Education

Report Roundup

October 01, 2003 3 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Civic Ignorance Abounds, NCSL Report Concludes

More American 15- to 26-year-olds can name the make-believe city where the Simpson cartoon family lives than can identify the political affiliation of their states’ governors or name the party that controls the U.S. Congress, according to a report that decries the poor state of civics knowledge.

“Citizenship: A Challenge for All Generations,” is available from the National Conference of State Legislatures. (Requires Adobe’s Acrobat Reader.)

Released last week by the Denver-based National Conference of State Legislatures, the report concludes that young Americans don’t understand the ideals of citizenship, are disengaged from the political process, lack the knowledge necessary for effective self-government, and don’t appreciate or support American democracy.

The report, which is based on a survey of 632 young people, calls on policymakers and teachers to devote more time and energy to civic education.

—Kevin Bushweller

Troubled Neighborhoods

“The Growing Number of Kids in Severely Distressed Neighborhoods: Evidence from the 2000 Census” is available from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Requires Adobe’s Acrobat Reader.)

The number of children living in “severely distressed neighborhoods” increased by nearly a million between 1990 and 2000, concludes an analysis of U.S. Census figures by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Population Reference Bureau.

Severely distressed neighborhoods were defined as having at least three of the following four characteristics: a poverty rate of 27.4 percent or higher, more than 37 percent of families headed by a female only, a 23 percent or higher high school dropout rate, and an adult-male unemployment rate of 34 percent or more.

The number of children living in such places has increased from about 3.4 million to 4.4 million, according to the report.

—Kevin Bushweller

School Facilities

“2003 Progress Report for America’s Infrastructure,” is available from the American Society of Civil Engineers . (Requires Adobe’s Acrobat Reader.)

A recent report that grades the condition of 12 key areas of American infrastructure gives school buildings a nearly failing mark: D-minus.

The report says that, because of aging facilities and overcrowding, 75 percent of the nation’s school buildings are inadequate to meet the needs of children. That is so even though school construction spending has increased in recent years, says the report, which was produced by the Reston, Va.-based American Society of Civil Engineers.

—Kevin Bushweller

Teacher Retention

The biggest challenges facing many public school teachers are motivating students, maintaining classroom discipline, justifying discipline measures to parents, managing lesson plans for short class periods, and dealing with school politics, suggests a recent study based on in-depth interviews of 50 teachers who stuck with the profession and 50 who left.

“Exodus: A Study of Teacher Retention in America,” is available from the American Association of Retired Persons. (Requires Adobe’s Acrobat Reader.)

The former teachers said the major reasons they left the field were lack of support from their administrations, low pay, feelings of being undervalued by society, lack of parental support, and the frustration of dealing with seemingly narrow-minded colleagues, according to the report, which was commissioned by the Washington-based American Association of Retired Persons.

The report offers 10 recommendations for improving teacher retention.

—Kevin Bushweller

History Grades

Just six states earned A’s for their U.S. history standards, while 23 others received failing grades, in a study released last week by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation.

“Effective State Standards for U.S. History: A 2003 Report Card,” is available from the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. (Requires Adobe’s Acrobat Reader.)

The state-by-state analysis rated states’ academic guidelines in the subject based on their clarity, emphasis on the nation’s European origins, inclusion of specific historical information, and emphasis on historical thinking. The six states that earned the top grade were Alabama, Arizona, California, Indiana, Massachusetts, and New York.

Most of the states’ standards, the report by the Washington-based organization says, do not encourage the study of history in chronological fashion, are lacking in historical details, are weak in the early grades, and are dominated by what the authors see as politically correct ideology.

—Kathleen Kennedy Manzo

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
College & Workforce Readiness Webinar
From Classrooms to Careers: How Schools and Districts Can Prepare Students for a Changing Workforce
Real careers start in school. Learn how Alton High built student-centered, job-aligned pathways.
Content provided by TNTP
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: July 16, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
5 min read
Education Follow Education Week’s K-12 Coverage on Bluesky
Education Week has joined the social media platform Bluesky.
1 min read
Illustration of Education Week and Bluesky logos.
F. Sheehan/Education Week
Education Quiz Who Qualifies to Receive the First-ever Federal School Voucher? Take the Quiz to Find Out
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz Trump’s Surprise Freeze on School Funding—How Much Do You Know?
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read