Delaware Schools Take Off.
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| Title: | Delaware Schools Take Off. |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Perry, Christopher |
| Source: | Vocational Education Journal. Nov-Dec 1995 70(8):39-41. |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 3 |
| Publication Date: | 1995 |
| Document Type: | Opinion Papers Journal Articles |
| Descriptors: | Academic Education, Accountability, Educational Change, Educational Improvement, School Districts, Secondary Education, Vocational Education, Vocational Schools |
| Geographic Terms: | Delaware |
| ISSN: | 0884-8009 |
| Abstract: | Delaware vocational-technical school districts were united to create a system of full-time, comprehensive vocational schools, the first in the United States. Each of five schools offers a comprehensive educational program and has considerable autonomy to reflect its unique situation. (JOW) |
| Entry Date: | 1996 |
| Accession Number: | EJ513037 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| FullText | Text: Availability: 1 Value: <anid>AN9511075638;VEJ01NOV.95;1995Nov17.11:56;v2.3</anid> <title id="AN9511075638-1">DELAWARE SCHOOLS TAKE OFF </title> <sbt id="AN9511075638-2">With high standards and a full-time, integrated program, the state's vocational-technical schools experience a rebirth</sbt> <p>There's nothing like declining enrollment to focus the mind, especially when your school competes for the hearts and minds of students and parents. So when the leaders of Delaware's vocational-technical school districts saw applications-and in some cases enrollment -- falling off, they swung into action. That was five years ago, and the resulting improvement offers hope to any school or school district that is operating below its potential. </p> <p>Two related events made 1990 a watershed year for vocational-technical education in Delaware. </p> <p>First, by action of the State Board of Education and funding by the state legislature, Kent and Sussex County vocational-technical schools joined their New Castle County cotmterparts in offering a full-time program in which students received both academic and vocational instruction at one location. The schools include Delcastle Technical High School, Hodgson Vocational-Technical High School and Howard High School of Technology, all in New Castle County; Polytech High School in Kent County; and Sussex Technical High School in Sussex County. </p> <p>That made Delaware the only state in the nation with a system of full-time, comprehensive vocational-technical schools. It also created an environment in which the five schools and three districts began functioning as partners as well as competitors. </p> <p>That partnership created the second defining event of 1990 as the three districts began collaborating to significantly raise educational standards, expectations and student performance in Delaware. </p> <p>Half a decade later, declining application rates have been replaced by healthy growth. Applications have risen across the board, and today almost a third of all Delaware public school eighth graders apply to vocational-technical high schools. Last fall almost 1,100 Delaware students, more than 20 percent of the vocational-technical high school enrollment, were on waiting lists. </p> <p>Each school offers a comprehensive educational program and has considerable autonomy to reflect its unique situation. But all five schools are headed down a common path and share many goals, philosophies and approaches. All bring a business-like, entrepreneurial approach to school improvement. All operate their facilities throughout the day and often on weekends and anticipate a year-round schedule. All are leaders in the use of technology. All seek out and use business and labor input on workplace requirements. All set goals and measure results. And all emphasize customer satisfaction. </p> <p>"These schools are innovative and resourceful," says Lewis L. Atkinson III of Delaware's Department of Public Instruction. "They make effective use of strategic planning, measurable objectives and community participation to progress toward their goals." </p> <hd id="AN9511075638-3"> Scores talk </hd> <p>All five schools have progressed significantly over the five-year period into what Lieutenant Governor Ruth Arm Minner terms "a first-rate system." For example: </p> <ulist> <item> In 1990, Sussex County, seniors who spent half their day at a "home school" and half at the votech center scored at or near the bottom in math, science, and reading compared with 38 other Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) schools. Three years later, full-time Sussex County juniors scored above seniors from most other schools. SREB has cited Sussex Tech as one of its seven most improved sites. </item> <item> At Polytech in Kent County, profiled three years ago in this magazine, seniors made two years' progress in reading comprehension and math during 1994. Polytech students need 25.5 credits to graduate, well above the 19 mandated by the State of Delaware. </item> <item> More than eight in 10 New Castle County vocational-technical students, and nine in 10 parents, report that their expectations are being met or exceeded. </item> <item> Technical high schools have the best ratio of computers to students in the state -- roughly one instructional computer per every three students. </item> <item> Follow-up studies show that the districts are achieving their mission as large proportions of technical graduates go on to full-time related work or additional education. </item> </ulist> <p>Such results have not gone unrecognized. Presidents Clinton and Bush have visited Delaware vocational-technical high schools. All three districts have been recognized by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce "Superstars! in Education" program, and Polytech has received that award four times. </p> <p>"The statistics and recognition are nice," comments New Castle County Superintendent Dennis Loftus, "but the positive changes we have seen in students' lives are why we're here. When a teenager heading for trouble has his interest piqued by one of our instructors and becomes a journeyman electrician, that's when you have really accomplished something." </p> <p>What accounts