This decision creates additional funding opportunities for schools interested in Power2Achieve programming and extending it from school context to the family.

In his speech, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan pointed out: “At various times, Congress and the department have promoted parent advisory council meetings, volunteering in school, school-parent compacts, and helping children learn at home. Yet these and other policies have rarely been shown to move the needle on student achievement. It is well-documented—and plain common sense—that parental involvement in a child’s education boosts student learning and improves both behavior and attendance. We know that children with parents who are engaged in their education are less likely to drop out.”

The DOE press release is available here: http://www2.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2010/05/05052010.html

The preliminary data results can be seen at: http://excellenceandethics.com/assess/CEEA_v4.2_ReliabilityValidity.pdf

As I shared before, all scales, including the ones added in version 4.2, have Cronbach’s alphas that range from .83 to .94. These are excellent results for the internal consistency of the scales supporting reliability and validity of CEEA. Validity of a survey is further demonstrated by how well the pattern of relationships identified in the data confirms what can be expected theoretically. Let me mention just a couple of observations that point to strong validity of CEEA.

Individuals tend to perceive themselves more positively than others, especially if they are asked to report on ability, rather than actual behavior. In these data, just as one would expect, students on average report much higher perceptions of their own Competencies of Excellence/Ethics (3.74/3.82), compared to their reports of peer behaviors captured in the scales of Culture of Excellence/Ethics (2.88/2.91).

When examining the pattern of bivariate correlations in student data, the highest predictors of student competencies and school culture are faculty practices impacting excellence/ethics and faculty support for & engagement of students. At the same time, Student Safety is barely correlated with students’ reports of competencies and strongly correlated with their perceptions of student culture. Again, taken together, this pattern of relationships confirms what would be expected theoretically.

There is a similar pattern in the faculty data. Faculty give highest responses on the items about their own practices impacting excellence and ethics (4.17 and 4.09). However, in the correlations data, we see that these same scales are just barely correlated with faculty assessments of student competencies and student culture of excellence and ethics (from .111 to .169). Instead, faculty perceptions of what other faculty do (measured by such scales as Faculty Support for & Engagement of Students, Faculty Beliefs & Behaviors) are all much strong predictors of student competencies and culture (from .412 to .553).

For students, perceptions of peers (the Culture scales) are only modestly correlated with reports of students’ own competencies (from .269 to .306). In faculty data, however, student culture scales are stronger predictors of student competencies than any of the faculty practices/behaviors (from .610 to .688). This is to be expected, as faculty tend to think similarly about students and somewhat differently about themselves and colleagues. (In statistical and research methods language, one would refer to this pattern of findings as evidence of divergent/convergent validity).

More work remains to be done to collect the remaining data and generate school CEEA (CREE) reports. While giving strong support to the validity of the instrument, these results also identify a range of concerns, such as the discrepancy in faculty’s beliefs about their own work and what happens around them in the school I just mentioned. When studied carefully and discussed with an open mind by school leadership teams and faculty, the CEEA reports should provide excellent entry points for serious dialogue and decision-making for improvement.

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April 26, 2010

IOWA NEEDS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATION

By Elliott Smith – Executive Director, Iowa Business Council

 In the 4^th century B.C., Aristotle said, “The fate of empires depends on the education of youth.”  Today, more than ever, education is the key determinant of who will best succeed in the 21^st century, when technology dominates as never before.

 It is difficult to discuss the concept of economic development without recognizing its critical dependence on a rigorous education system.  The new “typical worker” will be asked to competently apply basic math, reading, and science skills in ever-more creative and innovative business environments.  The proficiency of educators to stimulate and engage the interest of students in these areas will determine the extent to which Iowa’s economy continues to grow and compete in the world marketplace.  IBC believes:

 — Our children and young adults must be prepared for the demands of today’s global society,engaged with an innovative and vibrant preK-16 education system that:

 spurs student achievement in key subject areas like math, science, reading, problem solving, creative thinking, team building, cultural awareness, foreign languages, financial literacy, physical and nutrition education, and the arts;

• incorporates the latest best practices and current technologies;
• drives administrative efficiency throughout the system; 
• promotes excellence and ethics in all aspects of performance and moral character, such as health and wellness, effort, diligence, work ethic, positive attitude, self-discipline, honesty, respect, dependability, and integrity;
• encourages and facilitates professional development for teachers and merit-based assessment of their performance; and,
• enhances a meaningful lifelong learning experience for all Iowans.

 — To be most effective, the academic opportunities for the flow of students between Iowa’s secondary and post-secondary school systems need to be as seamless as possible.  It is essential to have healthy, aggressive, and accessible post-secondary institutions that offer advanced learning opportunities to high schools.  

