The Houston-based Cosmos Foundation runs a network of publicly-funded charter schools in Texas and neighboring states (Oklahoma, Louisiana). Most of the Texas schools are named Harmony Science Academy. Eight new Harmony schools are scheduled to open in fall 2010. We examine whether this rapid expansion is justified by objective measures of their performance, and look at other concerns.
Concept Schools - Success in Education or Success in Marketing?CASILIPS
Concept Schools manages 25 publicly-funded charter schools in the Midwest. Its school network has grown rapidly in recent years. This presentation examines its marketing claims along with school data, including data on college readiness of its graduates.
Job Talk: Research - University of South Alabama (2016)Michael Barbour
This document summarizes research on K-12 online learning. It finds that while K-12 online learning has grown significantly since the 1990s, research on its effectiveness remains limited. Studies that do exist have found mixed results on student performance in online environments compared to brick-and-mortar schools. Additionally, online students tend to be more motivated, higher-achieving, and less socioeconomically diverse than traditional students. Research on full-time online schools shows lower performance levels than traditional schools, and that online schools often enroll students performing below grade level in math and reading. More research is still needed that directly compares like student populations.
OLC 2015 - Virtual Schooling and K-12 Online Learning: A Bridge Still Too Far?Michael Barbour
Barbour, M. K. (2015, October). Virtual schooling and K-12 online learning: A bridge still too far? An invited feature presentation at the 21st annual Online Learning Consortium International Conference, Orlando, FL.
This document evaluates the effectiveness of science programs at cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania based on standardized test score data from 2008-2012. It finds that cyber charter schools generally performed lower on the 11th grade science exam than statewide averages, with some exceptions. The top four performing schools provided varied curricula, virtual and at-home lab projects, and trained learning coaches. The bottom four schools relied more on canned curricula and provided less student and learning coach support. Overall, there is little evidence that cyber charter schools are as effective as traditional schools, and stronger oversight of financial management and educational programs is recommended.
Job Talk: Research - Texas Tech University (2015)Michael Barbour
This document discusses the growth of K-12 online learning from the early 1990s to present day, with enrollments increasing from 40,000-50,000 students in 2000-2001 to an estimated 2-6 million students today. However, the author notes that research on the effectiveness and experiences of K-12 online learning has been limited and based primarily on personal accounts rather than rigorous studies. While some performance comparisons seem to show online students performing equally or better, the author argues these may not provide an accurate picture when factors like student motivation and dropout rates are considered. Studies also suggest full-time online students, especially those in cyber schools, tend to include more at-risk populations and have lower achievement scores, highlighting the need
This dissertation examines differences in achievement and dropout rates between online charter high school students and traditional high school students in California. The study compares test scores and dropout data from 10 online charter schools and 10 traditional schools that serve similar percentages of economically disadvantaged students. The dissertation aims to determine if at-risk students are disproportionately enrolled in online charter schools and if these students experience more success compared to traditional schools.
This case study examines Central California Connections Academy (CenCA), a free public virtual K-12 school. CenCA offers a personalized online education through state-certified teachers. It aims to serve a diverse student body, including those seeking an alternative to traditional schools. The document details CenCA's mission, structure, accreditation, curriculum, student demographics and activities. An evaluation of CenCA's website is also provided. Attempts to interview school administrators were unsuccessful. The conclusion is that CenCA provides a well-rounded education for motivated students seeking flexibility.
Concept Schools - Success in Education or Success in Marketing?CASILIPS
Concept Schools manages 25 publicly-funded charter schools in the Midwest. Its school network has grown rapidly in recent years. This presentation examines its marketing claims along with school data, including data on college readiness of its graduates.
Job Talk: Research - University of South Alabama (2016)Michael Barbour
This document summarizes research on K-12 online learning. It finds that while K-12 online learning has grown significantly since the 1990s, research on its effectiveness remains limited. Studies that do exist have found mixed results on student performance in online environments compared to brick-and-mortar schools. Additionally, online students tend to be more motivated, higher-achieving, and less socioeconomically diverse than traditional students. Research on full-time online schools shows lower performance levels than traditional schools, and that online schools often enroll students performing below grade level in math and reading. More research is still needed that directly compares like student populations.
OLC 2015 - Virtual Schooling and K-12 Online Learning: A Bridge Still Too Far?Michael Barbour
Barbour, M. K. (2015, October). Virtual schooling and K-12 online learning: A bridge still too far? An invited feature presentation at the 21st annual Online Learning Consortium International Conference, Orlando, FL.
This document evaluates the effectiveness of science programs at cyber charter schools in Pennsylvania based on standardized test score data from 2008-2012. It finds that cyber charter schools generally performed lower on the 11th grade science exam than statewide averages, with some exceptions. The top four performing schools provided varied curricula, virtual and at-home lab projects, and trained learning coaches. The bottom four schools relied more on canned curricula and provided less student and learning coach support. Overall, there is little evidence that cyber charter schools are as effective as traditional schools, and stronger oversight of financial management and educational programs is recommended.
Job Talk: Research - Texas Tech University (2015)Michael Barbour
This document discusses the growth of K-12 online learning from the early 1990s to present day, with enrollments increasing from 40,000-50,000 students in 2000-2001 to an estimated 2-6 million students today. However, the author notes that research on the effectiveness and experiences of K-12 online learning has been limited and based primarily on personal accounts rather than rigorous studies. While some performance comparisons seem to show online students performing equally or better, the author argues these may not provide an accurate picture when factors like student motivation and dropout rates are considered. Studies also suggest full-time online students, especially those in cyber schools, tend to include more at-risk populations and have lower achievement scores, highlighting the need
This dissertation examines differences in achievement and dropout rates between online charter high school students and traditional high school students in California. The study compares test scores and dropout data from 10 online charter schools and 10 traditional schools that serve similar percentages of economically disadvantaged students. The dissertation aims to determine if at-risk students are disproportionately enrolled in online charter schools and if these students experience more success compared to traditional schools.
This case study examines Central California Connections Academy (CenCA), a free public virtual K-12 school. CenCA offers a personalized online education through state-certified teachers. It aims to serve a diverse student body, including those seeking an alternative to traditional schools. The document details CenCA's mission, structure, accreditation, curriculum, student demographics and activities. An evaluation of CenCA's website is also provided. Attempts to interview school administrators were unsuccessful. The conclusion is that CenCA provides a well-rounded education for motivated students seeking flexibility.