for this small state's progress? </p> <hd id="AN9511075638-4"> High standards </hd> <p>First is the schools' focused program of study, which integrates a challenging academic curriculum, including many college prep courses, with up-to-date technical instruction in chosen fields of concentration. The idea is to prepare students not for entry-level jobs but for careers. </p> <p>The program specifies the requirements and electives for each technical program. Currently all students must take a minimum of three science and three math courses to graduate, versus two in many Delaware high schools, and the majority of students are challenged to begin their math at the algebra level. </p> <p>Students in English courses read classic literature-including Shakespeare and Steinbeck -- as well as manuals. Science courses include biology, chemistry, advanced chemistry, physics and anatomy/physiology. There is a major emphasis on communication, with students constantly required to express themselves orally and in writing. </p> <p>Many students take advantage of tech prep and other programs through which they take courses at Delaware Technical and Community College to earn college credits. With all of this emphasis on academics, it would be difficult to label Delaware technical schools a "dumping ground." Even the process of entering the schools isn't automatic. The application process at Polytech High School includes an interview and a review of a student's portfolio of work. In New Castle County, students must reapply for 10th grade. </p> <p>Paired with the challenging academics are a series of tough and realistic vocational competencies created in concert with representatives of business and industry. Technical concentrations are based on requirements of national standard-setting organizations (the Associated General Contractors, the Printing Industries of America and state boards for nursing and cosmetology, for example). Advisory councils recommend the math and science content needed for particular technologies. Carpentry students, for example, take courses in work measurement/cost estimation, blueprint reading, applied technology and site preparation. </p> <p>Graduates leave school with a high school diploma and a list of competencies employers can examine--and with a warranty to employers. Should their skills prove inadequate, employers can send these students back to school for additional training--at the district's expense. </p> <p>To graduate, seniors must complete major projects combining academic knowledge and vocational skills. Many present their work to faculty and representatives of business. </p> <p>Hodgson seniors, for example, must write a career-based research paper, develop a career related product and present their work to a faculty evaluation panel. They take a semester-long technical writing component to help them develop research papers. Related "products" have included the creation and destruction of a computer virus, construction of a scale-model "dream house," design of a process to convert waste and recycled paper into energy and a process to care for and treat autistic children. </p> <hd id="AN9511075638-5"> Setting standards </hd> <p>To help each student succeed, the schools rely on seven major strategies. </p> <p>The first is a positive learning environment that emphasizes discipline, attendance and personal responsibility in an atmosphere imbued with workplace standards. Hodgson brings faculty, students and parents together periodically for schoolwide "conversations," where such topics as conflict resolution and expectations for student behavior are openly discussed. Polytech has strict limits on absenteeism. And students who receive a certain number of demerits join their parents and the school in signing a work improvement contract. </p> <p>Each school has a curriculum that is entirely structured to encourage integrated learning. They may differ philosophically, but all use a form of "cluster learning" in which academic and vocational faculty work and plan together to develop lessons and assignments relevant to career fields. </p> <p>Polytech's aviation program, is a strong example of integrated learning. The course begins with a comprehensive ground school program designed to broaden the student's knowledge of aviation and to prepare students for the Federal Aviation Administration's "private pilot" written examination. The comprehensive program covers airport management, air traffic control, meteorology, air frame and power, navigation, avionics, flight training and exposure to careers such as air traffic controller, ground attendant, flight engineer and pilot. Additionally, students take four years of English and three years each of science, math and social studies. </p> <p>Flexible scheduling removes the constraints of 50-minute periods and allows teachers to introduce more complex and labor-intensive activities. Some classes are as long as 90 minutes and many are offered well into the evening for adults. Students can count on transportation for after-school remediation and coaching sessions with instructors and self-paced computer software. Ultimately, the districts envision a yearlong program of study and work experience. </p> <p>Up-to-date technology is a key component of the Delaware success story. Some schools are wired with fiber-optic cable, which increases the speed of electronic communication. With file servers, online systems and satellite dishes, Delaware technical students can communicate with students in other schools and with people around the world as well as tap into countless databases for their studies. This technology coupled with two-way video allows "distance learning" at some sites. </p> <p>All students get work-based learning experience, which begins in ninth grade with career exploration and goes on to include three years of concentration either in a career cluster or specific field. Students also may choose from cooperative education programs, internships and registered apprenticeships. These types of work-based learning opportunities existed before 1990, but now they are integrated into all students' education plans. </p> <p>There's room in the plan for students who aren't responding to the new system, including early identification of problems, remediation and help