Education and Accountability

[cjbgreen]

A request to all readers who care passionately about education to find the facts regarding conditions and factors that support student performance so we can shift the conversation away from bashing teachers! Hey if bashing teachers really works ... than prove if by explaining how the school, community, and all students succeed. I know that when leaders are bullies there is a trickle down impact!! Fact or opinion! This is a call out to everyone who cares! Examine the claims of student achievement in DC? We all know that data can mislead and be played with. If it is true, the MR style of leadership works that we need to support what works? Any takers?

[mzteris]

1. here are some from New Orleans:

The performance of school districts in Louisiana is measured by a district performance score.

The district performance score (DPS) sums up the performance of students in a school district on a variety of state standardized tests and a few other indicators, like attendance, into a single number. If schools in New Orleans were still in one district, their district performance score would be 66.4 for the 2007-2008 school year. While this is low compared to the state performance score of 86.3, this represents a significant increase of nearly 10 points from the district’s pre-Katrina score of 56.9 in the 2004-2005 school year.

To put this 10-point increase into perspective, New Orleans public schools also improved by about 10 points in the three years between 2002 and 2005; however, no major disaster occurred during that period. Indeed, considering that many students came back to the city after Katrina having spent time out of school and suffering from the trauma of displacement, this increase in overall performance is promising.

At the same time, it is unclear how similar the current population of students is to the student population before the storm. Because it was harder for poor New Orleanians to return to the city after Hurricane Katrina, the proportion of families living in extreme poverty in New Orleans has declined according to US Census Bureau estimates. It is possible that part of the increase in achievement is due to the loss of some of the poorest and most challenged students that attended public schools before Katrina. (however demographics show ****)

It is difficult to compare scores for different schools in New Orleans because the context from one school to the next is very different.

■■Following Hurricane Katrina, the school system was split by the state takeover of failing schools.

■■Over 100 low-performing New Orleans schools were placed into the state-run Recovery School District (RSD). Some schools became open-admission charter schools, others were opened as RSD-run schools, and some remain closed.

■■Higher-performing schools that were not taken over, many of which had some form of selective admissions, were either chartered or continued to be operated by the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB).

■■Because schools were assigned to one of the two post-storm systems, RSD and OPSB, based on their previous academic performance, it is not useful or valid to expect similar performance from OPSB and RSD schools, at least in the near term. They serve, on average, very different groups of students.

■■Consequently, though the district performance score (DPS) of the entire district if it still existed would have been 66.4, the RSD’s score was 51.4 while the OPSB scored 96.1


(Now here's the really interesting bit - - - )

Within each district, there were also significant differences between the average performance of charter and traditional schools.

■■Like districts, individual schools receive a school performance score (SPS) based on student performance on state tests and other indicators.

■■In both the OPSB and the RSD, charter schools had higher average performance scores than traditional district-run schools.

■■Within the OPSB, charters tend to be more selective than district-run schools, which explains a part of their higher performance.

■■Within the RSD, charters and district-run schools both serve similar student demographics in terms of ethnicity and poverty.

■■However, some key differences remain:

– RSD-run schools have higher student mobility rates and serve a higher proportion of special education students than RSD charters.

– Parents and teachers in RSD charters reported higher rates of satisfaction with their schools than their RSD-run counterparts in Cowen Institute surveys. This could indicate
that RSD charters are more effective at educating students.

In spite of their lower absolute scores, school performance scores grew more for RSD schools than for OPSB schools between the 2006-2007 school year and the 2007-2008 school year.

The promising news: the average performance for every school type in New Orleans grew significantly over the past two years.

http://www.tulane.edu/cowen_institute/documents/2009SPE...


*****
Though the system of schools has experienced radical change, the context in which it operates remains similar to before Katrina, and new challenges have emerged:

■ Public school students in New Orleans are overwhelmingly poor. Eighty-three percent of students are eligible to receive free or reduced lunches compared to 63 percent statewide.

■ New Orleans’ overall population is approximately 63 percent minority, while public school students are nearly 95 percent minority—primarily African-American.

