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EA 024 189

Lancaster, Laura, Ed.Handbook for Local Goals Reports: Building aCommunity of Learners.National Education Goals Panel, Washington, DC.92-059252p.

National Education Goals Panel, 1850 M Street, N.W.,Suite 270, Washington, DC 20036.Reports Evaluative/Feasibility (142)

MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.*Community Development; *Community Involvement;*Educational Assessment; *Educational Change;Elementary Secondary Education; *Evaluation Methods;Public Schools*National Education Goals 1990

This handbook is designed to guide readers indeveloping a local assessment of the community's progress toward theNational Education Goals. It is organized around those questions thatthe National Education Goals Panel has used to measure national andstate progress in its 1991 report. Information in the introductionincludes the history of the National Goals and Goal Reports, reasonswhy local communities should develop a local goals report, and thecharacteristics that reports should incorporate. Listed in thehandbook are the various parts that make up the format of reports.The six goal sections begin with the actual wording of each goal,followed by its objectives. Next are the questions for each communityto consider in developing a local goal report. Data useful inmeasuring attainment of the goal are presented next, followed bysuggestions on how to gather similar data for local reports. Finally,at the end of each chapter is a list of sources and contacts that canprovide more information on specific topics. This handbook serves asa starting point for the development of a clear vision of where thecommunity stands in relation to achieving the six National EducationGoals. (RR)

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from the original document.***********************************************************************

NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL'SHANDBOOK FORLOCAL GOALS REPORTS

U.S. DteARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and improvement

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

iThis document has been reProduCed asreceived from the person or Oronilattonorig.nahnO .1

C Minor changes have been made to improvereproduction quality

Points of view or opinions stated in this clocu.ment do not necessarily represent officialOERI Position or policy

BEST COPY AVDALABLE

BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS2

4

NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL MEMBERS

Governors

Carroll Campbell, Jr., South Carolina, Chairman (1991-1992)John Ashcroft, Missouri

Evan Bayh, IndianaTerry Branstad, Iowa

Howard Dean, VermontBenjamin Nelson, Nebraska

Barbara Roberts, OregonRoy Romer. Colorado, Past Chairman (1990-1991)

Members of the Administration

Lamar Alexander, Secretary of EducationRoger Porter, Assistant to the President for Economic and Domestic Policy

Members of Congress

Senator Jeff Bingaman, New MexicoSenator Thad Cochran, Mississippi

Representative Dale Kildee, MichiganRepresentative William Good ling, Pennsylvania

NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL STAFF

Executive DirectorWilmer Cody

Associate DirectorN1artin Orland

Professional StaffNancy De lasosEdward FuentesLaura LancasterLeslie LawrenceCynthia PrinceCharles Walter

Emily Won:with assistance from Carol Jay Stratoudak is

Support StaffTia Cosey.

Edna Wilson

3 BEST COPY AVAILABLE

HANDBOOK FORLOCAL GOALS REPORTS

BUILDING A COMMUNITYOF LEARNERSA Handbook for Communities to Develop Local Goals Reportsto N leas/ire Their Progress Toward the National Education Goals

Published ByThe National Education Goals Panel1850 NI Street, Suite 270Washington, DC 20036(202) 632-0957

Edited ByLaura Lancaster with theassistance of Leslie Lawrence

Publication 92-05

This Handbook is Published by the

NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANEL

An independent, bipartisan panel charged with assessing and reportingthe nation's and the states' progress toward the achievement

of the National Education Goals

"lf we arc in tact going to have excellence instead of being satisfied with institution-ali:ed mediocrity, then we must set high standards, and we must he judged againstthose standards."

Governor Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.Chair, National Education Goals Panel

1991-1992

5

July, 1992

Dear Colleague:

As Chair of the National Education Goals Panel, I am pleased that so many com-munities are interested in monitoring and reporting their progress toward the sixNational Education Goals.

If the nation is to measure up to the technical and economic demands of the nextcentury, we must all get involved public officials, educators, parents, business andcommunity leaders, and students alike to meet this challenge. If we want thebest education system in the world, we must transform ourselves, young and old,into a nation of learners.

Toward this end, the nation's Governors and the President have launched anunprecedented ten-year effort. At the heart of this effort are six National EducationGoals six ambitious targets for us to reach.

Much as corporate officers regularly report their progress to stockholders, theNational Education Goals effort calls for annual reports to be made to the Americanpublic showing how the nation and the states are performing on each of the sixGoals. The Governors will also issue individual state reports that assess the out-comes and specific reforms within their states. It is our hope that this handbook willassist local communities in joining this important initiative by assessing what localprograms are working and what enorts need to be improved to attain the Goals bythe year 2000.

As you begin this project, it is important to keep in mind a major focus of the Goalseffort. We as a nation must clearly understand that simply being above average inthe United Stares or merely improving upon last year's standings does nor mean wehave the knowledge or skills to prosper in an arena of increased global competition.Instead of settling for our students' knowledge of basic skills or how they comparewith one another, we must reach higher for world-class standards of educationalperformance.

Again, thank you for your interest in providing the cid:ens of your community witha sense of where they stand in relation to achieving the Goals. To make these Goalsa reality, local communities need to join the nation and the states in holding them-selves accountable for achieving them.

Sincerely,

Carroll A. Campbell, Jr.. Chair, 1991-92National Education Goals Panel, andGovernor of South Carolina

6

Local Goals Report Handbook

Introduction

What is the Purpose of theHandbook?

This handbook is designed to guideyou as you begin developing a localassessment of your community'sprogress toward the National Edu-cation Goals. It is organizedaround those questions that theNational Education Goals Panelhas used to measure national andstate progress in its 1991 Report.We hope that it serves as a startingpoint for the development of aclear vision of where your commu-nity stands in relation to achievingthe six National Goals and of whatneeds to be accomplished betweennow and the year 2000.

What is the History of theGoals and the GoalsReports?

Recognizing that our country'sfuture rests on quality educationalopportunities for all Americans,the President and the nation'sGovernors met in Charlottesville,Virginia, in 1989 at an historiceducation summit. There theyresolved to set ambitious NationalEducation Goals, based on a beliefthat America needed a totally new

vi

vision of education. At the heartof this vision are the six NationalEducation Goals established in1990.

Because national and state leadersbelieved that adopting NationalGoals would prove an empty ges-ture without holding ourselvesaccountable for their success, theNational Education Goals Panelwas established in July of 1990 toassess and annually report state andnational progress toward achievingthose Goals every year until theyear 2000. The Panel is indepen-dent and bipartisan, and member-ship consists of eight Governors,two Administration officials, andfour members of Congress. ThePanel's first report, entitled TheNational Education

ofReport:

Building a Nation oi Learners, wasreleased in September of 1991.This handbook will describe howthe data reported for each Goal wasarrived at.

What Did the First GoalsReport Tell Us?

The 1991 Goals Report showed thatwe are making progress in someareas. Schools now educate

7

increasing numbers of diverse stu-dents, and more of those studentshave acquired minimum skills thanever before. High school comple-tion is at an all-time high.Achievement in science and math-ematics has improved over the lastdecade. The incidence of drug usein the schools has declined inrecent years.

These accomplishments are a resultof purposeful action from a revital-i:ed American commitment toquality education. However, theytall short of what we need toaccomplish if this country is to staysecure and prosperous. The Panel'sreport revealed that fewer than 20percent of students in the fourth,eighth, and twelfth grades are con-sidered competent in mathematics.U.S. students score significantlybelow students in other countrieson international math and sciencetests. Few adults are able to per-form literacy tasks that requirethem to proc.ess and synthesi:emany pieces of information.

Why Should LocalCommunities Develop aLocal Goals Report?

