Food Fight: Federal School Lunch Guidelines Unsavory in Arizona

For some Arizona lawmakers, the federal government seems poised to become that proverbial one cook too many for their schools’ kitchens.

The conflict stems from upcoming changes to the federal nutritional guidelines for school meals, the first update in 15 years. Arizona State Senator Rich Crandall (R-Mesa) says he’s worried that the new rules will be too onerous for schools to follow. He's proposed state legislation that would allow district's top opt out of the federal meals program and decide independently what to put on the menu.

"We are giving local control back and eliminating mandates at the same time,” Crandall wrote in a note to federal lawmakers, as reported by the East Valley Tribune. “No one will be going off of the National School Lunch Program unless the new federal rules cause them to lose their shirt financially and they opt for a different way to feed children."

The state teachers’ union isn’t so sure that the transition won’t leave kids hungry. As of last year Arizona had nearly 530,000 students receiving free meals, and close to 70,000 on the reduced-price meal plan.

"Before there was a requirement to provide school lunch there were some that provided it and some that didn't. It created some inequities that were damaging to schools," Doug Kilgore, a spokesman for the Arizona Education Association told the East Valley Tribune. "We're not sure why this is needed. We've not been convinced as to why this is needed."

First Lady Michelle Obama has made ending childhood obesity within a generation her policy priority. What students eat at school and what they learn about a sensible diet play a significant role in that goal. (Click here for more on her role, and the specifics of the new meal nutritional guidelines.)

On the upside for schools’ coffers, the feds are increasing funding for meals. On the downside, school districts that fail to comply with the new regulations risk losing federal funding. 

The new nutrition guidelines for school meals include requirements that all milk be low-fat or nonfat For the first time, there will be a limit on total calorie counts. The rules could have become even more stringent were it not for successful lobbying by the nation’s potato growers, who fought a proposed limit on how many days spuds can be served. The feds also held off, pending further study, on setting limits on how much sodium a school meal could contain.

None of these changes matter, of course, unless you can convince the students to eat the food. Los Angeles Unified, the nation’s second-largest school district, has struggled mightily with this conundrum. When the corn dogs and French fries were replaced with healthier fare, students at one high school filled up on the high-fat chips and sugary sodas they brought to school, according to this story from the Los Angeles Times.

There is no shortage of critics arguing that the government shouldn’t tell children what to eat. But the sad reality is that healthy eating habits are not something many students can be counted on to learn at home. The childhood obesity epidemic – and yes, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls it an epidemic – will have long-term costs and consequences for the nation. Knowing that cafeteria meals are at least being brought in line with common-sense nutritional guidelines should make that whole-grain turkey burger easier to swallow.

Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email EWA public editor Emily Richmond at erichmond@ewa.org. She also tweets @EWAEmily. 

Teacher Policies: How Does Your State Rate?

During his State of the Union address on Tuesday, President Obama spent a fair amount of time talking about education. I was particularly pleased to hear him ask for an end to teacher-bashing, which seems to have become a national pastime. I'll be even happier if people actually honor his request.

Obama also credited his education reform initiatives with effectively persuading states to raise academic standards. Whether Race To The Top will have a measurable, long-term effect on the quality of public education remains to be seen. But there's clear evidence that when it comes to teacher evaluation policies, states are responding to the carrots—as well as the sticks.

The National Council on Teacher Quality has a new report out, grading states on their teacher policies (not their actual teachers). This year, 28 states saw their grades improve, "largely driven by advances in teacher evaluations, including adoption of policies for including student achievement as a measure of effectiveness, and using teacher effectiveness evidence in decisions about teacher tenure and dismissal," according to the NCTQ.  (For the full report you can go to the NCTQ web site.)
Many of those changes that are a direct result of states seeking to curry favor with the U.S. Department of Education, and to qualify for a share of more than $4 billion in competitive grants.

Leading the nation in teacher policies are Florida, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Tennessee, according to the NCTQ.  Five states -- Alaska, California, Mississippi, Missouri and Montana -- made no progress since the last review, in the view of NCTQ.  

According to the NCTQ, there are currently 24 states that have adopted policies that incorporate "classroom effectiveness" as a measure of a teacher's performance. Want to know just how fast this reform train is moving? Consider the fact that two years ago only 15 states and the District of Columbia required annual teacher evaluations of any kind.

Something else jumped out at me from the NCTQ report: States might be making progress on evaluating their current teacher workforce, but "they've done much less to ensure the quality of teachers entering the profession." Teacher preparation programs also earned a mention in Obama's State of the Union, and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has moved the issue to his own front burner in recent months.

Here are my questions for classroom teachers:  How often are you evaluated, and what are the criteria? Are you given specific areas to improve, along with the support to meet those demands? Do you believe merit pay should be awarded to individual teachers, or to the entire staff based on collective evidence of achievement or growth by the entire school?

Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email EWA public Editor Emily Richmond at erichmond@ewa.org. I'm also on Twitter @EWAEmily.

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Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Play

For one school district in rural south Texas, there will be no Friday Night Lights.

Facing a state takeover due to slumping student achievement, Superintendent Ernest Singleton has canceled athletics – including football – for the Premont Independent School District, which serves the town’s 2,700 residents. According to this terrific story by Christopher Sherman of the Associated Press, the Texas Education Agency was scheduled to assume control of the the district July 1. Premont won a brief reprieve, and is trying desperately to improve its shaky standing. Singleton intends to focus all of the district's limited resources on academics.

As the AP story makes clear, the picture is bigger than just disappointment and heartbreak for this year’s varsity players at Premont High School. The future of the entire community might well be riding on whether Singleton is able to save the district–one of the town’s largest employers--from closure. Frank Davila, a county constable who grew up in the area and also works as a school security officer, made this blunt assessment to the AP: "The school shuts down in this town, the town dies … This is all we have."

We know school districts nationally are struggling on many fronts: to satisfy the federal academic demands of No Child Left Behind, to prepare students for the demands of an ever-changing workplace, and to continue the business of education despite significant cuts to education funding. All of those elements are factors in what’s happening in Premont. By eliminating the spring and fall sports schedule, Singleton estimated he would trim about $150,000  -- a significant savings, given that the district needs to pay off a $400,000 line of credit.

One of the ironies here is that there is no shortage of research showing a positive connection between athletics and academics. Studies have long supported the notion that participating in organized sports improves students’ attention spans, motivation and achievement. (For more on this topic, check out “The Case for High School Activities," published by the National Federation of State High School Associations.)

When I told Keith Lee-- chief operating officer for the National Consortium for Academics and Sports--about what was happening in Premont, he was disappointed but pragmatic.

“We recognize that academics have to be the first priority,” said Lee, from his office on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa. “I hope that all other options were explored, because the athletic experience of children in high school is very important to the educational health of students. It goes beyond just being an extracurricular activity. It’s about character building and teamwork.”

Lee knows something about teamwork. A football standout at his high school in Gardenia, Calif., Lee played defensive back professionally from 1980-86, spending the bulk of his NFL career with the New England Patriots.

He also knows the value of academics. When he was a senior and quarterback at Colorado State University, Lee was elected student-body vice-president, the school’s first black student to hold a student government position.

While the AP story understandably focused on football given Texans’ legendary passion for the game, Lee said he was concerned about all of the students who would also miss out on athletic opportunities. The research in support of school sports is particularly strong for girls, Lee said.

“When young ladies participate in sports, they have a higher level of self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth,” Lee said. “The experience of sports is beneficial beyond the scoreboard.”

Did you participate in school sports? How influential was the experience for you? Has your local school district cut or reduced activities to focus on academics or as a result of budget cuts?

Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email EWA public editor Emily Richmond at erichmond@EWAEmily. She also tweets @EWAEmily.

State of the Union: What Will Obama Say About Education?

State of the Union speeches typically set lofty goals, and it's not unusual for presidents to be short of the finish line a year later. You can click here for Associated Press reporter Erica Werner's story on the subject, and here for a year-by-year review of President Obama's track record.

Over at the Education Trust -- a nonpartisan organization dedicated to closing gaps in a student achievement and opportunity -- I like legislative affairs associate Lynn Jennings' straightforward approach: "Students are counting on Obama." Jennings, previously a senior program manager for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, hits Ed Trust's sweet spots with her priorities: a renewed commitment to educational equity, making college an affordable option for all students, and the long-delayed re-authorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The third item on this wish list is a political juggernaut expected to continue tying up committees on the Hill for many months to come. Here's just one example: Some House Republicans call Obama's centerpiece reform initiative Race To The Top  "a taxpayer funded competition based on bias and chance."

Congress began debating the re-authorization of ESEA back in October, four years behind schedule. No Child Left Behind took effect in 2002, and was supposed to be up for review every five years after that date. Instead, Congress put off having those tough conversations, and has approved school funds on an annual basis.

On behalf of the Ed Trust, Jennings urges the re-authorization to be done "the right way," so that all students have access to highly effective teachers and are prepared for post-secondary success.

If Obama does opt for any of Ed Trust's priorities, Jennings writes, "we hope members of Congress from both sides of the aisle offer to work with him. Millions of students are depending on it."

What words are on your Education Buzzwords Bingo card for tonight? The Alliance for Excellent Education offers some nifty versions on its Website. Among the winning words and phrases: High school diploma, inequality, waiver and teacher. Given First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign to end childhood obesity within a generation, I'm guessing we'll hear something related to physical education and cafeteria menus, as well. (Did someone say "tofu?" Bingo!)

 Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email EWA public editor Emily Richmond at erichmond@ewa.org. She also tweets @EWAEmily.

