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> QUOTABLE
If Hispanic and African American student performance grew to be comparable to white performance and remained there over the next 80 years, the historical evidence indicates that the impact would be staggering – adding some $50 trillion (in present value terms) to our economy.”
Securing Equity and Excellence in American Public Schools
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aising the alarm that “America has lost its place as a global leader in educational attainment,” The Educational Opportunity and Equity Commission, which advises the U.S. Department of Education, concluded in a recent report that the “federal government must take more seriously its profoundly important responsibility” to address inequality in the nation’s K-12 public schools. The Report, “For Each and Every Child: A Strategy For Education Equity And Excellence,” maintains that instead of taking steps to improve the academic performance of disadvantaged students, “The current American system exacerbates the problem by giving these children less of everything that makes a difference in education.” Members of the Commission — a diverse group that includes prominent academics, economists, government officials, labor leaders, and advocates — argue, “While some young Americans — most of them white and affluent — are getting a truly world-class education, those who attend schools in high poverty neighborhoods are getting an education that more closely approximates school in developing nations.”
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TODAY’S OEA | APRIL 2013
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A Little Appreciation Goes a Long Way
ational Teacher Day is approaching on Tuesday, May 7. Communities across the country will be thanking the educators who dedicate their lives to making a difference for our children. National Teacher Day was established in 1953 by Eleanor Roosevelt and is part of Teacher Appreciation Week. “Our profession, our teachers, our classrooms and our schools are changing,” said NEA President Van Roekel. “As part of this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week, we need to honor the commitment, enthusiasm and hard work of educators— past, present and future.”
> KUDOS
Three Portland Students Win an Honorable Mention Award from C-SPAN for Their Documentary
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hree 8th graders from Beverley Cleary School in Portland were awarded an honorable mention by C-SPAN for a documentary they made on Capital Punishment. N’niko Carre-Smith, Keaton Holt and Jordan Tom won $250 for their film in an annual national documentary contest called Student Cam, which encourages students to think seriously
about issues facing the nation. This year students were asked to send a message to President Obama about what they believe the most important issue is that he should address in 2013. The winning documentaries explored issues ranging from healthcare reform to unemployment, but the most common topic selected by students was education.