SCHOOL FIXES EVALUATED AND SCORED

SUGGESTED SCHOOL FIXES EVALUATED AND SCORED

7-28-11

The following two tables present suggested school fixes--and school fixes that failed to raise student achievement. School officials, especially those in the wasteful 8 larger school districts, are loath to admit school failures, as they now have admitted, until they think they have a solution.

The bogus solution they are eyeing is more money (the obsession of constructivist educrats) to be raised by a $3 Billion, ten-year, state sales tax increase--orchestrated by Governor Branstad, the evil ISEA teacher's union and special business interests.

Iowans have always fallen for such treachery in the past--and Iowa kids have suffered terribly as a result, as shown in the 70 year chart farther below.

The following table shows how to fix Iowa schools and to overcome such treachery in the process. Note: There are interdependencies and overlap in the % student achievement improvement values. They are not additive!

FIXING IOWA SCHOOLS IS NOT COMPLICATED OR COSTLY

REQUIRING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO TEACH TEACHERS HOW TO TEACH READING & MATH PRODUCES GREATEST IMPROVEMENT IN IOWA STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. ONLY 13 OF 37 SUGGESTED EDUCATION FIX 'INVESTMENTS' WILL PRODUCE ACCEPTABLE RETURNS! THE TOP 10 PRODUCE AT LEAST 160% IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FOR A TOTAL COST OF $97,300,000--WHICH CAN BE REALLOCATED FROM SMALLER CLASS SIZE, TEACHER TRAINING, AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT AREN'T WORKING.

NET RETURN ON INVESTMENT RANK STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IMPROVEMENT RANK DESCRIPTION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL FIXES SUGGESTED BY VARIOUS SOURCES % TOTAL IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OF VALUE, FOR FIRST 5 YEARS ESTIMATED TOTAL COST FOR FIRST 5 YEARS NET RETURN ON FIRST 5 YEARS' FINANCIAL INVESTMENT

5 1 Require colleges and universities to teach teachers how to teach reading and math 50% $300,000 90%

6 2 DECERTIFY EVIL ISEA TEACHER'S UNION 45% $1,000,000 90%

7 3 Prevent a weak teacher from teaching any subject. 40% $500,000 80%

8 4 Prevent weak teachers from teaching two or more consecutive grades in a subject. 34% $500,000 70%

10 5 LISTENING TO AND IMPLEMENTING THE FIXES SUCCESSFULLY PRACTICED BY JUDY HINTZ, AT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES IN WEST DES MOINES 30% $55,000,000 35%

11 6 PURGE THE EVIL FROM CHAPTER 20 OF THE IOWA CODE 25% $500,000 35%

1 7 ADOPT 95TH NATIONAL PERCENTILE RANK, STUDENT PROFICIENCY STANDARD, TO SHOW HOW MANY IA STUDENTS CAN COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY 14% $2,500,000 550%

9 8 STRONGLY EMPHASIZING AND IMPLEMENTING INTERACTIVE TV TEACHING AND TEACHERS 8% $5,000,000 40%

13 9 ADOPTING AND APPLYING 2004 MANHATTAN TEACHABILITY INDEX AND CHARTS SHOWING STUDENTS ARE TEACHABLE--DESPITE PUBLIC SCHOOL'S, CONSTRUCTIVISTS AND ISEA TEACHER UNION CLAIMING THEY ARE NOT. 8% $25,000,000 7%

19 10 GREATLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CHARTER SCHOOLS 8% $7,000,000 2%

16 11 Career development that includes substantive, ongoing professional development, regular and meaningful teacher assessments with input from administrators, peers, parents and students; and adequate time for teachers to work on improvements. 7% $11,000,000 4%

21 12 INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PLANS FOR EVERY STUDENT 5% $11,000,000 1%

14 13 LONGER SCHOOL YEAR WITH MORE PAY FOR TEACHERS 4% $75,000,000 5%

15 14 BROADER SUBJECT OFFERING 4% $76,000,000 5%

17 15 GREATLY INCREASING SCHOOL CHOICE 4% $4,000,000 3%

2 16 LESS STATE GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT 3% $0 100%

12 17 FOUR TRACK SYSTEM EMPHASIZING OPTIONS FOR LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL TWO YEARS EARLY FOR JOB TRAINING. 3% $3,000,000 8%

22 18 PAY FOR PERFORMANCE 3% $7,000,000 1%

26 19 ADOPTING K12.COM TEACHING SYSTEM 3% $85,000,000 -5%

23 20 A continuum of professionalism that develops, as well as rewards, excellent educators - beginning with admission to the state's colleges of education. 3% $45,000,000 1%

20 21 Branstad's plan should acknowledge the singular role of school administrators in creating institutional excellence. It should enlist the help and support of the business community and be more accommodating of charter schools. It shouldn't attempt to micromanage districts, yet encourage innovation, individualized instruction and excellence. 3% $1,500,000 2%

3 22 LESS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT 2% $0 100%

18 23 A comprehensive, ambitious plan with higher standards that realistically reflect the skills and knowledge our students need to compete in a global economy, and clear communication about how well schools are meeting those standards. 2% $300,000 3%

