Matthew Lynch

Matthew Lynch published in HBCU's, Higher Education, Matthew Lynch

5 Reasons HBCUs are Still Relevant

As college enrollment numbers rise, with Black college students at their highest enrollment levels ever, the role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, have come into question. Before 1964, and even as recently as two decades ago, an increase in the number of Black young adults with college aspirations would have been welcome news for HBCUs.

Today, more Black college students do not automatically translate into higher enrollment numbers at HBCUs because the college landscape has changed so drastically since the golden days of these institutions. Diversity recruitment programs on traditional campuses, the ease of online degree programs, and the rising credibility and offerings at community colleges have eclipsed the cornered market that was once enjoyed by HBCUs when it comes to enrolling Black and other minority students.

As a result, it’s been suggested that HBCUs are no longer relevant and their purpose is now outdated and unnecessary for the students who used to depend on their offerings. With respect to the many quality non-HBCU higher education institutions, I’d argue that HBCUs are more relevant than ever and are in many ways even MORE necessary than their counterparts. Here’s why:

HBCUs are still havens for the disadvantaged. The achievement gap in K-12 learning may be narrowing, but it is still exists. Even minority students who end up graduating from high school drop out of college at higher rates than their white peers. While all types of colleges are picking up on this weakness and looking for ways to retain students, many HBCUs stand out as examples of how to succeed at having students return after freshman year. A U.S. News ranking lists Spelman College (at 88 percent retention), Morehouse College (82.5 percent), Howard University (82.3 percent), Florida A&M University (79.5 percent) and Winston-Salem State University (78.3 percent) as the top five HBCUs for having students return to campus after freshman year.

As a comparison point, the top 10 predominantly white institutions, or PWIs, had retention rates that ranged from 97.5 to 99 percent – BUT the retention numbers for minority students was lower. The campus culture and student-centric programs at these PWIs are stellar but it also stands to reason that the students attending top PWIs, like Brown University and the University of Notre Dame, are predisposed to staying in college anyway – while HBCUs have many more obstacles to overcome when convincing and encouraging their attendees to stay. HBCUs are also proving to be thought leaders when it comes to advancing rights for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender students, with Morehouse College offering its first LGBT course this past spring.

HBCUs are blazing STEM trails. Many HBCUs are powerhouses when it comes to offering strong degree programs in science, technology, engineering and math. HBCUs are important hubs for developing the greatest STEM minds in the nation, with 65 percent of all Black physicians and half of all Black engineers graduating from HBCUs. The Tuskegee University College of Engineering and Alabama A&M University of College Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences are not just top engineering schools among HBCUs – they are among the best in the nation. Spelman College is the second largest school in the nation that sends Black undergraduates on to medical school. Jackson State University receives the highest amount of HBCU federal research funding every year, at $68 million, and is known for its “research intensive” programs.

Claflin University students work alongside the South Carolina Center for Biotechnology and receive hands-on industry training and connections in the field long before graduation. Xavier University of Louisiana has a consistently top-ranked pharmacy program and is a sought out school for those hoping to advance to medical school. Florida A&M University consistently ranks at the top of all colleges that graduate Black students with doctorates in natural sciences and engineering. In June, Fayetteville State was awarded a $718, 000 government research grant that included plans to oversee STEM instruction to local high school students. The advancements these schools are contributing to STEM fields are not just relevant, they are groundbreaking and an asset to the industries the graduates eventually serve.

They make college more affordable. As college costs climb, HBCUs remain reasonable options for earning college degrees and come with plenty of financial aid options in the form of grants, scholarships and federal loans. HBCUs like Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Mississippi cost as little as $4,940 for in-state students for an entire academic year (before any grants or financial aid) or just under $7,000 for in-state students who choose to live on campus. Even out of state students get a pretty good deal – adding just $1,000 more to that total. Even HBCUs with top billing offer affordable routes for their students, like Howard University in D.C. that saw 52 percent of students in 2012 with their financial needs fully met. The financial assistance programs at HBCUs have an inherent understanding that their students come from a place where college may not be an option without sound advice and financial assistance – and they step up to meet the needs of those students.

They adequately staff the workforce – and help graduates land jobs. During the latest Recession years, college career centers faced even greater scrutiny when it comes to helping students find jobs when they leave campus. The state of unemployed college graduates reached nearly crisis proportions at one point, with college graduates returning home to live with their parents after receiving a degree. HBCUs stepped up and worked even harder to help their graduates find the work they were qualified to accomplish after graduation. The 2012 HBCU Career Center Survey found that over 90 percent of HBCUs offered career workshops, career counseling, one-on-one resume writing help, one-on-one interview coaching, on-campus job fairs and on-campus interviews from prospective employers. Nearly three-fourths of the HBCUs in the survey said they also offered career development services for alumni. HBCUs are not simply training their students and sending them off blindly into their future careers; these schools are supplying well-equipped, highly-educated workforce members through connection programs that happen long before graduation day.

