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Doctors vs. Parents: Who Decides Right to Life? (10)
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So Much for No Child Left Behind
Continued from page 2
Published: April 10, 2008The testing system also forces teachers out, McNeil and Sherrie Matula say. "We're killing the brand-new teachers," Matula says. If their students' test scores aren't good at the first benchmark and then don't improve enough, suddenly their probationary contract is not renewed, Matula says.
In the TSTA Advocate article entitled "Fixing a Badly Flawed System," Dr. Paul Henley with TSTA argues that "tests have now become the primary focus of public education rather than providing students a broad-based, quality education." Principals are no longer being hired based on leadership skills, but on whether they can get those test scores up, Henley says.
There are no rewards for retaining these kids other than moral and ethical ones.
The accountability study echoes this. Principals don't have tenure anymore; they don't have a collectively bargained contract. They get bonuses if test scores go up enough, nothing if they don't. Probably the only thing that keeps them from being replaced is the nationwide shortage of principals.
The problems with standardized testing and school accountability aren't, of course, just limited to Texas. The Texas report references other studies showing that, for instance, New York City's high schools may be pushing out low performers to increase the schools' overall scores. After Massachusetts began requiring a high school exit exam, not only did graduation rates drop but ninth-grade retention rates increased, as did the percentage of missing tenth graders.
The argument could be made that this is all to the good, that now a high school diploma means something once again. How then to explain the number of remedial courses being offered in colleges for graduates of Texas high schools who can't do collegiate-level work?
And as the study found, "increased frequency of testing...dulls students to the testing process and diminishes the seriousness with which they regard tests prior to the 11th grade exit test." Didn't we see that this year with the Fort Bend ISD offering freshmen and sophomores exemptions from some of their final exams if they did well on the TAKS in a desperate attempt to get these students to take the before-exit-level tests seriously?
Do we really want to continue with a graduation rate hovering around 50 percent?
And rather than helping minorities by implementing these tests, the test scores are reported by racial subgroups, causing schools to identify these students as "potential liabilities," the study says.
Some school districts in other states are talking about opting out of NCLB. They'll give up federal funds, sure, but it may be worth it.
However well intentioned statewide testing was at the start, it is clear that it has corrupted the relationship between principals and students. It isn't better educating students and it's driving them and a good number of teachers out of our schools. It's time to demand something better.
Look beyond the obvious. I know all the arguments against the TAAS. Have you looked at this test? Students should be able to pass the TAAS, pure and simple.
Many of the great teachers have left this profession because of "the system". Political correctness has destroyed the educational system.
I personally know one teacher that I wouldn't let babysit my dog, much less my child. Her background would make your toes curl - she can't pass an exam but somehow she is teaching our children.
Comment by Barb — April 10, 2008 @ 10:30AM
i moved out of the houston area a little over 10 years ago, and spent 3 years teaching a non-classroom subject in the public school system in the houston area. this article only confirms what the teachers knew back then: teaching to a test and only to a test leaves little room for anything else that students are supposed to be learning in school besides passing a flawed test. i'm all for accountability, but the current system assures that nobody wins.
Comment by njtx71 — April 11, 2008 @ 06:43AM
The TAKS concept is absurd. Principals are evaluated on the performance of the bottom 20% of the students. If half of those bottom 20% pass the test, they are in the gravy (make that bonuses). In HISD, the regional superintendents hire and fire principals whimsically. At Scarborough High school the principal was there less than one year, yet the superintendent (Adriana Tamez) canned him in spite of the fact the metrics were improving.
In the North Region, at Jefferson Elementary, the new principal did NOT have the credentials or experience of other vastly more qualified candidates. What he did have was that he was married to a Stuporintendent's daughter.
Ditto in the South Region where nearly half the predominantly Hispanic elementary schools have non-bilingual administrators, one who has no administrative credentials (He be bro though) and two other non-bilingual administrators have criminal records involving moral turpitude. That's just fine with the former HISD School Board President (Manuel Rodriguez) aka Mr. GED and his cohort Larry Marshall who called Hipanics parasites. The entire school system is solely ward politics. How else to explain Hot Rod Paige recruiting a superintendent fired, prosecuted and briefly jailed for theft while the guy was serving criminal probation?
Comment by Del — April 13, 2008 @ 03:36AM
While I do not live in Texas, but I thank you for this article. I live in NY where it is mandatory to have a regents diploma now, it used be optional for those wishing to learn algebra, college reasons and other reasons. I myself have a general diploma and took business math. Today I have a son in the NY schools and I honestly believe he would not be in a special ed class if he did have not have to take many of now mandatory learning skills that start out in the 1st grade. Algebra (X x Y + ?, type things) is started here in 2nd grade. I have fought with teachers over many things regarding my sons issues and they say and do the same things all the time and hey blame me, yet I am not a teacher nor did I go to school to be one and I do not the 70,000. + salary that these teachers here in NY make. However I do not believe these teacher believe its their job either, I am starting to think they believe its only their job to hand the child the work and then its is up to the parent to teach it to the child. I work full time as does my husband and we barely make it on those 2 salaries here in NY, then I of course I must take care of my home, children, cook, clean, shop, pay bills, etc.. (we have have those issues). So I have to wonder just what exactly is the teachers jobs here in NY, they say pay for a tutor, HOW? I am barely able to pay more house payment now to keep a roof over my child's head, food in his mouth, clothes on his back, oh not to mention the roughly $1000.00 the school makes us buy in school supplies because the schools do not have the funds. Thank you and sorry for the vent along with my comment. I am so glad I saw this article I was honestly starting to feel alone in my thinking about the so called "No Child Left Behind" I think today that statements means hurry up and push them through and get them graduated whether they can read or not. If they can't graduate, well then they drop out and then what does this child's future hold. This country is truly in a sad state of affairs. Bush needs to leave office.
Comment by Dawn — May 7, 2008 @ 08:10AM
To clarify a section of my comment. where I stated (we have those issues) that was supposed to say "we ALL have those issues" Lord knows I know I sure ain't the only one, LOL. Sorry if anyone took offense to that comment before seeing my correction. Thx again for the article and good luck to all of us with children in the school system here in the United States.
Comment by Dawn — May 7, 2008 @ 08:14AM