Report to Bowie City Council
On Education Priorities

Bowie Education Committee
October 22, 2007

INTRODUCTION

The Prince George’s County School System continues to move forward with the implementation of new programs, and proposals for changes to further student academic challenges and successes. Much of this is due to the determination of Superintendent, Dr. Deasy, and the School Board, both new to the school system as of the 06-07 school year.

Overall, students have shown some improvement this past year, with improvements shown on the number of students meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the MSAs and higher numbers of high school students obtaining passing grades on the High School Assessments (HSAs). Additional progress is needed, however, for those in the class of 2009 to graduate!

There are many potential programmatic and physical changes being proposed, as explained below. Expansion of and changes in programs may be uncertain however, if budgetary limitations are imposed due to the State budget shortfall.

PRIORITIES

Dr. Deasy’s Concept Paper

In August of this year, the Prince George’s County School System produced a Concept paper titled, “Promoting Academic Success Through Programmatic Enhancements and Boundary Adjustments.” This paper included a number of initiatives “intended to strengthen teaching and learning at all school sites, help all students achieve at high levels, and close persistent and pernicious achievement gaps that currently exist within the system.” The proposed improvement plan includes making available a number of “proven” academic situations for students, and choices to assist in meeting “children’s individual needs and interests.”

Among the possibilities being considered, planned or implemented are:

High School Consortium

Rather than continuing to be included in regions with the elementary and middle schools, the high schools have been removed from groupings with the other schools, under a High School Consortium. The intention is to bring together schools at the secondary level, to meet, plan and work together on student education that is unique to the high school level.

This Consortium is currently “exploring options related to the development of academic and career academies.”

AVID

AVID, or Advancement Via Individual Determination is a program to prepare fourth- through twelfth-grade students who are in the “academic middle,” but who have a desire to go to college. Students must have a desire and willingness to work hard, for four-year college eligibility. It has a proven track record in bringing out the best in students, and in closing the achievement gap.” Initiated in 1980 in San Diego, California, more than 40,000 students have graduated from AVID programs and have gone on to college at a rate one-third higher than the national average. According to the AVID website (http://www.avidonline.org/info), AVID is considered to be a strategy for “closing the achievement gap and making the college dream accessible to all students.” The program focuses on accelerating student performance through challenging course work and focused support. Students are enrolled in classes such as honors and Advanced Placement, but are also taking an AVID elective, during which they have an opportunity for academic tutoring, learn organizational and study skills, work on critical thinking and improve their self image. They also “participate in enrichment and motivational activities aimed at making college seem attainable.” This program is new for nine middle schools in the Prince George’s County Public Schools this year, including Benjamin Tasker and Samuel Ogle in Bowie.

K-8 Schools Proposal

In the concept paper, Dr. Deasy is focusing on a new K-8 model to stop the decline in test scores that often begins in early adolescence. His proposal involves changing 15 of the county’s 142 elementary schools into sites that would teach students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. He believes the new model would help counter the academic and disciplinary problems that often begin at middle school. The current middle school model is receiving more critical scrutiny from educators throughout the country who believe the transition between elementary and middle school can disrupt a child’s education. Those experiencing trouble in middle school are far more vulnerable to failure and more likely to drop out in high school. On last year’s state tests in Prince George’s County, 69.5 percent of third graders showed proficient or advanced performance on the reading portion. In fifth grade, it was 61.8 percent but by eighth grade, 53 percent. Meanwhile, the county’s few K-8 schools scored well on state tests and have avoided being marked for school improvement. Dr. Deasy used Robert Goddard in Seabrook, which offers Montessori and French-immersion programs, as an example of what he is proposing.

Middle school is a key time for students. Dr. Deasy mentioned, in presenting his proposal, “It’s where kids begin to form their notions of whether ‘I am college material.” They are learning study and socialization skills, and patterns “that often endure for the rest of their lives.” “It’s where they come into contact with rigorous coursework and they succeed, or they don’t.”

This move to K-8 schools appears to be a trend in school districts across the country. School systems in Boston, Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Cleveland are a few of those moving in this direction. The Chief of Staff at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, where they have completed the switch to K-8 schools, indicates that another benefit is that “teachers across several grades can communicate more easily, allowing students to receive more consistent and focused education over several years.” Another difference shown is at 6th grade, where, according to The School Administrator* (a publication of the American association of School Administrators), in a March 2002 article, they had “better attendance and higher standardized test scores than their peers in middle school.”

According to Dr. Deasy, “Whether or not we move to put pre-K through 8 schools into place, we need to align the curriculum and instructional emphasis of our elementary and middle schools.” He feels that this is essential for student success at both levels, and that 6th grade needs to be a part of the planning for middle schools, although some currently remain within elementary schools.

