REPORT to THE HONORABLE DAVID M. BEASLEY Governor State of South Carolina
The Performance and Accountability Standards for Schools Commission August 29, 1997
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PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS FOR SCHOOLS
COMMISSION
August 29, 1997
The Honorable David M. Beasley
Governor, State of South Carolina
Wade Hampton Building
Columbia, South Carolina 29211
Dear Governor Beasley:
On behalf of the entire membership of the PASS Commission, I am pleased to present this report to you. We believe that the recommendations contained herein offer a bold vision for the children of South Carolina and for the economic and social well-being of all the citizens of our state well into the next generation.
We trust that this report will encourage your Administration, working in concert with our legislature and the State Superintendent of Eduication, to design and implement enabling legislation that will set South Carolina on this creative path forward.
Our deliberations focused on the children of South Carolina. We have great respect for the efforts of the State Department of Education and acknowledge its contributions to our system of education. However, we agree with you that there is an urgent need for dramatic improvement in the academic achievement of our students. The ownership of our educational system in South Carolina lies not with the Beasley administration (or a previous administration, be it Republican or Democrat) but with every constituency in our state. We must bring together state government, local governments, our school boards, educational professionals and parents to fully implement a system founded on the premise that every child can and will achieve at levels that provide for them a competitive life in our society. We thank you for this opportunity to serve you and our state and look forward to the creation of accountability legislation at the earliest possible date.
Sincerely,
William Barnet III
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Letter of Transmittal 2
Table of Contents 3
Members of the Commission 4
Executive Summary 7
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION
Introduction 11
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMISSION 23
I. School Achievement Measures 25
II. Performance Indicators 27
III. Academic Content Standards 30
IV. Assessment of Content Standards 34
V. Annual Report 38
VI. Recognition Program 41
VII. Assistance for Poorly Performing Schools 43
VIII. Statutory Review 45
IX. Oversight and Monitoring of the Accountability System 47
X. Parental and Local Community Support 49
Related Issues 51
Appendices
A Executive Order 54
B Acknowledgments 56
C Recommendations on the Inclusion of Students
with Disabilities 57
D Sample Report Card 58
E Recommended South Carolina Academic Content Standards 61
MEMBERS, PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS FOR SCHOOLS COMMISSION
E. Dean Anderson is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Leslie Advertising in Greenville. A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Mr. Anderson is active in church and community affairs including serving on the boards of Goodwill Industries, Meals on Wheels and Upstate Alive. He is married and has eight children and ten grandchildren.
Betty T. Bagley is Superintendent of Bamberg School District One. She is a graduate of Central Wesleyan College, Clemson University and The Citadel. She has been appointed to a number of statewide educational task forces and committees. She is married and is the mother of two children.
William Barnet III is President and Chief Executive Officer of William Barnet and Son, Inc., a worldwide processor and trader of fiber and resins. Mr. Barnet graduated from Dartmouth College. He is Director of the Fleet Financial Group, Chairman of the Board of Converse College, a member of the Palmetto Business Forum and several other boards and foundations. He is married and the father of three children.
James A. Bennett is Senior Vice President and Director of Community Banking at First Citizens Bank and Trust. He serves on the SC Chamber of Commerce Business Center for Excellence in Education Board, the USC Educational Foundation Board and chairman of the Columbia Urban League Board and others. He graduated from the University of South Carolina, is married and has one son.
John Fly is Vice President for Strategic Planning for Milliken and Company. A physicist, educated at Wofford College, Princeton University and the Harvard Business School, Mr. Fly has served in number of positions with Milliken. He is married and the father of five children.
Susan H. Hoag is Senior Vice President for Retail Banking and Marketing at SouthTrust Bank in Greenville. She serves on the boards of numerous community organizations including the South Carolina Commission on Women and Freedom Weekend Aloft. Mrs. Hoag is married and the mother of two sons.
Clara H. Heinsohn is a teacher who graduated from Winthrop College and the College of Charleston. She serves on the Commission on Women and is active in community groups including the Charleston Regional Development Alliance, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the YWCA, and the Charleston Museum. She is the mother of one daughter.
John Robinson is Director of the Office of Organizational Development at the SC State Department of Education. He serves as the State Superintendent's ex officio member of the Wil Lou Gray Opportunity School Board of Trustees and has served on a number of task forces appointed by the South Carolina State Board of Education. Mr. Robinson was honored as Teacher of the Year in Richland County School District One and was a runner-up for the State Teacher of the Year Award. Year Award. He is a graduate of South Carolina State University and the University of South Carolina. He is married and the father of three.
Robert Staton is president of Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company. Mr. Staton graduated from Presbyterian College and the University of South Carolina School of Law. He is a board member of the Health Insurance Association of America, chairman of The River Alliance, chair elect of the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce and former chairman of the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties.
Larry Wilson, a graduate of the University of South Carolina is chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Policy Management Systems Corporation and its subsidiary companies. He is chairman of the boards of the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts, Enterprise Development, Inc., and the Midlands Business Forum. He serves on a number of state and community boards including the South Carolina Business Center for Excellence in Education and the Palmetto Business Forum. He is married and the father of two children. and serving in ex officio capacity,
John Courson is chairman of the Senate Invitations Committee. He is a member of numerous state and community organizations. He serves on the Senate Education and Finance Committees. He and his wife Lisa, a former public school teacher, have three children. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
Bobby Harrell
is the House Majority Leader and chairman of the K-12 Education Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee. He is a State Farm agent in Charleston and is very active in his children's schools, Middleton High School and Orange Grove Elementary School, each of which is his alma mater. Mr. Harrell is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. He is married and has two children, a son and a daughter.Ronnie Townsend is a graduate of Clemson University. Mr. Townsend currently chairs the Education and Public Works Committee of the South Carolina House of Representatives. He is president and owner of PLASTICresin Separation Specialists, Inc. He serves as one of South Carolina's representatives on the Southern Regional Education Board. He is married and the father of two daughters.
Nikki Setzler is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina School of Law. Mr. Setzler currently chairs the Education Committee and the Finance subcommittee on public education and higher education of the South Carolina Senate and the EIA Select Committee. Senator Setzler and his wife, Ada Jane, have four daughters.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
We must have high levels of educational performance in an era of international and domestic economic competition. Business is increasingly mobile and it goes where the necessary knowledge is located. This mobility can be a threat or an opportunity. South Carolina can make it an opportunity if our schools improve. The focus must be on results: better educated students who can compete nationally and internationally. What happens today in our schools has enormous ramifications for the future of South Carolina.
We owe much to South Carolina's educators. They are hard working, dedicated professionals entrusted with the State's most precious resource--our children and their future. They are frustrated by circumstances beyond the classroom such as limited family or community support; disparities of economic backgrounds of students, time spent on matters other than teaching; and inconsistent expectations of schools. Many parents know their children aren't reaching their potential. The main frustration for parents is that schools have failed to determine clearly what every child should know and learn in core subject areas. Adding to parents' frustrations is not understanding where their child's school ranks on academic comparisons based upon uniform goals and performance indicators and what stands in the way of educational excellence. Parents and community leaders cannot direct properly their energies and advocacy to school improvement without information about their school's performance.
