60 Charter and Public Schools in PA. Flagged for Possible Cheating on Standardized Tests

[JPZenger]

http://www.thenotebook.org/blog/113871/2009-report-identified-pa-schools-possible-cheating

The study found an extremely high number of wrong answers erased and changed to correct answers. Most of the schools were public schools in Phila. The state received the report and did nothing with it.

[jwirr]

1. When we hand our schools over to the corporate sector we must

expect that they will then reflect the corporate values. The only thing that counts is the bottom line and how you get there does not count. Unfortunately those are the morals that will instill our graduates from these schools.

I seem to remember that one of the values of the Nazi world was that the end justifies the means.

[hack89]

2. The vast majority were public schools

what values are those schools reflecting? Looks like the charter schools are reflecting public school values.

[jwirr]

3. Oops Misread the headline.

[femmocrat]

4. Here are two more articles from western PA papers:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11194/1160004-298-0.stm

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/education/s_746379.html

I still think it's b.s. and something the Corbett administration is going to use to further attack public schools and push their pro-voucher, pro-charter agenda. The administrators who were interviewed denied or were unaware of any cheating in their districts.
Well, of course they will say that... but jumping to the conclusion that there were teachers changing answers is a huge leap.

[femmocrat]

5. Did some more digging on Data Recognition Corp.

Minnesota-based Rendell supporters get $201M state contract
By Brad Bumsted and Walter F. Roche Jr., TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, May 21, 2009


HARRISBURG — Top officials with a Minnesota education company that won a $201 million Pennsylvania contract employ a Harrisburg lobbyist and donated $22,000 in campaign money to Gov. Ed Rendell, records show.

Rendell's administration last week awarded the contract to Data Recognition Corp. to develop high school graduation exams, though the Legislature hasn't approved such exams.

Read more: Minnesota-based Rendell supporters get $201M state contract - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/regional/s_626126.html#ixzz1RzxSysFP

Interesting.... but not necessarily incriminating. Wonder what their connection is to Corbett?