However this is implemented, community, parent and staff involvement will be a key in making this happen.
Plans Listed as Priorities for the 2007-2008 School Year, at the High School Level (Many other programs, at all levels, are being implemented by the school system this year. The complete Master Plan may be viewed on the school system web site at http://www1.pgcps.org.)

As listed in the 2007 Bridge to Excellence Master Plan, these include:

• Making at least 8 Advanced Placement courses available in all high schools in the county.
• Expansion of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programs at the high school level, and an introduction of the Middle Years Program in five schools. The IB program is defined on the school system web site as a program that “is a demanding course of study for motivated, college bound students who seek an academically challenging curriculum. Students’ educational experiences are in both the humanities and the sciences.”
• In order to assure success of students in taking the High School Assessments, and in assisting those who have not had success when taking these tests, support programs for students continue to be implemented.
  • Evaluation of the summer school programs to determine whether these were successful.
  • 16 high schools are implementing pilot support and remediation programs as well as online and one on one tutoring.

High School Assessments

Under Maryland State Board of Education policy, students in the class of 2009 will be required to pass the High School Assessments to receive a diploma. To qualify, students must achieve a passing score on all four tests in English, algebra, government and biology or meet a standard minimum score on each test. An alternative is the combined score option, which allows students to have a lower performance on one test and higher performance on another. In mid-July, Dr. Deasy went before the MSDE to map out plans to help the Class of 2009 meet the HSA requirements. (MSDE Bulletin [Vol.18, No.6, July 12, 2007])

Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, Nancy Grasmick, called for an alternative to HSA requirements. (Washington Post, August 28, 2007, “Superintendent Calls for Alternative to Md. Tests.”) Maryland high school students could be given an alternative method of meeting state testing requirements. An alternative for students unable to pass the HSA’s could be to produce a project demonstrating knowledge in those subjects as a substitute. This would affect struggling students in the Class of 2009 and afterward, who must pass all four tests, or earn an adequate composite score on them in order to graduate.

The plan could resolve an ongoing debate over the future of the exams. Grasmick, who has been a strong supporter of the exams, stated earlier this year that she was looking into alternative methods of getting high school students over the testing hurdle. She said that county school systems would be responsible for designing the projects, although the state would need to ensure that the standards used were equal to those of the tests. She introduced the plan after discussing the state’s performance on the HSAs last year. State officials contended that the data showed that only a relatively small number of students would be affected by The Bridge Plan for Academic Validation, if it is endorsed by the state school board. (From The Washington Post, Tuesday, August 28, 2007)(Also see State Board of Education Resolution dated March 29-30, 2004 which
gives an Historical Perspective.)

In order to assist in moving students forward, without increasing the drop out rate because students cannot pass enough of the High School Assessments, alternative possibilities have been and continue to be developed. According to the Maryland State Department of Education’s web site, there are SAFEGUARDS FOR STUDENTS: Students have alternatives to passing the HSAs. (Maryland will be the only state that has this option.) The comparable HSA will give students an opportunity to show what they know in a way other than a traditional test. The State Board of Education will be reviewing the 2007 HSA test data to determine student progress and whether any revisions to the requirements are appropriate. In 2008 they will review all HSA test data again to evaluate student progress and decide whether any additional revisions to the requirements are appropriate.

State legislators expressed concern earlier this year, about reports of great numbers of minority, low-income, and students with disabilities failing these tests. This would place them in danger of being denied diplomas. The Maryland State Department of Education was asked by them to conduct hearings throughout the state in order to receive input from local school districts. These could be considered by the General Assembly before the requirement goes into effect. At the second of these hearings, held in Prince George’s County on Monday, September 10, 2007 parents and education advocates from the community reported that they saw little or no reason to continue administering the HSA’s, as it appears that too many minority students are failing the exams.

MSDE reported the most recent HSA results show that 51,000 students of the 55,000 students projected to graduate from the class of 2009 had passed the algebra test, which raised even more uncertainty. The department was unable to provide county by county breakdowns, however, claiming that it was unable to disaggregate the data, and left that job to individual school systems. The Washington Post reported, on September 6, 2007, that statistics from 19 of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions show that in fact far fewer students in the class of 2009 had passed the algebra exam.

Bowie High School performs better than 18 of the 22 high schools in Prince George’s County. More than 70% of the test takers in Bowie High School’s Class of 2009 have passed all four of the state-standardized high school exams. With 72.1% passing the exams, Bowie High, which was placed on a state watch list three years ago because of substandard scores, performed well enough to show improvement and exit the improvement list. Bowie had been placed on the School Improvement List due to mandates from the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) which requires that states identify schools not achieving Adequate Yearly Progress in specific areas including the HSA tests. Under the federal NCLB initiative, schools must show progress in all race/ethnicity and special-services categories including special education, limited English proficient, and economically disadvantaged students. If a school is unable to make progress in all areas, including attendance, for two consecutive years, it is identified for School Improvement and faces a variety of consequences designed to bring about improvements.(See The Bowie Star -Community News, 9/20/07, pp.1 and 13, and MSDE Bulletin, 9/28/07.)

