ESP Spotlight

Advisory

Achievement Gaps - Alternative Scheduling

As the pressure to reform schools to focus on improving student achievement grows, more and more schools are experimenting with new kinds of scheduling. Generally, schools are examining several different kinds of course schedules that assign students fewer classes a day for a longer period of time. This new scheduling system is most common in secondary schools, but some elementary schools have also experimented with innovative scheduling.

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Achievement Gaps - Class Size Reduction

Class size reduction has become an important part of efforts to close student achievement gaps.

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Achievement Gaps - Literacy and Math Coaching

Coaching is school-based professional development that assigns educators with specific knowledge and skills to work with teacher colleagues to improve classroom practice. An effective coach makes teachers' jobs easier by demonstrating how and why certain strategies will make a difference in student learning, and then working alongside teachers to develop the knowledge and skills they need to put those strategies into practice.

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Achievement Gaps - Parental Involvement Strategies

Parents and caregivers significantly impact students’ learning (in this Advisory, the term “parent” refers to any primary caregiver), regardless of socioeconomic status, ethnic or racial background, or parents’ education level. As a matter of fact, the most accurate predictor of student academic achievement is the degree to which families encourage learning; communicate high, achievable expectations to children; and become involved in their children’s education.1 Parent involvement also contributes to better school attendance, higher rates of homework completion, lower rates of student violence and substance abuse, fewer placements in special education, higher graduation rates, and higher rates of enrollment in higher education.

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Achievement Gaps - Professional Development

PSEA believes that anything worth doing, and worth directing Title I funds toward, is worth doing very well. Too often, however, teachers, support professionals, and educational specialists find that professional development is poorly supported, poorly planned, poorly implemented and disconnected from their job responsibilities and other professional development.

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Achievement Gaps - Professional Learning Communities

A professional learning community is a school where teachers and administrators continuously seek and share new learning in order to increase their professional effectiveness. Professional learning communities are based on the belief that learning is more fruitful when it is undertaken in a collaborative environment, where participants can test their ideas, challenge each others’ assumptions and process new information together. When done right, professional learning communities can be a powerful professional development tool and can be a critical force in school improvement and change.

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Act 48 Validity: My teaching certificate states it’s good for 99 years – what happened?

Recently we have received many inquiries as to why Pennsylvania teachers now have to meet Act 48 Continuing Professional Education requirements in order to keep their certificates valid. In response to these inquiries, our Legal Division has researched this issue and provides the following insight.

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Administration of Medication

Guidelines for educators about students' medications.

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Discipline and Students With Disabilities

Information for educators on dealing with student misconduct and discipline with regard to special education students.

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Education Improvement Initiative - 4 Sight Benchmark Assessment

The 4 Sight Benchmark Assessment is a series of student assessments that are linked to PDEs Assessing to Learn: PA Benchmark Initiative. Districts work with their Intermediate Units (IU) to complete application to participate in the 4Sight Program, and when accepted into the program they receive training in the 4Sight Program from their IU. Participation is voluntary for all districts except for those that have applied for Educational Assistance Programs (EAP); EAP districts must participate in the 4 Sight Benchmark Assessment program.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Assessment Anchors and Adopt-an-Anchor Program

Assessment Anchors. Pennsylvania’s assessment anchors are one of several tools the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has developed to help teachers, schools, and districts align curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices to the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) and the state’s academic content standards. Since 1999, teachers have been trying to adopt and adapt curricula and instructional materials to correspond with the state standards, but teachers have noted that the standards are often too broad and too numerous to be the basis for meaningful decisions about curriculum and instruction.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Getting Results!

