iowa rising to greatness 082111

8/6/2019 Iowa Rising to Greatness 082111

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Rising to Greatness An Impera ve for

Improving Iowas Schools


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Table of ContentsF r w rd 3

Introduc on 4

A pr ud pa t 5

That wa th n. Thi i n w. 6

Acad mic achi v m nt mu t impr v 8if I wa tud nt ar t c mp t

Th maj rity f I wa tud nt ar und rp rf rmin 15

Hi h ch l ACT p rf rmanc h w pr mi 16

Rac , p v rty, and di ability ap : 18Lar , p r i t nt, and unacc ptabl

I wa v . th w rld: I I wa d n u h? N t y t. 22

College degree a ainment below average 24

C nclu i n 26

References/Cita ons 27

Ackn wl d m nt 28

2011 | RIsINg To gReATNess2


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ForewordIn advance of the Governors 2011 Summit on Educa on, I am pleased to present this report,Rising to Greatness: An Impera ve for Improving Iowas Schools, t th p pl f I wa. Wh nI rst came to Iowa in January 2011, Governor Branstad gave me a bold, perhaps even audacious, goalas his State Director of Educa on:Do what it takes to return Iowa to rst in the na on, if not rst inthe world, in educa onal quality. Thi al will n t b acc mpli h d thr u h mall and incr m ntal

nkering with the status quo. A goal like this requires meaningful change and the courage to dothings di erently than we have in the past.

Iowas educa on system once stood as the envy of every state in the na on and of many countriesaround the world. Using prac cally any quan able measure of excellence, Iowa was at the apexof educa onal achievement for decades. The school system in Iowa magni cently fueled the stateseconomy with skilled farmers, factory workers, scien sts, knowledge workers, and entrepreneurs.W mu t h n r th tr m nd u w rk f th wh cam b f r u , wh put in plac th tr nfounda ons on which we now build. While it is important not to overly roman cize the past, it isimportant to note that Iowa has a tradi on of excellence in educa on arguably unmatched by any

th r tat in th uni n.

By and large, the present system of educa on in Iowa remains good. High school gradua on rates are near 90 percent, Iowa frequently

performs near the top of some na onal measures such as ACT results, and Iowas schools serve as the founda onal bedrock of so manycommuni es across the state. A core state value of equity is apparent in the states funding model, the quality of school facili es,generally broad access to technology, and the statewide commitment to providing a high-quality educa onal system regardless of if astudent lives in a city, suburban area, or small town. Iowa also has another signi cant strength to build onits people. Iowans con nuallydemonstrate a commitment to suppor ng their schools, and educa on professionals throughout the state are dedicated and incrediblycarin , tal nt d p pl . Th r i tr m nd u capacity in thi tat fr m which t build.

So, Iowas schools are good, but are they great? The future of our schools, if not our state and even our na on, will depend on ourcollec ve willingness to engage in the hard work necessary to make drama c improvements to educa ont hav ur ch l rifr m d t r at.

Today we stand at an important decision point for Iowa. The key ques on we face is: Are we willing to do what will be necessary to mIowas schools great? Are we willing to confront the fact that Iowas standing as an educa on leader is now ques oned as our results hav

stagnated, while other states have accelerated? Are we willing to tackle the even more vexing and troubling issue that other na ons haveaccelerated past us? Our success in improving our schools begins by confron ng the reality that something must be done.

This report does not intend to point the blame at any person, group, organiza on, or ins tu on. We should all equally share in the histsuccesses our schools enjoybut we are also all culpable for their current shortcomings. Making real improvements to Iowas schools witak v ry n .

The intent of this report is to spur construc ve and honest debate in the service of improvement. I fully expect those who advocateprotec ng the status quo to, almost re exively, rise up in its defense and a empt to dismiss or undermine the facts presented here. I alsofully expect those who seek to press the poli cs of blame and shame to try and use this report as a weapon against perceived enemi

We must summon and listen to the be er angels of our nature and resist both of these approaches. Tolerance, pragma sm, reason,h n ty, humility, and l v mu t b th valu n which w c m t th r t build thi m v m nt t impr v ur ch l .

Everyone wants a be er future for Iowas kids.In the days ahead, we will work together on construc ng the best path forward to improve Iowas schools. The work will be hard, and

mes it may feel as if we have lost our way. But by relying on Iowas proud tradi on of excellence in educa on, drawing on the tremenexis ng capacity in our state, and dreaming together about what a world class and truly great school system might be, we will emergeour plan to meet that audacious goal of being the best educa on system in the na on and the world.

With respect and admira on,

Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.State Director, Iowa Department of Educa on

Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.

2011 | RIsINg To gReATNess 3


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Intr duc nOther states and countries are surpassing Iowa.In the early 1990s, the Cold War ended, Back to the Future III was in theaters, and Iowa ledna on in reading and mathema cs. Times have changed. A decade into the 21st century, Iowa hac nc d d it plac at th t p. Durin th pa t 20 y ar , achi v m nt tr nd illu trat I wa lidfrom a na onal leader in PK-12 educa on to a na onal averagesome mes below averageperformer as other states (and na ons) have accelerated past the state.

Is Iowa up to the challenge?Iowa students futures are at risk. Collec vely, Iowa students are not hi ng the mark inmathema cs and reading competency. Sure, Iowa has its share of super-achievers. But the mass

f I wa tud nt n t ju t und rprivil d r min rity tud nt , but many f th maj rity whit ,rela vely a uent students as wellare falling short of what is needed to a ain quality jobs,growing incomes, and secure livelihoods in todays globally compe ve world.

The world has moved beyond the industrial age and informa on ageand is n in t e inn va nage. stud nt mu t b arm d n t nly with kn wl d , but al with kill and in i ht n d dto cri cally analyze and innovate. The pressing problems and grand opportuni es the world facerequire that many more people contribute as innovators and problem solvers, not order takersand impl m nt r . Inn vat r will pr p r. ord r tak r will ta nat . Th day f an abundanc

f l w- kill j b hav c m t an nd.

Even if I a reclaims its place as a na nal leader in educa n, is t at d en u ?Iowas students are not just compe ng with the rest of the na ons 50 million students forcareers and leadership posi ons in business and research. That was yesterday. Today, Iowansare compe ng with China and Indias approximately 400 million studentstwo countries thatare rapidly improving their educa on systems. Many of these foreign students are products

f advanc d, acc l rat d curricula. And th yr unnin f r pr mium j b anywh r n thplanetjobs that many Americans may have come to take for granted.

