January 10, 2008
EllwoodCity.org Staff
Education Week Today has issued out there
12th annual Education Week’s Quality Counts report. This
report helps show the progress students in the public schools system have made
from “cradle-to-career”. The “cradle-to-career” involves Kindergarten through
12th grade education, preschool education, other social and economic
institutions, and further education and training.
From 2007 to 2008 the editors have revised two
traditional categories: school finance and efforts to strengthen the teaching
profession. With this revision they hope to show the field’s best and most
current thinking. Teaching is the special theme for 2008’s report.
The indicators that appear in the Quality
Counts report are based on original data analyses and state-survey data from
the Editorial Projects in Education (EPE) Research Center, and published
information from a number of outside organizations. Quality Counts notes
that the report’s letter grades should not be compared from year to year since
the reports have evolved over time to capture the up to date important movements
in state education policy.
Each state was awarded letter grades based on
their ratings across six categories: chance-for-success; K-12 achievement;
standards, assessments, and accountability; transitions and alignment; the
teaching profession; and school finance.
In the six categories discussed Pennsylvania had
five out of six higher grades then the average state scored. In PA, they
received a B in chance for success over the average of a C+. In the category of
K-12 achievement, PA scored a C+ over the average of a D+. Standards,
assessments, and accountability were the only category PA hit below the average
B with a C+. Transitions and alignment showed a scored of B-, whereas, the
average was a C. The teaching profession, which was the theme for this year,
showed PA with a C+ over the average C, and lastly school finance, which was
also revised this year, showed PA with a B- over the average C+.
This report showed that Pennsylvania ranked 10th
in the nation with an overall B-, compared to the national average of a C. This
ranking shows PA is moving in a positive direction, but still needs to work to
improve the students capabilities so they can be successful after high school.
(source: edweek.org)