They remind us that there are still battles to be fought. As much as I’m a proponent of diversity in all of our schools, from pre-K to doctoral programs, there is some solidarity at HBCUs that would be a danger to lose. Despite advancements against discrimination, it is important to remember that the fight for civil rights and equality still rages on – and it extends beyond the Black community. It is vital to remember why HBCUs were developed in the first place and what role they have played in the fight for justice – producing such civil rights trail blazers as Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall. Though the initial mission of HBCUs may have evolved with the times, the reminder that education is an inalienable right for all Americans, and those who chose to study from abroad, lives on proudly at HBCUs and will always be a necessary pillar of the U.S. college and university system.

Read all of our posts about HBCUs by clicking here.

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Matthew Lynch published in list, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform

3 Simple Ways to Improve Parental Involvement in Schools

As educators, we talk a lot about the role of teachers in the lives of students and debate the best ways to strengthen the classroom experience for students from all backgrounds. There is only so much a teacher can do, though, particularly with large class sizes and limited resources. Even teachers in the best of circumstances are limited when it comes to hours in the day and the amount of material that must be covered. As K-12 academic standards become more rigorous, parental involvement becoming an even more integral piece of a student’s success.

The timing couldn’t be worse though, from a cultural standpoint. A report released in February by Stanford University that found that the number of U.S. households with two working parents nearly doubled from 25 percent in 1968 to 48 percent in 2008, and that doesn’t even factor in parents who have part-time jobs, health issues or other children that vie for their time. Sending children off to school is a relief for many parents who need a place for their children to go and put their faith in the school to make those hours productive ones.

Asking parents to pick up some of the “slack” for teachers is often perceived as a burden and not as the legitimate parental duty it actually is. If you look at students living in poverty, whose own parents may not have played an active role in their own K-12 learning, the chance of parental involvement in the education process is even slimmer. No teacher would argue the fact that parents ARE needed to maximize student success – so how can educators, and society as a whole, make it so?

The parental difference

The most obvious benefit of parental involvement is more time spent on academic learning, with direct results in student performance. There are other benefits too, though, like:

  • Parents being aware of what is taking place at the school and getting involved.
  • Parents better understanding where their children may struggle, and not just hearing it secondhand at a teacher conference.
  • Better attendance and participation for kids who follow the enthusiasm and good example of their parents.
  • Parent-child bonding over a common goal (and what better one than education?).

Parents are important to children’s success…now what?

Teachers reading this are likely shaking their heads as their frustration builds. Yes, parents are needed! Yes, students perform better if their parents are involved in their academics! But HOW do we get the message across to parents?

Here are a few approaches that have worked to trigger parental interest in what happens at school:

In schools

The Sunnyside Schools school district in Washington has designed a pilot program that will engage parents and investigate what methods best keep parents involvement in education of children the highest. Regular, informal meetings are part of the plan and a family advocacy group is working with the school district to find the best solutions.

In June 2013 Chicago Public Schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett unveiled a five-year action plan to help kids get ready for their college, career and life. In that plan, she discussed the importance of holding adults accountable as indispensable allies and says they must enforce homework, turn off the television and make education a priority. To help parents keep children on track, her action plan promises to launch city-wide “Parent Universities” that help parents learn more about appropriate expectations of their children, how to build academic skills and ways to support their college plans. Parents can also learn more to help better their own lives.

Using technology

ParentSquare is a simple to use, private communication platform that streamlines communication via web, email, text or mobile app. The easy-to-use interface offers two-way messaging, file and photo sharing, event and volunteer sign-up and more. With tabs for messages, events, people, photos, files and other options, parents can log into one system and have all the information they need. In short, ParentSquare makes school-to-home messaging simple, empowering parents to take a more active role in the academic success of their kids. Some of the standout features of ParentSquare include two-way messaging, text, email, web and mobile apps ensure schools reach every parent, and a safe place to store photos.

ParentSquare eliminates overwhelm and fragmentation that can come with the various means of communication available, making it easier for parents to participate and teachers to keep track of their communications.

Although getting parents to the right level of participation will take at least a generation of K-12 students, recent advancements designed to encourage parental involvement in our current cultural climate give us hope that we will see these changes happen.

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform

3 Ways Activists Fought For P-20 Education in 2015

Activism and fighting for the common good are as old as the human race itself. In P-20 education, the last decade has seen progress for groups that have traditionally been left out of the decision and often made to fight for a seat at the table. To the surprise of some and elation of others, many of these education activists groups have be overwhelmingly successful, especially this past year. In honor of those of us that fight for what’s right, I decided to do a piece discussing the top ways that education activists pushed back against “the man” in 2015.

Oklahoma protestors rallied for public school funding. Thousands of protesters attended a rally at the Oklahoma State Capitol that called on the state’s legislators to

do a better job staffing and funding the public schools in the state, as reported by The Oklahoman. The Brighter Future rally was organized by the Oklahoma Parent Teacher Association, and more than 60 school districts cancelled classes so that teachers, students, and parents could attend the rally that has been taking place for over a decade. Whether the legislators listened remains to be seen, but it would be in their best interest to do so.

Oklahoma ranks below the national average when it comes to academic achievement and chances for success for its students, according to Education Week’s 2015 Quality Counts report. For K-12 achievement and education spending, Oklahoma received “F” rankings. It’s reasonable to surmise that there is a connection between both things; without properly funded schools with highly trained (and adequately paid) teachers, students will not be able to reach their full potential.