Using Accountability to Drive Equity: Risks and Opportunities in ESSAThe Education Trust
The Education Trust's Daria Hall, vice president for government affairs and communications, spoke with U.S. chambers of commerce about what accountability in K-12 education means, why it's important, what are key principles for strong, equity-focused accountability, and opportunities and risks that the Every Student Succeeds Act poses for state accountability.
Barriers to Open Textbook Adoption: University of KansasSarah Cohen
A workshop for library faculty and staff, teaching and learning staff, instructional designers, and anyone who supports faculty in adopting course materials.
Train-the-Trainer: OR Community Colleges Open Textbook WorkshopSarah Cohen
With Dave Ernst, slide from the Open Textbook Network (open.umn.edu) all-day workshop with OR Community Colleges and Open Oregon. Our goal is to help identify and overcome barriers to open textbook adoption, build capacity for open textbooks at individual campuses and across the system, and prepare representatives to give workshops on their own.
This document discusses how schools and libraries can work together to help students meet the demands of the Common Core standards. It notes that the standards emphasize critical thinking, literacy across all subjects, and nonfiction texts. Libraries can help by increasing their nonfiction collections, assisting students with research, and creating homework help centers. The document provides resources for teachers and librarians on the Common Core and research skills.
This document discusses how libraries can support schools in meeting the needs of Common Core standards and 21st century students. It notes that Common Core emphasizes critical thinking, literacy across disciplines, and nonfiction texts. The document recommends that libraries add more nonfiction, help students with research and homework, and provide digital access. Libraries can also create guides and widgets to help teachers and students navigate resources. Overall, the document presents ways libraries can partner with schools to help prepare students for college and careers.
13.8.27 ohio department of education news & views pie avid contributionhmhollingsworth
Springfield City Schools has launched several new initiatives to help students succeed, including personalized learning programs through Navigate Success. This allows students in grades 7-12 to earn credits in flexible ways such as online courses, internships, or testing out of material. The district also opened a STEM academy and works with local universities on college counseling. Meanwhile, Achieve Career Preparatory Academy in Toledo opened a new 3D computer lab that uses projectors and software to bring concepts to life for subjects like science and math. The lab helps re-engage students and has been well-received. Akron Public Schools also runs a Closing the Achievement Gap program that identifies at-risk students and provides mentoring and a
This document summarizes an OER librarian's presentation on open educational resources (OER) and the role of librarians in supporting OER. It defines OER according to UNESCO and the Hewlett Foundation. It discusses the 5R framework for open licensing and provides examples of OER initiatives in higher education and K-12. It outlines challenges of adopting OER but also how librarians can help by providing expertise in copyright, finding and curating open resources, and supporting faculty and teachers. The presentation argues that OER can help address the high costs of educational materials and barriers to student success.
PTDEA 2016 - Digital Natives, Net Generation, Generation Me…What Do We Really...Michael Barbour
Barbour, M. K. (2016, October). Digital natives, net generation, generation me… What do we really know about today’s students and how they learn? A presentation at the annual meeting of the Provincial and Territorial Distance Education Association, Edmonton, AB.
Here are the key classist assumptions I see being made in some of the statements:
- Assuming low-income students would be unqualified and unable to do the academic work or articulate their views as well as others.
- Framing increasing socioeconomic diversity as necessarily coming at the expense of other types of students (e.g. athletes, legacies), rather than finding ways for all types to be represented.
- Implying low-income students' backgrounds would somehow damage the institution or student body.
- Failing to recognize one's own class privilege in critiquing proposals to increase accessibility.
- Denying that class still impacts students' experiences even if not explicitly discussed between friends. The campus
Parents support higher academic standards in schools but are now more focused on issues like class size, school funding, and student behavior. A survey found that while standards and testing are seen as necessary, addressing other educational issues are now seen as more urgent priorities. Parents prefer school board candidates that call for smaller class sizes and more funding over those focused primarily on standards and testing. Educators also have little support for candidates centered on standards and testing alone.
ReimaginED 2015: Trends in K12 EducationDavid Havens
We’re living in a time of tremendous technological change. In the next five years, another billion people will gain access to the internet. By 2020, 80% of the adults on Earth will have a smartphone, double what it is today.
We started the Seed Fund to seek out those places where technological change might be leveraged to improve education, and there is much to improve about our current system. One of the most troubling trends of the last decade is the decrease in educational mobility. As a country, we are doing worse than most at educating our neediest kids which now account for just over half of public school children.
For our neediest children, the problems are cumulative. A series of school failures and missed opportunities add up to an education of accumulated disadvantage, a reverse Matthew Effect of sorts. Our team is focused on how technology can be used to reduce and even eliminate these obstacles so that our school system is an escalator to opportunity for all.
We’ve invested in over 40 teams scaling ideas to improve our education system by empowering students, educators and families with the best tools technology has to offer. Through this lens, we share our second ReImaginED deck. Inspired by KPCB’s Mary Meeker’s widely shared Internet Trends deck, we set out to expose data about our K-12 education system and highlight some of the innovations in education technology. The goal of this deck is to draw out high level trends so it doesn’t include the human stories on the other side of these numbers and charts, see here for some of those.
In ReimaginED 2015 (building off the original published over a year ago), we review the latest systemic challenges, landscape shifts, and emerging innovations that are helping to solve these problems.
Let us know about other innovation trends you are seeing in the comments below or by sharing this on twitter, #ReimaginED2015.
(Cross-post from www.newschools.org/blog/reimagined2015, original post by Jennifer Carolan and David Havens)
We Can All Go To College: We Just Need A PlanRebecca Joseph
This is a presentation I gave to all seniors at South East High School in LAUSD. The students are all bound in different college directions, and all need to make pro-active plans NOW.
Undermatching refers to high-achieving low-income students who fail to apply to selective colleges that they are qualified for. Research shows that very few low-income high achievers apply to a range of selective colleges, and they are vastly outnumbered as applicants by high-income students with similar qualifications. This undermatching is problematic because research demonstrates that low-income students benefit significantly from attending selective colleges, experiencing better educational and career outcomes. However, low-income high achievers face barriers like isolation from other high achievers, lack of college counseling resources, and difficulty navigating the application process. Interventions shown to help address undermatching include providing students with financial information, application assistance, and support completing financial aid forms.
- Ofsted's Chief Inspector notes that too much talent is still going wasted among the most able pupils in England's schools.
- Thousands of pupils who achieved well at primary school, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are failing to reach their full potential after age 11 in secondary school.
- Factors contributing to underachievement include low expectations, lack of challenge, and insufficient support for the transition from primary to secondary school.
