Wide-Ranging Study Aims to Boost Prospects for Minority Men: "The group of academics, community leaders and politicians had gathered at Howard University to dig through statistics, review public policy and hear from people about how best to improve the 'life options' of young black, Hispanic and Native American men.
But when a professor from California said Prince George's County was tops in the nation at graduating black men, there were groans from the audience. In case their meaning wasn't clear, former member of Congress Ronald Dellums (D-Calif.) told the speaker, 'They don't believe you.'
The exchange was part of the first public meeting of a national commission investigating three decades of policies that Dellums said have landed young men of color at the top of all the wrong lists. They perform poorly in school even when their backgrounds are the same as their white counterparts and are overrepresented in jails and juvenile detention centers. And those in attendance weren't buying any statistics their experience belied."
Us the link to read the entire article.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Getting more girls to study math, tech / Panel planning to discuss old issue of disparity with boys
Getting more girls to study math, tech / Panel planning to discuss old issue of disparity with boys: "For all the attention focused in recent years on the problems of getting more girls and women interested in science, math and technology, advocates say there is still a long way to go.
A 2002 study from the Department of Labor's women's bureau found that only 10 percent of engineers across the country are women, according to Donna Milgram, executive director of the National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology, and Science, a group based in Alameda.
Milgram will participate in a panel discussion in Alameda Tuesday night on the subject of 'Women and Girls in Science, Math and Technology.'
'There's still a big disparity between the percentage of women in science, engineering and technology versus the percentage of men,' Milgram said. 'I think there has been a tendency to define certain things as masculine and feminine. Science and technology are defined as masculine.'"
Use the link to read the entire article.
A 2002 study from the Department of Labor's women's bureau found that only 10 percent of engineers across the country are women, according to Donna Milgram, executive director of the National Institute for Women in Trades, Technology, and Science, a group based in Alameda.
Milgram will participate in a panel discussion in Alameda Tuesday night on the subject of 'Women and Girls in Science, Math and Technology.'
'There's still a big disparity between the percentage of women in science, engineering and technology versus the percentage of men,' Milgram said. 'I think there has been a tendency to define certain things as masculine and feminine. Science and technology are defined as masculine.'"
Use the link to read the entire article.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
CNN.com - Report: Hispanic children's health lags - Jul 20, 2005
CNN.com - Report: Hispanic children's health lags - Jul 20, 2005: "Hispanic children are less likely than other children to have health insurance or recommended vaccinations, disparities that a government study says will be magnified in the coming years by the nation's changing demographics.
By the year 2020, nearly one in four American children will be Hispanic, up from fewer than one in five today.
The data in the government report shows that the rising number of Hispanic children would help lower the rate of smoking among teens. However, teen pregnancy rates would rise and the percentage of students completing high school would fall without changes occurring, said Dr. Duane Alexander, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, one of several federal agencies that contributed to the report.
'The people who follow population demographics and health disparities are very concerned about this,' Alexander said.
The report also found that Hispanic children are more likely to live in poverty and to be overweight.
Improvements have been made in many categories, such as the percentage of Hispanic children considered to be in very good or excellent health. The overall rate has improved for all races but especially for blacks and Hispanics.
Still, a disparity continues to exist. The percentage of children ages 5-17 with good or excellent health stands at 87 percent for whites. For blacks, it's 74 percent, and for Hispanics, 72 percent.
Overall, the general trend within 25 categories is a good one. Children are less likely to engage in violent crime or be a victim of violent crime than they were a decade ago. They are less likely to become pregnant.
Among the report's findings:
# Hispanic adults 18-24 were less likely than other adults to have a high school diploma. The breakdown was 91.2 percent for whites, 85 percent for blacks, and 69.2 percent for Hispanics.
# Nearly 25 percent of Hispanic children 12-18 were overweight, compared to 12.9 percent of whites and 21.8 percent of blacks.
# Black children up to age 17 were more likely to live in poverty than their Hispanic or white counterparts: 10 percent for whites, 34 percent for blacks and 30 percent for Hispanics.
# A higher percentage of black girls became unmarried mothers by ages 17-19: 12.9 percent for blacks, 12.7 percent of Hispanics, and 3.2 percent for whites.
'The differences are absolutely clear. They give you pause as to our level of understanding,' said Dr. Edward Sondik, director of the National Center for Health Statistics. 'In some cases, we do understand why the differences are as they are. But in other cases, we don't know the reasons, and they are the subject of very intense research.'