To regain its posi on as a top educa on system in the na on, Iowa must support the challengesth futur . Th path f rward mu t includ :

1. Clear standards with high expecta ons and accountability for results;2. A fair and aligned assessment system which supports feedback at all levels;3. Highly e ec ve educators; and4. Innova ve learning environments enriched by technology.

I wa ch l hav achi v d r at thin thr u h ut pa t d cad and hav a pr ud and tr n

founda on. Certainly, tearing the system apart and star ng anew is not the answer. Rather, thestate needs to build from its posi on of strength and move decisively toward new goals with nm th d , r urc , and tandard . Thi r p rt hi hli ht I wa pa t acc mpli hm nt , r vi wl n itudinal tr nd data, pinp int th impact f pa t and curr nt p rf rmanc , and utlinopportuni es for improvement in the future.

The message

is clear:Educa on inI wa mu t

make drama cimpr v m nt.



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A proud pastThroughout the 20th century, Iowa built a na onally recognized school system that consistentlyd v l p d kill d l arn r in v ry part f th tat . Thi y t m pr p ll d I wa t th f r fr ntas a leader in educa on. As Iowa progressed toward greater diversity in business, industry,and popula on, the public educa on system evolved to re ect and encompass those changes.Highlights of this evolu on include:

n A na nall rec nized s stem f Re ent Universi es and private c lle es origina ng inth mid 1800 . T day, tud nt c m fr m ar und th w rld a pirin f r a dipl ma fr m anIowa post-secondary ins tu on.

n A s stem f c mmunit c lle es established in the 1960s to provide more studentseduca on and training beyond high school. Iowas community college system providesan important gateway into higher educa on for some students and also serves as a keyw rkf rc d v l pm nt y t m.

n Area Educa n A encies (AEAs) launched in the mid 1970s to provide regional supportf r l cal ch l and th ir t ach r . T day, AeA pr vid an incr dibl numb r f p cialeduca on and instruc onal services to districts across the state.

n Computers arriving in Iowa classrooms, star ng at the teachers desk, and later providing anew avenue for rich content delivery to students. Many Iowa districts recently have adopteda p licy t pr vid n lapt p t v ry tud nt.

n T e N C ild Le Be ind Act (NCLB) approved by Congress in 2001. NCLB was signed intolaw in 2002, h ld ch l acc untabl f r tud nt achi v m nt l v l and imppenal es for schools that do not make adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward mee ng thegoals of NCLB. Iowa adopted accountability measures aligned with the goals of NCLB.

n The Iowa Teaching Standards developed and adopted by the State Board of Educa on in2002. The Iowa Standards for School Leaders followed in 2008. These ini a ves gavedistricts new, evidence-based models for quality teaching methods.

n The Iowa Core contains essen al concepts and skills in English/language arts, social studies,science, and mathema cs, as well as 21st century skills in nancial literacy, health literacy,and other key areas. The Iowa Core represents the states work to set high expecta ons forall students. Se ng these statewide expecta ons was an important step for Iowa towardbecoming an educa on system as opposed to a loose confedera on of school districts.



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That was then. This is now.The big are ge ng bigger. The small are ge ng smalleIowas popula on is growing, but not drama cally so, and certainly not compared to many othestates. While the overall popula on has grown about 10 percent in the past 20 years, 66 of Iowa

99 coun es saw decreases in popula on in the past 10 years. In short, Iowas metropolitan areaswith their suburbs and bedroom communi es are growing. Iowas rural areas are shrinking inpopula on, as is rural student enrollment.

500,000

490,000

480,000

470,000

460,000

450,000

440,000

430,000

420,000

410,000

400,000

2 0 0 0

2 0 0

1

2 0 0 1

2 0 0

2

2 0 0 2

2 0 0

3

2 0 0 3

2 0 0

4

2 0 0 4

2 0 0

5

2 0 0 5

2 0 0

6

2 0 0 6

2 0 0

7

2 0 0 7

2 0 0

8

2 0 0 8

2 0 0

9

2 0 0 9

2 0 1

0

2 0 1 0

2 0 1

1

2 0 1 1

2 0 1

2

2 0 1 2

2 0 1

3

2 0 1 3

2 0 1

4

2 0 1 4

2 0 1

5

2 0 1 5

2 0 1

6

N u m b e r o

f S t u d e n t s

School Year

n enr llm nt n Projected Enrollment

Iowa Public Enrollment

LOSS 0-5% 5-15% 15-25% 25% +

Iowa Department of Educa on sta s csshow a consecu ve 14-year decline inpublic school enrollment. The last meI wa had an nr llm nt up win wain the 1996-97 school year. In the fall of2010, nr llm nt hrank in 63 p rc nt f Iowas 359 school districts. Meanwhile,several districts in the greater Des Moinear a and th C dar Rapid -I wa City

corridor experienced growth in enrollment,highligh ng the popula on shi from rurat urban- uburban ar a . All i n p intto the persistence, if not accelera on, ofthi tr nd.

Some good news may be on the horizont rm f v rall tud nt nr llm nt r wthin Iowa. Consistent with popula on growtindicat d by th 2010 C n u , th numb rof students a ending public schools in Ioi pr j ct d t incr a li htly v r thnext ve years, growing by 11,400 studen

or 2.4 percent. The lions share of thatr wth will b in m tr p litan di trict .

IowA STATE PoPULATIoN: 3,046,355PoPULATIoN ChANgE By CoUNTy: 2000 2010

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010



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We face an importantdual chall n :

Providing a consistent,high-quality learningexperience for ever-

r win urban anduburban di trict , a

w ll a f r hrinkinrural di trict . Td that, w mu t

b mart r in h ww mana limit d

resources.

Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.stat Dir ct r,

Iowa Department of Educa on

I as c mmuni es are c an in . The past decade has seen an increase in the minority student popula on in Iowa, fromapproximately 10 percent of students to now 18 percent. While most of the state is s ll fairlyhomogenous (82 percent white), there is a growing trend of more Hispanic (8 percent) and AfricanAmerican (5 percent) students in Iowa school districts. The number of students who dont speak English as a rst language also con nues to grow.In 2000-01, English Language Learners (ELLs) made up 2.3 percent of the public studentpopula on. By 2009-10, this popula on nearly doubled to 21,000, or 4.4 percent of thestudent body popula on.

Change in Enrollment

More kids are struggling through economic hardship.The percentage of Iowa students eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch (FRL) hasincreased from 27 percent in 2000-01 to 37 percent in 2009-10. The impact of this increaseis extremely important because mul ple studies show that poverty plays a big role in loweracademic achievement (Hernandez, 2011; Walker, et al., 1994). Research by Hart andRisley (1995) found a signi cant di erence in the language interac ons between parents andchildr n in l w-inc m famili c mpar d t middl - r hi h r-inc m famili . B a e 3, c ildrenfr m middle-inc me r i er-inc me families t picall ave eard 30 milli n m re rds t anchildren from low-income families. Thi di cr pancy ha b n h wn t b a pr dict r f futurr adin ability.

