CAPE News
Supreme Court Decides Religious School Case
February 1, 2012 -- In a groundbreaking 9-0 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court last month agreed that the government cannot intervene in the decisions of religious schools regarding the employment of ministers. Read the February issue of Outlook to find out exactly what the court said -- and didn't say -- in this historic ruling.
The actual decision in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission et al is available here. Background information on the oral arguments is available in the November issue of CAPE Outlook.
White House Honors Champions of Change
Champion of Change Bertha Castaneda
January 25, 2012 -- The White House today honored nine leaders in Catholic education as Champions of Change “for their service to their communities and our nation.”
According to a White House Web page on the program, “These extraordinary individuals have made a significant impact on the students, families, and educators through Catholic schools and universities throughout America.”
"Each of these nine leaders embody the values of education, innovation and service through their stellar contributions to Catholic schools and the wider communities they serve," said Alexia Kelley, senior policy advisor at the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. "These champions, like their colleagues in Catholic education across the country, inspire all of us to build up our communities and our nation's young people."
In an unexpected twist at the event, one of the champions, Annette “Mickey” Lentz, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, drew applause when noting that Indiana’s new voucher initiative has brought 2,000 additional students to schools in the archdiocese. She said she believes the program is “just going to really open wonderful things for these children and these families.”
The champions honored today were:
- Bertha Castaneda, High School Senior, Archbishop Carroll High School, Washington, DC
- Rev. Charles Currie, S.J., President, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Washington, DC
- Rev. John P. Foley, S.J., Chair Emeritus and Chief Mission Officer, Cristo Rey Network, Chicago, IL
- Sr. Jennie Jones, S.F.F., Principal, St. Mary’s Academy, New Orleans, LA
- Paul Krebbs, President, All Hallows High School, Larchmont, NY
- Annette “Mickey” Lentz, Chancellor, Archdiocese of Indianapolis, IN
- Sr. Rosa Maria Ruiz, C.F.M.M., Superintendent of Catholic Schools, Diocese of Tucson, AZ
- Yvonne Schwab, Principal, St. James the Less Catholic School, Columbus, OH
- Joseph Womac, Executive Director, Fulcrum Foundation, Seattle, WA
House Releases ESEA Draft Bills
January 6, 2012 --House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) today released two pieces of draft legislation to reauthorize elements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The bills deal with several ESEA issues, including provisions relating to the equitable participation of students in private schools in Title I and in other ESEA programs.
The two draft bills are The Student Success Act and The Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act. The committee also released summaries of each bill (Student Success Act Summary, Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act Summary).
Provisions relating to the participation of students in private schools may be found in sections 120 and 201 of The Student Success Act. Section 120 amends section 1120 of ESEA, the section relating to the participation of private school students in Title I. Section 201 contains general provisions, including a new uniform provisions section 5501 (replacing the current section 9501 in ESEA) relating to the participation of private school students in ESEA programs other than Title I.
CAPE has advanced various proposals for improving equitable services to private school students and teachers in ESEA, which are available here. Many of the private school community's proposals for ESEA were included in the draft legislation.
Blaine Amendment Up for Repeal
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi
January 4, 2012 -- Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi (pictured right) helped ensure that voters in Florida will have a chance this November to amend the state’s constitution to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion in the distribution of government funds. A ballot initiative would repeal the state’s Blaine Amendment, which prohibits the use of public funds to aid any religious institution directly or indirectly. Because similar amendments appear in state constitutions across the country, the initiative could carry significant consequences well beyond Florida’s borders.
This month’s Outlook provides the whole story, along with a brief history of the Blaine Amendment and its roots in anti-Catholic prejudice.
Also in the January Outlook:
- Top Private Ed Events of 2011
- New Guidance on ESEA Flexibility
- President Signs Spending Bill
- Tribute to Philanthropist Joe Robert
- Report on School Choice by the Institute for Justice
- And much more
President Signs 2012 Omnibus Spending Bill
January 4, 2012 -- The House and Senate last month passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2012, a nearly $1 trillion spending package to pay for key operations of the government, including defense, health, and education. President Obama signed the bill December 23.
The following table provides funding levels for key programs affecting private schools.
| Federal Education Spending Levels (in millions of dollars) Various Programs Affecting Private Schools |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2010 Final | FY 2011 Final | FY 2012 Final | |
| Career Education (Perkins Act) | $1,161 | $1,122 | $1,123 |
| Community Learning Centers (IV-B) | $1,166 | $1,154 | $1,152 |
| English Language Acquisition (III-A) | $750 | $734 | $732 |
| Math & Science Partnerships (II-B) | $180 | $175 | $150 |
| Special Education (IDEA Part B-611) | $11,505 | $11,466 | $11,578 |
| Migrant Education (I-C) | $395 | $394 | $393 |
| Teacher Quality (II-A) | $2,948 | $2,465 | $2,467 |
| Title I (grants to LEAs) | $14,492 | $14,443 | $14,516 |
Related Links
School Choice Index
Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst, director of the Brown
Center on Education Policy at the Brookings
Institution, discusses ECCI.
