Re: [Phys-l] NCLB: End It, Don't Mend It

[Paul Lulai <plulai@stanthony.k12.mn.us>]

There is a school near where I work that has passing rates similar to whatyou state (very very low).
They have ~80% on free or reduced lunch.  They speak ~30 languages.  They transfer from one school to the next.  They might be in a teachers classroom for 1 week before they take the test because the family is always on the move.
How do you get those kids to pass the test? How do standardized tests evaluate the teacher or students in those classrooms?

Paul Lulai
Physics Teacher
St Anthony Village Senior High
3303 33rd Ave 
St Anthony Village MN 55418

(w) 612-706-1146




----- Reply message -----
From: "LaMontagne, Bob" <RLAMONT@providence.edu>
Date: Sun, Oct 30, 2011 7:04 pm
Subject: [Phys-l] NCLB: End It, Don't Mend It
To: "Forum for Physics Educators" <phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu>

It's not about the teachers - it's about the students. NCLB may be the wrong way to affect accountability in schools, but something should be ready to be put in it's place if the plug is pulled.

As I have posted in the past, we have schools in RI that have a mere 6% proficiency rate in english and a 2% proficiency rate in math. Even teaching to the test has to be better than what is being done in these schools at the moment. People have to realize that there are school systems in certain parts of this country that are so bad that "crisis" does not suffice to describe them.

Bob at PC

________________________________________
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] on behalf of John Denker [jsd@av8n.com]
Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2011 6:06 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] NCLB: End It, Don't Mend It

On 10/30/2011 01:36 PM, Bernard Cleyet wrote:
> NCLB: End It, Don't Mend It

Works for me.

To borrow a phrase:
   I'm not opposed to all testing.  I'm opposed to dumb testing.

=======================

Suppose you are on a jury.  The defendant is testifying:

  Q:  During the robbery, did you point a gun at the victim?
  A:  Yes.
  Q:  Did you pull the trigger?
  A:  Yes.
  Q:  Did you intend to kill him?
  A:  No.

In real life, it doesn't work that way.  The jury is expected to
conclude that the defendant /intended/ the entirely-foreseeable
consequences of his actions.

> http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/2011/10/dear_deborah_have_you_been.html

Diane Ravitch asks:   "When, if ever, will policymakers realize that
  they should find ways to support teachers, not to demoralize them?

  "By 2014, on the NCLB timetable of destruction, close to 100 percent
  of public schools will have 'failed' ...."

That misses the point.  We simply must assume that many members of
congress fully /intend/ to destroy the public school system, and some
other members are willing to go along with them.  This is, and always
has been, the entirely-foreseeable consequence of NCLB.

Motive is not the same as intent.  I am not for the moment saying
/why/ they want to destroy the public school system (although I do
have some theories).

For more on this, see
  http://www.av8n.com/physics/eclbe-testing.htm

====================

Call your Representative.  Call your Senators.
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
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_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
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