40,000

35,000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

Hispanic African American Asian English LanguageLearner

2000 01 2009 10

17,019

37,340

18,510

23,882

8,274 9,169 11,079

20,781

N u m

b e r o

f S t u d e n t s

Impact: Shi s in Iowa communi esfromdecreasing community popula onsto communi es with increaseddiversity and economic hardshipspose challenges to Iowas educa onsystem. Mee ng the needs of thesestudent popula ons will require thatIowa educators are equipped with thekn wl d , kill , and r urc t m t

tud nt varyin n d .

opp rtunit :embracin th imp rtant r l div r ityand culture play in schools and crea nglearning opportuni es that appeal toexis ng and new student popula onswill b c m incr a in ly imp rtant.I wa ducat r mu t u tain hi hexpecta ons for all students, regardless

f ach tud nt back r und.



8/28

What is NAEP?The Na onal Assessment of Educa onal Progress (NAEP) is theonly con nuing and na onally representa ve assessment of whatour na ons students know and can do. NAEP o en has beencalled the gold standard of assessments because it is developedu in th b t thinkin f a m nt and c nt nt p ciali t ,educa on experts, and teachers from around the na on.

Academic achievement must improveif I wa tud nt ar t c mp tIowas achievement results, across mul ple measures, show an alarming slide toward mediocrity.Scores on the Na onal Assessment of Educa onal Progress (NAEP) have not kept pace with thena on. Students in many demographic groups have results similar to or, in some cases, lowerthan th ir p r acr th Unit d stat . Furth r, I wa whit tud nt , wh th r p r ra uent, now o en score below the na onal average on NAEP, whereas these groups historicallyhad strong, posi ve test results. Scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Iowa Testsof Educa onal Development (ITED) have also at-lined. Results on the ACT college-entrancea m nt r main ta nant a w ll, and many tud nt wh tak th t t ar n t r ady f rcollege in all subject areas. Raising student achievement is crucial for Iowa to resurrect its proas a top educa on state.



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Iowas reading progress is stuck in neutraland l wly lippin backward.In 1992, no state scored higher than Iowa on the NAEP in fourth-grade reading. However by 2009,13 states were scoring signi cantly higher than Iowa. In 2009, the average NAEP reading scorefor fourth-grade students in Iowa was 221, which was not signi cantly di erent from that of thena ons public schools (220) and was lower than Iowa students performance in 1992 (225). Iowastudents have stagnant scores, while similar students in many other states con nue to improve.

Reading pro ciency by the end of third grade can be a make-or-break point in a childs educa onald v l pm nt. F urth rad i a crucial d v l pm nt p int f r tud nt r adin c mpr h n i n,when kids truly start reading to learn rather than learning to read (Fiester, 2010). Studentsare using their skills to gain more informa on in subject areas such as mathema cs and science,to solve problems, to think cri cally about what they are learning, and to act upon and share thatkn wl d in th w rld ar und th m. Th data mu t b tak n ri u ly.

NAEP Reading - Grade 4

Its not so much thathe quality of Iowasch l i d clinin . It

can a ily b ar u dthat ch l in I watoday are be er in

many way than th yu d t b . Th i u ithat I wa r ult hav

ta nat d, whil th rtat and c untri

hav d n th w rkto make drama c

impr v m nt t th iry t m which ar

paying o . If you arenge ng be er, you are

ge ng worse.

Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.stat Dir ct r,

Iowa Department of Educa on

200

205

210

215

220

225

230

1992 1 1994 1 1998 1 2000 2002 2003 2005 2007 2009

Iowa*

Na onal Public

S c a

l e S

c o r e

Year

1 Accomoda ons were not allowed prior to 2000.*Iowa did not test in 2000.

I wa r adin c r rankin ilippin , n t b cau I wa ch l ar

ge ng worse. Rather, Iowa is losingground because many pro ciency

utc m hav ta nat d whil thin th r tat hav ur d. Thchart n th f ll win pa h wthe change in NAEP scale scores from2003 to 2009 for all 50 states andth Di trict f C lumbia in f urth-

rad r adin . I wa tud nt c rd cr a d by tw cal - c r p int

v r thi p ri d.

NAEP Reading - Grade 41992 2009 Change

Av ra sc r I wa 225 221 -4

Average Score Na onal Public 215 220 +5

Numb r f statSigni cantly Higher

0 13 -13

% States Signi cantly Higher 0% 27% -27%



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-5.0 -3.0 -1.0 1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0 9.0 11.0 13.0 15.0

District of Columbia

AlabamaFloridaMarylandKentucky

Rhode IslandMassachuse s

MississippiPennsylvania

TennesseeNew Mexico

North DakotaNew Jersey

GeorgiaNevada

CaliforniaTexas

KansasOklahoma

VirginiaNa onal Public

IllinoisIdaho

LousiannaOhio

VermontArkansas

HawaiiIndiana

New York

ColoradoNebraskaMontanaDelawareMissouri

New HampshireSouth Carolina

ArizonaMinnesota

Connec cut

WyomingOregon

WashingtonUtah

MaineSouth Dakota

AlaskaMichigan

WisconsinIowa

North CarolinaWest Virginia

Change In NAEP Reading Scale Scoresgrade 4 - 2003 t 2009

The evidenceis clear.

Acr all indic ,I wa r adin killpr r i lacklu t rwhil v ral th rtat ar catchin up

and m vin f rward.Th l w l v l

f impr v m ntar unacc ptabl

if I wa i t r ainpr min nc a ahi h-p rf rmin

ch l y t m.



11/28

76.4

78.5

75.9

78.8

76.7

79.8

76.8

80.4

77.7

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

2001-02

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

Percent of Students Procient

S c h o o l Y e a r

Scores on ITBS mirror the NAEPresults in fourth-grade reading. ITBi iv n in v ry public ch l and

m t privat ch l in I wa.

Both the ITBS and NAEP show lchan in achi v m nt l v l inc2000 in th p rc nt at ba ic rabove (NAEP) or pro cient (ITBS).Student scores on NAEP appearedto be improving in 2007, but slippback in 2009. The percent ofstudents pro cient on ITBS, scoringat th int rm diat l v l r ab v ,has changed just over 1 percent (1durin th pa t nin -y ar p ri d.