for students who simply want to improve their grades. New Castle County and Polytech staff pay home visits each summer to all new students and inform guidance counselors of particular student needs. </p> <p>Sussex Tech has its "techademic" skills program, a yearlong reading and writing skills development program. Each fall the students get individual computer-assist-ed lessons based on an evaluation of their reading and writing strengths and weaknesses. </p> <p>Similarly, teachers and administrators get extra help, including common planning time before or after school, professional development through workshops and summer institutes and exposure to "best practices." </p> <hd id="AN9511075638-6"> Broad involvement </hd> <p>When Kent and Sussex County vocational-technical schools were converted to full-time status, a committee of 175 educators, parents and business and community leaders developed an operating plan for the new schools. New Castle County employed a similar 40-person group to revise its mission statement, renew its beliefs and establish long-range goals. "We have all made a real attempt to harness the energy of the community and develop a businesslike approach to education," notes Jeff Adams, superintendent of the Polytech School District. </p> <p>Representatives of business and labor provide work experiences, mentoring and information on industry standards. They also serve on advisory councils, task forces and student project review teams. More than 500 business and labor representatives serve on advisory councils alone. High-powered executives, including the former general counsel of DuPont and the CEO of Bell Atlantic-Delaware, have led task forces. </p> <p>Especially important is the relationship the three districts have established with one another. An example is the formation in 1992 of a tax-exempt foundation to support innovative program development, advanced technological equipment, student post-graduate scholarships, professional development and vocational and academic youth organizations. So far business and industry, private foundations and individuals (including staff of the technical schools) have donated or pledged close to $250,000. Soon the districts will launch a major campaign with a goal of $4.25 million, which is expected to come primarily from major corporations and foundations in the area. </p> <hd id="AN9511075638-7"> Accountability </hd> <p>In this new system, schools recognize their ultimate accountability. Educators know that parents and students each year "vote with their feet" and, as already noted, they have been voting in substantial numbers for technical education. </p> <p>The three districts are developing performance indicators to track accountability. Polytech tests students for baseline knowledge and annual progress with the Metropolitan Achievement test as well as the National Assessment of Educational Progress every three years. New Castle County schools' management information system is among the most complete and advanced in the nation. Using a tailored version of FoxPro software and the state's databank, a full-time research specialist compiles and analyzes student data, which includes attendance, market share of the technical schools, discipline measures, enrollment, retention and academic and vocational skill attainment. </p> <p>New Castle County has established two standard performance levels: acceptance and excellence. The accumulated performance data become a report card for the district and for each of the three individual schools. Results that are below the standard of acceptance require explanation and an improvement plan. Each summer faculty and staff analyze the past year's results and set goals for the year ahead. The next step could tie the performance data to staff compensation. </p> <p>"The five high schools in Delaware are pacesetting high schools," says SREB's Gene Bottoms. "They're not perfect, but they've done as much or more than any high school to raise expectations, change what teachers teach and how teachers teach, get teachers to work together, get parents involved and build a climate of continuous improvement." </p> <p>PHOTO (COLOR): President Bill Clinton tours Polytech High School in 1993 and gets a demonstration of propeller functions from aviation student William Neal. </p> <p>PHOTO (COLOR): Carolyn Burger (right, rear), chief executive officer of Bell Atlantic-Delaware, observes a Spanish class centered at Howard High School of Technology. Through the school's Bell Atlantic Distance Learning lab, the class is beamed to two other technical high schools. </p> <p>PHOTO (COLOR): Michael Kennedy, environmental studies teacher at Sussex Technical High School, casts a net to gather aquatic life for research. </p> <aug> <p>By Christopher Perry </p> <p></p> <p>Chris Perry is a Delaware freelance writer with a background in business and government. Formerly with the DuPont Company, he often writes about various aspects of education reform. This article is adapted from his report, "Great Expectations," which he produced for the Delaware Advisory Council on Career and Vocational Education </p> </aug> |
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| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ513037 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 3 StartPage: 39 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Academic Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Accountability Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Change Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Improvement Type: general – SubjectFull: School Districts Type: general – SubjectFull: Secondary Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Vocational Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Vocational Schools Type: general – SubjectFull: Delaware Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Delaware Schools Take Off. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Perry, Christopher IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 1995 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0884-8009 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 70 – Type: issue Value: 8 Titles: – TitleFull: Vocational Education Journal Type: main |
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