The National Education GoalsPanel's work to dare reflects thenation's and the states' commit-ment to informing themselves onhow much progress they are mak-ing toward achieving the Goals.For these Goals to be taken serious-

Introduction

ly, for these Goals to represent realtargets and not just aspirations, thelocal community needs to becomeinvolved and to inform itself aswell. We can't hope to achieve theNational Education Goals unlesswe all know what progress we aremaking toward them. An accuratelocal assessment of educationalperformance in your communitycan help to determine whichefforts are falling short and to sug-gest areas that must be improved.

What Basic CharacteristicsShould Goals ReportsIncorporate?

The National Education GoalsPanel urges local communities toincorporate live characteristicsused in the Panel's Goals Reportinto its own Goals reporting struc-ture.

Outcome OrientedThe Goals Panel has chosen toemphasize outcomes, not inputs,that focus on the difficulty of thecircumstances that confront us.The primary purpose of GoalsReports should be to inform thecommunity where it is succeedingor failing to make progress towardthe National Education Goals.While your local community maywish to include other informationin your Goals Report, emphasi:ingperformance outcomes should bethe central focus.

8 vii

Introduction

World-Class StandardsBecause of modern global econom-ic competition, we must haveworld-class standards of education-al performance. We must knowhow our schools compare with thebest in the world. In the future, theNational Education Goals Panelwill help coordinate the creation ofnational education standards insubject areas which reflect world-class achievement expectations forall our students. Your local reportsshould not attempt to assess stu-dent achievement using only theresults of basic, minimum skillstests, but also achievements againstthe highest standards available.We as a nation must be concernedthat all of our students meet highexpectations instead of gainingonly minimal skills.

Breadth of IndicatorsThe Panel's Goals Report does notjust cover one subject area, onegrade, or even only K-12 educa-tion. The six National EducationGoals cover prenatal health care tolifelong adult learning. Your localreports should similarly containinformation from many differentsources, covering the entire lifes-pans of the citizens in your commu-nity.

Measuring Progress Over TimeEach year the Panel's Goals Reportwill measure national and stateprogress against past performance,allowing the nation and each stateto compare themselves over timeto their own progress towardviii

achieving the Goals. Your firstreport should he used similarly as abaseline by which to measure yourcommunity's continued progressover the years.

Decade-Long ProcessThe National Education GoalsReport is not a onetime publication.The Goals Panel is committed toreporting to the nation and statesevery year on progress being madetoward achieving the Goals. Acommitment to this decade-longprocess is essential to local commu-nities as well. In the future, thePanel will continue its work towarddeveloping better measures to fillin its present data gaps, just as localcommunities should work to filltheirs.

Who Should Be Involved inDeveloping Local GoalsReports?

As you begin the process of devel-oping local progress reports onachieving the National EducationGoals, the Panel encourages you totake advantage of the resourcesavailable in different segments ofyour community from thoseinvolved in early childhood devel-opment to lifelong learning. Youwill need the assistance of yourlocal school, government, highereducation, health, social service,and community leaders, as well asteachers, parents, students, busi-ness leaders, and adult educators.

9

You will need to work closely withyour state's department of educa-tion to learn what assessment datathe state has collected for yourcommunity and will have avail-able. You also will need to workwith other state and local agenciesfor information on local health,nutrition, and other public pro-grams. At the end of each Goalchapter, there is a list of the GoalsPanel's own sources of data andtheir key contacts.

How Should the HandbookBe Used When Developinga Local Report?

This handbook will list questionsto begin asking to measure yourcommunity's progress toward theGoals and possible sources of datato answer those questions. Samplesurvey questions from the Panel'sdata sources are given. You areencouraged to seek expert advicefrom data gatherers in local institu-tions of higher education on broad-

Introduction

ening those surveys to incorporateother issues in the Goal areas inwhich your community would havean interest.

This document is a guide to beginyour assessment and reportingefforts in relation to the NationalGoals. It provides only a base foryour local goals reports.

What About New DataSources in Future NationalGoals Reports?

A National Education Goals Reportwill be published annually in thefall containing new and updatedinformation related to each of theNational Goals. A supplementalupdate to this handbook will beissued each fall to inform commu-nities on new data the Goals Panelwas able to report. This supple-ment can be acquired by contact-ing the National Education GoalsPanel Office.

10ix

Local Goals Report Handbook

Format Design

This handbook is designed to he used as a guide when developing local com-munity goals reports. Listed below are the various parts that make up theformat. The six Goal sections begin with the actual wording of the Goal,followed by its Objectives. Next are the questions we suggest you consideras you start to plan what to include in your local report. Information on thedata presented by the Panel under a Goal area is also given, followed by sug-gestions on how to include similar data in your local report. Finally, at theend of each chapter is a list of sources and contacts that can provide mareinformation on specific topics.

Goal

The format for this handbook begins with specifying the Goal number andthe exact language of the Goal.

Objectives

The objectives for each Goal are listed below the actual Goal language.These objectives were agreed upon by the President and the Governorswhen the Goals were drafted in 1990.

Questions to Ask

This section lists the types 1-o: questions that should be answered to deter-mine whether the Goal and its corresponding objectives are being met.

Measures to Use

This section describes each subject heading and corresponding question(s)on how the question was answered in the 1991 Goals Report and suggestionsfor how to address the question(s) in your local report.

For More information

This sect ion provides contacts and the data they produce at the end of eachGoal chapter under specific areas.

111

Goal OneReadiness for School

"By the year 2000, all children in America will start schoolready to learn."

Ives.

All disadvantaged and clisabledclAiren will have access to high Mali'ty and developmentallY preschool fitheathi that help: Pre-pare children for school.::...

Every parent in Anterita will be a child's first teacher and deVore timeeach day helping his or het preschool child learn;:parents have .

access to the training and support thefrieed: ;

Children will receive the nutrition and health care needed to arrive atschool with healthy min& and bodies ;Ind the number Of low..birth -::weight babies will be significantly reduced through enhanced prenatalhealth systems.

122

Questions to Ask

Kindergarten Year Measuresof Readiness For School

To what degree are the childrenentering school ready to learn?

Pre-Kindergarten Measuresof Readiness For School

What are the early indicators thatyoung children will enter schoolready to learn?

Early Childhood Health andNutrition

How many low- hirthweight babiesare horn each year?

How many mothers receive ade-quate prenatal care?

Goal One

How many children have access toregular health care and receiveproper nutrition?

Preschool Participation andQuality

How many at-risk children partici-pate in preschool programs?

How many existing preschool pro-grams are high quality?

Parental Activities withPreschoolers

How many parents spend time reg-ularly with their preschool childrenon activities which will help theirchildren learn and grow?

13

3

4, Goat One

Measures to Use

Kindergarten Year Measuresof Readiness For School

To what degree are the childrenentering school ready to learn?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelIn 1992, the Goals Panel launchedan exciting new line of work forthose concerned with the welfareof young children. It called for thecreation of an Early ChildhoodAssessment System. The systemwill not use a simple "ready/notready" distinction but instead willuse five dimensions to assess youngchildren's well-being. These are:(1) physical well-being; (2) socialand emotional development; (3)language usage; (4) approaches tolearning; and (5) cognitive devel-opment and general knowledge.Recommending such an assessmentwas an historic step to promoteconsensus among the differingschools of thought about measuringreadiness that currently exists.

The Panel called for the EarlyChildhood Assessment System tocollect information through parentreports, teacher reports, a childprofile, and a portfolio of Kinder-garten students' work collected atmore than one point in time duringKindergarten. Currently, work isunder way to develop this system.Ultimately, additional informationmay he collected from parents andhealth professionals about chil-4 1r1

dren's past experiences and welfareat school entry.

