On March 14, Linda Noonan raised the question as to whether the recently filed Dropout Prevention and Recovery Act (S.2173) would have an impact on the dropout rate—specifically whether raising the legal dropout age, one of the bill’s provisions, would be a useful approach.  Since then, the Education Committee has reported out a House bill, the Dropout Prevention Act (H.1964), which also calls for raising the legal dropout age.

In my role as organizer of the Boston Youth Transitions Task Force, I have seen a coalition of 40 partners move toward including an increase in the legal dropout age as part of the effort.  We all agree on the primary importance of addressing the dropout crisis.  The game has changed dramatically in the labor market:  dropouts can no longer find self-sustaining employment. The consequences now include lifetime poverty for the dropout and a heavy burden for the taxpayer.  We agree on the nature of supports and services necessary to put struggling students back on a path to success.   We may disagree on the efficacy of raising the age.  When we started this work, Task Force members questioned the value of raising the dropout age, focusing instead on implementing outreach to dropouts, early interventions and supporting more alternative education options, starting with credit recovery.

Together, we helped lower Boston’s annual dropout number from 1,800 to 1,200, a reduction of a third.  At the same time, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and other urban districts worked together using similar strategies to lower the state dropout number from 11,436 in 2007 to 7,899 in 2011.

We have made substantial progress without raising the age, but we have come to feel a sense of urgency.  Progress on lowering the dropout rate has slowed in the last year and our considerable gains are insufficient.  7,899 is far too many, given how stark the consequences have grown.  We cannot afford to be complacent based on recent success.  We need push ourselves to keep faltering 16- and 17- year olds in our sights, rather let them quietly slip off the rolls.  Raising the legal dropout age sends a strong message to teenagers in language that they will understand.  The game has changed and it ought to be against the law for a minor to destroy his or her economic future without taking pause.  It’s time for us to refresh our moves, and have the debate on whether enforcement or engagement is the strategy for keeping students in school.

By raising the age, we will create a manageable crisis that we can address as a community, unlike the unmanageable crisis that our young dropouts face alone every day.  Our dropout outreach and recovery project in Boston created this kind of crisis, bringing back hundreds of dropouts to the district each year.  We found that, with a collaborative approach and some creative programming, we were able to help most of them return to school and help many to graduate.  When we started that project , some of our partners discouraged us, saying that the system was not ready.  Our experience showed us otherwise.  The one thing we have learned is that sometimes we have to start before we feel ready.

Stakeholders at the state and local levels have been starting similar experiments, which makes us think that now is a good time to make the change.  Many are already thinking about the issue and acting on it.  Furthermore, both the House and the Senate bills raise the age in phases, to give the state and its districts some time to prepare.  The significant groundwork already laid in Boston and other cities is a platform on which to build.

The game has changed for students:  the consequences of dropping out are more punishing than ever.  The Commonwealth is changing its game plan, with most districts starting progressive initiatives to keep students in school.  At the national level, the dynamic is changing, too.  States like New Hampshire have substantially decreased their dropout numbers as they raised the age and strategically increased student supports.  Today, only 18 states still have a legal dropout age of 16, and 11 of them have bills pending to increase it.  Both President Obama and Governor Patrick have weighed in to say it’s time.  Raising the dropout age is not the answer, but will push us to find the answers, together.

Kathy Hamilton, Youth Transitions, Boston Private Industry Council

In my first year of teaching, I have found nothing quite as influential to my practice as using data to drive instruction. Collecting student data throughout the school year to understand how students are learning and what skills they have mastered allows me to cater to the individual needs of my kids and recognize skill and learning gaps that may exist. It’s a common misconception that classroom data is limited to MCAS results and that a test score determines success and failure. There are many other sources of data that can be used daily to make students feel successful and confident in their work.

