"Raising" scores by pushouts, expulsions, suspensions, withdrawals...

[Anne Nonniemouse <ShopMathEdu@AOL.COM>]

besecker@SPRYNET.COM (Irv Besecker) writes:

<< A reporter from the NC Associated Press called me and she is doing a story
on
"whether accountability leads schools to suspend/expel low-performing
students."  She is especially interested in NC, but any examples or articles
would be helpful.>>

BINGO!!!!

It is precisely this issue which brought me into contact with Fair Test.
This issue is a tragedy of which I wish that I knew less about.  Knowledge of
injustice compels us to take steps against injustice and this is jeopardizing
many students and teachers in our district.

For starters, go to:
http://www.catalyst-chicago.org

Search for the June, 1999 issue of their publication which is on line.
There, you will find an article precisely on this subject titled, "Dropout
rate climbs as schools dump truants," written by Maureen Kelleher.

Last night's "Nightline" was a wonderful expose' about the standardized test
score hysteria leading to cheating.  However, the real cheating was not even
discussed.  This is the cheating by school administrators who are
artificially attempting to manipulate the scores (ie, CHEAT) by
systematically pushing out students who are low achievers.  What a horrible
blow to deliver to these students.

This insidious procedure has been fully documented where I work.  It is
currently under investigation.  It effects hundreds of students this year
alone.  Administrators pushed out students in the months and weeks before the
administration of the Stanford 9.  The students arrived at school and were
told to report to the office.  There they were handed "Withdrawal" slips,
with an explanation of, "lack of interest."  The students did not initiate
this withdrawal.  It came from the administration and was done similarly
across the school district.

Most of the students have poor attendance records.  Most of the students are
very low achievers.   Many of the students did not "lack interest"
whatsoever.  They took alternative measures to continue their education.
There is no evidence that these pushedout students were disciplinary
problems.  Many of these 9th, 10th, and 11th graders were assessed in the
2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th grade levels!!!  They need immediate help and assistance.
 The last thing in the world they need is to be severed from an educational
program.

There is a lot of finger pointing that can take place here.

However, the main thing we are interested in doing is immediately stopping
this reprehensible procedure once and for all.

We do not want a centralized alternative high school for these students.
Instead, we want an alternative curriculum, with intense, one-on-one
remediation, especially in reading.  In other words, we want increased
staffing at the respective schools to conduct this remedial instruction.
That is one of the only ways to salvage the affected students' educational
careers.

I could go on and on about this subject because we have done nothing but eat,
sleep, teach, and despair over this despicable tragedy since we learned about
it in April, 2000.

This will be an issue of major proportions in this school district and we are
just beginning to bring this to the attention of the proper authorities,
students, parents, and public at large.

Incidentally, before I learned about the Chicago experience, I heard from
other educators that this had occurred in North Carolina, though no one gave
me any specifics whatsoever.  It is interesting that this inquiry should now
come from NC, because obviously there are similar problems in that state.
The reporter from NC is definitely on to something.

I truly regret corresponding without concrete specifics, but there are many
lives, careers, jobs, educations at stake here and we are trying to protect
our students and  their advocates within our system.  When we come under more
intensified attack, we hope that we can count on the readers of this list to
watch our backs and rally around thix extremely important issue.

The reporter from North Carolina is definitely on the correct path of
investigation.

Good luck.

Yours, from far south of North Carolina

[Through no fault of my own, the views above do not represent the views, even
remotely, of my employer.]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from the ARN-L list, send command SIGNOFF ARN-L
to LISTSERV@LISTS.CUA.EDU.