4—The Daily Collegian Thursday, Nov. 5, 1981 Strikes affect student reading, math achievement By MARY BETH HORWATH Daily Collegian Staff Writer Two studies conducted by a University professor have linked teacher Strikes in Pennsylvania to declines in students' attendance and math and reading achievement. William E. Caldwell, associate profes sor in the College of Education's division of educational policy studies, conducted a study examining student achievement on Educational Quality Assessment tests after teacher strikes. He was assisted by Michael D. Moskalski, principal in the Selinsgrove School District. The EQA was given to students in the fifth, eighth and 11th grades, and was used to collect achievement and attitudi nal information in a variety of areas. "We selected reading and math be eline they are the most highly recog nized achievement areas," Caldwell said. "We did look at some of the attitudi nal results but nothing is published yet." Caldwell and MOskalski found that strikes did affect achievement, especial ly in math. "Fifth- and eighth-graders had signifi cantly lower math scores," Caldwell said. "Eleventh-graders had lower scores also, although not significantly lower." The reading results were not similar. "Eighth-graders had significantly low er reading scores, • but fifth- and 11th graders had lower scores," Caldwell said. Caldwell said he expected the results "You have to think that there will be a difference if you think schools have any effect at all. I would have been disap pointed if the results had been different," he said. Moskalski agreed: "I would think both teachers and parents would be glad that this proves that school does have a great effect." * : r (... ... : r. . 0 •,:•,, . :, 111: 1 ; • .„.•t, ~.,„:„.,..,,.„,....:.,...,,...,.,,,,..„..,. 0 f - •0 • ~: , ~ 4.? .„,II gettino Hills® Brand thermals for the • entire family All at low prices every day. Men's thermals, ladies', boys', girls', junior boys', and junior girls' too. Even print or solid white thermals for ladies. All lab-tested for performance-proven quality, so Hills° Brand thermals will never leave you cold We're the Anti-hdlation Deparbnent Stove. When the EQA was designed and ad ministered in the 1973 period, it was voluntary, Caldwell said. The test was so acceptable that the state made it manda tory between the 1974 and 1976 academic years. This was the only period in which the test was administered by every school district in Pennsylvania, he said. Following the period in which the test was made mandatory, the state revised the EQA, and again made it voluntary after 1977, Caldwell said. So they had EQA measures from all Pennsylvania districts that would be comparable be cause of the mandatory testing period. They discovered that 46 districts had teacher strikes bet Ween the first admin istration of the EQA and the second voluntary administration. They then analyzed each district by size (number of pupils), wealth (money spent per student) and geography. Eighty-eight comparable non-strike dis tricts were selected. The districts were matched very closely by size, wealth and geography. The second dimension studied by Cald well and Moskalski was the time period between the strike and the second EQA testing, or how far away the strike oc curred from the re-test. Caldwell said this period ranged from six months to three years. "The year of and the year following the strike there was a significant decline in both reading and math scores," he said. "But two and three years after the strike the achievement started to catch up." The third dimension studied was the length of the strike. The teacher strikes were divided into categories of length: one to six days, seven to 13 days, etc. Caldwell said for strikes up to 12 days, no large difference in scores was ob served. "But once (the strike) crossed over the 13-day mark, there was a significant ..„% k , siAli c ' le Ir. r<, ,13 ,•; ;,. t.,, - (.. .--., ,i , .. , 4P P 44 kt ii:q: •t.-. .I . ff.,' V . , <: .r sr.l,4i ' ....“ . ti,,.;.,,, C. ""1 1, ;', .: I ,:3''"•ii' .„...f„ , ,..