Local community support combined with local control can produce the best results in schools when the focus is on student academic achievement. South Carolina should identify, support and acknowledge the highest levels of academic results. South Carolina should establish detailed, instructionally elaborate academic content standards that are internationally competitive. Standardized annual tests for core subjects that determine if students at each school possess knowledge and skills consistent with those standards should be adopted. The results of these tests should be used to grade the student performance in each school and compare the performance and improvement to national results, wherever possible. South Carolina should recognize positively those schools that either have reached nationally competitive results or are improving substantially and assist those schools that have not achieved those desired results. The State should not dictate the processes for learning or methods of teaching. It should offer assistance to those schools that want to improve or, because of poor results, must improve. Teaching and learning processes should be determined locally by educators, parents, policy makers and the community. These are the people who must determine how to best achieve the optimum results in their schools and be motivated to do so.
Accountability should lead to quality results in our schools. The diversity of our state requires local action. Recognition of performance levels should motivate continuous improvement. Schools should be measured and be accountable for their students' academic achievement and improvement and be empowered to achieve outstanding results.
We assign no blame and we share responsibility for school results. But we cannot tolerate further delay. In this report we have tried to stress the critical role of parental responsibility in assuring student academic achievement. A sense of urgency and commitment for dramatic improvement must be adopted by educators, policy makers, parents, businesses and local communities.PRINCIPLES AND CONCLUSIONS
Over the course of its deliberations the PASS Commission worked from the following principles:
INTRODUCTIONWe seek a system which is successfully competitive at the highest levels;
If we do not plan properly, we cannot work hard enough to achieve our goal;
We should focus on school and student performance in four academic areas: mathematics; English/language arts; science; and social studies (history, economics and geography). Although other areas contribute to the development of our students, the primary purpose of our schools and their time and resources lies in the core academics;
We seek changes in the operation of the educational system which lead to results of higher quality;
School and student performance must be assessed in a manner which is clear, concise and reliable;
Performance should be gauged against an absolute standard (i.e., a level to be attained) and against improvement standards (i.e., significant progress over a measured period of time);
Our system should hold everyone accountable for students' academic success--students, parents, educators and the State.
The Commission determined that four factors are essential to school success and within those factors reached certain conclusions:
1. PARENTAL AND COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY
Parents must take responsibility for their children's education;
Parents must be involved with their children, their children's schools and the local communities which support them;
Parents and local communities are responsible for the highest levels of achievement;
School Boards (and in turn, superintendents) are accountable to parents and local communities for the academic achievement of students in their systems;
Wise investment of state and local education dollars, time and related resources must remain a top priority.
2. THE PRINCIPAL'S LEADERSHIP
The first commitment of principals must be to raising the academic achievement in schools;
The culture of our schools must change to one of high expectations as evidenced through the attention of principals to the teaching of the identified content standards and establishment of more effective structures and processes to facilitate and enhance student learning;
Aggressive leadership development must be an ongoing activity for school administrators.
3. DEDICATED, PREPARED TEACHERS
Preparation, induction and renewal within the profession must be strengthened;
Teachers must be supported as they change the way they teach and the quality of results they achieve in their classrooms;
Teachers must be recognized for increasing the academic achievement of their students.
4. ACADEMIC CONTENT STANDARDS
Our schools and educational system must be measured by the academic achievement of their students; by what the schools accomplish, not what they do;
We must focus on the core academic areas in greater depth; rather than seek to teach all things at a cursory level;
Students must demonstrate annually the knowledge and skills which enable them to succeed at the next grade level and schools must intensify instruction through proven practices.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM
Target At the end of the school year 2003-2004 South Carolina's ranking in national comparisons of academic achievement will be in the upper two- thirds of states or higher; by the end of the school year 2008-2009 South Carolina's ranking in national comparisons of academic achievement will be in the top half of states.
Benchmarks The number of schools with 50 percent or more of their students scoring at or above the fiftieth national percentile on nationally or internationally comparable tests will increase by 10 percent each year;
By the year 2000, all students leaving the first grade will be able to read at the level necessary for success in subsequent grades; and
Over the next twelve years, South Carolina's educational system will exhibit the fastest rate of improvement in the nation.
Recommendations
1. The achievement of each school is to be measured on three overriding system variables: academic achievement, student conduct, and school dropouts. Achievement is to be measured in terms of absolute performance and rate of improvement. The composite absolute performance level and rate of improvement are to be published annually;
2. Uniform performance indicators and the principal's narrative of school progress, written in conjunction with the School Improvement Council, to inform parents and local communities about the school and the operations of the school should be published annually;
3. Detailed specific academic content standards by core subject (math, English/language arts, science and social studies) and by grade level should be implemented in the 1998-99 school year. The PASS Commission recommends the standards exhibited in Appendix E;
4. Annual, end-of-year core subject assessment of all students in each school should be implemented. At the high school level, the assessments are tied to courses. The assessment system should be related directly to the academic content standards. These test results can be used as a factor in a student's grade for each core subject each year;
5. An annual report should be published for each school with two letter grades: one for performance in relation to national position and another for an improvement rate from the prior year. Student academic achievement should be weighted 90 percent; student conduct should be weighted 5 percent; and student dropout rates should be weighted 5 percent;
6. A multifaceted recognition program should honor high levels of absolute performance and high rates of improvement. The program should encompass public designations (e.g., flags and ceremonies); enhanced status; financial rewards for outstanding improvement rates (redirecting the current school incentive funds); and utilization of high performing school personnel in school assistance and professional development programs;
7. For schools performing poorly, transformational actions should be implemented. Three levels of action should be followed depending on the degree of persistently weak school performance. At the first level, the school should amend its School Renewal Plan to address deficiencies. At the second level, the school should implement an improvement plan consistent with requirements of the State Board of Education and, in continuing circumstances, the State Board of Education should intervene;
8. Statutory provisions which direct school actions should be modified to eliminate redundance and ambiguity and to define clearly the academic purposes of schools. Statutes should be amended to provide a less cumbersome process of personnel evaluation, reward and dismissal;
9. On a cyclical schedule, academic content and performance standards and school performance indicators should be reviewed and updated to reach and keep the State's educational results competitive internationally and oversight and modification of the accountability system must be provided to ensure that we stay on track to meet the target;
10. An aggressive public relations campaign must be initiated and maintained to elicit parental and local community support for the highest levels of student achievement.