27 31 30 31 30 33 26 31 40 34

37 34 35 34 36 34 38 35 33 34

2927 28 28 26

2927

21 24

78 7 7 7 7

77

67

1992 1 1994 1 1998 1 2002 2003 2005 2007 2009 1992 1 2009

Iowa Natonal Public

100

75

50

25

0

25

50

Below basic At basic At procient At advanced

P e r c e n t o

f S t u

d e n t s

28

Impact: L w achi v m nt in r adin ha

important long-term consequencesin terms of individual earning poten al,global compe veness, and generalproduc vity. Low literacy levels alsoshow a strong correla on withp v rty, dr p- ut rat , crim ,and un mpl ym nt.

opp rtunit :Promo ng skills that lead to successful

reading acquisi on in the early gradeswill h lp facilitat impr v m nt inreading, wri ng, and language use,as well as a posi ve a tude towardreading to learn that will bene t

tud nt achi v m nt in all ubj ct .Highly e ec ve educators must be ablet d t rmin tud nt tr n th andchall n and b abl t ucc fully

upp rt ach child u in vid nc -ba dprac ces and professional judgment.

Flat-Line Ac ievement in ITBS grade 4 ReadinAll I wa stud nt

NAEP Grade 4 Reading - All Students

Accommoda ons were not permi ed for this assessment.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Educa on, Ins tute of Educa on Sciences, Na onal Center for Educa on Sta s cs,Na onal Assessment of Educa onal Progress (NAEP).



12/28

8t rade mat ema cs also at lining.The eighth-grade mathema cs results show a similar trend. From 1992 to 2009, Iowas eighth-grade NAEP mathema cs scores fell from the top in the na on to average. Iowa students scored16 points above the na on in 1992 (283). In 2009, Iowa scores were only two points above thna onal mean. Note: Th r ult d n t h w that I wa p rf rmanc dimini h d, rath r that

other states have been increasing at a faster rate, some mes much faster.

Since the 1990s, the average mathema cs scores of Iowa eighth-grade students on the StateNAEP assessments have not grown as much as scores in most other states. During the sameperiod, the na onal average score for public students had a signi cant gain. In 1992, no statesscored signi cantly higher than Iowa, but by 2009, 15 states were scoring signi cantly higher.

The ITBS mathema cs assessments, like the NAEP, show li le change since 2000 in the percentof pro cient students (ITBS) or basic or above (NAEP). The percent of Iowa students scoring ithe pro cient range on the eighth-grade ITBS mathema cs was 72 percent in 2001-02. Duringthe 2009-10 school year, 75.4 percent of the students scored pro cient, a change of only 3.4p rc nt v r nin y ar .

NAEP Mat ema cs - grade 8

NAEP Mat ema cs - grade 8

1992 2009 ChangeAv ra sc r I wa 283 284 +1

Average Score Na onal Public 267 282 +15

Numb r f statSigni cantly Higher 0 15 -15

% States Signi cantly Higher 0% 31% -31%

250

255

260

265

270

275

280

285

290

1990 1 1992 1 1996 1 2000 2003 2005 2007 2009

Iowa

Na onal Public

*Accommoda ons were not allowed prior to 2000.*Iowa did not test in 2000.

S c a

l e S

c o r e

Year



13/28

72

72.9

72.1

73.9

73.9

75.6

74.5

75.9

75.4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Percent of Students Procient

S c h o o l Y e a r

2001-02

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

3024 22 24 25 23 24

49

29

45 45 46 43 42 42 42 36 39

22 2728 28 28 28 27

13

25

34 4 5 6 7 7

2

7

50

25

0

25

50

75

100

1990 1 1992 1 1996 1 2003 2005 2007 2009 1990 1 2009

Iowa Na onal Public

Below basic At basic At procient At advanced

P e r c e n t o

f S t u

d e n t s

Flat-Line Ac ievement in ITBS grade 8 Mat ema csAll I wa stud nt

NAEP grade 8 Mat ema cs - All Students

Accommoda ons were not permi ed for this assessment.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Educa on, Ins tute of Educa on Sciences, Na onal Center for Educa on Sta s cs,Na onal Assessment of Educa onal Progress (NAEP).



14/28

This map h w th tat thathav hi h r p rc nta f

i hth- rad tud nt nr ll d inhigher-level mathema cs coursesthan I wa. stud nt in nly thr

tat r c rd d l w r nr llm ntin Al bra I r an th r hi h r-l v lmathema cs course: Mississippi(26 percent), North Dakota (26percent), and Louisiana (24percent). More than half of the

i hth- rad tud nt in C l rad ,Massachuse s, Utah, Maryland,and Calif rnia r p rt d nr llm ntin Al bra I r an th r hi h r-l v lmathema cs course.

Focal state/jurisdic on

Has a higher percentage than the focal state/jurisdic on

Is not signicantly different from the focal state/jurisdic on

Has a lower percentage than the focal state/jurisdic on

Sample size is insufficient to provide a reliable es mate

NOTE: DoDEA=Department of Defense Educa on Ac vity (overseas and domes c schools).

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Educa on, Ins tute of Educa on Sciences, Na onal Centerfor Educa on Sta s cs, Na onal Assessment of Educa onal Progress (NAEP), 2009Mathema cs Assessment.

Mathema cs, Grade 8

Comparison of the percent of students taking Algebra I or other higher-levelmathema cs in eighth grade.


DoDEA

Na onal Public

WA

UT

OR

CA

NV

ID

MT ND

WY

CO

AZ

SD

NE

KS

OK

TX

MN

IA

WI

MO

AR

LA

MS AL GA

FL

IL IN

MI

OH

KY

TN

SC

NC

VAWV

PA

NY

VT ME

NH

MA

NJDE

MD

RICT

HI

NM

AK

Impact: A at line in mathema cs achievementr ult put I wa tud nt futur atri k. Thi i p cially tru f r I wa, ath tat c n my i h avily ba d

n ci nc , t chn l y, n in rin , andmathema cs (STEM) related elds suchas agriculture, agribusiness, nance,in uranc , advanc d manufacturin , andbi ci nc . A a r ult f f w I wa

tud nt takin Al bra I, I wa i n t w llposi oned in preparing its students forhigher-level mathema cs courses andalso to be compe ve in the globalSTEM workforce.

opp rtunit :T lv l n - tandin pr bl mand add n w tal nt t m r inopportuni es, students need higherlevels of understanding in the STEM

elds. Some students may also requireextra prepara on and support tofully bene t from higher expecta onsand rigorous class work. In addi on,fair a m nt will b n c ary tm nit r pr r and r liably m a ur

tud nt acad mic r wth.

