Rising to Greatness; An Imperative for Improving Iowa's Schools Report

On Iowa Education Summit  hosted by governor Terry Branstand last year in Des Moines, State Director of Iowa Department of Education presented a report that presented the challenges Iowa Education System is facing and possible measures to take to improve Iowa's standing as a national leader  in the public education.
Findings of the report showed that Iowa results in NAEP ( National Assessment of Educational Progress) test have deteriorated and that in 2009 13 states  were scoring significantly higher than Iowa. In 1992 Iowa was at the top on NAEP results for the fourth grade reading.
The eight grade mathematics results in NEAP in the same time period from 1992 to 2009 showed  a similar trend.  Iowa's eight grade mathematics scores fell  from the top of the nation to average.
These results do not show that Iowa's performance diminished. The scores  have stayed stagnant while other states and countries have made efforts to dramatically improve their achievement results.

Even though  Iowa demographics has changed in the past ten years ( increase in minority student population  from 10% to now 18% and in the number of students who are English Language Learners) results from NAEP  assessment  in 2009 show  that Iowa's majority white students are underperforming and are significantly below the national avarage for white poor and non-poor students.  Other states that surpassed Iowa in NAEP assessments have also experienced demographic changes in more diversity in student population, economically and ethnically but they have made efforts to improve their education systems and achievements.

I did not get a clear understanding  into possible reasons for this stagnation and slide in Iowa Educational results from the report.  Author mentioned the demographic changes Iowa has experienced in the past ten years, but other states that have surpassed Iowa in NAEP assessments  have experienced similar changes.  I was expecting more complex analysis of factors that contributed to Iowa students underperforming.
With this document governor Branstand and Raynolds released their recommendations for educational reform that would restore Iowa's standing as a leader in our nation's education and  prepare all students to compete for jobs in global economy.  The recommendations that are outlined include:

1. Iowa must have clear standards and high expectations for all students with fair measures for results

2. Iowa should build and support highly effective educators
3. a fair and aligned system  which supports feedback at all levels;
4. innovation should boosts learning;  we should have innovative learning environments in our classrooms  enriched by technology

In order for Iowa to compete internationally in quality of education, I believe that we should examine the educational systems and methods of teaching in industrially developed countries whose students perform so well on PISA ( Programme for International Student Assessment).  Surely we can learn something from them.  William Mathis,  managing director of the National Education Policy Center and former Vermont superintendent states that the reasons for not so good performance of our students in PISA assessments is that Federal and state policy makers continue to embrace reforms that have little positive effect while ignoring reforms that make a difference.

http://beyondthebricksproject.com/blog/what-international-test-scores-really-tell-us-lessons-buried-pisa-report

Michael Davidson, principal analyst for OECD ( Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development ) that coordinates PISA assessments,  based in Paris commented on National Public Radio that one of the striking things is the impact the social background has on US education success.
Twenty percent  of US. performance on PISA tests was attributed to  social background which is much higher than in other nations.  Davidson went on to point out that US just does not distribute financial resources and quality teachers equally.
Finance studies show that funding across our schools  is inequitable and inadequate.

I believe that to improve our educational system not only on the level of Iowa but also on the level of United States,  the federal government should invest more money in public education and teaching professionals.  Perhaps we should look at Finland as a role model for the reform of educational system.  Finland have made teaching profession desirable and respectable. They have made demanding and strict criteria for teaching education requirements.  Finish teachers earn very competitive salaries. Finish school system rejected the standardized testing. The Finish  National Board of Education concluded that such tests would consume too much instructional time and generate undue stress.  The only time that Finish students take standardized tests is as high school seniors if they wish go to university. ( "The New Republic: The US Could  Learn from Finland" by Samuel E. Abrahms)

http://www.npr.org/2011/01/28/133301331/the-new-republic-the-u-s-could-learn-from-finland


In the age of neoliberalism that is so prevalent in our country, politicians and education policy makers should demonstrate that not everything in society should be run for profit and that we need to invest in public education adequately and equally from both federal and state levels.