Accountability
Death threat as a motivation technique
Education | MySanAntonio.com No charges will be brought against New Braunfels Middle School Principal John Burks for allegedly threatening to kill a group of science teachers if their students’ standardized test scores failed to improve, although all four teachers at the meeting told police investigators Burks made the statement. Now imagine if some student at [...]
If they’re allowed to do whatever they want, then they didn’t break the law
More on the Texas SBOE’s rejection of a third grade math book. Now the majority has voted to strike the minority reports from the official record of the board’s minutes. It seems that while our San Antonio representative couldn’t bring himself to vote on the original matter, he has joined the majority in censoring the [...]
Start checking your kindergartner’s credit report
A new database will be collecting kindergartner’s social security numbers. Company gets kindergartners’ Social Security numbers, data | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News The new database for kindergarten test scores also includes sections for children’s names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, gender, school identification numbers and parents’ names [...]
Vouchers are about choice, not quality
MySA.com: Metro | State In recent weeks, community members have rallied and pleaded with trustees, begging them to spare West Campus, which has about 600 students. But faced with a heart versus head dilemma, trustees voted to close the campus, which has had chronic low enrollment for years, operates at a deficit and has an [...]
We have vouchers for higher education
This is from one of my favorite blogs about an argument for school vouchers. The Washington Monthly And yet, despite its thoroughness, it somehow fails to address the single biggest problem with school vouchers: oversight. If you’re going to receive taxpayer dollars, then you have to agree to taxpayer oversight. That means that NCLB applies [...]
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing?
Very interesting article. I know a while back everyone (myself included) was aghast at Spelling’s proposed accountability version of “No Child Left Behind” for higher education. I don’t agree with the punishments mandated by the testing the law requires, but I think it’s a good idea to have the data available. Apparently, most colleges don’t [...]
Because education officials wouldn’t lie
Critics say TEA’s dropout figures mislead public | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle Bob Sanborn, who runs a Houston-based education research and advocacy group, said the changes addressed some of his concerns. But, he said, the state still allows schools to get credit for students who never graduate. Students can say they are dropping out to [...]
Who will be cheating now?
If you think there is cheating with the TAKS exam now, wait until you have end of the course exams. End-of-course tests go to Perry | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Texas Southwest In addition to determining whether a student graduates, the new exams also would count 15 percent toward the [...]
If they request it, you shall provide it
MySA.com: Politics AUSTIN — After a bill to teach Bible classes to high school students easily gained approval from the Senate on Wednesday, lawmakers immediately disagreed on whether the measure would make the courses mandatory. Legislative leaders were not sure whether school districts would be obligated to offer the religion studies course if 15 or [...]
An argument for education reform?
MySA.com: Metro | State Lindsey Fernandez, a senior at Natalia High School, said she felt like an outsider when told she wouldn’t be allowed to graduate with the rest of her classmates because she failed the TAKS science portion. “Graduation is a big part of my life,” said Fernandez, a self-described “A” and “B” student. [...]