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N THE NEWS MARCH 28 2007 - EDUCATION WEEK

BYVAISHAUHONAWAR

The definition of a successfultudent has to change from one

whose achievement is measuredolely on the basis of test scoreso on e who is healthy, emotion-lly and physically inspired, en-aged in the arts, and preparedor employment in a global econ-my,a report says.Prepared by the Association forupervision and Curriculum De-elopmenfts Commission on the

Whole Child, the report, released

his month, says educational prac-ce and policy-today are concen-ated overwhelmingly ontestingains. But academic achievementannot happen without significantmphasis on other factors, indlud-

ng student engagement, person-lized learning, and skilled andaring teachers,it adds.The report is part of the ASCD'sew public-engagement cam-aign that encourages schoolsnd communities to work to-ether to ensure each studentas access to a challenging cur-culum in a healthy and sup-ortive climate."The current focus on account-

bility has shifted focus awayrom whole-child education," saidudy Seltz, the deputy executiveirector of the Alexandria, Va.-ased ASCD,which works to iden-fy and share sound policy andest practices in education.

"We need to rethink what edu-ation of the whole child meansnd make sure every student hasccess to a rich and challengingurriculum that pays attention tother aspects," she added, point-

ng out that research shows stu-ents who feel connected to theirommunity tend to do better aca-emically.

Tough Sell?

The report includes several rec-mmendations for school districts,ommunities, states, and the fed-

healthy child, for instance, dis-tricts are urged to collaborate withlocal health and social-serviceagencies to ensure access tohealth care, offer healthy food op -tions, and provide programs inphysical and health education.

States, meanwhile, can provideincentives for schools to elimi-nate non-nutritional food andsnacks, the report says, and thefederal government can provideincentives and funding for effec-tive health, nutrition, and school-readiness programs.

David Magnani, a, formerMassachusetts state legislatorwho is now an education policyconsultant for the New YorkCity-based Council of State Gov-ernments Eastern Regional Con-ference, called the recommenda-tions "very impressive.7

The ASCD report "says thatwhen you educate the wholechild, you can count.on academicgrowth as well, even if that's notthe primary intent," Mr. Magnanisaid. But, he added, it might takesome effort to convince lawmak-ers, who are now focused on aca-demic gains because of the fed-eral mandates of the No ChildLeft Behind Act.

"Legislators and pohicymakerswould want to know how thewhole-child compact correlateswith academic achievement. Ifthey donet get an answer to that,they won't embrace it," he said.

Some Schools Praised

The report highlights a handfulof schools and one state for theirwhole-child approach.

At the 200-student Quest HighSchool outside Houston, studentsare actively involved in curricu-lum writing. They prepare, as-sess, and monitor their own well-ness plans, including physical,social, and emotional health.

"W e have structures and sys-tems in place to ensure all chil-dren are known well by the

long," Principal Kimberly Klep-cyk said in an interview.

Teachers at Quest High, in theHumble Independent School Dis-trict, lead "families" of 20 to 25students in "houses" rather thanclassrooms. Students stay in thesame family from 9th through12th grade. That setup helps themdevel6p interpersonal skills thatfurther improve their chances ofsuccess in academics and in otherareas, Ms. Klepcyk added.

Among states, the report sin-gles out New Hampshire, where,

it says, the department of educa-tion has a plan that "is groundedin a commitment to effectivelyincorporate real-world learninginto the fabric of New Hamp-shire's public schools."

"In his model, the local museumcurator becomes a purveyor of artand history knowledge, ... and theresearcher at the local aquarium isthe science teacher for two days aweek, the report says.

State Commissioner of Educa-tion Lyonel B. Tracy said thatsuggestions his department out-lined under the 2-year-old initia-tive, although not mandatory,have been adopted by severalschools. "Once the schools get theplan in place, they will followeach child all the way throughthe system to record tangible evi-dence" of his or he r development,he said last week in an interview.- In coming weeks, the ASCD willhold community conversations inwhich school officials, parents, andpeople in the spheres of health,recreation, and the arts will iden-tify their communities' strengthsand how they define education.

"The premise," said the ASCD,SMs. Seltz, "is that there is an im-portant part of whole-child edu-cation that sits with schools, biitschools alone" cannot implementthe concept without help from

those other stakeholders.

edweek.org- A link to -TheLearning CompactRedefined:A Call

NTHE NEWS MARCH :28. 2007 - EDUCATION WEEK

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TEACHERS COLLEGE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

BY INDA JACOBSON

An issue that never really goes

away is back again this year: thestarting age for kindergarten.