■ Across the systems, but especially in the RSD-run and RSD charter schools, the majority of students are well below grade level.

■ Public schools have a high percentage of special education students, many of whom have not been evaluated.

■ Many students have unaddressed mental health needs due to their experiences during and after Hurricane Katrina.

. . . Survey:
■ A survey was distributed in online and paper formats
between January and March 2008. Th e online
version was sent out to school principals, education
policymakers, community leaders and neighborhood
associations to distribute. Th e paper version was
distributed at nearly every public school in New Orleans
via drop-boxes. Cowen Institute researchers also
conducted intercept surveys of public school parents
outside of fi ve geographically diverse supermarkets in
New Orleans over the course of two weekends. Due
to erratic responses received from students during last
year’s survey, students were not actively targeted with the
survey and instead were engaged through focus groups.

■ Th e survey received 1,867 responses.

■ Teachers: 585 teachers responded, 51 percent of whom
were African-American. Th ere were suffi ciently large
samples from teachers for Recovery School District
(RSD)-run schools, Orleans Parish School Board
(OPSB)-run schools, RSD charters, and OPSB charters.

■ Parents: 529 parents responded, 54 percent of whom
were African-American. Th ere were suffi ciently large
samples from parents for RSD-run schools, RSD
charters, and OPSB charters.

http://www.tulane.edu/cowen_institute/documents/080417S...

[mzteris]

2. Is this what you're looking for?

From that perspective, let’s take a look at the recently-reported improvement in the math scores of D.C. public school students on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests. These scores are key indicators because NAEP is an impartial body, and its tests are uniform nationwide and consistent over time.

First, the good news:

* Overall average scores for both fourth and eighth graders increased–up 5 points and 6 points respectively since 2007.
* Longer-term increases were much greater–up 26 points for fourth graders and 19 points for eighth graders since 1992 (the earliest date reported for both grade levels).
* For the first time since 1992, more than 50% of D.C. fourth graders scored at or above basic level, i.e., demonstrated “partial mastery of the prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work” at grade level.


Is this what you're looking for? http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/

[yurbud]

3. what has been the result in places that tried smaller class size and support for teachers

instead of beating up on them, union busting, and corrupt privatization scams?

[mzteris]

5. charter schools are public schools

some are unionized - some are co-run by unions. MANY traditional public schools aren't unionized. What's corrupt about parents, teachers, and community organizers starting programs to meet the needs of the kids in their community?

There's a post in Education about that very thing - and it's been very successful. I wish more school districts would do similar. Unfortunately, most school districts can't - or won't - make those kind of changes.

I'm not beating up on Public Schools. I embrace all educational models for children. Choice - it's a good thing.

[yurbud]

6. they can be public but they can also be private. Also, real estate agents love them because

they can set up the deals to put them in unused commercial real estate, and because they get the contracts through connections with pols, they can charge what they want. Somebody did a good investigative piece on this.

[mzteris]

7. um - no - they can't.

Charter schools are - by definition and law - PUBLIC schools.

I'd like to see your piece. Though I admit, I never thought at the RE angle. You could have a point there as there are certainly instances of "political" and $$-making-related "school land" deals. . . hmmmmmmm

[yurbud]

8. they are public in the sense that they get public money, but they can be private

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_school

[mzteris]

10. I still don't get how you

say they're "private". Private, how, exactly?

[yurbud]

12. private corporations can get contracts to run charter schools. Why do you think there's such

a push by business people for them?

[mzteris]

20. ony about 10% of are run by for-profit companies

- they also run some traditional public schools. Did you know that? And the schools themselves are still non-profit

Nearly ALL charter public schools are run by local individuals in the community. Teachers, administrators, parents, and other interested local individuals.

[yurbud]

9. here's a thread on a private charter:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7609624&mesg_id=7609624

[mzteris]

11. um - sorry -

can't read that particular thread . . .

give me the name and link to whatever they posted,'k? Thanks.

