student test scores Archive

  • The STEM Foundation will expand this program Student test scores would rank Delta High School in 25th place among Washington State high schools if Delta was recognized as a high school apart from its feeder schools.  STEM Executive Director, Karen Baker stated this accomplishment was made with a cross section of students from three school districts selected by lottery.  Entering ninth grade students have math and language skills ranging from 4th to 12th grade and 47% qualify for free and reduced cost lunch. Operating counter to the trend of the past twenty years which has schools reducing or eliminating elective and exploratory classes in favor of doubles academic classes, Delta embraces hands-on student activities with teachers integrating academics and projects. One measure of Delta’s success is illustrated by 2011 HSPE scores.  Student growth at Delta was well above national and state norms...

    Delta High School Project Based Learning is Achieving Success

    Posted on April 27, 2012 | 3 Comments
    The STEM Foundation will expand this program Student test scores would rank Delta High School in 25th place among Washington State high schools if Delta was recognized as a high school apart from its feeder schools.  STEM Executive Director, Karen Baker stated this accomplishment was made with a cross section of students from three school districts selected by lottery.  Entering ninth grade students have math and language skills ranging from 4th to 12th grade and 47% qualify for free and reduced cost lunch. Operating counter to the trend of the past twenty years which has schools reducing or eliminating elective and exploratory classes in favor of doubles academic classes, Delta embraces hands-on student activities with teachers integrating academics and projects. One measure of Delta’s success is illustrated by 2011 HSPE scores.  Student growth at Delta was well above national and state norms...

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  • Mark Naison When Teachers Become Overseers: Casualties of the School Reform Plantation in the Bronx and Places Like it Mark Naison Fordham University This is a strange time to be involved in education. Either those shaping education policy on the state and federal level- many of whom have never been teachers- are incapable of imagining the consequences of their policies in actual classrooms, or they are cynically trying to destroy public education in the United States. No better example of this is the now widely practiced policy of rating teachers based on student test scores, and using variations in those scores, through the “value added” formula, as the basis for determining teachers’ professional standing. All throughout the nation teachers are being told that if they don’t raise student test scores, they could lose their tenure, lose their jobs, and in some...

    When Teachers Become Overseers: Casualties of the School Reform Plantation in the Bronx and Places Like it

    Posted on March 20, 2012 | 1 Comment
    Mark Naison When Teachers Become Overseers: Casualties of the School Reform Plantation in the Bronx and Places Like it Mark Naison Fordham University This is a strange time to be involved in education. Either those shaping education policy on the state and federal level- many of whom have never been teachers- are incapable of imagining the consequences of their policies in actual classrooms, or they are cynically trying to destroy public education in the United States. No better example of this is the now widely practiced policy of rating teachers based on student test scores, and using variations in those scores, through the “value added” formula, as the basis for determining teachers’ professional standing. All throughout the nation teachers are being told that if they don’t raise student test scores, they could lose their tenure, lose their jobs, and in some...

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  • A Letter to President Obama Two grandparents on opposite ends of the continent each had a concern about the direction of education reform and its effect on their grandchildren.  Through a chain of improbable circumstances they found each other on Facebook and conjured up a letter to President Obama expressing their concerns. Mark Naison, from Brooklyn, NY and a Fordham professor prepared a draft of the letter.  Bob Valiant, retired school administrator from Kennewick, WA, edited the letter and Bob Valiant Jr. developed a survey form and website, http://dumpduncan.org.  The letter calls for the removal of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and the inclusion of parents, teachers, and school administrators in all administration policy discussions.  It insists on the immediate end to penalties and incentives to compel using student test scores to evaluate teachers, require school closures, or install charter schools. ...

    Press Release

    Posted on February 13, 2012 | 5 Comments
    A Letter to President Obama Two grandparents on opposite ends of the continent each had a concern about the direction of education reform and its effect on their grandchildren.  Through a chain of improbable circumstances they found each other on Facebook and conjured up a letter to President Obama expressing their concerns. Mark Naison, from Brooklyn, NY and a Fordham professor prepared a draft of the letter.  Bob Valiant, retired school administrator from Kennewick, WA, edited the letter and Bob Valiant Jr. developed a survey form and website, http://dumpduncan.org.  The letter calls for the removal of Education Secretary Arne Duncan and the inclusion of parents, teachers, and school administrators in all administration policy discussions.  It insists on the immediate end to penalties and incentives to compel using student test scores to evaluate teachers, require school closures, or install charter schools. ...

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  •   Our friend Mike Martin in Arizona sent this to us.  You might remember Mike as the author of  “Waiting for Superfraud,” the most popular article we have ever published (by far!).  Here he takes on the use of student test scores as a  measure of teacher effectiveness. On Mar 9, 2011, at 8:24 AM, Michael Martin wrote: Maybe it’s just me, but I keep hearing about how there are all these ineffective teachers in public schools that the unions are protecting. First of all, let’s ignore that unions are SUPPOSED to defend ineffective teachers until they are proven ineffective, just like lawyers are supposed to defend murderers until they are proven murderers. It just seems to me there is no difference between the old “I have the names of 200 communists who are working for the state department” and...

    Well, d’ho.

    Posted on March 9, 2011 | 2 Comments
      Our friend Mike Martin in Arizona sent this to us.  You might remember Mike as the author of  “Waiting for Superfraud,” the most popular article we have ever published (by far!).  Here he takes on the use of student test scores as a  measure of teacher effectiveness. On Mar 9, 2011, at 8:24 AM, Michael Martin wrote: Maybe it’s just me, but I keep hearing about how there are all these ineffective teachers in public schools that the unions are protecting. First of all, let’s ignore that unions are SUPPOSED to defend ineffective teachers until they are proven ineffective, just like lawyers are supposed to defend murderers until they are proven murderers. It just seems to me there is no difference between the old “I have the names of 200 communists who are working for the state department” and...

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  • The fallout from the L.A. Times publication of value-added analysis of student test scores has begun tragically.  While testing and assessment experts agree that the value-added rankings of teachers based on student test scores is not an appropriate use of the technique, the Obama administration and school districts around the country continue the practice.   The Times exacerbated the problem by publishing teacher names and the useless rankings.  Here is one result.  Is this what you want for Kennewick or the state of Washington? Teacher kills himself after rankings published - Willa Rogers – Sep 27, >2010 A very sad story here in Los Angeles today: The body of an LAUSD veteran of 13 years was found this weekend, after he’d made arrangements for a substitute to take over his class. For those who don’t know, a few weeks ago the...

    Update on L.A. Teacher Suicide

    Posted on September 28, 2010 | 1 Comment
    The fallout from the L.A. Times publication of value-added analysis of student test scores has begun tragically.  While testing and assessment experts agree that the value-added rankings of teachers based on student test scores is not an appropriate use of the technique, the Obama administration and school districts around the country continue the practice.   The Times exacerbated the problem by publishing teacher names and the useless rankings.  Here is one result.  Is this what you want for Kennewick or the state of Washington? Teacher kills himself after rankings published - Willa Rogers – Sep 27, >2010 A very sad story here in Los Angeles today: The body of an LAUSD veteran of 13 years was found this weekend, after he’d made arrangements for a substitute to take over his class. For those who don’t know, a few weeks ago the...

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  • Kennewick School Board Meeting August 25, 2010 The most discussed issue of this meeting was planning for workshops. Workshops have been conducted at each of the district schools as an opportunity for building administration and staff to formally report standardized test scores to the board. In June four proposals were under consideration by the board. August 11 a fifth proposal was offered by Dawn Adams who later consulted with Dave Bond. Adams’ idea is to have district staff report instead to members of the community. This must happen soon so district administration will immediately select “influential” community “leaders” and train them to understand the data. These community members will meet with building administrators from the 14 elementaries and 7 or more secondary schools during September.

    School Board Report by Tom Staly

    Posted on August 30, 2010 | 1 Comment
    Kennewick School Board Meeting August 25, 2010 The most discussed issue of this meeting was planning for workshops. Workshops have been conducted at each of the district schools as an opportunity for building administration and staff to formally report standardized test scores to the board. In June four proposals were under consideration by the board. August 11 a fifth proposal was offered by Dawn Adams who later consulted with Dave Bond. Adams’ idea is to have district staff report instead to members of the community. This must happen soon so district administration will immediately select “influential” community “leaders” and train them to understand the data. These community members will meet with building administrators from the 14 elementaries and 7 or more secondary schools during September.

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  • Follow the links to one of the most important education policy briefs you will read this year.

    Problems with the use of Student Test Scores to Evaluate Teachers

    Posted on August 29, 2010 | 4 Comments
    Follow the links to one of the most important education policy briefs you will read this year.

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  • Here are some quotes lifted from a Huffington Post article by Charles Kerchner, research professor at Claremont Graduate University. “There is little doubt that the Times is intent on publishing the names” (of LA teachers who did not show well on the value-added analysis of student test scores).” But they shouldn’t. Here’s why:” “First, there is a difference between public officials and public employees. Public officials are fair game for just about anything, from their expense accounts to their sex lives. Traditionally, journalism has had a different relationship with public employees. We recognize that exposing rogue cops and racist firefighters falls within the purview of journalism, but we haven’t seen their performance rankings listed. That’s considered an internal personnel matter, just as it is with employees in the private sector.” “I understand shaming mayors, school board members, even superintendents, but...

    Test Score Bomb: Don’t Name Names, Fix the System

    Posted on August 23, 2010 | 1 Comment
    Here are some quotes lifted from a Huffington Post article by Charles Kerchner, research professor at Claremont Graduate University. “There is little doubt that the Times is intent on publishing the names” (of LA teachers who did not show well on the value-added analysis of student test scores).” But they shouldn’t. Here’s why:” “First, there is a difference between public officials and public employees. Public officials are fair game for just about anything, from their expense accounts to their sex lives. Traditionally, journalism has had a different relationship with public employees. We recognize that exposing rogue cops and racist firefighters falls within the purview of journalism, but we haven’t seen their performance rankings listed. That’s considered an internal personnel matter, just as it is with employees in the private sector.” “I understand shaming mayors, school board members, even superintendents, but...

    Continue Reading...