With a D- in student achievement, an F in funding, Florida makes Top 10 in nation's schools.

[madfloridian]

That really doesn't say much for our ability to judge our school system.

There has been a big propaganda spin the last few days about how Florida jumped back up into the Top Ten in Education Week's ranking. Yet Florida received a D and F in two of the most important areas.

FLORIDA’S REPORT CARD

Florida’s B- grade from Education Week was based on a variety of subjects, each of which received its own grade. Here’s how Florida fared in some of them:

Early-childhood education: A

School Spending: F

Standards, Assessments & Accountability: A

Status of K-12 Achievement: D-

College readiness: B-

Accountability in the quality of teachers: A

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/10/v-fullstory/3175937/florida-schools-make-top-10.html#storylink=cpy

There's more.

The Early Childhood education which got an A of course includes Pre-K. In Florida Pre-K has been turned into a voucher program which gives public money to private religious schools which are not regulated by the state.

Does the Florida Department of Education license private schools?

No. The Department of Education does not have jurisdiction over private schools. Legislative intent not to regulate, control, approve, or accredit private educational institutions, churches, their ministries, religious instruction, freedoms, or rites, is explicit. The owners of private elementary and secondary schools in Florida are solely responsible for all aspects of their educational programs.

Do private schools have to be accredited?

No. In Florida, private schools are not accredited by the state. Additionally, the Florida Department of Education does not officially recognize any of the various agencies that accredit private schools. Contact the private schools and accrediting agencies to determine the accreditation status.

Do private schools have to hire certified teachers?

No. The owners of private elementary and secondary schools in Florida are solely responsible for establishing duties, qualifications, and salaries of faculty and staff.

http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/information/private_schools/faqs.asp

The A received in teacher accountability refers the state being on board with merit pay for teachers based on student test scores.

This kind of grading of schools is similar to that of Michelle Rhee, who gave the highest scores to Florida and Louisiana and gave Ds and Fs to some of the best schools in the nation academically.

Michelle Rhee's group gave D and F grades to most states in this country for their school policies.

The media went right along with her little game, loudly proclaiming the scores and making them seem valid.

And not a single political leader spoke up to tell the nation that Michelle Rhee had no authority to grade the schools in this country.

The Top Ten score for Florida is apparently about how well the state toes the line of the "education reformers".

[d_r]

1. its all in what you score

Isn't it?

Education is going downhill but they are doing a great job in standar4dized testing and "aacountability."

This scale lacks validity.

[madfloridian]

2. That's the truth.

Standards now are pathetic.

[patrice]

4. Too many people think all anyone needs in order to teach is presentation skills & the answer book.nt

[madfloridian]

12. So true.

And the reformers think they can measure success by their own standards...oh wait...they are doing it. Without opposition from major players.

[patrice]

14. Yep. Standards that they just made-up AND for which there is no consistent means or process by which

to identify what constitutes any manifestation of a given standard, in whole or in part, and by how much.

The relationship between curriculum and standards was the subject of my research for my master's thesis, several years ago.

I have watched inexperienced, just regular folks, use 6-trait rubrics to score state writing assessments for a standardized testing corporation. It would have been funny if the consequences weren't so high. The corporation's attempt to ameliorate the situation consisted of reading the name of each trait accompanied by a bullet list of about 5 or 6 aspects of that trait. Scorers used to talk about what they were doing on our breaks. Mostly, it amounted to read the whole piece and then just take a stab at an overall score. It was as though the individual traits, which the students had learned to apply to their writing in class, were meaningless.

[DonRedwood]

19. Rhee lacks validity

[madfloridian]

20. Yes, she does.

And she lacks the authority to grade schools and states. Arne not speaking out, silence is deafening.

[tabasco]

3. And here I thought "student achievement" was the goal

Stupid-ass survey if results are not the benchmarks.

[madfloridian]

5. Me, too. Doesn't seem that way anymore.

[Follow The Money]

6. Thank you so much for the work you do to inform

Have you seen this story in Ohio?

Religious Charter Schools Gone Wild? Using Students to Demolish Building with Asbestos!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022174109

I think I may have gotten the headline wrong, is this a charter school? I can't imagine people paying to send their kids to a private school like this...

[madfloridian]

7. Saw the article, missed your post. Just recced it.

I think it is a private religious school, but in FL they could get voucher money from the state. Everyone else does.

