(JEB's) Florida schools fail to meet new federal test standards

[JCMach1]

JEB's success with education is even more illusionary than his brother's

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Nearly 90 percent of Florida's public schools failed to meet reading and math standards this year under the new federal No Child Left Behind Law.

The Miami Herald reported in Friday's editions that the data found only 13 percent of the state's schools demonstrated "adequately yearly progress," to meet No Child Left Behind standards. State education officials were scheduled to release the results Friday in Tallahassee.

No Child Left Behind specifically looks at minority, disabled or impoverished students. But some education officials said the numbers may counter arguments that Gov. Jeb Bush's A+ Plan for Education has created steady improvement by schools.

"What purpose does it serve to call a school an 'A' if it's not making adequate progress?" asked Sam Yarger, dean of the University of Miami School of Education.

Bush has touted continuing improvement in the state's school grades. This year, there were six times as many A schools than when grading began in 1999, and fewer than half as many F schools.

But the poor showing under No Child Left Behind - a key component of President Bush's 2000 campaign - carried into those A schools: Of 1,229 statewide, only 22 percent made adequate yearly progress.

Six percent of the state's B schools succeeded, followed by 2 percent of C schools. No D or F schools qualified...

http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030808/APN/308080616

[LWolf]

1. This was a given from the start.

Jeb didn't want his state's schools to pass the tests. The tests, published by test companies with ties to the bush family, are written on purpose to get a large number of failing kids. They are set up that way for just this reason. Now, when 90% of public ed can be labeled as "failing," we can finally convince the public that education needs vouchers and privatization.

Any mathematicians/statisticians out here? If so, you can verify the "setting up to fail" part. Of course, you can't verify the actual content of the tests, because they are "secret." Under tight security. But teachers sure spend alot of time discussing bad tests behind closed doors.....

[JCMach1]

2. Not quite, he has been consistently touting the success

of his FCAT plan and the 'increbible' progress being made.

If you read the second half of the article, you will see his officials trying to SPIN these findings.

His A+ plan was an illusion and a farce from the beginning. You are right about using testing as another way to weaken and eventually destroy our publice schools-- mainly through the voucher system we have here in FL.

JEB's stock goes way down before 2008... especially when the budget crunch REALLY hits FL next year. ALL non-recurring sources have been used to balance budgets shredded by JEB's tax cuts. Next year through 2006 will bring fiscal pain that Florida has NEVER experienced (a la California).

[GBD4]

9. They are just clueless

<<especially when the budget crunch REALLY hits FL next year. ALL non-recurring sources have been used to balance budgets shredded by JEB's tax cuts. Next year through 2006 will bring fiscal pain that Florida has NEVER experienced (a la California).>>

I remember earlier this year they debated whether to raise taxes this year or put it off til next year. So the Republican Legislature put it off til next year! Yeah, Floridians will be really anxious to elect Jeb for Pres come 2008 as they reflect on their enormous tax increases during his final months in office! Repubs' lack of understanding is the Dems' gain. :)

[libertad]

3. That's true. It is set up to have schools qualify for vouchers.

It is common knowledge here in Florida that this is their "devious plan". They have also come up with a new way to reduce class size, letting Juniors who are entering their Senior year of high school graduate early by reducing the number of credits necessary for graduation from 24 to 18. My daughter got the letter a couple of weeks ago. (She's decided to do her Senior year and has loaded up on AP courses for free college credits).

[JCMach1]

4. OF course now she only needs 18 credits to graduate

:)

Our legislature is trying to kick them out early to save money.

[jamesinca]

5. Ok, get them out early

Does this improve the reading scores? The ability to add and subtract? Are they setting a literacy or math ability on the get out early plan, i.e. A student with 18 credits may graduate if they have taken and passed algebra and 1 english course with a pre-req of 10th grade english. The other two alternatives are you stay in school until this is met, or you reach the 20+ credits. Will this cause a stigma of 18 yr old H.S. students. Can this be incorparated into athletic scolorships and the NCAA eligability requirements. I think he tried to pick the quick and easy answer to a complex question. I recommend everyone of you read the "Saber tooth curriculum". When you are done, then read the date that it was originally published. Your teeth will fall out from the shock. It is a little thin paperback takes about 45 min to read. Then when you read the publishing date, your head will spin.

[bleedingheart]

6. Proves that JEB doesn't do shit for education

[SharonAnn]

7. And don't forget, this justifies buying Neil Bush's Software

They'll need to invest tens or hundreds of millions of dollars to buy neil Bush's "Test Preparation Software" that supposedly helps students prepare and then perform better on the test.

This way the Bush's win first (lots of money in their pockets) and then the right-wing wins with vouchers and privatization. Bush family probably wins there also.

[JCMach1]

10. You are right-- students who fail the test are ushered into remedial

classes for the subjects they failed (in addition) to their regular coursework. This pulls students out of things such as vocational classes, art, music, sport and other worthwhile pursuits.

The dropout rate is already above 50% in fl...

[ElsewheresDaughter]

8. Ignite....and nail bush..

"What purpose does it serve to call a school an 'A' if it's not making adequate progress?" asked Sam Yarger, dean of the University of Miami School of Education."


implamentation of neil's "ignite" education software program into the school at $30 per stundent annaully makes it "qualify as an A school"!!!