10 Ideas For Education, 2009

Roosevelt 2009

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ideas for

education

10 Ideas for Education Summer 2009

National Director Hilary Doe Chair of the Editorial Board Gracye Cheng Director of Center for Education David Carlson Senior Fellow for Education Matthew Corritore National Editorial Board Clayton Ferrara Frank Lin Fay Pappas Melanie Wright Yunwen Zhang The Roosevelt Institute Campus Network A division of the Roosevelt Institute 2100 M St NW Suite 610 Washington, DC 20037 Copyright 2009 by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. All rights reserved. The opinions and statements expressed herein are the sole view of the authors and do not reflect the views of the national organization, its chapters, or affiliates.

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ideas for

education

This series was made possible by the generosity of Mr. Stephan Loewentheil.

Leveling the Playing Field: Universal Pre-K Education Allison Frankel and Jessica Halpern

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Table of Contents

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Trickle-Down Education: University-Public School Partnerships Kirsten Hill and Chris Holdgraf

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Reducing Summer Learning Loss in New York City Mary Williams

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The Youth Violence Prevention Program Natalie Doss

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Redistrict Elementary Schools to Promote Economic Diversity Elizabeth Setren

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Optional Childcare Certification Gabriel A. Buzinski

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Closing the Education Gap for Special Needs Students in Prison Seth Extein, et al.

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Modernizing School Lighting Kathleen Henning and Daniel Hessel

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Affirmative Action Centered around Economic Status Kareem Kalil

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Universal Counseling David Weinberger

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Think Impact Profile: Healthy Eating after School Raul Mendoza

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p Letter from the Editor E

arlier this year, the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network adopted Think Impact, a model that re-emphasized our organization’s founding goals of looking to young people for ideas and action, twin forces necessary in the pursuit of change. The ideas you will read about in this year’s first 10 Ideas series are the result of the admirable creativity, hard work, and scholarship of Roosevelters. These publications—on Defense and Diplomacy, Economic Development, Education, Energy & the Environment, Equal Justice, and Health—are also a testament to these authors’ engagement with the world. In environments that can be insular, Roosevelters show a willingness to look outwards, to think critically about problems on a local, state, and national level. But, to this end, these publications should only serve as a starting point of a greater process. Roosevelters must be willing to act in the communities where these ideas can most effect positive change. For concepts that you find inspiring, we hope that you are motivated to leverage them for the benefit of your own campus, city or state, and that you seek out channels and movements through which to bring these ideas to fruition. And, in instances where you disagree, we hope that you are challenged to see how you might improve on or adapt an idea. Gracye Cheng Chair of the National Editorial Board

Strategist’s Note P Welcome to the first edition of 10

for Education, the education policy journal of the Roosevelt Institute Campus Network and one of the six 10Ideas journals released by Roosevelt this year. The publication of this journal could not have been more aptly timed. With a major reinvestment in American education already underway, a renewed national interest in education reform and growing economic pressure to improve our schools, education has received more attention than ever before and the demand for excellence in education has never been greater. Ideas

Recent innovations have lead to notable reform and inspired a new generation of leaders and thinkers to invest in education. Charter schools, teacher incentive programs, and standards-based reforms have taken root in districts across the nation and have been the catalyst for not only changes in schools but also innovative thinking in education. Never before has the realm of possibilities been so broad, and never before have people dreamed to think so boldly about American education. With these ten innovative policy proposals, we aim to propel the national discussion about the future of education in America in an even bolder direction. From Elizabeth Setren’s creative approach to increasing income equality to Kirsten Hill’s idea to harness the talents of college students to meet the needs of underserved elementary schools, the Roosevelt Institute chapters addresses the challenges of today’s education system with the innovation to set bold new standards for tomorrow. Our unique perspective as students provides us the insight and experience to witness first hand the application of the policies we analyze. We have been taught in public schools that have failed to meet students’ needs, felt the pressures of paying for college, and realized the power of successful education. Through this personal experience and our insight into progressive policy, Roosevelt Fellows have passionately and intelligently attempted to tackle some of the toughest questions in education today. Collaborating with our authors on these proposals has reaffirmed our confidence in the power of student ideas. In reading their work, we have been encouraged to think boldly, motivated to analyze critically, and inspired to see past the politics of today into the possibilities of tomorrow. We invite you to share the energy we feel and hope you enjoy reading the 2009 10Ideas for Education as much as we have creating it. David Carlson Lead Strategist for Education Policy

Leveling the Playing Field: Universal Pre-K Education Allison Frankel and Jessica Halpern, University of Wisconsin - Madison The state of Indiana should initiate a universal Pre-K program so as to afford all children the opportunity to succeed. Indiana is one of only twelve states that does not offer some form of state funded pre-K. Georgia became the first state to offer universal pre-K in 1995 and now serves 58% of four-year-olds in the state. After Georgia’s pilot program proved effective, Oklahoma became the second state to initiate universal pre-K, in 1998. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Oklahoma’s children are covered under this program. Florida’s universal pre-K program was jumpstarted by a 2002 state constitutional amendment and now serves 57% of its four-year-olds. These states demonstrate that universal pre-K is not only possible, but also profitable. Evidence clearly shows that universal pre-K improves graduation rates and reduces crime rates, all while raising future revenue for the Key Facts state. • Indiana is one of only twelve states that does not offer some form of state funded pre-K. Three The Political Will Is There states, Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma, have iniIn light of the current ecotiated universal pre-K programs. nomic state, many lawmakers • Universal pre-K is cost-effective. Oklahoma spent are wary of raising taxes and $3,433 per child in 2007, and enrolled 68% of its adding new government profour-year-olds in state-funded pre K. Washington, grams. However the state will however, which only provides pre-K education not only earn back every pento low-income families, spent $6,010 per child in ny it invests in universal pre-K, 2007, but only enrolled 6% of its four-year-olds in but recieve a 7 to 1 return on state-funded pre K. its investment. The fact that • Conservative estimates show that for every dollar so many states are investing invested in universal pre-K, the return is $7 based in these programs show that on increased future earnings and tax revenues the political will is there. Alfor participants, and reduced costs of remedial most 7 in 10 voters want state education and justice system expenditures. and local governments to provide voluntary pre-k for all children. Funding Options Are Available Different funding options for universal pre-K are appropriate for different states. Georgia’s universal pre-K program is fully funded through a tax on lottery funds, which has proven highly successful. We believe that in Indiana, a tax on alcohol is the most effective way to raise revenue for this program. The alcohol tax in Indiana has not been raised since 1981. If the state of Indiana raises its tax on cases of beer by only 26 cents, bottles of wine by only 9 cents and fifths of liquor by only 53 cents, the state could raise $42 million. This tax could then be increased incrementally to ensure full coverage of pre-K.

