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 that many reports had been tampered with in various ways and were not valid. Scores were too high–and did not actually show what students know and can do. Tragic.

And to this mess, I would add my concerns about state and testing policies that allow students to take tests that are not valid from the get go. That is, tests that have been modified in significant ways and no longer measure what they purport to measure. Yet,  reports of those tests are issued and claim to report valid results. In these situations of test modification, we can’t blame teachers or students or any of the players on the ground. These are policies set at the top– by companies or states or other test makers   Examples? 

How about the fact that the SAT and ACT now allow extended time on those critical tests for some students without letting anyone know that the tests were modified? http://www.collegeboard.com/ssd/student/index.html#apply.

How about reading a reading test to a student who can’t read or giving a calculator to a student who can’t add and subtract–and then reporting the tests as if they are valid. See, e.g., Massachusetts policy.  http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation/sped.pdf

Isn’t this a form of ‘cheating’ also?  Certainly it cheats the student from knowing what he can and cannot do.  What do we actually mean by ‘cheating?’  And who is cheating whom?

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 those numbers do not tell the tale.

Children who apply for and attend charter schools are skimming because their parents knew enough to apply, wait on line, sign the parent/school contract. Inshort, the parents are passionate and active in supporting their children’s education. That gives these children a tremendous leg up, and I’d say those families are skimming–leaving behind the children who do not have such active and supportive families.

Why does noone discuss this reality?

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 a prayer, as we’ve been doing: pass everyone in elementary and secondary grades; water down standards; modify standards beyond recognition; get everyone into college. 

At last we are looking at what happens to these ill-prepared (and ill-served) students in college. Hopefully, clearer thinking will prevail.

We need to get back to basics at the elementary and secondary grades. Teach the knowledge and skills. Realize that college is not for everyon. Stop passing kids through just cause it looks good.   It’s not good.

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!

No one is happy with special education so let’s fix it.  It’s the climate change we like!

http://educationviews.org/2011/06/17/an-interview-with-miriam-kurtzig-freedman-m-a-j-d-author-of-fixing-special-education%e2%80%9412-steps-to-transform-a-broken-system/

This is a trend worth watching. Just because high school students are in college classes, does that mean they are doing college work?  Not so sure.

http://communitycollegespotlight.org/content/iowa-are-dual-enrollees-ready-for-college_5201/

And I relate this to inclusion classes in public schools. Just because students with disabilities are included in regular classrooms, does that mean they are doing regular classroom work? Not so sure.

Here’s the citation–article came out earlier this week.http://www.aei.org/paper/100227. I haven’t read it yet, but will do so!

Rethinking special education–yet again. We need to reform it.

Here are a few numbers that say it all.

We educate 13-14% of students in special education (6.8 million students).

In contrast, we educate just 2-3% in charter schools and perhaps 1-2% receive vouchers–for a total of 3-5%.

 Yet, to date, there’s been very little talk of reforming special ed and tons of focus on these other two ‘choice’ options–that involve only about a third as many students.

Why so?  Why is special ed still off   limits? A third rail that noone will touch.

I’m looking forward to reading this piece and will comment later.