League of Women Voters US, NEW Education Postions

From the website of the League of Women Voters US

Federal Role in Public Education Position

The LWVUS Board approved a new Education position at the March 2012 (March 25, 2012) Board meeting.   The position is based on responses received from the 377 Leagues across the country who participated in the Education Study.   Thanks to the many local and state Leagues and ILOs who held meetings, involved their communities and worked to reach consensus on this critical issue of importance to all Americans.   Committee Chairs Peg Hill (TX) and Joanne Leavitt (CA) and their committee:  Pat Aaron ( IL), Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins (CO),  Patricia Libutti (NJ),  Sanford Ostroy (MA),  Jean Pierce (IL) and Janelle Rivers (SC) are to be commended for their excellent work and leadership.

The League of Women Voters believes that the federal government shares with other levels of government the responsibility to provide an equitable, quality public education for all children pre-K through grade 12. A quality public education is essential for a strong, viable, and sustainable democratic society and is a civil right.

The League believes that the role of the federal government should include the following:

• Provide leadership and vision to promote a quality education for all children;
• Provide broad common standards developed by educational experts upon which states and local education agencies can build;
• Provide a suggested curricular structure or framework as a guide to state and local education agencies to develop their own curricula;
• Provide a national assessment that clearly informs teachers, parents and students about how well individual students have mastered criteria established at the national level;
• Provide a national assessment that informs districts how well their populations compare to other populations similar to theirs; and
• Provide a combination of competitive grants and non-competitive funding to states and local school districts to achieve equity among states and populations.

The League of Women Voters believes that an equitable, quality public education is critical for students.  While the League recognizes that there are instances where the federal government’s involvement is the only way to achieve universal change (desegregation, special needs population, gender equity), we also recognize that primary responsibility for public education resides with the states. In accordance with the League of Women Voters’ position on Equal Rights, we continue to support equity in public education for all through:

• Broad guidelines for accountability, leaving implementation to the state and local education agencies;
• Adequate funding sources that support the broad goals of national standards; and
• Mechanisms for local and state funding with adequate federal support for mandates that require less burdensome, compliance-based reporting and regulations.

The League of Women Voters believes a basic role of the federal government in funding education should be to achieve equity among states and populations on the basis of identified needs. This should be done with full understanding that equity does not mean equal, given that some populations are more expensive to educate than others and some localities have specific needs.

The League believes that the federal government should be primarily responsible for funding any programs mandated by the federal government on local education agencies. Although the League recognizes equity in education depends on meeting basic human needs of children and of their families, the costs associated with providing equitable access to safe neighborhoods and secure housing do not belong in the education budget. Major programs of federal funding for public education (i.e., Elementary and Secondary Education Act) should be targeted toward children living in poverty and/or children with special needs. The federal government has the responsibility to monitor and support access to the following:

• High quality teaching and learning, supported by quality current learning materials and well maintained educational facilities; and
• Access to health care needs (i.e., hearing, vision, dental, immunization, school-based health clinics at the secondary level, etc.) and nutritionally adequate food (i.e., school-based meals under “free and reduced meal programs”).

The League of Women Voters believes that the first five years of a child’s life are crucial in building the foundation for educational attainment and greatly impact success or failure in later life. Additionally, the League believes quality, developmentally appropriate and voluntary early learning experiences should be available to all children, with federally funded opportunities going first to children of poverty and/or with special needs.  The League believes that the federal government should support the following:

• Early childhood education programs that include funding for parent education and involve child development, health, nutrition and access to other supportive services such as mental health care for all children and their families;
• Research that documents quality early childhood education programs; and
• Research that demonstrates the importance of linking state and local community partnerships with effective early childhood education programs and services.

Time Line for the Education Study – To be presented at LWVUS Meeting, July 2012

LWVUS Study of “The Role of the Federal Government in Public Education”

For detailed information see: http://www.lwv.org/member-resources/education-study

Oct. 2, 2011 – LWVBrookline Consensus Meeting

Nov. 30, 2011 – Consensus Votes Due at LWVUS – Deadline was extended to Dec.15

Dec. 21, 2011 – LWVUS Committee receives all votes and comments.

Jan. 31, 2012 – Drafts of Possible Positions to be Provided to Committee Chair

Feb – March, 2012 – Refinement of Possible Positions

March 19-23, 2012 – LWVUS Board Meeting. Positions to be presented and voted upon.