Suggestions for Local GoalsReport DataAll local school districts have poli-cies regarding school entry.Almost all districts specify a cutoffmonth and year that determine theage at which children beginKindergarten. Some, in addition,have created specific assessmentmethods that are used to helpdecide when an individual childshould start school, or what kind ofKindergarten program is appropri-ate. These policies vary widelybecause different communities andschools, parents, and professionalshold extremely different viewsregarding school readiness. Cur-rently, the variety in these beliefsand approaches has made it diffi-cult to define and measure "readi-ness" consistently across the nationor within a community.

As the work of the Goals Panel andothers yields better ways to defineand assess what Kindergarten stu-dents know and are able to do,their efforts should prove useful inlocal efforts to gauge children'sneeds and strengths and schools'abilities to serve them.

The Goals Panel suggests that localcommunities align their effortswith the principles upon which theEarly Childhood Assessment Sys-tem will be built: that readiness isdefined as having the five dimen-sions mentioned above; that data

he collected from more than onesource (including parents, teachers,a trained early childhood profes-sional, and the children them-selves); that information he col-lected at more than one point intime; and that local assessmentsavoid categorizing children as sim-ply "ready" or "not ready" andinstead he oriented to gaining mul-tidimensional information thatallows the best possible matchbetween students and school pro-grams.

The Goals Panel is particularlyeager that this information con-tribute to local efforts to providebetter and more appropriate ser-vices for children, and avoid thecommon unintended side effect oflabeling and tracking any individ-ual young child.

Pre-Kindergarten Measuresof Readiness For School

What are the early indicators thatyoung children will enter schoolready to learn?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelIn its 1991 Goals Report, the GoalsPanel reported information onyoung children's health and nutri-tion, preschool participation, andparental activities with preschool-ers, as direct measures of the Goals'objectives. Such information istypically reported at the state, aswell as the local level, allowing

Goal One

your community to chart itsprogress using the same indicatorsas those of the National EducationGoals Panel.

In addition to these indicatorswhich are described in the fol-lowing pages, the National Gover-nors' Association may he contactedto request a set of benchmarks orsocial indicators developed in 1992for Governors to use to report stateprogress toward Goal 1.

Early Childhood Health andNutrition

How many low- hirthweight babiesare born each year?

How many mothers receive ade-quate prenatal care?

How many children have access toregular health care and receiveproper nutrition?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelThe measures that the Panel usedto assess the nation's and states'progress in the area of early child-hood health were: (1) Birth-weight, (2) Prenatal Care, (3)Health Care, and (4) Nutrition.

BirthweightUsing the World Health Organiza-tion's international standards for"low-birthweight" (below 5.5pounds) and "very low-birth-weight" (below 3.3 pounds), the

`1455

Goal One

Goals Panel reported national andstate 1988 data in three separatecategories: above 5.5 pounds,between 5.5 and 3.3 pounds, andbelow 3.3 pounds. The data wascompiled by the National Centerfor Health Statistics.

Prenatal CareUsing national and state 1988 dataagain from the National Center forHealth Statistics, the Goals Panelreported the percentage of motherswho received prenatal care beforethe third trimester, those who onlyreceived care during the thirdtrimester, and those who neverreceived care.

Health CareThe Goals Panel used the 1988 sur-vey from the National Center forHealth Statistics reporting the per-centage of 1- to 4-year-olds whovisited a doctor during the last 12months for a routine checkup orimmunization.

Child NutritionThe 1986 Nationwide Food Con-sumption Survey of the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture provided thedata the Goals Panel used to mea-sure the quality of nutrition thatour nation's young people arereceiving. Findings included thepercentage of America's 1- to 5-year-olds who received the Recom-mended Dietary Allowance of Pro-tein, Vitamin C, Vitamin A,Calcium, and Iron.

6 16

Suggestions for Local GoalsReport Data

Collect data to address these andrelated health care and nutritionalquestions at the local level, by con-tacting your local and/or state pub-lic health department. Anotherpotential source is a local universi-ty currently studying health issues.

Preschool Participation andQuality

How many at-risk children partici-pate in preschool programs?

How many existing preschool pro-grams are high quality?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals Panel

Preschool ParticipationTaking data from the NationalCenter for Education Statistics'(NCES) 1991 National HouseholdEducation Survey, the Goals Panelwas able to report the percentage ofAmerican children aged 3 to 5going to a nursery school, pre-kindergarten, or Head Start pro-gram.

Preschool QualityFor measuring preschool quality,the Goals Panel chose data from asurvey conducted by the U.S.Department of Education. Infor-mation included standards definedby the National Association for theEducation of Young Children onsuch issues as: staff training, stan-

dards for group size, and standardsfor child/staff ratios.


Discuss with your local schooldistrict(s) the possibility of con-ducting a survey of parents as theyenter their children for school withquestions regarding their child'sparticipation in preschool and thequality of that program.

Contact your state human ser-vices department and your statedepartment of education's earlychildhood department for possibleinformation regarding the qualityof preschools from licensingrequirements in your state.

Collect ratings for the quality ofyour local preschools which may beavailable using the guidelines fromthe National Association for theEducation of Young Children'sstandards.

Develop a survey for preschoolsin your area with questions such as:

What percentage of teachers/caregivers have any child-relatedtraining? teacher training? ChildDevelopment Associate (CDA)credentials?

Does the preschool meet theNational Association for the Edu-cation of Young Children's(NAEYC) standard for group sizefor children aged 3? aged 4? aged 5?

Goal One

Does the preschool meet theNAEYC standard for the child/staff ratio for children aged 3? aged4? aged 5?

Parental Activities WithPreschoolers

How much time do family mem-bers regularly spend with theirpreschool children on activitieswhich will help their childrenlearn and grow?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelUsing data from the 1991 NationalHousehold Education Survey, theGoals Report measured the amountof literacy, arts, and "outing" activi-ties that 3- to 5-year-olds sharedwith their parents. Questionsincluded such issues as: whetherparents had recently read to theirchildren; taught them songs orcrafts; or taken their children to alibrary or museum.


Develop your own communitysurvey using information like thatreported in the Goals Report formeasuring parent-child activitiesusing the questions below as aframework. Because you must sur-vey a representative sample of par-ents in your community in orderfor the survey to he valid and reli-able, contact experts in surveydesign (local or state departmentsof education, higher education

177

Goal One

institutions, etc.) for guidance inthe survey's development and dis-semination process. Sponsorship ofsuch a survey could be provided byyour local district(s), PTA chap-ters, or area businesses.

Sample Questions:In the past week, have you or

someone in your family done thefollowing with your child (chil-dren):

Read to him/her!Told a story!

8

18

In the past week, have you orsomeone in your family done thefollowing with your child (chil-dren):

Taught songs or music!Did arts and crafts!

In the past month, have you orsomeone in your family done thefollowing with your child (chil-dren):

Visited a library?Visited an art gallery, museum,or historical site!

For More Information

Early Childhood AssessmentSystemNational Education Goals Panel1850 M Street, NWSuite 270Washington, DC 20036

Source: Goal 1 Subgroup Report OnSchool Readiness, 1991

Indicators for Goal 1National Governors' AssociationHall of States444 N. Capitol Street, NWSuite 250Washington, DC 20001

Birth weightNational Center for HealthStatistics6525 Belcrest RoadRoom 840Hyattsville, MD 20782

Source: Vital Statistics of the UnitedStates, 1988

Prenatal CareNational Center for HealthStatistics6525 Belcrest RoadRoom 840Hyattsville, MD 20782

Source: Vital Statistics of the UnitedStates, 1988

Health CareNational Center for HealthStatistics6525 Belcrest Road

Goal One

Room 860Hyattsville, MD 20782

Source: Advanced Data from Vitaland Health Statistics, 1988

Child NutritionHuman Nutrition InformationService6505 Belcrest RoadRoom 367Hyattsville, MD 20782

Source: Nationwide FoodConsumption Survey, 1986

Preschool ParticipationNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: National HouseholdEducation Survey, 1991

Preschool QualityU.S. Department of Education400 Maryland Ave., SWRoom .3127Washington, DC 20202

Source: Profile of Child CareSettings Study, Early Education andCare in 1990

Parental Activities withPreschoolersNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: National HouseholdEdUcation Survey, 1991

19 9

Goal TwoHigh School Completion

"By the year 2000, the high school graduation rate willincrease to at least 90 percent."