[Blue_In_AK]

8. There's been a bill introduced into Alaska's state legislature

to give state funds to private schools, as well, which is clearly against Alaska's constitution, which specifically forbids such a practice. I think every bill that's been introduced down in Juneau this session is ALEC-based and sadly the R's now have a supermajority since my recently elected state representative just switched her party affiliation to Republican -- AFTER the election. I'm so pissed at her I can't see straight, which really has not much to do with MadFlo's OP here, but somehow I think all this stuff is connected.

[madfloridian]

9. Trust me, it is all connected.

Our legislature is nearly all Republican, they are Rick Scott Republicans, and they do not care about the state or its people. They only care about their own ideologies.

[Trekologer]

10. If accountability is so great, why is achievement barely passing?

That alone doesn't seem to pass the smell test.

[madfloridian]

11. It doesn't pass the smell test. And where's the outrage?

This kind of stuff is making it hard for a truly good system of schools to get credit.

People should be angry.

[tallahasseedem]

13. I am so happy I got my kids out of there...

They were actually behind their peers when we moved to New Jersey and had to do a lot of catching up. It was very eye-opening!

[madfloridian]

15. The harm being done now by Rick Scott and his band of Republicans...

may never be able to be fixed. It really saddens me.

[HiPointDem]

16. rhee's scorecard is about how much states have deregulated & privatized education; nothing to

do with how well they educate kids.

pretty clear when florida & arizona are at the top of the list.

[hay rick]

17. K&R

Another useless report that puts dogma ahead of data.

[madfloridian]

18. Exactly.

[Rex]

21. That state is run by a total crook

I would say more, but I live in Texas.

[madfloridian]

22. I know what you mean.

Lots of crooks running things now.

[Rex]

25. I know it is terrible

my mother is on the school board here in our small town and just told me there is now ANOTHER layer of testing (that some faceless corporation is going to make billions on) to punish the kids. This is something different than NCLB. Another way to exploit our kids in the name of $.

[Heywood J]

23. " College readiness: B- "

Readiness for college where? How would I know whether this includes "ready for a diploma mill"?

"Standards, Assessments & Accountability: A "
"Status of K-12 Achievement: D- "
So they test kids a lot, but they don't actually achieve anything with the information drilled into them?

[LWolf]

24. My colleagues and I have been talking this year

about the new accountability systems in place with the NCLB waiver.

The heavy-duty focus on "achievement" in the form of standardized test scores is NOT an improvement.

My school got the best scores in our district last year. Our teachers, though, are talking about how there is no more joy in learning. It's all high-stakes, high-stress, high-pressure test prep.

Just last week I was reminiscing with a colleague about all the fun projects we used to do; not standards-driven or standards-based, but something students looked forward to; wanted to come to school for; something that created memories that lasted a hell of a lot longer than the drilling and killing test prep. There's a reason why they call it drill and KILL.

We still try to find time for fun, as well. It isn't built into regular lessons, though, because we'll get dinged on our evaluations. We get comments like, "How did _____________ help further your students' progress with that standard?" Even though a lesson is all about the standard. Put something in to lighten the mood, to energize the students, to spark some curiosity or enthusiasm, and we're "wasting instructional time."

Yesterday, my neighbor down the hall was telling me about his wife's school. They just got a new principal. Who, in the very first staff meeting, told the staff that she was "old school" and expected that there would be straight lines and silence in halls...in high school...and that it was the staff's responsibility to create that environment, even when they aren't on duty in the halls. Then she told them that she didn't want any down time. There will be no stopping 3 minutes early so that students can put materials away, etc.. She expects whatever lesson they are doing to last to the bell, with no exceptions. She will be observing for just that.

My colleagues and I agree: learning happens best in a relaxed environment where it is safe to take risks, where students can actually look forward to learning in a positive way, not in an authoritarian, stress-filled, unpleasantly rigid and militaristic culture.

It's too bad the people mandating policy aren't teachers. We'd have a vibrant, thriving, healthy system.

Of course, we wouldn't be "grading" it on the wrong things, for the wrong purposes.

[madfloridian]

26. Zero tolerance principal.

My last principal before I retired was so bad that after one incident the county superintendent called me at home and begged me to file a grievance. I remember telling him that I had to survive another year or so, and I would not do it. I said she should be fired, he said they had tried. She sued them and won.

If I had to do it over again I would have the courage to file that grievance and publicize the harm she had done. I would do it in a heartbeat.