PASS testI am surprised by the lack of outrage over South Carolina's change to the PASS test and dramatic lowering of standards for measuring school success. It's sad that these changes are made to make the historically failing schools appear to be adequate, but, further, it strips away from mostly poor, rural students the freedom to attend a better school. These students already face the greatest challenges to quality education.
It was stated that the PACT had to change because it was too hard to pass. South Carolina had only to meet 50 percent of the proficient and advanced goal of No Child Left Behind to pass.
On top of that, Historically Underachieving Group scores are adjusted significantly to help meet the requirement. When schools still couldn't meet the requirement for two years in a row, students were allowed to transfer to better performing schools. This program was a godsend to many families who couldn't afford private school tuition (the only other school choice option in many parts of South Carolina).
Now with the PASS Test, these historically failing schools will meet the NCLB requirements and thousands of children will lose this opportunity. The PASS test was established strictly to increase the number of schools meeting Adequate Yearly Progress.
This was done because federal funding is tied to these scores. But the state needs to recognize that students benefitted tremendously from this program. If the test is changed just to meet federal requirements, then enrollment needs to be opened up within school districts. Trapping students in schools that are not equitable to nearby schools because of arbitrary attendance lines is unfair.
South Carolina needs to do what is best for each individual child, not what is easiest to administer. This recent change is not in the best interest of the children of South Carolina.
MALCOLM BALDWIN
Romain Road
McClellanville
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Intended Consequences of the PASS
In case you missed this Letter to the Editor of the P&C in Wednesday's edition. There's nothing unintended about what he has identified:
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3 comments:
Why are people not outraged by this???They have not made any schools better, just changed the test and now they look better on paper. There will be no NCLB transfers this year because of this! Now your child is trapped in a bad school with no hope of getting out. Hope McGinley and all her cronies feel better about themselves now knowing they have screwed so many children out of a chance for a better education. THis makes me sick. CCSD is such a joke.
Someone should sue CCSD over this. It is so unfair. Because of a new test...now all schools are in a "holding pattern"...whatever that means...the words of a CCSD employee, not mine. SO after one year as a school meeting AYP...they are all the sudden not a failing school anymore. WOW. What happened to having to meet AYP for 2 years. THis is a crock and they are taking away one of your only ways to get out of a failing school. Why is no one mad about this.
I agree wholeheartedly with what the first two commenters said. The whole situation is scary and so, so sad for the students of Charleston County public schools. Of course, none of this is new to education--it's been happening forever--just different names of tests, etc.
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