July 8-12, 2012 – LWVUS National Meeting, Washington, D.C., Votes on Positions of the LWVUS on “The Role of the Federal Government in Public Education”.

Privatization Study Timelines

• Early Fall 2011: Information provided to Local and State Leagues
• November 2011-May 2012: Leagues are encouraged to participate in the study on Privatization of Government services, assets and functions, and the impact on local communities by scheduling meetings to educate members and communities about the issue and come to consensus.
• May 1, 2012 Consensus deadline
• For study papers etc., see http://www.lwv.org/member-resources/privatization

Positions to be presented for vote at the July 12 2012 LWVUS National Convention

Oct 2, Consensus and Survey Meeting

Showing Chair of the Board, Betsy Munzer speaking at the beginning of the program on  “The Role of the Federal (and State) Government in Public Education” and Dr. Kevin Lang, Former Member and Chair of the Brookline School Committee and Professor of Economics at Boston University discussing Assessments and Accountability.

Updated Positions on Education – March 2011

LWVB, Brookline resolution passed by the Board of the LWV, Brookline, on Feb 28, 2011

In order to authorize the League of Women Voters of Brookline to make public comments at school committee and other open meetings, lobby local public officials and legislators and advocate positions in local papers with respect to issues impacting Brookline public education, Sandy and I (Sanford Ostroy and Susan Donahue, co-chairs) propose that the Board authorize us to act under the national League of Women Voter’s education position that supports equal access to quality education and the Massachusetts League of Women Voter’s education positions that support the financial independence of school committees and the school committee’s authority to set education policy. We would like to support the efforts of the Brookline School Committee to adhere to and exceed federal and state mandated standards to the extent that the costs of maintaining those standards are adequately reimbursed and local Town receipts are sufficient.

March 2011 Updated Education Positions of the LWVB, Brookline

ACTIVE

A. Equalization of educational opportunities in Brookline (1970-1971).

B. Concept of voluntary cooperation among educational systems within the Boston Metropolitan areas and the Brookline School Committee and administration in its efforts to join in planning for metropolitan cooperation (1973).

HISTORICAL

A. The School Committee should have an up-to-date written policy manual to include an overall educational philosophy for the Town.

B. Measures to strengthen and define the role of the elementary school principals in curriculum delivery and evaluation (1979).

C. Measures to improve methods and procedures of curriculum evaluation (1979).

D. Support action to encourage a strong public education element and public input throughout the development and implementation of the basic skills program (1979).

E. Support measures to increase the numbers of required courses at the high School, with an exemption process.  (1) Exposure to the following subjects should be mandated: mathematics, science, social studies to include U.S. History, World History and Civics (i.e., processes of government and comparative government); alcohol and drug abuse education. and (2) Exposure to the following subject areas to be strongly recommended; keyboard skills; foreign language; drivers education as a classroom course; unified arts (1980).

Welcome to our Website

As we proceed with the study we will be in touch with those of you who indicated an interest in participating.

We are pleased that you have found our website for the “Evaluation of Issues in Public Education” – a program of the League of Women Voters of Brookline. At this time the center panel features our  Oct 26 program on the Common Core State Standards with Dr. William Lupini, Superintendent of Schools of Brookline, Dr. Jennifer Fischer-Mueller, Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning and Dr. Angela Allen, K-8 Mathematics Curriculum Coordinator. The right-side panel “Pages” provide you with a variety of information on the Common Core State Standards and the current Local, State and National League positions on Education as well as a new item on Brookline Public Schools. Please feel free to contact either Susan or Sanford if you would like to help in this Evaluation or have some questions or concerns. Co-chairs: Susan Donahue (Susan.Donahue@bfim.com) and Sanford Ostroy (sostroy@gmail.com)

Picture from the program at the Brookline Public Library

Pictured at the podium is Dr. Angela Allen, K-8 Math Curriculum Coordinator.

Standing next to her is Dr. William Lupini, Superintendent of Brookline Public Schools

Seated at the front table is Dr. Jennifer Fischer-Mueller, Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning

The program was a discussion of the  “Common Core State Standards” – see Pages (Basic Information… ) on this site for some details. October 26, 2010