- Recent statistics show that thousands of the most able secondary students are still not achieving as well as they should, with 68% of high-attaining primary students failing to attain A* or A grades at GCSE in core subjects.
AHDS Annual Conference 2016 - Karin ChenowethAHDScotland
This document discusses the beliefs and practices of leaders in "unexpected schools" - schools that significantly outperform expectations given their student demographics. It finds that these leaders share a core set of beliefs: that all students can achieve high standards, that teachers and schools have the power to help students excel, and that this work must be a priority. The leaders institutionalize these beliefs through celebrating progress, highlighting success stories, maintaining high expectations, and challenging popular narratives about limitations. They model continuous improvement and focus on factors within the school's control. Instilling these beliefs in staff is seen as crucial to creating a culture of excellence.
This document discusses statistics related to middle school students' career aspirations and preparedness, high school dropout rates, and the impacts of dropping out of high school. Some key points include:
- 92% of middle school students say they will attend college but only 32% know the high school classes required to do so.
- 29% of young Californians lack a high school diploma.
- High school dropouts will earn $462,000 less over their lifetime and cost the US $192 billion annually.
- Disconnecting from school often begins in middle school and career development programs in middle school can help improve academic performance and high school completion rates.
Respondents in a 2017 Gallup poll said they have little confidence in the public schools today with only 36 percent having a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the schools. While the rising tide of mediocrity so often mentioned in educational research pushes for more funding— smaller class sizes and higher teacher salaries, this research and that of others shows money may not be the leading factor in success in a scholastic media environment. When 310 of the most successful scholastic broadcast, yearbook, newspaper and online programs were examined, the qualifications of the teachers, the location of the school and the racial diversity of the school were more likely to predict success than per pupil revenues or low student/teacher ratios.
4 Best Public Schools In The USA To Reach To Your Dream College | CIO Women M...CIOWomenMagazine
Some of the best public schools in the USA are: 1. Thomas Jefferson High School, 2. Lowell High School, 3. Stuyvesant High School, 4. The School for the Talented and Gifted.
Using Accountability to Drive Equity: Risks and Opportunities in ESSAThe Education Trust
The Education Trust's Daria Hall, vice president for government affairs and communications, spoke with U.S. chambers of commerce about what accountability in K-12 education means, why it's important, what are key principles for strong, equity-focused accountability, and opportunities and risks that the Every Student Succeeds Act poses for state accountability.
Barriers to Open Textbook Adoption: University of KansasSarah Cohen
A workshop for library faculty and staff, teaching and learning staff, instructional designers, and anyone who supports faculty in adopting course materials.
Train-the-Trainer: OR Community Colleges Open Textbook WorkshopSarah Cohen
With Dave Ernst, slide from the Open Textbook Network (open.umn.edu) all-day workshop with OR Community Colleges and Open Oregon. Our goal is to help identify and overcome barriers to open textbook adoption, build capacity for open textbooks at individual campuses and across the system, and prepare representatives to give workshops on their own.
This document discusses how schools and libraries can work together to help students meet the demands of the Common Core standards. It notes that the standards emphasize critical thinking, literacy across all subjects, and nonfiction texts. Libraries can help by increasing their nonfiction collections, assisting students with research, and creating homework help centers. The document provides resources for teachers and librarians on the Common Core and research skills.
This document discusses how libraries can support schools in meeting the needs of Common Core standards and 21st century students. It notes that Common Core emphasizes critical thinking, literacy across disciplines, and nonfiction texts. The document recommends that libraries add more nonfiction, help students with research and homework, and provide digital access. Libraries can also create guides and widgets to help teachers and students navigate resources. Overall, the document presents ways libraries can partner with schools to help prepare students for college and careers.
13.8.27 ohio department of education news & views pie avid contributionhmhollingsworth
Springfield City Schools has launched several new initiatives to help students succeed, including personalized learning programs through Navigate Success. This allows students in grades 7-12 to earn credits in flexible ways such as online courses, internships, or testing out of material. The district also opened a STEM academy and works with local universities on college counseling. Meanwhile, Achieve Career Preparatory Academy in Toledo opened a new 3D computer lab that uses projectors and software to bring concepts to life for subjects like science and math. The lab helps re-engage students and has been well-received. Akron Public Schools also runs a Closing the Achievement Gap program that identifies at-risk students and provides mentoring and a
This document summarizes an OER librarian's presentation on open educational resources (OER) and the role of librarians in supporting OER. It defines OER according to UNESCO and the Hewlett Foundation. It discusses the 5R framework for open licensing and provides examples of OER initiatives in higher education and K-12. It outlines challenges of adopting OER but also how librarians can help by providing expertise in copyright, finding and curating open resources, and supporting faculty and teachers. The presentation argues that OER can help address the high costs of educational materials and barriers to student success.
PTDEA 2016 - Digital Natives, Net Generation, Generation Me…What Do We Really...Michael Barbour
Barbour, M. K. (2016, October). Digital natives, net generation, generation me… What do we really know about today’s students and how they learn? A presentation at the annual meeting of the Provincial and Territorial Distance Education Association, Edmonton, AB.
Here are the key classist assumptions I see being made in some of the statements:
- Assuming low-income students would be unqualified and unable to do the academic work or articulate their views as well as others.
- Framing increasing socioeconomic diversity as necessarily coming at the expense of other types of students (e.g. athletes, legacies), rather than finding ways for all types to be represented.
- Implying low-income students' backgrounds would somehow damage the institution or student body.
- Failing to recognize one's own class privilege in critiquing proposals to increase accessibility.
- Denying that class still impacts students' experiences even if not explicitly discussed between friends. The campus
Parents support higher academic standards in schools but are now more focused on issues like class size, school funding, and student behavior. A survey found that while standards and testing are seen as necessary, addressing other educational issues are now seen as more urgent priorities. Parents prefer school board candidates that call for smaller class sizes and more funding over those focused primarily on standards and testing. Educators also have little support for candidates centered on standards and testing alone.
ReimaginED 2015: Trends in K12 EducationDavid Havens
We’re living in a time of tremendous technological change. In the next five years, another billion people will gain access to the internet. By 2020, 80% of the adults on Earth will have a smartphone, double what it is today.
We started the Seed Fund to seek out those places where technological change might be leveraged to improve education, and there is much to improve about our current system. One of the most troubling trends of the last decade is the decrease in educational mobility. As a country, we are doing worse than most at educating our neediest kids which now account for just over half of public school children.
