Proposal in Florida to base state aid on test scores

[proud2BlibKansan]

Those scanning the horizon for still more legislative assaults on public education in Florida should notice a provision buried on Page 67 of the 71-page House Bill 7059, which awaits Gov. Scott's signature.

The bill generally tinkers with curriculum requirements and graduation policies. The bombshell comes in the discussion of the "end-of-course assessments" being phased in to replace the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The bill decrees that those tests, which otherwise improve on the FCAT, will affect the "full-time equivalent" (FTE) payment from the state for each student.

Schools must gather three years of data on end-of-course tests for algebra, geometry and biology. Then, "beginning in the fourth year of administering the end-of-course assessment, the FTE shall be credit-based and each course shall be equal to 1/6 FTE."

If Gov. Scott agrees, as he almost certainly will, Florida school districts for the first time will face a monetary penalty when students fail to pass high-stakes tests at the core of the alleged "accountability" systems being pushed so relentlessly at the state and federal levels. The per-pupil "FTE" in the budget the Legislature just approved is about $6,375. So if the penalty were in effect for next year, one-sixth of an "FTE" would be about $1,062.

more . . . http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/editorials/schools-to-take-more-fire-2283714.html?showComments=true#comments

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Okay, I would agree to this under 1 condition:

That the FCAT include the following test questions:

1) What is Rick Scott's middle name:
(Answer: Lynn)

2) Who was CEO and founder of the medical corporation, Columbia/HCA?
(Answer: Governor Rick Lynn Scott)

3) Was Governor Rick Lynn Scott fired from any job?
(Answer: Yes, at least one: he was fired as Chief Executive of Columbia/HCA by the Board of Directors)

4) What did the Columbia/HCA medical corporation under Rick Lynn Scott become famous for?
(Answer: For committing the biggest Medicare/Medicaid fraud in the history of the United States)

5) What did these crimes consist of?
(Answer: Paying doctors for bringing Medicare and Medicaid patients, paying doctors for falsifying diagnostic codes to increase reimbursements from Medicare and other government programs, billing Medicare and Medicaid for completely unnecessary lab tests, and much more)

6) Did now Governor Rick Lynn Scott go to prison for these crimes?
(Answer: No, he was able to hide behind the corporate veil so only the corporation was charged with the crimes - the corporation pleaded guilty to over a dozen criminal and civil charges of fraud totaling almost 2 billion dollars)

[HiPointDem]

5. +1. excellent summary.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

6. Thanks! nt

[MichiganVote]

2. Uh, transient student cumulative files, esp. from out of state,

often lack this information OR the standardized tests are not the same OR the kids have been home schooled and have not taken part in standardized testing OR the kids are from overseas where mandated standardized testing is not then available OR the district has changed their curriculum so many times successive results are not possible or valid, OR the kids have continuous absences, OR...

Parents, Stand UP! You are not getting it yet. And you need to GET IT.

[saras]

3. None of that matters if you're in the right school

I'm sure the "proper" schools will have policies allowing them to exclude any unfairly low scores from their averages.

[mbperrin]

4. I don't know why the state just beats around the bush like this.

Just TELL teachers, "Teach to the test only, dammit! We don't give a crap about anything else."

Would be far more honest, and then we wouldn't be confused thinking we were actually supposed to be educating anyone.