Is the standardized testing system used to judge the quality of schools illegal? Equal protection 14th amendment?
Given that schools as well as their students are judged by proficiency in educational standards at a given time.
And given that the mobility of Milwaukee Public Schools students in and out of the system does not allow the test to accurately determine their gain as MPS students.
And given that many MPS students have fallen behind prior to the year they and their schools are being assessed.
And given that most suburban students are closer to the standards and have less mobility on a regular basis.
And given that it is much more difficult to catch up than it is to maintain.
It is therefore concluded that the testing system unfairly judges urban school systems causing students and schools hardship including loss of money as well as student self esteem.
Urban schools are NOT Judged, by NCLB, based on yearly progress, but life time progress of students whether or not they came thru a specific system! A goodly part of the reason schools and teachers are targeted for huge cuts in the budget are because urban school systems are perceived to be failures. Although it will take systemic change to truly fix these schools, there is some data that is currently distorting the actual performance of large school systems like Milwaukee Public Schools. Currently the standardized test is taken, for example, by 7th graders. And then the test is given the following year, again to 7th graders. These scores are compared to see if there is any gain in the average scores over the year. This sounds logical doesn’t it? Of course, but it is not rational! THEY ARE DIFFERENT KIDS! It does not show growth or the lack of growth at all. The data is not valid! The “set up” is that everything is compared to a norm. For 7th graders, that group is judged, not by what they did in one year, they are judged based on their entire educational lives. For example, if a student starts the year in 7th grade but reading on the 4th grade level, he or she has to gain 3 grade levels to be proficient. However, if a student starts the year on a 6th grade level, he or she only has to gain one year to be proficient. They are not being judged on that one year of effort, they are being judged on the prior years also. And those students who entered from another system are being judged based on what the other system did. And MPS gets the blame if we don’t bring them up to level in 1 year. Although testing is a disgrace by itself, at least it could be fair: Most schools, if not all, give pre and post tests to chart growth on individuals. You simply take that information and document how many students gained 1 year, say in reading. How many gained 1.5 years and how many gained 2 or more years. These students would all be successful because students are expected to gain 1 year. Those who gain less than 1 year would not be considered successful. 75% of students were successful would be a sample statement.
The standardistos have NO CLUE how much students and thus schools have gained during the year in question!
|
|