The protest’s organizers hoped to double last year’s numbers and have 50,000 people at the rally today as a gathering of that size would hopefully collect the attention needed for some real change to take place when it comes to the public schools in the state and the children who attend them. The connection between public school funding and staffing, and the success of its students, is very clear. To best guide this generation of K-12 students into an economically healthy future for the state, Oklahoma needs to put the right funding behind its public schools.

Corinthian students said USDOE used them as publicity stunt. In a story that continues to grow, students who formerly attended Corinthian colleges are accusing the United States Department of Education (USDOE) of using them as a publicity stunt.

Representatives from the “Corinthian 100” were set to meet with officials from the USDOE about their student loan debts but opted to cancel the meeting because they felt they were being used. According to the New Republic, a representative from the Debt Collective, the organization aiding the students in their quest against the USDOE, did not believe the government wanted to help.

“They’re using us so they can pretend to care about students.”

The Corinthian 100 continue to fight in an effort to get the government to forgive their student loan debt. Students that formerly attended schools under the now-defunct Corinthian colleges banner are attempting to exercise a clause listed in the contracts they signed for student loans.

That portion of the contract allows for students to make a “defense of repayment” if they feel that they’ve been deceived.

Because the federal government fined Corinthian $30 million, in part, for felonious ways of collecting debt, the for-profit institution was forced to shut down. That’s also why the 100 want their debt forgiven.

Caught in the middle are the students who are saddled with thousands of dollars’ worth of debt owed to the Department of Education. But the 100 are refusing to bend and are demanding that their debt be forgiven.

Because Corinthian received nearly 90 percent of its revenue from federal financial aid, the federal government should overreach to help students who have shown that they are unable to repay their loans. As a result of the carelessness of Corinthian and the government, these students may never return to college due to the debt held from a negative and painful experience with an organization masquerading as a college.

Corinthian students refuse to payback student loan debt. Corinthian Colleges, a for-profit education outfit, came under fire when, as reported by NPR, 107 of its former students refused to pay back their student loans as a form of protest.

In addition to the large amount of debt that the students carry, they also claimed that the degrees they received from Corinthian are not recognized by most employers.

The Associated Press reported that Corinthian shut its doors last July due to federal regulations. The college had more than 100 U.S. campuses with more than 70,000 students. But when enrollment started to slump and reports showed that nearly 100 percent of students at for-profit schools take out student loans to pay for their education, the United States Department of Education stepped in.

According to NPR, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau met with representatives from the “Corinthian 100” to discuss “ways to address the burden of their student loans.” This is likely a step in the right direction for those students, but it doesn’t fully address the student loan debt crisis that’s beginning to engulf higher education.

The Institute for College Access and Success, by way of Pew Trusts, a rising number of states’ graduating students have an average debt of more than $30,000. Coupled with the fact that student loan debt now outpaces debt tied to mortgages and credit cards and more than 7 million U.S. borrowers are in default on their loans, higher education just may be in crisis.

The “Corinthian 100” is currently in talks with the Department of Education regarding their student loans.

I think these students have every right to refuse this repayment and that they were victims of predatory practices by this non-defunct university. Colleges and universities need to be held accountable for the degrees they give students and for what those students do after college.

What would you add to my list of ways that education activists fought back 2015?

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Matthew Lynch published in list, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform

10 More Educational Technology Concepts Every Teacher Should Know About

In a previous article, I showcased seven must-see educational technology concepts that teachers must stay abreast of to become more effective educators in the digital age. Those are important, but they are certainly not the only ones that are emerging in recent years. Here are some more exciting technologies to keep track of:

