THE ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTION OF THE WEEK:  Is your state suspending any testing? 

GO TO:  CONTACT on the Home Page to post a reply.

 

critical-thinking (2)
Think about the ISSUES

 

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ON:

COMPARATIVE ACHIEVEMENT  STUDIES.  Is school choice closing the gap between racial and economic groups?

These studies say NO!

  • Meta-analysis Finds Effects that Aren’t There. NEPC 2014. Reports of achievement gains are over stated.
  • Charter School Study 2013.  Reports of small gains in math skills for charters are due to differences in students included in the samples, not in achievement.  On average, no real differences occur among students from different systems.  Students who struggled the most did make some gains in achievement. CREDO, Stanford University. 2013.
  • WWC Review of CREDO Charter School Study.  This review questions study results. Some students could have  been enrolled in a charter in prior years, others for only the current year which could affect the achievement gain estimates.  Credo analyzes achievement gains, not achievement levels so the study is not always comparable to other studies. What Works Clearinghouse. 

EXCESSIVE TESTING.  Are your schools testing too much?

How true is it that only what is tested is taught?  Are your teachers under siege and leaving the profession?  How much testing are your schools doing?  How are parents and students and states responding?  How are states using test results to improve learning?

Find out what is happening in your area and tell us.  Here are some stories to share:

In Florida:

How much testing is enough?  What are other states doing to maintain accountability, inform parents about their children’s achievement, and at the same time, make learning not testing, the focus of the school day?  Send articles to help us be better informed!

TEACHER EVALUATION

  • Teacher Tenure.  The Time Magazine article about the Vergara decision and the silicon valley drive to end tenure.

 TESTING COMPANIES