For our neediest children, the problems are cumulative. A series of school failures and missed opportunities add up to an education of accumulated disadvantage, a reverse Matthew Effect of sorts. Our team is focused on how technology can be used to reduce and even eliminate these obstacles so that our school system is an escalator to opportunity for all.
We’ve invested in over 40 teams scaling ideas to improve our education system by empowering students, educators and families with the best tools technology has to offer. Through this lens, we share our second ReImaginED deck. Inspired by KPCB’s Mary Meeker’s widely shared Internet Trends deck, we set out to expose data about our K-12 education system and highlight some of the innovations in education technology. The goal of this deck is to draw out high level trends so it doesn’t include the human stories on the other side of these numbers and charts, see here for some of those.
In ReimaginED 2015 (building off the original published over a year ago), we review the latest systemic challenges, landscape shifts, and emerging innovations that are helping to solve these problems.
Let us know about other innovation trends you are seeing in the comments below or by sharing this on twitter, #ReimaginED2015.
(Cross-post from www.newschools.org/blog/reimagined2015, original post by Jennifer Carolan and David Havens)
We Can All Go To College: We Just Need A PlanRebecca Joseph
This is a presentation I gave to all seniors at South East High School in LAUSD. The students are all bound in different college directions, and all need to make pro-active plans NOW.
Undermatching refers to high-achieving low-income students who fail to apply to selective colleges that they are qualified for. Research shows that very few low-income high achievers apply to a range of selective colleges, and they are vastly outnumbered as applicants by high-income students with similar qualifications. This undermatching is problematic because research demonstrates that low-income students benefit significantly from attending selective colleges, experiencing better educational and career outcomes. However, low-income high achievers face barriers like isolation from other high achievers, lack of college counseling resources, and difficulty navigating the application process. Interventions shown to help address undermatching include providing students with financial information, application assistance, and support completing financial aid forms.
- Ofsted's Chief Inspector notes that too much talent is still going wasted among the most able pupils in England's schools.
- Thousands of pupils who achieved well at primary school, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are failing to reach their full potential after age 11 in secondary school.
- Factors contributing to underachievement include low expectations, lack of challenge, and insufficient support for the transition from primary to secondary school.
- Recent statistics show that thousands of the most able secondary students are still not achieving as well as they should, with 68% of high-attaining primary students failing to attain A* or A grades at GCSE in core subjects.
AHDS Annual Conference 2016 - Karin ChenowethAHDScotland
This document discusses the beliefs and practices of leaders in "unexpected schools" - schools that significantly outperform expectations given their student demographics. It finds that these leaders share a core set of beliefs: that all students can achieve high standards, that teachers and schools have the power to help students excel, and that this work must be a priority. The leaders institutionalize these beliefs through celebrating progress, highlighting success stories, maintaining high expectations, and challenging popular narratives about limitations. They model continuous improvement and focus on factors within the school's control. Instilling these beliefs in staff is seen as crucial to creating a culture of excellence.
This document discusses statistics related to middle school students' career aspirations and preparedness, high school dropout rates, and the impacts of dropping out of high school. Some key points include:
- 92% of middle school students say they will attend college but only 32% know the high school classes required to do so.
- 29% of young Californians lack a high school diploma.
- High school dropouts will earn $462,000 less over their lifetime and cost the US $192 billion annually.
- Disconnecting from school often begins in middle school and career development programs in middle school can help improve academic performance and high school completion rates.
Respondents in a 2017 Gallup poll said they have little confidence in the public schools today with only 36 percent having a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the schools. While the rising tide of mediocrity so often mentioned in educational research pushes for more funding— smaller class sizes and higher teacher salaries, this research and that of others shows money may not be the leading factor in success in a scholastic media environment. When 310 of the most successful scholastic broadcast, yearbook, newspaper and online programs were examined, the qualifications of the teachers, the location of the school and the racial diversity of the school were more likely to predict success than per pupil revenues or low student/teacher ratios.
4 Best Public Schools In The USA To Reach To Your Dream College | CIO Women M...CIOWomenMagazine
Some of the best public schools in the USA are: 1. Thomas Jefferson High School, 2. Lowell High School, 3. Stuyvesant High School, 4. The School for the Talented and Gifted.
The document discusses private school accreditation and factors parents should consider when choosing a private school. It explains that accreditation provides a means of evaluating a school's standards but does not indicate educational philosophy or teaching quality. The three main accrediting agencies in Georgia - SACS, GAC, and GAPSAC - are described and all accredit different types of schools using similar processes that involve meeting standards and periodic review. Choosing an accredited school helps ensure credits will transfer between schools and to colleges.
Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA) is a statewide grassroots organization comprised of concerned parents advocating for improvements to the standardized testing system in Texas public schools. TAMSA believes the current state-mandated STAAR tests are excessive, not appropriately designed, and do not effectively measure student learning or preparedness. The organization aims to reduce the number of standardized tests, eliminate high-stakes consequences, and ensure assessments are used to support students rather than punish schools. TAMSA engages in advocacy efforts such as meeting with legislators and experts, participating in media discussions, and encouraging members to contact elected officials to request reform of the state's testing policies.
This document discusses Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA), a statewide grassroots organization that aims to improve public education in Texas through more effective student assessments. It provides an overview of TAMSA, including its mission to allow for more productive classroom instruction and efficient use of funds through improving assessments. The document also outlines concerns with current STAAR testing in Texas and how excessive standardized testing has negatively impacted student outcomes. It calls for assessments that support students rather than punish them.
Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA) is a statewide grassroots organization comprised of concerned parents advocating for improvements to the standardized testing system in Texas public schools. TAMSA believes the current state-mandated STAAR tests are excessive, not appropriately designed, and do not effectively measure student learning or preparedness. The organization aims to reduce the number of standardized tests, eliminate high-stakes consequences, and ensure assessments are used to support students rather than punish schools. TAMSA engages in advocacy efforts such as meeting with legislators and experts, participating in media discussions, and encouraging members to contact elected officials to request education testing reform.
Canberra Grammar School uses aptitude testing and strict behavior policies to select only high-performing students from wealthy families. The school aims to produce students who achieve high scores on national testing by controlling the student body. Critics argue that aptitude testing only measures a narrow snapshot of a student's abilities and is designed more to exclude than assess potential. The school's focus on test scores may not prepare students for collaborative work environments.