Bowie High School has implemented an intervention program for those students who are closest to achieving the required HSA minimum scores. They are providing tutoring, in class and individually, to prepare students to retake the exams. Students who are further from meeting the minimum required scores are eligible for additional help, to be arranged by the county, in after school and summer programs.

Teacher Retention

Teacher salary increases

On July 11, 2007, Prince George’s County Public Schools announced that the Board of Education approved multi-year contracts with Teachers, Administration, and Classified Employees. All employees received a 5% raise in the salary scale under the negotiated agreements. The BOE approved one of the largest salary increased for teachers in the State, for the second year in a row. Last year’s 5% increase was the largest raise teachers have received in four years.

“The Board of Education places great importance on recruiting the best teachers and employees to work with our county’s children, and we believe in rewarding a job well done,” said Board Chair R. Owen Johnson, Jr. “Test scores have risen four years in a row and our students are excelling in so many other ways. We will continue supporting the students as they accelerate their academic achievements, and prepare for college and careers. At the same time, we will also aggressively seek to make this the most desirable school district for employees in Maryland.” “ For the second year in a row, negotiations have been productive and in the best interests of our students,” said Superintendent Dr. John E. Deasy. “I look forward to working together with union representatives, our teachers, and all employees as we prepare for another exciting school year.” These improvements are designed to help attract and retain qualified employees.

Teacher Bonus: (from The Washington Post dated Tuesday, September 18, 2007)

Gaining momentum in Congress, as well as school systems in the Washington area and beyond, is a plan that would boost pay for exceptional teachers in high-poverty schools. This is a departure from salary schedules based on seniority and professional degrees that have kept pay in lockstep for decades.

The Prince George’s County school system has a five-year, $17 million federal grant to develop a program that will reward teachers for student test gains, positive classroom performance evaluations, and professional activities such as mentoring other teachers or becoming certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Participation by teachers will be voluntary, at the selected schools.

The initiative, which is expected to start next year in 30 schools that serve low-income areas, could add as much as $12,000 to a teacher’s annual salary, making it possible for a top-rated fourth-year teacher to make as much as one with 14 years of experience, according to Superintendent John E. Deasy. Salaries for starting teachers in Prince George’s, and elsewhere in the area, are a little more than $40,000 a year.

“We need to pay our best and brightest more, particularly in places where it’s most difficult to work,” Deasy said.

Aid in Buying Homes

The Prince George’s Edition of the The Washington Post on Thursday, September, 20, 2007, states that the Prince George’s County school system, hoping to recruit and retain more teachers, is joining a long list of governments, school districts and private employers throughout Maryland who are offering closing-cost assistance to full-time employees.

The program, House Keys 4 Employees, was approved by the Board of Education during a meeting this month. “Anything that we can do to help first-time home buyers to purchase a home in the county,” will increase the likelihood of their staying in the county. “Rent is great, but it’s not long term. Most people, if they want to stay in a community, they want to buy,” said John White, a spokesman for the school system.

Through this program, the county and the school board each will pay up to $5,000 in closing-cost assistance toward the purchase of a single-family house for a first-time home buyer in the county. In addition, the state can provide up to $10,000 for the house. $250,000 in funds have been set aside for county and school employees. The funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Per Pupil Expenditure

As we've commented in past years, Prince George's County remains at the bottom in the amount of money spent per pupil, when compared to the other nearby counties. Baltimore City has drastically increased its per pupil expenditures and Montgomery County, which started much higher than Prince George's County, had a greater $ increase in per pupil expenditure.

Per Pupil Expenditures in Prince George’s and Nearby Counties

School Statistics:

According to the Maryland Report Card, elementary schools located in Bowie have done as well or better than the average school in Prince George's County, in the categories of attendance, student mobility and teacher qualifications. Only one school has an above average number of classes being taught by “NOT Highly Qualified Teachers.” The system wide average is 33.7%, and High Bridge has 36.0% in that category. The other Elementary Schools in Bowie range from 0% (2 schools) to 15.8% (2 schools) of students being taught in classes that are “NOT taught by Highly Qualified Teachers.” These are statistics that we can be pleased with.