December 6, 2011 -- How well do school districts stack up in offering parents school choice? The Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution has come up with a measure, the Education Choice and Competition Index (ECCI), that “scores large school districts based on thirteen categories of policy and practice.” The measure includes a count of certain students attending religious and independent schools.
ECCI’s purpose is “to create public awareness of the differences among districts in their support of school choice, provide a framework for efforts to improve choice and competition, and recognize leaders among school districts in the design and implementation of choice and competition systems.”
The report makes a clear case for increasing the number of quality educational options for students: “Expanding school choice and competition is desirable not only because parents want to exercise choice and schools respond to competitive pressure, although those are compelling reasons. It also provides an alternative to top-down efforts to improve schools through regulation.”
Read more about how private schools are factored into the ECCI in the December issue of CAPE Outlook.
Also in the December Outlook:
- Melinda Gates honors her private school teacher
- School crime is down
- Math scores are up
- Tribute to philanthropist Ted Forstmann
Guidance Issued on Equitable Participation
November 11, 2011 -- The U.S. Department of Education released new guidance yesterday on the equitable participation of students and teachers in private schools under its waiver program for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. To help religious and independent school officials work with states and school districts in securing services within the waiver program for their students and teachers, CAPE has set up a special ESEA flexibility resource page that compiles official guidance relating to equitable participation.
Earlier this fall, the department invited state education departments to request waivers from certain requirements of ESEA. Extensive background information and official documents concerning these waivers are available on the department's Web site.
NAEP Report Cards in Math and Reading
November 2, 2011 -- Students in religious and independent schools showed a substantial performance advantage over students in government schools, according to the latest report cards in math and reading from the National Center for Education Statistics. As the reading report put it, “In 2011, the average reading score for eighth-graders attending public schools was 19 points lower than the overall score for students attending private schools.”
Private school eighth-graders had a mean reading score of 282, compared to 264 for public school students. (The one-point discrepancy from the quote is due to rounding.) Ten points on the 500-point scale represent roughly one full grade level. In fourth grade, the public/private difference in reading was 14 points (234 vs. 220). In math, the private school advantage was 13 points in grade 8 (296/283) and 7 points in grade 4 (247/240).
The report also presents results as percentages of students meeting various achievement levels. As the following tables demonstrate, a significantly higher percentage of private school students scored at or above the basic, proficient, and advanced levels than public school students. According to the report: “Basic denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade. Proficient represents solid academic performance. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter. Advanced represents superior performance.”
NAEP 2011 Math Report Card
| Grade 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Private | Public | |
| Basic | 89 | 82 |
| Proficient | 49 | 40 |
| Advanced | 9 | 6 |
| Grade 8 | ||
| Private | Public | |
| Basic | 85 | 72 |
| Proficient | 48 | 34 |
| Advanced | 13 | 8 |
Related Links:
- Visit the NAEP 2011 Math Web Site.
- Download the 2011 Math Report in PDF
- Use the NAEP Data Tool to develop customized reports.
NAEP 2011 Reading Report Card
| Grade 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Private | Public | |
| Basic | 81 | 66 |
| Proficient | 48 | 32 |
| Advanced | 13 | 7 |
| Grade 8 | ||
| Private | Public | |
| Basic | 90 | 75 |
| Proficient | 54 | 32 |
| Advanced | 8 | 3 |
Related Links:
- Visit the NAEP 2011 Reading Web Site.
- Download the 2011 Reading Report in PDF
- Use the NAEP Data Tool to develop customized reports.
Court Hears Religious School Case
November 1, 2011 -- Do federal employment discrimination laws apply to teachers in religious schools? That’s the question the U.S. Supreme Court wrestled with October 5 during oral arguments in a case of far-reaching consequences concerning the unclear boundaries between church and state.
In one exchange, Justice Antonin Scalia asked, “Do Lutheran schools and Catholic parochial schools share public funds the same way public schools do?” Find out the answer in the November issue of CAPE Outlook.
Also in Outlook:
- Senate panel approves bill that would strip private schools from the Blue Ribbon Schools program.
- Education Secretary Duncan says he fought hard to include private schools in the American Jobs Act: “I just thought these are our kids, these are our schools.”
- The National Center for Education Statistics predicts private school enrollment trends through 2020.
- Steve Jobs on school vouchers.
- Pennsylvania Senate approves expansive opportunity scholarship bill.
- National Distinguished Principals named.
