School Superintendents Champions for Children and Public Education

“The Superintendent is the voice for all the children in the community, including the many children that would have no voice if not for the Superintendent. Today, more than ever, America’s Superintendents have the awesome responsibility to protect public education from the private and political interests that regard our schools as investment opportunities for corporate gains rather than fostering the American tradition of an educated community that is the core of our democratic process.”

American Public Education is the Best Ever!

The dropout rate has been declining since 1972 Status dropout rates of 16 through 24 year olds – Census Bureau US Dept of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey

And high school completion rates have been trending up.

PROGRESS: RESULTS FOR STUDENTS 10 THE HIGHEST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE IN DECADES

PROGRESS: RESULTS FOR STUDENTS 11 MORE HISPANIC STUDENTS ATTENDING COLLEGE

NAEP scores in 4 th and 8 th grade math have never been higher than they are today!

NAEP scores in 4 th and 8 th grade reading have never been higher than they are today!

America's High School Graduates: Results from the 2009 NAEP High School Transcript Study Graduates earn more credits and complete higher curriculum levels In 2009, graduates earned over three credits more than their 1990 counterparts, or about 400 additional hours of instruction during their high school careers. In 2009, a greater percentage of graduates completed higher curriculum levels with greater course requirements than 1990 or 2005 graduates.

This report presents a longitudinal student ‐ level analysis of charter school impacts on more than 70 percent of the students in charter schools in the United States. The scope of the study makes it the first national assessment of charter school impacts The group portrait shows wide variation in performance. The study reveals that a decent fraction of charter schools, 17 percent, provide superior education opportunities for their students. Nearly half of the charter schools nationwide have results that are no different from the local public school options and over a third, 37 percent, deliver learning results that are significantly worse than their student would have realized had they remained in traditional public schools.

Poverty is a Reality Not an Excuse

Poverty is the single greatest factor limiting student achievement

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD

OUR UNFINISHED TASK: 27 MANY LOW-INCOME STUDENTS FAIL TO COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL

OUR UNFINISHED TASK: 28 ONLY 29% OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS GO TO COLLEGE

OUR UNFINISHED TASK: 29 ONLY 9% OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS COMPLETE COLLEGE

Education is the key to breaking out of the poverty cycle

We are not falling behind, we are pulling apart. So what do we need to do?

uperintendents Champions for Children

Invest in the Young

Wrap Around Services

Educating the total child. It’s a community effort..

Grass Root Counter- Attack

Meeting the Challenges of Public Education

Any questions? AASA: The School Superintendents Association Dan Domenech Executive Director AASA: The School Superintendents Association 1615 Duke St. Alexandria, VA (703)