I 4* The: 0,1,100'044sedt*04iiii*clits. 4445, p*qq.those '1041.1.6

why:* 041* pf, 40:444;"`

'rho gap in high ic:h661'irildnatis:!fi nites.berWeen Artierian.,:tudent.t.from minority baagrOuOckand,,theit non-ininority counterpartseliminated, ,

10 20

Questions to Ask

'School Completers

What is the current high schoolgraduation rate?

Once a person drops out, howlikely is he or she to complete therequirements for a high schooldiploma or its equivalent?

Goal Two

School Dropouts

What is the dropout rate?

How has the dropout rate changedover time?

In particular, has the gap in ratesnarrowed for minority students andtheir non-minority counterparts?

What factors appear to increase thelikelihood of dropping out?

2111

Goal Two-

Measures to Use

School Completers

What is the current high schoolgraduation rate?

Once a person drops out, how like-ly is he or she to complete therequirements for a high schooldiploma or its equivalent!

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelThe Goals Report contained 1990data from the Census Bureau's Cur-rent Population Survey on highschool completion rates in theUnited States. Information includ-ed in the report was the percent of19- to 20-year-olds as well as 23- to24-year-olds who received a highschool credential. High schoolcompletion status on a number ofrace/ethnic groups was reported.The report also included data fromthe National Center for EducationStatistics' High School and BeyondSurvey, indicating the percent of1980 sophomores who dropped outbut then returned and completedhigh school within the followingsix years.

Current state data on high schoolcompleters and dropouts are notcomparable from one state toanother because common defini-tions have not been used. Thisyear, the Goals Panel has supportedongoing efforts to establish com-mon definitions throughout thecountry and promote the develop-12

22

ment of comprehensive studentrecord systems so that reliable statedata are available in future GoalsReports.


Propose to your.district(s) that itproduce a completion statisticusing consistent definitions of stu-dent completion in these followingfour categories*: (1) regular diplo-ma recipients; (2) other diplomarecipients; (3) other completers;and (4) high school equivalencyrecipients.

(1) Regular Diploma RecipientsCount of graduates who receive aregular high school diploma uponcompletion of the performancerequirements in a traditional highschool program during the previousschool year and subsequent sum-mer school. Included in this cate-gory are those students completingsecondary programs in magnet orgifted programs (which may becalled "alternative programs"). Donot include in this category personsin non-traditional programs, com-pleters who receive a diploma afterpassing the General EducationalDevelopment Test or persons com-pleting Special Education programsthat do not have the same require-ments as regular high school educa-tion programs.

(2) Other Diploma RecipientsCount of graduates who receive ahigh school diploma upon comple-tion of the performance require-

meats of the state through a non-traditional or alternative schoolprogram. Examples of these typesof programs are Adult High SchoolDiploma Programs, External HighSchool Diploma Programs andHome Study Programs. Include inthis category only persons age 19 oryounger. Do not include in thiscategory completers who receive adiploma after passing the GED Testor persons completing Special Edu-cation programs that do not havethe same requirements as regularhigh school education programs.

(3) Other CompletersCount of persons receiving an exit-ing credential certifying highschool attendance or completion ofa schooling program without hav-ing completed all requirements fora regular high school diploma.Include in this category personscompleting Special Education pro-grams that do not have the samerequirements as regular high schooleducation programs, even if thecredential they receive is called adiploma. 1)o not include in thiscategory completers wit, receive adiploma after passing the GEDTest.

(4) High School Epti-AtiencvRecipients

Count of persons age 19 or youngerwho receive a high school diplomaor certificate upon completion ofthe GED testing requirements andany other state requirements forhigh school equivalency. All GEDTest passers who receive creden-

Goal Two

tials should he included in this cat-egory.

*These four categories are recom-mended by the Council of ChiefState School Officers and theNational Center for Education Sta-tistics.

Contact you' local district(s)about the existence of a local stu-dent tracking system that candetermine the percentage of anincoming class that goes on tocomplete high school (using thetour categories previously de-scribed) within a specified timeperiod (for instance, four years). Ifthey do not have such a trackingsystem, a completion rate can beestimated using the following pro-cedure:

Compute YOur Community'sCompletion Statistic

Using This Procedure:Count the number of studentscompleting high school in the pastyear (using the four completioncategories it possible) and the num-ber of first-time ninth graders fouryears earlier. The number of first-time ninth graders would he yourdenominator and the number oftwelfth graders (four years later)would he your numerator. This sta-tistic will he fairly accurate if yoursystem has relatively few transfersinto and out of the system.

Contact the U.S. Census Bureauto examine 1990 Census Data;specifically, data on the percent of

13

Goal Tvito

adults who have received a highschool diploma or further educa-tion.

School Dropouts

What is the dropout rate?

How has the dropout rate changedover time?

In particular, has the gap in ratesnarrowed for minority students andtheir non-minority counterparts?

What factors appear to increase thelikelihood of dropping out?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelFrom the Census Bureau's CurrentPopulation Survey, the Goals Panelreported the dropout rates of youngadults aged 16-24. Dropout rateson all race/ethnic groups werereported. The Panel also chosedata from the National Center forEducation Statistics' High Schooland Beyond Survey and reportedsome of the characteristics whichappear to increase the likelihoodthat students will drop out, such aslimited English proficiency, lowsocioeconomic status, and theabsence of parents from the home.


Contact your local district(s)about dropout statistics that youcan use in your local report.

14

Propose that your local district(s)compute their own dropout statis-tic using the procedure on the nextpage and using the following defin-ition developed by the NationalCenter for Education Statistics:

24

A dropout is an individual who:(1) was enrolled in school at

some time during the previousschool year;

(2) was not enrolled at the be-ginning of the current school year;

(3) has not graduated from highschool or completed a state- or dis-trict-approved educational pro-gram; and

(4) does not meet any of the fol-lowing exclusionary conditions:

atransfer to another publicschool district, private school,or state, or district-approvededucation program;btemporary absence due tosuspension or school-approvedillness; orc-- death.

Compute Your Community'sDropout Rate With This Definition

Using This Procedure:It is suggested that the dropout ratehe computed for the ninth, tenth,eleventh, and twelfth grades.Count the number of ninth gradersenrolled on or about October 1,1991. Follow these students untilthe end of September of 1992, andcount the enrollment again. Useyour enrollment figures for 1991 asthe denominator and the Septem-ber figure as the numerator. Calcu-

late a dropout rate for that class.Do this for the other three grades.For twelfth grade, count those whodid not graduate in spring or sum-mer or those who did not return toschool in the fall of 1992. Averagethe four single year dropout rates.When all four single-year rateshave been averaged, that is yourdropout rate for the 1991-92 schoolyear.

For More information

School Completers and DropoutsNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: Current Population Survey,1990; High School and BeyondSurvey, 1989

Goal Two

Council of Chief State SchoolOfficersState Education AssessmentCenterOne Massachusetts Ave., NWSuite 700Washington, DC 20001-1431

Comprehensive Student RecordSystemsNational Education Goals Panel1850 M Street, NWSuite 270Washington, DC 20036

Source: Current Status and FutureTrends Toward ComprehensiveStudent Record Systems, 1992

25

15

Goal ThreeStudent Achievement and Citizenship

"By the year 2000, American students will leave gradesfour, eight, and twelve having demonstrated competencyin challenging subject matter, including English,mathematics, science, history, and geography; and everyschool in America will ensure that all students learn to usetheir minds well, so they may be prepared for responsiblecitizenship, further learning, and productive employmentin our modern economy."

Objectives

The academic performance of elementary and secondary students willinerease'Significantly in-every quartile, 'and the distribution of minoritystudents in each level will more closely reflect the student population asa whole.

Thepercentage of students who demonstrate the ability to reason,solve problems, apply knowledge,: and write and communicate effectivelywill incieweubStintia4

Alltudeilis involved actives that promote and demon-g-C-434.-0**IiiP;:qTTitY. WY..tcCt 417kd 01.-sP11.4P0.4kitit

.The percentage of students Who are More than onelari;

Oge will substantially increase;

All students will be knowledgeable about the diverse Cultural heritageof this natioa and about the world congausaiw

16 26

Questions to Ask

Academic Performance

What percentage of students ingrades 4, 8, and 12 have demon-strated competency in English,mathematics, science, history, andgeography?

How does the percentage of minor-ity students who are competent inthe five content areas compare toall students in grades 4, 8, and 12?

What percentage of students arecompetent in more than one lan-guage'

Goal Three

What percentage of students areknowledgeable about the world'sdiverse cultural heritage?

Enrollment in ChallengingSubject Matter

What percentage of high schoolstudents enroll in and master chal-lenging courses in English, mathe-matics, science, history, geography,foreign language, and fine arts?

CitizenshipTo what degree are students pre-pared for responsible citizenship?

2717

Go& Three

Measures to Use

Academic Performance

What percentage of students ingrades 4, 8, and 12 have demon-strated competency in English,mathematics, science, history, andgeography?

How does the percentage of minor-ity students who are competent inthe five content areas compare toall students in grades 4, 8, and 12?

What percentage of students arecompetent in more than one lan-guage?

What percentage of students areknowledgeable about the world'sdiverse cultural heritage?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelIt is important to keep in mindwhen reporting student achieve-ment that one of the characteris-tics of a Goals Report is to measureagainst world-class standards ofachievement. Though numerousdata are available involving thetesting of students, no nationalassessment had been given thatmeasured student performance interms of what they are expected toknow and be able to do at differentgrade levels. The National Assess-ment of Educational Progress(NAEP) developed such indicatorsfor its national mathematics assess-ment for the first time last year(1991).18 28

NAEP is an assessment of the edu-cational achievement of Americanstudents and their changes inachievement across time. NAEPassesses only samples of students atparticular grade levels in particularsubject areas. NAEP has onlyrecently begun offering states theoption of participating in state-level assessments. The Panel choseto report these new data measuringstudent performance against highexpectations in its 1991 Report.

The National Assessment Govern-ing Board (NAEP's governingstructure) defined three levels ofstudent proficiency on the NAEPmathematics test:

Basic (partial mastery of funda-mental knowledge and skills);

Proficient (solid grade-level per-formance that demonstrates com-petency in challenging subjectmatter); and

Advanced (superior perfor-mance).

The data reported in the 1991Goals Report for mathematics wereestimates of the percentages of 4th,8th, and 12th grade students whodemonstrated competency inmathematics at each of those lev-els. (Levels were based on scores bystudents.) The Panel consideredonly those students scoring "Profi-cient and Above" as competent,since this level best reflected theconcept of "demonstrated compe-

tency in challenging subject mat-ter" outlined in the Goal. Perfor-mance data were reported for allstudents and a number of race/eth-nic groups.

Recent NAEP scores in reading,writing, science and geography arealso reported in the 1991 GoalsReport; hut, unlike mathematics,these scores describe studentachievement trends over time,making no judgements about whatstudents should know or be able todo.

Suggestions for Local GoalsReport DataThere is an abundance of dataavailable on each district that allstudents in your community takeevery year, such as: various state-mandated basic skills tests, remedi-al tests, exit exams, etc.

However, one of the characteristicsof the Goals Report that the Panelurges all local communities to fol-low in developing their ownreports is to measure students'achievement using high-perfor-mance standards. Such tests rarelyemploy such criteria. In fact, usingdata from the kinds of tests men-tioned above could actually leadthe community to think that stu-dents are making progress in meet-ing high-performance standardswhen they are not.

Contact your student testing andassessment staffs at your local and

Go& Three

state education agencies and askwhether there are tests in any ofthe pertinent subject areas thatmeasure student achievementagainst high standards of perfor-mance.

Ask those officials what theirlong-term plans are to developassessments that measure perfor-mance against such standards.

Enrollment in ChallengingSubject Matter

What percentage of high schoolstudents enroll in and master chal-lenging courses in English, mathe-matics, science, history, geography,foreign language, and fine arts?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelThe data used by the Panel to esti-mate student enrollment in chal-lenging subject matter courseswere: (1) Advanced Placementexaminations and (2) High SchoolCourse Completion.

Advanced Placement ExamsUsing 1990 data from the CollegeBoard, the Panel reported the num-ber of 11th and 12th graders per1,000 who took Advanced Place-ment examinations in the areas of:English, mathematics, science, his-tory, foreign languages, and finearts.

The Advanced Placement (AP)program, sponsored by the College

2919

Goal Three

Board, provides a way for highschools to offer college-levelcoursework to students. At pre-sent, one or more course descrip-tions, examinations, and sets ofcurricular materials are available invarious subject areas. AP examina-tions, which are given in May, aregraded on a five-point scale (5being extremely well qualified to Ibeing no recommendation).Scores of three and above are gen-erally accepted for college credit.

The Panel reported the number ofstudents who scored a three orabove in the subject areas previous-ly described.

High School Course CompletionThe Panel used data from the 1982and 1987 National Center for Edu-cation Statistics' High School Tran-script Survey. The Panel askedwhat percentage of high schoolgraduates had completed variouscourses and sequences of coursesthroughout their high school yearsin the core subjects of English,mathematics, science, history andgeography, as well as foreign lan-guage and fine arts.


Survey the number of studentsand the percentage of the entiregrade level who have been exposedto and completed courses in chal-lenging subject matter, with theassistance of your local school dis-trict(s), by counting the number ofhigh school students who take the

2030

Advanced Placement exams, aswell as those who score a three orabove.

For Your Information:The Goals Panel classified APexams under the following subjectheadings:

Advanced Placement exams inEnglish included the combinationof Language & Composition andLiterature & Composition.

Advanced Placement exams inMathematics included the combi-nation of Calculus AB and Calcu-lus BC.

Advanced Placement exams inScience included the combinationof Biology, Chemistry, and PhysicsB.

Advanced Placement exams inHistory included the combinationof U.S. History and European His-tory.

Advanced Placement exams inForeign Language included thecombination of French Language,French Literature, Spanish Lan-guage, Spanish Literature, andGerman.

Advanced Placement exams inthe Fine Arts included the combi-nation of Art History, Studio Art(Drawing and General), Music Lis-tening & Literature, and MusicTheory.

Survey, with the assistance ofyour local school district(s), thepercentage of your high schoolgraduates who complete the fol-lowing courses:

Four years of EnglishAlgebra I, Algebra II, andGeometryCalculusBiology, Chemistry, PhysicsU.S. History and WorldHistoryGeographyForeign LanguagesVisual and Performing Arts.

Citizenship

To what degree are students pre-pared for responsible citizenship?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelThe Panel used (1) Voter Registra-tion and (2) Knowledge of Civicsto assess whether the nation's stu-dents are prepared for responsiblecitizenship.

Voter RegistrationThe Panel used data from the Cen-sus Bureau's Current Population Sur-vey to estimate the number of U.S.citizens aged 18-20 who are regis-tered to vote.

Knowledge (4 CivicsUsing 1988 data from the NationalAssessment for EducationalProgress (NAEP) Civics Achieve-ment Test, the Panel estimated the

Goal Three

civics proficiency of students ingrades 4, 8, and 12.


