How FCAT grew up to be the be-all, end-all in Florida
A week before the fourth-grade writing exam, Shelly Ladd-Gilbert's daughter started complaining about stomachaches. On the day of the test, the 10-year-old burst into tears, saying the pain was too severe to go to school. A trip to the doctor yielded a surprising diagnosis: severe test anxiety. Florida has tested students for decades, but since its inception 14 years ago the FCAT has evolved from a simple measure of student learning to an all-encompassing arbiter of student, teacher and school performance. The test factors into third-grade promotion, high school graduation, class placement, teacher pay and evaluations, even whether a school stays open. The state's signature test has become a constant thread in the community, too. Parents use FCAT scores -- and the school grades based on them -- to decide where to live and what public school their child should attend. Or whether that child should go to public school at all. Real estate agents promote neighborhoods with A-rated schools. Community leaders woo new businesses with A-rated schools. Gov. Rick Scott ranked every school in the state this year, providing even more fodder for comparison. All based on FCAT scores. Few educators, parents or political leaders question that the state needs a way to measure how much students are learning. And the expansion of the FCAT has brought tremendous academic gains, developing Florida's reputation as a national leader in education. But some fear that Florida's model has turned into a runaway train of testing.
Swamped by standardized tests? Blame Jeb
In her Monday commentary in The Palm Beach Post, Patricia Levesque disingenuously blamed local school districts for all the standardized tests in Florida that are angering parents and frustrating students. Levesque, who as an adviser to former Gov. Jeb Bush saluted every “bold” education scheme from FCAT-based school grades to vouchers for religious schools, wrote, “Many districts require two to three times more tests than are required by the state.” In fact, local districts have little or no choice. They know that everybody suffers if students do poorly on the late-spring FCAT. So they give at least two pre-FCAT tests, one in the fall and one in the winter, to identify areas where individual students need more help. So a student will take two pre-FCAT tests before taking the reading FCAT and another two pre-FCAT tests before taking the math FCAT. Couldn’t the schools just bag those and take their chances? In many cases, the answer is no. The Florida Department of Education identifies schools that are in danger of doing poorly on the FCAT and other assessments, and requires districts to show that they’re preparing students for the tests. Most schools in Palm Beach County, for example, are required to assess and report student progress before the FCAT is administered. Levesque is now executive director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future. Jeb Bush is the chairman, and it’s his way of continuing to influence education since leaving office in 2007. Finally, Levesque doesn’t warn parents that another shoe is about to drop. Actually, it’s an Imelda Marcos closetful. The Legislature and Gov. Rick Scott have required school districts to develop and administer standardized end-of-course exams in every class. Students won’t have to pass all of them to graduate, but some will be graduation requirements. Teacher pay will be pegged to student scores. Levesque doesn’t want to admit it, but in large part because of policies she advocated, the state -- not local school districts -- is smothering Florida students in standardized tests.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/editorial-swamped-by-standardized-tests-blame-jeb/nPZYm/
Miami-Dade teachers anxious over principals’ evaluations (Karen Aronowitz quoted)
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/22/2864030/miami-dade-teachers-anxious-over.html
It’s time to halt the FCAT (by Karen Aronowitz)
http://www.communitynewspapers.com/doral-tribune/its-time-to-halt-the-fcat/
Officials: Few Hillsborough teachers to be fired under Gates evaluation system (Jean Clements quoted in both stories, Stephanie Baxter-Jenkins in the second)
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/few-hillsborough-teachers-rated-unsatisfactory-in-evaluations/1235823
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/article1227901.ece