Fed Study Finds Significant Differences in Achievement and Expectations
October 3, 2011 -- A federal study following ninth graders through high school and into higher education and early work shows significant differences in achievement and expectations between the students in private schools and their counterparts in government schools.
Two reports by the National Center for Education Statistics examine select characteristics from the base year of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), a massive project tracking a cohort of roughly 20,000 ninth graders in 944 public and private schools.
The companion reports focus on the results of mathematics assessments, exposure to math and science courses, and students’ long-term educational expectations, while also offering contextual data provided by parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators.
For more on this story and others, read the October 2011 issue of CAPE Outlook. Receive Outlook free of charge each month by subscribing here.
Jobs Bill Includes Private School Renovation Funds
September 21, 2011 -- The American Jobs Act that President Barack Obama sent to Congress earlier this month in an effort to bolster the economy and bring down unemployment includes a provision to renovate and repair the nation’s schools, both public and private.
“Every child deserves a great school, and we can give it to them,” the president said at an event September 13 in Columbus, OH, to promote the bill.
The school modernization component of the president’s proposal would provide $25 billion for K-12 projects, which officials estimate would improve at least 35,000 schools while employing hundreds of thousands of workers to carry out the repairs and upgrades. Ten billion dollars would be earmarked for the 100 school districts with the highest number of children from low-income families and the remaining $15 billion would go to states, which would then distribute to school districts half the funds by formula and the other half by an application process that directed funds to the most needed repair projects and that also favored rural districts.
Services to Private Schools
Private nonprofit elementary or secondary schools with a rate of child poverty of at least 40 percent would receive services funded by amounts equal to the number of children enrolled in the school times the per-pupil expenditure of funds under the program for children in the public school district in which the school is located.
Although funds for public schools could be used to modernize facilities through a broad array of permissible improvements such as up-to-date science labs, energy efficient boilers, and Internet access in classrooms, private schools would have access to a narrower menu of upgrades. Services for private schools would be limited to renovations designed to meet the standards set for public schools by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. One other allowable service would be the removal or abatement of asbestos or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in schools.
In a statement of support for the bill, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said: “Tragically, children in the nation’s poorest school districts often attend schools with crumbling ceilings, overcrowded classrooms, and facilities that lack basic wiring infrastructure for computers, projectors, and other modern-day technology. This is not a partisan issue. The physical conditions at some aging schools today are shameful. They are no place for children to learn.”
Since one goal of the program is to stimulate the economy quickly, funds for projects would have to be spent within 24 months of the bill’s enactment.
No Sure Thing
Of course, enactment is far from a sure thing. Reacting to the president’s proposal, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairman John Kline (R-MN) said, “More stimulus spending is not the right solution to our nation’s jobs crisis. Common sense tells us that putting the federal government in the business of school construction will only lead to higher costs and more regulations.” In remarks to the Economic Club of Washington, DC, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said, “Some of the president’s proposals offer opportunities for common ground,” but then quickly suggested other policies were needed “to put America back to work.” With even some Democrats expressing concern about certain components of the president’s bill, it is unclear exactly what parts of the broad proposal could secure enough bipartisan support to make it through both chambers of Congress.
Limitation on Itemized Deductions
One way the president hopes to pay for his plan is by increasing taxes, and one of those increases is causing serious concern in the not-for-profit world. He called for a limitation on the value of certain itemized deductions, including charitable giving deductions, for wealthy taxpayers (e.g., those filing joint returns with annual adjusted gross incomes over $250,000). The value of such deductions would drop from a maximum of 35 percent to 28 percent. Organizations that rely on charitable giving are worried that the cap would mean a loss of income, resulting in a reduction of their workforce and a diminishment in their ability to serve the public good.
Related Links:
Blue Ribbon Schools Named
September 15, 2011 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced the names of 304 schools identified by the U.S. Department of Education as the National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2011.
Schools were selected either because their standardized test scores in reading and math placed them among the top-performing schools in the nation or state, or because they served disadvantaged students and improved performance to high levels.
Forty-nine private schools were among the awardees this year. Each state’s commissioner of education nominates public schools for the award, and CAPE nominates private schools. All winning schools will be honored at an awards ceremony November 14-15 in Washington, D.C.
“America’s long-term economic prosperity and civic engagement depends on our children receiving a world-class education,” Duncan said. “National Blue Ribbon Schools are committed to accelerating student achievement and preparing students for success in college and careers. Their success is an example for others to follow.”
Related Links:
Private School Scores Exceed SAT Benchmark
September 15, 2011 -- SAT scores for college-bound seniors in religious and independent schools this year were significantly higher than the national average in all three subjects tested (critical reading, mathematics, and writing), the College Board reported last month. Average national SAT scores were 497 in reading, 514 in math, and 489 in writing, while comparable scores for students in religious schools were 531, 533, and 528. Students in independent schools scored 541, 579, and 550.