N t en u I a ei t raders are takin ri r us mat ema cs classes in sc l.According to the Na onal Council of Teachers of Mathema cs (2000), preparing students for the increasingly complex mathema cs ofthis century requires beginning in the elementary grades. Research shows that during middle school students form the founda on toprepare them for higher mathema cs requirements in high school and college (Chazan, 1994; SREB, 1998). Algebra is o en described asthe gatekeeper for advanced mathema cs and for entrance into college. Students who wish to take calculus during their high schoolcareer, but do not take Algebra I early enough, must nd some way to accelerate their academic progress such as taking a math course insummer school. Yet only 29 percent of eighth-grade Iowa students taking NAEP in 2009 were enrolled in Algebra I or another higher-lemathema cs course (Geometry or Algebra II).



15/28

T e maj rit f I a students ar und rp rf rminS me I ans a ribute I as slu is educa n perf rmance as a result f t e states r in min rit and ec n micall -disadvanta edstudent p pula n. h ever, t at assump n is r n . Whil I wa d m raphic ar chan in b c min m r div r , c n micallyand thnicallyth am i happ nin in th r tat . A cl r l k r v al an alarmin t ry ab ut I wa maj rity whit tud ntperformance. When 2009 NAEP assessment scores are disaggregated by race and socioeconomic standing, Iowas mean scores aresigni cantly below the na onal average for white poor and non-poor students. (The Department of Educa on uses the eligibility of studento receive free or reduced-priced lunch (FRL) as a measure for poverty.)

NOTE: DoDEA=Department of Defense Educa on Ac vity (overseas and domes c schools).

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Educa on, Ins tute of Educa on Sciences, Na onal Centerfor Educa on Sta s cs, Na onal Assessment of Educa onal Progress (NAEP), 2009Mathema cs Assessment.

Reading, Grade 4Comparison of NAEP average scale scores for non-poor, white students.


DoDEA

Na onal Public

WA

UT

OR

CA

NV

ID

MT ND

WY

CO

AZ

SD

NE

KS

OK

TX

MN

IA

WI

MO

AR

LA

MS AL GA

FL

IL IN

MI

OH

KY

TN

SC

NC

VAWV

PA

NY

VT ME

NH

MA

NJDE

MD

RICT

HI

NM

AK

Focal state/jurisdic on

Has a higher average scale score then the focal state/jurisdic on

Is not signicantly different from the focal state/jurisdic on

Has a lower average scale score then the focal state/jurisdic on

Sample size is insufficient to provide a reliable es mate

This map compares the 2009 NAEPreading scores for rela vely a uent,white fourth-grade students. Sixty-fourp rc nt f th f urth- rad tud nta d in I wa w r n n-p r whit

tud nt . Th av ra c r f r thtud nt fall b l w c r f r imilartud nt in many th r tat and

below the na onal average. Similarresults appear for the NAEP eighth-grade mathema cs scores.

Wh n th a m nt c r f rth whit tud nt ar furth rdisaggregated by loca on, Iowas2009 NAEP mean scores are belowthe na onal average. For example,in NAEP fourth-grade reading, Iowa

c r f r n n-p r, whit tud nt byschool locale were: city, 232; suburb,236; town, 228; and rural, 227. Thesescores were sta s cally similar, but lessthan the na ons public schools meanscores for these same groups (239, 237231, and 232, respec vely).

Impact: Th und rp rf rmanc f whit

tud nt , wh mak up th maj rity f tud nt in I wa, i p r i t nt acr

ci c n mic tatu and raphy.

These data suggest that no loca on, notth city ch l n r th rural ch l ,ar in ularly at fault f r th lack f

r wth in I wa tud nt a m ntscores. This nding is a statewide issuethat requires signi cant a en on.

opp rtunit :By concentra ng on student assets andaddr in div r tud nt n d , allI wa tud nt will hav an incr a d

pp rtunity t b pr par d f r futurucc . I wa ch l admini trat r

will need to promote high expecta onsamong faculty, sta , and students, andbe able to communicate these priori est c mmunity tak h ld r t n ura har d vi i n f r ucc ful ch limpr v m nt.



16/28

Hi h ch l ACT p rf rmanc shows promisePosi ve trends can be seen in Iowa ACT aggregate scores compared to the rest of the na on.Iowa consistently scores about one point higher than the na on (21.0). This is in large part duth h m n ity f th tud nt t t d in I wa and th fact that that it i m tly c ll -b und

tud nt wh tak th ACT in I wa, a pp d t m th r tat wh r all tud nt tak thACT. Iowas ACT composite score average was 22.2 for the gradua ng class of 2010.

Average ACT Composite Scores

Th ACT t t ahi h ch l tud nt general educa onal

d v l pm nt and th irability t c mpl tc ll -l v l w rk.

While the ACT shows somewhat be er results than the na onal average when the scores areaggregated, 87 percent of the 2010 graduates taking the ACT in Iowa were white. When the2010 ACT r ult ar di a r at d by rac , I wa whit tud nt hav a c mp it c r f 22.5, similar to that of the na ons white students (22.3), and less than the one-point di erencebetween all Iowa students and the na onal average. Iowas white students score about the sameas t er ite students acr ss t e na n n t e ACT.

Average test scores are also in uenced by the percentage of students tested. Almost half (47

percent) of 2010 graduates in the na on took the ACT for an average composite score of 21.0.tat t t d 100 p rc nt f th ir raduat in 2010, with an av ra c mp it c r f 20.0. In2010, the largest district in Iowa, Des Moines Independent, required all seniors to take the ACT.The percentage of Iowas graduates taking the ACT was rela vely steady from 1998 through 2007but m r r c ntly ha dr pp d t ar und 60 p rc nt in 2008 and r main at that l v l. Th dr pin par cipa on in Iowa may be due to the large increases in community-college enrollment acrothe state in recent years. Community colleges do not require ACT scores for admission.

C o m p o s i t e S c a

l e S c o r e

0

4

8

12

16

20

24

28

31

36

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Iowa NatonGraduatng Class



17/28

Impact: Students are not adequately prepared,in pir d, r c nn ct d f r p t- c ndarysuccess or opportuni es. As a result, notall tud nt p th kn wl d , kill ,and experiences necessary for success in

c ll r t day w rkf rc .

opp rtunit :Implemen ng, integra ng, andpromo ng college- and career-readyb nchmark f r all tud nt , n t nlyth wh ar c ll -b und, will ban imp rtant t p t ward impr vin

tud nt pr par dn .