  1. Alternative input devices. These tools are designed to allow students with disabilities to use computers and related technology easily. Some alternative input devices include touch screens, modified keyboards, and joysticks that direct a cursor through use of body parts like chins, hands, or feet. Some up-and-coming technology in this area is sip-and-puff systems, developed by companies like Microsoft, to perform computer functions through the simple process of inhaling and exhaling. On-screen keyboards are another area of input technology that is providing K-12 learners with disabilities better use of computers and mobile devices for learning.
  2. Speech-to-text options. This technology is making mainstream waves through its use in popular cell phones like the Android-platform Razr M. While it is a convenience tool for people without disabilities, speech-to-text provides a learning advantage for students who have mobility or dexterity problems, or those who are blind. It allows students to speak their thoughts without typing and even navigate the Internet. speech-to-text options can also “talk back” to students and let them know about potential errors in their work.
  3. LAMP. Language Acquisition through Motor Planning, or LAMP, connects neurological and motor learning in a way that makes communication easier for students with autism and related disorders. These principles have proven especially helpful for students who do not speak or have very limited verbal skills. Paired with technology, LAMP principles empower a growing student population with autism to effectively communicate and reach higher academic achievements. LAMP is present in technology – from specially made computers to learning apps.
  4. Sensory enhancers. Depending on developmental patterns, children may need to learn differently than their peers. Instead of ABCs and numbers first, a child with language delays may benefit from bright pictures or colors to learn new concepts. Sensory enhancers may include voice analyzers, augmentative communication tools, or speech synthesizers. With the rapid growth of technology in the classroom, these basic tools of assistive technology are seeing great strides.
  5. Screen readers. This technology is slightly different from text-to-speech. It simply informs students of what is on a screen. A student who is blind or visually impaired can benefit from the audio interface screen readers provide. Students who otherwise struggle to glean information from a computer screen can learn more easily through technology meant to inform them.
  6. Mobile learning. Tablets and smartphones in the classroom are no longer a matter of “if,” but “when, and how quickly?” Administrators and educators can tap into the convenience of mobile technology in the classroom and the potential for student learning adaptation. Over half of school administrators say there is some form of mobile technology in their classrooms and that they plan to implement more when it is financially feasible. School districts should keep in mind that the purchase of mobile devices for K-12 use is only one piece in the learning puzzle. There must be funding for teacher training and maintenance of the devices too.
  7. Learning analytics. This evolving concept in K-12 classrooms is different from educational data mining. It focuses on individual students, teachers, and schools without direct implications to the government. Learning analytics are the education industry’s response to “big data” that is used in the business world for improvements and redirection of focus. Learning analytics show students what they have achieved and how their achievements match up with their peers. If implemented correctly, this technology has the potential to warn teachers early of academic issues while keeping students more accountable. Using the mobile and online technology already in place, students can better track and tailor their academic experiences.
  8. Open content. The rise of MOOCs, or massive open online courses, has trickled down from college learning to K-12 education. Increasingly, K-12 educators are also coming to believe that all information on any given topic already exists. In effect, a growing number of people believe that content does not need to be re-created or purchased, and the idea has gained steam among K-12 educators specifically. Within the next three years, expect more shared content available to teachers and to students. Open textbooks, resources, and curricula are not the only benefit of an open content push; shared experiences and insights are also valuable teaching tools.
  9. 3D printing. Also known as prototyping, 3D printing will allow K-12 students to create tangible models for their ideas. Many fields, like manufacturing, already make use of this technology to determine the effectiveness of ideas on a smaller, printable scale. In education, this technology will bolster creativity and innovation, along with science and math applications. The STEM Academy has already partnered with Stratasys, a leading 3D printing company, to start integration of the technology in programming classes.
  10. Outdoor/environmental learning. In short, more schools are looking for ways to get students and teachers outside. We are in an era of experiential learning, so environmental education fits the bill for many students. Lessons in this field teach children an appreciation of the earth and of its resources that the human population is quickly depleting. A better, hands-on understanding of nature also helps with science comprehension and gives students practical learning experiences.

Research has also found that teaching outside, even for short stints, improves student attitudes, attendance, and overall health. In many schools, teachers have always had the freedom to take students outside if they deemed it lesson-appropriate. Look for more official outdoor-teaching policies in the coming year, though, that encourage teachers to incorporate outdoor and environmental learning in all subjects.

As you can tell, many of these technologies have the power to change dramatically the learning experiences of students with learning disabilities, impairments, and other challenges that traditional learning methods have been less able to address. It is likely that we will see more use of these ten technologies and concepts in the next few years. In another article, I will focus on five more of these technology concepts every teacher must know.

 

 

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Matthew Lynch published in Matthew Lynch, OpEducation, Policy & Reform, Testing

Why K-12 Education Still Needs Federal Oversight

Educating American children has always been a responsibility that has fallen heavily on the states. As the public school system matured in the 20th century, however, it became increasingly apparent that states left to their own educational devices meant dangerous consequences for many children—especially students with disabilities and those living in poverty, for example. Historically, the federal government has always been the one to pick up the slack in K-12 education when states have fallen short.

In his piece for The Daily Beast, Jonah Edelman of Stand for Children warns that members of the newly-seated Congress have already voiced intentions to reduce accountability and transparency over states’ educational systems, while providing additional flexibility with federal funding.

Contrary to what some states-rights activists claim, states do not always act in the best interests of their residents, especially when it comes to education. Left to their own devices, states tend to enact discriminatory practices.

My home state of Mississippi is an example of state control gone awry. If its schools were wholly reliant on the state to outline learning benchmarks and divvy up funding (based on a state population with 24 percent in poverty and over 70 percent of its students eligible for free-and-reduced-price lunch), the inequalities would compound exponentially.

And those inequalities are already startling. For example, while 83 percent of high schools in New Hampshire offer calculus, only 41 percent of those in Mississippi do.

Mississippi has never quite been able to recover from its rampant poverty that began after the Civil War. Even when freedom was granted to slaves in the state and nearby, the African-American population was not able to elevate its quality of life due to the barriers erected by segregation and Jim Crow laws. Less-overt inequalities still exist that keep each new generation of African-American students in the state from breaking the cycle of poverty at home and underachievement in the classroom.

Edelman mentions issues like desegregation as wins for the federal government when states refused to do the right thing for all students. Without federal intervention, for instance, we wouldn’t have programs like the DREAM Act, which encourages continued education for students who might otherwise have been eligible for deportation. Instead, because of this federal program, they can contribute positively to their communities and to our country.

For one, federal guidance is needed to measure how much students are learning from one state to the next. Establishing a common high bar for academic performance that includes rigorous college-prep expectations can only be brought forth through federal involvement in schools.

It will be interesting to see what twists and turns the NCLB rewrites take and certainly no group will ever be completely satisfied. But the basic principle that guaranteeing every student in every state equal access to education is one worth fighting for.