Getting Results! is a data-based school improvement planning framework developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). All schools designated by PDE as in school improvement or corrective action (meaning the school has not made “adequate yearly progress” on the PSSA for two or more consecutive years) are required to prepare a school improvement plan. These schools may choose to use Getting Results! as a planning framework or use another district-approved framework that meets federal and state requirements. Schools that are not required to prepare an improvement plan may find Getting Results! useful in their strategic planning process.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Leading for Learning

Leading for Learning! is a framework for district improvement planning developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). It is designed to meet the district planning requirements defined by both Chapter 4 and the No Child Left Behind Act. It is also designed to coordinate with the Getting Results! school improvement planning template and has been used as the instructional core for PDE’s new Electronic Strategic Planning process.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Pennsylvania Achievement Gap Effort (PAGE 1)

The Pennsylvania Achievement Gap Effort (PAGE 1) is a three-year effort spearheaded by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education in partnership with the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units (PAIU) and the Education Trust (Ed Trust). This effort is a response to persistent achievement gaps in Pennsylvania and an attempt to eradicate them.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Initiative

The Pennsylvania Inspired Leadership Initiative is a statewide, standards-based leadership development and support system for school leaders at all levels. The initiative is intended to build capacity among school leaders by focusing on what they need to know and do in order to guide and direct instructional improvement and improvements in student achievement. Studies about school quality and student achievement consistently show that leadership is a critical part of great teaching and learning.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Project 720

The Pennsylvania Department of Education, with the support of the Governor’s Office and the State Legislature, administers Project 720 (named after the number of days in four years of high school), a three-year, $4.7 million voluntary state grant program to create high schools that are student-centered, results-focused, data informed, and personalized in the delivery of services to students. All high schools that receive Project 720 grants need to sign on to a standardized high school reform agenda.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Reading First

The Reading First Initiative is a voluntary six-year program designed to help all children read well by supporting scientifically-based, comprehensive reading instruction for children in Kindergarten through third grade. The program is designed to support proven methods in teaching, screening, diagnosis and monitoring of reading difficulties among children as well as high quality professional development for teachers.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Student Tutoring Programs

The Pennsylvania Department of Education has developed several different student tutoring programs as part of their plan to close achievement gaps among subgroups of students and bring every student to proficient or above in reading and math.

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Education Improvement Initiative - Teacher Evaluation

Chapter 49 of the Pa. School Code requires that all new educators be assessed in order to transition to a Level II certificate. In response, the Department of Education updated the statewide teacher rating form to reflect current “best practices” in teaching. PDE believed that parts of the old statewide evaluation form, the DEBE 5501, no longer reflected appropriate teacher evaluation criteria. As a result, PDE developed four new teacher evaluation forms.

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Education Improvement Initiative - The Distinguished Educator Initiative

The Distinguished Educator (DE) Initiative is a program developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) that assigns experienced educators to assist struggling districts in planning and implementing effective school reform. Distinguished Educators work through the Capital Area Intermediate Unit (CAIU) on behalf of PDE. As necessary, CAIU assigns teams of DEs to work with districts that need targeted technical assistance to improve student achievement.

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New Federal Supplemental Student Aid Programs

The Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA) has created two new higher education student aid programs to begin in the 2006-07 academic year. These programs, the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant, provide between $750 and $4,000 a year to qualifying students. PSEA members who are school counselors and others who help students with course selection and career planning should be aware of these new grant programs.

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Pooled Trust Programs for Persons with Disabilities

Legal information and resources about pooled trust programs.

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Student Records

Legal information about student records for educators.

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Teaching Students With Disabilities - Advice to Educators

Questions and answers about IEP issues, liability, recognizing students with disabilities, and other issues relevant to educators teaching Special Education students.

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Teaching Students with Disabilities - LRE, Educational Placement and the Gaskin Settlement

Information about Least Restrictive Environment for educators.

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Teaching Students with Disabilities: Asperger's Syndrome and Autism - An Overview

Information on Asperger's Syndrome and Autism for educators.

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What Steps Can Members Take to Raise Concerns About Special Education Students?

Questions and answers for educators about concerns about Special Education students.

Dealing With Threats or Violent Behaviors From Students With IEPs

This booklet will provide you with information you can use if you find yourself dealing with a student who has violent outbursts. We will address this in two ways: an inventory you can use to determine if the appropriate supports are in place and strategies for both minor and serious incidents.

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Keys to Close Achievement Gaps

This Guide provides a basis from which PSEA members and others can begin to advocate for professional learning opportunities that are as complex and sophisticated as our profession.