Private school scores also surpassed the SAT “College and Career Readiness Benchmark,” a combined score of 1550 in the three subjects. For all college-bound seniors across the nation, the combined average SAT score was 1500, 50 points shy of the benchmark, while the average for religious school students was 1592 (42 points above the benchmark) and that for independent school students was 1670, exceeding the benchmark by 120 points.
The College Board reported that 43 percent of all students from the class of 2011 who took the SAT met or exceeded the benchmark, which represents “the level of academic preparedness associated with a high likelihood of college success and completion.” The company calls the benchmark “a very reliable tool for measuring the college and career readiness of groups of students.” It was developed after “rigorous research analyzing the SAT scores and college performance of a nationally representative student sample at more than 100 colleges and universities.” The score indicates “a 65 percent likelihood of achieving a B- average or higher during the first year of college, which in turn is indicative of a high likelihood of college success and completion.”
"Students who meet the College Board’s college readiness benchmark are more likely to enroll in, succeed and graduate from college," said College Board President Gaston Caperton. "Ensuring that students are ready to attend and complete college provides them with the competitive advantage they need to successfully compete in the global economy, which is critical to the future of our nation."
Read the College Board Report (PDF) on 2011 college-bound seniors.
Historic Year for School Choice
September 1, 2011 -- The Wall Street Journal recently called 2011 “the year of school choice,” noting that as states are taking measures to enhance educational freedom for families across the country, the year is “shaping up as the best for reformers in a very long time.”
Eleven states and the District of Columbia have seen new or improved programs of school choice, stretching from scholarships to savings accounts that help parents cover the costs of education. “More states have passed school voucher or scholarship tax credit legislation in 2011 than ever before,” according to the American Federation for Children (AFC), a school choice advocacy group.
For more on this story and others, read the September 2011 issue of CAPE Outlook (PDF). Receive Outlook free of charge each month by subscribing here.
What Kids Know in Geography
July 21, 2011 -- Eighth graders in private schools are three times more likely than other students to have an “advanced” knowledge of geography, a level that reflects superior academic performance, according to a report released this week by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
The report summarizes results from the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in geography, designed to measure “knowledge of geography in the context of space and place, environment and society, and spatial dynamics and connections.”
The test quantifies performance at the basic level (denoting partial mastery of knowledge and skills) proficient level (solid academic performance), and advanced level (superior performance).
Representative samples of students in fourth grade, eighth grade, and twelfth grade participated. Private school scores are available for eighth grade only, where a sufficient number of students were tested to yield accurate results.
NAEP 2010 Geography Report Card
| Grade 8 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Private | Public | |
| Basic | 90 | 73 |
| Proficient | 45 | 25 |
| Advanced | 6 | 2 |
Related Links:
- Visit the NCES NAEP Geography Web Site.
- Use the NAEP Data Tool to develop customized reports.
National Report Card in U.S. History
June 15, 2011 -- Students in private schools are more likely than other students to have a “proficient” knowledge of U.S. history -- a level that reflects “solid academic performance” -- according to a report released this week by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
The report summarizes results from the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in U.S. history, designed to measure “knowledge of American history in the context of democracy, culture, technological and economic changes, and America’s changing world role.” Representative samples of students in fourth grade, eighth grade, and twelfth grade participated.
The test measures performance at the basic level (denoting partial mastery of knowledge and skills) proficient level (solid academic performance), and advanced level (superior performance). Private school scores are available for eighth grade only, where a sufficient number of students participated to yield accurate results.
NAEP 2010 U.S. History Report Card
| Grade 8 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Private | Public | |
| Basic | 87 | 68 |
| Proficient | 29 | 16 |
| Advanced | 2 | 1 |
Related Links:
- Visit the NCES NAEP U.S. History Web Site.
- Use the NAEP Data Tool to develop customized reports.
Education Secretary Meets with CAPE’s Board
October 6, 2010 -- Acknowledging a strong personal connection with private education, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan met twice with religious and independent school leaders last month—first with CAPE’s board of directors September 21 and then, the following day, with attendees at a private school leadership conference sponsored by the Education Department’s Office of Non-Public Education (ONPE).
“I am a product of a phenomenal private school,” Duncan said at the ONPE event. “And a big reason why I went into education is that I knew every day growing up how lucky my sister and brother and I were to go to an extraordinary school.”
Striking a similar theme at the CAPE meeting, the secretary said he had “tremendous respect” for the schools that CAPE represents--schools that collectively do “an extraordinary job of educating children around the country.”
For more on this story, download the October issue of CAPE Outlook (PDF). Receive Outlook free of charge each month by subscribing here.