EDUCATION: K-12

» Investing in Learning: School Funding Policies to Foster High Performance

» Measuring What Matters: Using Assessment and Accountability to Improve Student Learning

 

INVESTING IN LEARNING: SCHOOL FUNDING POLICIES TO FOSTER HIGH PERFORMANCE

On February 17th, 2004, CED released Investing in Learning: School Funding Policies to Foster High Performance, a major report on public school financing. Recommendations and findings include: allocating resources more effectively within districts and schools; aligning teacher pay with labor markets; creating incentives for improved teacher and school performance, and linking school funding to the costs of meeting education standards.

Press Release | Summary | Full Report | Order ($15)


Public School Finance Forums
With generous support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CED has hosted seven school finance reform forums across the country since October 2004. All seven forums have focused on local, state and national concerns, as well as recommendations made in Investing in Learning, including:

  • Allocating resources more effectively within districts and schools,
  • Aligning teacher pay with labor markets,
  • Creating incentives for improved teacher and school performance, and
  • Linking school funding to the costs of meeting education standards.

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Sponsored Forums:
» San Francisco, CA
» Fresno, CA
» San Diego, CA

Working with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, CED recently hosted a series of three forums in California to discuss ways to address California's broken school funding system, and to highlight recommendations made in Investing in Learning.

San Francisco, CA —

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Dr. Arlene Ackerman, Superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District, discusses the need to reform the funding model for public school in California.
On September 29, 2005, CED co-hosted a forum with the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce to discuss a number of public school finance related issues. Keynote speaker Dr. Arlene Ackerman, Superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), discussed the many reforms she has encouraged in the SFUSD, and stressed the need for partnership to continue San Francisco's progress as a leader in education reform.

The interactive panel discussion included remarks from:

  • Michael Kirst, Professor of Education & Business Administration, Stanford University
  • Ted Lempert, President, Children Now
  • James Lanich, President, California Business for Education Excellence (CBEE)
  • Eric Hanushek, Paul & Jean Hanna Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
  • Jill Tucker, Education Reporter, Oakland Tribune

The business-led luncheon discussion focused on many of the recommendations made in CED's report, including allocating resources more effectively within districts and schools; aligning teacher compensation with labor market realities; creating incentives for improved performance; and linking school funding to the costs of meeting education standards.

Additional remarks were heard from: Lee Blitch, President, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Charles E.M. Kolb, President, CED, Lenny Mendonca, Chairman, McKinsey Global Institute, and A.W. Clausen, Chairman & CEO (Retired), Bank of America Corporation.

To read the transcript, please click here.

Fresno, CA —

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Fresno Mayor Alan Autry called upon members of the central valley business and education community to make quality education a priority for California.
On October 4 2005, CED was pleased to co-sponsor a public school finance forum in Fresno, CA with the Fresno Business Council, and the Central Valley Educational Leadership Institute (CVELI).

Keynote remarks were heard from Fresno Mayor Alan Autry. Mayor Autry stressed the need for partnership and community dedication to the city's public school system.

The panel discussion included remarks from:

  • Dr. Walter L. Buster, Director, CVELI
  • Michael E. Hanson, Superintendent, Fresno Unified School District
  • Luisa Medina, President, Fresno Unified School District Board of Education
  • Michael L. Wilhelm, Partner, McCormick Barstow

The business-led discussion outlined the recent challenges faced by the Fresno Unified School District (FUSD), and the need for local business to play a role in improving school performance within the FUSD.

Additional remarks were heard from Deborah Nankivell, CEO, Fresno Business Council, and CED President Charles Kolb.

To read the transcript, please click here.

San Diego, CA —

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Dr. Cohn took over as Superintendent of the SDUSD in October 2005.
On November 10, 2005, CED co-hosted a breakfast forum with the San Diego Business Roundtable for Education at High Tech High in San Diego, California.

The forum, which attracted over 130 business, policy and education leaders, included keynote remarks from Dr. Carl A. Cohn, Superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). Dr. Cohn discussed his new role in San Diego and highlighted the importance of teacher involvement in the reform process and securing adequate funding for local schools.

The program also featured a panel discussion which included remarks from:

  • Ted Lempert, President, Children Now;
  • Dr. Julian Betts, Professor of Economics, University of California, San Diego;
  • Tyler Cramer, CEO, Olmstead, Cramer & Pizzuto; and
  • Dr. James S. Lanich, President, California Business for Education Excellence (CBEE) & Executive Director, Just for the Kids - California.

Additional remarks were heard from Gary Jacobs, Chairman, Board of Trustees, The Gary and Jeri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High; Charles E.M. Kolb, President, CED and Dr. Ginger Hovenic, President, San Diego Business Roundtable for Education.


Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Sponsored Forums:
» New York, NY
» Austin, TX
» Los Angeles, CA
» New York, NY

With generous support from the Gates Foundation, CED has hosted four forums across the country to discuss issues related to public school funding. Learn more about these meetings by reading the newsletters or the event descriptions below.

Click HERE to read the Investing in Learning newsletter on CED's meetings in New York, NY and Austin, TX.
Click HERE to read the Investing in Learning newsletter on CED's meetings in Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY.

New York, NY —

New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein discussed CED's report, "Investing in Learning," at the October 20th luncheon.
CED hosted its first event in New York City on October 20, 2004 at the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel.

The New York City event featured keynote remarks from Joel I. Klein, Chancellor of the New York City Public Schools, (click HERE to read the keynote address) and a panel discussion featuring remarks from:

  • Michael Rebell, Esq., Executive Director, Campaign for Fiscal Equity [read remarks]
  • Dr. N. Gerry House, President, Institute for Student Achievement [read remarks]
  • Kathryn Wylde, President, New York City Partnership and Chamber of Commerce [read remarks]
  • William Cox, Managing Director, Standard & Poor's School Evaluation Services [read remarks]

Austin, TX —

Commissioner Neeley discussed how to make the Texas education system more effective.
CED, along with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the United Way of Texas, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the Texas High School Project, joined to host local policy makers, business leaders and educators for a February 7, 2005 Austin luncheon discussion on the importance of incentive pay in improving the performance of Texas schools.

The panel included remarks from:

  • Dr. Shirley J. Neeley, Texas Commissioner of Education,
  • The Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair of the Senate Education Committee,
  • Steffen E. Palko, Vice Chairman & President, XTO Energy, Inc.; and
  • John Fitzpatrick, Executive Director, High School Projects, Community Foundation of Texas.

To read the transcript, click HERE.

Los Angeles, CA —

Charlie Kolb (left) moderated the April 20th school finance reform luncheon.
CED, along with the Alliance for a Better Community (ABC), The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, hosted an April 20, 2005 school finance reform luncheon at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel. The event included a keynote presentation from CED Trustee Roy Romer, Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District.

Additional remarks were heard from María A. Casillas, President of Families in Schools; CED Trustee Harold M. Williams, Of Counsel, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom, LLP and President Emeritus of the J. Paul Getty Trust; Maureen A. Kindel, Co-Chair, Education and Workforce Development Programs, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and President, Rose & Kindel; and Carol Rava Treat, Senior Policy Officer, Education, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The interactive panel included remarks from:

  • Dr. Stephen J. Carroll, Senior Economist, RAND Corporation
  • Caprice Young, President, California Charter Schools Association
  • José Huizar, President, Los Angeles Unified School Board
  • Frank Baxter, Chairman Emeritus, Jefferies and Company

To read the transcript, click HERE.

New York, NY —

The panel considered revenue generation recommendations from both CBC and ITEP.
CED and Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning (PENCIL) hosted a group of New York City area business and policy leaders for a June 8, 2005 luncheon briefing on revenue generation for school finance reform in New York. The luncheon included a keynote presentation from CED Trustee Kurt M. Landgraf, President & CEO, Educational Testing Service (ETS), and a panel discussion featuring remarks from several business and policy leaders who have studied the current budget realities of New York and revenue options available to the State's legislators, including:

  • Michael A. Rebell, Executive Director, Campaign for Fiscal Equity
  • Diana Fortuna, President, Citizens Budget Commission (CBC)
  • Matthew Gardner, Policy Analyst, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

The event was moderated by Sam Roberts, a New York Times reporter and the host of NY1's New York Close-Up, and included remarks from CED President Charles Kolb and PENCIL President Janet Corcoran.

To read the transcript, click HERE.

 

MEASURING WHAT MATTERS

In 2001, CED released Measuring What Matters: Using Assessment and Accountability to Improve Student Learning, a report that hails testing and accountability as key to improving student learning. CED cautions, however, that tests are a means, not an end, to school reform. More work be done to ensure that tests are good measures of learning. CED's K-12 efforts will engage business leaders in sustaining support for performance measurement in education and in identifying and overcoming barriers to delivering public education in new ways.

Press Release | Executive Summary | Full Report | Order ($15)

Read a summary of the release event, featuring Senator James Jeffords in CED In Brief: Educational Assessment and Accountability.

In August 2002, CED issued an update to its 2001 report Measuring What Matters. This update on educational assessment and accountability examines key provisions and challenges of newly-enacted education policy legislation. [read]