Martin School Board OKs teacher contract with step increase (Pam Kessler quoted)
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/jun/26/martin-county-school-board-oks-teacher-contract/
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/jun/21/editorial-governance-of-martin-county-school-has/
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/jun/19/martin-school-board-again-holds-off-on-teachers/
St. Lucie school employees to see 3 percent pay reduction (Vicki Rodriguez quoted)
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/jun/26/st-lucie-county-school-employees-to-see-3-pay/
Average Pinellas teacher salary drops steadily over last few years (Kim Black quoted)
http://www.tampabay.com/news/average-pinellas-teacher-salary-drops-steadily-over-last-few-years/1234827
Invest in Pinellas teachers
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/invest-in-pinellas-teachers/1235617
Money key in St. Johns teacher-school board talks (Dawn Chapman and Rich Grady quoted)
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2012-06-12/money-key-teacher-teacher-school-board-talks#.T9j2Myag7Gi.email
For some, teaching not a fun job anymore (Dawn Chapman quoted)
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2012-06-10/some-teaching-not-fun-job-anymore
Collier teachers union proposes furlough days in exchange for raises (Jonathan Tuttle quoted)
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2012/jun/20/collier-teachers-union-proposes-furlough-days-in/
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2012/jun/21/brent-batten-union-offer-a-step-in-the-wrong/
Polk district fears reprisals if grades drop (PEA mentioned)
http://www.newschief.com/article/20120627/sports06/120629969
Fewer Monroe teachers than expected to be laid off (Holly Hummell-Gorman quoted)
http://www.keysnet.com/2012/06/15/454655/fewer-teachers-than-expected-to.html
http://www.keysnet.com/2012/06/13/454239/budget-outlook-brightens-a-bit.html
New teachers union head set to take reins, make step raises top priority (Debra Wilhelm, Lynn Cavall and Marty Schaap quoted; Tony Hernandez mentioned)
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local-education/new-teachers-union-head-set-to-take-reins-make-ste/nPdyZ/
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local-education/new-executive-director-picked-for-classroom-teache/nPPX4/
Okaloosa suspends union's email privileges (Patrick Strong quoted)
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles/suspended-50559-district-support.html
Okaloosa superintendent uses school account to send campaign-sign email (Patrick Strong quoted)
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/articles/-50633--.html
Hernando budget process debated (Joe Vitalo quoted)
http://www2.hernandotoday.com/news/hernando-news/2012/jun/23/hanewso1-budget-process-debated-ar-419475/
Marion School Board joins critics of extensive state standardized testing (Chris Altobello quoted)
http://www.ocala.com/article/20120627/ARTICLES/120629720/1402/NEWS?Title=School-Board-joins-critics-of-extensive-state-standardized-testing
Volusia joins Flagler in growing FCAT debate
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/west-volusia/2012/06/24/volusia-joins-flagler-in-growing-fcat-debate.html
Manatee School Board requests a scale-back of FCAT
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120625/article/120629722
Indian River Schools join group seeking to lower stakes associated with FCAT
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/jun/26/indian-river-schools-join-group-seeking-to-lower/
Indian River principals do school district shuffle (Beth Weatherstone quoted)
http://www.myhometownnews.net/index.php?id=94002
Superintendents: Florida’s school accountability system will fail
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-04-27/features/os-superintendents-past-future-20120427_1_accountability-system-bill-vogel-high-school-students
Vogel exits Seminole schools with stern warning about Florida education
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2012-06-24/are-public-pensions-fair
Florida School Board Association pans FCAT
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120614/ARTICLE/120619718
Testing experts play critical role in students', teachers' futures
Florida is over testing students, destroying education
The next wave of standardized testing is here, measuring your kids in art, music, and phys ed. Is that even possible?
