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THE STATE OF AMERICA'S CHILDREN YEARBOOK 1998 A critical factor in success or failure is the willingness of cities, states, and the nation to invest in decent schooling for all children. From the 1960s into the mid-1980s, there was focused national attention on the need for greater equity in education. Policy makers, educators, and child advocates shared a commitment to ensuring that low-income children, children with disabilities, and minority children had access to high-quality education. This commitment was evident in the creation and growth of programs such as Head Start, Title I compensatory education, bilingual education, and migrant education programs. Although inequities and other problems persisted, the marshaling ofpublic energy and resources began to produce demonstrable results. The number of poor and minority children who mastered basic skills increased, while academic achievement gaps narrowed. In the past few years, interest in ensuring that all children have a sound education appears to have waned, and a wide gap in resources separates wealthy and poor school districts. The 1997 DOE Report on the Condition ofEducation found that schools with the highest proportion of poor children have markedly fewer resources than schools serving affiuent students. The nation's richest school districts spend 56 percent more per student than do the poorest. Even when those figures are adjusted to take into account regional differences in the cost of Living and the additional resources devoted to students who need special education, bilingual, and compensatory education services, the wealthier schools spend 36 percent more per pupil than the poorest schools. Schools serving large numbers of poor children have fewer books and supplies and teachers with less training. According to the 1997 Condition ofEducation report, more than 70 percent of the teachers in schools with a high concentration oflow-income students lacked some necessary materials for their classes, and only 53 percent of these schools had Internet access, compared with 88 percent of more affiuent schools. Twice as many students in poor schools were taught by math teachers without a specialty in math or math education. And teacher salaries in the 1993-94 school year averaged 28 percent more in the relatively affiuent schools ($45,547 versus $35,496 in lower-income schools). Many schools are in disrepair, but those in the poorest communities are in the most dire shape. In 1995 the General Accounting Office (GAO) reported that elementary and secondary schools needed about $112 billion in repairs and upgrades. By GAO's estimates, about 14 million students attend schools requiring extensive repair work or replacement. A second GAO report in 1995 concluded that "most schools are unprepared for the 21st Century" and that schools in central cities and those with over 50 percent minority enrollment "are more likely than others to have insufficient technology and unsatisfactory environmental conditions." The DOE has identified a growing body of research linking achievement and behavior to students' physical surroundings. These studies found poorer academic performance associated with such conditions as overcrowded buildings, substandard science facilities, faulty air conditioning, and external noise. 50 CHI L D R EN'S D E F ESE FUN D
SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION What needs to be done. America faces an immediate challenge to improve the overall quality of education. Equally critical is the need for a renewed commitment to educational equity. Political and civic leaders, educators, and ordinary citizens must join forces to ensure that our schools provide educational opportunities for all children, not just a privileged few. Throughout our history, public education has been a stepping stone to satisfying work and a way out of the most impoverished environments. Despite the current debates over alternative schools, charter schools, and vouchers for private education, the majority ofAmerica's children will continue to be enrolled in public schools. We need to make sure that these provide the rich learning opportunities that serve as a gateway to a better future for all children. Federal leadership and support are important, but state and local governments have primary responsibility and provide the vast majority of resources for educating America's children. The federal government, in fact, contributes only about 9 percent of all spending on education. Communities throughout America have the greatest stake in making schools responsive to the needs of their children; they must help lead the effort for reform. The critical elements for educational improvement are clear: high standards, well-trained teachers, adequate resources, and challenging curricula. In addition, children must enter school ready to learn. To make sure they do, we need to invest adequate resources in child care and early education programs like Head Start. Many ofthe reform movements today-the drives for educational standards, school restructuring, better teacher preparation-focus on one ingredient for success or another. But reform must be comprehensive, sustained, and intensive to produce results. David Hornbeck, Philadelphia's superintendent ofschools and president ofCDF's board of directors, has outlined specific steps to improve learning: (I) define what children need to know; (2) develop "smart" tests to measure progress; (3) create strong accountability systems for teachers, administrators, and students; (4) give teachers, principals, and parents the major role in deciding what should happen in schools; (5) provide new kinds of training for educators; (6) provide early childhood development programs to help get children ready to learn; (7) harness technology to kindle learning; (8) use resources wisely; and (9) provide equitable access to resources. Most important for success, according to Dr. Hornbeck, is having strong expectations that all children can excel in school. Ifwe fail to demand the best from our schools, we fail in one ofour principal obligations to our children. A sound education can immeasurably enhance career success, financial security, and personal growth. Moreover, America's economic and social progress depends on a literate, skilled population with the ability to reason clearly, solve problems, and apply and advance knowledge. We must therefore do the utmost to improve teaching and foster learning in all schools, for all children. CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND 51
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About CDF he Children's Defense Fun
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Copyright © 1998 by Children's Def
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Acknowledgments Susanne Martinez, d
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THE STATE OF AMERICA'S CHILDREN YEA
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106 CHI L D R EN' S D E FEN S E FUN
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THE STATE OF AMERICA'S CHILDRE YEAR
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THE STATE OF AMERICA'S HILDREN YEAR
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