An th r imp rtant indicat r i th p rc nta f tud nt wh ar r ady f r p t- c ndarycourse work. The ACT reports on the percent of students mee ng college-ready benchmarkscores in each of the four subjects assessed (English, mathema cs, reading, and science), asd pict d in thi chart:

In 2010, 30 p rc nt f th I wa tud nt takin th ACT m t all f ur b nchmark . Th p rc nt f I wa tud nt r achin th b nchmark ha incr a d in thr f th f ur ubj ct ar a durinthe last ve years in response to legisla on to increase gradua on requirements. The percentof the na ons graduates mee ng these benchmarks is consistently lower than that of Iowasgraduates. For example, 51 percent of Iowas students taking the ACT scored at least a 22 on themathema cs assessment, demonstra ng preparedness to enter college algebra, while only 43percent of the na ons students reached this benchmark.

The ACT data are limited because they are not a representa ve sample of the en re state ofIowa. The ACT informa on would only be valid for all Iowa students if all students were assessed.F rty p rc nt f I wa tud nt d n t tak th ACT. Th tud nt wh d tak ACT ar primarilyb und f r a f ur-y ar c ll r univ r ity.

Percent f ACT Test Takers C lle e-ReadIowa Na n

2005 2010 2005 2010

Students Mee ng All Four ACT Benchmark Scores 26% 30% 21% 24%

College English Composi on (ACT English Score 18) 77% 77% 68% 66%

College Algebra (ACT Mathema cs Score 22) 48% 51% 41% 43%

College Reading (ACT Reading Score 21) 59% 61% 51% 52%

College Biology (ACT Science Score 24) 34% 37% 26% 29%



18/28

Rac , p v rty, and di abilityp rf rmanc ap : Large, persistent, and unacceptableIowas achievement gap can be observed on a variety of measures, including standardized testscores, drop-out rates, and gradua on rates. The Iowa Department of Educa on completed astudy examining the factors in uencing student achievement. Using a ve-year matched cohort,trends were analyzed to determine predictors of achievement. The study revealed that race/ethnicity, poverty, and disability status were signi cant predictors of student achievement.Di ability tatu wa th tr n t pr dict r, min rity tatu wa c nd f ll w d by p v rtystatus (Grinstead, 2011). Similar gaps exist in other states. In Iowa, the space between these gapsha n t r ally chan d f r v ral y ar .

R le f p vertThe following charts highlight results of the ITBS for Iowa public school students from the 200to the 2009-10 school year. Each grade tested contains approximately 32,000 students. Fourth-

grade reading and eighth-grade mathema cs results showed slightly improved pro ciency forstudents receiving FRL between 2001-02 and 2009-10. While this is good news, the data s ll ssizeable and persistent gaps between poor and more a uent students.

ITBS 4t grade Readin Results: Percent Pro cient By Socioeconomic Status

What is anachievement

gap?

Th achi v m ntgap is de ned as

the di erence on anumber of educa onal

m a ur b tw nth p rf rmanc f ub r up f tud nt ,

p cially ub r upclassi ed by race/

thnicity, di ability, rci c n mic tatu .

81.8 84.7 83.085.5 83.5 87.0 84.4

87.8 86.2

62.9 64.6 61.665.8 63.6 66.9 63.7

68.6 65.6

0

10

2030

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

School Year

FRL Not Eligible FRL Eligible

P e r c e n t

o f S t u d e n t s P r o

c i e n t

78.0 79.1 80.1 81.1 80.983.3 82.3 84.0 83.6

52.2 54.6 52.457.0 57.6 58.9 57.9 59.6

60.6

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

7080

90

100

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

School Year

FRL Not Eligible FRL Eligible

P e r c e n t o

f S t u d e n t s P r o

c i e

n t

ITBS 8t grade Mat ema cs Results: Percent Pro cient Bys ci c n mic statu



19/28

Race/Et nicitIn fourth-grade reading, essen ally no achievement gap exists between white and Asian students.In 2009-10, the gaps between white students and Hispanic and African American students were21 and 25 percentage points, respec vely. These achievement gaps have not changed appreciablyover me.

ITBS 4t grade Readin Results: Percent Pro cient By Race/Ethnicity

F r v ry 10 whittud nt , i ht ar

scoring pro cient.F r v ry 10 Hi panicstudents about six are

scoring pro cient. Andf r v ry 10 AfricanAm rican tud nttested, only ve arescoring pro cient.

010

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

School Year

White Hispanic African American

P e r c e n t o


c i e n t

In eighth-grade mathema cs, Hispanic and African American student groups lagged behind whitestudents in pro ciency by 20 and 31 percentage points, respec vely. Less than half of the AfricanAmerican students tested scored in the pro cient range of Iowas accountability assessment.These gures indicate that Iowa is not doing well educa ng many minority students throughoutth tat .

ITBS 8t grade Mat ema cs Results: Percent Pro cient By Race/Ethnicity

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

School Year

White Hispanic African American

P e r c e n t o


c i e n t



20/28

Ac ievement ap f r students it disabili esThe achievement gap between students in Iowa with and without disabili es on the 2009 NAEP is the worst in the na on. The gap forstudents with disabili es in fourth-grade reading (57 percent) and eighth-grade mathema cs (58 percent) is largest of all states and jurisdic ons based on the percent of students performing at the basic achievement level or above. The states with the smallestgaps were Maryland (18 percent for fourth-grade reading) and North Dakota (28 percent for eighth-grade mathema cs).

The persistence and size of the achievement gap for students withdisabili es in Iowa is not just embarrassingit is intolerable.

Jason E. Glass, Ed.D.State Director, Iowa Department of Educa on

MarylandDistrict of Columbia

South DakotaIndiana

TennesseeDoDEA

KentuckyNorth Dakota

LouisianaNew Jersey

West VirginiaMississippi

South CarolinaFlorida

MichiganNevada

NebraskaMassachuse s

CaliforniaGeorgiaOregon

TexasNa onal Public

UtahMinnesota

IllinoisDelaware

New MexicoNorth Carolina

PennsylvaniaMissouri

ArizonaWashington

Kansas

VirginiaNew YorkColorado

OhioAlaska

MontanaWyoming

OklahomaMaine

AlabamaArkansas

Rhode IslandWisconsin

Connec cutNew Hampshire

IdahoHawaii

VermontIowa

18.327.127.128.129.829.830.530.730.831.331.431.532.532.833.334.435.135.335.836.136.336.336.536.537.437.837.837.938.138.939.840.640.941.1

