Friday, September 30, 2005

Someone at USA Today is finally seeing the light

Linked fromEducationNews.org, this USA Today story shows that finally there is an education writer out there who digs and finds out the truth.

My favorite line was this, regarding accoutability and high-stakes testing:

It's like putting a slow runner 50 yards behind at the start line and expecting her to finish with the fastest.


Here's another choice tidbit:

Researchers found the act's two key rules — identifying subgroups within student populations (such as black, Hispanic or disabled), and setting a uniform proficiency goal make it easy for large minority districts to fail. Here's why: large urban districts are more likely to be diverse. If just one subgroup doesn't reach proficiency, or if less than 95% of a subgroup take the test, the whole district fails to make adequate progress.


On a more personal note, I've been out all week from school, which needless to say is driving the wife and friends crazy. I could really have some fun if I wasn't also babysitting my daughter. I would LOVE to drive to Tyler to visit the hobby shop; I haven't flown any model airplanes in months. Having an 11 year old girl along would require we also visit the mall, a proposition I can't afford. You Dads of pre-teen and teen daughters know what I'm talking about.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Every year our administration goes over our sub gourps with a fine tooth comb. There is always one sub group that is so small that just one failure sends our rating plumiting down to "acceptable". There is always a sigh of relief when we don't have enough of that sub group to have to have to count them. Believe it or not, it all hinges on 2 large families and which grades their kids happen to be in!

Anonymous said...

Hey! When your wife is caring for your daughter, do you call it "babysitting?" Give yourself some credit here: you're parenting, not babysitting.