A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

II. Goals 2000: Strategic Role

Supporting Reform at the State Level

While Goals 2000 is firmly committed to supporting education reform, its intent is pursued in various ways, depending on differences among States in policy, traditions and structures, leadership, economic and political climate, and level of activity of national and other groups. (CPRE, Persistence and Change: Standards-based Reform in Nine States, 1997, p. 2.) The interaction of these elements, together with each State's specific needs, demands a tailored approach to change. For example, the needs of Kentucky, Oregon and Vermont, which have been active in statewide standards-based education reform since 1989-90, differ substantially from those of Georgia and Louisiana, which took up the challenge of systemic reform at a later point. In many instances, Goals 2000 has been a catalyst for change, initiating both State- and system-wide change. In other cases, Goals 2000 has had a stabilizing effect, sustaining the reform effort within politically and economically dynamic contexts. In still others, as in the "early" reform States mentioned above, Goals 2000 has helped to support the implementation of standards-driven change by focusing on particular areas of need; it has thereby served to supplement on-going reform.

A Catalyst for Change

Georgia

In 1985, the Georgia legislature passed the Quality Basic Education Act, establishing the Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) as the State's content standards. Though standards had been developed, the State was unable to provide the resources necessary to update and fully implement them. Goals 2000 brought the Georgia School Improvement Panel into existence, and in 1995, the Panel was charged by the State Board of Education with conducting a thorough review and revision of the QCC. As a result of the resources and direction the federal initiative provided, revised QCC standards were developed in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, foreign languages, fine arts, health and physical education, technology/career education, and agriculture. They were approved by the State Board in December 1997 and their implementation is now underway.

Louisiana

In Louisiana, Goals 2000 has facilitated the development of State content standards (approved in January 1998) and currently supports the alignment of local curricula in all 66 Louisiana school systems. The State is also moving aggressively to complete the initial design and implementation of a comprehensive school and district accountability system that "sets a baseline for each school and establishe[s] incentives for schools that meet their growth targets and corrective actions for those that don't meet minimum standards .... Beginning in 1997-1998, all local school boards will be required to identify 20 percent of their schools which are their lowest performing schools and provide additional support to them." (Louisiana Goals 2000 Annual Report, 1997, One Year Review, p. 4.) With the support of Goals 2000, Louisiana is well on its way to implementing comprehensive education reform that includes aligned standards, assessments, and accountability.

Sustaining the Reform Effort

Texas

Goals 2000 plays an integral role in sustaining and supporting the ongoing school-reform effort in Texas. In 1984, the State adopted standards, called "essential elements," aligned curriculum frameworks in 12 content areas, and called for their regular revision. Since 1993, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) has formed the basis of the State's Academic Excellence Indicator System, which tracks school performance.

Texas has been using its Goals 2000 funding to raise its standards and develop standards-based curriculum frameworks in reading, English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Its first-year award under Goals 2000 went to develop regional professional development centers to focus on classroom level implementation of standards-driven reform and the second-year award was used to set in motion a requirement that districts "develop plans which describe how the district and its campuses will achieve the State-established standards for academic excellence." (Texas Goals 2000 Annual Report, 1996.)

The State is aligning its assessment to the standards in a revised TAAS. It is also changing its teacher certification program to reflect the new standards; teaming successful schools as mentor institutions with those in need of improvement; and rating and accrediting schools and districts based on performance indicators aligned to the standards. (See p. 18 for student performance data.)

Supplementing Ongoing Reform

Oregon

In Oregon, where reform was under way before Goals 2000 became law, Goals 2000 has helped to "fill in the gaps" in the State's implementation of comprehensive change. Throughout the 1980s and '90s, the State developed a variety of initiatives to improve the quality of education. Oregon enacted high standards, established school councils at each school, developed a waiver process for State statutes and rules, created an annual report card, and designed a State plan that links a 20-year strategic vision for Oregon--including the integration of economic development with education reform--to the Oregon Benchmarks.

With the support of Goals 2000, Oregon has reviewed and revised its content standards and aligned its curriculum goals. In addition, Goals 2000 has been used to build partnerships with the State's teacher education institutions to bring teacher preparation and tests of new teachers in line with K-12 standards.

One of Oregon's most impressive and innovative initiatives is its development of the Certificate of Initial Mastery (CIM) and Certificate of Advanced Mastery (CAM). The two are unique in their recognition of high standards for all children, as well as their provision of new opportunities for individuals to pursue particular areas of expertise and career preparation. The CIM marks the culmination of a rigorous program of foundation skills and core applications that begins in the primary years and continues through the middle grades to high school.

Students may earn a CIM at approximately age 16 by demonstrating their mastery of certain skills and knowledge through performance-based assessments and other measures. The CAM is earned at approximately age 18 and includes both college preparatory and professional/technical training. To earn a CAM, students undertake a comprehensive curriculum structured around one of several broad occupational areas, such as arts and communication, health services, and industrial and engineering systems. Goals 2000 funds have been used to align both certificates to the admissions standards of the State's institutions of higher education.

While State-level Goals 2000 funds have generally proved a critical resource in furthering Statewide educational initiatives, Oregon has employed the majority of its Goals 2000 funds to help teachers and administrators implement the initiatives in the classrooms. Taking a unique approach to funding the Goals 2000 subgrants, Oregon provides resources to teachers to undertake action research projects. These projects enable teachers to become partners with staff from a local university or college to develop a proposal for raising student achievement in one or more of the State standards. This approach enables teachers to receive direct support to implement State initiatives effectively.