Data is particularly important when working with students who struggle in school, and I have learned this firsthand as a Special Education teacher. Often, students who have struggled in school are so accustomed to focusing on what challenges them, they aren’t aware of the areas in which they excel. This school year, I’ve made it a point to provide students data that shows them they can and will be successful scholars. For example, I regularly assess my 8th grade Special Ed Math students’ basic skills that they need to be successful, like adding and subtracting fractions, decimals, and integers. As the year goes on, they can track how much they have learned and they get excited to successfully complete more complex problems. They can keep track of their own personal “data” to give them confidence that they are strong math students, and they love the first time they get a 100% on a challenging math facts worksheet. The information I get from their assessment also tells me when they’re ready to incorporate foundational skills in higher level content that can be more difficult for some students with disabilities.

Using data to create a richer educational experience for each student is part of the culture at my school, and teachers track student progress throughout the school year. Using the program ANet in Math and English Language Arts, students are given benchmark tests four to five times each year to track how they are doing on specific grade-level standards. Using the data from each benchmark test, we can track specific students as well as classes on the standards they have been taught and how accurately they understand the material. As a Special Education teacher, this information is crucial to helping students succeed. The program allows me to customize analysis of my students so I can easily identify what information they are struggling with the most so I can supplement the instruction in their General Education classroom. I can pinpoint which students need more time on which concepts and re-teach material that we need to review.

Data can be an incredibly useful tool for students like mine and for teachers like me. It makes academic progress feel concrete for kids, and it helps teachers understand what students are learning and where more work needs to be done. Just like in other careers, effectiveness in teaching requires being reflective and realistic about how you are doing. As a teacher, using data allows me to see where I fall short and where I am succeeding. I know that how well I teach is high-stakes for my students because they only get one shot at a good education. My success in the classroom has an impact upon the future success of my students and the school and community in which I teach. They deserve a teacher who uses every tool in the toolbox to the best of her ability.

Vanessa Brown, a Teach for America corps members, is a special education teacher at Atlantis Charter School in Fall River, Massachusetts.

For Massachusetts school performance data, visit www.KnowYourSchoolsMA.org

The breakfast program began with a performance by The Young Kings and the First Ladies of the Renaissance.  Here is what I saw:

• JOY – These students seemed genuinely happy to be at school and truly enjoying their performance.  They were confident (and deserved to be since they were so obviously well-prepared), enthusiastic and all were participating. 
• DISCIPLINE – I couldn’t but help observe the self control these students demonstrated as they stood quietly yet attentively waiting for the “grown up” first ladies to be seated and settle down.  There wasn’t the usual class joker poking his neighbor or the girl who can’t keep her hands off the hair adornments of her friend.  These youngsters clearly showed that they were responsible for themselves and could behave appropriately – perhaps even more seriously than the adults. 
•  EXCELLENCE – I’ve sat through many school performances as my own children went through school, but rarely have I heard such high quality music – especially from elementary-aged kids.  The choices for the orations were also clearly sending these children a strong message about their own abilities and value.  Their practice and dedication was evident!  Listen for yourself!
• ACCOMPLISHMENT – These students had mastered every song and recitation.  Their training and performance skills were in evidence when young man had a temporary lapse of memory and needed a moment to recall his lines, managing to do so with dignity and charm. 

Talking with Sarah - a First Lady of the Renaissance

After a short slide show of inspiring photos of women trailblazers in a cross-section of professions and pursuits, it was time for one-on-one mentoring with a student.   I was matched with Sarah, a 4^th grader who wants to be a lawyer because she “cares about what is fair”.  She loves to read and we discussed books and annoying little brothers, as well as appropriate April Fools’ pranks.  I found her delightful and brimming with energy and self-assurance.  Her manners were also impeccable! 

 Massachusetts First Lady Diane Patrick then addressed the girls, letting them know that she didn’t always feel comfortable speaking in front of an audience of the size assembled and didn’t always have high self esteem herself.  Her inspiring message resonated with the attentive crowd and affirmed the message that the girls had recited earlier:   “… And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

As I watched the bright shining smiles of young ladies around me, and listened to the awe-inspiring songs and recitations, it renewed my commitment to MBAE’s mission to make sure that all of our children are given the opportunities to pursue their dreams and realize their full potential by receiving the high quality education these students are getting at the Boston Renaissance Public Charter School.

