A place at the table: Creating school, family, and community partnerships (Northwest Education, Spring-Summer 2007)

Informed by three decades of research—and given new urgency by the No Child Left Behind Act—parent and community involvement in schools is undergoing a paradigm shift. A new model of sustained partnerships and shared decision making is finding its way into the daily operation of schools and districts around the country. In this issue of Northwest Education we profile some of the diverse, dynamic partnerships that are creating this change in our region.

Building strong districts (Northwest Education, Winter 2007)

This issue of Northwest Education offers examples of districts confronting and finding innovative ways to deal with those concerns. In South Lane (Oregon) School District, book clubs engage teachers in collaborative research on school improvement. Washington's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction marshals resources to help districts like South Kitsap get out of improvement status. Lake Washington School District follows rigorous benchmarks, developed by a consortium of high-performing Western districts with similar demographics. Idaho's Joint School District #2 relies on a highly individualized assessment system to yield the kind of data needed for continuous student progress.

The three R's of school safety: Readiness, response, recovery (Northwest Education, Fall 2007)

In this issue of Northwest Education you will find programs such as Oregon’s Mid-Valley Student Threat Assessment program, and others that began as district- or county-level responses to the traumatic events of the late 1990s. We also profile countywide emergency response planning, school-based support programs, and the aftermath of a racially based incident that could well have resulted in violence, but didn’t. The perspective of students involved in that incident is one example of a positive, encouraging vein in what can be a disquieting subject to explore.

Teaming up with literacy coaches (Northwest Education, Fall 2006)

In this issue of Northwest Education, we visit some places in our region where literacy coaches clearly are making their mark. At one Oregon high school, a coach inspires teachers to incorporate literacy lessons whether the subject is biology or geometry. In Alaska’s largest district, coaches are helping to boost elementary reading scores. And, in Idaho and Washington, intensive professional development provides robust coaching for coaches. Whether they’re working in preschools or high schools, we can only urge coaches to get their game on. In the words of Vince Lombardi, “It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever, the one who recognizes the challenges and does something about it.”

The changing face of the classroom: serving ELL students (Northwest Education, Spring 2006)

State assessments in reading and math reveal that achievement gaps between English language learners (ELL) and all students range from 21 to 57 percent in the Northwest. How to attack the gap has spawned highly charged debates over program models and legislative policies at a time when tensions are rising over a national immigration bill. There is even disagreement over how to describe children who are not fluent English speakers: ELL, LEP, ESL, or EAL (English as an additional language). Rather than focus on the contentious issues, this Northwest Education edition looks at how schools and districts are tailoring ELL instruction to match their demographics and their resources; differences among the new state language proficiency assessments; and approaches to key concerns like parental involvement.

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Math + professional development = a winning equation (Northwest Education, Winter 2005)

Improving math instruction and learning—and addressing equity issues raised by critics like Robert Moses—has taken on added urgency with NCLB’s high-stakes tests and requirements for highly qualified teachers. That, in turn, has led to broader recognition of the role that effective professional development plays in increasing teachers’ content knowledge and bolstering their practice. The NCLB Act acknowledges that professional development activities “are an integral part of broad schoolwide and districtwide educational improvement plans.” The act further states that such activities give teachers and school leaders the tools to help students meet challenging state academic standards. In this issue of Northwest Education, we look at different forms of mathematics professional development throughout our region. We follow Idaho middle school teachers as they revitalize geometry instruction and see how Oregon teachers are introducing algebra to the youngest students. We discover strategies for teaching mathematics in the ELL classroom. And, we describe an intensive approach to professional development in Montana, where teachers learn content and pedagogy in a year-round program.

On the road to accountability (Northwest Education, Summer 2005)

While schools must be accountable to federal law and to parents, the reverse is also true. Federal lawmakers--as well as local governments and citizens--have a responsibility to see that public schools get the resources they need to meet the worthy objective of the law. For example, give public school teachers classroom aides who can help give that personalized attention that kids need so much to flourish. Accountability in public education shouldn't only be about scrutinizing whether others have done their part, but about stepping up to share in the responsibility. In this issue of Northwest Education, there are stories about people who step up and demonstrate every day that they can be counted on to do their part--and then some.