The two Middle Schools in Bowie are two of only four middle schools in the county that made Adequate Yearly Progress. They both exceed the average attendance rate, and student mobility is below the county wide average for middle schools. The Maryland Report Card indicates that Benjamin Tasker has 17.3% of its classes being taught by NOT Highly Qualified Teachers. As a new Middle School, on the date the statistics were provided, Samuel Ogle had 55.0%. This is not expected to be a concern, as this number should have declined significantly by this year!

Bowie High School has mixed news to report. It was one of seven high schools in Prince George's County removed from the watch list of underperforming schools, after students had failed to meet benchmarks on standardized tests in prior years.(MSDE Bulletin, 9/28/07). According to the Bowie Star Community News (9/20/07, pp. 1 and 13), 72.1% of Bowie High Schools students have passed all four subject areas (algebra, biology, English, government) of the High School Assessments, something those in the class of 2009 and later will have to accomplish in order to graduate. That does mean that 27% of students still have to get to this point in order to graduate.

The attendance rate at Bowie High School is slightly higher than the county average - 93.5% vs. 91.5%. Bowie also seems to have the advantage of a stable student body, as student mobility is measured at 9.7%, compared to 21.2% average countywide. Bowie High School is close to the county averages in the number of teachers with Standard and Advanced professional qualifications. Actually, there are fewer teachers with Standard and more with Advanced Qualifications, for a total close to the average. At 34%, Bowie High is close to the County average of 33% in the number of classes “NOT taught by Highly Qualified Teachers.”

The graduation rate at Bowie High School should be a concern, as it stands at 82.07%, lower than the County wide average of 84.88%. The dropout rate at 3.58 is slightly below the county average of 3.82.

CIP

Recently changes were proposed to the School System CIP. At the Board meeting on September 20, however, the Board voted not to make changes to the plans for a new Bowie High School, which is listed as “Superintendent Recommended Reconciliation” for opening in 2011. This was also an example of the fact that the CIP may change, and the Committee highly recommends that Council continue to keep a close eye on the CIP to be certain that this is not postponed, again, beyond that date. As the population grows in this area, with continued development around the city due to local construction, these high school seats will be a welcome addition to the local schools.

New Small Schools

There has been some discussion in the school system about “Community Contract Schools.” At the September 20, 2007 Board Meeting Dr. Deasy, gave a presentation, related to the development of “New Small Schools,” or Community Contract Schools. He was seeking Board approval to “move forward with a process for developing” models and themes related to these schools with community input. The Board voted their approval. These schools would “provide additional choice schools options with specialized programs focusing on quality of instruction, academic rigor, and improved student academic performance.” Several types of programs that might be considered were presented.

Communication

Communication is a factor that will be involved in many of the areas mentioned above. As stated in past Education Priorities reports, there has been a history of communication issues at all levels of the school system and between their offices and the community. While efforts have clearly been made, in sending out press releases to share information, and in updating the web site, for example, communication remains a challenge. New approaches to bring about further improvements in this area must continue in order to assure success in the changes and proposals mentioned, across the levels of education, offices in the school system, teachers, parents and the community.

Bridge to Excellence: Thornton Plan

The Special Session of the Maryland General Assembly which, will begin on October 29 may result in changes to the funding to the Bridge to Excellence (Thornton Plan). Dr. Deasy anticipates a reduction in the increases, not an actual reduction in the amount of State funding for education. He and the BOE will have to determine how to maintain the successful programs they have implemented, and those they have proposed, in light of an anticipated $65 million budget reduction. They agree that the programs which have proven successful must be continued, so some of the changes Dr. Deasy has proposed may be the ones affected. (Washington Post, September 28, “Plan Would Curtail Mandated School Aid; The Bowie Star, October 4th, “Deasy: $65 million may be cut from county school budget”: Washington Post , October 17th, “O’Malley Summons Special Session.”)

CONCLUSION

The report above contains a number of proposals for future opportunities for student success, as well as new programs being implemented by the school system. The Education Committee feels that these are areas in need of watching and evaluating, to determine each one’s ability to increase student success. Some of these proposals look promising, and have shown much success in other areas, such as K-8 schools and AVID. The K-8 schools and the “New Small Schools” ideas may take time to develop and may require some rather extensive planning, preparation and community input, before they can be implemented, as they may require considerable boundary redevelopment. Confusion and fear by teachers, parents and community members, is likely to surface as they near reality, as change is never easy. Watching and keeping up with information coming from the school system will be key to understanding these changes, as will participating in the community input opportunities.

An area that warrants careful attention, as the Legislative Special Session opens, will be the proposals that include a reduction in education spending that would have otherwise increased through Bridge to Excellence funding. With improvements being realized in the county schools, any reduction in their budget is certainly a concern. Clearly watching the CIP for the proposed New Bowie High School continues to be very important, especially with the recent proposal for changing this, and the anticipated state budget cuts, which may set back some of the construction projects for this year, and possibly into the future!