[yurbud]

13. KIPP Academy Fresno Charter School

This is how links work: you click on them and read what comes up. If you don't like what's at these links, plug the name of the school into google and see what the results are:

http://www.schoolsmatter.info/2009/03/kipp-fresno-horror-story-that-national.html

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2009/03/22/kipp_school_withdrawals.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

[mzteris]

22. it's a little disingenuous , don't you think -

to post just the "bad things" that SOME people are guilty of and try to destroy an entire system because of it?

It's a little disingenuous to simultaneously to completely IGNORE - or excuse - the travesties that are taking in Traditional Public school systems, don't you think?

Both have bad. Both have good.

Let's stop fighting and work together for the common good. That's always been MY point. I don't want traditional public schools destroyed, I just believe in choice. Take the good get rid of the bad - work for the kids. Is, always has been, and always will be MY purpose.

[yurbud]

14. choice is fine as long as you call things by their right names. a charter run by a corporation

is no more a public school than Blackwater is the US military.

Frankly, charters are being used as a back door to a GOP goal of privatizing education except someone figured out that if they do public education with private contracts instead of just letting private schools educate the students who can afford to get out of underfunded overregulated public schools, the companies that get the contracts can make fat campaign contributions, recycling those taxpayer dollars into politicians pockets as well as into their shareholders pockets.

[mzteris]

19. nearly 80% are run by local individuals -

TEACHERS, parents, local people who believe the local school board isn't doing enough.

Only 10% are run by "for-profit" corporations - but the schools themselves are still "non-profit". Another 12% are run by non-profit manangement companies.

FYI - did you know that there are traditional public schools run by "for-profit" organizations?

[yurbud]

26. privatization of the schools is wrong and usually the result of corruption and anti-democratic

processes.

[mzteris]

28. "usually":??

Where are you getting the stats to back up that statement, eh?

Evidence shows clearly that the vast majority of charter public schools in operation in this country were started and operated by INDIVIDUAL that include TEACHERS, PARENTS, LOCAL Individuals.

If you want to see "corruption and anti-democratic" values in action - there are few thousand school boards across this country you might want to take a look at.

This is what really steams me - the way what Charters are a nd how they operate has been grossly and unfairly distored. A few incidents are blown up to sound ilke the entire system is corrupt. It's not. Beware the mote in your own eye and all that, you know?


Charter schools are like the abortion controversy: I'm PRO CHOICE! - if you don't like charters, fine - don't go to one.

[yurbud]

30. you're repeating a corporate talking point.

[mzteris]

31. and you're still not giving any FACTS

to back up your assertions that all charters are corporate and corrupt. This is NOT true.

It's a real disservice to people in America that some people want to tar and feather an entire movement because they feel threatened by it for some reason (also unfounded fears).

The system needs repair. Steps to repair it haven't been moving in the right direction for decades now. Some people got really damn tired of the red tape and the "no we can't do it that way" attitude. Some people got really damn tired of only people who could AFFORD "school choice" got school choice, so they opened up schools OF CHOICE that are free and public. For the life of me, I canNOT understand why people have a problem with that. Underserved populations, at risk individuals, minorities, learning differenced and/or challenged, gifted, quirky, alternatively interested - they ARE getting served at least by Charter public schools. Yeah, some traditional school districts have GREAT programs, but guess waht? Not all traditional districts DO - nor do they want to, nor could if they did want to any faster than pouring molasses.

Obstructionists who want to deny children an education - the education they DESERVE - are the ones who are at fault here.

[yurbud]

15. some stories on the real estate scam and other corporate charter school abuses:

News pieces:

http://www.startribune.com/local/75464082.html

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/top_three/article_8ebdc3d6-f4a3-11de-ba80-001cc4c03286.html

longer investigative pieces:

On Arne Duncan & Chicago:
http://counterpunch.org/weil08242009.html
http://www.gregpalast.com/update-obama-slam-duncans-education/


On New Orleans:

http://www.counterpunch.org/davis08302006.html

Minnesota mess:

http://www.counterpunch.org/weil12182009.html

Speculating on education

http://www.counterpunch.org/dwolff09252009.html




Madfloridian has done some excellent, documented posts on this topic, like this one:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5284

It is sad that people come to DU to spread neoliberal talking points, calling something progressive that is really a policy designed to steal from the commons and reward the few at the expense of children. I'm sure everyone's kids will be much better off at Burger King Elementary and Scientology High.

