NCLB test fails, like so many others

The Washington Post is reporting that the much-lauded Reading First program, a direct result of Bush Administration lackey Margaret Spellings's attempt at improving reading scores through the abortion of justice known as No Child Left Behind, has failed. In essence, there is no statistical difference between the reading scores of children who do not participate in Reading First and those who do.

There's $6 billion wasted. Imagine what could have been done if (gasp) we had actually picked a program that worked ... Or even spent that money on schools that are in serious need of financial assistance.

SAT scores drop?

Newspapers are starting to say that the graduating class of 2007 scored lower than their class of '06 coutnerparts. The proof? The College Board released data that said that in the State of Maryland, for example, there was nearly a 20-point drop from last year. Nationwide, scores dropped an average of between 2-5 points.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a likelihood that if you take the test more than once, your score will rise or fall up to about 50 points? In other words, if you take the test on your perfectly average day, on your best day, and on your worst day, your best and worst scores will only be about 100 points apart. Therefore, any rise or drop of SAT scores of less than 50 points is irrelevant and statistically insignificant.

Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.

Graduation policy

Here's one in today's Washington Post:

Maryland school officials proudly noted last week that more than 90 percent of
students in the Class of 2009 expected to earn a diploma had passed one of four
tests required to graduate. But testing data provided to The Washington
Post by local school systems indicate that the number of students who have
passed a test is substantially lower.

So, not only did the state inflate its numbers by nearly 10,000, only a little over 42,000 out of 55,000 (76%) actually passed one of the four required exams for the State to graduate them? In other words, thanks to the huge push for "accountability," about 1/4 of the students in the Class of 2009 won't actually be graduating? What the state didn't release was how many students passed all four of their required exams. If I was to guess, I would bet that only about 1/4 of the students (though probably less) managed to pass all of those exams.

What does the state do? We can't get rid of these tests we have put so much time and energy into creating, and the No Child Left Behind law says that we have to have standardized tests to hold schools accountable...

Let's just give them another option! So if you don't pass the required-to-graduate exams, all you have to do is this project, and we'll give you your diploma anyway.

Getting rid of learning centers

Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools have decided to close their Learning Centers--schools within schools for students with mild learning disabilities. Arguing the principle of Least Restricted Environment (LRE), school officials have decided that there is no reason why these students can't be mainstreamed. At the end of last week, the State school board upheld the county's decision, over the protests of many parents, whose children with special needs will be affected.

In Montgomery County's rush to "Leave No Child Behind," parents feel that including their children in the general education classroom will adversely affect their children's ability to reach their fullest potential.

Although it is true that some students will absolutely do better by being included, there are other students in Special Education who may not do as well. The lower-functioning students who require more individualized instruction will be lost in the general education environment. In short, I think that Montgomery County's move is at best shortsighted and at worst disasterous for those students who need more help.