No Child Left Behind State Communication Strategies KSA-Plus Communications July 2002 Prepared with support from a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to the State Education Policy Network

Slide #2 Finding Education Is National Priority 1. Jobs and Economy 2. Education 3. Terrorism 4. Healthcare 5. Social Security *Public Education Network/Education Week (April 24, 2002); Hart/Teeter (May 21, 2002)

Slide #3 Finding Growing Support for Change All adults, 2001 Working pretty well Some changes needed, but basically keep as is Major changes needed Complete overhaul needed All adults, % 45% 52% Major changes/overhaul Northeast West Rural areas Cities High school or less College graduates Public school parents Nonparents 48% 58% 43% 58% 47% 55% 39% 53% *Hart-Teeter, 2002

Slide #4 Message Implications Communicate, communicate, communicate: the public is hungry for information about education Use new report cards to discuss successes and challenges Explain changes that are under way or planned Publicize changes that are producing results Discuss the hard work required to meet the new expectations

Slide #5 Finding No Awareness of NCLB Only 12% of general public Only 63% of education policymakers Only 36% of educators are aware of the new law *Hart/Teeter (May 21, 2002)

Slide #6 Message Implications Start at zero; can’t assume knowledge Explain WHY change is needed and what’s possible Make the case in broad terms: – Too many still unprepared for college or work (Public Agenda) – U.S. scores lag behind other nations (TIMSS) – The achievement gap between white and minority students persists (NAEP) Change requires an informed and consenting public

Slide #7 Finding Investment Priority 63% of adults – education is top budget priority 73% of parents – education is top budget priority 53% want to protect education from cuts Investment in teacher quality/conditions is highest priority *Public Education Network/Education Week (April 24, 2002); Hart/Teeter (May 2002)

Slide #8 Message Implications Recognize that reform requires resources Clarify expectations: “Here is what taxpayers/citizens should expect for $” Stress that fiscal conditions require wise spending Show how report cards and accountability in the new law help target wise spending

Slide #9 Finding Support for Accountability People support more accountability, but only if it is part of a broader improvement package. 23% say accountability is best way to improve instruction, 26% say more funding, 50% say both. Accountability information that counts most: – Literacy rates – Teacher quality – Safety – Budgets – Ratings compared to other schools – Less important: test scores and teacher salaries *Hart/Teeter (May 2001); Hart/Teeter (May 2002);

Slide #10 Message Implications Communicate on public’s terms: report cards should go beyond test scores Emphasize role of accountability to provide useful information to: 1) target supports and 2) create incentives for improvement

Slide #11 Finding Qualified Support for Tests 85% parents and 75% teachers say students work harder if graduation tests are in place 78% say tests are a good way to identify needs early 78% say pressure of one test is not fair *Public Agenda Reality Check 2002

Slide #12 Finding Qualified Support for Tests 48% say there is too much emphasis on test scores 37% believe high-stakes tests encourage teaching to test – “[The public is as] suspicious of efforts to ‘dumb down’ the curriculum as they are of politicians who dumb down democracy by talking a good education game but failing to deliver results.” *Public Education Network/Education Week (April 24, 2002); Public Agenda (March 2002)

Slide #13 Message Implications Testing is a valuable diagnostic and improvement tool, not an end in itself The right tests bring focus to teaching important core subjects: reading, writing, math – “If you test a child on basic math and reading skills, and you're teaching to the test, you're teaching math and reading. And that's the whole idea.” — Pres. George W. Bush Discuss benefits for an individual child Provide examples of schools using data to make positive changes

Slide #14 Finding Support for Quality Teaching Raising teacher quality leads priority list (30%); then funding equity (16%); early childhood (15%); smaller class sizes (12%) 30% of Americans are teachers or have close family members who are teachers *Public Education Network/Education Week (April 2002)

Slide #15 Message Implications Explain new information parents will get about teaching quality in their local schools – The new law defines quality and requires a quality teacher in every classroom. Explain what state is doing to improve teaching quality Explain benefits for teaching profession, such as increased regard for teachers

Slide #16 Finding Most credible voices 60% choose teachers as most credible voice on education issues 46% choose parents as most credible 38% choose college admissions officers as most credible 30% choose business leaders as most credible *The Business Roundtable, August 2000

Slide #17 Finding Teachers’ main concerns Teachers support standards and common- sense testing Teachers want more information about test development and application Teachers want more information about how tests can benefit students and educators Teachers are key to forging support for tests *Belden, Russonello, Stewart poll for Education Week (2001)

Slide #18 Message Implications Address teachers’ legitimate concerns about curriculum alignment, classroom resources, targeted training Enlist teachers and principals from successful schools as key communicators Partner and/or coordinate with other third parties

Slide #19 What’s In/What’s Out Commonsense tests to diagnose Quality teaching Using understandable data Parental involvement High-stakes tests to punish Test-prep shortcuts to boost scores More rhetoric Schools as parents

Slide #20 What’s In/What’s Out Schools can do better Expectations Giving every student a better education Teachers as messengers The big picture *Lessons from BRT focus groups, Schools are failing Standardization Expecting all students to meet high standards Business leaders as messengers The sound bite

Slide #21 What’s In/What’s Out Extra support for teachers and extra help for students to ensure they can meet higher standards Testing to identify ways to improve Multiple opportunities to pass Tests, plus other measures of achievement (grades, classroom work) Improving instruction *Lessons from BRT focus groups, Standards, testing and accountability in a vacuum Testing for accountability and high stakes A single opportunity Tests only Teaching to the test

Slide #22 Yes we can Make Good on the Promise 1. Make goals visible and realistic 2. Celebrate successes: “this is doable” 3. Acknowledge that change is difficult, but worth it 4. Communicate, communicate, communicate: you have stakeholders’ attention