MPR: Stalemate Looms over Profile's Future

Stalemate Looms over Profile's Future
by Laura McCallum
February 3, 2000

Minnesota's largest teachers union and the state's education commissioner are calling for a moratorium on requiring students to meet the Profile of Learning graduation standards. There seems to be universal agreement at the Capitol that the standards aren't working in their current form, but some observers fear a repeat of last session, when legislators deadlocked over the issue and no changes were made.

"This is not for teachers to say, "Oh, good, we don't have to work on the Profile of Learning for two years." This is that it will not be high stakes, it will not come between a student and a student's diploma."

- Christine Jax
Commissioner of the Department of Children, Families, and Learning

EDUCATION MINNESOTA says a survey of the union's members found 90 percent want to change or abolish the Profile, which requires students to "show what they know" by completing work in at least 24 standards before graduating. Co-president Judy Schaubach says the union doesn't want to eliminate the standards.

Schaubach: This is now something that people, by and large, believe will happen. They have accepted that the standards, the Profile, will not go away. But what we have to do is make it workable.

Teachers' biggest complaints are too much paperwork, not enough training, too many required standards and not enough time to implement them.

Education Minnesota is asking the Legislature to spend more money on training and resources for teachers, declare an immediate moratorium so this year's tenth-graders don't have to complete the standards to graduate, and give Education Commissioner Christine Jax the authority to reduce the number of required standards.

Jax says she agrees with Education Minnesota's recommendations, and will ask for a two-year moratorium so that the standards won't be required until the class of 2004. She says that won't take the pressure off schools to implement the standards.

Jax: This is not for teachers to say, "Oh, good, we don't have to work on the Profile of Learning for two years." This is that it will not be high stakes, it will not come between a student and a student's diploma. But the teachers will need to still go forward.

Jax says she thinks the Ventura administration and Education Minnesota are unified in their views on changing the Profile. But other interests are already beginning to converge on the Capitol to push different approaches. Earlier this week, Profile opponents organized a so-called Citizenship in Education Day so parents, students and teachers could lobby their legislators to get rid of the Profile.

One of the event's speakers, Michele Bachman of Stillwater, says participants believe the Profile is the wrong direction for Minnesota schools.

Bachman: The mission and focus of education has changed in Minnesota. It's no longer about acquiring knowledge, it's about training children in job-specific performance skills.

Bachman's comments point out the basic philosophical difference between Profile opponents, and those who want to maintain the system, yet modify it.

Anti-Profile groups such as the Maple River Education Coalition say the system "dumbs down" education, and puts busywork and group projects ahead of academic achievement. Those those who support the concept say requiring students to demonstrate their knowledge rather than simply memorizing facts will better prepare them for the 21st century.

And the two sides disagree over whether the state or local districts should set standards. Republican Representative Tony Kielkucki of Lester Prairie is a private school teacher who authored the bill eliminating the Profile last year, and is seeking a major overhaul this year. He says there's little common ground between the two factions.

Kielkucki: I'll be real honest with you, there's certain things you can compromise and there's certain things you can't. And I'm not sure what they're gonna offer, or if they're gonna offer anything. If they don't offer anything, I mean we're not moving anywhere, 'cause there's gotta be some movement.

"Schools throughout the state, students throughout the state are kind of caught, knowing that there are some adjustments that need to be made for the best interests of their students, however the political quarrels of the adults in St. Paul doesn't allow it to get done."

- Annandale Superintendent Steve Niklaus

Even the most vehement Profile supporters say they're open to some changes, although they don't go anywhere near what groups like the Maple River Education Coalition are demanding. DFL Senator Larry Pogemiller of Minneapolis, who chairs the K-12 Education Budget Division, says the Legislature should provide more teacher training and clarify misunderstandings about the Profile. But he's not in favor of reducing the number of required standards.

Pogemiller: I like the fact that we have some people saying that implementation of the Profile and the standards is creating more work, and making it harder on students and schools. My instinct tells me that's not bad. That is raising expectations, and that is going to be in the best interests of children.

Pogemiller says he's also inclined to oppose a moratorium on the standards, while the chair of the House Education Committee says he would agree to a moratorium.

Given the widely divergent views among legislators, many observers fear another stalemate over the Profile this year. Annandale Superintendent Steve Niklaus is one of four Minnesota superintendents asking legislators to pare down the number of required standards. But he says after meeting with legislative leaders, he doubts anything will be done this year.

Niklaus: So in the meantime, schools throughout the state, students throughout the state are kind of caught, knowing that there are some adjustments that need to be made for the best interests of their students, however the political quarrels of the adults in St. Paul doesn't allow it to get done.

The fact that this is an election year, and all 201 legislative seats are on the ballot, will complicate the debate. House Republicans who voted to scrap the Profile last session may not want to reverse their votes by backing a less extreme measure this year, and anti-Profile groups are threatening to use the matter as a campaign issue. Profile backers say they're not worried.

Pogemiller says he'd be happy to campaign that he wants higher standards and others don't.

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