MEMBERS OF THE PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS FOR SCHOOLS COMMISSION
E. Dean Anderson, Greenville
Betty T. Bagley, Bamberg
William Barnet, III, Spartanburg
James Bennett, Columbia
John Fly, Spartanburg
Clara Heinsohn, Charleston
Susan Hoag, Greenville
John Robinson, Columbia
G. Larry Wilson, Columbia
Robert Staton, Columbia
and serving in an ex officio capacity
The Honorable John Courson, Columbia
The Honorable Bobby Harrell, Charleston
The Honorable Ronnie Townsend, Anderson
The Honorable Nikki Setzler, West Columbia
Establishment of the PASS Commission
On January 20, 1997, David M. Beasley, Governor of South Carolina, issued an Executive Order (displayed in Appendix A) establishing the Performance and Accountability Standards for Schools Commission. Committed to the highest standards of achievement for all of South Carolina's students and strong growth for the state's economy, the Governor expressed an urgency for school improvement in his State of the State address, delivered on January 22:
But the single most valued road to the future is the one our
children travel: The road of education. . . Are we where we
want to be? No. Is there more work to do? Yes. But
whatever else we may differ on, let us agree tonight to push
and pull and tug and sacrifice until the dream of prosperity is
attainable for every child in South Carolina.
The PASS Commission was established to focus on the following tasks:
(1) Identifying internationally competitive academic standards, types of
assessments to measure academic achievement, and an accountability
system tailored to South Carolina's governing structure;
(2) Investigating the currently-held standards and accountability systems in
South Carolina and comparing those to such systems in leading developed countries and other states;
(3) Examining local school districts that have implemented academic standards and public school accountability to find key elements that can be emulated statewide;
(4) Identifying steps to be taken to align the existing statewide efforts with a model system of academic standards and public school accountability; and
(5) Developing recommendations that insure constant movement toward
the highest level of academic accomplishment from South Carolina
schools and provide the citizens of South Carolina with information
about these accomplishments.
Fourteen individuals representing the geographic breadth of South Carolina were appointed to serve on the Commission. Business persons, educators and legislators--the Commissioners brought professional, civic, personal and volunteer experiences to the Commission's deliberations. Mr. William Barnet, III of Spartanburg chaired the Commission; Mrs. Susan Hoag of Greenville served as vice-chair. While each of us may hold individual viewpoints and may support some recommendations more strongly than others, this report represents the consensus of the Commission.
Creation of a Vision for South Carolina
The PASS Commission sets forth a bold vision for South Carolina by establishing a conceptual framework for schools and those who support them. That vision centers on educating children by equipping them with a strong academic foundation grounded in the core subject areas of mathematics, science, English and social studies (history, economics and geography). Students leaving school with this foundation are to be successful in the economic market, enabling South Carolina to be economically competitive. Students in South Carolina cannot achieve their potential, individually or collectively, if their performance remains ranked on the bottom rungs of educational achievement.
The challenges are twofold: South Carolinians must increase their absolute level of knowledge and academic skill to succeed in the business world of the late twentieth century and make a quantum leap in academic achievement to contend successfully with the economic challenges of the next century. We cannot be so dominated by today's circumstances that we fail to make the changes necessary for tomorrow's achievement. We are seeking transformation through bold improvements.
Transforming schools is difficult work and must be imbedded in community values and leadership as well as the day-to -day practices of a profession rooted in tradition. The PASS Commission is not prescribing the process or means by which schools, students and local communities achieve this vision. Those tasks are left to those leaders who face daily responsibility and best understand the technical demands associated with implementation. While we recognize that fundamental change takes time, we recommend constancy of purpose coupled with an urgency to act. The historic rate of improvement is inadequate. Continuing to improve as we have been will not move us to our vision.
Development of the Recommendations
At the Commission's first meeting, the members established four standards to guide their work. These standards reflected the commitment of members "to do this for children."
Standards for the Work of the PASS Commission
The Commission is apolitical and does not bear a political agenda;
The recommendations are to be reasonable to students, teachers,
administrators, and the public;
The Commission's outputs are to be "unusual and outstanding"; and
The Commissioners are to spend time understanding what good people
already have done.
Over the course of the PASS Commission's work, members of professional and public interest organizations addressed the Commissioners. Among those presenting information and/or recommendations were The Honorable Barbara S. Nielsen, State Superintendent of Education; Mr. Spratt White, Business Center for Excellence in Education of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce; the Friends of Education Coalition, represented by Dr. Evelyn Berry, SC School Boards Association, Dr. Elizabeth Gressette, Palmetto State Teachers Association, Mr. James Petrie, SC Education Association, and Mr. Robert Scarborough, SC Association of School Administrators; Dr. Lynn Cornett, Southern Regional Education Board; Dr. John Barth, National Governors' Association; Mr. James White; Dr. William Gummerson; Mrs. Jan Duncan, SC Protection and Advocacy for the Disabled; Ms. Helen Myers, Council for Exceptional Children; Dr. Susan Agruso, State Department of Education; and Mrs. Michelle Easton, Commonwealth of Virginia Board of Education.
Dr. Nielsen, in her presentation to the Commission, brought to our attention the importance of establishing high academic standards, aligning the testing program to those standards, using the latest materials and technology, reporting honestly and fairly and supporting local communities in making decisions about how to deliver education.
The Commissioners also conducted focus groups with superintendents, principals, parents and teachers. As the Commission worked through technical issues and on an as-needed basis, individual Commissioners or staff conducted advisory discussions with national or state leaders in curriculum and assessment. The Commissioners traveled to Richmond, Virginia, to meet with Virginia's Secretary of Education, Dr. Beverly Sgro, and State Superintendent Richard LaPointe and their staffs.
For purposes of this report and its conclusions the Commission defines responsibility for the ultimate enactment and implementation of the recommendations to fall on parents, school boards and local communities which include taxpayers who are major stakeholders in this improvement process. The recommendations of the PASS Commission are presented to the Governor for his study and action. We recognize his authority to act or amend these recommendations. We urge deliberative consideration of each recommendation and urge legislative action to ensure that the future for our children offers greater opportunity to excel than the present. We urge the education community to remain constant to our purpose through the days of change. We express great respect for those policy makers and practitioners who have dedicated their lives to our schools and seek to support them in these efforts. We urge parents and local communities to embrace the transformation schools must make. As a Commission, we are committed to working with the Governor, the members of the General Assembly and the education community toward the implementation of these recommendations.
This is not a time of comfort. To accomplish the vision of a competitive South Carolina we must challenge our assumptions about the system; respond assertively, rather than defensively, to the need for change; and create partnerships based upon common purposes. This is the time for all South Carolinians to come together for our children.
A Case for Competitiveness and a Demand for Urgency
Stimulated by the publication of A Nation at Risk (1983) South Carolina has engaged in a dozen years of initiatives to improve its educational system. Landmark legislation such as the Education Improvement Act (1984), Target 2000 (1989), the Early Childhood Development and Academic Assistance Act (1993), and the School to Work Transition Act (1994) has addressed the parts of the system. Each seeks to alter processes in order to achieve higher results. For many practitioners and participants the results expected are ambiguous. Failure to ensure consistency of purpose and relate professional and community responsibility to that purpose permits interpretive variations and contradictory responses. We must acknowledge that despite well-intentioned initiatives and some improvements, South Carolina continues to lag behind other states on both national and international comparisons.