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PSEA Guide to School Improvement Planning

This resource has been developed by PSEA to help local school entities engage in effective school improvement planning as required by the No Child Left Behind Act. PSEA is pleased to provide its members with this resource and encourages its use by all members, particularly those who are involved in local efforts at school improvement planning.

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PSEA School Nurse Manual

Member login required. Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions Regarding School Nursing in Pennsylvania’s Public Schools

Understanding the Challenging and the Gifted: An Introduction for Teachers

Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education (PAGE) and Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) are partnering to bring you this booklet that will be a helpful tool as you teach and challenge Pennsylvania’s young minds. We invite you to take the first step to learning how to meet the needs of the gifted learner through the information and resources provided in this publication.

What Teachers Know And Are Able To Do

Teaching requires commitment from its practitioners and support from those who benefit from it. Both the commitment and support must center on what helps teachers meet or exceed these standards. This highlights the different roles each set of standards plays in the progression of a teacher’s career.

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You and Your Certificate booklet

For PSEA members, You and Your Certificate is intended to be a handy reference to help understand these rights and responsibilities. Information about acquiring and maintaining an active and valid Pennsylvania certificate is offered here in an easy-to-use format.

Brief: School Reforms That Work

Information about Professional Development, Early Childhood Education, and other school reform programs that have proven effective.

ESEA - An Overview

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is not new legislation. It has been in existence since 1965 and is “re-authorized” by Congress every six years. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is the 2001 version of ESEA or “ESEA ‘01”. The reauthorization process began in 2000 to update the previous version, ESEA ’94. While NCLB is touted by the administration as being revolutionary, many of the changes began in ESEA ’94.

ESEA - Standards

ESEA ’94 mandated the development of “academic standards” by the States. These standards are to be applied to all students and all schools in the state.

ESEA Accountability - Adequate Yearly Progress

In short, States are held accountable and are required to hold local education agencies (LEA’s) accountable for developing standards and putting systems in place to ensure that students are able to meet or exceed those standards. States and LEA’s are to prove they’ve done so by assessing the students. The “or else” comes in the form of sanctions against the state, districts (LEAs), and schools, however, the worst a State can be sanctioned is the loss of funds; schools, and their employees, can suffer worse fates. We have already discussed Standards and Assessments in separate briefing papers. The remaining major aspects of Accountability are discussed in individual papers as well. Again, the actual language of the law is extensive.

ESEA Accountability - Report Cards

Title I, Part A, Section 1111 of ESEA ‘01 requires that both the State and the Local Education Agency (LEA) must prepare an annual report card no later than the beginning of the SY 02-03.

ESEA Accountability - Sanctions

The language of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) is quite extensive. This document includes highlights of Title I, Part A, Section 1116.

ESEA Briefing - Assessments

Information on ESEA and highlights of the Title I provisions on assessments.

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Parent Pamphlet - TV Viewing: Setting The Rules

TV time takes time from other activities that are very important to a child’s development such as homework, physical activity, creative expression, learning individual skills. TV does not have to be watched all the time.

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Parent Pamphlet: Discipline for Teenagers

Dealing with teenagers requires patience, wisdom, and effective discipline.

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Parent Pamphlet: Discipline: An Important Way to Show a Child Love

Discipline is constructive guidance providing positive guidelines to help your child now and later. That’s not an easy job. You will, at times, lose your temper, do things you wish you hadn’t, but if those times are few and only temporary setbacks, you will still accomplish a great deal.

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Parent Pamphlet: Help Your Child Take Tests

Quizzes and exams that teachers routinely use to check on students’ learning are the most common—and frequent— tests your child takes in school. In addition to classroom tests, your child may take one or more achievement tests that schools are required to give each year. These tests, which provide a snapshot of what students know, are used to gauge how well schools educate students.

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Parent Pamphlet: Helping Your Teenager Study More Productively

Make sure your child keeps up with schoolwork. It's not only a better way to learn, but it also will build confidence and prevent your child from having to cram before a test. Besides, once you fall behind, it's tough to catch up.

