Sherri Miller, the head of William Chrisman High School here, was aware of the severity of the situation when her superintendent called her one day last September and informed her that he would be visiting in just 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the news that followed was even worse than she had anticipated. The latest test results revealed that her school had failed to meet nearly all of its improvement goals set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act. This news was devastating for the oldest high school in the district that takes pride in its history, including being the alma mater of former President Harry S. Truman. "When I informed the staff, there was a prolonged silence," Ms. Miller recollected recently.
And thus began life under the most significant federal education law in decades. Nearly a year later, the Independence district, which consists of 11,000 students, provides a glimpse into how a typical American school system is handling the challenging academic standards set by this law. The situation is complex. Many of the strategies implemented to enhance performance in this district were put into place prior to President Bush signing the legislation in January 2002. However, what is evident is that the law has brought new attention to the students who are at the highest risk of academic failure. It has also added a sense of urgency to the district’s efforts to align instruction with the standards set by the state of Missouri.
The Independence, Missouri, school district consists of 11,200 students and has a student body that is predominantly white (86%). The remaining portion of the student body is comprised of 6% black students, 5% Hispanic students, and 3% students of other races. Additionally, 38% of students are eligible for subsidized lunches. The district includes two regular high schools, one alternative high school, three middle grade schools, and thirteen elementary schools. The total budget for the fiscal year 2003 was $112 million, with 48% coming from local revenue, 44% from state revenue, and 8% from federal revenue, according to data provided by the Independence, Missouri, public schools.
One outcome of the situation at Chrisman High is the formation of a new community task force composed of parents of children with special needs, representatives from minority groups, and other individuals who represent the groups of students who have experienced the most academic challenges. "We are committed to the success of every child," stated Superintendent Jim Hinson. "However, do we always reflect that commitment in our actions? Probably not. That’s one of the things we are seeking to change."
In spite of the district’s efforts, there is a prevailing sentiment among many that the law is unjust. Its high expectations coincide with state budget cuts that have resulted in reduced planning time for staff and increased student-teacher ratios. While most expect to see improvements in test scores in the coming years, none of those interviewed believe that the system will be able to achieve the law’s goal of having all students meet state standards by 2014. Many individuals express the belief that further changes to the law will be necessary before that time, such as an overhaul of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which was first passed by Congress in 1965. "I find it more frustrating than demoralizing," said Libbi Sparks, a math teacher at Chrisman, referring to how poorly her school has performed under the new law. "When you speak to people, they are uncertain about what else we can do."
Adjusting the Regulations
Independence, a town primarily composed of blue-collar workers located just east of Kansas City, Missouri, takes immense pride in its community. While there are housing developments and large retail chains on the outskirts, the town center feels like a living history lesson. Local landmarks include the Jackson County courthouse, where Mr. Truman served as a judge, and the starting point of the Oregon Trail, which linked the East and West in the 1800s. Similarly, the school district has had much to be proud of. It was a key player in the development of Parents as Teachers, a program that has been implemented nationwide to assist families in preparing their children for school. The district has also consistently received one of the highest performance ratings under Missouri’s school accreditation program, which has been in place for 14 years. "My son has never had a teacher he didn’t like," said parent Janie Frisbie, who helps manage a charming old-fashioned soda fountain on the picturesque town square. "They must be doing something right."
“We have confidence in our schools,” expressed Rick Hemmingsen, the president of the Independence Chamber of Commerce. “I don’t require someone from Washington, D.C., telling me that our school is subpar." The district will not face immediate consequences due to the results. Independence has been directing its federal Title I funding, intended for disadvantaged students, to its elementary schools, which have met their improvement goals under the No Child Left Behind Act. Only Title I schools are subjected to the strictest penalties of the law, such as allowing students to transfer to other schools. However, educators in Independence are not entirely in the clear. If a district fails to meet its performance targets for four consecutive years, the law requires state intervention, which could involve implementing new curricula or changing personnel. Many teachers and administrators feel that they are being punished because Missouri has set high expectations for student performance. In neighboring Kansas, which lowered its standards for proficiency after the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, only 175 out of 1,400 public schools failed to meet their performance goals. "I am not upset by Missouri’s expectations," said Ms. Miller, the principal of Chrisman High. "But I am concerned about the potential consequences that the students in Independence and across Missouri may face." Despite this, some within the community recognize kernels of truth in the depiction portrayed by the No Child Left Behind Act. While elementary schools in Independence are surpassing state averages, achievement at the middle and high school levels has been lagging in recent years. Superintendent Hinson, 42, finds more agreeable aspects in the law than points of disagreement, which puts him at odds with many other superintendents in different districts. With a pastor and a schoolteacher as parents, he strongly believes that public schools need to change their approach to education. Since assuming the role of superintendent in early 2002, after leading a smaller district in Missouri, his strategy has been to gather a talented team of leaders at the central office and entrust them with refining instruction. "All our teachers and employees are working tirelessly, and we can’t burden them with more," he stated. "The issue in education is that we haven’t determined what to remove from their workload." "We cannot work harder," he added. "We have to work smarter." While Independence has not reduced its focus on art, music, or elective subjects, Hinson explains that they have dedicated more attention to meeting the state’s expectations for students. Teacher committees are currently revising the district’s student objectives, and administrators have created new guidelines to help classroom teachers interpret state standards thoroughly. Training on how to analyze state performance data has also been intensified. One visible indication of these efforts is the laminated posters titled "Writing Better Answers" now situated in every classroom. These posters, which include reminders such as "restate the question," were developed by the district in direct response to the short-essay questions on the Missouri Assessment Program. Students across all subjects are now practicing their responses to these types of questions.
Among the two regular high schools in the town, Chrisman stands out for its ethnically diverse student body and having the highest number of special education students. It also has a higher percentage of students who qualify for subsidized lunches compared to Truman High School.
The school’s principal, Ms. Miller, recognizes the challenges that come with a low socioeconomic level and high poverty in the community. Despite these challenges, she emphasizes the importance of nurturing and taking care of the students. However, she believes that there is room for improvement in setting higher academic expectations for the students.
These aspirations are complicated by budget cuts. Due to reductions in state funding, the district had to cut $10 million from its $112 million budget, resulting in the loss of 110 teaching positions. Ms. Miller would like to provide additional support classes for struggling students, but the financial constraints make it difficult to do so.
One new initiative implemented at Chrisman this year is the parent task force. Led by Beatrice Agee, a former elementary school principal, the committee represents a diverse group of students’ families. The district’s aim for the task force is to involve parents and seek their assistance in ensuring their children’s success.
The task force has held monthly meetings since October, where members have learned about state assessments and discussed ways to improve communication between families and the school. They are currently working on creating their own parent handbook.
Mercedes Mendoza, a parent from the Dominican Republic, admits to not knowing the name of the school’s principal before joining the task force. However, she now feels more involved in her son’s education and believes that this initiative is a step in the right direction.
The creation of the task force is not mandated by the No Child Left Behind law. However, district leaders felt the need to reach out to more families after the school performed poorly in meeting the new expectations. Its success in improving student performance is yet to be determined.
Ms. Mendoza believes that when parents feel a sense of friendship and support from the school, it can lead to greater success for their children.
Coverage of leadership is made possible in part by a grant from The Wallace Foundation.
