District Administration - October 2012 - (Page 59)

gap between the “haves” and “have nots.” But it’s not all about the financial inequities, Levine admits. “Colleges aren’t saying they need civics for admissions, so if a school district is doing fine [on core competency exams], they include civics education. When things get rough and there’s a school dropout rate of roughly 30 percent or more, they just cut civics.” At that point, Levine says that many schools also cut arts, music and other programs because they are so focused on reading and writing tests. These programs, which help students learn in nontraditional avenues, also help them become more collaborative, team-oriented and civic-minded—all skills that are essential for life after school. “It’s horrible on multiple levels,” Levine says. “They are no longer learning more of the challenging skills to get them into college and for the workplace. It’s very shortsighted, and the way we deal with it is disastrous.” Testing and Accountability If schools don’t test students’ civic knowledge and skills, they become afterthoughts in education, especially in schools where many pupils are at risk of failing the subjects that are tested. Yet in the schools where students are tested in civics, teachers tend to focus on the basic facts of government instead of teaching students principles they can apply as engaged citizens. The civics section of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only test done on a national level and is only administered every three years. While it gives some useful information, Levine says that it is limited because there’s no way to tell how pupils are doing in different states—only how kids are doing on a national level, which averages out the extreme differences. It’s also hard to tell how American children are doing compared to their counterparts in other countries, since there aren’t any recent studies. The last IEA Civic Education Study (which is conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement) that the United States participated in was administered in 1999-2000 and tested the civic knowledge of students in 28 counwww.DistrictAdministration.com Teacher’s Pet. Why do Hitachi’s interactive and ultra short throw LCD projectors receive such preferential treatment in the classroom? They make learning faster and teaching easier. Choose from a variety of high performance models, each specifically designed to enhance the educational experience—for students and teachers. Leading edge projector technology helps stimulate the imagination of students of all ages and makes your lessons become more interesting, compelling and memorable. Vivid colors. Bold graphics. Crisp text. It’s easy to see how Hitachi’s best and brightest will become your classroom favorite. 1.800.HITACHI hitachi-america.us/projectors October 2012 59 http://www.hitachi-america.us/projectors http://www.hitachi-america.us/projectors http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - October 2012

District Administration - October 2012
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Facilities
The Democrats and Republicans’ National Education Platforms
District Profile
Administrator Profile
The Challenge of Assessing Project-Based Learning
Why Teaching Civic Engagement Is Essential
Superintendents’ Frustration Grows, but Intangible Rewards Remain High
Not Your Grandparents’ Vocational School
CIO News
Keeping Pace with Technology Innovation
Managing BYOD Effectively
New Products
Noteworthy Books
Professional Opinion
Professional Opinion
Problem Solution
Going Mobile

District Administration - October 2012