Sound Politics: Where all children are above average

October 04, 2007

Where all children are above average

Today's Seattle Times has this encouraging headline "State ranks above average in WASL "proficiency" definition"

But the article is really about a new report which exposes this notion of "proficiency" as an illusion:

"The Proficiency Illusion" reveals that the tests that states use to measure academic progress under the No Child Left Behind Act are creating a false impression of success, especially in reading and especially in the early grades.
...
* States are aiming particularly low when it comes to their expectations for younger children, setting elementary students up to fail as they progress through their academic careers.

* The central flaw in NCLB is that it allows each state to set its own definition of what constitutes "proficiency."

*By mandating that all students reach "proficiency" by 2014, it tempts states to define proficiency downward.

And you expected government to do a better job of managing education?

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at October 04, 2007 10:31 AM | Email This

Comments

1. It's no surprise that the results are "good" when the people who make the rules and the specs run the testing system.

Just wait till they come up with categories for "diversity" and "tolerance".

Wa public schools are becoming little more than a leftist indoctrination process.

Posted by: Independent Voter on October 4, 2007 11:03 AM

2. If Washington's kids are above average in anything it ain't related to the Washington Educators' Association. (Yeah, that's right, "educators," not "education." They could give a rip about education.)

Posted by: Politically Incorrect on October 4, 2007 11:25 AM

3. Where the bar is set is the problem.
What they are telling us is
"Good News! We have barely exceeded our incredibly low expectations!!"

The other problem here is that because of the WASL Test emphasis, many teachers are now teaching toward taking the WASL.....evan though they are not supposed to. They retain old WASL tests which are similiar to the new ones. They actually evan get a copy of the current year WASL several days before it is actually administered. This practice should be stopped. If it was, I contend results would actually be worse.

I am not blaming the teachers for this charade. It is driven by administrators who are often judged by how well their school performs on the WASL.

Teaching to the WASL is not providing a learning environment.

This whole thing is a joke.
The biggest problems with Washington Schools is all the Administrative goo that has been created, an environment where the WASL is king and the WEA which protects lousy teachers and sets it's own bar incredibly low.

The solid rank-and-file teachers and the decent students from decent families are the victims.
I don't think we can set the bar much lower.
No wonder folks with dough send their kids to private schools. Hell, even many of our Legislators, School Administrators and Teachers do!

Posted by: Mr. Cynical on October 4, 2007 11:33 AM

4. The methodology is at page 212 and it is interesting. The test validity and content is based upon how each state stacks up against one assessment test which may or may not be valid. The WA Supreme Court in one of the cases involving the Seattle School Board had a functional description of what a basic education was to achieve and I am paraphrasing that, a child at the end of their education should be able to participate in civic activities, like read and comprehend most of the voter phamphlet and participate in activities of commerce, ie employment. It is interesting that some fast food restaurant registers have pictures of the food rather than numbers. I am told that many companies now days have to train new hires in remedial skills like basic math and correspondence.

Until there is competition in education and the government monopoly in education is broken, the effective level of education in the population will decrease even though the powers that be will continue to issue glowing reports announcing their success. It is like the Wizard of OZ and some day the curtain will be pulled back.

I understand that Hillary has been endorsed by the American Federation of Teachers. I don't see a bright future for education of poor kids if she is elected. I have voted for Nader the last few election cycles, but if Hillary is the candidate, I will hold my nose and vote for most pubbies.

Posted by: WVH on October 4, 2007 11:42 AM

5. Wow, let's hope they, the libs, perform this well when they take over the nation's health care system in its entirety.

Maybe then, Canada and Cuba really will have better systems than us.

At least we will be proficient!

Posted by: danno on October 4, 2007 11:48 AM

6. I'm just waiting for the educational director to make a tearful plaint in a Seattle Times interview about "not really believing in WASL".

Boo-hoo

Oh, btw, look at what $153,000 can buy you in St. Louis:

Reasonable Priced Homes

Posted by: John Bailo on October 4, 2007 01:02 PM

7. The only thing that this state is "proficient" at when it comes to education is making excuses. So what if the kiddies can't read, write, do math. What matters is that they meet the state goals for high school graduation: if you can stand upright and use symbols other than a "X" to write your name, then you get your diploma. What a bunch of hypocrites!!!

Posted by: Burdabee on October 4, 2007 03:47 PM

8. So we are happy that our kids are above average when compared to Saint Louis Missouri and Detroit Michigan are added into the mix? Is this how excellence in educational outcome is measured? Let me tell you something, there are two year olds from India in my niece's Kumon math classes, sitting on their mother's lap learning. This is the competition all kids are looking at. If we want all kids to succeed we had better get real and realize that Kumon and other programs like it allowed my older nieces and nephews to sleepwalk through the WASL and ace it. These programs and the like also provided them with the skill level to succeed in advanced level college classes. Not all families will see to this level of learning, so the schools better get on the stick and start teaching rigorous curriculum if we want all kids to have the best chance to succeed.

Posted by: JDH on October 4, 2007 06:39 PM

9. John Cronin, et al say:

The central flaw in NCLB is that it allows each state to set its own definition of what constitutes "proficiency."

I disagree. Allowing the states to set their own standards of proficiency is about the only thing in the NCLB Act that is valuable. This is not a federal issue, and federal dollars should not be interfering with state educational systems.

Posted by: huckleberry on October 4, 2007 08:41 PM

10. Okay Huckleberry, if NCLB was enacted, as Bush has said so many times, to make our students competitive in a world economy AND so we know, from state to state, how they are doing, why have 50 different tests? Quick, you really think Alabama's is as good as Minnesota's? Some are longer, some have mostly multiple choice, many do NOT matter up in results with the NAEP (THE national test which is sadly only administered to a sample of children in each state).

No, this is not about being competitive or having a good read on US education, this is about control and money. Control over education via saying "all these schools are bad, bad, bad" and we need vouchers and charters (which, overall, have not proven to be better, sorry kids) and money to pour in to creating, testing and grading these ridiculous tests.

I'm not against assessments but they need to be doing it right. Fifty different tests tell you absolutely nothing.

Posted by: westello on October 6, 2007 10:25 AM

11. There is a short reaction to "The Proficiency Illusion" on the web at http://www.bdsphd.zoomshare.com/

Posted by: Bert on October 10, 2007 11:45 AM