Dan Blake
Career Development Specialist
Sonoma County Office of Education
Santa Rosa, CA
This presentation will provide multiple examples of ways to infuse career awareness and exploration into existing middle school structures. The Sonoma County Career Development Specialist will share program goals and standards, program planning and implementation procedures, program structure, and effective activities and curricular materials. Useful handouts will be provided.
The document discusses DePaul Catholic, a Catholic school in Philadelphia serving a disadvantaged neighborhood. It summarizes that DePaul students achieve at much higher rates than students at local public schools, with significantly less financial resources. The school has implemented an academy model with smaller class sizes and extended day to provide individualized attention and instructional time. This turnaround model has led to dramatic academic and program improvements at DePaul Catholic over the past decade.
Sun Devils for Education Reform (SFER) is a student group at Arizona State University that aims to close the achievement gap. The achievement gap refers to disparities in educational outcomes between white students and students of color. SFER members advocate for education reform policies, raise awareness of these issues on campus, and visit high-performing schools in low-income areas. They believe all students can succeed with high expectations, access to quality school options, rigorous standards, and effective teachers. The group wants more ASU students to join their efforts to promote educational equity.
20131001 BH Report: US Higher Education CompsBruce H.
The document summarizes key metrics for over 2,300 US higher education institutions using publicly available data. It finds that while the top 100 schools receive a disproportionate share of applications, they only account for around 12% of total enrollments. Admission rates are lowest at top schools and graduation rates are highest. Test scores and tuition costs do not differ dramatically between top-ranked and other institutions. Overall, the US higher education system is large and diverse, with the vast majority of students attending schools outside the most elite 100.
1) Standardized testing has expanded dramatically in recent years in the U.S. and plays a much larger role in education than ever before or in other countries.
2) Non-instructional factors like socioeconomic status explain most of the variation in test scores between schools and districts.
3) Norm-referenced tests are designed to spread out scores, not measure learning or teaching quality.
4) Standardized test scores often correlate more with superficial learning approaches than deep understanding.
This document provides an overview of Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA), a statewide grassroots organization comprised of concerned parents advocating for improvements to the standardized testing system in Texas public schools. The document outlines concerns with the current STAAR testing system, including the large number of tests, high costs, lack of diagnostic value, and negative impacts on dropout rates and college readiness. It also summarizes TAMSA's objectives to reduce the number of state-mandated tests, replace some with nationally-recognized norm-referenced tests, and eliminate high-stakes consequences of the tests. The document encourages readers to get involved by joining TAMSA's advocacy efforts.
The document summarizes findings from a study on school choice in Chicago Public Schools. It finds that over the past 20 years, as the district has increased school choice options, half of students now choose to attend a school other than their zoned neighborhood school. The majority of students who opt out of their zoned school choose another district-run school rather than a charter school. However, charter schools on average outperform the zoned schools of the students who attend them. The expansion of school choice has given students improved educational opportunities, as most students who choose alternative schools attend ones with equal or better performance ratings than their zoned school.
This document discusses Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA), a statewide grassroots organization that aims to improve public education in Texas through more effective student assessments. It provides an overview of TAMSA, including its mission to allow for more productive classroom instruction and efficient use of public funds through better assessments. The document also outlines concerns with current STAAR testing in Texas, such as the large amount of time and money spent on assessments without clear evidence of improved student outcomes or preparation for college and careers.
Evaluation of College Preparatory Curriculum in Milwaukee’s Urban SchoolsGriffin Muckley
This document provides an evaluation of Hope's College Preparatory Curriculum in Milwaukee's urban schools. It begins by discussing the increasing importance of post-secondary education for all Americans. While more students are attending college, many are unprepared for the academic rigor, especially minority students.
The document then examines Hope High School, an urban private school that gets 100% of its students into college but struggles with retention and graduation rates. It analyzes four key aspects of Hope's college preparatory curriculum: content taught, counseling provided, parent involvement, and extracurricular activities. When compared to research and other urban schools, Hope's curriculum is found to be lacking in some areas, such as offering authentic college coursework and developing
Schooling can contribute to social inequality in several ways according to the document. Standardized testing and tracking in schools often place students from disadvantaged backgrounds at a disadvantage. Additionally, inequality exists between public and private schools, as well as among public schools themselves that are unequally funded. This unequal schooling limits access to higher education, perpetuating social inequality. However, the expansion of community colleges in the US has increased access to higher education for many groups.
Inside Urban Charter Schools by Dr. Kay Mersethguestea9d9b
The document summarizes a study of five successful urban charter schools in Massachusetts. The schools were found to share key factors for their success, including a clear mission and strong institutional culture, purposefully selecting teachers and leaders who fit the school culture, and organizational structures and systems that support student learning. While the schools emphasized academic rigor and preparation for college, classroom instruction varied and sometimes focused more on memorization and lower-level thinking. The schools were very successful on state standardized tests but students' performance declined on the SAT, raising questions about preparing students for long-term success.
Similar to Rapid expansion of Cosmos Foundation schools (20)
Walmart Business+ and Spark Good for Nonprofits.pdfTechSoup
"Learn about all the ways Walmart supports nonprofit organizations.
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Answers about how you can do more with Walmart!"
How to Manage Your Lost Opportunities in Odoo 17 CRMCeline George
Odoo 17 CRM allows us to track why we lose sales opportunities with "Lost Reasons." This helps analyze our sales process and identify areas for improvement. Here's how to configure lost reasons in Odoo 17 CRM
This slide is special for master students (MIBS & MIFB) in UUM. Also useful for readers who are interested in the topic of contemporary Islamic banking.
Reimagining Your Library Space: How to Increase the Vibes in Your Library No ...Diana Rendina
Librarians are leading the way in creating future-ready citizens – now we need to update our spaces to match. In this session, attendees will get inspiration for transforming their library spaces. You’ll learn how to survey students and patrons, create a focus group, and use design thinking to brainstorm ideas for your space. We’ll discuss budget friendly ways to change your space as well as how to find funding. No matter where you’re at, you’ll find ideas for reimagining your space in this session.
How to Setup Warehouse & Location in Odoo 17 InventoryCeline George
In this slide, we'll explore how to set up warehouses and locations in Odoo 17 Inventory. This will help us manage our stock effectively, track inventory levels, and streamline warehouse operations.
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A review of the growth of the Israel Genealogy Research Association Database Collection for the last 12 months. Our collection is now passed the 3 million mark and still growing. See which archives have contributed the most. See the different types of records we have, and which years have had records added. You can also see what we have for the future.
Strategies for Effective Upskilling is a presentation by Chinwendu Peace in a Your Skill Boost Masterclass organisation by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan on 08th and 09th June 2024 from 1 PM to 3 PM on each day.
Chapter wise All Notes of First year Basic Civil Engineering.pptxDenish Jangid
Chapter wise All Notes of First year Basic Civil Engineering
Syllabus
Chapter-1
Introduction to objective, scope and outcome the subject
Chapter 2
Introduction: Scope and Specialization of Civil Engineering, Role of civil Engineer in Society, Impact of infrastructural development on economy of country.
Chapter 3
Surveying: Object Principles & Types of Surveying; Site Plans, Plans & Maps; Scales & Unit of different Measurements.
Linear Measurements: Instruments used. Linear Measurement by Tape, Ranging out Survey Lines and overcoming Obstructions; Measurements on sloping ground; Tape corrections, conventional symbols. Angular Measurements: Instruments used; Introduction to Compass Surveying, Bearings and Longitude & Latitude of a Line, Introduction to total station.
Levelling: Instrument used Object of levelling, Methods of levelling in brief, and Contour maps.
Chapter 4
Buildings: Selection of site for Buildings, Layout of Building Plan, Types of buildings, Plinth area, carpet area, floor space index, Introduction to building byelaws, concept of sun light & ventilation. Components of Buildings & their functions, Basic concept of R.C.C., Introduction to types of foundation
Chapter 5
Transportation: Introduction to Transportation Engineering; Traffic and Road Safety: Types and Characteristics of Various Modes of Transportation; Various Road Traffic Signs, Causes of Accidents and Road Safety Measures.
Chapter 6
Environmental Engineering: Environmental Pollution, Environmental Acts and Regulations, Functional Concepts of Ecology, Basics of Species, Biodiversity, Ecosystem, Hydrological Cycle; Chemical Cycles: Carbon, Nitrogen & Phosphorus; Energy Flow in Ecosystems.
Water Pollution: Water Quality standards, Introduction to Treatment & Disposal of Waste Water. Reuse and Saving of Water, Rain Water Harvesting. Solid Waste Management: Classification of Solid Waste, Collection, Transportation and Disposal of Solid. Recycling of Solid Waste: Energy Recovery, Sanitary Landfill, On-Site Sanitation. Air & Noise Pollution: Primary and Secondary air pollutants, Harmful effects of Air Pollution, Control of Air Pollution. . Noise Pollution Harmful Effects of noise pollution, control of noise pollution, Global warming & Climate Change, Ozone depletion, Greenhouse effect
Text Books:
1. Palancharmy, Basic Civil Engineering, McGraw Hill publishers.
2. Satheesh Gopi, Basic Civil Engineering, Pearson Publishers.
3. Ketki Rangwala Dalal, Essentials of Civil Engineering, Charotar Publishing House.
4. BCP, Surveying volume 1
বাংলাদেশের অর্থনৈতিক সমীক্ষা ২০২৪ [Bangladesh Economic Review 2024 Bangla.pdf] কম্পিউটার , ট্যাব ও স্মার্ট ফোন ভার্সন সহ সম্পূর্ণ বাংলা ই-বুক বা pdf বই " সুচিপত্র ...বুকমার্ক মেনু 🔖 ও হাইপার লিংক মেনু 📝👆 যুক্ত ..
আমাদের সবার জন্য খুব খুব গুরুত্বপূর্ণ একটি বই ..বিসিএস, ব্যাংক, ইউনিভার্সিটি ভর্তি ও যে কোন প্রতিযোগিতা মূলক পরীক্ষার জন্য এর খুব ইম্পরট্যান্ট একটি বিষয় ...তাছাড়া বাংলাদেশের সাম্প্রতিক যে কোন ডাটা বা তথ্য এই বইতে পাবেন ...
তাই একজন নাগরিক হিসাবে এই তথ্য গুলো আপনার জানা প্রয়োজন ...।
বিসিএস ও ব্যাংক এর লিখিত পরীক্ষা ...+এছাড়া মাধ্যমিক ও উচ্চমাধ্যমিকের স্টুডেন্টদের জন্য অনেক কাজে আসবে ...
LAND USE LAND COVER AND NDVI OF MIRZAPUR DISTRICT, UPRAHUL
This Dissertation explores the particular circumstances of Mirzapur, a region located in the
core of India. Mirzapur, with its varied terrains and abundant biodiversity, offers an optimal
environment for investigating the changes in vegetation cover dynamics. Our study utilizes
advanced technologies such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and Remote sensing to
analyze the transformations that have taken place over the course of a decade.
The complex relationship between human activities and the environment has been the focus
of extensive research and worry. As the global community grapples with swift urbanization,
population expansion, and economic progress, the effects on natural ecosystems are becoming
more evident. A crucial element of this impact is the alteration of vegetation cover, which plays a
significant role in maintaining the ecological equilibrium of our planet.Land serves as the foundation for all human activities and provides the necessary materials for
these activities. As the most crucial natural resource, its utilization by humans results in different
'Land uses,' which are determined by both human activities and the physical characteristics of the
land.
The utilization of land is impacted by human needs and environmental factors. In countries
like India, rapid population growth and the emphasis on extensive resource exploitation can lead
to significant land degradation, adversely affecting the region's land cover.
Therefore, human intervention has significantly influenced land use patterns over many
centuries, evolving its structure over time and space. In the present era, these changes have
accelerated due to factors such as agriculture and urbanization. Information regarding land use and
cover is essential for various planning and management tasks related to the Earth's surface,
providing crucial environmental data for scientific, resource management, policy purposes, and
diverse human activities.
Accurate understanding of land use and cover is imperative for the development planning
of any area. Consequently, a wide range of professionals, including earth system scientists, land
and water managers, and urban planners, are interested in obtaining data on land use and cover
changes, conversion trends, and other related patterns. The spatial dimensions of land use and
cover support policymakers and scientists in making well-informed decisions, as alterations in
these patterns indicate shifts in economic and social conditions. Monitoring such changes with the
help of Advanced technologies like Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems is
crucial for coordinated efforts across different administrative levels. Advanced technologies like
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
9
Changes in vegetation cover refer to variations in the distribution, composition, and overall
structure of plant communities across different temporal and spatial scales. These changes can
occur natural.
LAND USE LAND COVER AND NDVI OF MIRZAPUR DISTRICT, UP
Rapid expansion of Cosmos Foundation schools
1. Rapid expansion of Harmony
schools: is it premature?
We present a closer examination of concerns
regarding the network of charter schools run
by the Cosmos Foundation.
2. This presentation was prepared by
CASILIPS – Citizens Against Special Interest
Lobbying in Public Schools
You are welcome to use it, but please do not alter it in any way.
3. Rapid growth
• Harmony network, run by Cosmos Foundation, has
grown rapidly since inception in 2000
• Currently 25 charter schools in Texas
• Plans for 8 more Texas schools in 2010-2011; total will
be 33
• Charter schools in Oklahoma and Louisiana also under
Cosmos Foundation
• New schools funded by $90 million bond sale
• 7520 Texas students in these schools in 2009
IS THIS A WISE INVESTMENT FOR EDUCATION?
4. Factors leading to perception of
success at Harmony schools
• Primary factor: Better than expected
performance on TAKS, given their demographics
• Houston Chronicle, US News and World Report
rankings
• Much publicity about students receiving awards,
including ones from “international” competitions
• Favorable press coverage
5. Are TAKS results reliable?
• Millions of dollars in school funding are allocated based
on TAKS results
• Dallas Morning News June 3, 2007 “Analysis shows
TAKS cheating rampant. State says it's addressed the
problem, but News uncovers more than 50,000 cases”
• Dallas Morning News June 4, 2007 “Cheating's off the
charts at charter schools: Loosely regulated schools
among state's worst offenders on TAKS”
6. TAKS results for Harmony Science Academies
are indeed outliers
compared with a random sampling of public TX high schools
7. SAT exam fails to reproduce exceptional results
seen with TAKS
SAT is given under more controlled conditions.
Data source: Texas Education Agency
AEIS reports
8. SAT results fall short of expected based on TAKS
Data source: Texas Education Agency
AEIS reports
9. Doubts raised that TAKS is reliably
identifying “excelling” schools
• The failure of SAT results to reproduce the exceptional
success of Harmony Science Academy with TAKS scores
raises serious concerns about using TAKS as a measure of
school performance.
• The decision to rapidly expand the Harmony network
largely rests on the TAKS performance.
• TAKS is administered by the school itself with no external
controls.
• TAKS results should be verified by other measures of
success; controls are needed to reduce chances of testing
irregularities.
10. US News and World Report Ranking
• Harmony Science Academy received 2010 silver medal ranking
• To be considered for this ranking, school must do better than
expected on state standardized tests, especially for
economically disadvantaged students.
• Then, a college readiness index is computed, with 75% based
on the number of students taking (not necessarily passing) AP
tests per student in the 12th grade.
• The AP exam passing rate was 16% for HAS in 2010.
• HSA achieves the silver medal with its TAKS success combined
with having a small, select 12th grade class.
11. Among Harris County high schools with non-merit-
based admission ranking on Newsweek’s list,
Harmony had the lowest AP passing rate
School AP exam Newsweek % economically # 12th grade
passing rate medal disadvantaged students*
Memorial High School 80.9% Silver 8.6% 564
Kerr High School 60.4% Silver 36.7% 161
Stratford Senior High School 51.9% Silver 20.2% 442
KIPP Houston High School 45.7% Gold 87.5% 52
(charter)
Westchester Academy for 32.2% Silver 45.5% 150
International Studies
YES Prep Southeast (charter) 29.5% Gold 74.6% 80
MacArthur Senior High School 20.5% Silver 76.3% 621
Harmony Science Academy 16.0% Silver 69.4% 31
(charter)
Harmony’s ranking comes from a high fraction of 12th graders taking AP exams; most don’t pass.
This is not difficult to accomplish since the 12th grade class is very small.
* Source of 12th grade enrollment data: National Center for Education Statistics nces.ed.gov
12. Enrollment in Cosmos Foundation schools
tapers off in higher grades:
12th grade tends to be particularly small
Cosmos Foundation focuses on middle school. Most Cosmos schools do not have
a 12th grade. If they do, high school enrollment is significantly smaller than middle
school, showing that many students leave the program before graduating.
13. Houston Chronicle, Dallas Morning News rate some
Harmony schools as top in their area
• These rankings come from an organization called “Children at Risk.”
• A look at their ranking system shows that again it is based largely on
TAKS performance, percent of economically disadvantaged
students, and number of 12th graders taking college-bound tests
such as SAT, AP and IB.
• Only a small part of the ranking is based on actual performance on
SAT, AP and IB tests.
• Again, Harmony’s success in this ranking system can be attributed
to better-than-expected TAKS success for their demographics, and a
small 12th grade class that can be pressured to take many exams
even if the passing rate is low.
• Questions about reliability of TAKS apply to these rankings as well.
14. College prep?
• Cosmos Foundation schools give the impression of emphasizing college
preparation, and some publicize statistics such as “100% college
admission” and “100% graduation rate.”
• For example, a school brochure says Dove Science Academy is a “college-
prep school”. “All Dove students will graduate high school ready for
college and will enroll in 4-year collages *sic+ with the skills to succeed.”
• Such rhetoric and statistics have little relevance for the vast majority of
students in Cosmos Foundation schools.
• Only 3 out of 15 Harmony Science Academies have a 12th grade. The 12th
grade classes are much smaller than other grades.
• Most middle school students, and even many 9th and 10th graders in the
Cosmos schools will end up graduating from other schools.
15. Harmony school teachers have much less experience
and much higher attrition than Texas state average
Source: Texas Education Agency AEIS reports
16. Negative effects of teacher inexperience
and high teacher attrition rates
• A research study prepared for the Texas State Board for Educator
Certification (SBEC) by the Texas Center for Educational Research (2000)
examined the costs to the State of Texas to replace teachers. The study
noted that “excessive teacher turnover as a cost to public education
beyond the expense of operating schools and is a wasted expense that
does not contribute to the education of Texas children.” Source: The Costs
of Teacher Attrition, Shockley et al, 2006
• “Excessive teacher turnover, as is true in any field, is a symptom of serious
problems within an organization, institution or profession.” Shockley et al
2006
• “There appear to be important gains in teaching quality in the first year of
experience and smaller gains over the next few career years.” Source:
Rivkin et al (2005) “Teachers, Schools, and Academic Achievement”
Econometrica, 73(2), 417-458.
17. Use of single name “Harmony” allows
leveraging of reputation
• When people read in the Houston Chronicle that “HSA High
School is ranked as # 5 in Houston area,” as the Harmony
website notes, they are conditioned to associate the name
“Harmony” with academic excellence.
• However, the Houston HSA High School represents only a tiny
fraction of the enrollment in all Harmony schools
• The performance of the small number of high school students
at this one Harmony campus is not representative of the
performance or academic experience of many other students
in the Harmony and Cosmos network.
18. Awards from “International”
competitions
• Cosmos Foundation schools advertise that their students
have won awards in “international” competitions.
• This includes the Turkish Olympiads, ISWEEEP, INEPO and
Informatrix.
• These competitions are run by the same Turkish groups
who founded Turkish-run schools around the world,
including the Harmony schools and other US charter
schools in many states. The majority of students
participating in these competitions come from these
schools, creating a “closed-loop” award system.
• The schools exaggerate the prestige of awards from these
competitions, and parents are mislead.
19. Credibility of schools’ claims?
• From news article on Dove Science Academy, Red Dirt Report, Oklahoma Sep 17, 2009 :
“They don’t tolerate nonsense and misbehavior, Aslan said, noting that they have zero
behavioral problems amongst the students.” *Barbaros Aslan is Dove’s principal+
• From Dove school brochure: “The character education program not only instills in our
students values such as accountability, compassion, integrity, tolerance and leadership,
but also reaffirms our strength as a drug-free, gang-free, peer pressure-free, bully-free,
truancy-free, fight-free, and crime-free campus.” Orhan Osman Dean of Students
• Tulsa World, June 8, 2010. Former Dove student pleads guilty to sexual assault of 6th
grader on the Dove school site in Tulsa. Oklahoma school report cards have a space for
reporting juvenile offender incidents, yet this space is left blank on all Dove’s report
cards.
• The 2009 school report card for Dove - Oklahoma City shows 1 suspension (of 10 days
or less) for every 12.3 students. While this is slightly better than the state average of 1
in 11.5, it does not support a claim of “zero behavioral problems.”
20. Favorable press coverage
• Cosmos schools have received very favorable press coverage.
• Examples: Dallas Morning News, March 2, 2010, “Turkish
scholars excel with charter schools that emphasize science,
math”
• Article: “The TEA has received a handful of complaints related
to the Cosmos schools over the years, including concerns that
all administrators are male and Turkish, that Turkish teachers
were displacing American teachers and that the immigrant
teachers were difficult to understand. Tarim said those
complaints were groundless…”
• Journalist Katherine Unmuth apparently did not investigate
these claims further, but took Tarim at his word.
21. Are complaints about Turkish teachers
displacing American teachers truly
“groundless” as Superintendent Tarim told
the Dallas Morning News?
We examine data on Cosmos’ H1B visas to
address this.
22. H1B Visas
• In 2007, Business Week ranked the Cosmos Foundation as #78 nationally for
number of H1B visa approvals, ahead of Texas Instruments (#88) and Oracle (#92).
• Dallas Morning News, March 2, 2010 “Because of the shortage of qualified math
and science teachers in Texas, Harmony has hired a large number of teachers from
foreign countries on H-1B work visas, including many from Turkey. … Tarim said
that the school always tries to find qualified American teachers first.”
• Cosmos Foundation filed 254 H1B visa applications in 2008, including applications
for: English Teachers, Turkish Teachers, Principals, Internal Auditor, Public Relations
Coordinator, Spanish Language Teacher, Accountant, Social Studies Teacher, PE
Teacher, History Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, ESL Teacher, Budget Accountant,
Construction Engineer, English Grammar Teacher, Assistant Principals, Finance
Manager, Cluster Superintendent, Human Resources Manager, Webmaster and IT
ISWEEEP Manager, Curriculum Manager, and Elementary School Teacher.
• There is no evidence of a shortage of qualified Americans for most such positions.
• How could Turks or Central Asians be more qualified to teach English?
23. Pressure on low-scoring students to
leave?
“Low-scoring students told to leave”
San Antonio Express-News Sep 5, 2009
Article on Harmony Science Academy – San Antonio
“They tell us, ‘You need to come withdraw
your son because he didn't pass the TAKS test,’
Garcia said, recalling a call from an office
receptionist last summer.”
24. Selective admissions
process violates law
Oklahoma Charter Schools Act:
“…a charter school shall not limit
admission based on … disabling
condition, proficiency in the
English language, measures of
achievement, aptitude, or
athletic ability.”
Yet students applying to Dove
Science Academy must submit
two letters of recommendation
from teachers or principals, and
the student’s attendance and
tardy record from their last
report card.
25. Admissions process flagged in 2005;
yet continues in 2010
Tulsa World, July 21, 2005 “TPS Questions Academy's Applications”
Tulsa Public Schools will review the enrollment practices at a charter school that
has been asking applicants for information about their academic and discipline
records.
A Tulsa World review of charter school applications found that Dove Science
Academy asks if potential students have ever been suspended from any school, if
they ever skipped or repeated a grade, and to list their honors, awards, clubs and
activities.
Gary Lytal, assistant to the superintendent for school and district accountability,
said the questions are improper because charter schools are "open enrollment"
schools that must admit students regardless of past discipline or academic issues.
This problem was noted in 2005; why is the school still
allowed to ask for inappropriate information during
the admissions process?
26. Special education problems in
Cosmos Foundation schools
October 26, 2009 Tulsa World
“Tulsa school board ends charter with Dove
Science Academy”
“Citing concerns about services for special
education students and the legality of
consequences for certain behavior infractions, the
Tulsa school board voted unanimously Monday to
end its sponsorship of Dove Science Academy, one
of the city’s longest-operating charter schools.”
27. Foreign language choice: is it really a
choice for Hispanics?
• Cosmos Foundation schools generally offer only two choices
of foreign language: Spanish and Turkish.
• Turkish ranks #22 in number of speakers worldwide, generally
not high on priorities of US parents and students.
• From Oklahoma news article on Dove Science Academy:
“Osman explains that with many of her students being of
Hispanic origin, that they already know Spanish and opt to
take Turkish as an alternative.”
• Texas has a very high percentage of students who already
know Spanish; such students are in actuality only offered one
foreign language: Turkish.
28. A distant school board means loss of local
control and limits on parental input
• The governing board for all Harmony schools is five
individuals from the Houston-based Cosmos
Foundation. (Source: Texas Education Agency)
• How can parents in HSA schools spread around the
state have a voice in board meetings? (HSA El Paso is even in
a different time zone than Houston!)
• How can schools reflect the local community when
governance is distant?
29. Conclusion:
Time to slow the expansion?
Given the many questions about the Harmony
Schools and the uncertainty regarding their
claims of greater academic success, the rapid
expansion of these schools does not appear
justified.