When public officials want to bury a news story, they release it to the media on Friday afternoon. That’s supposed to assure minimal attention.
Florida officials released school grades last Friday afternoon.
Paul E. Barton, an eminent education researcher who retired to Florida, sent me this observation:
“With the problems with the new tests the student grades were not used, but the school grades were despite the fact that the outside audit said that the PARC test was invalid. It was explained that the tests would be used as a baseline to show progress next year, but if the test was not valid, how could it be used to show progress?”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I have been going to parent meetings with a former school superintendent. He introduces a list of Florida educational policy changes since 2011 by saying: “You can’t make this stuff up!”
Our district, however, went from a ‘C’ to an ‘A’ district this year. Has to make you smile how easy it is to go from average to wonderful and back again.
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Sadly, news in education doesn’t have to make sense.
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JUST MAKE CENTS??
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or $enSe!
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try again: or $en$e!
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Educational test results based on invalid scores, rolling dice or dart board.
Accuracy absolutely doesn’t matter.
Ethics Schmeckics!
Actually, what matters is the outcome which can be bought and manipulated.
However, the invalid scores will remain on children’s BigData for eternity.
Teachers will also be evaluated with invalid scores. On their records forever.
Life is good for Deformster Billionaires.
Wait, there are real lives connected to this Ponzi Scheme?
Yup, but they are only Children in Poverty.
No one with power will ever turn this financial exploitation train around, or EVER STOP it.
Sick!
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I noticed the local ratings near me in north Florida were higher than last year. This letter grade system is about as valid as using a dart board. The problem as H.A. Hurley points out, these ratings will live in the realm of BigData, valid or not. The same goes for VAM, which in its worst application, can destroy careers.
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Not so sure I’d use the dart board analogy. Check out this recent nine dart out:
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Your imagery is all too apt: an educational “accountability” dart board which, as the darts are thrown about willy-nilly, whimsically destroys careers.
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Quote from Plunderbund article, Feb. 13, 2016, “ECOT, Ohio’s Largest Failing Charter, Again Excluded from Grant Application”, “(State Superintendent) Riviera…opted to …exclude Ohio’s on-line charter schools…. “, in submitted materials to the U.S. Dept. of Ed., related to release of a $71,000,000 grant to expand charters. Political donations of ECOT’s owner, $2,238,541 over 15 years, are itemized in the article.
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The new superintendent of Brevard County, Fl. schools is very out spoken about our flawed accountability system and is very anti testing. He made a very nice address to us Friday afternoon, telling us how much he believed in us and what little faith he has in the state dept of ed.
Dr. Blackburn has been a godsend to us, and is defiantly someone to watch.
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Dr. Blackburn’s stance is admirable. Brevard County had the 3rd highest scores in the state, and it would be easy to use that as validation instead of rightfully scorning the bogus testing regime.
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I am anxious to see what he’ll do. Even though Brevard has third highest in the state ( see other reply), my daughter’s Elementary school has dropped from an A to a C. The Title One schools are suffering the most.
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Using the low scores from the assessment this year as a baseline, sets up the state to show “tremendous gain” next year. And the fact that this year’s test is invalid makes this scheme even better, because now they don’t have to take blame for the low scores of this year. But will try to claim all the benefits of next years gains. Political Games!
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