41.343.143.343.843.944.044.044.244.845.145.245.346.046.547.652.353.054.556.7

Percentage Points

North DakotaMaryland

Massachuse sMinnesota

District of ColumbiaOhio

WisconsinNew York

FloridaConnec cut

MississippiLouisiana

IllinoisNebraska

New MexicoKentuckyMissouri

North CarolinaIndianaNevada

Na onal PublicNew Hampshire

New JerseyColorado

KansasTexas

VirginiaWest Virginia

South CarolinaPennsylvania

DoDEAAlaska

GeorgiaCalifornia

TennesseeMaine

WyomingSouth Dakota

OklahomaDelawareMichigan

ArizonaRhode IslandWashington

OregonAlabamaArkansasVermont

UtahIdaho

HawaiiMontana

Iowa

27.730.035.236.938.739.239.439.539.839.940.340.940.941.041.141.541.641.841.942.242.742.843.543.743.743.944.044.344.644.845.145.746.146.4

46.846.846.947.447.948.048.148.248.448.548.849.449.953.254.555.057.257.558.1

Percentage Points

NAEP 2009 Readin grade 4 Percent at Basicor Above: gap b tw n stud nt with NDisabili es and Students with Disabili es

NAEP 2009 Mat ema cs grade 8 Percent atBasic r Ab ve: gap b tw n stud nt with NDisabili es and Students with Disabili es



21/28

Achievement gaps next stepsSince the historic publica on of The Coleman Report in 1966,Equality of Educa onal Opportunity ,

ch l hav b n w rkin t cl achi v m nt ap b tw n middl -inc m , whit tud ntand racial, ci c n mic, and di ability r up .

R arch u t that in- ch l fact r and h m /c mmunity fact r impact th acad micachievement of students and contribute to the gap. E orts to combat the achievement gap havebeen numerous, but too o en are fragmented. Such e orts have ranged from a rma ve ac onand mul cultural educa on to nance equaliza on, improving teacher quality, and school tes ngand accountability programs. Progress has been made, but it has been slow, not drama c, andcurrently insu cient. Iowa must con nue working to nd solu ons that integrate in-school,home, and community-based resources to support students with extra challenges.

Gaps in the life and school experiences of minority groups and low-income children parallel theachievement gaps as they have for many years (Barton and Coley, 2009). Demographic changes

present considerable challenges to Iowa and its educa on system. The Iowa Department ofEduca on recently began a statewide ini a ve called, Response to Interven on, aimed directlyat cl in achi v m nt ap . It i b li v d that thi vid nc -ba d appr ach, if faithfullyimplemented, may make a di erence in closing these chronic and persistent achievement gaps.

Impact: Un l signi cant achievement outcomesare a ained with minority students atall educa on levels, large and growing

m nt f I wa tud nt will bd priv d f th kill and kn wl dth y n d t c mp t in an incr a in ly

l bal c n my. Thu , I wa inabilityt cl achi v m nt ap b c m n t just an educa onal challenge, but alsoa c nc rn f r th l n -t rm c n micvitality f th tat .

opp rtunit :Increasing a en on and supportst ward und rp rf rmin tud nt

r up mu t b a pri rity t b in

cl in achi v m nt ap . Thirequires that every classroombe sta ed with a highly e ec ve

ducat r wh ha th t l tac vely engage, mo vate, andin truct hi /h r tud nt . I wa mu ta ract, prepare, support, and retainhighly e ec ve educators.



22/28

Iowa vs. the world:I I wa d n u h? N t y t.graduat f I wa ch l c mp t n t nly with th fr m th r tat , but al withgraduates from other na ons. The economy is global, and students must compete interna onallyfor jobs. The way to improve, however, is not to seek and conquer, but to share and learnbest prac ces and successful examples, and put those best prac ces into ac on where theymake sense. Measuring the success of new methods and prac ces through interna nalbenchmarking , or comparing Iowas results to student results in other countries, is a cri cal toin a in h w w ll th tat i d in .

Recently, Eric Hanushek and colleagues (2010) compared the United States student mathema csperformance to other na ons seeking highly-skilled workforces (see chart on following page).Mathema cs pro ciency is a key measure that employers value in recrui ng and developingcandidat f r th hi hly-valu d t chn l y, n in rin , h alth car , and r arch j bneeded to advance a countrys standard of living and quality of life. In ranking the percentage

f advanc d tud nt , I wa wa li t d b hind Franc , N rway, Ir land, and Ru ia, but ab vspain and Latvia.

on all measures rep rted, I a ranked bel t e U.S. na nal avera e and bel manna ns interna nall . Th analy i i but n indicat r f h w far I wa mu t pr r tpr duc a w rld-cla w rkf rc that can c mp t n th l bal ta .

The landmark educa on report, A Na on at Risk , n t d that Am rican tud nt w routperformed on interna onal academic tests by students from other industrial socie es andforcefully condemned the rising de of mediocrity that was eroding the na ons schools,sta ng that, If an unfriendly foreign power had a empted to impose on America, the mediocreeduca onal performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war (NCee,1983). The evidence presented in this document suggests that several states, and certainly otherna ons around the world, have responded to this rising de. However, ques ons s ll remain asto whether Iowa has su ciently confronted this issue and if the state is ready to take the ac onecessary to make signi cant systemic improvements.

Well-prepared students are one of the essen al components to crea ng a highly-skilled andcompe ve workforce. A recent McKinsey & Company report (2009) es mates that closing theac ievement ap bet een t e U.S. and t er na ns uld enerate an es mated $1.3 t$2.3 trilli n increase in t e gr ss D mes c Pr duct.

Impact: The lack of signi cant achievement

ain i lik ly h ldin back th I wac n my. ev ry y ar that pa with

another genera on of Iowas graduatesund rpr par d f r th l bal w rkf rci an pp rtunity l t that can n v rb r claim d.

opp rtunit :Inves ng in and suppor ng Iowasschools will be a cri cal step in helping

tr n th n th tat c n my.Students need a solid founda on forsuccess. To do so requires iden ca onof limita ons and reframing them aschallenges to overcome. Innova onmu t b b ldly nc ura d thr u h

harin n w id a and in i ht withth r ducat r and tak h ld r . Thi

means iden fying new and be er wayst in truct tud nt than v r b f r .



23/28


24/28

College degree a ainment

below averageIn th r c nt r p rt, The Undereducated American , Carnevale and Rose (2011) make the casethat the United States educa on system is under preparing the na onal workforce for the futureneeds of the U.S. economy. They es mate that the U.S. economy will need another 20 millionworkers with at least some post-secondary educa on over the next 15 years.