Vermont

According to Marc Hull, Vermont's Commissioner of Education, earlier this year, "[T]he Goals 2000 investment in Vermont has paid off." Vermont began its education reform initiative in 1992 with the Green Mountain Challenge. That plan, which was built around the State's tradition of local control, led to the implementation of mathematics and writing portfolios, the development of the Common Core of Learning, aligned local standards, the Framework Standards and Learning Opportunities (formulated in 1996), and the Goals 2000-supported Comprehensive Assessment System. Only after the implementation of those changes did the State pass its comprehensive education reform law.

The Equal Educational Opportunity Act (Act 60, 1997) not only ensures more accountability of funds but also encourages the SEA and districts to identify promising practices; it "established mandatory State assessments where they had been voluntary, reconceptualized public school approval to focus on the most essential resources, conditions and practices that support increased student learning, called for a new governance structure that supports high-performing schools, and aligned virtually every aspect of the education system around State standards .... Much of what is now law in Act 60 was developed at the State and local level with the assistance of Goals 2000 funds." (Vermont Goals 2000 Annual Report, 1997, p. 2.)

Goals 2000 has served to further Vermont's early reform effort by linking data from the State-wide assessment to school accountability systems in a manner that supports change. In Vermont, the relationship between assessment, curriculum, and improved instruction is tightly intertwined and provides substantial support for reform at the local level.

Change at the Local Level

Although Goals 2000 subgrants vary from district to district, the focus remains on implementing comprehensive school reform. All of the subgrantees have, or are now developing, district-wide school improvement plans aimed at ensuring that all children meet challenging standards.

Goals 2000 supports three general categories of subgrant activities: the implementation of comprehensive local reform plans; professional development; and preservice teacher education. In 1997, 36 States⁽²⁾ reported making more than 2,800 Goals 2000 subgrants in support of local level implementation of standards-driven school improvement efforts. In addition, States provided a broad variety of technical assistance opportunities and resources to build local capacity for change and improvement. As a result, "Districts ... that have received Goals 2000 subgrants reported both greater understanding of the elements of standards-based reform as well as that reform requires greater change on their part" (Reports on Reform from the Field: District and State Survey Results. The Urban Institute, 1997, III-8,9). They are also more likely to report progress in reform and to recognize the work yet to be done.

As required by law, at least 90 percent of each State's Goals 2000 allocation is awarded to local districts through a competitive subgrant process. In a few States, that rate is near 99 percent. In addition, at least half the funds awarded for local reform implementation must be provided to high poverty districts.

In an effort to provide States the flexibility to pursue their own needs and priorities, the Department of Education allows them to weight the distribution of their Goals 2000 funds among the three subgrant categories--local reform, professional development, and preservice--as they deem appropriate. The States also have the discretion to determine the sizes of the awards made.

For 1996-97, the approximate breakdown by category among the 2,667 subgrants⁽³⁾ was as follows: 50 percent awarded for educators' professional development, 11 percent for preservice training, and 81 percent for the broad designation of local education reform⁽⁴⁾. Both the range and average size of subgrant awards varied greatly across the States and other jurisdictions, as did the number of awards to consortia and districts.

More than half (61%) of the subgrants are used to improve specific skills or content knowledge of teachers and student teachers, and 50 percent are used to directly improve instruction and curriculum.⁽⁵⁾ Many do so by improving or developing collaborative networks (39%) and conducting research, planning, and developing activities that support school reform and improvement (33%). In addition, seven States are using more than half of their Goals 2000 awards to expand the use of educational technology. Nineteen percent of all subgrants go toward increasing parent involvement or parenting skills (Goals 2000: Supporting State and Local Educational Improvement, Policy Studies Associates, Inc., December 1997, p.10).

All Goals 2000 subgrants leverage resources and direction for focused and sustained improvement, though they often do so in different ways. In Maine, for example, the "large percentage of districts receiving Goals 2000 subgrants has motivated other service providers to tailor professional development activities to local Learning Results (State standards) implementation. This has leveraged and focused resources for local districts which otherwise might have been fragmented among a host of other education issues." (Maine Goals 2000 Annual Report, 1997, p. 7.)

ARTES--Algebra Readiness through Environmental Studies--a Goals 2000 school improvement subgrant in northeast North Carolina, provides an impetus and structure for changing and improving mathematics instruction, learning, and understanding for all children through: 1) a focus on real time and relevant data collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting; 2) quality professional development; 3) integration of technology; 4) collaboration across districts; and 5) the development of leadership and internal district capacity for affecting and sustaining change. Math achievement scores in Columbia Middle School have since been consistently increasing across grades 5-7. That success has lead to the leveraging of increased funds, including a $1.1 million NSF grant, teacher grants, the acquisition of 12 computers and sophisticated water testing kits from Glaxo-Wellcome company, as well as a role in coordinating both Eisenhower and Technology Literacy Challenge Grant funds (Tyrell County).

In the absence of clear leadership, the schools and districts often choose to use Goals 2000 to develop a clear and common vision for school change. Like many urban schools, Audobon Middle School in Milwaukee had a high rate of administrator turnover, low morale, and low student performance. In the first year of its Goals 2000 award, the Audobon community generated a school plan based on a data-driven needs assessment, with education technology emerging as the focus. As a result, Audobon's students are being linked--in technology and instruction--to the State's student "Proficiencies 2000" initiative in mathematics, science, and communications. The school is now coordinating its Title I, Goals 2000, and Technology Literacy Challenge funds, as well as other resources, in pursuit of its vision for improving student performance. In addition, in its new-found commitment to continuous improvement, the Audubon has used its technology expertise to compile baseline data of student achievement that will better report and enhance student learning and achievement.

[I. Goals 2000: History]

[III. Goals 2000: Implementing Standards-Based Reform]