Teachers face suspensions over FCAT lapses
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/testing/teachers-face-suspensions-over-fcat-lapses/1237565
L.A. Times 2011 teacher effectiveness rankings remain unreliable
In its second attempt to rank Los Angeles teachers based on “value-added” assessments derived from students’ standardized test scores, The Los Angeles Times has still produced unreliable information that cannot be used for the purpose the newspaper intends, according to new research released by the National Education Policy Center. Catherine Durso of the University of Denver studied the newspaper’s 2011 rankings of teachers and found that they rely on data yielding results that are unstable from year to year. Additionally, Durso found that the value-added assessment model used by The Times can easily impute to teachers effects that may in fact result from outside factors, such as a student’s poverty level or the neighborhood in which he or she lives. “The effect estimate for each teacher cannot be taken at face value,” Durso writes. Instead, each teacher’s effect estimate includes a large “error band” that reflects the probable range of scores for a teacher under the assessment system. “The error band ... for many teachers is larger than the entire range of scores from the ‘less effective’ to ‘more effective’ designations provided by the LA Times,” Durso writes. As a consequence, the so-called teacher-linked effect for individual teachers “is also unstable over time,” she continues. Durso found in particular that when teachers change schools, their rankings under the value-added assessments are likely to change. An NEPC review in 2011 of the methodology that the Times relied on to produce the newspaper’s 2010 report ranking teachers based on “value-added assessment” similarly found those methods too flawed to produce reliable information. That report, Due Diligence and the Evaluation of Teachers, by Derek C. Briggs and Ben Domingue, can be found at: http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/due-diligence. An Analysis of the Use and Validity of the Test-Based Teacher Evaluations Reported by The Los Angeles Times: 2011, by Catherine Durso,can be found on the web at:
http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/analysis-la-times-2011.
AFT to open lesson-sharing website (Randi Weingarten quoted)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/us/teachers-union-to-open-lesson-sharing-web-site.html?ref=todayspaper
http://www.aft.org/newspubs/press/2012/061912.cfm
Report highlights importance of strong and supported work environment on teaching and learning (Randi Weingarten quoted)
http://www.aft.org/newspubs/press/2012/062712.cfm
Educators say YouTube video shows common struggle for school workers
http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/national/karen-klein-bus-abuse-case-educators-say-youtube-video-shows-common-struggle-for-school-workers
Bullying of teachers more damaging in online era (John Ristow quoted)
http://www.bradenton.com/2012/06/23/4089192/bullying-of-teachers-more-damaging.html
Ten Florida high schools prepare students for college better than most in the country, report says
Education conference expects decline in public school enrollment
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28071283
National education reform group's spending shown
The national education reform group StudentsFirst, which has set out to transform U.S. schools by introducing more free-market principles to public education, raised $7.6 million in its first nine months -- and spent nearly a quarter of it on advertising -- according to partial tax records. Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of the Washington, D.C., public schools, launched StudentsFirst in the fall of 2010 with the stated goal of raising $1 billion over five years. Among the reforms it advocates: abolishing teacher tenure; permitting more teachers without formal education training to take charge of classrooms; evaluating teachers in large measure by their students' growth on standardized tests; and expanding charter schools, which are publicly funded but typically run by private corporations, including for-profit management firms. Rhee has pressed her agenda in states from Connecticut to Alabama to Michigan, spending millions on TV and radio ads, public rallies and lobbying as well as campaign donations for friendly candidates. In each state, Rhee has drawn ferocious opposition from teachers unions, which say her policy prescriptions have not been shown to improve student learning. Rhee, a political lightning rod since she closed scores of schools and laid off hundreds of teachers during her tenure in Washington, has refused to discuss her funding or her donors. The IRS forms released by her organization on Monday cover only the first several months of her work, through July 31, 2011. Updated filings are not expected until the end of the year, though Reuters has confirmed that recent donors include New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and hedge fund managers David Tepper and Alan Fournier, who have pledged substantial resources to a StudentsFirst partner organization in New Jersey. The Laura and John Arnold Foundation, funded by hedge fund manager John Arnold, has also pledged $20 million to Rhee's organization over five years, a donation that does not appear to be reflected in the IRS forms released thus far. The IRS forms do not detail Rhee's spending, except for a previously undisclosed donation of $100,000 to Partnership for Ohio's Future, a campaign run by the state's Chamber of Commerce to push for passage of Republican Governor John Kasich's 2011 budget. That budget, which passed and was implemented, included deep cuts to public education funding. Separately, Kasich pushed for restrictions on public-sector unions, including teachers unions; Rhee did not support that bill. Rhee's critics, led by teachers unions, have criticized her for working closely with Republican governors who have slashed education funding, including Kasich, Michigan's Rick Snyder and Florida's Rick Scott. Rhee responds that schools don't necessarily need more resources; they need to spend what they have more wisely. Among her prescriptions: eliminating the union contract provisions that protect the most veteran -- and often the highest-paid -- teachers from layoffs.