You might assume that MBAE is cheering these policy makers on, but we are not convinced that this action will have any impact – except perhaps the unexpected kind.  Our concern is that raising the dropout age gives us the illusion of dealing with a problem that can only be solved with strong interventions to engage students in their learning and make the time they are in school productive.  As we said in our response to the state’s 2009 Graduation and Dropout Prevention and Recovery Commission:

Engaging students in learning so they are prepared for further training and gainful employment should be the goal of any dropout prevention initiative.  MBAE supports recommendations that build on evidence of what works – such as early warning systems that identify students at risk and interventions for these students that keep them on track to graduation.  According to Civic Enterprise’s Silent Epidemic, nearly 70% of dropouts were not motivated to work hard and two-thirds would have worked harder if more was demanded of them.  Over 80% said their chances of staying in school would have increased if classes were more interesting and provided opportunities for real-world learning.   Making it illegal for youth under age 18 to dropout of school will not address this reality.  MBAE supports action that will.

Some excellent examples of “supports and services” that better engage these students can be found in schools and districts participating in the state’s MassGrad initiative (MBAE represents employers on the Leadership Council).  A 2009 report from the Rennie Center also highlighted “promising practices” and successful efforts to raise graduation rates in many of Massachusetts’ “Gateway Cities”.  It is frustrating that after years of deliberation, we are still not focused on proven methods that offer students a range of alternatives to help them persist through graduation.  Instead, we are on the verge of forcing students to stay in school regardless of whether the support they need is in place.

As the bill goes to the Senate Ways and Means Committee for cost estimates, there is agreement that supports and services are essential, but there is great skepticism about whether we can afford these.  While it is absolutely essential to make sure what we are already spending is being used effectively, we must recognize that dropouts cost us more in the long run than what we would spend to help them graduate.   There are numerous estimates of the cost of dropouts to society and to the individuals who lack the education needed for self-sufficiency.  In 2007, the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern issued a report that focused attention on dropout prevention as an economic issue.    Professor Andy Sum and his colleagues found that the costs of social services and loss of tax revenues when a student drops out translates into “a net fiscal difference of $456,500 between high school graduates and dropouts” and the gap between “four year college graduates and high school dropouts was closer to $1.5 million”.

In 2007, MBAE testified in favor of a bill that proposed reducing the dropout rate by 50% by 2012 (yes, this year!) because it set a measurable standard by which to measure our progress and hold ourselves accountable.  The state’s goal has been that 90% of students will graduate ready for college and career without remediation by 2020.  If we are serious about reducing dropout rates, we need to set ambitious goals and do what we know is necessary to meet these – and the needs of our students.

The new website tracks progress in each district showing a checked box next to each of the steps a district completes.  Steps include submitting a new teacher evaluation plan to the state education department and approval of the plan by the department.

In a statement, Governor Cuomo said “I hope the countless parents and advocates who have been demanding accountability in our schools will use www.nystudentsfirst.com to get involved in our efforts to put students first and reform our education system.”

Just a few months ago, New York State’s Education Commissioner threatened to withhold tens of millions in school improvement grants and Race to the Top funds from districts that were running up against a deadline by which they needed to submit a teacher evaluation plan.

Here in Massachusetts, progress on implementation of educator evaluation has been slow.  In our Year One Race to the Top Progress Report that showed in the area of educator evaluation the State is not on track to meet the goals of Race to the Top, MBAE called for the state to make this its highest priority.  It’s interesting to watch as New York does just that.

For the teaching profession, this is the reality. Given how important teachers can be to student learning, it is high time that these information and quality gaps are addressed.

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has partnered with U.S. News & World Report to do just that. Later this year, we’ll be issuing a report on over 1,000 teacher preparation programs all around the country, including those in Massachusetts. We’re looking at the nuts-and-bolts of teacher training programs: Are they selective? Do they make sure that teacher candidates know their subjects (e.g. do they make sure elementary school teachers know how to teach kids how to read?)? Do they teach candidates practical techniques to help kids learn?

