Rumors

No Child Left Behind. What a noble cause, what a grand idea, who could disagree? Every child can learn to read, write, do math and science at a proficient level on the ACT? Don't even want to waste space when the rumor mill has provided me some food for thought and for wondering why no publication ever digs into the "data" schools and the state provide. Is it accurate? Has it been manipulated? Are all schools doing the exact same thing? Who has time to check into the behind the scenes stuff when we can pick on the dumb teachers and they can't defend themselves?

Graduation rate: figured on those students who earn their credits to graduate by June 30 of the school year. What if the student takes summer school and it ends on July 6 or 7 and they get their diploma then? Rumor, some administrators count them on the next years graduating class. So if one student drops out you have one who graduated the previous summer school and that would balance that out.

Reclassification of students: who takes the PSAE? All third year high school students? All students who have earned junior status? Only those students who have taken Algebra II and Chemistry can be called juniors?? Where did this one come from? Rumor, an area district is going to this way of classifying students to keep the lower performing crowd from taking the test. I thought all students had to have their transcripts stamped that they took the PSAE, could this really be happening? Rumors.

Bottom line, the race to higher test scores must stop. There is no connection between high test scores and the ability to compete for jobs on the world stage. China and India have the future, their top 10% outnumber our entire student population. We need to teach our students how to be outstanding employees, how to think, problem solve, speak, work within a diverse group, get along well with others, we need to drop this idea that all students need four years of math and four years of English. The truth is, they don't. The life skills will be far more valuable. We have always known this but politicians like to get elected and so they get involved in things of which they have no understanding. You know, education, the economy, the budget, paying bills on time, telling the truth, working well with others, problem solve, etc. Oh, kind of looks like a list I wrote earlier in this blog.