Potential Objections to Funding Options New taxes attract controversy and complaint by default, and in this case, the alcohol industry will undoubtedly object. Their objections, though, are countered with the fact that a so-called “sin tax” has already proven effective in Georgia. Sin taxes are particularly effective for pre-K education because they do not compete with other priority children’s programs. Furthermore, they do not require repeated legislative approval. A sin tax on alcohol is most suited for Indiana, considering that the existing tax has not been raised in almost three decades. Marginally increasing the tax on alcohol will ensure quality pre-K education for all of the children in Indiana.

Talking Points • Pre-K puts our youth on an even playing field and affords all children the chance to succeed. After Universal pre-K was initiated in Oklahoma, test scores for Hispanic children improved by 54%, and for African American children by 17%. • Pre-K provides students with greater opportunity for success in school. Children who attend pre-K programs are 29% more likely to graduate from high school. • Pre-K reduces crime. Children in Chicago who did not attend pre-K were 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime by age 18 than their peers who attended pre-K. • In light of the current state of the economy it is essential that Indiana provide its children with the tools they need to succeed in the future. Forty-year-olds in Michigan who attended pre-K as children had a 33% higher average income than their peers who did not have a pre-K education.

Next Steps The first step is to raise awareness about the benefits of pre-K education. Next, the legislature must introduce a bill increasing the alcohol tax. These funds should then be used to initiate a universal pre-K education program.

Sources The State of Preschool: 2007 State Preschool Yearbook.” NIEER. “Economic benefits of quality preschool education for America’s 3 and 4-year olds. It’s estimated for every dollar invested, the return is $7, based on the reduced costs of remedial education and justice system expenditures, and in the increased earnings and projected tax revenues for participants. (Accessed May 6, 2009) Gormley, William Jr, and Phillips, Deborah. 2005. The Effects of Universal Pre-K in Oklahoma: Research Highlights and Policy Implications. The Policy Studies Journal 33, no.1 http://www.tecec.org/files/ PK_Oklahoma.pdf (accessed May 6, 2009). PreKnow. “Fact Sheets: The Benefits of High Quality Pre-K.” PreKnow. www.preknow.org/policy/factsheets/ benefits.cfm (accessed March 30, 2009). Join Together. “Indiana Lawmakers Propose Doubling Alcohol Tax.” 3 April, 2009. (accessed May 6, 2009) http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/indiana-lawmakers-propose.html

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Trickle-Down Education: University-Public School Partnerships Kirsten Hill and Christopher Holdgraf, Tulane University In order to improve child literacy and bridge the gap between academia and the surrounding community, the percentage of Federal Work-Study funds allocated to public service work should increase from 7% to 14%. This increase in funds should be dedicated to public elementary school literacy programs run in partnership with a local university. We propose a new school program that emphasizes university involvement in the community and stresses the value of personal relationships in an educational environment. This relationship between higher and lower education will be fostered in the form of university-run literacy programs that provide tutoring partnerships between elementary and college-level students. To fulfill this purpose we propose increasing the minimum FWS allocation for community service jobs from 7% to 14% and offering additional Key Facts FWS funds for institutions dedicating • One in ten Americans have ‘below basic’ funds towards university-partnered prose literacy skills: “they cannot perform literacy programs. This plan provides ‘simple and everyday literacy activities’ aims to combine federal financial aid like understanding newspaper articles or services with efforts to improve literainstruction manuals.”1 cy at the elementary level. • The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study shows that children who read at least The United States currently spends three times per week are twice as likely more than any other country on eduto rank in the top 25% of their class than cation at the primary and secondary children who read less than three times education levels; however, it is far from a week.2 achieving the best results.4 There have been a number of programs aimed at increasing university participation in after-school reading sessions. Many have used FWS funding as an incentive to increase student interest. However, it is hard to replicate such programs due to inadequate participation and funding. A more refined and focused model is needed.

Analysis By creating a partnership with local public schools, we will help universities take ownership of their communities and lay the foundation for a committed, well-educated, and supportive society. Studies show that a large factor in the literacy development of children is not simply the actual teaching per se, but rather their experiences in a literate environment.5 These programs will not only acquaint children with the world of academics and improve their reading ability, but also allow college students to develop teaching skills, get in touch with their communities, and alleviate their financial burden. Current law requires that 7% of FWS funds be dedicated community service work, though many universities fail to meet this requirement.6 FWS jobs have a 25% institutional match-

ing amount, placing the burden on the universities to cover the last quarter of students’ salaries.6 This matching requirement has deterred universities from dedicating money to community service jobs because the federal subsidy is needed for on-campus jobs. The normal 25% institutional matching amount is waived for FWS students who serve as tutors for elementary students.6 Therefore increasing community service jobs will not be a cost to the university. Stakeholders This program will benefit the university, undergraduate students, K-5 teachers, parents, community members, and the elementary students. The bonds formed between universities and public schools will give all parties involved a stake in one another, creating a sense of teamwork and mutual-dependence that will result in more cooperation and a better flow of ideas and assistance.

Talking Points • Partnerships between universities and local public elementary schools: • Raise literacy rates, reducing band-aid government education costs • Provide public school children the rare opportunity for a mentor in the academic setting • Studies have shown that reading aloud to children may be the single most important activity for building the understanding and skills necessary for future reading proficiency and success.3

Next Steps The first step is garnering necessary legislative support needed to revise the Higher Education Act. Next, the logistics of the reading programs must be explicitly laid out, providing clear guidelines for the university and partnering public elementary school. Additionally, it will be important to bridge gaps between universities and elementary schools. Finally, teachers must agree to budget time into their class schedule for tutoring sessions.