Schools in South Carolina must achieve at levels required for successful participation in the national and global marketplace. The PASS Commission has studied the performance of schools in other American states and the industrialized countries of the world. Unfortunately South Carolina's schools pale in that comparison. The Commission determined that while growth and improvement over current results should be heralded, South Carolina will not achieve her potential until the absolute level of student performance is globally competitive. Schools are the means to the end of educating students and as such must be held accountable for their academic achievement.
At a time when South Carolina lags behind the nation, we are astounded to find that our nation is lagging in international comparisons. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) examined the performance of approximately 500,000 students at five grade levels. Tests were administered to students, curricula were analyzed, and classroom performance was measured. The TIMSS report on eighth grade performance documents the challenges before American schools. The following summary statements were taken from the report:
In mathematics, US eighth graders score below the international average of the 41 TIMSS countries. Our students' scores are not significantly different from those of England and Germany;
In science, US eighth graders score at about the international average of 41 TIMSS countries. Our students' scores are not significantly different from those of Canada England and Germany;
If an international talent search were to select the top 10 percent of all students in the 41 TIMSS countries, in mathematics only 5 percent of US students would be included. In science, 13 percent would be included.
The TIMSS report further documents that the relationship among standards, teaching and learning is complex. Among the TIMSS findings relevant to the curriculum are the following:
The content taught in US eighth grade mathematics classrooms is at a seventh grade level in comparison to other countries;
Topic coverage in US eighth grade mathematics classes is not as focused as in Germany and Japan;
US eighth graders spend more hours per year in math and science classes than German and Japanese students;
US mathematics teachers' typical goal is to teach students how to do something, while Japanese teachers' goal is to help them understand mathematical concepts;
Japanese teachers widely practice what the US mathematics reform recommends, while US teachers do so infrequently;
Although most US math teachers report familiarity with reform recommendations only a few apply the key points in their classrooms.
Performance on the Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP) tests began a downward turn in 1990. Gains have been made in the last two years although we have not regained the level of achievement evident in 1989. Although dated in the curriculum focus, BSAP performance that is not improving rapidly concerns South Carolina's parents and leaders. The State administers the Metropolitan Achievement Test, Form 7, (MAT-7) in selected grades. This assessment provides achievement information on our students in comparison with a national group of students. On most subtests, South Carolina's students score near the national average. When district and school performance is examined, the variations are broad and too often, are linked with student entry characteristics rather than the results of a quality educational system. Because its norms were established in 1992, the MAT-7 also fails to reflect current international performance expectations. On the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) our students score nearly sixty (60) points below the national average despite gains of 16 points over the last five years (the nation improved 12 points during that time period). Analyses of student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test in reading in grades four and eight rank South Carolina statistically the same as 19 states and show 19 other states ahead of our achievement. Five states rank below the 19 equivalent states.
How do we and others view our schools? As parents, our pride in the performance of individual students and our allegiance to the neighborhood school is evident in surveys such as the annual Gallup poll on American education (published in Phi Delta Kappan each year). As community and business leaders we despair when national or international corporations select sites in states where student performance is higher. Corporate decisions to go elsewhere mean that our citizens have limited economic opportunities here. Too often our best and brightest high school graduates are moving to other states where opportunity seems greater
As we deliberated, we were often confounded and upset by those who implied that South Carolina's children are less able. We are adamant in our rejection of that view and fear that it translates into lower expectations for our students. While many of South Carolina's children lack economic advantages, poverty need not limit ability, aspiration or motivation. Our state's history reminds us of individuals who overcame humble origins to be great leaders. Their lives are characterized by a will to do better, to achieve more, and to live the values that bind us together. Poverty should not allow inaction, it should compel aggressive action. We acknowledge that economic investments are made in local communities and states with strong, productive schools.
We cannot wait for the next generation nor can we be content with incremental improvement. The Commissioners recognize that time is needed to produce the results we desire. But there can be no delay in accepting responsibility as community and school district leaders, parents, professionals and neighbors.
Principles Guiding the Commission
During the course of its deliberations the Commission worked within the framework of seven guiding principles. These principles formed the basis for commonality and unity among the members and within the diversity of our state whom we represent. The principles organize our work and provide a framework for its understanding by those who consume our work. The principles are detailed below:
We seek a system which is successfully competitive at the highest levels;
If we do not plan properly, we cannot work hard enough to achieve our goal;
We should focus on school and student performance in four academic areas: mathematics; English/language arts; science; and social studies (history, economics and geography). Although other areas contribute to the development of our students, the primary purpose of our schools and their time and resources lies in the core academics;
We seek changes in the operation of the educational system which lead to results of higher quality;
School and student performance must be assessed in a manner which is clear, concise and reliable;
Performance should be gauged against an absolute standard (i.e., a level to be attained) and against improvement standards (i.e., significant progress over a measured period of time);
Our system should hold everyone accountable for students' academic success-- students, parents, educators and the State.
Conclusions Drawn by the Commission
Working within the framework of these principles, the Commission developed a number of conclusions about the system which are organized within four factors we identified as necessary for school success:
1. PARENTAL AND COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY
Parents must take responsibility for their children's education;
Parents must be involved with their children, their children's schools and the local communities which support them;
Parents and local communities are responsible for the highest levels of achievement;
School Boards (and in turn, superintendents ) are accountable to parents and local communities for the academic achievement of students in their system;
Wise investment of state and local education dollars, time and related resources must remain a top priority.
2. THE PRINCIPAL'S LEADERSHIP
The first commitment of principals must be to raising the academic achievement in schools;
The culture of our schools must change to one of high expectations as evidenced through the attention of principals to the teaching of the identified content standards and establishment of more effective structures and processes to facilitate and enhance student learning;
Aggressive leadership development must be an ongoing activity for school administrators.
3. DEDICATED, PREPARED TEACHERS
Preparation, induction and renewal within the profession must be strengthened;
Teachers must be supported as they change the way they teach and the quality of results they achieve in their classrooms;
Teachers must be recognized for increasing the academic achievement of their students.
4. ACADEMIC CONTENT STANDARDS
Our schools and educational system must be measured by the academic achievement of their students; by what the schools accomplish, not what they do;
We must focus on the core academic areas in greater depth; rather than seek to teach all things at a cursory level;
Students must demonstrate annually the knowledge and skills which enable them to succeed at the next grade level and schools must be willing to intensify instruction through proven practices.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Goal to Which We Aspire
The PASS Commission, committed to rapid transformational improvements in
South Carolina's schools, establishes the following system target and system
benchmarks:
Target At the end of the school year 2003-2004 South Carolina's ranking in national comparisons of academic achievement will be in the upper two-thirds or states or higher; by the end of the school year 2008-2009 South Carolina's ranking in national comparisons of academic achievement will be in the top half of states.
Benchmarks The number of schools with 50 percent or more of their students scoring at or above the fiftieth national percentile on nationally or internationally comparable tests will increase by 10 percent each year;
By the year 2000, all students leaving the first grade will be able to read at the level necessary for success in subsequent grades;
Over the next twelve years, South Carolina's educational system will exhibit the fastest rate of improvement in the nation.