Science under the microscope (Northwest Education, Spring 2005)

Developing scientific literacy is critical today and will become increasingly so. Underscoring the importance of science education, the U.S. Department of Education is training a spotlight on the subject. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, states must develop science standards by 2005-2006. Beginning in the 2007-2008 school year, states are required to administer annual science assessments at least once in elementary, middle, and high school. These assessments must be aligned with state standards and involve multiple measures, including higher order thinking and understanding. In interviews with some of the Northwest's outstanding scientists, we're reminded of the role that teachers play in nurturing groundbreaking biologists, geologists, physicists, and chemists.

Teachers working together (Northwest Education, Fall 2005)

Research linking successful schools and a collaborative school environment is prompting teachers to throw open their doors and to join colleagues in examining—and changing—their practices. In this issue of Northwest Education, we describe some of the different ways that kind of collaboration is happening across our region. Whether it’s fostering one-to-one mentoring relationships, gathering in professional learning teams, engaging in lesson study, or uniting behind a districtwide push for literacy coaching, teachers are reaping the benefits of working together. We hope the new emphasis on collaboration will lead to more stories about great teachers who make a lasting difference in their students’ lives.

This issue of Northwest Education looks at advocating from the smallest unit--the family--up to the regional efforts of that old war horse, the PTA.

In this issue of Northwest Education, we hear from researchers who are excited about the results and innovations coming from alternative programs across the country. We trace where the alternative movement came from, look at the educational philosophies behind today's alternative schools, and show how these small programs are pioneering big changes in education.

This issue of Northwest Education examines the research about the benefits of studying and performing the arts, and highlights the findings of several national studies that support the arts as essential to education. Then, we take you on a barnstorming tour of the region to showcase schools and individual classrooms where creativity is becoming a basic part of the lesson plan.

In these pages we review the research, and we tell the stories of several Northwest communities that have undertaken a quest for better assessments--a quest that is yielding not only new ways to assess, but also new ways to teach.

Our focus this summer on extended learning opportunities gives us a timely chance to consider the lessons that take place outside the traditional school day. That skateboarder, for instance, belongs to a remarkable cadre of young people in Bozeman, Montana, who pooled their energy to design a skate park for their city. The venerable 4-H program, with a century of experience promoting healthy youth development, supported their effort, building in lessons on everything from civics to publishing to engineering. The kids also taught local adults some powerful lessons about the dangers of stereotyping and the power of positive attention.

In this issue, we present the viewpoints of a big-city district superintendent, a teachers' union representative, a school boards association director, and a state education board member. We also offer an intimate look at the dreams (and nightmares) of several determined groups of charter founders.

In this issue devoted to urban education, Northwest-style, we’ve deliberately sought to tell stories with a positive spin. It’s not that we’re blind to the struggles facing many city schools, or ignorant of the hardships of families in impoverished urban neighborhoods. Rather, we’re taking a cue from what research and teacher anecdotes reveal: Building on the strengths of city kids is the approach most likely to help them thrive, even if they face challenges at home, in their communities, or in the classroom.

No magic formula will bring minority kids to parity with their peers. But researchers and practitioners have turned up a wealth of promising ideas-—both strategies and attitudes-—that make a difference. "No single policy or program can ensure the school success of every child, but a combination of approaches can," renowned researcher Robert Slavin writes in an issue of Educational Leadership titled "Reaching for Equity" in December 1997/January 1998. "Research in education is increasingly identifying the kinds of approaches we could use if we decided as a society to end the poor academic performance of so many of our children."

This issue of Northwest Education takes a look at what researchers are loosely calling school-community collaborations. These new partnerships can take many forms and serve many purposes, from academic enrichment to economic development to better delivery of social services. But they grow from an idea that's as old as civilization itself: Communities are places where people care for one another. And in most communities, schools still sit at center stage.

People from the worlds of business and philanthropy have been steadfastly helping to set the stage for inspired teaching and learning. Every day, teachers are carrying their students to new heights of learning by gaining a purchase on the solid ground of programs and initiatives made possible by philanthropies and businesses. Schools are looking to their partners in business, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector to help them put in place proven measures to improve schooling for every child. The stories in this issue of NW Education portray partnerships that are elevating teaching and learning for all.

