1. education
2. school

NEW YORK STATE COUNCIL OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS
NEWS RELEASE
7 ELK STREET  ALBANY, NY 12207- 1002
518/449-1063  FAX 518/426-2229
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 9, 2014
CONTACT:
Robert Lowry  518/449-1063 or 518/435-5996 (cell)
E-mail: [email protected]
Survey: NYS School Superintendents widely believe that Common
Core Standards will improve quality of education; have mixed
reviews for other reform initiatives
ALBANY: A new survey released by the New York State Council of School Superintendents reveals
that school district leaders widely believe that the Common Core Learning Standards will have a
positive impact on education.
Over 80 percent of superintendents responding to the survey answered that they see the Common
Core Learning Standards producing a positive impact on the quality of education in their districts’
schools – 85 percent for the new English language arts standards, and 83 percent for the mathematics
standards.
Council Executive Director Robert Reidy said, “School district superintendents play a pivotal role in
trying to make statewide policies make sense for the local schools they serve. Our survey shows
superintendents widely see the Common Core Standards as promising. Reviews of other elements of
the state’s reform agenda are more mixed – not resounding votes of confidence, but not sweeping
rejections some might expect, either.”
Positive impact from state testing and teacher evaluation initiatives is anticipated by 50 percent of
superintendents or less. Generally, more superintendents see positive effects than negative from
other state reform initiatives, but large numbers do not foresee definite impact, good or bad, or may
be withholding judgment.
Reidy observed, “To be constructive, debates about education policy need to start with accurate
information and be honest in acknowledging complexity. Our report tries to bring to light the views of
men and women who are asked to lead local implementation of the state’s policies.”
Reidy added that the report shows superintendents are not uniform in their views of state education
reform initiatives. Superintendents of city, rural and higher poverty school districts tend to be more
positive in their reviews than their colleagues elsewhere.
“One key take-away from the survey,” Reidy said “is that we need to understand how leaders of
districts in differing circumstances assess the value of state reforms. Another is that, given problems
with implementation the first time, we need to evaluate how adjustments can be made so that any
further changes in state policies justify the disruptions that would come from implementing them.”
Reidy added, “Literally stopping the Common Core is not an option, and not one supported by
superintendents responding to our survey. Overwhelmingly, superintendents see the standards as a
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The Council News Release – Education Issues Survey
October 9, 2014
positive change. Implementation was flawed, but trying to start over with entirely new standards
would cause more tumult within our schools and hurt teaching and learning.”
The report includes extensive open-ended comments submitted by superintendents. Criticisms of
state implementation actions are common among the comments, including the decision to implement
new teacher evaluation requirements and state testing in the new learning standards at the same time.
Reidy noted, “Many superintendents say that conflict over student testing and the test-based parts of
the teacher evaluation have damaged support for the Common Core. But while those controversies go
on, the new evaluation requirements have led districts to become more deliberate in observing how
teachers do working with students. They are getting more impact on improving teaching as a result.”
Sixty-nine percent of superintendents said the “other measures” component of the new teacher
evaluation requirements have had a positive impact on efforts to improve teaching. The majority of
the “other measures” component is based on classroom observations of teacher work. Less than half
of superintendents responding reported a positive impact from any of the student performance-based
parts of the evaluation system.
The survey’s final question asked superintendents, “Given all that has gone on in education over the
last four years, would you say efforts to improve the quality of education in New York State have
moved schools in the right direction, wrong direction, or had little impact at all?” Statewide, 47
percent of superintendents answered right direction, 39 percent answered wrong direction.
The right direction/wrong direction question illustrates some of the differing perspectives across
regions and other groupings.
For example, 78 percent of Lower Hudson Valley superintendents answered wrong direction, 19
percent answered right direction. Superintendents in the Central New York region had nearly
opposite reactions – 64 percent right direction, 14 percent wrong direction.
As noted, superintendents in higher poverty school districts were generally more positive in their
perceptions of reform initiatives. As one example, 54 percent of superintendents in high poverty
school districts see the English language arts Common Core Learning Standards as having a very
positive impact on education, compared to only 14 percent in low poverty districts.1
Taking a longer-term view, New York’s school superintendents overwhelmingly believe education has
improved – 75 percent said they believe the education students receive in the state’s public schools is
better today than it was 20 years ago; only 11 percent said quality has declined.