-A ~...t. <et, t , I‘`' r:7 , 444.0.'v• T,t5.... , ..,Ak." - ••••••••••• • : - I fs l l l oel c l 4l.l t 4 i i ISSAt if ' 11, 1 1 4, 0t't1 '. %Wei • oN t i l l t rix • 101 l fitii / A '4l.oill'itifll i l 44AJ'l'i'lv tit i o i 1 a I § 0 T l l9/ 1 1 { 10 . WhYll/ 1 1 1 l y,l4 l i f t t, ~ ' as i I o l yit I , i , ~., 'h i /4 1, 4 1 1T f t l j tj ~I 4 i rf 5 ..se Pl l l l , l l l l ,','''. i k i t l l l l * 4 l li '':'',/ 14 4 04 1 1 1 1 '1!I 1 ~,, F A * ~, is, i •,'A 1 1 1 1 r tl , l It./ 1 013 , 11 .k/ 4 1 1 1 I : it , f / ' hiljiltl lt, ;fel j 44 1 / I i 4, E j 4 1 1.14 { f 1 li titkif fi (4.1 4 .. il 'T:4I I , i [mg 'f i; c • ff; 'l4°' ~:.: S. :, I.', .. 1 ,.,:.. ',?4 ~,: e r ilk Y.' ni .';;',. hiv; ,:,,.... i . . L'.l, I ii State College: Hills Plaza - South Atherton St. (Rt. 322 E) & Branch Rd. Store Hours: 10-10 Monday-Saturday/12-5 Sunday decline in all levels in math, and some levels of reading," he said. Surprisingly, the longer the strike, the more the reading scores returned to normal, although they were still signifi cantly lower, according to the study. "That statistic shows how much influ ence the home has," Caldwell said. "Math is much more school-oriented, so it shows the greater effect. of conflict. "Families are more likely to help a youngster to read, and he would be reading at church or in clubs," he said. "Reading is reinforced in a number of areas. But he wouldn't be likely to do math problems at church or in a club." Caldwell also conducted a study with Robert P. Miller; a principal in the Cum berland Valley School District, examin ing student attendance. That study concluded that while no differences existed in student attendance in comparable districts prior to a strike, attendance decreased significantly fol lowing a strike. Forty-nine districts Strike s not canceled teaching practicums By LESLIE K. ZUCK Daily Collegian Staff Writer University seniors majoring in education have been "This one took us by surprise, in effeCt, because it we would experience any serious placement problems," affected by the 50-day-long Philadelphia teachers wasn't a contract year," he said. he said. strike, but none have been denied a practicum because "Our prime responsibility," Sharp said, "is to place of the strike, Robert F. Neuhard, University coordina- the students in the best possible school for their majors. tor for the Office of Clinical Experiences, said. It's a very important term for them. About 16 special education, majors who were original- "1 . have all my students placed in Delaware and ly assigned placements, or student teaching positions, Chester counties, which isn't unusual," he said: "Sec in Philadelphia city schools Fall Term were reassigned ondary, elementary and special ed students are Already to schools outside the city the day after Labor Day, said placed for Winter Term and it's business as usual." Martin W. Sharp, University coordinator/supervisor for "I have one student with a double major who we had student teaching. trouble placing Winter Term because she needed hear " All our people got to do their practicums," Neuhard ing impaired and elementary education, but we got her said. "I can't say they weren't affected, though, be- a position at the Philadelphia School for the Deaf, which cause in some cases we had to move them.", is what she wanted," he said. He said strikes cause extra work for the education Neuhard said no student at the University has ever :ill • .. 11'1 1. : 110,1. lii !:•:* Yiilit:ititil 4.ii. I . ' , ilvi. l' liiirtiili! i i ] . 104 / I !! fiiiilliai t , u l , ,111 !iliii•liiiU I , '•':1! il iiii l l iciliv p ~. till ill loidnldi„i 1 !.i t • ! 1! 1, ! •illlo4 o ' l'4li ' tl 0 toil ! ' Jirli lilil too i !! i 1111! Y 1 111 ,Till ll' i) 1 :i` Ir.liti 1 1 i 4)11 pili I I *: ii q : NI! i 1 - ..: .. • _,.: • • doi i .._,....:::, . 7 .... . t ,it l ' iii Firli.iii tilonii ~ .11110 ii!giiiio,.. i l,tio 1 ill is ii Ai!iiiituit lildi 11.11 1 0 4 !m i ptl l lii l lti 4 i l l i ilihli tl i vql llol,,i i , loop 111. ril l il'O i li i iii ill Ito i%i . i ~,mini, I 1 lil t Iliniltiiih•• .liiiltilil l , d . i•riiihio .:( i. )iii. ii i l l I li tilh 1;i thiwill. 111 ioi 'lllilioLl 111,1il i !.10, 1 ) ! !ii t ol l initio..! !Ili lii . iiilip .1) i. l 0 NM.' 1 ill 11! ,Iy, , ill iii li!#li . 