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Matthew Lynch published in Higher Education, Matthew Lynch, Policy & Reform

4 Ways That Politics Impacted Higher Education in 2015

Politics impacts education in various ways, and they are not always apparent. Here are the ways that politics impacted higher education in 2015.

Accreditation at the center of reauthorization of the higher education act. A Senate white paper detailed issues with the process that many higher education institutions go through to achieve accreditation. In the paper, the question on how to improve accreditation for post-secondary schools was addressed, but it was done to question if schools are properly preparing their students for the workforce.

As mentioned in the paper, a study produced by two professors from the University of Virginia and New York University showed that just 36 percent of students demonstrated “any significant improvement in learning over the course of their four years in college.” It also showed that many college students lacked basic literacy skills, critical thinking ability, and could discern “if their car has enough gasoline to get to the next gas station.”

What may be worse is that colleges are graduating students who are not ready for the workforce. Many business leaders surveyed said that “new workforce entrants with a four-year college degree are ‘deficient’ in writing, a basic skill.”

So it seems that the report was really asking if the accreditation process needs to change since some students aren’t being properly educated and trained. Some of the information included in the white paper was critical and warranted, but it is tough to discern a student’s ability to learn based solely off test scores and surveys.

On the other hand, there should be some way to judge colleges and universities on how well their students are retaining information once they graduate. For that reason, properly judging and questioning the accreditation process is just and deserves proper scrutiny if our future workforce is in jeopardy due to the lack of academic institutional control.

Democrats want changes to Pell grants. With the cost of college rising and cuts being made to higher education in many states, some Democratic politicians are pushing for changes to how students may pay for college.

According to thehill.com, Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) proposed to allow students to use Pell Grants for three semesters instead of two. She also wanted to “increase the Pell Grant maximum for the 2014-2015 school year from $5,730 to $9,139.”

By way of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), spending on Pell Grants from 2006 to 2011 rose by 158 percent. The data also shows that the increase in spending was due to an uptick in the number of participants in the program. But as of late, Congress has created a bottleneck of sorts around Pell Grants. Restrictions have been put in place, so many students do not have access to receive them.

Another proposal put forth by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) had the aim of providing “two years of maximum Pell Grants to qualifying middle-school students who maintain good grades through high school, to help them pay for a college or university.” According to Stabenow, her bill would encourage middle school students to go after a college degree if they have some form of guaranteed funding starting in the 8th grade.

These ideas were surely meant to secure needed funding for students who would otherwise struggle to pay for college. But they were also a way for Democrats to show their strength on higher education compared to their Republican counterparts.

Both proposals from Stabenow and Hirono will have to be pushed through a Republican-controlled Congress, one that already placed constraints around Pell Grants

so that the program isn’t so economically stressed.
Still, students need new and innovative ways to pay for college. They also need help from the government due to the rising cost of college. Increasing the max Pell

Grant amount and extending the offer to middle school students seem to be good incentives to keep students interested in attending college and tamping costs down.

House bill tackle sexual violence on college campuses. A bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Jackie Speier, a Democrat from California, and Patrick Meehan, a Republican from Pennsylvania, aimed “to toughen federal oversight of how colleges respond to campus sexual violence.”

According to The Washington Post, the legislation “would require colleges to survey their students on sexual violence every two years, increase the maximum penalty (to $100,000, from $35,000) for each violation of a campus-safety law known as the Clery Act…” In essence, colleges and universities would be heavily fined for failing to properly protect students who claim that their civil rights were violated by sexual assault.

An increase in fines would certainly help, and is a good starting point, but the heart of the bill lies with its language, mandating that the public know more about colleges that are under investigation by the federal government because of sexual violence on campus.

The bill, with almost 30 co-sponsors, was introduced in the right environment. It certainly seems that America has no appetite for sexual violence against young adults, specifically young women.

Because the bill must make its way through a House filled with conservatives, it may be too early to tell if it will pass or not. Even so, this bill is needed. Far too many young women feel uneasy and unsafe at school, a place that is supposed to be reserved for learning and safety. Protecting our students should be a top priority for administrators and this country’s lawmakers. Hopefully we will see positive moment on H.R. 2680 as it makes its way through Congress.

Wisconsin makes sizable cuts to higher education budget. Yet another state may be in the process of cutting funding to higher education. Wisconsin lawmakers grappled with the idea of slashing upwards of $150 million from higher education this year.
According to insidehighered.com, the Wisconsin Legislature may put into a place a mandatory tuition freeze and “a 13 percent reduction in the higher education budget.”

The article stated just how dire the situation may be for the University of Wisconsin system. With no tuition increases, little leftover revenue due to tax cuts, and funding contractions that totaled $300 million, the university’s chancellor Rebecca Blank said that there may be 430 layoffs. “I particularly regret the impact these cuts will have on our employees and their families.”

Delving deeper into the problem that these cuts will have on jobs, insidehighered.com detailed that the University of Wisconsin system would offer “early retirement of more than 1,000 employees…and leave more than 90 vacant positions open.”

Regarding Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and the legislature’s decision to cut higher education funding so severely, this was certainly an undue injustice to students attending schools within the University of Wisconsin system.