[mzteris]

21. you know - I could post just as many - MORE even

on traditional public school abuses - - -

but that doesn't serve any purpose. The point is, there are individual abuses in BOTH systems don't try to pretend the traditional system is perfect. We all know it is not.

Arrest the abusers, close the "bad programs" (traditional,charter, private, religious. . . ) and implement to expand WHAT WORKS.

Don't void am entire program just because of "SOME" bad apples. If we had done that - traditional schools systems would have been out of business decades ago.

Let's keep the discussion honest - about REAL issues and not distracting side pieces designed to denigrate and entire system.

Did you know that more than a few charter public schools are designed to meet the needs of the poorest and neediest kids in the system? It's like being able to get a "private education" - FOR FREE! Why should only people with money have the choice to put their kids in a school they believe will meet their child's needs better??

Yeah, traditional schools CAN provide those things - but mostly they are not. And the wheels turn VERY SLOWLY. People just got tired of waiting for change to occur. Talk about at the "expense of children" - not allowing kids who can be educated to BE educated, is the real crime.

BK and Scientology can open a school right now - anytime they want. They don't need charters for that. Besides, it's the traditional school systems who "outsourced" their lunchrooms.

[yurbud]

25. whenever there's a profit motive attached to a government program abuse with multiply

and some of the tax dollars given to the contractors will be used to buy politicians to keep the contracts coming and accountability down.

[mzteris]

29. is that sentence supposed to

make sense?

And one more time - the "contractor" and "political abuse" and individuals associated with abuse - occurs every single day in the traditional public school system.

I'm all for eliminating abuses - especially those that take resources from our kids. Ones that prevent kids from learning how and where they want to learn. If you can't get it where you are, go where you can get it!

[madfloridian]

16. Not if they are run by private management companies with no regulation.

Calling schools like that public is simply spin meant to confuse the people.

The poster has me on ignore I think so could someone else share these links with him/her?

It is only part of what I have written about the subject. Probably why I am being ignored.

Right-wing legal power exploiting loopholes for a fundamentalist takeover of public education.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5158

Palmetto Christian School in Florida joins 7 former Catholic schools, turns charter for public money
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5151

AP says "ethic rules have been waived" to allow DOE folks to deal more easily with Gates Foundation
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5105

DOE money to flow to schools which defy their unions. To districts which form charter schools.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5099

Some Catholic schools in Florida converting to charter schools this fall.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5085

NY public school students get limited use of school library so 3 charter schools can use it.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5077

Private Christian school gets charter school taxpayer money. Expels children of woman who questions.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5073

Jeb Bush is delighted that Obama is taking on teachers' unions.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5046

Up to 250 public schools to be turned over to outside bidders? Called a hostile takeover.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5015

Are the words "school choice" public code words for the movement to privatize public education?
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5000

"Stand and Deliver" school, Garfield High, sadly is one of 12 schools available to outside bidders
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/4973

The demeaning of public education began under Reagan. It has worked well.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/4966

Charter school director blames too-hard tests and pupils tired of test-taking for poor test scores.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/4932

The hodge-podge nature of schools getting public money makes it hard to have funding accountability.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/4879

Herbert Kohl on scripted curriculum, surveillance of teachers, and TIME on Arne's 5 billion
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/4833

Charter school principals fired after questioning taxpayer money spent on school's real estate arm.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/4784

"Democracy Privatized!"...education blog talks about turning over public functions to “the market”.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5610

There is intimidation of those who question school closings in NYC...
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5598

Remember they are even turning A schools into charters.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5615

Imagine Charter Schools sells 5 schools for 44 million...will have them leased back to them.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5586

Blogger gets it: Make big bucks by closing public schools, firing teachers, opening charters.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5558

Teacher union head hires fed pay czar to develop plan to get rid of teachers.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/5539

[cjbgreen]