http://myednext.org/profiles/blogs/enter-rhee-as-the-newest-unprepared-soldier-fighting-on-behalf-of
Charter school politics get convoluted
Florida's rules for charters don't protect interests of students, taxpayers
Dunedin charter school closed now, but how did it get so bad? (Andy Ford quoted)
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/article1235588.ece
Legislature, local governments weigh in on pension case
The Florida Legislature and groups representing local governments have filed court papers supporting the state's argument that the Florida Supreme Court should overturn a lower court ruling blocking a requirement for government workers to contribute a portion of their salaries to their retirement. The Florida League of Cities and Florida Association of Counties say local governments are dealing with the same budget pressures that prompted the changes in SB 2100 in 2011. Leon County Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford's ruling would deal an estimated fiscal blow of $590 million to the counties alone. Fulford concluded the law broke a contract with public employees, violated a constitutional ban on "takings" by the government and circumvented the requirement that changes in employee benefits go through the collective bargaining process. Attorneys for the Florida House and Senate, meanwhile, have filed a brief that details the past four decades of changes to the Florida Retirement System, which they say shows lawmakers did not intend to tie the hands of successors when they eliminated employee contributions in the 1970s. The briefs cited in this report were obtained via the website of their lead attorney, Ron Meyer, who represents the Florida Education Association.
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28202230
http://www.postonpolitics.com/2012/06/scott-lawyers-say-judge-was-wrong-in-pension-case/
http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10172&Itemid=42
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/editorial-workers-lose-either-way-on-pension-rulin/nPWJY/
Are public pensions fair?
A St. Johns County Fire Rescue lieutenant who earned $77,439 in his last year of 25 years service can retire and get a pension of $58,000 for life. The pension would start as soon as he retired, so if he began working at age 18, he could have his pension begin at age 43. There has been a lot of debate -- especially after the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election earlier in June -- about public sector pension plans. One of the biggest issues is fairness. At retirement, many public-sector employees receive pensions that are inflation adjusted and for years have required no contribution from the employee, while the majority of their private-sector counterparts must save out of their own pockets for their retirements through investments such as a 401(k) fund, which usually have matching funds from their employer. Charles Stephens of St. Johns Financial Planning called the current state pension system unfair, and said it is “unsustainable, pure and simple.” “Anytime you have a system that pays out benefits to people that have not paid into it, it’s going to be impossible to maintain in the long run,” he said. “Something is going to have to change. The rest of us need to save 10 percent of every check to insure we’re going to have enough to live on when we retire. Public employees should, too.” A representative of the Florida Education Association, a statewide teachers union with 140,000 members including public school employees, teachers and higher education faculty, countered that the current pension system is both fair and sustainable. “Any talk of fairness must address all aspects of a compensation package -- salary, benefits and retirement,” said Mark Pudlow, FEA spokesman. “In Florida, salaries and retirement benefits for public workers are lower than other states, and compensation is often lower than the private sector for similar jobs. Public workers may not contribute to their retirement in Florida -- at least they didn’t until (Gov. Rick) Scott and the Legislature stepped in -- but that doesn’t mean they’re not paying for their retirement in other ways,” Pudlow said. “The national average for a teacher salary, for example, is about $56,000 a year. In Florida, it’s around $46,000, which is 18 percent less than the national average. And the retirement payout is much less than in most other states.” Pudlow said Florida’s pension system is quite sustainable. “The Florida Retirement System was set up as a non-contributory plan,” Pudlow said. “The FRS is well-run and well-funded and has been described as one of the best statewide public retirement funds in the nation. It costs less to administer this plan and has fewer fees than the 401(k) style retirement plan favored by many in the private sector. And pension payouts are modest in Florida -- far less than in other states,” Pudlow said. “Combine that with the fact that teachers in Florida earn $10,000 less than the national average for teachers.” A spokeswoman for the Florida chapter of Service Employees International sought to reframe the debate, saying that all workers -- public and private -- need to be treated fairly in an economy, she said, that a few prosper while the vast majority, in her word, suffer. “There are many misconceptions regarding public sector workers’ pension plans,” said Afifa Khaliq, communications director for the Florida chapter of Service Employees International. “The issue is not private versus public sectors -- it is a much larger issue that needs to be openly debated. While CEOs and top executives in private sector corporations are making millions of dollars in compensation, the middle class workers suffer. Public and private sector workers are part of the 99 percent, and together they are part of the greater movement to protect the middle class and make the American economy stronger.”
