Yesterday I wrote a post about how the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education was pulling a few fancy tricks to inflate the scores of charter schools. This makes it easier to claim that they are incredibly successful (when they are not) and persuade the Legislature to add many more.
But it turns out that Louisiana is even slicker than Pennsylvania when it comes to playing games with the data. One of our readers, whom I deduce is or was an employee of the Louisiana Department of Education, has the goods.
Read this post and please be sure to open the link for more chicanery in Baton Rouge. The bottom line: Now that Bobby Jindal and John White control the State Department of Education, don’t trust the data they produce.
Actually, John White and Louisiana have already perfected several of these techniques and added a few twists of their own. I’ve documented some of the tricks being used here:
Basically they are defining schools they take over and/or turn over to charter operators as “Turnaround” schools for two years and don;t report any data on them. If the scores don’t improve they plan to reassign them to a new charter. Only schools that do well will ever get reported. Additionally, all of the recovery school district in New Orleans is defined as a small school district, less than 1000 students. Even though taken together they easily exceed that coun. Several of the sub-districts like Algiers have multiple sites and exceed that number, but for purposes of reporting the data for these districts LDE has decided to count the schools as their own district. I’m pretty sure even then we have one or two schools with more than 1000 students, but this has been reported by our departing accountabilty folks to USDOE with no apparent effect.
PA’s only mistake is not reporting what they were doing, USDOE doesn’t care if you cook the numbers, as long as you tell them you are I guess.
John White reminds me of a young child playing a game. When he looks like he’s not going to be the winner, he insists the rules be changed or makes excuses so he has a better chance to win or come out ahead. However, the game he’s playing affects every child in the state. When he gets the rules changed and the data manipulated to show success to make him appear the winner, the kids become the losers along with the parents and the taxpayers. It has become a common expression in Louisiana ….White lies.
Another poster here referred to it as “Calvin Ball” from the comic strip.
But they are not “little” White lies, unfortunately.
Thanks for the boost, Diane!!!!
NO, they are not!
But according to his own motto “Louisiana Believes” the White lies.
And to be fair, you really have to accept this motto to understand what he’s doing. . .because the data sure doesn’t back him up.
Time for a new bumper sticker: “Louisiana Doesn’t Believe That”
I see the bumper sticker with a red circle around John White’s head with a diagonal line drawn through it? Anyone else?
I think that will make a good graphic for an upcoming post. 🙂
Will you mind terribly much if I steal the idea?
Maybe even a second one with Cslvin and Hobbes: “Don’t let John White play Cslvin Bsll with your child’s education.”
Can’t type in the morning: CAlvin and Hobbes, CAlvin BAll.
Absolute insanity. I can’t figure out why there are no newspaper/ television reporters who are eager to break this story. Where are Woodward and Bernstein when you need them?
Investigative reporters in Louisiana? What’s that? Identities unknown!
I’ve talked to a few. My last one bailed after investigating because “LPB gets state funding” and they don’t want to jeopardize that by breaking any of my stories. But if i get someone else to break it first they can pick it up…
Catch 22.
As I’d written before, I’ve read stories in NOLA’s free weekly Gambit.
Call them!
Crazy crawfish – Tom Aswell at Louisianavoice.com
Good suggestion, geauxteaacher. However, these stories need to be out there in all the major newspapers in the state.
I’ve conversed with Tom, but he wants me to post an article on the Voice with my real name which could prove problematic for my employer and wife who is still a state employee.
In the back of my mind I’ve been wondering when and if this issue would raise it’s head. If it gains the momentum that it has the potential to, it will crush the voucher/ privatization efforts, not in a loud and violent way, but in a behind the scenes good ole boy way. Maybe only those who live in Texas understand the power of “Friday Night Lights”, but the loss of a towns football team (or even the suggestion) will bring out everyone from bankers to grandmas. Whoa be unto the politician who contributes to this demise.
http://smmercury.com/2012/10/11/pac-high-school-football-imperiled-by-vouchers/
Got something published more mainstream
http://thelensnola.org/2012/10/17/moseley-explores-shadow-schools
And supposed to have an LPB segment airing next Friday. Try to tune in. It confirms some of my posts in video form.