2011 ADMINISTRATORS’ DAYS

PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION: Systems for

Student Success

Roger Breed, Ed.D.Commissioner of EducationNebraska Department of EducationAugust 3, 2011

Agenda

•Context and Drivers

•NDE Update and Initiatives

•Brakes

•Accelerators

•Nebraska Teachers of the Year

21st Century – How are we doing?

•Science Fiction or Science Fact

•Five Myths about America’s Schools1. Our schools are failing.2. Unions defend bad teachers.3. Billionaires know best.4. Charter schools are the answer.5. More effective teachers are the

answer.

21st Century -How are we doing?

•Five Pillars of Success5. Government-funded research4. Regulation3. Infrastructure2. Immigration1. Education

Focus On LearningOur “hedgehog concept” in Nebraska:

We accept high levels of learning for all students as the fundamental purpose of our schools and therefore we are willing to examine all practices in light of impact

on learning.

Drivers

1. Student Demographics2. Public School Mission3. Accountability Process

Nebraska Public Schools Demographics•251 School Districts•Omaha – 48,796 students•McPherson County – 83 students•137 school districts with less than 390 students

Trends: Fewer districts, more smaller districts

First Driver

School Year

TotalEnrollmen

tTotal

Minority FRL ELL SPED

1990-91 272,990 10% NA NA 12%

2000-01 285,482 17% 30.4

%3.6%

15.3%

2010-11 298,314 29.2% 41.2

%6.6%

15.3%Trends: More minority, greater

levels of poverty

Nebraska Public Schools Demographics

•298,314 Students (preK -12)•41% qualify for free and reduced price lunch

•6.5% qualify for ELL•16% require special education services

Trends: Greater needs, fewer supports

Nebraska Public Schools Demographics

County Census - 2010Non Metro Counties (84) - 1.8%Metro Counties (9) +13.7%

Youth 17 years and younger:Lancaster, Douglas, Sarpy +12.3%62 Counties - 10.0%28 Frontier Counties* - 18.0%(*Density of less than 6 people per square mile)

Nebraska High School Graduates Trends

Percentages of Graduates by Race/Ethnicity2010-2020 +7.3%

2002-2003 Projected 2019—2020

White 89.5% 69.9%Black 4.3% 6.7%

Hispanic 4.0% 19.4%Asian 1.4% 3.1%Native .08% .9%

Nebraska Teachers•Experience shift underway•52% have less than 10 years experience•40% leave within first 10 years•Professional development•Impact of technology

Student Attendance 2009-2010

• 21,964 students missed more than 20 days (8%)• 1,513 Grades 1 & 2 students missed more than 20 days

• NeSA – R Performance▫Grade 11- less than 20 days–102 scale score▫Grade 11- more than 20 days–72 scale score

Second Driver Public School Mission

•Select and sort (1950’s)•Universal Access (CR, IDEA, ADA in

1960’s and 1970’s)•Universal High Achievement (NCLB in

2002)•College/Career Ready (now)

Public School Mission Today

“All students high school graduates, college and career

ready.”

P-16 Goals & Virtual Education Initiative

•PreK-16 System of Education•Graduation requirements•High school graduation rate•“Gaps”•College access and completion•“Virtual” opportunities

Where we need to go:• Improve student achievement • Narrow achievement gaps• Increase graduation and college enrollment rates

PRESIDENT OBAMA’S GOAL America will have the highest

proportion of college graduates of any country by

2020

Federal Agenda: All students high school graduates, college

and career ready.

All U.S. job growth in last 40 years occurred in jobs requiring at least some college or a college degree.