As mentioned earlier, the system hasn’t been allowed to approve tuition increases because that decision sits with state lawmakers. With employment reductions and cuts totaling $300 million, the quality of education that students will receive will greatly reduce if these cuts are allowed to stand.

Can you think of additional ways that politics impacted higher education in 2015?

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Matthew Lynch published in Ask An Expert, Matthew Lynch, Teachers

New Teacher Tip: Creating an Effective Behavior Management System

No matter your philosophy of education or your educational beliefs, one thing holds true for all classrooms – a behavior management system should be implemented consistently from day one. A behavior management system might include, at a minimum, a set of rules, a set of consequences, and a set of rewards. Below are some tips for creating and implementing your behavior management system.

Rules

1. Choose no more than five or six of the most important rules. If students have too many rules, they will not remember any of them, and therefore, will not follow any of them!
2. Keep it simple. The fewer words in each rule, the greater the chance that it will be remembered and followed.
3. Be Positive. Set a positive tone in your classroom by avoiding negative words like no, not, and never.
4. Allow the class to help you choose the most important rules. Students are more likely to remember the rules if they participate in the development of them. In addition, it will provide them with a sense of control and responsibility to follow the rules since they are the ones that came up with them.
5. Post them clearly and legibly. Students should be able to remind themselves what the rules are at any moment during the school day.

Consequences

1. Make it a process. Start out with something that doesn’t affect them too much and make each consequence that follows a bit more severe.
2. Develop a way to keep up with it. Developing some way of keeping up with behavior and being consistent is a must.
3. Follow through. Schedule a time each day to address the behaviors and their consequences.
4. Provide feedback. Be sure that students know why they are receiving a consequence and that they know how to avoid receiving future consequences.
5. Avoid punishing the whole class. It isn’t fair to those who do follow th

1. Limit tangible rewards. Tangible rewards are typically not approved for purchase with school money. Therefore, the teacher usually provides them out of his own pocket.
2. Customize the rewards to fit your current class. What are their interests? What motivates them?
3. Change it up! When you notice students are no longer motivated by the rewards, rethink your rewards system and present it to the class.
4. Allow the class to help develop the list of rewards.

Over half of new teachers leave the field within the first 3 years. Why? Many cite the stress of dealing with disruptive and problem behavior in the classroom as the main reasons. However, if you follow the strategies that I have outlined in this column, you will have no problem managing your student’s behavior. Good luck!

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Matthew Lynch published in Equity, Higher Education, Matthew Lynch

Diverse Conversations: Is a 4.0 at an HBCU the Same as a 4.0 at a PWI?

Historically black colleges and universities or HBCUs have an important tradition in the United States. It’s not necessarily a straightforward tradition, but it’s one we still grapple with.

One of the biggest struggles, perhaps, is the equalizing of values, of recognition, and importance. The problem addressed in this interview – my interview with George Johnson, Student Accounts Manager at Georgetown University, (former graduate of 2 HBCU’s) – is that of academic weight. Does a 4.0 at an HBCU have the same value as a 4.0 at a PWI?

Q: The first question, then, is one that seeks to generalize. Generally speaking, does a 4.0 at an HBCU have the same value as a 4.0 at a PWI? If not, why not?

A: Generally speaking a 4.0 at an HBCU does have the same value as a 4.0 at a PWI. I say this because a 4.0 simply means you were able to master the subject matter being studied with the highest grade possible for the requirements of the degree or course. If we use the old adage of “2+2 = 4”, then in general terms a 4.0 is a 4.0 is a 4.0. I say that because the true debate is not if it has the same value, but is the criteria required to receive a 4.0 more arduous at a PWI vs. an HBCU. To date, there is no real scientific evidence to prove or disprove this theory. Furthermore, this statement falls apart on the merits, as professors from PWI’s teach at HBCU’s and vice versa. In terms of value, what does getting a 4.0 really mean? There are students who graduated without honors who are millionaires. There are students with 4.0’s that are currently out of work. As I stated in a previous article, we should be commending anyone who is able to get a 4.0 regardless of the institution it was received from, for that truly takes hard work.

Q: In what contexts do you think there is the greatest gap in value between 4.0s from HBCUs and 4.0s at PWIs? Is there anything in particular that continues to perpetuate this gap?

A: The greatest gap in value comes from the refusal to change the hierarchy created within colleges and universities across the US. Even PWI’s are separated into “Ivy League” vs. everyone else. When you look at USA Today’s top college rankings, there is no HBCU listed in the top 20. This perpetuates the belief that the education at an HBCU is below the standards of our nation’s top universities which is simply untrue. The formula used to create the top 20 is based on various categories that have nothing to do with academic standards. They rely on stats like graduation rates, retention rates, the high school SAT scores of incoming students, and “education experts” to determine this ranking. There is no true academic valuing tool or method that is being used to determine this. Furthermore, many of the HBCU’s are accredited by the same governing body as the PWI’s. So they are good enough to be accredited by the same academic standards, but the academic standards are still unequal. A very flawed argument at best.

Q: How is the overall relationship between academic excellence at HBCUs versus PWIs determined and how, if at all, is that relationship changing?