The Commission acknowledges the intense focus of energy and talent necessary to reach this target. We ask not only that South Carolina's schools improve in levels of academic achievement; we ask that their improvement be of such magnitude that their relative standing increases at a time when all other states are improving. We offer these benchmarks to guide our progress; we also recommend that the benchmarks be reviewed annually and modified as appropriate to speed improvement. To reach this target, the Commission advocates an accountability system encompassing ten recommendations.
RECOMMENDATION ONE
Building upon the following principles:
We should focus on school performance in four academic areas: mathematics, English/language arts, science and social studies(history, economics and geography). Although other areas contribute to the development of our students, the primary purpose of our schools and their time and resources lies in the core academics; and
Performance should be gauged against an absolute standard (i.e., a level to be attained) and against improvement standards (i.e., significant progress over a measured period of time);
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
Our schools and educational system must be measured by the academic achievement of students; by what the schools accomplish, not what they do.
The PASS Commission recommends
School Achievement Measures The achievement of each school is to be measured on three overriding system variables: academic achievement, student conduct, and school dropouts. Achievement is to be measured in terms of absolute performance and rate of improvement. The composite absolute performance level and rate of improvement are to be published annually. |
There is a wealth of information about schools available. South Carolina reports data on factors which may or may not be linked directly to higher levels of achievement. To ensure that the accountability system provided for South Carolina' s schools impacts on the quality of its students academic achievement, the Commissioners agree that the variables measured and studied must (a) focus on academic results; (b) lead to changes in the operation of the system which result in higher quality; and (c) be clear, concise, specific and measurable.
Academic achievement should be reflected in a composite school performance score which includes performance on assessments in the four core academic content areas: mathematics, English/language arts; science and social studies (history, economics and geography). The performance of students in grades three through eight should be demonstrated by an end-of-year assessment; the performance of students in grades nine through twelve should be demonstrated by end-of-course assessments in the courses required for graduation. [Note: end-of-course assessments are in addition to the Exit Examination required for high school graduation].
Student conduct measures should focus on violent acts, drug and alcohol abuse, and persistent disobedience which disrupts the academic environment. Although difficult to measure reliably, the conduct of students is an integral factor in their success. We recommend differentiation among the measures used for elementary, middle and high schools and surveys of teachers and students as a means of obtaining information.
Dropping out of school as evident in grade eight to twelve survival rates is the measure of persistence in the system. Our hope is that every student who stays in school not only attends but achieves academic success.
The Commission calls for fair and consistent reporting on each of the student achievement measures.RECOMMENDATION TWO
Building upon the following principle:
We seek changes in the operation of the educational system which lead to results of higher quality
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
School Boards (and in turn, superintendents) are accountable to parents and local communities for the academic achievement of students in their systems;
Wise investment of state and local education dollars, time and related resources must remain a top priority;
Parents and local communities are responsible for the highest levels of achievement;
Parents must be involved with their children, their children's schools and the local communities which support them.
The PASS Commission recommends
Performance Indicators Uniform performance indicators and the principal's narrative of school progress, written in conjunction with the School Improvement Council, to inform parents and local communities about the school and the operations of the school should be published annually. |
Uniform published indicators provide information about an individual school which facilitate understanding of the school and its processes, but in a larger sense, are generally neither good nor bad. For each indicator a state mean is to be presented for comparative purposes. Desired values or target levels should not be specified. The primary purpose of the performance indicators is to identify areas in which improvement may be desirable or necessary; improvement which most likely leads to increased academic achievement, improved student conduct and decreased dropout rates. The indicators include the following:
I. Teachers and Administrators
The percentage of employed teachers and administrators who meet or exceed desired credentials for their responsibilities or the subject and grade they teach (e.g., advanced degrees in the content area or certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards);
Average daily teacher attendance rates;
The percentage of teachers who are assigned to the same school each year;
The percentage of teachers who are judged successful on evaluations;
The percentage of new and experienced teachers who participate in training and assistance programs for improving their knowledge and skills to help students achieve the standards;
Administrator participation in professional development activities;
The percentage of teachers sponsoring extracurricular activities.
II. Teaching and Learning
The percentage of students performing successfully on subtests of each academic content area;
Student attendance rates: mean daily attendance and the percentage of students absent ten or fewer days per year;
Percentage of students earning a high school diploma or certificate and the percentage of students earning an advanced diploma;
Percentage of students meeting the standards for promotion to the next grade;
The pupil-teacher ratio in the core academic subjects;
The percentage of students enrolling in postsecondary education immediately after high school graduation and within two years of graduation;
The percentage of students finding employment within a year after high school graduation;
The percentage of students participating in extracurricular activities;
The percentage of students enrolling in and successfully completing foreign languages, fine arts, health/safety, physical education, tech prep, and college prep.
III. School Resources
The dollars expended per pupil from federal, state, and local revenue sources;
The percentage of revenues spent on instruction;
The instructional days per year including extensions of the school year;
The instructional hours per day.
IV. Family and Community Involvement
The percentage of teachers and parents reporting that they have regular meetings with each other to discuss the child's progress in meeting learning expectations;
The percentage of parents reporting high levels of satisfaction with student and parent communication;
The percentage of parents reporting high levels of satisfaction with school leadership;
The percentage of parents reporting high levels of satisfaction with school resources;
The percentage of parents and School Improvement Council members reporting high levels of satisfaction with their students' progress toward achieving the academic standards.
The principal, in conjunction with the School Improvement Council, is to prepare a narrative on the school's progress. The narrative should cite factors or activities supporting progress and barriers which inhibit progress.
RECOMMENDATION THREE
Building upon the following principles
We should focus on school performance in four academic areas: mathematics; English/language arts; science; and social studies (history, economics, and geography). Although other areas contribute to the development of our students, the primary purpose of our schools and their time and resources lies In the core academics; and
We seek a system which is successfully competitive at the highest levels;
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
Our schools and educational system must be measured by the academic achievement of their students; by what the schools accomplish, not what they do; and
We must focus on the core academic areas in greater depth; rather than seek to teach all things at a cursory level.
The PASS Commission recommends
Academic Content Standards Detailed, specific academic content standards by core subject (math, English/language arts, science and social studies) and by grade level should be implemented in the 1998-99 school year. The PASS Commission recommends the standards exhibited in Appendix E. |
Governor Beasley's Executive Order charges the members of the PASS
Commission with the identification of "internationally competitive academic standards." The identification of such standards is a complex task and encompasses issues ranging from the varying structures of school systems (including governance, assessment and examination programs) to the "rigor" of the curriculum.
The phrase "academic standards" applies both to content and performance. Content standards articulate the substance of what students learn. Frequent use of the term "world class standard" implies that those standards are available for reference; however, countries differ markedly in the manner in which they define and implement content standards. The PASS Commission finds there is not a consensus set of international standards that defines what students "should know and be able to do." Performance standards address how well students achieve on assessments connected to the content standards based on the level of performance required for success at the next grade or school level, admission to college, advancement in the workplace, or other decisions dependent upon that information.
