PSS shares nationwide educational issues with other public schools

Issues confronting public school systems across the nation are identical with concerns facing the CNMI’s public education sector, according to Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos, who recently attended the national Kids First conference in Washington D.C.

“It was refreshing to know that issues we have right here are nationwide issues,” said Dr. Inos in an interview.

Some similarities, the commissioner added, include the preparation of the entire system, the faculty, the administration leadership, teachers, and the implementation of standards-based education.

“I am really proud to say that among the many states in the nation, the CNMI is within the number of states that are implementing assessment standards in the form that conducts a closer look at what’s happening here locally,” said Dr. Inos.

Education assemblies that joined the panel during the nationwide conference included the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning, the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, the North Central Educational Laboratory, and others.

Representatives from each institution conducted presentations for the benefit of congressional staffers under the U.S. Department of Education.

Dr. Inos was invited as a panelist along with representatives from the state of Oregon and the state of California.

“The aim was for the general public to be aware of efforts being undertaken by school systems in support of educational laboratories. But I was only invited to present on standards-based education,” said Dr. Inos.

Dr. Inos described standards-based education as a basic requirement in gauging what students know, should be able to do, and care about.

PSS identifies with the rest of the nation in these aspects through its content standards which covers Language Arts, Social Studies, and Math and Science.

The school system is also currently looking into the refinement of its technology standards to keep up with the global trends in advanced technology.

“Basically the gist of the conference was to enlighten participants about standards-based education, what’s happening in the schools where standards-based education is implemented, what were some of the issues that were confronted with in order for standards-based education to be a success, and what are some of the processes that created for our success,” she said.

In the CNMI, standards-based education is implemented by benchmarks across all grade levels.

This benchmarks dictate what students at each particular grade level are expected to learn (comprehension), what students should be able to do (skills), and what they should care about (attitude).

Other topics discussed at the Kids First conference included Reading, Community involvement, diversity in Language and how schools deal with it, and also the quality of teaching as a major component of education. (MM)