More details from the survey follow.
1
For the purposes of the survey, high poverty districts are those where over 60 percent of students qualify for the
federal free or reduced price lunch program, as estimated by their superintendent. Fewer than 10 percent of students
qualify in low poverty districts.
2
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The Council News Release – Education Issues Survey
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Common Core
 Impact of Common Core: Asked, “How do you see the Common Core Learning Standards
affecting the quality of education in your district’s schools?”, 85 percent of superintendents
responded that they see the new English language arts standards having a positive impact; 83
percent see a positive impact from the new mathematics standards.
 Stay with the Common Core?: 54 percent of superintendents would keep the Common Core
Learning Standards, but make modifications; 42 percent would keep the standards as written; only 4
percent would return to the state’s prior standards.
 Common observations in open-ended comments: The standards are having a positive
impact. They are not the problem; poor implementation is (or was). Increased testing due to the
teacher evaluation law and increased stress over testing is causing controversy. Some of the
standards or curriculum modules need to be recalibrated, especially in early grade English language
arts and middle level math.
Testing/State Assessments
 Impact of state assessments on improving teaching and learning: By a 45 to 37 percent
margin, more superintendents see the state grades 3 to 8 assessments having a positive impact on
efforts to improve teaching and learning. By 48 to 22 percent, superintendents responding see high
school Regents Exams having a positive impact.
 Test Refusals (“Opting-Out”): Statewide, over 35 percent of superintendents estimate that at
least 5 percent of their students “opted-out” of the state grades 3 through 8 assessments last spring,
raising the threat that some schools could fall short of the 95 percent test participation rate target
applied in federal school accountability procedures. Test-refusals were especially high on Long
Island, with 57 percent of superintendents in that region estimating that more than 10 percent of
students in their districts refused to take state tests.
 Common observations in open-ended comments: There should have been a slower
transition to Common Core-based assessments. There is too much emphasis on tests and testing.
Some of the tests are too long, especially in the early grades. Linkage of state tests to teacher
evaluations has compounded stress over testing and hurt support for the entire reform agenda.
Teacher and Principal Evaluation Requirements
 Overall impact of new evaluation requirements: 50 percent of superintendents said the
new evaluation requirements are having a positive impact in improving teaching; 26 percent see a
negative impact. Forty-five percent reported a positive impact on improving school principal
leadership; 26 percent reported a negative impact.
 More detail on the new teacher evaluation requirements: Examining the components of
the teacher evaluations, however, only one piece is seen as having a positive impact by a majority of
superintendents (69 percent) – the “other 60 percent measures,” based chiefly on classroom
observations. Student performance-based measures are seen as having a positive impact by no more
than 38 percent of superintendents.
Related, the evaluations are seen as having a positive impact by a majority of superintendents (50
percent) on only one type of employment decision – helping identify specific needs for improvement
for individual teachers.
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The Council News Release – Education Issues Survey
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 Common observations in open-ended comments: It was a mistake to implement APPR
before the Common Core was securely off the ground. The testing components create negative
distractions. APPR has led to more careful and valuable classroom observations. APPR is
excessively burdensome, requiring the same level of evaluation with all teachers, strong or weak.
General Direction/Other Matters
 Impact of controversies over state education reforms: Statewide, 61 percent of
superintendents said that co0ntroversies over state education policies had a negative impact on
teaching and learning in their schools last year. Looking to the current school year, 30 percent of
superintendents anticipated controversies would continue at about the same level; 31 percent
expected controversies to grow.
 Has education moved in the right direction or wrong direction over the last 4 years:
Statewide, 47 percent of superintendents answered right direction, 39 percent answered wrong
direction. There were sharp differences in responses across regions.
 Longer-term trajectory of education: 75 percent of superintendents believe the quality of
education students receive in New York’s schools is better today than it was 20 years ago. Only 11
percent believe quality has declined.
 Other cross-tabulations: The survey also asked superintendents to what extent various
conditions are problems in their school districts. This allowed cross-tabulations to identify
relationships between perceptions of district challenges and reactions to state reform initiatives.
For example: Superintendents citing parental support or current student achievement as significant
problems were more positive in their reactions to the Common Core. General funding adequacy was
seen a significant problem by similar shares of superintendents whether they answered that
education has moved in the right direction or wrong direction over the past four years. Only 6
percent of superintendents cited teaching quality as a significant problem, but those
superintendents were more positive in their reviews of the new teacher evaluation requirements.
The survey was conducted online, between July 23 and August 9, 2014. 324 superintendents
submitted completed surveys, a response rate of 47.2 percent.
###
The New York State Council of School Superintendents is a professional and advocacy organization with over
a century of service to school superintendents and assistant superintendents in New York State. The Council
provides more than 800 members with professional development opportunities, publications and personal
support while advocating for public education and the superintendency.
4
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The Council News Release – Education Issues Survey
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Common Core
How do you see the Common Core Learning Standards affecting the quality of
education in your district's schools?: English Language Arts
How do you see the Common Core Learning
Standards affecting the quality of
education in your district's schools?
Very positive
Somewhat positive
Neutral/not much effect
Somewhat negative
Neutral/
Very
Somewhat Not Much Somewhat
Very
Positive
Positive
Effect
Negative Negative
S tate wide
Not Sure
33%
52%
8%
5%
2%
2%
City
52%
20%
12%
8%
4%
4%
Suburb
27%
51%
10%
6%
4%
3%
Rural
33%
56%
6%
4%
1%
1%
Long Island
25%
58%
8%
2%
4%
2%
Lower Hudson Valley
17%
41%
10%
17%
7%
7%
Mid-Hudson Valley
42%
42%
5%
5%
5%
0%
Capital Region
31%
51%
8%
10%
0%
0%
Mohawk Valley
13%
50%
19%
6%
0%
13%
Central New York
57%
35%
4%
4%
0%
0%
North Country
20%
71%
5%
5%
0%
0%
Southern Tier
38%
55%
3%
3%
0%
0%
Finger Lakes
39%
50%
11%
0%
0%
0%
Western New York
45%
45%
8%
0%
3%
0%
Type
Very negative
English Language Arts
33%
52%
8%
5%
2%
49%
6%
6%3%
Re gion
Mathematics
34%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80% 100%
Which statement below comes closest to
expressing your opinion?
We should Continue to use the Common Core Learning
Standards as currently written.
We should abandon the Common Core Learning Standards and
return to the state's prior standards.
We should retain the Common Core Learning Standards but
make some modifications to them.
0%
Statewide
50%
42%
100%
4%
Suburb
Rural
0 to 10%
14%
57%
14%
5%
8%
3%
11 to 20%
40%
45%
10%
2%
2%
0%
21 to 40%
32%
50%
8%
6%
1%
3%
41 to 60%
31%
59%
5%
5%
0%
1%
Over 60%
54%
21%
14%
7%
4%
0%
54%
How do you see the Common Core Learning Standards affecting the quality of
education in your district's schools?: Mathematics
Type
City
E stimate d S tude nt Pove rty Pe rce ntage (% of pupils e ligible for fe de ral F re e &
Re duce d Price Lunch Program)
41%
18%
35%
5%
47%
Neutral/
Very
Somewhat Not Much Somewhat
Very
Positive
Positive
Effect
Negative Negative
41%
60%
2%
51%
S tate wide
34%
49%
Not Sure
7%
6%
3%
2%
Type
Region
Long Island
30%
Lower Hudson Valley
11% 11%
Mid-Hudson Valley
Capital Region
Mohawk Valley
Central New York
2%
78%
47%
49%
47%
3%
49%
73%
65%
44%
Southern Tier
44%
Western New York
5%
20% 7%
North Country
Finger Lakes
68%
0%
5%
51%
56%
56%
50%
35%
2%
42%
8%
City
50%
25%
8%
8%
4%
4%
Suburb
30%
48%
10%
5%
4%
4%
Rural
35%
53%
5%
6%
2%
1%
Re gion
Long Island
25%
58%
8%
2%
4%
2%
Lower Hudson Valley
24%
38%
10%
17%
3%
7%
Mid-Hudson Valley
32%
47%
5%
5%
5%
5%
Capital Region
37%
47%
3%
11%
3%
0%
Mohawk Valley
6%
63%
13%
6%
0%
13%
Central New York
61%
35%
0%
4%
0%
0%
North Country
32%
51%
7%
7%
0%
2%
Southern Tier
31%
62%
0%
3%
3%
0%
Finger Lakes
43%
41%
14%
0%
2%
0%
Western New York
41%
49%
3%
5%
3%
0%
42%
E stimate d S tude nt Pove rty Pe rce ntage (% of pupils e ligible for fe de ral F re e &
Re duce d Price Lunch Program)
Estimated Student Poverty %
0 to 10%
11 to 20%
25% 6%
69%
44%
5%
21 to 40%
43%
3%
41 to 60%
45%
Over 60%
46%
51%
54%
2%
15%
0 to 10%
24%
46%
14%
5%
8%
3%
11 to 20%
38%
45%
5%
10%
0%
2%
21 to 40%
34%
46%
9%
6%
1%
3%
41 to 60%
32%
56%
3%
5%
2%
2%
Over 60%
52%
30%
7%
7%
4%
0%
53%
5
38%
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The Council News Release – Education Issues Survey
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Testing/State Assessments
How would you evaluate the impact of current state testing
practices and requirements on your district's efforts to
improve teaching and learning?
+ Somewhat/very positive
- Somewhat/very negative
How would you evaluate the impact of current state
testing practices and requirements on your district's
efforts to improve teaching and learning?
Statewide Results
Very positive
Somewhat positive
Neutral/ Not much effect
Somewhat negative
Very negative
Not sure
0%
Grades 3-8 ELA & Math Assessments 5%
High School Regents Exams
6%
50%
40%
42%
100%
18%
22%
26%
15% 1%
16% 6% 4%
% of superintendents % of superintendents
reporting greater
reporting increase in
than 10% test
test refusals over
refusals
2013
ELA
Math
ELA
Math
22%
23%
70%
72%
City
17%
25%
58%
65%
Suburb
31%
31%
79%
81%
Rural
16%
17%
64%
66%
S ta te wide
Type
Re gion
Long Island
57%
57%
88%
88%
Lower Hudson Valley
11%
11%
68%
73%
Mid-Hudson Valley
20%
20%
80%
80%
Capital Region
8%
8%
65%
68%
Mohawk Valley
25%
20%
50%
56%
Central New York
18%
23%
86%
91%
North Country
10%
10%
70%
71%
Southern Tier
24%
31%
69%
69%
Finger Lakes
5%
5%
58%
62%
Western New York
31%
33%
61%
61%
Grades 3-8 ELA & High School Regents
Math Assessments
Exams
-
-
S ta te wide
+
45%
37%
+
48%
22%
Type
City
Suburb
Rural
50%
36%
49%
38%
47%
30%
46%
37%
56%
33%
29%
16%
Re gion
Long Island
Lower Hudson Valley
Mid-Hudson Valley
Capital Region
Mohawk Valley
Central New York
North Country
Southern Tier
Finger Lakes
Western New York
39%
22%
16%
43%
33%
64%
49%
59%
47%
58%
45%
64%
47%
38%
47%
18%
29%
21%
35%
28%
26%
25%
47%
51%
56%
55%
54%
66%
55%
53%
28%
50%
32%
19%
25%
9%
20%
7%
19%
14%
E stima te d S tude nt
Pove rty %
0 to 10%
11 to 20%
21 to 40%
41 to 60%
Over 60%
28%
35%
41%
52%
52%
67%
44%
34%
28%
33%
31%
37%
51%
52%
56%
39%
24%
19%
17%
30%
E stima te d S tude nt
Pove rty %
0 to 10%
50%
50%
83%
83%
11 to 20%
26%
26%
86%
86%
21 to 40%
17%
17%
69%
72%
41 to 60%
17%
19%
65%
67%
Over 60%
11%
15%
52%
56%
6
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The Council News Release – Education Issues Survey
October 9, 2014
Teacher and Principal Evaluations (APPR – Annual Professional Performance
Reviews)
How would you assess the impact of the APPR requirements
as a whole in improving teaching and school principal
leadership in your district's schools?
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Not sure 0%
Very negative
11%
Not sure 1%
Very negative
11%
Somewhat
negative 15%
Somewhat
negative 15%
Neutral/not
much impact
24%
Neutral/not
much impact
29%
50%
40%
30%
Somewhat
positive 41%
Somewhat
positive 35%
Very positive 9%
Very positive
10%
Improving teaching
Improving school principal leadership
20%
10%
0%
Impact of APPR Components on
Teaching and School Leadership
Positive
Neutral
Negative
Impact of APPR in making employment decisions
Positive
Not sure
Other comparable measures (for teachers
not covered by state assessments)
Locally assessed measures of student
performance
28%
33%
34%
Making decisions about whether or not to
recommend granting of tenure
38%
38%
38%
Other 60% measures, including classroom
observations
37%
69%
10%
60%
13%
Making decisions to pursue dismissal of
tenured teachers
12%
22%
37%
71%
13%
16%
66%
21%
About PRINCIPALS
22%
Other comparable measures (for principals
not covered by state assessments)
29%
Locally assessed measures of student
performance
33%
Other 60% measures, including
observations
Not sure
50%
Making promotion decisions
25%
21%
17%
Identifying specific areas of need for
improvement for individual teachers
27%
Impact in improving SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
State growth score
Negative
About TEACHERS
Impact in improving TEACHING
State growth score
Neutral
45%
46%
22%
46%
61%
Making decisions about whether or not to
recommend granting of tenure
31%
Identifying specific areas of need for
improvement for individual principals
20%
30%
8%
15%
66%
36%
Making promotion decisions
9%
Making decisions to pursue dismissal of
tenured principals
9%
18%
50%
14%
74%
16%
71%
18%
7
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Impact of Controversies and General Direction of Education
Given all that has gone on in education over the last four years, would you say
that efforts to improve the quality of education in New York State have moved
New York schools in the right direction, wrong direction, or have had little
impact at all?
Impact of controversies over state policies
on teaching & learning
Significant negative impact
Not sure
No controversy
0%
20%
Statewide
Somewhat negative impact
Controversy but no impact
40%
16%
60%
45%
2%
80%
Right
direction
100%
29%
0%
9%
10%
20%
City
26%
Suburb
Rural
35%
19%
13%
4%
26%
46%
33%
44%
2%
TYPE
City
Suburb
Rural
9%
27%
2%
13%
17%
Lower Hudson Valley
19%
Mid-Hudson Valley
20%
Capital Region 6%
Mohawk Valley
Central New York
North Country
50%
31%
33%
50%
60%
70%
80%
14%
52%
12%
51%
90%
39%
12%
39%
13%
18%
12%
17%
Finger Lakes
17%
20%
28%
69%
36%
5%
2%
45%
9%
10%
19%
3%
6%
29%
21%
52%
31%
14%
32%
40%
19%
Mid-Hudson Valley
Capital Region
Mohawk Valley
Central New York
North Country
Southern Tier
Finger Lakes
Western New York
5%
13%
46%
Lower Hudson Valley
4%
25%
6%
Long Island
2%
44%
50%
47%
Southern Tier
Western New York
40%
Wrong
direction
36%
49%
15%
34%
REGION
Region
Long Island
30%
47%
STATEWIDE
Type
Not much
impact
17%
35%
4%
40%
46%
38%
22%
44%
78%
10%
50%
24%
19%
64%
54%
48%
57%
60%
7%
14%
12%
6%
30%
44%
23%
39%
38%
31%
34%
12%
6%
EST. STUDENT POVERTY %
0 to 10%
11 to 20%
21 to 40%
41 to 60%
Over 60%
26%
23%
45%
50%
51%
50%
51%
50%
5%
16%
13%
11%
34%
36%
39%
Perceptions of specific state initiatives
and the overall direction of public education over the last 4 years
Impact of
Common Core ELA Standards
Common Core Math Standards
Grades 3-8 State Assessments
High School Regents Exams
APPR on teaching, overall
APPR on school leadership, overall
Right Direction
+ impact - impact
97%
1%
96%
1%
69%
15%
71%
7%
68%
15%
64%
14%
Wrong Direction
+ impact - impact
70%
15%
67%
16%
21%
59%
26%
39%
31%
40%
29%
37%
Right Direction
Wrong Direction
Confidence in accuracy of tests as
measures of college & career
Very or
Very or
readiness
Somewhat Not at all Somewhat Not at all
Grades 3-8 State ELA Assessments
56%
27%
10%
73%
Grades 3-8 State Math Assessments
59%
26%
10%
74%
HS CCLS English Regents Exam
65%
18%
34%
52%
HS CCLS Algebra 1 Regents Exam
68%
17%
28%
53%
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14%
100%