Conduct a survey through yourlocal school districr(s) of 18-year-old high school students in yourcommunity to see whether they areregistered to vote.

Contact your local electionboard office and check to seewhether there is a statistic on thenumber or percentage of 18-year-olds in your community who areregistered to vote.

Contact your local and state edu-cation agencies and inquire as towhether or not there is a civics testthat measures student achievementagainst high standards of perfor-mance. If not, are there plans fordevelopment of such an assess-ment?

Although the Goals Panel was notable to report a national indicatorof what local districts are accom-plishing in the area of civic educa-tion and community service, thereare possibilities for measuring thelearning opportunities that localcommunities provide for their stu-dents in the area of citizenship,such as:

Surveying local businesses,schools, and civic organizations todetermine the percentage offeringopportunities for community ser-

31 21

Goal Three

vice and the extent of participationin such activities;

Surveying your school dis-trict(s) to determine the degree towhich civic education is providedin the curriculum;

Surveying your school district todetermine whether community ser-vice credits are offered and/orrequired and the number of stu-dents taking advantage of them.


High School CompletionNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: High School TranscriptStudy, 1982 and 1987

Mathematics Standards Used in1991 Goals ReportNational Assessment GoverningBoard1100 L Street, NWSuite 7322Washington, DC 20005-4013

2232

Advanced Placement ExamsCollege Board1717 Massachusetts Ave., NWSuite 404Washington, DC 20036

National Assessment forEducational Progress (NAEP)National Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: Civics Achievement Test,1988

Voter RegistrationU.S. Department of CommerceBureau of the CensusRoom 2343, Population DivisionWashington, DC 20233

Source: Current Population Survey,1988

National Education StandardsNational Education Goals Panel1850 M Street, NWSuite 270Washington, DC 20036

Goal FourScience and Mathematics

"By the year 2000, U.S. students will be first in the worldin science and mathematics achievement."

Objective

3324

Questions to Ask

International Assessment

How do U.S. students compare oninternational assessments of sci-ence and mathematics achieve-ment!

Instructional Practices

How many science and mathemat-ic. teachers use effective instruc-tional practices in their classroomson a regular basis?

Goal.Four

Teacher Preparation

How many science and mathemat-ics teachers hold degrees in thesubject area which they areassigned to teach?

Degrees Awarded

How many undergraduate andgraduate degrees which are award-ed by U.S. colleges and universitiesare in science and mathematics?

In particular, how many are earnedby women and minorities?

34

25

Goal Four

Measures to Use

International Assessment

How do U.S. students compare oninternational assessments of sci-ence and mathematics achieve-ment?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelTo compare the nation's progress inscience and mathematics achieve-ment against foreign countries, thePanel reported results from twointernational surveys conducted inthe 1980s. These surveys wereadministered by the InternationalAssessment of Educational Progress(IAEP) and the InternationalAssociation for the Evaluation ofEducational Achievement (lEA).

The countries that participated inthe IAEP Survey were: Ireland,Korea, Spain, United Kingdom,and the United States. In the 1988assessment, American 13-year-oldshad the second lowest scores in sci-ence. American students scoredlowest among 13-year-olds on the1988 IAEP international mathe-matics test.

National scores were availablefrom the lEA Survey for the fol-lowing countries: Japan, Nether-lands, England and Wales, France,Hong Kong, Scotland, Finland,New Zealand, Sweden, Thailand,Luxembourg, Swaziland, Israel, andNigeria. The results showed thatduring the 1980s, American 13-26

35

year-olds were outperformed by stu-dents in Japan and the Netherlandsin all areas tested on this interna-tional mathematics assessment.

Suggestions for Local GoalsReport DataAt the present time, there are notests which could provide a com-munity with a score that can becompared with internationalachievement levels. However, inthe future, the Panel would like tosee international tests which couldhe directly linked to a local com-munity's assessment in the areas ofscience and mathematics.

Instructional Practices

How many science and mathemat-ics teachers use effective instruc-tional practices in their classroomson a regular basis?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelTo measure the nation's effectiveinstructional practices, the Panelchose to use data from the NationalSurvey of Science and MathematicsEducation (NSSME) and a reportfrom the National Assessment ofEducational Progress (NAEP).Information from the reportsincluded such practices as: instruc-tional rime devoted to science andmathematics; types of activitiesused in the classroom; availabilityof scientific equipment, includingcalculators and computers; andemphasis on various mathematicsskills.


Develop a teacher survey, withassistance from your local schooldistrict(s), local and state educa-tion agencies, and local teacherrepresentatives, using the followingquestions (modeled after nationaldata in the 1991 Goals Report) as aguide.

Sample Questions:How much time do you spend

providing instruction in science toatypical class during a typicalweek?

What is the average amount ofinstructional time devoted to sci-ence?

How often do you use hands-onactivities in your science lessons?

How many science classroomshave scientific equipment?

How much emphasis do yougive to: Algebra and Functions;Developing reasoning and analyti-cal skills; Learning how to commu-nicate math ideas?(Choices Given on National Survey:

HeavyModerateLittle or No)

About how often do students inyour class(es) use calculators?(Choices Given on National Survey:

At least several timesa week

Goal Four-

Weekly or lessNever)

How accessible arc computersfor student use?(Choices Given on National Survey:

Available in classroomDifficult to accessNot available)

About how often do students inyour class(es) do the followingtypes of activities for mathematicsclass?(Choices Given on National Survey:

Work in small groupsWork with rulers, countingblocks, or geometric shapesWrite reports or do mathprojects)

Teacher Preparation

How many science and mathemat-ics teachers hold degrees in thesubject area which they arcassigned to teach?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelTo measure how well teachers inthe nation are prepared to teachmathematics and science, thePanel used data from the NationalCenter for Education Statistics'Schools and Staffing Survey. Includ-ed in the Report were data on thepercentage of high school scienceand mathematics teachers whohave a degree in the field in whichthey reach.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE6 27

Goal Four

For purposes of the Goals Report,the Panel defined degree as an aca-demic major. It did not includeminors or second majors in scienceor mathematics, or majors in sci-ence or mathematics education.


Contact your local school dis-trict(s) and/or education agency fora count of teachers who havedegrees in science, science educa-tion, mathematics, or mathematicseducation and for a count of thenumber of teachers who are teach-ing classes in those specific subjectareas. The numbers could hechecked every year to monitorprogress in this area.

Survey colleges, universities, andschools of education in your area toestimate the number of educationmajors teacher trainees, etc., whohave mathematics or science back-grounds and who intend to becomeclassroom teachers. This will pro-vide an estimate of the future poolof instructors in these specific sub-ject areas.

Degrees Awarded

How many undergraduate andgraduate science and mathematicsdegrees are awarded by U.S. col-leges and universities?

28 37

In particular, how many are earnedby women and minorities?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelTo estimate the number of degreesawarded in science and mathemat-ics, the Panel chose to use datafrom the NCES Integrated Postsec-ondary Education Data System.Data included in the report werethe number of science and mathdegrees earned by men, women,and different race/ethnic groups.

For purposes of the Goals Report,the Panel reported undergraduatedegrees separately, graduate degreesseparately, and undergraduate andgraduate degrees combined. A sci-ence degree was defined as a degreei'1: agriculture and natural re-sources; computer and informationsciences; engineering; health pro-fessions; life sciences; psychologyand social sciences.


Contact your local school dis-trict(s) and the admission staff athigher education institutions inyour area and ask how many stu-dents from your community arcpursuing degrees in mathematicsand science.


International Assessment ofEducational ProgressNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

International Association for theEvaluation of EducationalAchievementMPR, Berkeley1995 University Ave.Suite 225Berkeley, CA 94704

Science Instructional PracticesNational Center for ImprovingScience Education1920 L Street, NWSuite 202Washington, DC 20036

Source: National Survey of Scienceand Mathematics Education, 1986

National Assessment ofEducational Progress (NAEP)National Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: Science Report Card, 1986

Goal Four

Mathematics InstructionalPracticesNational Assessment ofEducational ProgressNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: NAEP 1990 MathematicsAchievement Test

Teacher PreparationNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: Schools and StaffingSurvey, 1988

Degrees AwardedNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: Integrated PostsecondaryEducation Data System, 1989

38

29

Goal FiveAdult Literacy and Lifelong Learning

"By the year 2000, every adult American will be literateand will possess the knowledge and skills necessary tocompete in a global economy and exercise the rights andresponsibilities of citizenship."

Questions to Ask

Adult Literacy

How many adults are literate?

How do literacy rates vary amongrace/ethnic groups and amongadults who have completed differ-ent levels of education?

Adult Education

How many adults enroll in adulteducation courses?

HOW, many adults believe that theywere unable to take, or did nothave employer support for, the kindof adult education courses whichwould effectiv,21y meet their needs?

Goal Five

How involved are businesses instrengthening the education andskills of their workforce?

College Enrollment,Completion, and Preparation

What proportion of students whoenter college complete at least twoyears?

What proportion of students com-plete their degree programs?

In particular, how do the rates ofcollege completion compare forminority and non-minority stu-dents?

How prepared are college graduatesto become productive citizens asthey enter the community andworkforce?

40

31

Goat Fly

Measures to Use

Adult Literacy

How many adults are literate?

How do literacy rates vary amongrace/ethnic groups and amongadults who have completed differ-ent amounts of education?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelUsing the 1985 Young Adult Litera-cy Survey, the Goals Panel was ableto report the percentage of youngadults aged 21- to 25-years-old whoscored above certain literacy profi-ciency levels. Literacy tasks thatwere measured included readingand using information in texts suchas newspapers and pamphlets;locating information in materialssuch as charts and maps; and per-forming arithmetic problems usingnumbers printed in materials foundin everyday situations.

The 1985 Young Adult Literacy Sur-vey defined "young adults" as those21 to 25 years old during 1985.


Contact your local literacy coun-cils, and/or your local or statedepartment of education's adulteducation division for informationon possible literacy rates in yourarea.

3241

Survey local literacy councils,local school districts, local highereducation institutions, local may-ors' offices (especially for largercities), and local public libraries forinformation on types of local litera-cy programs available in your com-munity and the amount of partici-pation in them.

Adult Education

How many adults are enrolled inadult education courses?

How many adults believe that theywere unable to take, or did nothavo employer support for, the kindof adult education courses whichwould effectively meet their needs?

How involved are businesses instrengthening the education andskills of their workforce?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelTo assess the participation in adulteducation, the Goals Panel usedthe 1991 National Household Edu-cation Survey. In the survey,"adults" were defined as all those17 years or older who were not par-ticipating in full-time educationalprograms.

Data reported included the per-centage of adults involved in con-tinuing education courses over thelast year; their reason for taking the

course(s); the type of business/orga-nization providing the instruction;the kind of support received; andissues that kept adults from partici-pating in additional educationcourses.

Sample Questions fromthis Survey Include:

Have you been involved in con-tinuing education courses or non-credit courses during the last 12months? (This does not count full-time students or part-time coursestaken for credit toward a degree.)

What was your main reason fortaking the adult educationcourse(s)?(Choices given were:

To train fora cwrrent job- Personal, family, or social

reasonsTo meet degree /diploma/certificate requirements

- To train for a new jobTo improve basic reading,writing, and math skills)

What type of organi:ation pro-vided the instruction for the adulteducation course(s)?(Choices given were:

A business or industry4-year college or universityLabor/Professionalorganization

- Government agency- VocationallTradel

Business /Hospital /Flight School- Library- Other)

Gibe' Five

Have any of the following barri-ers kept you from participating inadditional adult education courses?(Choices given were:

- Work schedule- Class cost

Class timeClass locationLack of child care

- Lack of information- Class of interest not offered- Other)

What type of support did youreceive for the adult educationcourse, if any?(Choices given were:

Course was given at placeof work

- Employer paid some portion- Employer provided course

Employer provided time offOther)


Develop your own communitysurvey using the questions previ-ously described as a framework.Involve the business community'ssupport, and guidance from officialsof your local/state department ofeducation and literacy councils inboth its development and dissemi-nation process.

Contact the U.S. Census Bureauto examine 1990 Census data,specifically, data on the percentageof adults who have received a highschool diploma or beyond.

4233

Goal Five

Contact your local school dis-trict(s) to inquire whether commu-nity adult education courses arebeing offered by the district and, ifso, the amount of participation.

Contact your local Chamber ofCommerce chapters and other ser-vice organizations for informationand possible data on the extent oflocal business involvement in edu-cation and for ways to report theextent of this kind of activity in thecommunity.

College Enrollment,Completion, and Preparation

What proportion of students whoenter college complete at least twoyears?

What proportion of students com-plete their degree programs?

In particular, how do the rates ofcollege completion compare forminority and non-minority stu-dents?

How prepared are college graduatesto become productive citizens asthey enter the community andworkforce?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelFrom the Bureau of the CensusCurrent Population Survey, theGoals Panel was able to report thepercentage of individuals enrolledin college in the October following

34 43

their high school graduation andthe percentage of high school grad-uates aged 25-29 who completed 2or 4 years of college.

The Panel was not able to answerthe question of how well collegegraduates are prepared for theworkforce because there is present-ly no national collegiate assess-ment system. However, the Panelis committed to pursuing the ideaof a national collegiate assessmentsystem to measure the proportionof college graduates who demon-strate an advanced ability to thinkcritically, communicate effectively,and solve problems.


Contact higher education insti-tutions in your area to see if theycollect data on entrants and com-pleters from your community.

Contact your local school dis-trict(s) for possible information onrecent high school graduates whohave enrolled in college followinggraduation.

Contact a local higher educationinstitution for information on anassessment system that measuresthe knowledge its students haveacquired while enrolled. Contactyour local college officers and yourstate higher education agency tosee it such a system exists or isbeing planned.

r.


Adult LiteracyEducational Testing ServiceDivision of Cognitive andInstructional SciencePrinceton, NJ 08541

Source: Young Adult LiteracySurvey, 1985

Adult EducationNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: National HouseholdEducation Survey, 1991

U.S. Department of CommerceBureau of the CensusWashington, DC 20233

Source: 1990 Census Data

U.S. Department of LaborEmployment TrainingAdministration200 Constitution Ave., NWWashington, DC 20210

Goal Five

Business Involvement inEducationU.S. Chamber of CommerceCenter for Workforce Preparationand Quality Education1615 H Street, NWWashington, DC 20006

The Business Roundtable1615 L Street, NWWashington, DC 20036

National Alliance of Business1201 New York Ave., NWWashington, DC 20005

College Enrollment, Completion,and PreparationNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: Current PopulationSurvey, 1990

4435

Safe, Disciplined, andDrug-Free Schools

"By the year 2000, every school hi America will be free ofdrugs and violence and will offer a disciplinedenvironment conducive to learning."

Objectives

Every milileineka, firth' and failr,i and distribution

Patent s NeStesfek et r:4' 1pnouti4'oatseitunis.iie:i agstejli:s-ren foriljehdclren,

- Every diittid.Otdelielf;'Pa-,e4apretietisiOe .

tuil prevention ed*atign prctgram. Dnig and ate:00t.gue:tie.idlint: should.be taught as an-integral 'Ott ofty-based teams' hOuld-be otganiieCtt.o.proVid -elSitidentS:needed support,.

Questions to Ask

At-School Drug Use

How accessible are drugs in schoolsand how common is at-school druguse?