This state owes much of its current stature to the investment of human and financial resources made by past generations.  Going forward, our obligation is to renew those commitments in education, research, and innovation.  This will ensure that Iowans continue to benefit from the remarkable opportunities offered by the global economy and its considerable underpinning in technology.

 # # #

 Elliott Smithis Executive Director of the Iowa Business Council based in Des Moines.  He can be reached at 515.246.1700 or esmith@iowabusinesscouncil.org.

Handbooks like this tend to be expensive for the average person to purchase (I guess I would consider myself average, since even for me, a person with a pretty serious book-habit, $350 is a lot!).  However, it is an impressive piece of scholarship “informed by the most up-to-date research from around the world, as well as examples of good practice. This handbook analyzes values education in the context of a range of school-based measures associated with student wellbeing. These include social, emotional, moral and spiritual growth – elements that seem to be present where intellectual advancement and academic achievement are being maximized.” 

Our chapter represents some of our ongoing efforts to contribute to the overall knowledge of the field of character education, while specifically trying to influence schools of education.  Tom Lickona and our partner organization, The Center for the 4th and 5th Rs, provide the primary leadership for education and dissemination on our approach to future educators, schools of education, and the field of character education generally.  It’s an important aspect of advancing our work, since it’s vital for our approach to be part of the education and public policy debate, even as we seek to build a wider network of demonstration sites.  Concrete, replicable, researchable programming is our core focus, but we still strive to ground our work in high quality research, that brings rigor and credibility to those using our programming.  Tom is a tireless ambassador for character education generally, and for our Smart & Good approach specifically.  Those interested in our chapter can check out our website for forthcoming links. Also, for those with above average interest (and/or those with influence in a school of education, library, etc), here’s a link to the handbook site  http://www.springer.com/education+&+language/book/978-90-481-8674-7.

I’m not going to pretend that I’m an international man of intrigue–heck, I’m not even a national man of intrigue!  I love the idea of intenational travel, but with a young family and a young organization I often say no to international work because it’s literally and figuratively too big for me to get my arms around.  I firmly believe that our Power2Programming is contextually calibrated in a way that is nuanced beyond anything we’ve ever done; but it takes hard work to make the changes needed to make it work in different contexts like school, work, athletics and home–in the U.S! It’s not what we know about our work, it’s what we don’t know about the cultural nuances of a foreign country, that make me wonder if what we’re doing would matter or make a difference to other countries around the world.

Well, our visitors, Ya-Huei Chen and Huan-Shih Yang, quickly helped me to remember one of Harry Stack Sullivan’s great insights:  “Human beings are more simply human, than other.”  Taiwan is indeed a unique culture, many ways different than our own. But they have a deep belief in the importance of character and culture. And, they struggle with many of the same basic challenges we face:  how do you develop character and culture when you have different political, religious, and educational viewpoints?  How do you develop character and culture in and intense and intentional way when you have parents who are increasingly busy and time-challenged?  How do you develop character and culture in an intense and intentional way without educators feeling that character education is “one more thing”?  How do you explain that there is a new science of character education that goes beyond intuition and intention, while respecting the time-tested wisdom and practices? How does one develop the character NEEDED FOR youth who are growing up in a fast-paced, media-driven culture, that is dramatically different than the culture experienced by their parents, to say nothing of their grandparents?  How do we live a balanced, purposeful, and fulfilling life, making the most of our talents, and yet nourishing important relationships in our life.

It was a fascinating conversation.  I am even more humbled by this important undertaking we have committed our life’s work to, and reassured that for all our differences, we are still a shared human family trying to figure out how to develop the character and culture needed for success in school, work, and beyond.  I think our conversation with Ya-Huei and Huan-Shih is only getting started.

This is the second time we have had international guests since I’ve been with IEE who have come to learn about what we’re doing and to share their own approaches and strategies, all in the spirit of collaborating to reach new heights in the development of performance and moral character.  What a great honor it is to be able to have people visit us from different countries and be able to communicate with people from around the world via email and phone on a regular basis to promote and develop character education not only in the U.S., but worldwide!

Look for a post from Matt Davidson soon with more details and reflection from our meetings today.

Big Picture Schools is a nationwide network of schools in which each member school adheres to a unique, student-focused educational model.

I was fortunate enough to spend two days with the excellent administration, faculty, and staff of the LaFayette Big Picture School earlier this year during Power2Learn training.  I’m looking forward to learning more about their school and the Big Picture model tonight and organizationally we’re looking into ways to work with more Big Picture Schools soon.

You can find out more about the Big Picture schools on their website, bigpicture.org

Over the past several years we have continued to meet with representatives from the Iowa Department of Education as part of our ongoing efforts to (1) understand the pressing challenges and initiatives faced by educators in Iowa (including the Iowa Core Curriculum, the 21st C Skills, Response to Intervention, Work Force Preparation, Dropout Prevention, etc.), and to (2) keep the Department updated on our programs, training, and research and how it aligns with and assists educators in realizing the goals of these pressing initiatives and challenges.

I won’t lie, many meetings of this type can be pretty depressing: you have the sense that they’re yesing you so you’ll get the heck out of their office. And, in fairness to them, most folks that are bringing something to them are concerned with their agenda, not helping the department officials solve their concerns.  What was so refreshing about our meeting with the Iowa Department of Education was that there was genuine interest by all to be updated on the efforts to pilot programming whose success impacted all around the table.

I think it was refreshing for the Department of Education to be updated on the 4 Iowa Field Research Sites participating in our Power2 programming (including hearing directly from an Associate Principal from one field site). I think it was encouraging for them to hear a “warts and all” assessment of our efforts.  We weren’t there to sell them that we have it all figured out (these are difficult challenges; if it was easy it would already be solved).

The programs aren’t perfect; there have been growing pains (for the schools and for our team), but that we also have some important points of growth.  We have students working on an entirely new approach to character education:  one that helps them to intentionally develop the culture and competencies of excellence and ethics needed for school, work, and beyond.   The programming isn’t soft, ice-breakers and brain candy.  Students are thinking, and writing, and sharing, and experiencing an approach that is intensive and intentional (and we have emerging evidence that the programs are having an impact). Teachers are experiencing programming that has them learning, thinking, reflecting on data, and engaging colleagues in dialogue–all around character and culture needed for teaching and learning. Power2Teach has been very well received and the schools have put in significant time and energy.  The more we are able to help teachers understand this as not competing with the Iowa Core Curriculum, but as a pathway for realizing the Core Curriculum, the more progress we will make.  

I think it was important to the Department to know that work continued this year in 4 field sites in spite of the fact that our proposal for funding was not reviewed by the USDOE Partnerships in Character Program (since funding was cut in the omnibus budget last spring, our proposal to do Power2Programming with 44 Iowa High Schools wasn’t reviewed).  So, in a difficult economic year, with pressing educational initiatives all around, 4 field research sites in Iowa commited their time and energy, supported by funding from secured by IEE and it’s partners at ICD and the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs. It was truly an example of “shared risk, shared reward” by all involved.

We were grateful that at every step the Department has listened; the Department has continued to observe our work; the Department has continued to challenge us to align our research instruments and programming with the key initiatives in Iowa (like the Core Curriculum).  They haven’t promissed us anything, except that they would continue to listen, observe the ongoing field research work, and to continue dialogue about how the Power2Programming might help Iowa’s educators meet the Department’s vision.

It’s slow, difficult, painstaking work. But, strangely, in a pretty depressing year, all around the table I believe were encouraged–maybe becuase we were talking about real work, done with real schools in Iowa, that was focused on meeting the needs of real students and teachers.  Funny how most of our time seems to be spent on other things that don’t really matter. 

There are still many challenges and there were absolutely no clear answers.  Just a heartfelt sense of appreciation by all gathered for the hard work done by all to develop research-based  solutions to the challenges facing schools in Iowa–that are both useful and feasible.

We were grateful for the time; encouraged by the progress; and, recommitted in our collective efforts to work harder to build on the successes of this past year, with hopes that 2010-2011 might see all involved in this important work, returning to the table with even more to celebrate. 

Consider me a hopeful realist. What’s that mean?  I assume it will be harder than we think, require more time and effort than we planned, but that given the commitment and dedication of our partners, I expect for us to make some major headway on our shared challenges  in this coming year.

“As the season of giving approached, staff, students, and friends of the Cherry Hill Alternative High School, once again, elected to sponsor Heifer International, an international nonprofit organization whose goals include ending world poverty and eliminating world hunger. This year’s Alternative High School campaign culminated with the purchase of a llama for a family located in the Andes Mountains of South America, a flock of chicks to a village in South America, and a flock of ducks to a village in Asia. The llama allows families to earn a modest income from selling the wool, or making clothes or blankets. The eggs that are harvested from Heifer International’s Poultry Project provide a sustainable food source to malnourished children.”

The students, faculty, and staff at Cherry Hill Alternative High School spent time during the month of November developing a community food drive, which included delivering empty bags to residences in their neighborhood and collecting them later to gather community donations.  Students also engaged in a day of direct service at organizations within the community.  Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, the school gathered together in celebration of their good works with a community meal.

The faculty, staff, and administration at Cherry Hill Alternative School have shown great commitment and dedication to developing the culture and competencies of excellence and ethics within their school through the Power2Learn program, service-learning initiatives, and the development of a dynamic school community.

http://www.cortland.edu/character/newsletters/EE_LETTER_Fall2009_final.pdf

As always, great job, Tom and Marthe!