6 Tuesday, November 17, 1987 / University Daily Kansan Officials want to keep plan that flunks kindergartners The Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS - School administrators favor keeping a 3-year-old program that flunks the one in 10 kindergarteners who don't pass a year-end exam, though a study shows some of the students continue to struggle in later grades. "We feel pretty good that it's the right direction to be taking," said Deputy Superintendent William Phillips. Donna McClellan, kindergarten lead teacher for the city's public schools, said, "Children shouldn't be moved on and moved on automatically without the skills to be successful." The first study of the program showed that while test scores of kindergartners who were flunked jumped at first, the benefits of the special help they received appeared to diminish over time. Last spring, 56 percent passed a second-grade test, compared with 87 percent of all second-graders in the district, officials say. Phillips and others said more students would be flunking second grade if they were not held back for a second year of kindergarten. The study shows that overwhelming social factors handicap the children in the first place, not that programs to help the low-achieving students aren't working, Phillips said. McCellan said parents had been supportive of the program, but only when notified early in the school year that their child was at risk of failing. In the past three years, an average of 10 percent of kindergarteners in Minneapolis public schools have flunked. Phillips said. A disproportionately high number of the students who fail come from low-income homes, he said. In those cases, children are assigned an "intervention" teacher to supplement their regular kindergarten education and increase their chances of passing the year-end test. "We know many of those children come from low-income families — not a lot of language, no books in the home," McCillan said. "It's very difficult to make up for deficiencies in the first five years. The earlier you catch them the better." Minority groups account for 45 percent of the student body in the city's public elementary schools, but 75 percent of students repeating kindergarten are minorities, Phillips said. Phillips said the benefits of keeping children in kindergarten for a second From the KU Weather Service McClellan said kindergartners were questioned at the end of the year in one-on-one sessions with trained testers. Children are asked to count objects, identify shapes, and print their name. A teacher evaluates a student if he or she is considered before a student is funked, Phillips said. year outweighed the possible negative peer responses the children might experience. Phillips and McClellan said the tests had put additional pressure on teachers to do their best, because the number of students who were flunked became a competitive measure between classrooms and schools. "We have to watch that tests don't become such an overriding factor that it's the only thing you teach for," McClellan said. "There are other things these children need." WEATHER Lawrence Forecast On Campus ■ KU Fencing Club is scheduled at 8:30 p.m. today at Robinson Gymnastium. ing for Women," a workshop sponsored by the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center, is scheduled at 7 p.m. today in the Pine Room at the Kansas Union. A faculty recital with Norman Paige, tenor, and Inci Bashar Paige, mezo-soprano, is scheduled at 8 p.m. today in Swarthout Recital Hall at Murphy Hall. "A Systems Approach to the Analysis of Communicative Competence, a linguistics colloquy by Carl H. Jacobson at 7:30 am, jodaiy.af.261.blake.Helton." KU Hispanic-American Leadership Organization meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. today in the International Room at the Kansas Union. KU Democrats meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. today in the West Gallery at the Kansas Union. Also, members of the KU Democrats and College Republicans will debate at 7 p.m. today in Alderson Auditorium. A lecture about Zionism and Palestine, sponsored by the Arab Student Organization, is scheduled at 7 p.m. today at 100 Smith Hall. French Table is scheduled at 11:30 a.m. today at Parlor C in the Kansas Union. ■ "Liberation Theology" is scheduled at 4:30 p.m. today at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave. - Tryouts and practice for the KU Men's Soccer Club are scheduled at 5 p.m. today at Shenk Complex, 23rd and Iowa streets. "Resume Writing and Interview. Enroll Continued from p.1 When enrollment is complete, the computer reads the schedule, the number of credit hours and the amount of tuition and fees. "Our