The academic content that our students are taught should have depth which encourages students to learn at unprecedented levels. The Commission emphasizes depth over breadth. TIMSS reviews of the American curriculum suggest that our efforts are "a mile wide and an inch deep." We cannot succeed without conceptual understanding and the ability to create knowledge in the twenty-first century. Too few students are counseled or encouraged in the most challenging courses offered by their schools. The Commission is concerned with the academic success of all students generally and also with the performance of South Carolina's brightest students. At present, even our brightest students are not demonstrating the same quality of performance as are the brightest students in the nation.
"What is taught" must be addressed. We must ensure that our students are prepared similarly to those from other states and countries to ensure favorable comparisons. Our curriculum also must be sensitive to the demands of the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT). Currently, our system is limited by a lack of understanding of what every student should know and learn. Too many teachers teach what they have been taught or by the textbook. The assessment program does not link directly with classroom instruction. As teachers, parents and students we must work toward a higher level of expectations and performance.
The PASS Commission is recommending grade-specific standards for elementary and middle school students and course specific standards for high school students which guide the instruction of students; prepare them for state, national and international assessments; and inform parents of students' progress. The Commission examined standards from a number of states. After considerable study, the Commission (acting upon the work of a technical advisory group of state curriculum leaders) offers the standards displayed in Appendix E as its recommendation. Standards for social studies are not drafted at this time. They should be developed using the four criteria outlined below. These standards are consistent with standards adopted in several states, build upon the SC Curriculum Frameworks and Academic Achievement Standards and Indicators in mathematics, English and science; ensure that reading is taught consistently to students across the State; and are sufficiently elaborate to inform teachers fully of the expectations for classroom instruction. The standards also are written so that parents understand the expectations before their children and have confidence that the instruction in schools matches those expectations. The standards should be reviewed annually to ensure currency and rigor.
The Commission recognizes and appreciates the historical efforts at specifying academic content standards. In mathematics and science the Commission has added grade level standards to those developed by the State Department of Education for grades three, six, eight and twelve (high school graduation). In English the Commission sought standards which better met the criteria of (a) understandable by parents; (b) instructionally elaborate so that teachers comprehend what is to be taught; (c) deeper study of fewer concepts; and (d) emphasis on the highest levels of student work.RECOMMENDATION FOUR
Building upon the following principles:
School and student performance must be assessed in a manner which is clear, concise and reliable;
Performance should be gauged against an absolute standard (i.e., a level to be attained) and against improvement standards (i.e., significant progress over a measured period of time); and
We need a system which is successfully competitive at the highest levels;
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
Our schools and educational system must be measured by the academic achievement of their students; by what the schools accomplish, not what they do;
Students must demonstrate annually the knowledge and skills which enable them to succeed at the next grade level and schools must intensify instruction through proven practices.
The PASS Commission recommends
Assessment of Content Standards Annual, end-of-year core subject assessment of all students in each school should be implemented. At the high school level, the assessments are tied to courses. The assessment system should be related directly to the academic content standards. These test results can be used as a factor in a student's grade for each core subject each year. |
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The assessment system must inform parents, local communities, and educators and improve the State's educational program. The chart on the next page details the needed information and the strategies to provide each.
ASSESSMENT PROGRAM |
|
iNFORMATION |
STRATEGY |
Provide basis for international comparisons of student achievement |
Ensure that the Englsih/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies curricula in SC meet international content standards |
Provide basis for national comparisons of student achievement |
Ensure that the assessments are linked with NAEP and other nationally-administered / nationally normed tests |
Provide basis for school-by-school comparisons within SC |
Ensure that the assessments are aligned with academic content standards and that students are taught standards |
Provide impetus and basis for school improvement |
Ensure that the assessments provide school and program level strengths and weaknesses |
Provide information to parents which enable them to understand how well their children are doing in school |
Ensure that the system for reporting results to parents is comprehensive, concise and meaningful |
The assessment program must be based upon the academic content standards recommended by the Commission ensuring that the performance of students in our state is monitored to facilitate high levels of accomplishment as individuals and within schools. The Commission recommends using assessments which test students' knowledge of the academic content standards in the core subjects. Additionally assessments should give comparisons of our students' achievement in relations to other students in the US and around the world. must compare ourselves to the performance of others to determine our competitiveness.
There are flaws and limitations with any form of assessment. The PASS Commission, focusing on school performance, acknowledges the limitations of standardized testing. The Commission recommends testing at grade levels one through twelve; however, the Commission is not asking for the inclusion of grade one or grade two student performance in the measures of school effectiveness Tests of the standards for grade one and two should be made available to school districts for their use. Results of testing at grades one and two should be used only to inform and improve instruction. While recognizing our concern is for information about the achievement of the standards, the Commission applauds the use of multiple assessments, varying in content and form, for making district, school and classroom decisions about instruction and individual students.
Because we are concerned with how learning at one level contributes to success at the next level, we suggest that a first grade readiness test which is linked to the grade one academic standards be selected and implemented.
The Commission recognizes that there are technical issues surrounding assessment which must be considered. Issues of methods or types of analysis, school organization, and utilization of data for making judgments about student, teachers and school leaders require consultation with those who oversee the testing program. The Commission respects the work of those professionals and asks for their technical contributions to the success of the accountability system.
The members of the PASS Commission are concerned with the performance of all South Carolina's students. Deserving equal attention are those students whose special needs require additional instructional support. Far too many students exhibiting special needs have been excluded from testing programs within the current school assessment environment. The Commission wishes to preclude exclusion of those students from opportunities for academic achievement and therefore, endorses participation of all but the students for whom the assessment program would have no value. Specific recommendations regarding the assessment of students with special needs are displayed in Appendix C.RECOMMENDATION FIVE
Building upon the following principles:
Performance should be gauged against an absolute standard (i.e., a level to be attained) and against improvement standards (i.e., significant progress over a measured period of time); and
We seek a system which is successfully competitive at the highest levels;
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
School Boards (and in turn, superintendents) are accountable to parents and local communities for the academic achievement of students in their systems; and
Parents and local communities are responsible for the highest levels of achievement.
The PASS Commission recommends
Annual Report An annual report should be published for each school with two letter grades: one for performance in relation to national position and another for an improvement rate from the prior year. Student academic achievement should be weighted 90 percent; student conduct should be weighted 5 percent; and student dropout rates should be weighted 5 percent. |
We recognize that assigning value to school performance is threatening to some schools. We also recognize that schools have reputations which may or may not be deserved. Real estate advertisements, news reports and informal conversations currently "spread the word" about which schools are doing well and which are not. All too often this information is anecdotal and is not based upon the amount of value added by the school experience. We believe that South Carolina and her schools will improve in student performance by providing routine candid evaluations of our schools which focus public attention and energies.
The report card is to be a succinct, easy-to-understand, document. Should local communities want greater specificity and detail they may refer to the South Carolina School District and School Performance Profiles prepared by the State Department of Education for widespread distribution.
The proposed grading system of A+ through F designates school status in a language the public recognizes and helps local communities make judgments and define appropriate corrective actions, where necessary. Schools with a low grade for absolute performance may have a high grade for an improvement rate; by using both absolute and improvement grades local communities are able to understand the need for and process of constant improvement. Grades would be achieved using weighted averages of performance on subtests of each academic area.
The Commission recommends that the "F" rating be used sparingly and with great caution. Our purpose is not to embarrass but to spur action toward the levels of achievement needed. Only in cases of extreme and persistent low performance should this grade be used and must be accompanied by additional support and supplementary actions to ensure the "F" status is short-lived.
The Commission proposes that academic content standards be implemented in the 1998-99 school year; the first assessment year for those standards is 1999-2000. During the first assessment year a performance baseline is to be established for each school. In 1998-99 the first report card would be issued with both absolute and improvement grades (using the State's current norm-referenced testing program). The report card also is to contain information regarding the performance indicators and an assessment of the school authored by the principal in conjunction with the School Improvement Council. A sample report card is displayed in Appendix D.RECOMMENDATION SIX
Building upon the following principles:
We seek changes in the operation of the educational system which lead to results of higher quality; and
Our system should hold everyone accountable for students' academic success-- students, parents, educators and the State
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
The culture of our schools must change to one of high expectations as evidenced through the attention of principals to the teaching of the identified content standards and establishment of more effective structures and processes to facilitate and enhance student learning;
Aggressive leadership development must be an ongoing activity for school administrators;
Teachers must be supported as they change the way they teach and the quality of the results they achieve in their classrooms;
Teachers must be recognized for increasing the academic achievement of their students.
The PASS Commission recommends
Recognition Program A multifaceted recognition program should honor high levels of absolute performance and high rates of improvement. The program should encompass public designations (e.g., flags and ceremonies); enhanced status; financial rewards for outstanding improvement rates (redirecting the current school incentive funds); and utilization of high performing school personnel in school assistance and professional development programs. |
The accountability system is structured to encourage lasting systemic improvement, not short-term heroic effort. Utilizing those who have been successful in schools with similar challenges ensures that improvement efforts are grounded in best practices which have been proven successful in our state. We also have the opportunity to draw upon and honor the expertise of our best educators. The Commission also suggests that state agencies and others charged with supporting improvement contract with districts or schools for leadership and direction in the development of curriculum and instructional resources, assessment strategies and leadership programs. The Commission recommends the establishment of the Palmetto Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards for those performing at the very highest levels.
Our state must invest in its educators. While schools and districts now have more flexibility with their professional development resources, more such resources are needed. Wide-reaching and comprehensive professional development programs conforming to strict criteria and related to improving academic achievement must become the rule, rather than the exception. As Harvard University professor Richard Elmore writes, "every increase in pressure on our schools for accountability for student performance should be accompanied by an equal investment in increasing the knowledge and skill of teachers, administrators, students and their families for learning about new expectations. In its simplest form, this principle means that no school is judged to be failing until policy makers are satisfied that investments in learning new ways to teach, new ways to manage instructional improvement, new ways of understanding student and family responsibilities have been implemented and, more importantly, paid for."RECOMMENDATION SEVEN
Building upon the following principles:
If we do not plan properly, we cannot work hard enough to achieve our goal; and
We seek changes in the operation of the system which lead to results of higher quality;
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
School Boards (and in turn, superintendents) are accountable to parents and local communities for the academic achievement of students in their systems; and
Parents and local communities are responsible for the highest levels of achievement.
The PASS Commission recommends
Assistance for Poorly Performing Schools For schools performing poorly, transformational actions should be implemented. Three levels of actions should be followed depending upon the degree of persistently weak school performance. At the first level, the school should amend its School Renewal Plan to address deficiencies. At the second level, the school should implement an improvement plan consistent with requirements of the State Board of Education; and, in continuing circumstances, the State Board of Education should intervene. |
The Commission finds that the current statutory provisions addressing school districts provide an outline for action when intervention is required with schools. We further recommend the following sequence of actions: (a) when schools are rated "D" on either absolute performance or improvement, the local district shall require amendments to the School Renewal Plan which address the deficiencies. All personnel assigned to the school are to be evaluated during the year following the "D" rating, regardless of where each may fall on cyclical evaluation schedules. A comprehensive fiscal audit is to be conducted. A group external to the school (either from another school or the district staff) is to determine the extent to which the instructional program is aligned with the content standards; (b) when a school is rated "D-" all actions described in (a) are to be followed and the improvement plan must be approved by the State Board of Education; (c) when a school is rated "F" the State Board of Education shall conduct those audits it deems necessary and shall prescribe improvement actions. Actions defined in item (a) also shall apply to any school whose rating(s) falls by two grades or more.
Documented improvement in schools provides evidence that targeted long-term technical assistance is a key component of higher performance. While the State Department of Education has reorganized to focus on technical assistance, that agency alone should not bear all the responsibility for assisting schools to achieve at higher levels. We urge technical assistance programs which draw upon those who have been successful in raising academic achievement of students in South Carolina's schools and encourage collaborations among school districts which strengthen individual schools and the system.RECOMMENDATION EIGHT
Building upon the following principles:
We seek changes in the operation of the educational system which lead to results of higher quality; and
We seek a system which is successfully competitive at the highest levels;
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
The first commitment of principals must be to raising the academic achievement in schools; and
The culture of our schools must change to one of high expectations as evidenced through the attention of principals to the teaching of the identified content standards and establishment of more effective structures and processes to facilitate and enhance student learning.
The PASS Commission recommends
Statutory Review Statutory provisions which direct school actions should be modified to eliminate redundancy and ambiguity and to define clearly the academic purposes of schools. Statutes should be amended to provide a less cumbersome process of personnel evaluation, reward and dismissal. |
The PASS Commission recommends focusing schools on clearly identified academic content standards. Today's schools are weighed down by responsibilities to be "all things to all people." Between birth and eighteen years of age, South Carolina's children spend 9 percent of their lives in schools, yet schools are asked to provide guidance and instruction in everything from drug and alcohol abuse to drivers' training to advanced calculus. At a time when the academic demands are increasing and resources are stable, we ask that those who guide our system reduce the multitude of special program requirements.
The Commission celebrates education as a profession. Throughout our work were gratified at the dedication of teachers and administrators and their tireless commitment to young people. In some instances however, weak teachers are allowed to continue because of the cumbersome evaluation, reward and dismissal process. While we wish to protect good professionals from unfair treatment, we believe that the current system affords overly broad protection to weak teachers, ultimately to the detriment of children.RECOMMENDATION NINE
Building upon the following principles:
If we do not plan properly, we cannot work hard enough to achieve our goal; and
We seek a system which is successfully competitive at the highest levels;
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
Wise investment of state and local education dollars, time and related resources must remain a top priority.