Sondik said the differences are not caused by race. 'But there may be circumstances that cause these differences,' he said.
In a few categories, blacks and Hispanics fare better than whites. Only 11.4 percent of black 12th graders reported engaging in binge drinking -- five or more drinks in one sitting within the previous two weeks. Meanwhile, 26 percent of Hispanic 12th graders reported binge-drinking. That number shot up to 32.5 percent for whites.
Black youths also led the way when it came to cutting down on smoking. Only 5.2 percent of black 12th graders reported smoking cigarettes daily in the previous 30 days. That number rose to 8.2 percent for Hispanics and to 18.3 percent for white 12th graders.
'One of the areas we should also look at is behavior, where the disparities are the other way around,' Sondik said. 'There's something happening there that's going in the right direction in the black and Hispanic communities.'
The report also showed significant improvements in the concentration of lead in the blood of children. The median level declined 89 percent. It also showed slight increases in the math scores for fourth and eighth graders in 2003."
By the year 2020, nearly one in four American children will be Hispanic, up from fewer than one in five today.
The data in the government report shows that the rising number of Hispanic children would help lower the rate of smoking among teens. However, teen pregnancy rates would rise and the percentage of students completing high school would fall without changes occurring, said Dr. Duane Alexander, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, one of several federal agencies that contributed to the report.
'The people who follow population demographics and health disparities are very concerned about this,' Alexander said.
The report also found that Hispanic children are more likely to live in poverty and to be overweight.
Improvements have been made in many categories, such as the percentage of Hispanic children considered to be in very good or excellent health. The overall rate has improved for all races but especially for blacks and Hispanics.
Still, a disparity continues to exist. The percentage of children ages 5-17 with good or excellent health stands at 87 percent for whites. For blacks, it's 74 percent, and for Hispanics, 72 percent.
Overall, the general trend within 25 categories is a good one. Children are less likely to engage in violent crime or be a victim of violent crime than they were a decade ago. They are less likely to become pregnant.
Among the report's findings:
# Hispanic adults 18-24 were less likely than other adults to have a high school diploma. The breakdown was 91.2 percent for whites, 85 percent for blacks, and 69.2 percent for Hispanics.
# Nearly 25 percent of Hispanic children 12-18 were overweight, compared to 12.9 percent of whites and 21.8 percent of blacks.
# Black children up to age 17 were more likely to live in poverty than their Hispanic or white counterparts: 10 percent for whites, 34 percent for blacks and 30 percent for Hispanics.
# A higher percentage of black girls became unmarried mothers by ages 17-19: 12.9 percent for blacks, 12.7 percent of Hispanics, and 3.2 percent for whites.
'The differences are absolutely clear. They give you pause as to our level of understanding,' said Dr. Edward Sondik, director of the National Center for Health Statistics. 'In some cases, we do understand why the differences are as they are. But in other cases, we don't know the reasons, and they are the subject of very intense research.'
Sondik said the differences are not caused by race. 'But there may be circumstances that cause these differences,' he said.
In a few categories, blacks and Hispanics fare better than whites. Only 11.4 percent of black 12th graders reported engaging in binge drinking -- five or more drinks in one sitting within the previous two weeks. Meanwhile, 26 percent of Hispanic 12th graders reported binge-drinking. That number shot up to 32.5 percent for whites.
Black youths also led the way when it came to cutting down on smoking. Only 5.2 percent of black 12th graders reported smoking cigarettes daily in the previous 30 days. That number rose to 8.2 percent for Hispanics and to 18.3 percent for white 12th graders.
'One of the areas we should also look at is behavior, where the disparities are the other way around,' Sondik said. 'There's something happening there that's going in the right direction in the black and Hispanic communities.'
The report also showed significant improvements in the concentration of lead in the blood of children. The median level declined 89 percent. It also showed slight increases in the math scores for fourth and eighth graders in 2003."
More Adult English Training Is Urged
More Adult English Training Is Urged: "Forty-one percent of Montgomery County students identified as having limited proficiency in English were born in the United States, and the county needs to find more efficient ways to help their parents, according to a report by the County Council's Office of Legislative Oversight.
The 100-page report found that more than 13,000 students -- 9 percent of the total student population -- are enrolled in the school system's English for Speakers of Other Languages program. That number represents an increase of 83 percent in the past decade. Countless others may speak English proficiently but have parents or guardians who do not.