The award-winning schools featured on the following pages differ wildly in the details, but they share an architectural approach that promotes learning, sparks curiosity, delights the senses, and fosters pride. At a time when many communities are just starting to think about rebuilding their aging schools, these stories remind us that school buildings don't have to be bland or boring. They can be beautiful. As a principal explains later in this issue, "When school buildings are beautiful, it suggests that those who spend their days in them are valued by the community." And as many school districts are discovering, the most extraordinary schools can be designed on ordinary budgets.

The stories of the Lewis and Clark expedition draw many of us in as inexorably as the Corps of Discovery paddled and pulled its canoes across the continent. Some call it "reality-based learning" and say "you can take just any part of the story and make it leap back into the curriculum." And what makes the story of the expedition most real are the journals, those books that changed the course of history and, 200 years later, are still changing lives.

Throughout the Northwest, classrooms, schools, and entire districts are changing. They are providing children opportunities to learn and explore in dynamic, tactile, and engaging environments. We interviewed teachers, administrators, parents, and students; observed innovative teachers; listened to students' stories and watched them as they struggled and shined with reading, writing, spelling, drawing, and working together.

Lasting lessons about writing are the focus of this issue of Northwest Education. We've approached the subject from a variety of perspectives, drawing insights from researchers, classroom teachers, and professional authors. This issue also includes a special section about the 6+1 Trait™ Writing Assessment and Instruction Model. Developed by Northwest teachers to provide students with useful feedback about key aspects of their writing, the model has spread to every state and many other countries.

What helps good teachers thrive and continue to sharpen their classroom skills throughout their careers? Those are some of the questions we explore in this issue of Northwest Education. Professional development is hardly a new topic in education. But it's becoming increasingly important as education reformers recognize that teachers are the key to school improvement.

In this issue, we take a look at what has been called the "quiet crisis" in gifted education. We present an overview of key issues in the field, with a sampling of research findings and recommendations on finding and serving bright students. We review the research on identifying gifted minority and disadvantaged children, often overlooked in programs for the gifted.

Learning disabilities, it turns out, stem from faulty wiring in the brain. LD kids—far from slacking off--are working mightily when they tackle even the simplest language tasks. In fact, in a 1999 test involving word pairs, they used nearly five times the brain area as other kids, a University of Washington research team found. The brain imaging tools reveal a clear neural signature --providing evidence for what has previously been a hidden disability.

Teachers and students across America are feeling the push for high academic standards. The message: Expect more, demand more, achieve more. But the push isn't uniform from school to school. Depending on the state, the district, and the community, it can range from a gentle nudge to a forceful shove. The skeptics wonder, Is the standards movement destined to be just another reform bandwagon that came and went? Meanwhile, the optimists have dedicated not only policy statements but also time and money to helping schools meet the benchmarks.

In these pages, you will meet teachers and administrators who are reaching across the cultural and linguistic divide to educate the newcomers. You will meet a former farmworker who wants her children to study law, medicine, and architecture. You will follow a recent immigrant through her day as a ninth-grader at a school that sets high standards for all and accepts excuses from none.

Schools around the Northwest are striving to make their schools havens of safety and unencumbered learning. In these pages, you'll read about schools that intervene early to steer kids away from disruptive and antisocial behavior. You'll visit schools that teach empathy along with skills for managing anger and resolving conflicts. You'll look in on communities that are weaving nets of support for at-risk youths before they tumble into trouble.

The possibilities to extend and deepen learning are limited only by a teacher's imagination. All over the Northwest, teachers are designing projects that breathe life into learning by breaking loose from the customary subject areas, teaming with other teachers, and launching kids into the world beyond the school's walls. They're finding creative ways to link national, state, and local standards to challenging tasks that cause kids to dig deeply into issues that matter in the real world.

In this issue of Northwest Education, we look at the advances and issues involved in educating the children in the middle. We visit a blue ribbon middle school in Montana and a suburban middle school in Idaho.

The legacy of Native education in America is tinged with suffering, bitterness, and trauma. In an attempt to counter the effects of discontinuities, Native tribal communities and educators have long advocated programs steeped in Native culture and language. This issue examines this compelling and complex subject.

PE's renaissance, however, is threatened by money woes and back-to-basics trends across the nation. Lumped in with other so-called "frills" such as art and music, PE is a handy target when the public calls for higher academic standards and lower costs. Ironically, trimming this layer of "fat" out of school programs can add flab to young bodies. Around the Northwest, phys ed teachers and health advocates are fighting hard to keep PE--the "new" PE with its emphasis on lifelong fitness--in the curriculum.

Research tells us that principals are the linchpins in the enormously complex workings, both physical and human, of a school. The job calls for a staggering range of roles: psychologist, teacher, facilities manager, philosopher, police officer, diplomat, social worker, mentor, PR director, coach, cheerleader. The principalship is both lowly and lofty. In one morning, you might deal with a broken window and a broken home. A bruised knee and a bruised ego. A rusty pipe and a rusty teacher.

This issue of Northwest Education takes a look at promising approaches to support new teachers. First, we offer a look at what research tells us about why so many novices leave the field and what strategies may help them remain in the profession. We hear from a professor who is retooling teacher induction so that new teachers gain support over several years. We take a look at mentoring programs as well.

The title of this issue suggests the literal links that 21st century libraries have with every center of learning across the earth. But it refers more precisely to the women and men who commit themselves to connecting kids to the vast planetary network--and, at least as important, guiding them toward a lifetime love of reading. The research is clear: Strong school library programs bolster achievement. Outstanding library professionals across the Northwest are working tirelessly to help teachers improve curriculum delivery and to help students reach district, state, and national standards.

Online education is a sprawling topic. We chose to focus mostly on statewide online programs that are coming from the K-12 public school sphere. We also give special attention to what is taking place at the state level. These are stories that are still in the making. Online learning is a new frontier for K-12 schools, and the risks and benefits can be substantial, but the Northwest has always been rich with enterprising pioneers. With forward-thinking pragmatism, they are making tracks in new territory.

The articles and essays offer sometimes disparate but important viewpoints from practitioners and researchers who are doing and using research for the advancement of education. Together, they are bringing pearls of evidence to the important task of teaching young minds based on sound science.

Schoolwide reform builds on the idea that 'a rising tide lifts all boats.' Poor kids, immigrant kids, migrant kids, Indian kids--disadvantaged kids of every kind--do better in an inclusive setting with high standards for all. Pulling students out for basic skills or remedial drills is becoming a relic of another era. Today, policymakers want to see all children challenged in the regular classroom, engaged in meaningful work that makes them think and reason.

Making eager readers of children is the first step toward making adults who read with skill and with joy, who read for information and for pleasure, who have access to all the wealth that we as a species store in the written word. Researchers are calling for an end to the "reading wars" that divide educators and communities into bitter camps. No single skill defines a reader, they say. No lone strategy works in isolation. By laying down divisive ideologies, we can work together to ensure that young children become strong and successful lifelong readers.

In this issue of Northwest Education, we offer readers a glimpse inside classrooms around the Northwest where teachers are using technology skillfully to teach subjects as diverse as economics and ecology.

In this issue of Northwest Education, we visit a school of education, talk with teachers recognized as among the best in the country, and hear about a faculty mentoring program in Montana.

Ironically, while American schools have been growing steadily larger, researchers have been identifying the benefits of smaller learning communities, where education is more personal and nobody feels like a stranger. In smaller schools and schools reorganized to "feel smaller," students have a better attitude toward school and make stronger connections with teachers and other adults in the school community. Such ties can boost student achievement and offer a powerful antidote to alienation.

In this issue, we explore some of the ways that our region is reforming high schools: radically re-engineering large comprehensive high schools into smaller, more personalized academies and learning communities; encouraging all students—not just an elite few—to take Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses; tying curriculum to the world outside the classroom; using data to drive decisionmaking. It's not an easy journey. We hear the frustrations of administrators and the complaints of students. But, we also sense the exhilaration of being on the cutting edge of a movement seeking to change a model that's more than 100 years old.

The U.S. charter school movement is 10 years old this year. In the Northwest, charters were slow to get a toehold, lagging behind such pioneering states as Minnesota, Arizona, and California. But by now they've been around long enough for patterns of both promise and concern to emerge. Here we take you inside this bold new experiment in school reform and show you how it looks from the Northwest perspective.