A: Unfortunately, perception is reality when it comes to this question. As stated previously there is no scientific method to the determination of this statement. The overall standard is rooted in perceived ranking of Top PWI’s vs PWI’s. PWI’s vs HBCU’s, and the unfortunate ranking of HBCU’s vs HBCU’s. Although not used as frequently, during the civil rights era, the term “The Black Ivy League” was coined for certain HBCU’s that “pulled the best and most privileged black students”. Howard University, for years was deemed to be “The Black Harvard”. Although not heralded as it once was, this hierarchy has created a dissention in the African American community’s views on academic excellence amongst HBCU’s. If we are unable to agree that HBCU’s across the board have an equal standard of learning with each other, how can we debate that they are comparable to PWI’s? I do believe that in recent years, the views of the “hierarchy” of HBCU’s has significantly declined, but I feel that if we want to be perceived and recognized as equals with PWI’s, we must come to an agreement that we are equivalent to one another. The fact that many students that attended HBCU’s for undergrad were able get graduate degrees from PWI’s is under researched evidence of the relationship change.

Q: What have been some of the most significant strategies for equalizing the perceived values of academic excellence at HBCUs versus PWIs?

A: I am not sure if I would necessarily say it is a strategy, but the recent visibility of HBCU graduates, alumni, and dropouts have created a change in perceived values. The commencement speech at Howard University by Sean Combs, the celebrity appearances in commercials advertising HBCU’s have brought a new found attention to these colleges and universities. The addition of new degree programs, including masters and doctoral at many of the HBCU’s are also helping in equalizing this standard. Another strategy that has been utilized is the raising of the academic requirements to attend HBCU’s. Long lives the stigma that HBCU’s are “last resort” or “willing to accept everyone”. Although they do tend to have lower requirements for admission, it does not change the fact that the academic standard is one of high quality. I like to believe that HBCU’s are schools that give “second chances” and are more willing to put in the work to bring out the “diamonds in the ruff” compared to PWI’s. The continuing partnerships that many of the HBCU’s are creating with corporate America, study abroad programs, and STEM programs are also helping to decrease the perceived inequality of learning.

Q: What can administrators and educators at HBCUs do and what can their counterparts at PWIs do to try and overcome the remaining gaps, the remaining discrepancies in values?

A: I feel that administrators and educators need to re-instill that the value is in receiving the college education, and not where you receive it from. Perception is reality on this subject. If tomorrow, ten former HBCU graduates became the CEO’s of ten fortune 100 companies, people would begin claiming that there is something that HBCU’s are doing that PWI’s aren’t. Too much weight is being put on where you are getting educated based on what people are doing with their education. Educator’s need to remind students of the reasons they attended college. Making sure that students are engaged and not only able to repeat information, but also apply it. The 4.0 does not guarantee that you will be more successful in life, regardless of where it is received. It does not guarantee wealth, health, or how you will be able to apply your knowledge to life situations.

It also becomes the responsibility of the student’s that attend HBCU’s who are doing well in their respective fields to be visible. We have to push the message that we are equivalent to those who graduate from other institutions. We must be vigilant in reminding students at HBCU’s that their degrees have worth and value. That Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are excellent schools based on the academic, societal achievements of their alumni and professors, not based on the devaluation of other institutions.

I conclude by saying that the pursuit of knowledge is a valiant one. It brings together people from all walks of life, different shapes and sizes. It should not matter if you choose to attend an Ivy League, HBCU, PWI, or Community College. Your GPA should not be a topic of debate because you got it “here” instead of “there”. The fact that you chose higher education is to be applauded and respected. To devalue that choice in any way is simply unacceptable.

I would like to thank George Johnson for sitting down to talk with us.

Read all of our posts about HBCUs by clicking here.

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Matthew Lynch published in Equity, list, Matthew Lynch, Mississippi, Policy & Reform,

6 Reasons Why You Should Care About High School Dropout Rates

The good news is that high school dropout rates are at an all-time low. The national average is 7 percent.

However, there are too many people who slip through the cracks, especially when you consider all the alternate options for finishing school that are available in this day and age. The dropout rate should be negligible.

Having too many high school dropouts is costly. Here are reasons why we should focus on reducing them even further:

  1. The dropout rates cost individuals a lot of money. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that dropouts bring in just $20,241 annually, which is $10,000 less than high school graduates and over $36,000 less than a person holding a bachelor’s degree. The poverty rate for dropouts is over twice as high as college grads, and the unemployment rate for dropouts is generally 4 percentage points higher than the national average. In the end, the lifetime earnings of high school dropouts are $260,000 LESS than peers who earn a diploma.
  2. The dropout rates cost our society a lot of money. The financial ramifications of dropping out of high school hurt more than the individual. It’s estimated that half of all Americans on public assistance are dropouts. If all of the dropouts from the class of 2011 had earned diplomas, the nation would benefit from an estimated $154 billion in income over their working lifetimes. Potentially feeding that number is the fact that young women who give up on high school are nine times more likely to be, or become, young single mothers. A study out of Northeastern University found that high school dropouts cost taxpayers $292,000 over the course of their lives.
  3. The rates are linked with heightened criminal activity and incarceration rates. It’s not just about the money though. Over 80 percent of the incarcerated population is high school dropouts – making this an issue that truly impacts every member of the community. Numbers are higher for dropouts of color; 22 percent of people jailed in the U.S. are black males who are high school dropouts. As a society, we are not just paying into public assistance programs for dropouts, but we are paying to protect ourselves against them through incarceration.