Lawmakers in at least threestates are debating whether tomove the cutoff deadline forkindergarten eligibility to an ear-lier date so children will be at least5 years old when they start school.

In Arkansas, Connecticut, andTennessee, where the proposalsare at various stages in the leg-islative process, sponsors say toomany children enter kindergartenwithout the social or academicskills they need to do well-espe-cially given the pressure onschools to make sure children areprepared for tests down the road.

Betty B. Davis, the president ofthe Central Arkansas Associa-tion for the Education of YoungChildren, agrees.

"Some children are really tooyoung to be part of kindergarten,said Ms . Davis, whose group is anaffiliate of the Washington-basedNational Association for the Edu-cation ofYoung Children. 'The lackof maturity is perhaps an issue."

In her state, the Senate alreadyhas unanimously passed a billthat gradually would push backthe current Sept. 15 cutoff dateto Aug. 1 by 2010.

Connecticut lawmakers are dis-cussing moving their state's cutofffrom Jan. 1 to the preceding Sep-

tember or October. In Tennessee,the recommendation is to move theSept. 30 date back three months.

If the legislation passes in Ten-nessee, it could have a ripple ef-fect on the state's growing pre-Kprogram. Rep. David Hawk, theRepublican legislator sponsoringthe bill, has said that he believesthe cutoff dates for the two pro-grams should be aligned.

A shift in kindergarten entrytimes, however, can inconve-nience working parents who areeager to stop paying for preschoolor child care or who are wonder-ing if their child will be boredwith another year of preschool.

The most common date by which

children need to turn 5 in order toenter kindergarten in the fall isSept. 1, and most states set theirdates at before Oct. 1. California!sis the second-latest, at Dec. 2, andIndiana's is the earliest, July 1.

'A Shell Game'

Despite all the discussion itstirs, changing the date maybepointless, many experts in early-childhood education say.

"It's an incredibly interesting po-litical conversation that meansvery little," said Kristie Kauerz, acoordinator at the National Cen-ter for Children and Families,based at Columbia University inNew York City. "I still think it's ashell game. Simply shifting the-date isn't going to solve anything."

Many experts say that no mter what date is set, teachers whave roughly a 12-month distri

ution in the skills of childrentheir classrooms.

"There will always be variabiity in kids' skills that is corrlatedwith their age," said RobePianta, an education professorthe University of Virginia, inCharlottesville, and an expertthe transition into kindergarten.

Some observers argue that

academic expectations werenbeing pushed down fromgrade into kindergarten, teacherswouldn't be so aware of the dferences in children!s abilities.

But Ms. Davis said she doesnsee the pendulum swinging towaless academic rigor any time so

"We're in a global economy,"said. "And w're constantly gettingreports of how children in othcountries are outperforming our

Ms. Kaurez also suggests ththere may be, in effect, a"push upfrom the early-childhood-educa-tion field because of the contining expansion of public preschoolprograms, as well as attentionbuilding high-quality programwith specific learning standards.

"Kids are entering public schomore ready. They're .coming wdifferent skill sets," Ms. Kauresaid. But because of whatcalled an "inequitable distribution7of programs--meaning not all cdren attend preschool-wide d

parities remain in children's soand academic abilities.-

Other Options

Ms. Kaurez added that schoocan take other steps, suchmoving toward full-day kindegarten, to make sure childrenacquiring the necessary skills.

Several districts in New Mexoperate a program called Kindegarten-Plus, which allows childrefrom low-income families to st_kindergarten 20 days before thpeers. The children also spendadditional 20 days in school durithe sunLmer after kindergartenget ajump on Ist grade work.

And in Hawaii% he legislature2004 created an optional "junikindergarten" program for chdren who have not yet reachedcutoff date of Aug. 1. The prograallows teachers to target studentindividual needs and can prevethe need to hold a kindergartnerback from promotion to 1st grad

Carol Nicoli, the president ofCalifornia Kindergarten Assocition, said that she too often hhad to recommend that some cdren repeat kindergarten. Thawhy she supports gradually mingher state's cutoff date fromcember to September.

"You're asking them not to sceed," she said of children wstart kindergarten too young. "Ard like to do something to changthat:'

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COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

TITLE: Curriculum-Development Group Urges Focus Shift toWhole Child

SOURCE: Education Week 26 no29 Mr 28 2007PAGE(S): 7-8

The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and itis reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article inviolation of the copyright is prohibited. To contact the publisher:http://www.edweek.org