Students With Disabilities Sent to the Scream Room

Some schools call it the time-out room. Or the quiet room. But in Middletown, Conn., it's known to many as the "scream room."
Students -- typically those with disabilities -- are put in the small, windowless room as a means of controlling their behavior. The room's cinderblock walls aren't thick enough to drown out the sounds from within, according to this story from the Hartford Courant.
In order to be placed in the room, the student usually must have an Individualized Education Plan (known as an IEP) that allows for this type of isolation as a form of "treatment." I put treatment in quotes in this context, given that special education experts say "there was no evidence that secluding a child had any therapeutic value," according to the Courant story.
"These are archaic methods to control behavior and to try to keep people safe," said Jane Hudson, a senior staff attorney with the National Disability Rights Network in Washington, in the Courant story. "Can you imagine how frightening this is for a 6-year-old? Of course, they are going to react, that's why the screaming occurs: 'Get me out of here!'"
To be sure, this is an issue far beyond the borders of Middletown, which has a K-12 enrollment of about 5,000. Advocates for children with disabilities are fighting these types of intervention techniques at the local, state and national level. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has introduced legislation that would prohibit public schools from using "scream rooms" as a means of controlling or disciplining students.
On a related note, the U.S. Department of Education has updated its guidance for public schools in response to revisions to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
"It is critical that school districts remain vigilant in their duty to protect the civil rights of all their students, including students with disabilities. When Congress changes the law affecting those rights, districts must ensure that their policies and practices reflect this altered landscape," said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali in a written statement.
Here are my questions for the next step in this story: Who are the teachers who make use of the "scream rooms?" How many of them are working on provisional licenses, rather than having an extensive background and experience in special education? What are the demographic breakdowns for students being subjected to isolation? Is it more common for boys? Is it more common for minorities?
Have you ever encountered a "scream room," as a parent, educator or student? Is the problem poor district policy, or teachers who are not properly trained to handle the specialized needs of a particularly challenging student?

Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond at erichmond@ewa.org. She also tweets @EWAEmily. 

Early Admissions Policies Frustrate Some College Applicants

In the The Quick and Ed blog, Education Sector's Rachel Fishman points out that a New York Times' piece about students at elite private schools being rejected for early admission to top-tier colleges does not reflect the full picture of the nation's post-secondary population.

Fishman is spot on, although I don't think many of the New York Times' readers could ever confuse the experiences of the girls of the Brearley School (where a year's tuition is $36,800) with anything close to "average." 

As we've discussed here previously, nontraditional college students are indeed gaining in numbers. They attend community colleges, or enroll in online programs while continuing to hold down their day jobs. Yes, some students attend elite colleges, an educational model poised to undergo a major overhaul.

The early admissions debate is a rich one. For more on the subject, check out Steve Cohen's piece from the Daily Beast. I also recommend Jay Mathew's response to the New York Times story in his Class Struggle blog.

Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond at erichmond@ewa.org. She also tweets @EWAEmily.

University of Michigan Student Claims Union Activities Got Her Fired

So, here's a sticky wicket. Imagine you're a graduate student in engineering at a top-tier research university.You're working long hours toward your Ph.D., teaching classes and trying to balance your own research workload, as well. You decide to advocate on behalf of yourself and your student-colleagues and push for a union, allegedly drawing the attention and ire of the administration.

Now imagine you are fired.

Such is the case of Jennifer Dibbern at the University of Michigan. According to the Detroit Free Press, Dibbern arrived in Ann Arbor in 2007 to pursue her doctorate in semiconductors after graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She then became involved in the Graduate Employees Organization, part of a network of unions that have formed at colleges and universities from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst to the University of California, Irvine. (For more on graduate student unions, you can check out the National Association of Graduate Student Professionals.)

Dibbern.argues that she was a strong student who had won teaching awards and had her research praised. Dibbern said her supervisor sent her an email suggesting her outside activities were taking away too much time from her research, but she disputes that claim.

Here, then,  the sticky gets tricky.

Michigan officials are prohibited by student/employee confidentiality laws from commenting on the specifics of Dibbern's situation. I wonder if there might be some way for her waive that, and if the university would even take her up on it. I'm also curious how subjective these types of decisions are, and how widely the expectations of a graduate student's work-research hours vary by department within a particular university.

Earlier this month at East Carolina University, the adviser to the student newspaper was fired after a photograph of a nude streaker at a football game appeared on the front page. Paul Isom, a university employee, said he's fighting his termination as student media director (the Student Press Law Center and other First Amendment advocates are protesting his firing).

What's similar about Dibbern's and Isom's situations is that in both cases we only have one side of the story. East Carolina officials have also said they are precluded from sharing relevant details about their decision because of employee confidentiality. Isom has offered to waive any rights in that area provided he be shown any "evidence" before it's made public. I think that's a reasonable response.

Are the graduate students at your college or university unionized? Do you believe student-employees need union protections? 


Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email EWA Public Editor Emily Richmond at erichmond@ewa.org. She also tweets @EWAEmily.