1(0 i. T o li litilhi !hot ILliii 1111 ii, sii, E ; : ?111 1 011141 iiii ,•,. r i iip s,t.o `ol'.' Edlq which did not experience strikes were compared to 49 districts which did expe rience strikes. "The depressing thing about that sta tistic is that student attendance has de clined steadily over the last 10 years, but it declines faster after a strike," Cald well said. Miller speculated that the reason at tendance declines after a strike may be because students attitudes are affected. "The kids see the teachers aren't in school, and services are stopped, and they think 'why should we go?,' " he said. Strikes cause a very negative situation in a school district, and one way to encourage student attendance after a strike is to encourage enthusiasm among the teachers and administration, he said. "You have to get the staff back togeth er and get the 'esprit de corps' again," he said. Caldwell said other studies have been done which show that more students drop department because the coordinators sometimes have been denied a placement because of a strike. to find replacement practicums for students. "It would take a massive shut-down statewide before .- 4 ..„ , .t. . .4pc b .. ::.. ...), ' .. ~..... } . 1...>1 • - rk, ~ ! a: 4., ... 1 - le Y.d...., e f ilf, o• '34 ) ,,114 j .. *..t,7 e -61 Y AS4 * • L out of school following a teachers' strike. "If anyone in education thinks about it long enough, they have to support the opinion that strikes affect achievement, and that it may affect the teacher-pupil relationship," he said. Seven states allow teachers the right to strike, and strikes have increased in those states since the legislation was passed, Caldwell said. Public school teacher strikes are not new to Pennsylvania. The state has aver aged 31 teacher strikes each year since 1970. The Philadelphia School District ended a 51-day strike last week, and another school district has not started school yet this year. Teachers in two other districts are threatening to strike. One reason Pennsylvania has so many strikes may be because it has so many districts, Caldwell said. "The state of Hawaii allows teachers to strike, .but they have only one district. Pennsylvania has 505," Caldwell said. "The more both sides feel they are right 411 111,11 1 1 1 1t i tiM tVi l t l l i t i M I 1 1 4 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 ft ( 1.11 4 4 6 1 0 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 361 1 1 , Ittt 1 1/k 4l 0 1 II ) 11 1 1 ,1 qt l i f t I L I 114:1 1111 1 :1 1 : 5 1 4 t i i• 4 I I I t 1111 4 1 1 tiltllll • ~„1 .„ „, 111111,„ ok . ,„, . „:„„ i t I .I ty 1 11! '1 ti' trelV it WI 1 % ) , 11111 • .11ti l t l i • 4 1 1,4 1,1 • hl l l /10. s i Otltt,i',l itt V 4 4 0 I /L. Sharp said all of the institutions in Pennsylvania, including Penn State, Temple University and Cheyney State College, have experienced a large decline in education enrollment in the last three years, so there are fewer students to place. Sandy Cohen (11th-elementary education), said Penn State students were not affected nearly as much as students from Philadelphia colleges. Cohen, who is student teaching this term in a Philadel phia suburb, said many students from Temple Universi ty and other colleges in the Philadelphia area who usually receive placements in the city were reassigned to parochial and private schools. 1. ti. ' ill liii OHM .o' ll \l'Ni itt l llll9ol l l lit litili, :110:itic 1 , 11 , 111 ill q iit i 111 1 1 1 ilyil. it h'.l 'Olll I 1 111 " 1 . 1 10 1 1. till 1 1 1 1 hill;!. o, l l'o,l\i ill l ~1 illill 1 Ili i I 'III ii . I , 1 ....1. about the issue, the more likely a strike is to occur." When asked if the study might act as a deterrent on potential teacher strikes, Moskalski said he hoped it would. "I would like to say it would, but once people's emotions get .to the point where a strike might occur, they need more information than the study," he said. Miller said the Cumberland Valley School District had a teachers' strike in 1975, and although it lasted only about four days, it had a significant impact. "It had a big impact on the attitude of the central offices toward the teacherS," he said. Caldwell said he thinks new alterna tives to strikes must be found. "When the