Sources 1. “The Measure of America: American Human Development Report 2008-2009” (http://measureofamerica. org/2008-2009-report/factoids/). 2. Denton, Kristen and Gerry West, Children’s Reading and Mathematics Achievement in Kindergarten and First Grade (PDF file), U.S. Department of Education, NCES, Washington, DC, 2002. 3. Bus, Van Ijzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995; Wells 1993 as referenced in “Reading and Learning to Read” by Vacca, J., Vacca, R., Gove, M. (2006). 4. http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2008017 5. “The Role of Environment in Development of Reading Skills: A Longitudinal Study of Preschool and SchoolAge Measures” by Victoria J. Molfese, Arlene Modglin and Dennis L. Molfese. Similar findings are discussed in “Reading and Learning to Read” by Vacca, J., Vacca, R., Gove, M. (2006). 6. http://www.compact.org/initiatives/earn-learn-and-serve-getting-the-most-from-community-service-federalwork-study/community-service-federal-work-study-the-best-kept-secret-in-higher-education/

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Reducing Summer Learning Loss In New York City Mary Williams, CUNY Hunter College Increase student access to summer school programs in New York City to reduce summer learning loss among students of lower socioeconomic status (SES). Traditionally, higher SES students have tended to gain points on reading achievement tests over summer vacation while lower SES students’ scores decreased; lower SES students also lost more ground on spelling and math assessments. Programs have been implemented to address this problem: Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), a junior high school in the South Bronx, mandates attendance in a summer session. Attendees show dramatic rises in their reading and math scores and are much more likely to attend college. In Baltimore, students who attended a summer academy performed between 40% and 50% of one grade level higher than students who did not attend. Currently, summer school is available in New York City for grades 3 through 12 and “encouraged” only for students “who have not yet met the criteria to be promoted” to the next grade level. But students who have met the criteria for the next grade level would still benefit from summer classes to prevent summer learning loss, especially in at-risk areas.

Key Facts • In Baltimore, students who attended a summer academy performed 40%-50% of one grade level higher than students who did not attend. • A review of 39 studies revealed that achievement test scores decline over summer vacation. • As early as the summer between kindergarten and first grade, higher SES children learned more than their lower SES peers. • According to the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, children living in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) projects perform worse than other students; only 53% of such students pass the Math Regents test, compared to 60% of other students.

Analysis To reduce the cost of the program, the New York Board of Education could recruit volunteers through New York City high schools and colleges by creating an official and prestigious program for volunteers, akin to Teach for America. Volunteers would tutor students, lead art projects and organize games. To attract students, the curriculum should be engaging and focus on reading, spelling and mathematics. The effectiveness of the program will be monitored by regular achievement tests, allowing for a comparison between students who attend and those who do not.

The initial program should be implemented in phases so that costs can be reduced and the program can be easily molded to fit both the needs of students and the available budget. The first phase may be as simple as reading and math classes. Later phases may add classes, teachers or activities and use diagnostic tests to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the students and by extension, of the program. Stakeholders A community or an elementary school in a low SES area where test scores are below the city average should be chosen as a pilot school. The program should begin in a small area of lower-SES families where the foundations of summer school already exist. The summer instructor recruitment and training should occur first within the colleges and universities surrounding the school. If the program is successful it can be improved and expanded, possibly by connecting with the New York Public Libraries and the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development. Next Steps The initial steps are the following: • Higher SES students gained points on lobbying for funding; recruiting volreading achievement tests over the sumunteers, teachers, and reaching out mer while lower SES student’s scores deto potential parents; and identifying creased. a pilot school in which to first test the • Summer classes reduce the damages of summer learning loss. program. Achievement tests should • Gender, ethnicity and IQ did not have a be administered at regular intervals consistent influence on summer learning and curriculum should focus on loss – family SES is considered the primary reading, mathematics and spelling. factor. Ideally, after five years there would be New York City summer academies across the city available to elementary school students and programs for older students would begin to develop.

Talking Points

Sources Burkam, David “Social-Class Differences in Summer Learning Between Kindergarten and First Grade: Model Specification and Estimation” Sociology of Education Vol. 77 No. 1 January 2004 Cooper, Harris “The Effects of Summer Vacation on Achievement Test Scores: A Narrative and Meta-Analytic Review” Review of Educational Research Vol. 66, no. 3 (1996) Cooper, Harris “The Effects of Modified School Calendar on Student Achievement and on School and Com munity Attitudes” Review of Educational Research Vol. 73, No. 1 (2003) Schewe, Audrey “Put a Plug in the Summer Brain Drain” CNN.com June 30 2006 “Kids in NYCHA Perform Worse” Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy Report November 25 2008 Schindler, Steven “A Model for the New Inner-City School: KIPP Academics” Pisces Foundation 2000

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The Youth Violence Prevention Program: Preventing High School Dropouts Natalie Doss, University of Chicago The City of Chicago should implement a pilot program, the Youth Violence Prevention Program, which pays youth during their 8th and 9th grade years for attending and doing well in school and extracurricular activities, and punishes youth for failing a class, skipping class, and gun and drug possession by taking away payment and requiring community service. The Green for Grades program is a Chicago pilot program that tries to increase the value of school in youth eyes by paying youth at different increments for good grades. It is one of several programs across the country that EdLabs at Harvard University has helped to design and will evaluate as part of ongoing research on innovative new programs in education. Many city school districts have implemented similar programs. The results show improved performance and interest in school, but policymakers have not collected research on these programs’ effect on youth crime rates. Key Facts Over the past 50 years, many • A total of 510 people were murdered in Chicago Lack of effective evaluation in 2008, and nearly half were between the ages has limited the success of of 10 and 25. current programs intended to • Research suggests that violent crime costs the reduce youth violence. The city of Chicago $2.5 billion per year; this includes Youth Violence Prevention direct and indirect costs of violent crime. program introduces measur• Studies show that young criminals are overwhelmable points of success or failingly high school dropouts; they are most likely to ure by which to determine its begin engaging in violent activity during their 8th success and value. and 9th grade years. • Research also shows that most people who comAnalysis mit crime will not be criminals their entire lives. This program will begin as a pilot program and will be evaluated to see its success before implementing it on a large scale. It will operate on the same level as the pilot Green for Grades program—serving 5,000 13-14 year-old students in schools randomly selected from the Chicago school districts in which youth are most at-risk for turning to crime. Since each student has the opportunity to earn up to $4000 for earning good grades, and $350 per year for participation in an extracurricular all year, the total cost comes to $23.5 million for the two-year pilot program. This could be paid for through Race for the Top money, federal stimulus dollars, and private grants in addition to district support.

Next Steps To implement the program, the Chicago city government must obtain funding from the Harvard Ed Lab, which sponsored the Green for Grades program and other similar programs. Additional funding may be available from sources such as the Joyce foundation and other organizations dedicated to researching effective education and crime-reduction methods. The government should wait to see if the program is cost-effective before implementing it on a larger scale. Furthermore, Chicago must select the school districts in which youth are at the highest risk for turning to crime, contact their administrators, and obtain their cooperation. Those in charge of the program must work with school administrators to set up student bank accounts and a method of payment that allows teachers and extracurricular activity supervisors to evaluate a student’s performance and then ask that the correct payment be added or removed from that student’s account. To evaluate the pilot program, the government should study the student immediately older than those affected by this program (the last ones not served by the program), their dropout and arrest rates, along with those who participated in this program. This must include all those who received it, even those who dropped out or failed Talking Points anyway. The evaluators must study • Studies show that the ages of 13-14 is the the difference between these rates time that kids are most likely to turn to and accurately calculate the amount crime; this program is aimed at exactly of money saved (or lost) by the prothose ages, so it will have maximum effect gram, including indirect costs (i.e. not at minimal cost. just the immediate money saved from • The program attacks youth crime from all crime, but the money saved because angles- making school and after-school people are less afraid of crime). This activities immediately rewarding, breakevaluation is difficult but possible; ing the rules immediately punishable, and the evaluation team can work closely staying off the streets and out of gangs with the University of Chicago Crime more tempting. Lab, obtaining their method for doing this research and use that to perform the evaluation.

Sources Chicago Youth Gun Violence Initiative (2009, March). Gun violence among school-age youth in Chicago. http://crimelab.uchicago.edu/pdf/Gun_Violence_Report.pdf Chicago Public Schools (March 2009). CPS Launches the Paper Project in 20 High Schools Citywide.http:// www.cps.edu/News/Press_releases/2008/Pages/09_11_2008_PR1.aspx Earning Prospects, matching effects, and the Decision to Terminate a Criminal Career (2009, March). http:// www.springerlink.com/content/k245pv441u576522/

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Redistrict Elementary Schools To Promote Economic Diversity Elizabeth Setren, Brandeis University Redistrict Baltimore County Elementary Schools using a controlled choice plan that considers parents’ preferences and economic diversity when assigning schools in order to improve school finance, resources, and the quality of teachers available to lower-access students. Due to concentrated poverty, some elementary schools have a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students while other schools have only a small fraction. Inequalities experienced in the home are compounded in elementary school because high poverty schools tend to have high teacher and student attrition, lower parental involvement, less experienced teachers, lower per student expenditures, lower test scores, and more untreated health problems. Economic desegregation should be considered in the upcoming review of the Key Facts Baltimore County Public Schools districting policy to accomplish positive changes • In 2006, 52 percent of students at in school finance, resources and quality Baltimore County’s Owings Mills Elof teachers available to lower class stuementary School received free or dents, and school diversity . A controlled reduced lunch compared to only 3.7 school choice plan, in which families rank percent at neighboring Fort Garrison their school choices and schools are asElementary School. signed based on family preferences, an economic diversity index, transportation costs, and projected demographic changes, will improve economic integration and mitigate enrollment balances. Baltimore County Public Schools should be redistricted to increase the enrollment in the 29 schools that are at 80 percent capacity and decrease the enrollment at the 75 overcrowded schools . This is a more financially sensible plan than the current policy of building new schools and facilities to accommodate for over enrollment, especially since the student population is expected to decline. While there is significant opposition to redistricting, financial concerns and imbalances in school enrollments make it a pressing concern and politically feasible with proper implementation. To minimize disruption, only new students enrolling in Baltimore County Public Schools for the first time who do not have older siblings in the public schools will participate in the controlled school choice plan. Transportation will be provided to ensure equal access. Schools will have extensive orientation programs for parents and children. Teachers, staff, and administrators will participate in cultural sensitivity training. Other districts have successfully redistricted to promote racial and economic diversity. Lynn, MA adopted a voluntary racial desegregation plan in 1987 that enabled students to transfer schools if the transfer decreased segregation. The program resulted in in-

creased attendance, improved school discipline, a stable white student enrollment, and increased safety. Due to the positive outcomes enjoyed by all students and the way the program was implemented, there was limited community-wide backlash from the program. Cambridge, MA enacted a controlled choice plan and a survey of Cambridge’s high school students show that students of each racial group had “very positive experiences” in school and felt they were well prepared to “live and work effectively in very diverse settings.” The majority of research shows that racial and socioeconomic integration yields significant gains in achievement and life outcomes, leading to higher test scores, increased graduation rates , and greater college success . Students exposed to more diverse educational settings are more likely to live and work in diverse settings . Therefore, a controlled school choice plan could result in academic and social gains for the students and subsequently reflect positively on the administration, teachers, and staff of Baltimore County Public Schools. The costs of the program would include administrative costs for school assignments and increased transportation costs, which will be minimized since distance to the school will be considered in school assignments.

Talking Points

• Economic desegregation will accomplish positive changes in school finance, resources and quality of teachers available to lower class students, and school diversity. • Decreasing economic segregation could result in better performing schools, equalized school funding and resources, greater diversity, and improved life outcomes for lower income students.

