Today Karen Frisco joined in the celebration of a 5% increase in FWCS test scores. Unfortunately, what matters is not the absolute change in scores, but how they compare to the state as a whole. It's all relative, especially when spring testing is new and tests and grading were adjusted after the change to spring testing last year. But announcing the results before the state results are published makes it look like the district's biggest concern is maximizing the boost to its image. Last year, when the district underperformed the state, the results were totally ignored.
If the improvement versus the state turns out to be smaller when all the numbers come out, which is likely, will they have another press conference? Even if the improvement holds up, the premature celebration detracts from FWCS' credibility. And if the numbers don't hold up, .... well, let's wait and see.
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7 comments:
I've been ranting and raving about that the last two days - glad you posted on it. I'll probably put something up on it as well.
Jeff-
Although I think they're going to look like fools when the state results come out, I'm just going to wait until I see the numbers. I haven't seen any results for the end of course exams given to HS freshmen which replaced the GQE formerly given to sophomores. Last year the FWCS passing rate for those was an abysmal 20% vs. 40% state wide (also abysmal).
A 5% across the board increase in all grades makes no sense. The most likely explanation is a baseline shift with the new spring tests and different cutoffs for passing. I talked to John Kline's counterpart at the Indianapolis Public Schools and they have seen similar shifts and are waiting for offical state numbers before making any announcements.
Facts are stubborn things. In this case it is hard to find the truth when you don't have all the facts. Karen Frisco should know this, but she is the propaganda minister for FWCS. Show us all the scores of all Indiana school disticts before you write FWCS plans are working. This is why I don't get the JG. To much propaganda and not enough facts. Karen, just because you and that Stockman woman say it is so doesn't mean it is.
Karen wrote in her blog before FWCS announced their scores that they had to be considered along with statewide results. It's all relative. Then she jumped on the image bandwagon with a fluff editorial.
I have always advocated community involvement in FWCS. We can't hire enough people to help many of these kids overcome the hurdles they start with, and John is right on that score.
On the other hand he and the district should have waited until the statewide scores came out. It confirms again they're still about hype instead of substance. If scores have really improved, relative to the state, waiting to celebrate until all the numbers came out would have been helped their image much more than the premature celebration they held last week.
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