4 24 STOP BLAMING SCHOOL FAILURES ON PARENTS, WHO THEMSELVES WERE EDUCATED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1% $0 100%

27 25 TEACHER PEER AND STUDENT REVIEWS 1% $4,000,000 -60%

28 26 LONGER SCHOOL YEAR 1% $25,000,000 -75%

24 27 EXPECTED RESULTS OF BRANSTAD'S EDUCATION SUMMIT 0% $70,000,000 0%

29 28 RESULTS OF BRANSTAD'S HIRING OF LINDA FANDEL AS SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTANT & HER BAD INFLUENCE. 0% $5,000,000 -100%

30 29 BRANSTAD'S RE-ADOPTION OF PHASE III TEACHER TRAINING, THAT FAILED PREVIOUSLY 0% $210,000,000 -100%

31 30 HIGHER TEACHER PAY 0% $75,000,000 -100%

32 31 FORMING STATEWIDE EDUCATION COUNCIL 0% $6,000,000 -100%

33 32 MORE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT 0% $8,000,000 -100%

34 33 PRE SCHOOL 0% $75,000,000 -100%

25 34 Early childhood education that stops demographic achievement gaps before they start. 0% $50,000,000 -100%

35 35 RESULTS OF BRANSTAD'S APPOINTMENT OF JASON GLASS AS DE DIRECTOR -2% $90,000,000 -100%

36 36 DES MOINES REGISTER FIXES, INCLUDING DUMB THE TESTS AND KEEP TWO SETS OF SCHOOL BOOKS -2% $150,000,000 -100%

37 37 MORE STATE GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT -2% $35,000,000 -100%

LEGEND: GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD SUGGESTIONS 7-28-11

Anyone Claiming to Have Better Numbers is Asked to Provide Them!

THE FOLLOWING FAILURES & WASTE WERE CAUSED BY THE CONSTRUCTIVIST ISEA TEACHER'S UNION, AND POLITICAL TREACHERY

EDUCATION FIXES THAT FAILED WASTED $178 BILLION, AS OF 9-11-09

DESCRIPTION OF EDUCATION FIX FAILURES ESTIMATED NET, TOTAL WASTE, AS OF 9-11-09. (BILLIONS)

HIGHER TEACHER PAY $91.0

STATE AID TO SCHOOLS $33.0

AEAs $22.2

SPECIAL EDUCATION $11.3

NEW MATH $5.3

PHASES I, II & III TEACHER TRAINING $5.3

SMALLER CLASS SIZE $4.4

WHOLE LANGUAGE $3.1

MANDATORY KINDERGARTEN $1.4

TEACHER-IN-SERVICE DAYS $1.1

TOTAL $178.1

Anyone claiming to have better numbers is asked to provide them.

The following 70 year chart shows the tragic history of Iowa's public schools, that has not been refuted. Notice the sharp increase in cost per student and leveling and fall in student achievement when the ISEA teacher union used its powerful and evil lobbying force in the early 1980s and on.

State academic rankings of Cedar Rapids and other school districts are posted on the following websites:

4TH GRADE READING RANKING OF IOWA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2010-2011

MATH RANKING OF IOWA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2010-2011

Iowa's student Proficiency standard is now the lowest in the Midwest, as shown on this website:

IOWA STUDENT PROFICIENCY STANDARD IS LOWEST IN MIDWEST

REQUIRING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO TEACH TEACHERS HOW TO TEACH READING & MATH PRODUCES GREATEST IMPROVEMENT IN IOWA STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. ONLY 13 OF 37 SUGGESTED EDUCATION FIX 'INVESTMENTS' WILL PRODUCE ACCEPTABLE RETURNS! THE TOP 10 PRODUCE AT LEAST 160% IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FOR A TOTAL COST OF $97,300,000--WHICH CAN BE REALLOCATED FROM SMALLER CLASS SIZE, TEACHER TRAINING, AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT AREN'T WORKING.
NET RETURN ON INVESTMENT RANK	STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IMPROVEMENT RANK	DESCRIPTION OF PUBLIC SCHOOL FIXES SUGGESTED BY VARIOUS SOURCES	% TOTAL IMPROVEMENT IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OF VALUE, FOR FIRST 5 YEARS	ESTIMATED TOTAL COST FOR FIRST 5 YEARS	NET RETURN ON FIRST 5 YEARS' FINANCIAL INVESTMENT
5	1	Require colleges and universities to teach teachers how to teach reading and math	50%	$300,000	90%
6	2	DECERTIFY EVIL ISEA TEACHER'S UNION	45%	$1,000,000	90%
7	3	Prevent a weak teacher from teaching any subject.	40%	$500,000	80%
8	4	Prevent weak teachers from teaching two or more consecutive grades in a subject.	34%	$500,000	70%
10	5	LISTENING TO AND IMPLEMENTING THE FIXES SUCCESSFULLY PRACTICED BY JUDY HINTZ, AT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES IN WEST DES MOINES	30%	$55,000,000	35%
11	6	PURGE THE EVIL FROM CHAPTER 20 OF THE IOWA CODE	25%	$500,000	35%
1	7	ADOPT 95TH NATIONAL PERCENTILE RANK, STUDENT PROFICIENCY STANDARD, TO SHOW HOW MANY IA STUDENTS CAN COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY	14%	$2,500,000	550%
9	8	STRONGLY EMPHASIZING AND IMPLEMENTING INTERACTIVE TV TEACHING AND TEACHERS	8%	$5,000,000	40%
13	9	ADOPTING AND APPLYING 2004 MANHATTAN TEACHABILITY INDEX AND CHARTS SHOWING STUDENTS ARE TEACHABLE--DESPITE PUBLIC SCHOOL'S, CONSTRUCTIVISTS AND ISEA TEACHER UNION CLAIMING THEY ARE NOT.	8%	$25,000,000	7%
19	10	GREATLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF CHARTER SCHOOLS	8%	$7,000,000	2%
16	11	Career development that includes substantive, ongoing professional development, regular and meaningful teacher assessments with input from administrators, peers, parents and students; and adequate time for teachers to work on improvements.	7%	$11,000,000	4%
21	12	INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PLANS FOR EVERY STUDENT	5%	$11,000,000	1%
14	13	LONGER SCHOOL YEAR WITH MORE PAY FOR TEACHERS	4%	$75,000,000	5%
15	14	BROADER SUBJECT OFFERING	4%	$76,000,000	5%
17	15	GREATLY INCREASING SCHOOL CHOICE	4%	$4,000,000	3%
2	16	LESS STATE GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT	3%	$0	100%
12	17	FOUR TRACK SYSTEM EMPHASIZING OPTIONS FOR LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL TWO YEARS EARLY FOR JOB TRAINING.	3%	$3,000,000	8%
22	18	PAY FOR PERFORMANCE	3%	$7,000,000	1%
26	19	ADOPTING K12.COM TEACHING SYSTEM	3%	$85,000,000	-5%
23	20	A continuum of professionalism that develops, as well as rewards, excellent educators - beginning with admission to the state's colleges of education.	3%	$45,000,000	1%
20	21	Branstad's plan should acknowledge the singular role of school administrators in creating institutional excellence. It should enlist the help and support of the business community and be more accommodating of charter schools. It shouldn't attempt to micromanage districts, yet encourage innovation, individualized instruction and excellence.	3%	$1,500,000	2%
3	22	LESS FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT	2%	$0	100%
18	23	A comprehensive, ambitious plan with higher standards that realistically reflect the skills and knowledge our students need to compete in a global economy, and clear communication about how well schools are meeting those standards.	2%	$300,000	3%
4	24	STOP BLAMING SCHOOL FAILURES ON PARENTS, WHO THEMSELVES WERE EDUCATED IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS	1%	$0	100%
27	25	TEACHER PEER AND STUDENT REVIEWS	1%	$4,000,000	-60%
28	26	LONGER SCHOOL YEAR	1%	$25,000,000	-75%
24	27	EXPECTED RESULTS OF BRANSTAD'S EDUCATION SUMMIT	0%	$70,000,000	0%
29	28	RESULTS OF BRANSTAD'S HIRING OF LINDA FANDEL AS SPECIAL EDUCATION ASSISTANT & HER BAD INFLUENCE.	0%	$5,000,000	-100%
30	29	BRANSTAD'S RE-ADOPTION OF PHASE III TEACHER TRAINING, THAT FAILED PREVIOUSLY	0%	$210,000,000	-100%
31	30	HIGHER TEACHER PAY	0%	$75,000,000	-100%
32	31	FORMING STATEWIDE EDUCATION COUNCIL	0%	$6,000,000	-100%
33	32	MORE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT	0%	$8,000,000	-100%
34	33	PRE SCHOOL	0%	$75,000,000	-100%
25	34	Early childhood education that stops demographic achievement gaps before they start.	0%	$50,000,000	-100%
35	35	RESULTS OF BRANSTAD'S APPOINTMENT OF JASON GLASS AS DE DIRECTOR	-2%	$90,000,000	-100%
36	36	DES MOINES REGISTER FIXES, INCLUDING DUMB THE TESTS AND KEEP TWO SETS OF SCHOOL BOOKS	-2%	$150,000,000	-100%
37	37	MORE STATE GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT	-2%	$35,000,000	-100%
LEGEND: GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD SUGGESTIONS 7-28-11
Anyone Claiming to Have Better Numbers is Asked to Provide Them!

EDUCATION FIXES THAT FAILED WASTED $178 BILLION, AS OF 9-11-09
DESCRIPTION OF EDUCATION FIX FAILURES	ESTIMATED NET, TOTAL WASTE, AS OF 9-11-09. (BILLIONS)
HIGHER TEACHER PAY	$91.0
STATE AID TO SCHOOLS	$33.0
AEAs	$22.2
SPECIAL EDUCATION	$11.3
NEW MATH	$5.3
PHASES I, II & III TEACHER TRAINING	$5.3
SMALLER CLASS SIZE	$4.4
WHOLE LANGUAGE	$3.1
MANDATORY KINDERGARTEN	$1.4
TEACHER-IN-SERVICE DAYS	$1.1
TOTAL	$178.1