Education And Jobs

Nebraska Jobs Projections• 66% of all jobs will require some postsecondary training beyond high school in the next decade

• US needs 20,000,000 additional workers with some college or college degrees in next 15 years

-June 2011 Study Georgetown University

Nebraska Mission–“Our Work”•“All students high school graduates, college

and career ready”•CCR Standards (reading, math, science)•High School Graduation (4 year cohort

method)•PreK-16 System•Broadened Approach•Aligned Efforts

Third DriverAccountability Process

• Federal, State, Local• AYP, SIG-PLAS• Assessments

▫SLDS▫New State Accountability Model▫Teachers and Leaders Standards▫Continuous Improvement

NeSA Update• Standards

▫Revised: Reading, Math, Science▫Social Studies this year

• Assessments –▫Reading and Math underway▫Writing continues▫Science in 2012

NeSA Release•August 15 - Scores released to districts

•August 29 - Public release of scores▫Reading and Math, Writing (Grades 4, 8)▫No disaggregated data

•October 19 – State of Schools Report▫Disaggregated data▫Graduation rates▫Accountability decision▫AYP, PLAS

SLDS•PreK-16 Student Identification

•PreK-12 Connect Teacher to Students

•PreK-20 System▫NDE host▫Work force data▫Annual reports

Data System•P-20•Unique identifiers for students/teachers

•Track student progress•Match student records between P-12/Higher Ed/Employment

•Report to high school readiness of graduates

•Quality, data governance, research

State Accountability Plan• Multiple Measures• NeSA – 4 subjects• Graduation Rate• Participation Rate• Growth and Improvement• Schools/Districts• Usable/Understandable/Transparent

NDE Update/Initiatives

•Assistance on the Pathway•To lead and support the preparation of all Nebraskans for learning, earning and living

•40+ sessions

Standards•Next up: Social Studies

•Standards Instructional Tool

•Student/Parent Friendly Language Arts Standards

•Model Science Curricula

School ImprovementThe Plan

1. Continuous2. All Staff involved3. Used to align resources, strategies4. AdvancED5. Revision to Rule 10

Educator Standards•Teachers and Principals Standards

•To impact student learning•To inform preparation, certification,

mentoring professional development and teacher/principal evaluation

Early Childhood Education•Expanding quality early childhood

experience

•Key to closing gaps•Multiagency effort to write an Early

Learning Challenge Grant Application

Master Calendar•All required forms

•All due dates•Users can view month, week, day and set

up email reminders

•Check it out!

US/Centracalendar_00110EverythingJuly2011

Data Services•Completing ARRA requirements•Including 2.6 million records (every

student, every course, connected to teacher)

•Shift from just collection to research/evaluation

•District efforts/NDE support

Special Populations•“Meets Requirements”

•On-site verification visit in September

•IDEA applications – GMS consolidated

•SPED endorsements

•VR – Project Search

Career and Technical Education

• Dual credit/career academies uniform policies/practices/transferability (LB 637)

• Rapidly growing opportunities• CTE standards access• Research shows CTE concentrators (dual credit)

have lower dropout rates, enroll in college at a higher rate and complete college at a higher rate

• Developing career/employability models, with Department of Labor

New English Language Learner (ELL) Rule

•Address identification of ELL students

•Services required/recommended

•Address parameters of programs

•Address assessment/accommodation issues

•Address exit requirements

Revise Rule 84 – ESUs•Update a rule last revised in 1998•Recognize ESU Coordinating Council

(ESUCC)•Strengthen partnership and delineate

roles of NDE and ESUs•Establish required core services•Establish system of coordination for

professional development

BRAKES•Apathy

•Accepting “myths”

•Disjointed efforts

•Short term changes

•Tradition unquestioned

•Funding

FUNDING• US average PPE = $10,499 (2009)• NE average PPE = $10,045 (2009)• Bottom five – Ashland-Greenwood, Gretna, Norris,

Beatrice, and Millard - $8,500 ADM• Top five – Sioux County, Bruning-Davenport,

Thedford, Santee, McPherson County - $23,570 ADM

• New Realities – ‘Doing more with less,’ Equalization, Equity, Competition at all levels

ACCELERATORS1. Urgency

2. Early Learning

3. Time

4. Collaboration

5. Alignment Of Efforts

6. Bolder/Broader Approach

7. Sustainability

Sustainability – M. Fullan

“ . . . The capacity of a system to engage in the complexities of continuous improvement consistent with deep values of human purpose.”

Deep Values in Education1. All children can learn2. All means ALL

▫ Small number of key priorities▫ Resolute leadership/stay on message▫ Collective capacity▫ Strategies with precision▫ Intelligent accountability

Thanks!. . . For all you do!

Have a great 2011-12 school year!