Reading the papers during our winter stay in Bluffton, SC, it seemed like the only thing different surrounding the public schools was the scenery. In Bluffton and Hilton Head Island across the intracoastal canal the public schools are 60% black and Hispanic and "minority" passing rates on their state tests are around 40%. Business groups on the island are setting up learning centers to give kids access to technology and tutoring outside normal school hours. A good idea but probably way short of what's needed.
Four years ago Bluffton won a referendum for a new $150MM school complex. About 15% of registered voters showed up and it passed by less than 100 votes. Residents of the nearby SUN CITY, who were previously concerned only about their two overcrowded golf courses and maintenance fees are now complaining about their property taxes. Elections have consequences even if you don't vote. Improved test scores, unfortunately, were not a consequence.
Thirty minutes up the road in scenic Beaufort (setting for The Big Chill) the high school principal was forced to resign for altering 200 grades of 33 students. He explained he was trying to inspire unmotivated students to graduate and thought education was about nurturing and not testing. Changing grades was OK as long as he followed the prescribed procedure but he didn't, breaking the law, and giving the board no choice. Many students and parents were outraged that a "good guy" had to step down. Others wondered about the integrity of the whole system, calling it "academically bankrupt".
Over in Atlanta, they're still dealing with the aftermath of a cheating scandal. Eigth grade passing rates had risen by 14% over seven years under superintendent Beverely Hall. That's an average of 2% a year. After Ms Hall retired in 2009, investigative reporter Heather Vogell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, questioning some of the numbers, got a statistician to examine the data. That led to an investigation which uncovered widespread, organized cheating by principals and (over 200) teachers who still haven't been fired.
Here in Indiana ISTEP+ scores jumped 5% statewide (6% in FWCS) when the state switched to spring testing two years ago. If 2% average increases are unrealistic, what does that say about a 6% jump at FWCS in one year. Lacking any investigative reporting into the difficulty of the new tests, it says we need to pop out the champagne, like Wendy and GiaQuinta did. And since Ms. Hall had received national recognition as superintendent of the year (Arne Duncan was extremely disppointed), nominate Wendy for superintendent of the century and give her a big raise.
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15 comments:
Here’s a thought: Stop the incessant, insanely costly testing of the kids! Put the energy and money into teaching ...
As kind as I can be, let me suggest to Anon that increased spending per capita of the student population has simply not worked in the past when compared against testing scores. As for increased energy among unionized teachers, I will remind you that typically, unionized teachers focus attention on the wants and desires of the union members, and most certainly not on student needs.
Marxism takes over when public officials keep the citizenry in the dark as to what really is going on. Off the top of my head, I think about the 8.3% unemployment rate which most certainly must be higher; I think about the deception involved in siphoning City Utility fees to secretly supplement municipal government operations in Fort Wayne - and now we find out about the unbelievable increase in FWCS scores when no logical cause for the miracle is obvious.
Gadfly...Code Blue told you why the scores jumped...testing was moved from the fall to the spring which means it was a new test! Average scores all over the state went up 5%, FWCS went up 6% for a "real" increase of 1%, a moderate and not unbelievable increase.
Anon - "standardized" state tests tell us how our schools are doing relative to others in the state. Course grades in individual schools don't tell us anything. Of course test difficulty even varies from year to year and state to state.
Unfortunately we need to keep score. But we can get in trouble interpereting and acting (or not acting) on the data. Same thing applies to reporting (or not reporting) the results.
Siesta - BTW didn't six out of seven board members vote to give Wendy a raise for that 1% improvement? All but Lisa Olinger as I recall.
Until our kid's parents take an active role in raising their kids and fostering a good education, nothing the schools do will matter. Schools are not responsible to raise kids and teach them how to work hard. Parents and families need to do this long before they enter a school. This starts when they are 2 years old, not 6.
It is my understanding that Dr. Robinson recieved a raise for the following:
FWCS achieved federal accountability success, making AYP for two consecutive years
FWCS achieved state accountability success, earning an A rating from the state for 2010-11
the superintendent of FWCS is the CEO of one of the largest employers in Allen County (third, I think, behind Parkview and Lutheran)
Rght, AYP because the ISTEP got easier and an "A" because the IDE only looked at change, not achievement. They're correcting that.
At a private company she would have been given objectives right off the bat and been fired for not meeting them five years ago.
They're not overseen by like minded board members.
Look at China, keeping score has meant that over 80 percent of their college graduates can keep a job, because they have no ability to think, communicate or relate to others.
You lost me there. The Organization for Economis Cooperation and Development ranks national education systems based on testing in three categories: reading, math and science. China (Shanghai) is #1 in every category. Finland is the only non-Asian country in the top five in any suject, which is only in reading. The US ranks 17th, 31st and 23rd in the three subjects.
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