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California test results need an *--to indicate that the scores are not valid--and do not reflect what they purport to reflect.  A troubling situation, indeed. http://toped.svefoundation.org/2011/08/16/cst-results-need-an/ Here's the next wave--California is one of two states, apparently, that developed modified tests for students with disabilities (SWD), the California Modified Test (CMT). These tests, by definition, fundamentally alter the California Standardized Tests.  Simply stated, [...]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/08/education/08educ.html?_r=1&hp It's funny. I think of my stepfather often. "If something sounds too good to be true, it's probably not."  So here we had a ridiculous goal--all children proficient by 2014.  That's three years from now!  We could never reach it--unless we continued to lower and lower the standards, which, in fact, we did. As a lawyer, I was never worried about the goal for my school districts--because I believed that when the time came, [...]

I recently came upon several articles by Joseph W. Guald (founder of the Hyde Schools). His thesis is that parenting is the key to America's future. One of his pieces is called, "Fix parents, not kids. "  We can't be more direct than that!  We continue to ignore the parents' role to our peril. http://www.strugglingteens.com/news/lettertoeditor/fix_parents050415.html See also his, "Parenting:  The Key to America's Future, " in Education Week, December 1, 2010. I agree with him. All the [...]

http://www.joannejacobs.com/2011/07/why-math-tutors-prosper/ Thank you, Joanne, for posting this article. And, of course, it garnered many comments. I agree with the suggestion--no calculator use till 11th grade! Let them learn their number facts, please!

I'm reading with horror --as many of us are-- story after story about the cheating mess on tests in Atlanta, focusing on 2009 state tests. OMG. What are we doing here? But then I wonder, what is 'cheating?' What does that word mean? As I see it, it's a way of pretending that a  reported score on a test is valid and actually tells us how the student performed and what that student actually knows on that test.  Apparently, this cheating scandal (along with others recently reported) shows [...]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/01/opinion/01brooks.html Article was picked up by John Merrow.http://takingnote.learningmatters.tv/?p=5183 Lots of interesting and passionate comments already, but I'd like to focus on David Brooks' assertion (oft repeated by others) that charter schools don't skim the best students. As evidence he cites the high number of students who are below grade level when they enter and the relatively high number of students with disabilities. All well and good but [...]

http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/2011/07/how-often-does-this-happen-teacher-accused-of-testing-fraud-to-avoid-special-education-referral-for-.html How often does this happen?  Ever?  And why?

http://www.all4ed.org/press_room/press_releases/05052011 CNN  picked up this story, http://communitycollegespotlight.org/content/the-broken-promise-of-college-readiness_5332/, as did www.JoanneJacobs.com We all know... as my father used to say, if something sounds too good to be true, it's probably not. College readiness for all--in today's current climate--is too good to be true. So now, students have to meet reality on their own. So sad, this story. We can't do it all with a wink and [...]

http://www.joannejacobs.com/author/joanne/.  Check this out... Note, for more information about SpedEx, please visit www.doe.mass.edu/sped/spedx and for more information about Procedures Lite, please contact info@specialeducationday.com Happy reforming!