Our ultimate goals: help aspiring teachers choose strong programs and guide districts to where they can find effective graduates; give programs recommendations for how to improve; and encourage the appropriate authorities to take action against substandard programs. We want to strengthen the field of teacher preparation such that it will be worthy of the same respect the public rightly accords med schools.

No assessment of teacher preparation of this scale and scope has been undertaken before. While a majority of teacher preparation programs across the country have been working with us, some have put up resistance, including several in Massachusetts.

Four University of Massachusetts campuses are withholding course syllabi, claiming they are the intellectual property of their professors and thus exempt from open records requests. Several other campuses are asking for thousands of dollars to collect those documents, something we estimate should take several hours to do (more details are on our website: http://www.nctq.org/transparency.do?stateId=22). Shouldn’t publicly funded programs publicly approved to prepare public school teachers be transparent to the public?

Teacher preparation is too important to be veiled in secrecy. That’s why we have partners like MBAE and Superintendent Alan Ingram of Springfield who support our effort. If you would like to learn more about this project or, better yet, have thoughts on how we might break the logjam in Massachusetts, reach out to me at amckee@nctq.org. I look forward to hearing from you.

Arthur McKee is Managing Director, Teacher Preparation Studies, National Council on Teacher Quality

Massachusetts’ future depends on today’s youth developing the 21^st century academic, professional, and interpersonal skills critical to success in our evolving economy. Yet we are still faced with tremendous challenges in meeting this need.  During the 2010-2011 school year, an average of 44 students dropped out of high school every day.  Additionally, only 40% of low-income students are proficient in math and only 50% of low-income students are proficient in reading. Schools recognize that many students need more than just academic support to make it through high school successfully. Too many students have no significant adult involved in their education for a number of reasons. These students often move through the school system without having anyone to provide encouragement, support or validation as to how much value education adds to their lives.

To address this gap, schools across the state are increasingly turning to structured one-on-one mentoring with caring adults as a way to provide both academic and social and emotional support to students.   Today, nearly two-thirds of youth-mentor meetings take place at a site such as school or community center according to the Mass Mentoring Counts 2010 report.  It is an effective tool to keep students engaged in school and connected to their academic performance, and has been shown to reduce truancy. Mentoring can improve students’ confidence in their scholastic abilities, their overall academic performance, and the quality of their class work. Program evaluations have found that youth in mentoring relationships present better attitudes and behaviors at school and are more likely to attend college than their counterparts.

As the demand for mentoring relationships in schools grows, it creates a unique opportunity for companies to partner with local schools through mentoring programs. This not only improves outcomes for students, but also enhances the ability for companies to recruit and retain talented employees. Studies have found that 87% of employees feel greater loyalty to socially engaged employers and 75% of executives believe that a corporate volunteer program significantly impacts a company’s ability to recruit and retain talented employees, enhancing the company’s image as an “employer of choice.”

Companies such as MassMutual have a strong belief in corporate responsibility and community involvement, and acknowledge that by working with mentoring programs, they can impact education in their community. MassMutual came to Mass Mentoring Partnership in 2010 for assistance in developing a formal mentoring program with technical high schools in Springfield. With the assistance of Mass Mentoring Partnership, MassMutual partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County to develop a Career Pathways Program in two high schools in Springfield.

Career Pathways is a site-based mentoring program at MassMutual’s Springfield headquarters. Recommended 10^th grade students from Roger Putnam Vocational Technical High School and the Springfield High School of Science & Technology are matched with MassMutual employees until their high school graduations. Students meet with their MassMutual mentors weekly and take part in a Career Pathways curriculum focused on preparing the students for careers in financial and technology fields. By working directly with the youth in their community, MassMutual continues to help lead Springfield’s students to academic success and bright futures beyond high school.

By mentoring youth in local communities, companies can not only ensure a better future for our youth, but for their workforce and ability to compete in today’s economic environment. To learn how your business can get involved, visit www.massmentors.org.