I wonder what these numbers would look like if we took the nearly $300K that taxpayers put in over the course of a dropout’s lifetime and deposited it into their K-12 learning upfront. If we invested that money, or even half of it, into efforts to enhance the learning experience and programs to prevent dropping out, what would that do to dropout, poverty and incarceration rates? Right now the process seems to be reactionary. What would it look like if more preventative actions were put in place?

  1. Those who don’t stay in school are not likely to value a career path over a job. Over 68 percent of high school graduates begin college coursework the following fall. Students who earn high school diplomas are that much more inspired to continue their academic journey and seek out a lifelong career match, not just clock hours at a “job” until retirement. The fulfillment people receive from a job they enjoy should not be underestimated. Studies have found that happier people are healthier and are even able to better fight off common illnesses like colds and the flu. Considering more time is spent working than in any other pursuit, job satisfaction plays a major role in overall happiness. The value of careers go beyond individual satisfaction, however. As a nation, everyone benefits from well-educated workers who earn a living in areas where they possess natural talent too.
  2. Staying in high school allows students to have valuable experiences. The childhood years go by so quickly and high school represents the last stage before adulthood. The social opportunities that high school provides are not duplicated anywhere else, with the exception of a college setting and high school dropouts miss out on both. What’s more, high school dropouts tend to get into more trouble than their in-school peers. The National Dropout Prevention Center reports that 82 percent of U.S. prisoners are high school dropouts. The life lessons found in the later years of high school are more valuable than they get credit for and the peer-level socialization is a vital part of late-childhood development.
  3. To help us value learning for its own sake. In our material society, it is difficult to explain the intangible value of things like intellectualism, particularly to young people. Until greater value is placed on obtaining knowledge for no other reason than to broaden individual and societal wisdom, students will continue to drop out of high school. After all, how can the economic importance of a high school diploma really be explained to children who have never had to earn their own living? Even those in dire socio-economic conditions do not have a grounded concept of what money means in quality of life and long-term happiness.

What’s interesting about high school dropout rates is how far the consequences can reach. It’s not just about someone not finishing school, nor is it even about that individual not making as much money as they could. It has economic and social ramifications for all of society.

Can you think of other reasons we should look for ways to increase high school graduation rates?

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Matthew Lynch published in Equity, Higher Education, Matthew Lynch

2 States That Made Big Investments in P-20 Education in 2015

In order for education in the U.S. to regain its former preeminence, we must start to fully fund education. Fortunately, many state governors got the memo and decided to do just that. Here is a shortlist of states that made investments in education in 2015.

Michigan governor invested millions in P-20 education. Higher education and public schools received a shot in the arm from the Michigan legislature earlier this year when Governor Rick Snyder approved a new funding bill for the 2015–2016 school year.

According mlive.com, the legislature sent $16 million worth of education funding to the governor’s desk for approval in June. Within the budget was an increase of over $18 million for higher education, $1.53 billion for the state’s public universities, an over-$23 million increase for community colleges, and $50 million “for a possible agreement on Snyder’s plans for Detroit education reform. The reform money will go towards paying down “the debt of Detroit Public Schools.” More antecedents included were money for at-risk funding and a bump in per-pupil funding, from $70 to $140.

Because the education budgets received bipartisan support and votes, Snyder signed off on them. He received the money he requested for education reform, and there seem to be no coming cuts to higher education.

State legislatures across the country have struggled to balance budgets without cutting higher and public education. This money addresses the needs of low-income, or poor, school districts and will pump more money into Michigan’s public universities.

Hopefully Michigan sets a trend nationwide where lawmakers will refrain from freezing or cutting money from higher and public education.

Arizona governor invested $3 billion in K-12 education. In October, Arizona politicians took a small sigh of relief when Governor Doug Ducey signed an education bill that will pump over $3 billion into K-12 schools.

According to azcentral.com, the bill was signed after leaders squabbled over coming to terms on funding due to a five-year-old lawsuit “that sets conditions on when the K-12 formula can be denied inflation funding.” This new plan calls for $3.5 billion to go to Arizona schools in the next decade by raising the base amount of K-12 dollars. That base will then be adjusted annually for inflation, and an extra $625 million will be added from the state’s general fund.

It took several weeks of negotiations between Ducey and school officials. Democrats weren’t fully behind the deal, which was championed by Republicans and signed into law by a Republican governor. But in the end, students seem to be the winner, so there’s no reason to grasp for partisanship.

In the next 10 years, K-12 schools in Arizona will see an uptick in funding due to the deal. That could mean more teachers, better facilities, and better resources for students to utilize. Of course, oversight of these funds is essential, and my vote is always to improve education conditions for minority and underserved students (especially in bilingual Arizona), but we will see how it all falls into place.

The semantics of the deal, or how we arrived here, may be debatable. But in the end, students seem like they will come out ahead with Arizona’s latest education law.

Can you think of any additional states that made big investments in P-20 education in 2015?

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