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

[Judi Hirsch <judih@OUSD.K12.CA.US>]

I agree with you completely! For over 30 years I have worked with the kind
of students you describe, and when given a lot of attention and support,
along with non-stop pushing and encouragement, they do just fine, graduate
from high school and go on to college. I think it's a good idea to do this
in a Learning Center rather than one-on-one because they need to hear us
working with other students so they can learn how to give each other
support.
Judi
----- Original Message -----
From: Anne Nonniemouse <ShopMathEdu@AOL.COM>
To: <ARN-L@LISTS.CUA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2000 3:29 PM
Subject: "Raising" scores by pushouts, expulsions, suspensions,
withdrawals...


> 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.]
>
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