Will has shown me what all of my students prove every day – that the achievement gap that exists between students growing up in poverty and their more affluent peers is a solvable problem.

As a new teacher working to give my kids the excellent educational opportunities they deserve, I rely on the support of my fellow teachers, both novice and veteran, and my school administrators every day, but I feel incredibly lucky as a first-year teacher to have a number of formal support systems to provide me with ongoing coaching.

I am in the enviable position of having not just one source of instructional coaching, but two. As a Teach For America corps member I have a member of the Teach For America staff assigned to observe my classroom and help me identify what is working and what I can improve. Teach For America also provides a wide range of resources and ongoing professional development in my content area. From Chelsea Public Schools, I have a High School administrator who regularly observes my classroom and provides feedback as part of their newly implemented teacher evaluation system, a mentor teacher who share’s his experience, a 9^th grade instructional coach, and a special education coach who provides guidance specific to my special education students.

I know what a special situation this is because I have a sister who teaches in another district in Massachusetts and was only observed twice during her entire first year. Because I have such frequent classroom visitors, I am able to get continuous feedback that helps me continuously improve. As a teacher, I make decisions that effect my students’ learning all day long so it is both reassuring and empowering to have a veteran educator (or two) sharing their wisdom and bolstering my efforts.

My instructional coaches are invaluable when I run into the inevitable challenges as I work to set ambitious, meaningful learning goals for my students, track class progress, and invest my students in our work. They both help me identify viable solutions to the roadblocks I encounter and hold me accountable for implementing those strategies. They keep me grounded in my commitment to do whatever it takes to give my students the excellent education they deserve.

I find I get so much out of the coaching I receive because it is a collaborative process. I feel like I’m on team with my district evaluator and my Teach For America instructional coach. I know they care about me and my students and want me to maximize my effectiveness. A supportive environment that fuels a teacher’s ambition to grow and improve as a professional is an incredible incentive for an effective teacher to choose and stay with a school.

I’ve learned so much in my first six months in the classroom and I look forward to continuing to increase my effectiveness in the months and years to come. I credit my students for teaching me more than I ever could have expected and my instructional coaches for creating the conditions that foster my growth. It’s students like Will who inspire me to do my best and take advantage of all the resources around me. He has demonstrated his incredible potential and he deserves to have the best teacher I can be.

Sam Wolfson is a first-year Teach for America corps member teaching math at Chelsea High School.

MBAE has been a staunch supporter of statewide accountability systems that are designed to raise student achievement and focus attention on areas for improvement since we helped make sure this was a central component of the Education Reform Act of 1993.  More recently, we have played an active role on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) Accountability and Assistance Advisory Council, which helped link technical assistance and support to identified needs for district action through development of the new Framework for District Accountability and Assistance.  So, it was only because of our confidence in the potential of  this state system and the absence of action by Congress to address the problems with the current federal system that we supported the state’s application for an ESEA waiver.  

MBAE shared our concerns about the DESE request for the ESEA Waiver  during the public comment period, and supported the waiver “conditioned on Commissioner Mitchell Chester’s assurance that he has ‘no interest in watering down our standards and expectations’ and that he plans to continue the state’s vigorous support of high standards, rewards for strong performance, and aggressive pursuit of continuous improvement”.    

We will hold the Commissioner to this commitment and continue to advocate for high standards of performance and accountability for meeting these in every level of public education in the Commonwealth.

The state’s request, and the U.S. Department of Education’s response are online at the U.S. DOE website.   Additional information about the state’s application can be found on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website.

A new analysis from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation shows that savings for cities and towns  from municipal health reform are exceeding the $100 million projected to be gained.  Since the plan was first proposed a year ago, a dozen communities have negotiated changes through the traditional collective bargaining process that will save an estimated $30 million in the first year alone.  The list of  municipalities adopting the new approach and those with negotiations underway is growing.  We are delighted with these results and confident that some of these funds will help avoid cuts to education and children will be the beneficiaries.