Becky Felts Column for Sept. 9
Dropout Prevention is Everybody’s Business
The number of students dropping out of school warrants everyone’s attention because it touches every area of society. It is heartbreaking to see so many young lives prescribed to a greater likelihood of impoverished living or even worse, prison.
As an elementary teacher, it crushes my heart to know that some of my bright-eyed, bushy-tailed young fourth-graders won’t finish high school.
According to research by America’s Promise Alliance, dropouts are:
• Two times more likely than a graduate to be unemployed.
• Three times as likely to live in poverty.
• Eight times as likely to go to prison- In Oklahoma, nearly 70 percent of inmates under 25 are high school dropouts.
Cost of Dropouts
• 14,600-the yearly average number of students in Oklahoma who don’t graduate in four years.
• $3.8 billion-the amount of money the class of 2006 dropouts cost the state in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes.
• $96.4 million- the combined savings and revenue from reducing crime-related costs if we increase both high school and college graduation rates of male students in Oklahoma by only five percent.
(Information provided by Alliance for Excellent Education, June 2007)
While Oklahoma’s statewide graduation rate is four percent above the national graduation rate of 74 percent according to the U.S. Department of Education, only half of the kids in Oklahoma City and Tulsa graduate. Educators must provide personal, individualized attention to our at-risk students. We must build positive and respectful relationships between staff and students as well as support fair discipline policies. It will take parents, educators and community leaders to share the responsibility for making sure all students stay in school.
OEA has adopted a 12-point plan for creating programs that are effective in reducing the dropout rates. The first five points are below. For the remaining points, download http://okea.org/12%20point%20action%20plan.pdf or visit www.okea.org.
1. Mandate high school graduation or equivalency as compulsory for everyone below the age of 21. Just as we established compulsory attendance to the age of 16 or 17 in the beginning of the 20th century, it is appropriate and critical to eradicate the idea of “dropping out” before achieving a diploma. To compete in the 21st century, all of our citizens, at minimum, need a high school education.
2. Establish high school graduation centers for students 19-21 years old to provide specialized instruction and counseling to all students in this older age group who would be more effectively addressed in classes apart from younger students.
3. Make sure students receive individual attention in safe schools, in smaller learning communities within large schools, in small classes (18 or fewer students), and in programs during the summer, weekends, and before and after school that provide tutoring and build on what students learn during the school day.
4. Expand students’ graduation options through creative partnerships with community colleges in career and technical fields and with alternative schools so that students have another way to earn a high school diploma. For students who are incarcerated, tie their release to high school graduation at the end of their sentences.
5. Increase career education and workforce readiness programs in schools so that students see the connection between school and careers after graduation. To ensure that students have the skills they need for these careers, integrate 21st century skills into the curriculum and provide all students with access to 21st century technology.
- Becky Felts is the Oklahoma Education Association president
Sandy Garrett’s Column for Sept. 7
With classrooms now full across our state, boys and girls want to know how long until recess, not how to prevent the flu.
However, with the return of students for the fall semester, health officials are expecting cases of H1N1, also referred to as the “swine flu,” to increase. Unfortunately, many cases have already been confirmed in universities and schools in this state, and many more are likely as flu season approaches.
While the normal flu season in Oklahoma is trouble enough from November through March, cases of the flu were reported during the spring and summer this year. The regular seasonal flu vaccine will be available this month, but is not expected to protect against the H1N1 flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The H1N1 vaccine could be available sometime in late fall.
Health officials still advise that the best way to prevent the spread of any illness is to:
• Wash hands often with soap and water
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• If possible avoid close contact with someone who is ill
Anyone with a flu-like illness and running a fever of 100 degrees or more is advised to stay at home until they are symptom-free and have had no fever without the use of medication for 24 hours.
Also, there are people who are more at-risk of 2009 H1N1 complications, including those who are pregnant, have asthma or diabetes, have compromised immune systems or have neuromuscular diseases, such as cerebral palsy or Down’s Syndrome. Parents of high risk children should consult their pediatricians to discuss what actions they should take if an outbreak of flu or H1N1 occurs at their children’s schools.
The State Department of Education continues to work with the Oklahoma State Department of Health, the lead state agency on this issue, to help guide schools in case of outbreaks. We have been advised by state and federal health authorities that school closure for H1N1 will likely be a rare occurrence. With what we know about the virus now, only if an outbreak increases to an extreme level and the disruption to learning is great will health authorities recommend to school administrators that they temporarily close schools.
We have asked Oklahoma public school leaders to work closely with their county health departments in an effort to prepare and prevent. A letter detailing our guidance to schools can be found on the State Department of Education’s Web site,
Many school districts are training personnel to look for specific symptoms and how to monitor for illnesses. And, school leaders have been asked to set up plans to ensure that ill students will not fall behind because of missing classes. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses should be exchanged between parents and teachers, and school Web sites could perhaps be used to post assignments.
With increased awareness of this flu and the use of common-sense prevention steps, hopefully together we can help keep students healthy and in school!
Becky Felts’ Column for Aug. 31
More effective teachers start with good leadership
I am a firm believer that a teacher’s working conditions are a student’s learning conditions. A good principal can create a culture of achievement and empower the teachers. More effective teaching starts with good leadership at the building level.
From Good to Great
According to Oklahoma Best Practices What Works printed by the Oklahoma Commission for Education Leadership in 2005, here are some key attributes of high-challenge (low-income, varied ethnicity and limited English proficiency) high-performing schools in Oklahoma:
• Instructional autonomy. In the past, the school principal has been viewed as the instructional leader. Today, teachers are assuming ownership of the development and application of the curriculum while principals are becoming facilitators of instruction.
• Encouragement. In great schools, the principal looks for the strengths of each teacher and builds on those strengths.
• Shared accountability. Accountability is shared by both the principal and the teachers across all disciplines including special education and English language learners.
• Instructional support. The principal provides time for teachers to plan together and provides instructional support such as support personnel to help in the classroom.
A Model that Works
The National Center for Educational Accountability named Huston 4th-5th Grade Center in Blackwell, Oklahoma as a high performing school based on their challenges and achievements in 2005. During the time of the study, nearly 70 percent of students qualified for free or reduced lunch.
Consistent Higher Performance
Huston Center Elementary School was higher performing than demographically similar schools in mathematics, reading, U.S. History, and science in an analysis that included all fifth-grade achievement data from 2002 to2004. Huston Center Elementary School demonstrated overall performance ranks of 97.1 in mathematics, 94.4 in reading, 85.1 in U.S. History, and 98.7 in science on state tests.
According to the case study, it started with the leadership of their superintendent. District teachers referred to her as someone who truly understood instructional leadership. Her leadership style included team-based curriculum development and shared responsibility for student success. The assistant superintendent identified people and programs whose methods and materials were researched-based and pertinent to the challenge of educating a changing population. Teachers district-wide worked as grade level teams. Teachers were in and out of each other’s classrooms sharing best practices. Eventually, Huston teachers started vertical curriculum planning with another grade center. District support was listed as a key ingredient for teacher retention and appreciation for instructional support was abundant.
Last year, the Huston Center Elementary School had a total Academic Performance Index of 1486.
For more information on the Huston case study, visit http://www.nc4ea.org/files/Oklahoma_Best_Practice_Executive_Summary_2004-05-06-01-06.pdf.
For years we have had models in our state of collaborative and effective relationships between superintendents, building principals and teachers that are centered on student achievement.
In a time where the pressures of “reform” and testing are at an all-time high, we must remember the key to transformational learning is for school leaders to trust, support and build the capacity of the teachers.
-Becky Felts is president of the Oklahoma Education Association
Sandy Garrett’s Column
Some of our fondest memories growing up involve grandparents—the smell of fresh baked pies, big family dinners and lively rounds of board games. I certainly wouldn’t trade anything for that time together or all of the lessons learned.
Times have changed of course, and Americans live longer, commute easier and faster, and technology allows us to stay in touch instantly by phone, email, and even video. The traditional grandparent-child relationship also has changed.
Today, more than six million children in the United States are being raised by grandparents, a dramatic increase in the last 20 years. In Oklahoma, more than 57,000 or 6 percent of all children live in grandparent-headed households. There are only a handful of states with a higher rate than ours, which is attributed to the shocking number of mothers in this state who are incarcerated and/or who are substance-abusers.
While the role of grandparent has changed through the years, senior Oklahomans are an even more essential part of families and it is important as ever we honor them.
A special day has been set aside to celebrate. Sunday, September 13, is National Grandparents Day. It has been observed annually on the first Sunday following Labor Day since 1978.
The day was first proclaimed by President Jimmy Carter and founded by Marian McQuade, a West Virginia housewife to honor grandparents, give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and help children become aware of the strength and guidance older people can offer.
Here are some helpful reminders (from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) for grandparents raising grandchildren that are also great for caregivers of all types:
Ø Daily routines for meals, bedtime or other activities help everyone.
Ø Children need to know that they can always talk to you about problems they have.
Ø Doing things such as reading, walking and playing let children know you value your time with them.
Ø And, don’t forget to take care of yourself by attending a support group, enrolling in a parenting class and taking breaks to relax.
Resources for “grandfamilies” are also available online at www.aarp.org, www.okdhs.org and www.usa.gov/Topics/Grandparents.shtml.
Whether celebrating together as a small group or at a large family reunion, I hope all Oklahomans will honor grandparents for all that they have done and all they continue to do.
Read to a child – the benefits last a lifetime!
Becky Felts’ Column
The old saying, “everything I needed to know about life, I learned in kindergarten” holds a good amount of truth to it.
As I scan my bookshelf, I still have the old books my mother used to read to me before I was in school. In my office, are the “Becky” books my aunt bought for me. Bless her heart, whenever she saw a book with my name Becky on it, she bought it and signed it with an inscription that said “As the twig is bent so the tree grows.”
These childhood books remind me of the enriched family environment in which I was raised. An environment surrounded by special books just for me, stimulating places that provided spontaneous learning and rich conversations and words that my three-year-old mind soaked up like a dry sponge. My childhood was filled with love and learning for which I am grateful.
I am proud to say that in Oklahoma, we recognize and acknowledge the value of early childhood education. By January 2011, every district must offer full-day kindergarten and many of our schools will have four-year-old programs.
Economically disadvantaged families are least likely to have monetary or social resources to provide the development every child needs as a BASIC opportunity for success in school.
The problems start early if they are not addressed early. According to PAES, Partnership for America’s Economic Success (www.partnershipforsuccess.org),
• By age 3, children of parents using social services like public housing or food stamps have a vocabulary of about 500 words compared to 1,200 words for children of college-educated parents.
• By age 5, a child’s brain reaches 85% of its adult weight and develops 700 neural synapses every second-the connections that help him learn.
Providing that development through early childhood programs pays dividends by providing better social and economic productivity later in life. Quality early childhood education for at-risk children can produce an annual rate of return as high as 16%, according to Art Rolnick, Senior Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
All children should have effective early childhood development. Not all families are able to provide that development at home. That’s where, together as a public, we step in.
Here’s what a quality early childhood program looks like:
• A learning environment staffed by four-year degree teachers with specific training in early childhood education.
• Families and teachers exchanging information about the child’s development and learning progress.
• Well-balanced nourishing meals and snacks.
• Small teacher child ratios
• Teachers on bended knee speaking to children at eye-level and showing appropriate affection
• Children receiving a variety of stimuli in their daily routine using indoor and outdoor spaces, appropriate language, literacy, math, science, art, music, movement and dramatic play experiences.
• Children participating with teachers in individual, small-group and large-group activities.
Quality early childhood education is essential and helps give every child the firm foundation needed to be successful at each stage of their education and life. The love and learning I was exposed to early in my life has no doubt helped facilitate my success as an adult. This school year, support a great public school for every child.
- Felts is the Oklahoma Education Association president.
Sandy Garrett’s Column
Kids Count focus: The well-being of children By Sandy Garrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Friday, August 14, 2009
As school bells ring and classroom doors open for the new school year, the quality of life for boys and girls in our state takes center stage with the national release of the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s “2009 Kids Count Data Book.”
This is a much-anticipated annual report that gives state and national comparisons for children’s well-being. And, unfortunately, what is considered the overall well-being of children in Oklahoma has fallen to a ranking of 44th in the nation; we ranked 38th just four years ago.
Of the 10 key measures studied in every state, we have improved in three, remained unchanged in one and worsened in six since 2000.
Better:
• Fewer teens (aged 16-19) are dropping out of high school in Oklahoma,
down from 14 percent to 8 percent in the most recent report.
• The number of teens not in school or working decreased from 11 percent
to 9 percent in Oklahoma.
• The infant mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) has slightly
decreased from 8.5 percent in 2000 to 8.0 percent in 2006.
Same:
• The teen birth rate (births per 1,000 females aged 15-19) has stayed the
same since 2000.
Worse:
• More Oklahoma children are living in homes where no parent has full-time
or year-round employment, rising to 35 percent from 33 percent in 2000.
• Single-parent homes are the norm for 33 percent of Oklahoma children, a
3 percent increase since 2000.
• Children living in poverty—with a family income below $21,027—has risen
from 19 percent in 2000 to 22 percent.
• An increase of low-birth weight babies from 7.5 percent in 2000 to 8.3
percent.
• Child deaths (children aged 1-14 per 100,000) have gone from 25 percent
in 2000 to 29 percent.
• Teen deaths (teens aged 15-19 per 100,000) increased from 77 percent in
2000 to 85 percent.
Study after study has shown that family and economic factors such as enjoying regular meals, getting plenty of sleep, and feeling safe and secure impact children’s academic performance. These are not excuses; these are the facts of life. The better we take care of and invest in our children, the more opportunity for success they will have.
While state and national comparisons on the 10 “Kids Count” measures are helpful, data on how each county performs on these measures also is available here or by contacting the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy is our state’s point of contact for a variety of public awareness and engagement activities related to the status of children and families.
Every school day, no matter the situation in which children live and learn, school faculty and staff will continue providing academic instruction, nutritious meals and a caring heart to the children who enroll in Oklahoma public schools. We know that kids count!
Sandy Garrett’s Column
Yellow school buses and flashing school zone lights soon will be seen as early as this week in neighborhoods across our state as schools resume.
This is a busy, exciting time for families, and a great time to refresh on back-to-school safety basics.
School bus
More than 372,000 students ride school buses daily in Oklahoma. The school bus continues to be the safest form of transporting students, yet dangers can arise when boarding and leaving a bus.
• Never walk behind a bus or in front where a driver cannot see, and check to see that no traffic is coming if crossing the street.
• Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before stepping off or on.
• Do not move around.
• Try to never wait alone.
Walking and bicycling
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says around 15 percent of students walk or bicycle to or from school. That percentage is higher in less urban areas.
• Wear a helmet and use hand signals; respect traffic laws and ride on the right-hand side of the street in the same direction as traffic.
• Walkers should have a planned route and follow sidewalks or paths if they exist.
• Look both ways before crossing the street, and only cross when clear.
• Walk with a buddy if possible. With younger students, try what the
American Academy of Pediatrics calls a “walking school bus,” in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children to and from school.
• Avoid interaction with strangers.
• Stay clear of vacant lots, fields, and construction sites.
After school
The vast majority of children come from families where both parents work outside the home. If children are staying home alone after school, it is crucial to:
• Create a password for family or trusted adults to use when picking your child up from school or in the home when you are not there.
• Make sure children always have access to parent contact information and know what to do in an emergency; laminated cards are a great idea for younger children.
• Keep doors locked at all times.
• Never answer the door to a stranger, even one who is in uniform; refrain from allowing familiar adults into the home when alone and when they’re not expected.
• Avoid answering unnecessary phone calls and never tell callers they are home alone. Children should say their parent can’t come to the phone right now and take a message.
Adults and children also can make this school year a safe one by using SAFE-CALL, the nation’s first statewide school safety hotline. Citizens can make anonymous calls to the toll-free line 24 hours a day, 365 days each year to report any potential dangers to students or unsafe conditions at schools. The hotline is 1 (877) SAFE-CALL, extension OK1 (or 1-877-723-3225, ext. 651).
Let’s help make this year a safe and happy one for boys and girls!
Sandy Garrett’s Column
Schools’ summer breaks seem to be flying by and, with the flip of the calendar, August is here!
Over the next few weeks, Oklahoma schools will be back in session for the 2009-10 school year. For many families, it is time to get supplies such as pencils, paper, book bags and clothes, but helping a child get ready for the big day is much more.
A successful and happy start to the school year can result from following a few tips:
§ A week or more before the first day of school, set wake up and
bed times. This will help everyone adjust to time changes early.
Also, eating meals at a regular time will help boys and girls be
ready for a set lunch break during the week.
§ Visit the school before classes start. This gives children and
parents a chance to become familiar with the buildings and
classrooms and meet teachers and staff. Parents can ensure
records such as medical examinations, addresses and contact
numbers are up-to-date. While you are there, take a little time
to learn about resources available such as email, Web sites and
student manuals.
§ Communicate with your child’s teacher about his or her
expectations for the coming year. Talk with children about what
you expect and, in return, ask them what they want to achieve.
§ An upbeat, positive attitude about school will help get the year
off to a great start. Some children may be anxious about a new
class or unhappy about summer coming to an end. Take this time to
emphasize the positives like seeing old friends and making new
ones, getting new supplies or clothes and learning new skills.
§ Set a home study break. Turn off the TV and video games and set
aside time during the week for the entire family to spend time
reading a book or practicing other learning activities. Then,
when school resumes, that time can then be used for homework and
projects.
§ Get involved with the school. Ask about volunteer opportunities
that might be available for parents throughout the year in
classrooms, field trips and extracurricular activities. In
addition, your school may have parent groups or parent education
classes or events.
This time of year is exciting for the entire family and may include many changes, whether it’s a new building, teacher or classmates. The transition can be less about the end of summer vacation and more about starting a brand new school year off on the right foot!
For more information about the 2009-10 school year, see the State Department of Education’s “Back to School” Web page.
Sandy Garrett’s Column
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
– “Little Boxes,” by Malvina Reynolds, © 1962
Many will remember the song “Little Boxes,” a social commentary on the cookie-cutter pursuit of the American dream that became popular in the 1960s. “Little Boxes” is now the theme song to a popular cable television series. It came to mind recently when preparing for my annual “State of Education Address” this summer.
Most are familiar with the typical school “box”—with four walls, a chalkboard and a teacher at the front. Each was the same, regardless of grade or school. Nothing else in the world is the same now as it was then.
To harness the power of our present and the opportunities of our future, we must look beyond that box. So, when school leaders gathered for our annual Leadership Conference July 15, I told them about the “perfect storm” that is brewing. This is the global, national, state and local forces impacting Oklahoma schools and their ability to successfully educate every child.
These forces are:
· The worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
· The concern that not all in the workforce today have the skills needed
to be successful.
· The ongoing demographic changes resulting in more Oklahoma children
living in poverty, and more students who are homeless.
This converging of forces into a perfect storm makes it imperative that schools focus on the future and be willing to change quickly. It’s time to transform schools to better prepare every student to compete in the global economy now and to adapt to the job market of their future.
The president has offered a crisis plan to help chart a course through the storm. His recent initiatives include:
1. Promoting innovation and excellence in schools. In Oklahoma this can
mean increasing the quality and quantity of learning time; adding to the number of places for learning from which parents can choose (traditional public or private, charter schools, online, etc.), and engaging students with the tools of technology they will use in the workplace.
2. Encouraging higher academic standards and better assessments by
continuing to raise the bar on tests and advocating for common standards among states.
3. Recruiting and rewarding teachers in ways that help retain the current
teaching force and assist new teachers in being effective with students at that particular school.
4. Developing partnerships with CareerTechs and colleges, and continuing
our work aligning postsecondary standards with Pre-K through 12th grade.
5. Ongoing efforts to improve the quality of early learning programs –
even in Oklahoma where our Pre-Kindergarten programs are considered the national model.
Urgency is needed locally to rethink Oklahoma’s outdated school calendar, embrace new technologies, and tailor teaching to each child’s educational needs with a goal of 100 percent of students graduating from high school.
Schools can break free of the “little box” mentality of the past, and
focus our schools on the future. Because every child deserves a bright
future, I urged school leaders to do whatever it takes to “leave no future behind.”
Read to a child – the benefits last a lifetime!
Making music
Despite playing the clarinet during my years in school, I never knew what went into keeping an instrument in playing condition, but I recently got a little lesson from some Oklahoma City band directors.
The band directors are working this summer to repair and catalog all of the more than 2,000 band instruments in the district’s middle and high schools. Chris Lehew, assistant band director at Northwest Classen, was kind enough to let me tinker with a clarinet when I visited one of their repair sessions. He showed me how to cut and glue down the cork on the joints of the clarinet and then sand it so that the instrument’s pieces fit snugly together. I tried my hand at a little sanding and felt a little sentimental for my clarinet-playing days.
Lehew and other band members replaced pads, fixed bent keys and replaced screws on instruments that day. They said they hope that their efforts will make for sweeter music after school starts.
- Staff Writer Dawn Marks
