tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3907677492250052991.post4910614125662375895..comments2023-10-18T05:06:49.026-05:00Comments on Missouri Education Watchdog: Four Missouri School Districts Indicate Suspicious Test Scores According to Atlanta Journal Constitutiondsmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01501964533388756254noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3907677492250052991.post-58190185776091507322012-03-30T14:37:05.753-05:002012-03-30T14:37:05.753-05:00I agree with stlgretchen. The bigger message here ...I agree with stlgretchen. The bigger message here is more that test results should not be used as a main factor in teacher evaluations. It may turn out that these changes in results can all be reasonably explained. As Bill mentioned, the ones from SSD may be the first to be easily dismissed as "normal" in their anormality. The very existence of these standardized assessments causes all kinds of problems in the classroom (stress, teaching to test temptations, loss of learning time, cheating etc.) Now it appears we have to use public money to audit the schools to find out if there was irregularities in the giving of these tests which most teachers, students and parents would like to do away with? And people wonder why education has become so expensive.Anngiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09442409692601789090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3907677492250052991.post-4092296795473472882012-03-30T09:10:35.022-05:002012-03-30T09:10:35.022-05:00Bill,
I have a child who also received services ...Bill, <br /><br />I have a child who also received services from SSD and believe most of the SSD employees are dedicated to helping the students. There are a few in every organization that parents don't see eye to eye, but by and large, the teachers/administrators we had experience with were a professional group.<br /><br />I am worried, however, that with the accountability of teachers/administrators jobs based on testing scores, this could be a powder keg for testing results. I have heard from special ed teachers who just shake their heads at some of the mandates they are supposed to get their students to achieve. It reminds me of Bush's NCLB goal of "100% proficiency" of all students by 2014.<br /><br />#1, whose proficiency measures are used (the Federal government, DESE, local district, local school), are they reasonable and attainable? What measures should be used for ALL children who have varying IQs and insterests?...and<br /><br />#2, does anyone seriously believe 100% of children can be proficient for all the same goals?<br /><br />Testing results should be taken with a grain of salt and perhaps a teacher's job shouldn't be dependent on the type of class that teacher has that particular year. Saying that, however, test results that show wildly diverging spikes should be investigated, would you agree?stlgretchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05148560735290088930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3907677492250052991.post-74224494382176631552012-03-30T08:59:22.165-05:002012-03-30T08:59:22.165-05:00One point on Special School District.
I would im...One point on Special School District. <br /><br />I would imagine such a district would have weird results patterns. It serves students who have special educational needs. Every student is under an individual education plan. And the district's population changes a lot.<br /><br />Given the dedication and quality of the teachers in SSD, it shouldn't come as a surprise that some students perform remarkably better year to year. And the dynamic population would lend itself to wide shifts in results.<br /><br />For the record, a loved one works in SSD, and children of mine have received its services.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04648728661526629562noreply@blogger.com