Peter Greene reports that the Florida Department of Education made an ambiguous statement when pressed on the Manatee County’s determination to hold back third-grade students who opt out, even if they have excellent reports cards and can read very well.
The spokesperson for the state said that the law is clear: students have to take the test. But the law does not say that students must be held back.
Peter reads this to mean that the state is blaming the district.
So, Superintendents Diane Greene and Lori White– the ball’s in your court. In fact, you’re kind of in your court all alone now. The state has sent a clear message of “Don’t lay this foolishness on us!” My suggestion? make a reasonable, humane, decent decision here– the kind of decision that one would expect from a professional educator who actually cares about the welfare of children. Take the opening the state has given you, and pass those children.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It’s all soooooooooooooo stupid. All we keep hearing in our district is that retaining students “does not benefit any but a small percentile”. So this is just a political grudge. Can you imagine the taxpayers having to foot the bill for an additional year of schooling for students who clearly don’t need to be held back? And on top of it we will promote students who fail the tests if they can show good cause? Me wonders how deep JEB! is into the superintendents’ pockets? Wow………..I wish all laws were that arbitrary. Well, I guess for some they are.
They do have lawyers in Florida, don’t they? This abuse of children and power seems an instance where a law suit might be warranted.
I would think so. And that’s probably why the state officials are being so ambiguous- because they don’t want to be named in any law suits.
It’s “plausible deniability.”
In defense of Lori White, she actually is a pretty good superintendent. I am hoping she got some bad advice and will do an about face on this.
Florida is scared to death that the opt out movement will take hold here. The Florida legislature is too invested in high stakes testing to have their house of cards crumble. The chairman of the House Education Committee, H. Marlene O’Toole, stated that it is ILLEGAL to opt out, but she nor any of her colleagues have the political fortitude to enforce their “law,” which is obviously antithetical to professed Republican values.
It is nonsense to expect politicians, especially Tallahassee Republicans, to adhere to their own fake principles. Crony crapitalism and corporate welfare are the only true operating principles of Tallahassee Republicans.
Parents in Florida must exercise their CHOICE to opt out.
The legislature believes in choice.
Do the age old thing….what you want until your hand is slapped. Since the state has “opted out,” you now have the option. If the state goes after you, you can’t lose. The state oppted out.
Keep pushing for a “real” Teacher Created Portfolio
(Not a district mandated series of tests which is just called a portfolio.)
YOUR TEACHER HAS PROBABLY ALREADY COMPLETED A REAL PORTFOLIO.
When making the case to anyone – administrators, the press, or other parents, keep this in mind. A school district should not be prescribing what’s in a student portfolio other than giving specific examples for guidance as to what MIGHT be included. They are micromanaging the classroom and we need to inform teachers that they are in control as long as they follow state statute. We’re working on that within the FaceBook community. As long as the teacher uses a required textbook (for example in Reading) and takes down information from the child using the textbook in their documented grade book (that translates into a grade on a report card) they are fulfilling their obligation and so is the student. It is the type of reading “portfolio” that is required by statute. Teachers are overwhelmed with many various, often conflicting, DISTRICT requirements. We, as advocates, need to help them by emphasizing the state statute, because that’s our ultimate aim – put the teacher back in control of their classroom. They should be the most important voice in a decision about whether a child should be retained or not.
Here’s the letter:
Click to access DOE_letter.pdf
Greene and White…superintendents for the State of Reformism…the children, of the citizens of Florida, to these individuals they have pledged to “protect”…are nothing but pawns to reach Corporate End.
Two superintendents…a predecessor of things to come?…new green and white prison garbs, with identification numbers on the breast, two reformer residents…of a Florida state penitentiary.
It appears that the state of Florida does in fact have the absolute minimum level of common sense needed to pass the buck and not do a Wile E Coyote itself by running right off their self made cliff. Why they thought they could impose a profoundly stupid policy that looks so very bad because it is so very bad is beyond rational understanding. One hopes that the two superintendents will not be made into proxies for those who thought this would work and instead will show some initiative and terminate this particular reformy monster with extreme prejudice. I really can wait, forever, to hear how they will all attempt to spin this away, the brain damage that must accrue from being exposed to whatever they come up with for that purpose will be more than any human can stand, much like Monty Python’s skit about the deadliest joke in the world.
Dr. Ravitch, you and your readers have achieved a change in policy:
http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article80950647.html
Manatee Superintendent Diana Greene to allow all third-grade students use of good-cause promotions
The tests are not going away but the little ones have this small respite thanks to the national spotlight. Tallahassee does not like their ALEC work to be brought into the light of day, apparently.
It seems a little ridicule goes a long, long way.
OPT OUT!!!! Then, just as in New York State, call/write/petition/demonstrate/civilly disobey in order to change up your board of ed as well as a few bribed off pols.
Diane, is anyone outside EdReformLand planning on analyzing DC’s new regs on testing for public schools? I don’t consider the US Dept of Ed or Congress credible on ed reform. They’re captured.
It looks to me like they’re pushing a Jeb Bush “letter grade” for schools.
Did we somehow elect Jeb Bush without knowing it? Why is he running US public schools? Can we somehow break away from this well-connected family? They don’t even go to public schools. They wouldn’t be caught dead in one.
http://blog.ed.gov/2016/05/implementing-the-every-student-succeeds-act-to-enhance-equity-and-excellence/
This is pretty typical of the way reformers operate, at both the national and state level.
They make their threats purposely ambiguous to both maximize impact and absolve themselves of personal responsibility of the outcome.
Arne Duncan was a master of this technique. I think they must teach it at Haaawvid — in the course “Unethics 101”
The south is the home of the authoritarian mentality. Many people are very religious, and Florida is home to some of the largest military bases. It may be harder to get people to break “rules” here, even if they are bad rules. When rules are wrong, they should be shattered. If Florida enforces this dumb rule, there will be lots of parents that will revolt. Once again, children are put in the middle of the war.