Promoting Failure Part 2

MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2011

Amazing. Just read the Commissioner of Education's rules for the state assessment administered this week in Texas. Educators across the state are testing children in grades 3-11 using the current high stakes testing device. And over the weekend the Commish announced that the standards for achieving acceptable ratings based on the percentage of students who pass math and science tests went up! He announced that test results for special education students will count for the first time! He announced that a percentage of the kids who achieve the highest grades now counts! He announced that the measure that was used to project future success on the tests based on a student's past performance is eliminated!

In other words, the standards just went up and they were announced just before the marathon test week.

Our Commissioner is a lawyer, not an educator. Thanks a lot, Commissioner. You just raised the standards and increased the number of students, teachers, schools and school districts that will fail in Texas. In your announcement you cited pressure from public opinion to do what you did. Public opinion? How about issuing rulings grounded in sound professional educator practice for a change?

Do these rules somehow help educate children? Do these rules somehow help motivate teachers and kids? Do these rules promote success in our schools?

As the appointed head of the state's education agency one must wonder what possible intentions you must have to promote the failure of public schools while receiving a paycheck that places you in charge of public schools. Seems to be an "oxy" in this moron.

POSTED BY EILEEN GOOD AT 9:38 AM

LABELS: PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2 COMMENTS:



Anonymous said...

This week of testing is very stressful for all involved and then to change the rules! Maybe if all stakeholders stood together and shouted the message might be heard!

APRIL 27, 2011 7:32 AM



Mrs. G. said...

Public opinion? Why pay him a big salary to bow to public opinion? You could pay a part-timer minimum wage to do that. You'd get the same disastrous results, but it would be cheaper.