Regionally, 26 percent of the popula on age 25 and older in the Midwest held a bachelorsdegree in 2009. This is slightly below the na onal average of 27.9 percent. The state with thelowest percent was Indiana (22.5) while the highest was Minnesota at (31.5). Out of the 12Midwestern states, Iowa had the fourth lowest percentage of people with a bachelors degreein 2009 (25.1).

The District of Columbia had the highest percent in the na on of residents with bachelors

degrees at 48.5 percent, while West Virginia had the lowest percent at 17.3 percent. Out of the51 territories included in this analysis (50 states and the District of Columbia), Iowa ed for th16th lowest percent of people with a bachelors degree in 2009.

Impact: With ut a f cu n c ll - andcar r-r adin f r all tud nt ,Iowa will con nue to lag behind other

tat in havin a hi hly- ducat d

w rkf rc . Thi will d cr a I wastudents compe ve advantageand reduce opportuni es for Iowaseconomy to ourish.

opp rtunit :Iowas educa on system must supporte orts to ensure that students leave the

l m ntary and c ndary y t m withthe skills to succeed at the next level.

In order for Iowa to a ract and retaina hi hly- ducat d and kill d tal nt, thIowa educa on system must providet l and r urc t upp rt aw rld-cla w rkf rc .



25/28

SOURCE: American Community Survey, 2009

Less than 25.0

25.0 - 29.9

30.0 or More

25.8

25.1

27.4

29.5

31.5

25.1

25.7

25.2

30.6 22.5

24.6

24.1

Percent

U.S. Average = 27.9%

Percent f P pula n (a e 25 r lder) it at Least a Bac el rs De ree



26/28

Conclusion

Proud of the pastFrom the one-room school house depicted on the states commemora ve quarter proclaiming

founda on in educa on to the modern schools of the state today, Iowa has a rich educa onhistory. The ACT and the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills began here. Iowa led the na on in scholas cachievement for decades. Teachers gradua ng from Iowa college and university educa onprograms have been, and s ll are, highly sought a er across the country.

But this wonderful educa on picture also reveals areas in which Iowa can and must makedrama c improvements. This truth grows more vivid every day. Iowas tradi on in educa on hasb c m imultan u ly th tat r at t tr n th and it r at t liability. That i , th tat percep on of being good has prevented Iowa from doing the things that need to be done tob c m r at.

Iowa must have a world-class educa on system to have a world-class workforce. Educa onala ainment makes a signi cant impact on economic achievement na onally and interna onally.All I wa tud nt n d t raduat c ll - and car r-r ady. Thi m an rai in th barfor Iowa. Jerald (2008) notes that the United States (and Iowa) cannot a ord to rest on itspa t acc mpli hm nt .

The global economyi h r if tat l ad r

want t n ur that th irci zens can compete,

they must seize theini a ve, looking beyon

Am rica b rd r andb nchmarkin th ir

educa on systems withthe best in the world.

Jerald, 2008

Preparing for the future: I as pp rtunitIf Iowa is to a ain the goal of becoming a na onal leader in educa on, what does the state need to do next? The Iowa educa onsystem must set a clear and cohesive policy direc on. Iowa must construct a reform-minded agenda which builds from its strengthsand pa t acc mpli hm nt .

I a must build and supp rt an educat r rkf rce f rld-class qualit . Iowa has to support educators across the con nuum fromteacher prepara on programs through mentoring and induc on into and throughout their careers. Iowas prepara on programs shouldprovide clear expecta ons which are linked with the states Teaching Standards and aligned na onally. It is essen al to retain these futureteachers through a though ul, strategic compensa on and support program.

I a student ac ievement nce led t e na n. We must now build an educa on system that leads the world. Iowa must have clearstandards and higher expecta ons for all students. Fair measures must be implemented and used to provide feedback across theeduca on system. Educators require a system of mul ple measures which can provide feedback to gauge supports needed forinstruc onal improvement.

In the innova on age, Iowa students must not only learn to use the technology of the 21st century, but also must take command of thet chn l i . Th tat mu t pr vid tud nt l arnin nvir nm nt that nc ura and upp rt pr r . It i n t n u h t kn w h wt u c mput r r m bil app . stud nt mu t und r tand th ir d i n and th hi h r purp and advanc m nt that t chn l y can

nabl . It i n t n u h ju t t r ad w ll r p ak w ll r writ accurat ly. stud nt mu t b tau ht t p r uad and d f nd and d convincingly. Those states and countries that fail to break through to these new levels will act in suppor ng roles. Those that succeed wbuild and wn th futur .

To a ain these new compe ve thresholds will require i l e ec ve educat rs f r v ry tud nt, a clear set f expecta ns f r alltud nt , and a pirit f aspira n and inn va n geared toward improving learning. It will also require a commitment to adequate

funding of the e ort, strategic use of precious and nite tax dollars, and the poli cal will to engage in improving schools over the lonhaul. Building great schools comes from dedicated and focused e orts with the singular goal of increased student achievementandnot from silver-bullet, gimmick, or patchwork xes designed to appease a special interest or any par cular ideology.

The opportunity to restore Iowas proud educa on tradi on to greatness is here. The future will tell if Iowa embraced the bold stepsn d d t h lp it tud nt vi r u ly c mp t and pr p r in a rapidly-chan in w rld.



27/28

References/Cita nsBarton, P., & Coley, R. (2009).Parsing the achievement gap II . Princeton, NJ: Educa onal Tes ng Service. Retrieved from

h p://www.ets.org/Media/Research/pdf/PICPARSINGII.pdf

Carnevale, A., & Rose, S. (2011).The undereducated American . Washington, DC: Georgetown University Center on Educa on and theWorkforce. Retrieved from h p://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/undereducatedamerican.pdf

Chazan, D. (1994). Algebra for all students? Journal of Mathema cal Behavior , 15(4), 45577.

Fiester, L., & Annie E. Casey Founda on (2010).Early warning! Why reading by the end of third grade ma ers . (KIDS COUNT Special RepoRetrieved from h p://www.aecf.org

Grinstead, M. (2011). Mobility and a endance: E ects on student achievement . Unpubli h d manu cript.

Hanushek, E. A., Peterson, P. E., & Woessmann, L. (2010).U.S. math performance in global perspec ve: How well does each state do at

producing high-achieving students? Cambridge, MA: Harvard Program on Educa on Policy and Governance & Educa on. Retrieved fromh p://www.hks.harvard.edu/pepg/PDF/Papers/PEPG10-19_HanushekPetersonWoessmann.pdf

Hart, B., & Risley, T. R. (1995).Meaningful di erences in the everyday experience of young American children . Gal more, MD: Paul H.Brookes Publishing Co.

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