The PASS Commission recommends
Oversight and Monitoring of the Accountability System On a cyclical schedule, academic content and performance standards and school performance indicators should be reviewed and updated to reach and keep the State's educational results competitive internationally and oversight and modification of the accountability system must be provided to ensure that we stay on track to meet the target. |
The accountability system requires continuing oversight to determine its impact and the degree to which the educational system achieves its target. Gains should be a result of improved student learning, quantifiably defensible by any standard. The Commission proposed that the oversight and monitoring of the accountability system be assigned to an independent body whose membership is representative of business and education to ensure the interests of South Carolina, students and parents are met. We recommend this body be charged with the responsibility to make corrections in the accountability system to ensure the target is achieved and that our schools become competitive at the fastest rate possible.
As members of the PASS Commission, we are willing to participate in any role the Governor deems appropriate to ensure communication and implementation of these recommendations.RECOMMENDATION TEN
Building upon the following principle:
Our system should hold everyone accountable for students' academic success-- students, parents, educators and the State
the members of the PASS Commission concluded that
Parents must take responsibility for their children's education;
Parents must be involved with their children, their children's schools and the local communities which support them;
Parents and local communities are responsible for the highest levels of achievement
the PASS Commission recommends
Parental and Community Support An aggressive public relations campaign must be initiated and maintained to elicit parental and local community support for the highest levels of student achievement. |
The PASS Commission is proposing an accountability system which prompts parents and others to invest their time and talents in the students and the schools those students attend. Although certain state level activities contribute to higher levels of student achievement, we recognize that the motivation to succeed and the expectation of competitive performance is communicated to students by their parents and neighbors and community institutions. Regrettably the current achievement level brings into question the degree to which local communities expect our children to achieve the highest levels of academic success. Those attitudes must change.
To encourage students to achieve at high levels, to display high standards of conduct and to stay in school we are proposing an aggressive marketing campaign which integrates multiple media and communication efforts. We suggest that the campaign address the value of education, interpretation and use of the accountability system's report card and a showcase of proven effective practices. Students should be taught the importance and value of education and staying in school; parents should be encouraged to be involved at all levels of their child's education and local communities should be encouraged to place educational needs and academic excellence as the highest priority. RELATED ISSUES
There are a number of issues which fall beyond the scope of the Executive Order but are issues closely related to the successes of the accountability system. The Commissioners recommend intensive efforts to ensure that
comprehensive professional development programs be available for all professionals (administrators, teachers and instructional support personnel) and that barriers of time and distance are addressed;
technical assistance programs are restructured and that those responsible for providing that assistance have adequate funding;
teacher preparation and certification renewal focus on the accomplishment of the academic content standards;
educational opportunities for students with special needs recognize their potential, rather than their limitations (see Appendix C);
local boards of education provide time within the school year and school day for parents and teachers to work together in the best interests of each child;
additional learning opportunities are provided for students experiencing difficulty and intensive instruction based upon proven practices; and
within local communities, adults support and mentor children as they grow and learn.
Recognizing that our task is to focus government, not to design government, the Commission did not consider a number of issues. The Commission recommends that those who have responsibility for the design of government determine the potential contribution of the elements below to our quest for higher levels of achievement.
Alternative governance or delivery systems, including charter schools;
Structure of the school day and year;
Structure and mechanisms of the school finance system;
Relationships among the General Assembly, the State Superintendent, the State Board of Education and local boards;
Differences among the responsibilities, training and compensation of educators;
The proper role of other academic content areas and related arts in the curriculum;
Development of either certification or recognition programs for "master teachers"; and
Study of student readiness and participation in the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) program.
APPENDICES
A Executive Order
B Acknowledgments
C Recommendations on the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities
D Sample Report Card
E South Carolina Academic Content Standards
APPENDIX A
Executive Order, page oneExecutive Order, page twoAPPENDIX B
Acknowledgments
This report is the result of the untiring commitment of South Carolinians to the improvement of public education for its students.
The fourteen members of the Commission bring a range of experiences as parents, community leaders, educators, business and civic leaders and, although somewhat distant, as students. The Commissioners met with groups and individuals; each provided valuable information and perspective. The dedication and advocacy that each offered are overwhelming. Without exception, the message is clear: South Carolinians believe its public education system must achieve at higher levels and they are willing to dedicate themselves to that task.
We wish to thank those whose presentations before the Commission gave meaning to abstract concepts and focused Commissioners on the most critical factors within the educational system. Dr. Carol Stewart and Mrs. TerryLynn Cooper in the Governor's Office never failed to provide the support and sustenance needed for our work. Dr. Barbara Nielsen and her staff provided continuing information and dialogue. Our work would not be so well-informed without the expertise of Dr. John Barth, advisory to the National Governors' Association and Dr. Lynn Cornett, Vice President of the Southern Regional Education Board.
For some issues, the Commission drew from the work of informal technical advisory groups. The Commission expresses appreciation to Mrs. Pamela Pritchett, Mrs. Ellen Hayden, Dr. Michael Turner, Dr. Jane Puling and Mrs. Valerie Harrison who participated in discussions of internationally competitive academic content standards; to Dr. Peter Airasian, Dr. Garrett Mandeville, Dr. Lorin Anderson, Dr. Doug Alexander and Dr. Susan Agruso who contributed to understanding of assessment issues; and to Dr. Sandra Lindsay, Dr. Michael Turner, Ms. Sue O'Connor, Mrs. Marge Sciezka, Ms. Ellen Still, Mrs. Sandy Smith, Mrs. Pamela Pritchett and Dr. Susan Agruso who worked with drafts of the content standards.
We extend special appreciation to the Honorable Beverly Sgro, Secretary of Education, and The Honorable Richard LaPointe, State Superintendent of Education in Virginia and their staff. Late in our deliberations, the Commissioners traveled to Virginia to understand how that system has implemented accountability structures and the impact of that implementation. We appreciate their collegiality, their experience and their wisdom.APPENDIX C
RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
1. All students should be included in the accountability process, except as noted in item three.
2. All students should be provided an instructional curriculum that is aligned with the accountability standards and given opportunities to learn the material and skills covered by the content standards.
3. Students with significantly impaired cognitive functioning may be exempted from standardized assessment measures according to written standards established at the state level (there can be no local option).
4. The State should develop written criteria and procedures for determining the exemption of a student from participating in standardized assessment measurements.
5. Students exempted from rigorous standardized assessment methods should be provided significant alternative outcome assessments that are individually tailored with high standards that are clearly established, adequately taught and rigorously and validly assessed.
6. Strategies to increase student retention in school should include early and accessible assessment for suspected disabilities as well as proactive interventions In the curriculum and services for all students.
7. Resources should be made available for alternative education placements for youngsters whose disability-related behavior makes it difficult for them to be educated in a regular education setting.
NOTE: These recommendations should be reviewed for consistency with the 1997 reauthorization amendments of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.APPENDIX D
Report Card, page oneReport Card, page twoReport Card, page threeAPPENDIX E
Appendix E contains academic content standards for mathematics, science, and English/language arts. The related standards which address use of technology are provided for incorporation into each of the core disciplines. Standards for social studies are to be developed.