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Parent pamphlet: Reading Aloud to Your Child--A Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

Reading aloud is a gift you can freely give to your children from the day they are born until the time they leave the nest. Children’s reading experts agree that reading aloud offers the easiest and most effective way to help children become lifelong readers. It also can be as much fun for you as it is for your children.

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Parent Pamphlet: The Early Years in School - How Parents Can Help

Children are always learning. Children can learn in many places and in many ways. While school is a major source of their education, the things they learn at home are equally important to their development. As a parent, you have a chance to make a big difference in how and how well your children learn.

Facts About Learning Disabilities

A learning disability is a permanent disorder that affects the way individuals with normal or above normal intelligence receive, store, organize, retrieve and use information.

Foundations for Success: The Final Report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel

The National Mathematics Advisory Panel was created by President George W. Bush in April 2006 to advise the nation on ways to foster greater knowledge and improved math performance among elementary and secondary students. President Bush’s charge to the Panel included many tasks, but central to the work of the Panel was an emphasis on preparation for and success in Algebra I and II. The Panel was also charged to develop conclusions based upon existing research and to highlight areas where research is needed.

In Brief: Attention Deficit Disorder

Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD is a biologically based disorder affecting approximately two million students in America’s schools. This figure represents four percent (4%) of our current student population. Individuals with ADD tend to be easily distracted, impulsive and often hyperactive. These behavioral tendencies may significantly interfere with a student’s ability to learn. In fact, it is estimated that ten to thirty-three percent (10%-33%) of students with ADD also have learning disabilities.

In Brief: Gaskin Settlement Implementation

PDE has not yet adopted a “formula” for calculating the LRE Index as is required by the Gaskin Settlement; PDE decided to adopt the OSEP guidelines for LRE Monitoring.

Pennsylvania State Five-Year Plan for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006

The Bureau of Career and Technical Education (BCTE), in accordance with Federal requirements, submitted and received approval for their five year plan. This plan became effective July 1, 2008 and will continue through June 30, 2013. The 2006 reauthorization of the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act incorporated some significant changes in state requirements. This brief provides an overview of noteworthy changes.

Student Achievement is More than Academic

Public school accountability proposals often confuse symptoms with diagnosis. There is considerable evidence to suggest that student low achievement is a symptom of deeper issues related to student health and well-being. In other words, policymakers may need to consider the idea that the “root cause” of academic achievement problems may not be in the academic content instruction.

In Brief

Student Achievement is More than Academic: Racial Segregation Across Schools

Racial Segregation Impedes Achievement. The Supreme Court knew that in 1954, when they found that racially segregated schools inherently deprive specific students the best opportunities to learn. Today, however, almost two-thirds of African-American children still go to schools that are “majority minority,” and about 4 of ten sit in classrooms that are 90 to 100 percent minority. Latino students are the most segregated students of color in the country, with more than three-quarters attending majority-minority schools; many Latino students live and go to school in such highly-segregated communities that they have very little exposure to English.

Code of Ethics of the Education Profession

Professional Rights & Responsibilities information for educators.

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Emerging Issues in Education: Achievement Gaps

Anytime one group of students achieves less than other groups of students, and the difference is not attributable to innate differences, an “achievement gap” exists. The economic and social consequences of these gaps are staggering, as gaps that emerge in very early childhood directly impact the economic and civic roles that individuals assume throughout life. Consequently, reducing achievement gaps has become a major equity issue in the school reform movement.

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Emerging Issues in Education: High School Change

Over the last five years, more than $1 billion of public and private funds have been invested in efforts to “transform American high schools.” PSEA encourages all members to be involved from the beginning in all aspects of school change. To help you get started, this issue brief includes basic information about the status of high school change, both nationally and in Pennsylvania.

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PSEA Guide to School Improvement Planning

This resource has been developed by PSEA to help local school entities engage in effective school improvement planning as required by the No Child Left Behind Act. PSEA is pleased to provide its members with this resource and encourages its use by all members, particularly those who are involved in local efforts at school improvement planning.