students love telephone enrollment," said Jim Greene, registrar at Georgia State University, which began telephone enrollment years ago. " Their biggest complaint is why didn't we do this before." "Right now, it is still in the dreaming stages," he said. "Administrators don't think it is a bad dream, but they think other things should come first, like computerized transcripts and a computerized degree-audit system." "We are a fairly urban school, and nearly all of our 22,000 students are commuters. By allowing students to enroll over the telephone, they don't have to drive their car or ride a bus to campus to enroll." However, Williams said he could foresee telephone enrollment at KU within the next five years. Williams said that KU's current enrollment system would allow it to adapt easily to telephone enrolment. He estimated that it would cost $115,000 to make a system operational at KU. By setting up a telephone system, KU could program its computers to accept credit card numbers so students could pay their tuition, check on the availability of athletic tickets and determine the status of financial aid checks. Williams said "Why couldn't you plug it into the University Bookstore so you could call to find out exactly what books you need, whether they were in stock or not and what they could cost?" he said. "The possibilities are almost endless." Administrators have discussed the feasibility of such a system, but KU has other priorities for its money, Williams said. Still, many of the students waiting yesterday outside the enrollment center remained leery of phone enrollment. $7.95 yello sub DELIVERS 841-3268 OR 841-A SUB 5PM - Midnight M-TR, Sun; until IAM FRI & SAT Videoexpress 1447 W. 23rd Open 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Daily KING SIZE PIZZA single tapping 32 oz. Pepsi $8.95 DELHIVERBI! DELIVERED! Commonwealth Bargain Matinees* & Senior Citizens $2.50 Granada 1020 Massachusetts 843-3784 PRINCESS BRIDGE DAILY 7:15, 9:25 Mat. Fl. 15, 100 Mat. Sat. Sun. 12, 9, 15, 100 SCHWARZENEGGERDAILY 7:30, 9:35 THE SUMMER MUSEUM THE DALY 7:30, 9:35 Mat. Sat. F14:30 Mat. Sat. Sun. 2:15, 4:30 BURNING MAN Michael Douglas Glenn Close FATAL ATTRACTION (A) DAILY *4:30, 7:15, 9:30 Mat Sat. Sun *2:30 DIANE KEATON in DAILY Penny *4:40, 7:40, 9:40 ROOM Mat. Sat. *2:40 BRONSON DEATH WISH 4 DAILY THE *4:35, 7:20, 9:20 CRACKDOWN M Mst. Sat Sun, 7:25 WHOOPI GOLDBERG SAM ELLITT Female Beauty DAILY 7:35, 9:35 ONLY! HINDING OUT DAILY *4:50 ONLY! JON CRYER Sat. Sun. '2:50, '4:50 ONLY BEFORE YOU BUY Check the KANSAN. Our advertisers might save you money. SHELLEY LONG HELLO AGAIN DAILY 14:45, 7:30, 9:30 Mat. Sat. Sun. 2:45 Cinema Twin 31st A & I 842-5400 SUSPECT DAILY 7:15, 9:35 CHER Mat.Fri.15:00 DENNIS OUAIAT Mat.Sat. Sun.12:45, 12:00 Patronize Kansan Advertisers. LESS THAN ZERO DAILY 7:30-9:25 Andrew McCESSY JR DAILY Jenni Garris Mat Fri. 15:15 Robert Dowden, Jr. Mat Sat. Sun. 10:30-11:15 PLAN to ATTEND THIS LECTURE Islam: "Between Faith and Reason" Professor Jeffrey Lang Math Department, University of Kansas 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, 1987 Parlor C, Kansas Union Everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be provided. For more information call 841-9768 We realize you may be tired of wrestling with payments. So why not try the KU Federal Credit Union VISA/MASTERCARD services instead? With low interest opportunities, your finances can be hassle free. Just stop in and let us introduce ourselves and our services... DON'T BE BULLIED BY FINANCE CHARGES NCUA ADC KU FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 603 W. 9th St. Lawrence KS 66044 (913) 749-2224 or 864-3291 DRESS FOR SUCCESS. As a Navy officer, pride and professionalism come with the territory. You also develop the potential that you know you have and gain leadership experience that builds success. In operations and management, in scientific and technical fields, you work with highly talented men and women committed to being the best You'll get a solid starting salary and additional allowances that add even more to your income. Plus, you'll get benefits like free medical and dental care, thirty days' paid vacation each year, and opportunities for postgraduate education. To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen no more than 28 years old, have a BA or BS degree, and pass an aptitude test and physical exam. Get a leadership and management opportunity that makes a big difference in any career. Call Navy Management Programs: 1-800-821-5110 Officer Representatives will be on campus November 17-20, 1987. Please contact the Student Union or call the above listed number for appointment. NAVY OFFICER. LEAD THE ADVENTURE.