conflicts are so harsh, it does affect the kids," he said. "You can parallel it to a family situa tion," Caldwell, added. "Two people with a family don't always agree on every thing, but they work the disputes out without affecting the kids." a. 4 4c, PARTNERS IN CRIME For YOU at the *.iregOo' 04Z - ` 74-... q 111 1 / 2 E. Beaver NO COVER! , 0 Happy Hour 0 Prices 11l 10:30 THE PHYRST BOTTLE SHOP HAS YOUR BRAND AT A PLEASING PRICE!!! ** I SHALL RETURN! If you're hungry as the whole Fifth Army, march out to Toftrees' Thursday Evening Buffet. Capture the custom•carved Prime Rib, wade into gourmet entries that vary each week, like Sole Florentine, or rich Rack of Lamb, or savory Veal Picata. Conquer, like Caesar, the fields of salad. Advance through lines of vegetables, over mountains of fresh fruit and hot crusty breads. Our chef will never call retreat ... and it won't take the Pentagon to _pay for it. Just $12.50, for as long as you can counter-attack. Toftrees country country club and lodge one country club lane. tottrees • 237-4877 *Thp )(e , • . SNOW. BEAR) 1" .'• . hPitt .—* ve Lei \Ail mirth 16 &lye - ri o r e AR. Aorromp • ~K 4 swiried i>,ll ice cream. Mted wlrFi nut/leg. (Cor d til *tra:allslt.- ffginlVnl Wader country Tavern 83 cricidetiOddrlYe-tftet5.237:1049 12,500 hoagie rolls, please To handle baking for 12,500 University Park students the bakery uses more than five tons of flour, 1 1 / 2 tons of sugar, eight tons of shortening and 180 lbs. of dry yeast a week. Much of this goes into the more than 285,000 loaves of bread baked a year. The rolls made yesterday are part of the 275,- 000 dozen rolls made annually. The dough is made in a big mixer with a capacity for 640 loaves, above left. It is then formed into little balls, right, and shaped into rolls for the final rising. After rising they are baked, above. Finally, they are automatically dumped onto cooling conveyors which snake through the bakery, bagged, and sent out. IS LAW SCHOOL FOR YOU? A DISCUSSION WITH Sandra Weckesser Admissions Officer Temple University School of Law Virginia Eisenstein Attorney Ben Novak Attorney Edward Keynes Professor of Political Science Thursday, November 5 301 HUB 7:30-9:30 Sponsored by Dept. of Political Science Trip a journalist today. a 0; Today's dining hall meal of meatball sandwiches was in the making yesterday at the Food Services bakery. The bakery, housed in the Food Stores building near the bus station, supplies most of the pastries, cookies, rolls and breads for the HUB food operations, dining halls at Uniyersity Park and often Commonwealth campuses. Occasionally, baked goods are even supplied to the Nittany Lion Inn, Bill Curley, director of food services, said. Photos by Janis Burger ~...v,v ,' ,. ;' 7. ' ' • • . , . . , , • . . .. . . . „, .. . - -fiN ':71 41/ .4 • ..5, . k . ' ' ; ' . l. l '; , ', •;-,- ' 1‘.,5;•,. 1 . ' -: ...:1.." 4 4., '`. ' 7 :. •':. ' • ''••: ,'' ~ i ;' , .a . -1,•• " • • . • • .• .. ''' ;;•:•, .. . , . , • - -..:A•:1,1 .. • -le, . . . . . . .. , . B• . . • . . . .. .. . . Nbre.' .:. re .. . 4ri a ..e elk ....Lt... u _... $ I . 5 0 • • - ...irk:: : • ......-.. ... - ,• • •• • • Director: Michael Some hrR Cast: Raquel Welch, Mac West. John Huston Res Reed • 94 minutes 1970 R • . '.. ':' •.' .. - ,\. -‘,..) ‘ ; \ . • a... . Myra flreckinridge is on out. t - )i 4 \ .. i . ...: , . til rogeous adaptation of Gore , zk voors bestselling novel about ill' s . :: ,),5,*`•,. . . _.-4 .- • / . trt n transsexual who becomes a • . '1 J . ;ne:7A'4' 4.,,,,i . ‘. .'5k. , . , wAV It , ~.,,, ..- 4 ' 7', , . k , -:, *rri • . —.lea . ; . - %.) . c ,„ > _ pr.z.xygouuzn...n..wh,on..d ...h.,. 1. alto, his sex, Raquel Welch stars as the Amazon he becomes and Moe West Is the coon eating Intent agent Racy. . Z L. CD risque. and oh-so. clever. Myra Oreckinridge takes Vidor • • Ns. - . CO • 0 nal chic hurnol and stretches this audacious material to the limit 141111 ' !'t - "'"i . ' .f . 4 \ .:.:,.,4„ ....,r- L NG .-• . . . , . . ,A. . • • ',::\ If i . - . . • , . . • i• 1 .c . . 41 4 1 H . ' . " . • . . 1"-- 4-- . . f I New York Times The Daily Collegian Thursday, Nov. 5, 1981-5
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers