Topics
in this issue of the Superintendent's Sentences:
ISAT
Testing Changes in Response to NCLB
Public
Act 93-0426 contains the recommendations of the Assessment and
Accountability Task Force regarding student testing as an implementation
of the No Child Left Behind Act. Beginning no later than the 2005-2006
school year, the State Board of Education must annually test:
(i) all pupils enrolled in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th
grades in reading and mathematics; (ii) all pupils enrolled in
3rd, 4th, 6th, and 8th grades in writing; (iii) all pupils enrolled
in the 4th and 7th grades in the biological and physical sciences;
and (iv) all pupils enrolled in 5th and 8th grades in the social
sciences. It also requires the State Board to sample student performance
in the learning area of physical development and health in grades
4 and 7 through the science tests and in the learning area of
fine arts in grades 5 and 8 through the social sciences tests.
The Act makes changes concerning the maximum time allowed for
testing, students with individualized education programs, students
in transitional bilingual education programs or transitional programs
of instruction, students who receive Prairie State Achievement
Awards, the time period within which State testing must occur,
the use of short answer questions, and the provision of additional
tests and assessment resources that may be used by school districts
for local diagnostic purposes.
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Third
Grade ISAT Goes to Expository Focus
Based on recommendations
from the Assessment and Accountability Task force, the Illinois
State Board of Education adopted the following change to be implemented
in the Grade 3 Writing Assessment: Starting in the
spring of 2004, students will write one expository essay on the
Grade 3 ISAT. Further changes adopted by the Board
that are scheduled for implementation in the spring of 2006 include
the following: Starting in the 2005-2006 school year, Grade 4
students will write one essay in either the expository or persuasive
mode. Students in Grades 6 and 8 will write two essays in the
expository, persuasive or narrative modes. In the Grade 10 voluntary
writing assessment, students will write two essays in the expository,
persuasive or narrative modes. Grade 11 students will continue
to write one essay in the PSAE from either the persuasive or expository
mode.
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No
Child Left Behind & Parent Notification
Under
the NCLB federal law, the school district is legally bound to
notify parents at the beginning of each school year that they
may request, and
the agency will provide the parents on request (and in a timely
manner), information regarding the professional qualifications
of the student’s classroom teachers, including, at a minimum,
the following:
- Whether
the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria
for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher
provides instruction.
- Whether
the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional
status through which State qualification or licensing criteria
have been waived.
- The baccalaureate
degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification
or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of
the certification or degree.
- Whether
the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if
so, their qualifications.
To
comply with this requirement, Dr. Cindy Worner, NCLB Coordinator,
has developed a process for responding to parent requests and
notifying the respective teacher if a parent requests certification
information. Principals will be sharing further information regarding
this process in the very near future. While we do not anticipate
that many, if any at all, parents will request this information,
we must comply with the law while making sure teachers are aware
of all information.
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Gallup
Poll Shows Support for Public Education
We often hear and read
many stories on how public education is failing society. However,
we do not hear about good news very often. With this in mind,
I wanted to share some great news about public education. The
following points come from the 35th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup
Poll which can be downloaded at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kpollpdf.htm.
- The public has high regard for public schools, wants needed
improvements to come through those schools, and has little interest
in seeking alternatives.
- Eighty-four percent of those polled believed the job a school
is doing should be measured on the basis of improvement shown
by students.
- Sixty-seven percent believe special education students should
not be required to meet the same standards as other students.
- Sixty-six percent believe the emphasis of NCLB on standardized
testing will encourage teachers to teach to the tests, and sixty-percent
believe this would be a bad thing.
- The public is concerned about getting and keeping good teachers,
think teacher salaries are too low, and is willing to see high
salaries paid to teachers in more challenging situations.
- A majority of respondents are opposed to vouchers and would
oppose having their state adopt them, despite the 2002 U.S.
Supreme Court decision stating that voucher plans do not violate
the U.S. Constitution.
- Respondents regard funding as the biggest problem schools
in their communities must face.
These are only a few
points from the PDK/Gallup Poll. I encourage you to read more
by reviewing the entire report found at the link mentioned above.
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Pekin
Area Schools Foundation for Education Excellence
Were
you aware that a school foundation was recently organized to support
the needs of areas schools? It is my understanding that a letter
outlining this effort was distributed sometime last year without
any background on the purpose of the Foundation. As you may or
may not know, school foundations are becoming more prevalent in
communities across the United States. As budgets get tighter,
community leaders have organized foundations as a vehicle for
raising funds to support educational projects that cannot be funded
with typical revenue sources. While every foundation hopes to
be the beneficiary of a substantial endowment so that projects
can be funded from the interest collected, that is not usually
the norm. In the meantime, foundations focus their efforts on
collecting donations and conducting fund raisers to get on the
path of supporting local school districts.
The
Pekin Area Foundation for Educational Excellence is in the beginning
stages of communicating their mission and desire to support area
schools. Their first goal is to ask that ALL school employees
and board of education members join the Foundation for a nominal,
tax-deductible yearly membership fee of $10.00.
I
am excited about the potential of the Foundation and, as an ex-officio
member of the Foundation Board of Directors, I hope to play a
positive role in assisting these dedicated community members as
they work to support our efforts. To this end, I have asked that
all employees receive a second copy of the Foundation letter that
was distributed in a previous payroll. I encourage you to join
the Foundation. Your tax-deductible contribution will make a positive
difference!
The
following text was taken from the Foundation letter:
Our community needs
excellent public schools because all outstanding communities
have outstanding public schools. The Pekin Area Foundation for
Educational Excellence has been established to support and promote
quality education in the Rankin School District, North Pekin-Marquette
Heights School District, Pekin Public Schools, Pekin Community
High School, South Pekin Grade School District, and the Spring
Lake Community Consolidated School District. Our mission is
to "promote and enhance educational excellence through
the acquisition and distribution of resources for the benefit
of the students of Pekin areas schools." No other effort
in our community has a focus on all public schools.
We are asking that
you consider becoming a member of The Pekin Area Foundation
for Educational Excellence. In return, you will receive two
newsletters each year with important news about our schools
and our communities. More importantly, though, you will begin
the effort, with your friends and neighbors, to support and
promote excellence within our communities.
A one-year membership
in The Pekin Area Foundation for Educational Excellence is $10.00
and is tax deductible. Please make checks payable to:
Pekin Area Foundation
for Educational Excellence
c/o Pekin Community
High School
320 Stadium Drive
Pekin, IL 61554
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Important
Dates
| Friday, October 10, 2003 |
School
Improvement Day
Early Dismissal |
| Monday, October 13, 2003 |
Columbus Day
No School |
| Monday, October 20, 2003 |
District 108
Board of Education Meeting
6:30 p.m.
Board Conference
Room |
| Tuesday, November 11, 2003 |
Veterans' Day
No School |
| Thursday, November 20, 2003 |
Parent Conferences
No School |
| Friday, November 21, 2003 |
Parent Conferences
No School |
| Thursday, November 27, 2003 |
Thanksgiving
Day
No School |
| Friday, November 28, 2003 |
Special Holiday
No School |
| Friday, December 19, 2003 |
Dismiss for Winter Vacation |
| Monday, January 5, 2004 |
Classes Resume |
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|
