Florida is number 8 in Education!

[The Backlash Cometh]

How did that happen? I'm glad, but is someone playing with the numbers? How did we go from 48th in the nation to 8th in less than two years?

Is it the results of different analysis?

See article:

Florida public schools rank 8th in the nation — a huge leap from 31st just three years ago — in Education Week magazine's annual "Quality Counts" report released today.

The news surprised some education officials and parents – in some cases even more so than when the publication announced last year that Florida had made it into the nation's top 10.

Each year, Education Week puts together a state-by-state report card rating public-education systems in such areas as student achievement, academic standards, teachers and financing. The report uses available national data as recent as 2009 and as far back as 2000.

Overall, Florida earned a B-minus.

The Sunshine State jumped into the No. 7 spot in student achievement. That rating recognized that test scores have improved in Florida and that the state is closing the achievement gap between impoverished children and their more fortunate peers.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-quality-counts-rankings-01142010-20100113,0,2461329.story

[ensho]

1. its Florida, shrug, they play with numbers

nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. That was what I was wondering.

These people aren't opposed to fudging numbers in order to get the results they want. Let's say, for example, that they want to prove that the public schools are failing in order to justify programs that send public money to private charter schools. Well, 48% should make their case. But, then, let's say that a new president comes in and wants to make overhauls in the way math and science is taught in schools and will focus on those states with the worst records? Or that the state of Florida has just lost eleven million dollars in Federal tax assistance in Education for whatever reason...well, what if someone is fudging the numbers for political purposes?

[L0oniX]

2. Yea ...one link from a podunk town ...where's the proof? Why isn't this on more news outlets?

Bogus info. I wish people wouldn't post bull shit without legitimate links and sources. This shit really makes me mad. Has this even been to court yet? How do we know students were really involved? Maybe the teachers are Repukes. Did you ever think of that before you posted this shit? wtf dude

:sarcasm:

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Your sarcasm falls short.

However, you did bring up the fact that it was posted from a podunk town. I can tell you something about the County where that podunk town lies. Orange County schools is right now negotiating with the NAACP and the courts over the closing of schools which affect mostly the black communities. They are also trying to prove that an old desegregation ruling is no longer needed. I believe that Seminole county has just wiggled its way out of the ruling.

So, posting what a podunk town is doing is very relevant, especially when numbers jump the way they do.

[RebelOne]

10. Orlando a podunk town? Have you ever been to Orlando?

In American English, Podunk, podunk, or Podunk Hollow has come to denote a place (or sometimes something else) of small size or "in the middle of nowhere." This definition does not fit Orlando. It is not of small size nor is it in the middle of nowhere.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. Here's a clue

:sarcasm:

However, I'm in favor of podunk having two meanings.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Someone passed this information along:

http://www.edweek.org/info/about/

The person said that it was an organization that is known to be conservative.

I'm just wondering if we're seeing the same machinations that the Manhattan Institute was known for.

[Alcibiades]

6. Any metric that places SC better than NC

is one of which I am deeply, deeply skeptical.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Thanks for dropping in.

I agree that this needs to be looked at. Something isn't adding up. This new math seems to rely on creative theory.

[Dappleganger]

7. I can tell you it's quite undeserved.

Our kids go to school in the best performing system in the state and their performance is still sub-par compared to where we came from, VA.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Who would be responsible for checking this organizations numbers

and claims?

[cali]

11. bullshit. just bullshit.