. Obama called on states to identify and focus on schools with graduation rates below 60 percent. Those districts could be eligible for federal aid as his budget proposal includes $900 million in "school turnaround grants" on top of $3.5 billion in federal dollars Mr. Obama has committed to low-performing schools.


To receive the turnaround funds, schools must replace their principals and at least half their staff, close and reopen under new management, or close for good.

Mr. Powell's organization is sponsoring a 10-year campaign, dubbed "Grad Nation," to ensure that 90 percent of current U.S. fourth-graders graduate from high school on time. The program also is aimed at helping the country meet Mr. Obama's goal of having the highest proportion of high-school graduates by 2020.

Though he cautioned that government cannot do it alone, Mr. Obama said the public sector does have a responsibility when it comes to education.

"Government can help educate students to succeed in a college and a career. Government can help provide the resources to engage dropouts and those at risk of dropping out," he said.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/01/obama-vows-improve-school-dropout-rate/