17. How to examine test scores? Puzzled by DC reporting?

Yes and no?
If one is asking did students make gains academically analysis should include?
Are you comparing the same groups of students, by that I mean are you examining longitudinally the same students over time. Yes you can make those comparisons with student numbers and protect confidentiality.
How many students took the test each year? Typically in poor districts with a significant portion of under-achieving students fewer students taking the tests mean better scores.
Which quartiles of students made gains and what percentage? For example did the percentage of students who performed in the lowest quartile remain the same or did these students move up as well?
Was there evidence of cheating (erasures)?
And as an educator or as the parent of a child in a particular school system, one would want to know what areas did my child perform well and perform his or her poorest? How did these compare with other students in that grade and in other schools. This could suggest that if a high performing student performed poorer in a particular area and all students in that school performed poorly, than there is a possibility that subject area wasn't taught before the test or perhaps the content format was in some way different.
Also are special education students included in taking the test? Were efforts made to assure all students were assessed? Were second language students included? Did these students make progress? Were there any anomalies in the over-all testing? This is really important to examine for a number of reasons and especially to assure that there is fairness in the manner that the tests are administered.
I did read that there were schools whose test scores were questioned because of the number of erasures. I am not sure were the information came from the DC reports.
Here are some links regarding DC's annual yearly progress that you do not see reported in the news that identify which groups of students made progress. http://www.nclb.osse.dc.gov/
http://www.nclb.osse.dc.gov/twoaypstatus.asp
http://www.nclb.osse.dc.gov/twoaypstatus.asp
http://www.nclb.osse.dc.gov/dccas_reportcards.asp Take a look at Krammer School which I randomly selected. It appears that fewer students met proficiency in 2009, however fewer students were in the lower quartile. It appears that for the district’s middle school students more students were performing in the bottom quartile than in 2008. However, fewer students were performing in the bottom quartile. I am not sure what was being examined and reported as progress based on the figures you provided.

[mzteris]

23. Did you play with the report generator?

Do you have questions about what the nation's students know and can do?

With the NAEP Data Explorer (NDE) you can create statistical tables, charts, and maps to help you find answers. Explore the results of decades of assessment of students' academic performance, as well as information about factors that may be related to their learning.

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/

[cjbgreen]

24. Great Link!

Thanks hope others pass this on!

[LWolf]

4. Who is supposed to be accountable for what?

Teachers for teaching?

Students for using their opportunities well?

Parents for providing the stability needed for academic success?

[cjbgreen]

18. Accountability?? What do we mean?

In response to who is accountable?
Accountability starts at the top but begins with each individual. Perhaps more importantly is what is meant by accountability. I think leaders specify what they as individuals can do better. Obama is a master of saying what he will do next to improve his performance. Notice he doesn't blame others, but asks others to also determine that they too will improve. If for example DC's Michelle Rhee who is the face of reform said I need to make sure that I do this so specifically this group will succeed because my role is to make sure they succeed and I didn't do this (specifically last year) this is the first step. The next step is critical. Taking action in a manner that is different from one's prior actions but is based on self reflection and seriously critiquing one's actions. Did we ever observe this behavior from Bush or Cheney? Thirdly, there needs to be follow through and serious assessment regarding the success of the follow through. So lets apply this to teacher performance. Teachers should not be fired because some students fail, if they are seriously seeking to change or improve how their strategies to teach this group. It is absolutely critical in a climate of accountability that participants have opportunities to correct. This doesn't mean it is okay to fail or that students should ever be allowed to be hurt. But in a normal situation, one needs to examine the individual teacher's growth and progress. I've seen teachers who struggled really struggled and acknowledge that what they were doing did not work and d become inspired educators.

[yurbud]

27. are we going to become a society of one dollar one vote instead of one person one vote?

That is what this that is what this privatizing and union busting charter school movement is all about.

Instead of tax dollars going to pay teachers and buy books, some will be skimmed off in profit by these education corporations.

They will use some of that money to buy politicians who will renew and expand their contracts and insulate them from accountability, to the point that it will take far more than a majority of voters to undo the damage.

We need to take a stand on this now. No more conservative snake oil posing as education reform.