Have schools adopted and properlyimplemented policies on drug use,possession, and distribution?

Victimization and Vandalism

Ho safe are schools, as measuredby incidence of victimization ofstudents ,end teachers and vandal-ism of personal and school proper-ty?

How involved are parents, busi-nesses, and communities in ensur-

Goal Six

ing that schools offer a safe learn-ing environment?

Student Drug Use

How common is drug use amongstudents when they are not onschool grounds?

Have schools developed a compre-hensive drug education program?

How involved are communitieswith that effort?

Discipline in Schools

How orderly are schools, as mea-sured by the existence and enforce-ment of school policies on disci-pline, truancy, and tardiness?

46

37

Goal Six

Measures to Use

At-School Drug Use

How accessible are drugs in schoolsand how common is at-school druguse. 7

Have schools adopted and properlyimplemented policies on drug use,possession, and distribution?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelUsing data from both the Bureau ofJustice Statistics'1989 NationalCrime Survey's School Crime Supple-ment and the University of Michi-gan's 1990 Monitoring the FutureSurvey, the Panel was able to reporton the incidence of student drugand alcohol use in schools and itsaccessibility at schools.

Sample Questions:To what degree are you able to

obtain the following drugs at yourschool: (a) alcohol; (b) marijuana;(c) cocaine; (d) crack; (e) up-pers/downers; (f) other drugs?(Choices given were:

EasyHardimpossibleDon't knowDon't know drug)

On how many occasions (if any)have you had alcohol to drink dur-ing the last 12 months?(Choices given were:

0 occasionsI or more occasions)

38 47

(When applicable) When youused alcohol during the last 12months, how often did you use it atschool?(Choices given were:

Not at allA few of the times

Some of the timesMost of the timesEvery time)

The same questions were askedabout marijuana and cocaine use.


Develop a survey for students inyour community with the assis-tance of your local school dis-trict(s) to monitor your communi-ty's; progress in this area, usingthose sample questions as a guide.

Contact your local school dis-trict(s), state department of educa-tion, and local/state alcohol & drugabuse agencies and inquire whetherany data of this kind is available onyour community. Many states andcommunities have participated insimilar drug surveys.

The Goals Panel did not reportwhether schools have adopted poli-cies on drug use, possession, anddistribution, because no nationallyrepresentative data are currentlycollected in these areas. However,your community's goals reportcould list the policies and informa-tion about their implementation inyour local district(s).

m Victimization and Vandalism

How safe are schools, as measuredby incidence of victimization ofstudents and teachers and van-dalism of personal and schoolproperty?

How involved are parents, busi-nesses, and communities in ensur-ing that schools offer a safe learn-ing environment?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelTo measure the nation's level ofteacher and student victimization,the 1991 Goals Report includeddata from the NCES Schools andStaffing Survey, and the Universityof Michigan's Monitoring the FutureSurvey. Information reportedincluded: threats and injuries(with and without weapons);theft/vandalism of property; andteachers' beliefs about their safetyat school.

Sample Questions inThose Surveys For Students:

During the last 12 months, howoften has something of yours beenstolen while you were at school?

During the last 12 months, howoften has someone deliberatelydamaged your property (car, cloth-ing, etc.) while you were at school!

During the last 12 months, howoften has someone injured youwith a weapon (like a knife, gun, orclub) while you were at school!

Goal Six

During the last 12 months, howoften has someone threatened youwith a weapon, but not actuallyinjured you, while you were atschool?

During the last 12 months, howoften has someone injured you onpurpose without using a weapon,while you were at school?

During the last 12 months, howoften has an unarmed personthreatened you with injury, but notactually injured you while you wereat school?(At school was classified as: insideschool, outside school, or on a school-bus.)(Choices given were:

Not at allOnce or more)

Sample Questions inThose Surveys For Teachers:How safe do you feel in the

school building both during schoolhours and after school hours?(Choices given were:

SafeModerately safe

Moderately unsafeUnsafe)

In the last 12 months, has a stu-dent from your school threatenedto injure you? physically attackedyou?

In the last 4 weeks, has a stu-dent from your school verballyabused you?

VA 39

Goat Six


Develop similar surveys for stu-dents and teachers in your commu-nity with the assistance of the localschool district(s), local and/or stateeducation agencies, and teacherrepresentatives.

Contact officials from your localand/or state department of educa-tion and higher education institu-tions' research departments todesign, develop, and disseminate alocal survey to assess the involve-ment of the community in ensuringthat schools are able to offer a safelearning environment.

Student Drug Use

How common is drug use amongstudents when they are not onschool grounds?

Have schools developed a compre-hensive drug education program?

How involved are communitieswith that effort?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelTo measure student drug use, thePanel used data from the Universi-ty of Michigan's Monitoring theFuture Survey. The 1991 GoalsReport included information on thepercentage of high school seniorswho had used various drugs duringthe past 30 days.

40 49

Sample Questions:During the last 30 days, on how

many occasions (if any) have you:(1) consumed alcohol; (2) usedmarijuana; (3) taken any illegaldrug; (4) used cocaine?(Choices given were:

0 occasions1 or more occasions)


Add the questions listed above toyour student drug survey.

Contact your state department ofeducation or drug preventionagency to inquire about availabledata on the success rates and quali-ty of drug education programs inyour community.

Include questions in the commu-nity survey suggested earlier thatwould gauge whether communitymembers are aware of the dis-trict(s)' drug education programand whether they have becomeactively involved in those efforts.

Discipline in Schools

How orderly are schools, as mea-sured by the existence and enforce-ment of school policies on disci-pline, truancy, and tardiness?

Data Reported by the NationalEducation Goals PanelUsing data from the Teacher Sur-vey of the 1988 Schools and Staffing

Survey as well as the University ofMichigan's Monitoring the FutureSurvey, the Goals Panel reportedon teacher reports of control overtheir classrooms and recent studenttruancy rates.

Sample Questions inThose Surveys For Teachers:

At school, how much control douu feel you have in your classroom

over disciplining students?(Choices given were a scale from 1-6,with 1 being no control and 6 beingcomplete control.)

For Students:During the last four weeks, how

mans whole days of school haveou missed because you skipped or

"cut" class?

Goal Six

(Choices given were:None1 day or more)

During the last four weeks, howoften have you gone to school butskipped a class when you weren'tsupposed to?(Choices given were:

Not at all1 or more times)


Contact your local school dis-trict(s) for data on local truancyrates.

Add the types of questions listedabove in a part of the survey sug-gested earlier for teachers in yourarea.

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Goal Six


At-School Drug UseUniversity of Michigan .'Institute for Social ResearchRoom 2030Ann Arbor, MI 48106

Source: Monitoring the FutureSurvey, 1990

Availability of Illegal DrugsBureau of Justice StatisticsNational BranchWashington, DC 20531

Source: School Crime Supplement tothe National Crime Survey, 1989

School Safety/Victimization andVandalismNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: Fast Response Survey, 1991

University of MichiganInstitute for Social ResearchRoom 2030Ann Arbor, MI 48106


Student Drug UseUniversity of MichiganInstitute for Social ResearchRoom 2030Ann Arbor, MI 48106


4251

Centers for Disease ControlDivision of Adolescent and SchoolHealth1600 Clifton RoadMail Stop K33Atlanta, GA 30033

Source: Youth Risk and BehaviorSurveillance System, 1990

Discipline in SchoolsNational Center for EducationStatistics555 New Jersey Ave., NWWashington, DC 20208

Source: Schools and Staffing Survey,1988

TruancyUniversity of MichiganInstitute for Social ResearchRoom 2030Ann Arbor, MI 48106


NATIONAL EDUCATION GOALS PANELI Si0 NI STREET, :S.W. SUITE 270

WASHINOTON. ID.C. 200

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