By far the largest group of ESOL students are U.S. citizens, the report said. In most cases, the children are unable to speak English when they start school because their families speak another language at home. Among foreign-born students, the largest group was from El Salvador, representing 11 percent of those enrolled in ESOL."
Use the link to read the entire story.
The 100-page report found that more than 13,000 students -- 9 percent of the total student population -- are enrolled in the school system's English for Speakers of Other Languages program. That number represents an increase of 83 percent in the past decade. Countless others may speak English proficiently but have parents or guardians who do not.
By far the largest group of ESOL students are U.S. citizens, the report said. In most cases, the children are unable to speak English when they start school because their families speak another language at home. Among foreign-born students, the largest group was from El Salvador, representing 11 percent of those enrolled in ESOL."
Use the link to read the entire story.
Chicago Tribune news :
Chicago Tribune news :: "Women lag men when it comes to choosing careers in math and science. IBM is trying to buck that trend. According to the National Science Foundation, the females earning bachelor's degrees in computer science dropped from 37 percent in 1985 to 28 percent in 2001.
'Research shows that if you can influence young girls at this age to go and utilize math and science and study it as a career, you can turn that trend around,' said Sandra Zoratti, director of marketing and strategy for IBM's printing systems division and executive sponsor for the camp. 'This is the critical time in their life when they're starting to think about a career.'
In addition to learning how to use a computer program to motorize Lego blocks, the girls attended workshops about forensic science, immunology and toxicology, and wildlife science.
The goal of the camp is not to prepare women for careers at the company, but to help them develop their interest in math and science, Zoratti said.
'We're not trying to influence the pipeline, we just want to influence the statistics,' she said. 'To us a success is women that would go into any technical field.'
"
'Research shows that if you can influence young girls at this age to go and utilize math and science and study it as a career, you can turn that trend around,' said Sandra Zoratti, director of marketing and strategy for IBM's printing systems division and executive sponsor for the camp. 'This is the critical time in their life when they're starting to think about a career.'
In addition to learning how to use a computer program to motorize Lego blocks, the girls attended workshops about forensic science, immunology and toxicology, and wildlife science.
The goal of the camp is not to prepare women for careers at the company, but to help them develop their interest in math and science, Zoratti said.
'We're not trying to influence the pipeline, we just want to influence the statistics,' she said. 'To us a success is women that would go into any technical field.'
"
Thursday, July 14, 2005
CNN.com - Nine-year-olds do best yet in math and reading, report finds - Jul 14, 2005
CNN.com - Nine-year-olds do best yet in math and reading, report finds - Jul 14, 2005: "WASHINGTON (AP) -- The nation's 9-year-olds are doing better when it comes to reading and math, but the same can't be said about older students.
The 2004 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation's report card, also shows that achievement gaps between white and black and Hispanic students remain, but have narrowed."
Use the link to read the entire story.
The 2004 National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the nation's report card, also shows that achievement gaps between white and black and Hispanic students remain, but have narrowed."
Use the link to read the entire story.
Black, Hispanic Students Making Great Gains
Black, Hispanic Students Making Great Gains: "African-American and Hispanic students are catching up with their white counterparts in reading and math at the elementary school level, but there has been little closing of the achievement gap in the higher grades, according to a study released today.
The Bush administration seized on the data from the widely respected National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, as evidence that its educational reforms are working. But the independent body that administers the tests urged caution, saying that much of the improvement could have come from reforms put in place prior to the passage of the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act.
The NAEP study of long-term educational trends showed a significant improvement among white, black and Hispanic 9-year-olds in the 2003-2004 school year in math and reading, compared to five years previously. But blacks and Hispanics made greater gains than whites in both subjects.
'There is a lot of good news here,' said Darvin Winick, chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board. 'While the differences [between whites and minorities] are still too large, we are happy to see that there has been some narrowing.'
Modest gains were registered by 13-year-olds, particularly in math, but the performance of 17-year-olds remained flat, bolstering the widespread belief that high schools are the weakest link in the U.S. education system.
NAEP, which dubs itself the 'Nation's Report Card,' has been using the same standardized tests since 1971 to shed light on long-term educational trends. During that period the achievement gap between black and white 9-year-olds narrowed from 44 points, on a 500 point scale, to 26 points. The gap narrowed by nine points in the most recent five-year period.
The study suggested that at least some of the gains can be attributed to a greater emphasis on reading, particularly in the early grades, going back to the mid-1990s. One in four 9- and 13-year-olds said they read more than 20 pages per day in school and for homework in 2004, compared to 19 percent in 1999 and 13 percent in 1984.
Education secretary Margaret Spellings hailed the report as evidence that No Child Left Behind is working and that the achievement gap 'that persisted for decades in the younger years between minorities and whites has shrunk to its smallest size in history.'
Winick, by contrast, urged caution about attributing progress to No Child Left Behind and said that the narrowing of the achievement gap can be traced back to at least 1999, before the Bush administration took office. Other analysts noted that the NAEP study was conducted in the fall and winter of 2003-2004, in the early stages of the implementation of No Child Left Behind."
The Bush administration seized on the data from the widely respected National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, as evidence that its educational reforms are working. But the independent body that administers the tests urged caution, saying that much of the improvement could have come from reforms put in place prior to the passage of the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act.
The NAEP study of long-term educational trends showed a significant improvement among white, black and Hispanic 9-year-olds in the 2003-2004 school year in math and reading, compared to five years previously. But blacks and Hispanics made greater gains than whites in both subjects.
'There is a lot of good news here,' said Darvin Winick, chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board. 'While the differences [between whites and minorities] are still too large, we are happy to see that there has been some narrowing.'
Modest gains were registered by 13-year-olds, particularly in math, but the performance of 17-year-olds remained flat, bolstering the widespread belief that high schools are the weakest link in the U.S. education system.
NAEP, which dubs itself the 'Nation's Report Card,' has been using the same standardized tests since 1971 to shed light on long-term educational trends. During that period the achievement gap between black and white 9-year-olds narrowed from 44 points, on a 500 point scale, to 26 points. The gap narrowed by nine points in the most recent five-year period.
The study suggested that at least some of the gains can be attributed to a greater emphasis on reading, particularly in the early grades, going back to the mid-1990s. One in four 9- and 13-year-olds said they read more than 20 pages per day in school and for homework in 2004, compared to 19 percent in 1999 and 13 percent in 1984.
Education secretary Margaret Spellings hailed the report as evidence that No Child Left Behind is working and that the achievement gap 'that persisted for decades in the younger years between minorities and whites has shrunk to its smallest size in history.'
Winick, by contrast, urged caution about attributing progress to No Child Left Behind and said that the narrowing of the achievement gap can be traced back to at least 1999, before the Bush administration took office. Other analysts noted that the NAEP study was conducted in the fall and winter of 2003-2004, in the early stages of the implementation of No Child Left Behind."
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
CNN.com - Manhunt: Schools try to attract more male teachers - Jul 13, 2005
CNN.com - Manhunt: Schools try to attract more male teachers - Jul 13, 2005: "If you're looking at what's best for the students, it's important for them to interact with the two sexes,' Telfer said. 'The way men work with kids, there's a difference in style and approach. I think students really benefit from having that mix, because as they get to middle school, they're going to have a whole variety of classes. Men help bridge that.'
As a new academic year approaches, school districts, education groups and universities are exploring ways to get more men into a field long dominated by women. Their goal is to provide more male role models in class and to diversify the labor pool of dedicated teachers.
The proportion of men in teaching today is at its lowest level in 40 years, according to the National Education Association, the country's largest teachers union.
Only 21 percent of teachers in U.S. public schools are men. In early grades, the gender ratio is even more imbalanced -- just 9 percent of elementary school teachers are men."
Use the link to read the entire article.
As a new academic year approaches, school districts, education groups and universities are exploring ways to get more men into a field long dominated by women. Their goal is to provide more male role models in class and to diversify the labor pool of dedicated teachers.
The proportion of men in teaching today is at its lowest level in 40 years, according to the National Education Association, the country's largest teachers union.
Only 21 percent of teachers in U.S. public schools are men. In early grades, the gender ratio is even more imbalanced -- just 9 percent of elementary school teachers are men."
Use the link to read the entire article.
For Latino Teens, a Taste of College and Money to Go
For Latino Teens, a Taste of College and Money to Go: "The event, said Cushman, its organizer, gives the youths a taste of campus life and pushes them toward a place that he said too few Hispanics choose: college. According to Census Bureau data, 11.1 percent of Hispanics 25 and older had completed a college education as of March 2002. By comparison, 27.2 percent of whites had."
Use the link to read the entire article.
Use the link to read the entire article.
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