Comments on: Where basic is ‘proficient’ http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/where-basic-is-proficient/ Free-linking and thinking on education by Joanne Jacobs Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:14:08 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: D. Jason Fleming (deejf) 's status on Saturday, 31-Oct-09 22:35:22 UTC - Identi.ca http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/where-basic-is-proficient/comment-page-1/#comment-101990 D. Jason Fleming (deejf) 's status on Saturday, 31-Oct-09 22:35:22 UTC - Identi.ca Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:35:31 +0000 http://www.joannejacobs.com/?p=11773#comment-101990 [...] http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/where-basic-is-proficient/ a few seconds ago from web [...] [...] http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/where-basic-is-proficient/ a few seconds ago from web [...]

]]> By: Tweets that mention Where basic is ‘proficient’ « Joanne Jacobs -- Topsy.com http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/where-basic-is-proficient/comment-page-1/#comment-101945 Tweets that mention Where basic is ‘proficient’ « Joanne Jacobs -- Topsy.com Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:43:41 +0000 http://www.joannejacobs.com/?p=11773#comment-101945 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by kriley19, JoanneLeeJacobs. JoanneLeeJacobs said: States where 'proficient' students score below 'basic.' http://bit.ly/2VTVfH [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by kriley19, JoanneLeeJacobs. JoanneLeeJacobs said: States where 'proficient' students score below 'basic.' http://bit.ly/2VTVfH [...]

]]> By: tim-10-ber http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/where-basic-is-proficient/comment-page-1/#comment-101938 tim-10-ber Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:27:58 +0000 http://www.joannejacobs.com/?p=11773#comment-101938 Seeing how in Tennessee 95% or more of the students have to be tested...the results should be indicative of a very weak school system. I am thrilled we will finally get the NAEP standards. The measurements will be applied to the 2008-2009 school year test even though it is not aligned with NAEP. It gives us a base line year. We expect a couple of rough years with our district risking going under state control -- more than it already is. If this is what it takes to move Tennessee out of the cellar of the education world I am all for it. The weakness of the state standards have been known for years. Grade inflation, inconsistency across the board of what is an A, B or C, etc. makes Tennessee's government schools an absolute joke. Time will tell...I wonder when they will clean house in the sate dept of education... Seeing how in Tennessee 95% or more of the students have to be tested…the results should be indicative of a very weak school system. I am thrilled we will finally get the NAEP standards. The measurements will be applied to the 2008-2009 school year test even though it is not aligned with NAEP. It gives us a base line year. We expect a couple of rough years with our district risking going under state control — more than it already is.

If this is what it takes to move Tennessee out of the cellar of the education world I am all for it. The weakness of the state standards have been known for years. Grade inflation, inconsistency across the board of what is an A, B or C, etc. makes Tennessee’s government schools an absolute joke.

Time will tell…I wonder when they will clean house in the sate dept of education…

]]> By: Don Bemont http://www.joannejacobs.com/2009/10/where-basic-is-proficient/comment-page-1/#comment-101937 Don Bemont Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:01:09 +0000 http://www.joannejacobs.com/?p=11773#comment-101937 This is the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Since the vast majority of the people who agree with me that public education needs major improvement disagree with me about the usefulness of these highly publicized measurements, I can only hope that there is a move to analyze the findings. What is meant by proficiency or mastery? What did the test actually ask of students? Who scored the tests? What students have been included/excluded from the testing? In those cases where the tests show that things have improved, would those improvements be evident to an educated person who conversed with those students or read their written work? Politicians and administrators are far more adept at packaging things to look good than they are at making them good. This is the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Since the vast majority of the people who agree with me that public education needs major improvement disagree with me about the usefulness of these highly publicized measurements, I can only hope that there is a move to analyze the findings.

What is meant by proficiency or mastery? What did the test actually ask of students? Who scored the tests? What students have been included/excluded from the testing? In those cases where the tests show that things have improved, would those improvements be evident to an educated person who conversed with those students or read their written work?

Politicians and administrators are far more adept at packaging things to look good than they are at making them good.

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