Next Steps Community meetings with parents, teachers, students, administrators, and staff should be held to gauge interest, inform, address concerns, and garner support. This should establish a coalition of supportive parties which can then approach Superintendent Dr. Joe Hairston and the School Board to advocate for a controlled school choice plan. Due to the pressing concerns of enrollment imbalances, a recent legislative audit charged Baltimore County Public Schools to reevaluate its districting policy, making this proposal timely. Sources Christopher B. Swanson, “Sketching a Portrait of Public High School Graduation: Who Graduates? Who Doesn’t,” in Gary Orfield, ed., Dropouts in America: Confronting the Graduation Rate Crisis, Cambridge: Harvard Education Press, 2004, pp. 29-30. Comfort v. Lynn School Committee, 283 F. Supp. 2d 328 (D. Mass. 2003), at 376. “Enrollment Imbalance.” The Baltimore Sun. November 3, 2008. 27, Nov. 2008. Haurin, Donald and Brasington, David. “School Quality and Real House Prices: Inter- and Intrametropolitan Effects.” Journal of Housing Economics. Vol 5 (4). December 1996. 351-368. Kurlaender, Michal and Yun, John T, The Impact of Racial and Ethnic Diversity on Educational Outcomes: Cambridge, MA School District, The Civil Rights Project, Harvard University, January 2002. Orfield, Gary and Lee, Chungmei, Why Segregation Matters: Poverty and Educational Inequality, The Civil Rights Project, Harvard University, January 2005. Ryan, Rebecca, Fauth Rebecca, and Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne. “Childhood Poverty: Implications for School Readi ness and Early Childhood Education.” Handbook of Research on the Education of Young Children, Second Edition. Ed. Spodek, Bernard and Saracho, Olivia. Routledge, 2006. 323-346. 325. School Matters. Compare Schools Tool. Standard & Poor’s. November 28, 2008.

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Optional Child Care Certification Gabriel A. Buzinski, Michigan State University Michigan should implement a minimum set of requirements that childcare providers must fulfill in order to receive payment from the Michigan childcare stipend. Although recognized by the federal government, preschool—pre-kindergarten, kinder care, Head Start, and other forms of childcare—is not regulated in the same way that k-12 education is; states determine how they will address preschool. In Michigan, preschool allocations are left up to districts: some have a preschool program that is incorporated into the public school system; others rely on private enterprise and some utilize a combination. Districts that have preschools in the public system are making education-focused preschool programs available; but many private preschools only provide non-educative preschool, or childcare. These programs do not focus on any type of educational material. Research shows that educaKey Facts tive preschool programs are • The state saves an average of $3,143 per person imperative to the success in welfare costs for participants of educationof the children who attend based preschool programs.1 them—students not in educa• The state saves an average of $5,320 per person tive preschool quickly fall bein crime and delinquency costs for participants hind, as these first conceptual of education based preschool programs.1 steps are critical in a child’s • Participants of education based preschool proeducation. Research shows grams are 15-20% more likely to graduate from that educative preschool prohigh school.2 grams can provide an increase in reading and math skills that result in an estimated $7,600 increase of lifelong earnings.1 Participants of these programs have 50% fewer lifetime arrests than non-participants, and are 15-20% more likely to graduate from high school than non-participants.3 When the Carolina Abecedarian Project, a model educative preschool, tested alumni at ages 8, 15 and 21, these students, at every age group, were more advanced academically and socially than their peers who attended a preschool without a focus on education.4 Unfortunately, in Michigan, many non-educational preschool programs, or childcare programs, are directly funded by the state. Michigan provides a childcare stipend to struggling families so that they can send their child to the childcare provider of their choice while they work.5 The majority of these childcare programs provide childcare that lacks an educational focus. Michigan should 1) define a minimum set of qualifications that preschool and childcare providers must meet in order to receive payment from the Michigan childcare stipend and 2) create opportunities for program providers to meet these qualifications. Beginning in the year 2015, Michigan should only dispense payment from the Michigan childcare stipend to educationally certified preschool and childcare providers. Although pro-

viders will, after this point, still have the option to provide care without certification, they will not qualify for the stipend. The qualifications that Michigan defines should focus on the implementation of social development activities and the creation of lessons that provide introduction to academic concepts. Michigan should create a program—a three week, state-funded and regulated course—for preschool providers to attain these qualifications. For programs that are already education focused, this course can be waived. By creating clear standards and a corresponding pathway by which preschool and childcare providers become educationally certified, Michigan will increase the number of quality preschool and childcare options for families with a low annual income. Other than economic cost, an obstacle to this proposal is that many existing non-educational childcare providers are elderly, less educated, and live on a fixed and/or low income. This means that they may be less able to easily transport themselves to the qualifiTalking Points cation course and may find • In Michigan, preschool is not funded by the it harder to absorb new and state, and thus all preschool programs come at unfamiliar training. However, a cost to the child’s family. the certification is optional and • Preschool tuition limits choices for struggling these individuals can choose to families. provide care without the certi• The creation of a minimum set of childcare qualfication. The payment restricifications will allow struggling families the option tion on the childcare stipend of attending childcare programs that have some does not take effect until 2015. standard of educational focus. Therefore many of the care providers that choose not to get certified due to age will have retired and will not be affected by the restrictions of the stipend payment. Not only is this program an investment in Michigan’s students, it is also an economic investment that will eventually save the state money in areas such as crime and welfare. Ensuring the quality of education for Michigan’s youth will ensure the quality of Michigan’s future.

Sources 1. Barnett, Steven W., “Benefit-Cost Analysis of the Perry Preschool Program and Its Policy Implications”. American Educational Research Association. Vol. 7, No. 4. 333-342. 2. Magnuson, Katherine A.; Meyers, Marcia K.; Ruhm, Christopher J.; Jane Waldfogel. “Inequality in Pre school Education and School Readiness”. American Educationl Research Journal, Vol. 41, No. 1. 115-157. 3. Barnett, Steven W. and Clive R. Belfield. “Early Childhood Development and Social Mobility”. The Future of Children, Vol. 16, No. 2, 73-98. 4. Magnuson, Katherine A.; Meyers, Marcia K.; Ruhm, Christopher J.; Jane Waldfogel. “Inequality in Preschool Education and School Readiness”. American Educationl Research Journal, Vol. 41, No. 1. 115-157. 5. Udow, Marianne. “Child care and Development Fund Plan for Michigan”. State of Michigan, Department of Human Services. Lansing, Michigan. www.michigan.gov/documents/dhs/DHS-CDC-StatePlan2007-09DRAFT_197688_7.pdf

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Closing the Education Gap For Special Needs Students in Prison Raymond Xi, Nabeem Hashem, Tyler He, Mingtoy Taylor, Anya van Wagtendonk, Sarah Krinsky, Shira Petrack, Brian Bills, Kristia Wantchekon, Bryan Kam, Samuel Schoenburg - Yale University Center on Education As many as 7 in 10 incarcerated youths may suffer from disabilities that impede their ability to learn (Burrell and Warboys 1). In order to enhance the rehabilitation and educational process for these youths, we propose greater state funding for a three-pronged initiative addressing the process of identifying special needs students, individualized curriculums for special needs students, and teacher training to deal with special needs students. A significant proportion of youth in the juvenile justice system have education-related disabilities. While some studies show that between 25% and 40% of students in correctional facilities are afflicted with learning disabilities (Coffey and Key Facts Gemignani 85), this may in reality be • As many as 7 in 10 incarcerated youths as high as 70% (Burrell and Warboys may suffer from a learning disability. 1). Prison schools have an obligation • These students face significant disadvanunder the Individuals with Disabilitages in the classroom, causing higher deties Education Act (IDEA) to provide linquency and recidivism. disabled youths with a free, appropriate public education. IDEA mandates that school districts have a “child find obligation” to seek out all youths with disabilities, and that when identified, these youths have individualized education programs (IEPs) in effect at the beginning of every school year (Burrell and Warboys 3). Proposal To close the education gap for special needs students in youth prisons, we propose funding for a three-pronged initiative: 1. Identification: A thorough evaluation and identification system must become part of the standard operating procedure for all youths as soon as they enter the juvenile justice system. This identification process should involve a number of features. Firstly, juvenile justice professionals should actively collect information on incoming students, including gathering previous school records on performance or history of special need, and interviewing the student’s parents. Secondly, teachers should be alert in the classroom from the earliest moments for clues about the existence of learning disabilities, including previously unidentified ones. Thirdly, juvenile justice staff should also spend time accurately diagnosing the source of the student’s disability, as these may vary from specific learning disabilities to emotional disturbance (Coffey and Gemignani 86).

2. Individualized education programs: IDEA already mandates that each youth who can be identified as having special needs have an individualized education program (IEP) formulated for him or her. The IEP includes measures of assessment of disability, goals to reach through education, ways to measure progress to those goals, a basic timeline in which to achieve the goals, and a determination of the extent to which the student will interact with students in mainstream classrooms (Burrell and Warboys 3). However, especially for incarcerated youth, there must be an emphasis on engaging students in challenging classroom activities, moving away from the basic model of drill instruction and moving into more interesting and stimulating critical thinking instruction (Coffey and Gemignani 81). If we assume that incarcerated youth can achieve more, we will be giving them the tools to actually attain meaningful rehabilitation. Curriculums should reflect that willingness to keep as many students as possible in more challenging, mainstream, and appropriate classes. 3. Staff training: One of the common problems facing prison schools is the lack of trained and certified staff to deal with special needs students (Coffey and Gemignani 87). Successful training programs should address the legal mandates of IDEA, identifying for various disabilities and the kind of settings most conducive for educational success, the Talking Points effect of an institutional setting on such a disabil• The Individuals with Disabilities Act manity in the development of dates a “child find obligation” and “indiIEPs, and how to create vidualized education programs.” continuity for released • Many prison schools do not have the inmates. In particular, trained staff, facilities or funding to cater we propose a model of to special needs students. training similar to that instituted by the Baltimore School System in Maryland, which partners with universities such as John Hopkins, Loyola College and Towson University to provide cost-effective, comprehensive training programs for teachers in correctional systems. These programs often provide specific, up-to-date information training on special needs education for incarcerated youths.

Sources Burrell, Sue and Loren Warboys, “Special Education and the Juvenile Justice System.” US Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justince and Delinquency Prevention, Juvenile Justice Bulletin, July 2000. Coffey, Osa and Maia Gemignani, “Effective Practices in Juvenile Correctional Education: A Study of the Literature and Research 1980-1992.” US Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquent Prevention, August 1994.

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Modernizing Lighting in Schools: Learning, Health, and Fiscal Benefits Kathleen Henning and Daniel Hessel, Northwestern University The installation of full-spectrum lighting has benefits for students, schools and the environment. Currently, many schools rely on a combination of magnetic ballasts and T-12 lights. These lights are energy inefficient and flicker due to voltage fluctuations, causing headaches and eye strain. Replacing these with electronic ballasts and T-8 lights will greatly improve students’ performance in the classroom. A combination of electronic ballasts and T-8 lights provides a full-spectrum that is similar to the light provided by the sun. A 2000 classroom study in three states identified 20 percent higher math scores, 26 percent higher reading scores for students with the most daylight in their classrooms. Full-spectrum lighting is the most advanced way to artificially achieve the effect of daylight. A 1996 study showed that students in schools with full-spectrum lighting attend school Key Facts 3.2 to 3.8 more days per school year, • Over 25 percent of all students attend have a better disposition, and engage schools that are considered below stanin less off-task behavior. Students are dard or dangerous. also healthier. The same study, con• Many schools do not meet curducted over a two-year period, indirent lighting standards of 50 cated that, due to increased Vitamin foot standard candle brightness. D intake, students who attended Nearly two-thirds of schools have buildschools with full-spectrum lighting ing features that are in need of extensive had 9 times less dental decay and repair or replacement. Infrastructure grew an average of 2.1 centimeters problems, such as outdated lighting cremore than students who attended ate unnecessarily high operational costs schools without such lighting. for schools. Additionally, full-spectrum lighting has environmental benefits. Compared to other lighting, it emits less carbon dioxide and is a more efficient type of lighting, as one full-spectrum bulb can replace two fluorescent bulbs. A recent review of thirty schools in Massachusetts showed that “green schools” using full-spectrum lighting on average used 33 percent less energy than schools with conventional lighting. The New York Times building recently installed full-spectrum lighting and has reduced its carbon dioxide emissions by 1250 metric tons, and reduced energy use from lighting by 70 percent. Beyond its positive effects on students and the environment, full-spectrum lighting provides benefits for schools themselves. Because the light from one full-spectrum bulb can replace two fluorescent bulbs, such lighting provides long-term savings for schools. Since its building’s transition to full-spectrum lighting, the New York Times saves $315,000 per year. ETHS’s facilities manager estimates that a transition to full-spectrum lighting, in conjunction with other efficiency upgrades, would save the school approximately $500,000 annually. Such long-term savings from the use of full-spectrum lighting will help schools’ financial stability. These funds will allow schools to use the savings to reinvest in other

aspects of students’ education such as new supplies, upgraded academic and athletic facilities, etc. Opposition Undoubtedly, the biggest barrier to approval of full-spectrum lighting installation is the immediate cost of such upgrades. Replacing all of the magnetic ballasts and T-12 lights in a building does involve significant funding. An upgrade of this system with the more desirable electronic ballasts and T-8 lights costs about $100 per lighting fixture. As a frame of reference, ETHS has about 5,000 bulbs; to complete its upgrade of lighting, the school needs to invest an additional $350,000. While the initial investment is substantial, the long-term savings will pay for the cost and provide schools with more capital for reinvestment. Next Steps Despite current economic conditions, it is imperative for schools to invest in upgrades to full-spectrum lighting. The process has demonstrable benefits for education, and creates “green jobs”, two priorities of President Obama and the Democratic Congress. These priorities are evident in the American Recovery and Talking Points Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which provides $44.5 bil• Full-spectrum lighting is the best way for schools to lion in aid to school dismeet brightness standards for their classrooms. tricts to invest in infra• Full-spectrum lighting is correlated with better test structural modernization. scores, higher attendance, and less off-task behavConsequently, there is no ior by students. better time for schools to • Full-spectrum lights emit less carbon dioxide and use available federal aid to use less energy than traditional fluorescent bulbs. improve their lighting sys• Full-spectrum lighting is approximately twice as effitems, creating subsequent cient as fluorescent lighting, meaning its installation long-term savings and imand use saves schools money. proving overall educational quality.

Sources Heschong Mahone Group. Daylighting in Schools: An Investigation into the Relationship Between Daylighting and Human Performance, August 1999. Nicklas, Michael H. and Gary B. Bailey. Student Performance in Daylit Schools, 1996. Kats, Greg, Jeff Perlman and Sachin Jamadagni. National Review of Green Schools: Costs, Benefits and Impli cations for Massachusetts: A Report for the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, November 2005. “NY Times Building Cuts Lighting Energy Needs 70%,” Environmental Leader, November 13, 2008. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law No. 111-5).

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Affirmative Action Centered Around Economic Status Kareem Kalil, University of Maryland - College Park By restructuring their affirmative action policies to increase opportunities for all low-income students, colleges and universities can enhance diversity on their campuses and provide aid to students that need it the most. Affirmative action policies were first implemented with the goal of promoting equal opportunity to groups that had been subjected to discrimination. As a result of these policies, minorities have increased economic opportunity and access to jobs that were unavailable in the past. Indeed, average income for minorities has approached those of their counterparts, and civil rights laws and other legislation have improved employment and other economic opportunities for individuals from minority backgrounds. On the other hand, affirmative action has done little to target prospective students who have been hindered by another crippling disadvantage—being born into low-income families. Students of lower socioeconomic status are subject to similar discrimination to which minorities have been accustomed. They are more likely to experience abuse, domestic and gang violence, and do not have equal access to quality Key Facts education. • Current affirmative action policies result Given that the major reason for the in benefits to African-American and Hisinitiation of affirmative action was panic students equal to an extra 230 and to level the economic playing field 185 points on the SAT, respectively. Lowfor minorities, many critics of curincome students receive no benefits. rent policies point to the fact that • At the 146 most selective colleges and unithe chronically poor are excluded versities, 74% of students come from the from receiving any benefits. Many wealthiest socio-economic quarter of the students from significantly lower population, and just 3% come from the economic standing continue to sufpoorest quarter. fer with no institutional means of overcoming their disadvantage. Analysis Universities perennially take steps to cut costs. To avoid spending their endowments, many universities increasingly admit students who do not need financial aid. This exacerbates conditions for students who are unable to fund their own education. Students able to overcome pervading difficulties such as gang violence, poor elementary and secondary education, and a lack of resources to be admitted to college often require financial aid. Deans of some colleges have compounded this problem, saying that budget cuts will force their colleges to make decisions detrimental to furthering socio-economic diversity on campus. Although students are unable to influence their own socio-economic standing, there is no policy in place to protect the equal rights to education of students in bad financial situations.

Without a policy in place, colleges cannot be held accountable for making decisions that provide an additional hurdle to low-income students’ college aspirations. Moreover, these policies lead to a lack of diversity in institutions of higher education. Having such a homogenous community hinders the education of all students by preventing academic interaction with an integrated student body. By segregating society’s economic groups, a threat is posed to the future of our country, which may come to see two distinct groups of citizens trying to collaborate despite no history of interaction. The repercussions of this would be vast. Next Steps Public universities should be federally required to give students from low-income families similar advantages and preferences that they currently give to minorities. These universities will see an increase in a previously untapped source of diversity. Funding to overcome disparities between income and tuition costs can be produced through work-study programs implemented by the government and universities during the summer and the school year. While the government will have to incur some of these costs, this policy will benefit our nation by ensuring equal access to higher education based solely on merit. Also, admitting more lower income students will play a major role Talking Points in limiting the growing gap between • Americans reject current affirmative acthe rich and the poor. If students tion policies by a 2 to 1 ratio, while they have performed through adversity support policies supportive of low inand wish to attend an institute of come applicants of all races by this same higher education, difficult economic margin. circumstances should not be a bar• Universities are beginning to make admisrier to them. sion decisions based on a student’s ability to pay without financial aid in order to compensate for shrinking endowments.

Sources Kahlenberg, Richard D. “Still Forgotten: Low Income Students At Selective Colleges.” Minding The Campus: Reforming Our Universities. 8 May 2008. The Manhattan Institute. 2 Apr. 2009. Lafer, Jared. “Reforming affirmative action.” Editorial. Brown Daily Herald [Providence, RI] 30 Oct. 2008. 21 Mar. 2009 . Zernike, Kate. “Paying in Full as the Ticket Into Colleges.” The New York Times 30 Mar. 2009.

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Universal Counseling: A Post-Secondary Guidance Program David Weinberger, CUNY Hunter College In an effort to maximize student achievement and college turnover rates, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) should mandate a Postsecondary Guidance Program (PGP) that would require each school to adhere to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA)-suggested ratio of 250 students to each guidance counselor. In light of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s 2002 centralization of NYC public schooling, a centralized college readiness program has become feasible. Though broad in scale, the proposed program is not entirely unprecedented. College admission guidance programs in high schools have been implemented in the private sector for a number of years. The universalized system of guidance across City schools would simply tap into a market that already possesses basic infrastructure, and trained specialists (i.e., guidance Key Facts counselors and admissions officers). • The NYC DOE has about 2700 guidance counselors and about 1.1 million Analysis students. To account for the $108.8 million in new • The ratio is about 400 students to every costs to the DOE that this new proNew York City guidance counselor—150 gram would incur, there would need to more students per counselor than the be an addition to the budget allocation ASCA recommend. for each school outside of the existing • The average student spends 20 minutes Fair Student Funding (FSF). FSF fundper year talking to a counselor. ing, an itemized and weighted system of budgeting, would be insufficient to meet the needs of a standardized guidance program. Because the guidance program is comprehensive and should not be judged solely by the progress of particular and itemized groups of students, the FSF weighting system would not be appropriate. Instead, PGP counselors and their local school officials should work together to create an annual PGP budget request for DOE approval. This additional fundting will increat the school system’s overall budget. In order to incentivize effective implementation of this proposal, there should be a system of rewards: high schools that have experienced a growth in the number of seniors going on to higher education will be eligible for increased funding, as will be specified in each PGP budget request for approval. The new system of rewards would act as incentive for schools to send more students on to college, and would put substantial pressure on schools to complete a higher budget request for the guidance department. The PGP is the most feasible way to increase the quality of New York City students’ education while still maintaining the system’s current pedagogical and hierarchical structure. The DOE would not suffer structurally as a result of this plan, and would not require any fundamental or functional shifts. This proposal will create a tangible product yielding success that is measurable by current DOE standards (i.e., time each counselor spends

with each student per academic year, number of students going on to higher education, and the satisfaction of students with the degree to which they are being represented in their governance). Next Steps 1. In the year preceding the first budget review following the implementation of the program, the DOE should hire at least one half of the 1,700 counselors needed for the citywide program, and distribute them citywide. Early priority should be given to schools with the highest student-to-counselor ratios, and to those with the lowest amount of seniors going on to higher education. 2. Prior to the filing of the school’s FSF, PGP and school officials should review the needs of the new college guidance program and complete the PGP budget request for DOE approval. The PGP budget should be reviewed by the DOE independently of the FSF. Following DOE review of every school’s PGP budget request, the counselors should be required to meet with the Chancellor of Schools, as per the proposed PGP’s provisions. 3. Following the first budget review, the DOE should hire and distribute the remainder of the 1,700 counselors, bringing the citywide student-to-counselor ratio to roughly 250-to-1, the ASCA recommended ratio.

Talking Points • A lower student-to-counselor ratio would result in more students from New York City going on to two or four-year institutions, and more attention would be paid to college-eligible students. • An essential facet of the program would be fair counselor representation in the Department of Education. As per the provisions set forth in the UFT’s 2007-2009 Guidance Counselor Contract, “Counselors will be involved in the planning of the school’s guidance program.” • Guidance department representatives, who maintain constant proximity to students, would serve as an unprecedented instrument for student advocacy in the New York City Department of Education.

Sources National College Advising Corps, “The Need for an Advising Corps,” About the Corps, http://www.advisingcorps.org/page/the-need-for-anadvising-corps, Accessed 6 March 2009. UFT, “An essential job,” The United Federation of Teachers, http://www.uft.org/news/teacher/editorial/essential_job/, Accessed 11 February 2009. National College Advising Corps, “The Need for an Advising Corps,” About the Corps, http://www.advisingcorps.org/page/the-need-for-anadvising-corps, Accessed 6 March 2009. Laura W. Perna, et. al., “The Role of College Counseling in Shaping College Opportunity: Variations across High Schools,” The Review of Higher Education (Winter 2008, Vol. 31, No. 2), 131-159. Joel Klein, Guidance Counselors’ Contract (2007 – 2009), The United Federation of Teachers, http://www.uft.org/member/contracts/guidance_ counselor/guide_coun2007-2009.pdf, Accessed 11 February 2009. David J. Weinberger, “Decreasing the Student-to-Guidance Counselor Ratio in New York City High Schools Through the Universal Implementation of a Citywide Postsecondary Guidance Program (PGP),” The Progressive Perspective: Solutions for NYC, 2009 Note: This measure should be considered stopgap, and is not a permanent paradigm to which the policy must adhere upon further implementa tion. Elizabeth M. Altmaier and Frederick T.L. Leong, Encyclopedia of Counseling: Changes and Challenges for Counseling in the 21st Century (Los Angeles: Sage, 2008), 381.

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Think Impact Profile: Healthy Eating After School Raul Mendoza, Columbia University

The Education Center at Columbia University’s Roosevelt chapter has worked

with the Partnership for After-School Education (PASE) since February 2009 to develop a policy statement on their initiative to promote healthy eating in after school programs. Childhood obesity has become epidemic in poor and minority communities in New York City. PASE and Roosevelt hope to create a program that teaches children and parents about the importance of healthy lifestyle choices. Through tools such as a cookbook and possible partnership between food providers and after school programs, the initiative hopes to educate and motivate communities. Center members have visited PASE partner programs and presented policy to the Children’s Health Advisory Council, of which the center is a member. Visiting afterschool programs allowed center members to see education policy in action, and the concrete effects that after school programming has on children. The relationship between PASE and Roosevelt has allowed Roosevelt members to create lasting ties to the New York City community. Mindful of the need to preserve programs despite budget cuts, the education center hopes to continue working with PASE, proposing alternative solutions that both streamline existing programs and create efficient new ones. Student Leaders: Nick Turner, Clare Kelley, Raul Mendoza - Columbia University Who They Worked With: Krystal Hoderick, Public Health Intern at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, and Dr. Shelly Wimpfheimer, Executive Director of PASE. To see how this project develops, visit www.roosevelt.campusnetwork.org and show your support for the Columbia chapter.

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