http://staugustine.com/news/local-news/2012-06-24/are-public-pensions-fair
New standards need to embrace English language learners (AFT mentioned)
http://leadernet.aft.org/news/article_detail.cfm?ArticleID=3627
Charter schools sue Texas over funding
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Charter-schools-sue-Texas-over-funding-3664979.php
Why Johnny can’t add without a calculator
300,000 needy Florida kids go without meals as federal program goes unpromoted
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/300000-needy-florida-kids-go-without-meals-as-fede/nPXD8/
Scott's approach to higher ed reform challenged (Tom Auxter quoted)
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120623/WIRE/120629796/1034/news02?Title=Scott-s-approach-to-higher-ed-reform-challenged-
Without Scott's blessing, new tuition increases are all over the map
http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/college/article1236659.ece
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28202225
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-06-22/story/florida-board-approves-university-tuition-hike
Florida takes low road on higher education
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/florida-takes-low-road-on-higher-education/1236802
Barron continues push for tuition flexibility
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28244788
FSU faculty a “farm team” for out-of-state schools (Jennifer Proffitt quoted)
http://www.tampabay.com/news/fsu-faculty-a-farm-team-for-out-of-state-schools/1237212
High cost of being cheap: faculty exodus
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article1237335.ece
Florida racing to the bottom with dual enrollment retreat
Top politicians among names floated for UF presidency
http://htpolitics.com/2012/06/14/top-politicians-among-names-floated-for-uf-presidency/
Edison State College put on probation (Ellie Bunting quoted)
http://www.fox4now.com/news/local/159949305.html
SCF president's career in jeopardy over grant signatures
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120620/article/120629964
FSCJ investigation finds top administrator violated rules with second job
USF Poly interim leader is stepping down
USF preparing phase-out of Lakeland operation
http://www.theledger.com/article/20120628/NEWS/120629347
FGCU offers lessons for Florida Polytechnic (UFF mentioned)
Professor travel ban to Cuba left intact by court
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/25/2867866/high-court-lets-cuba-travel-ban.html
Senate agreement on student loans
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/college-loan-rate-deal-may-ease-pain-for-florida-s/nPffs/
Privatization of health care in Florida prisons in peril
http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/privatization-of-health-care-in-florida-prisons-in-peril/1237341
State planning more prison privatization
http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/civil/south-florida-private-prison-plan-back-in-court/1237509
Judge declines to stop voter purge; effort could be revived
http://www.tampabay.com/news/judge-denies-request-to-stop-florida-voter-purge/1237485
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/fl-voter-purge-lawsuit-20120627,0,1416631.story
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28278538
Florida considers stopping Voter Participation Center's registration drive letters
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20120627/APN/1206270583
State won't release larger list of possible noncitizen voters
State was warned voter purge used inaccurate data
Florida's attempt to scrub the voter rolls is un-American
http://orlandoweekly.com/news/florida-s-attempt-to-scrub-the-voter-rolls-is-un-american-1.1332571
Write-in gimmick used to disenfranchise voters
http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editorials/article1236028.ece
Florida consumer confidence tumbles
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/personalfinance/florida-consumer-confidence-tumbles/1237301
Scott’s office flips out over accidental release of data
State jobbing the jobless
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/opinion/state-jobbing-the-jobless/nPPm7/
U.S. Supreme Court decision could lead to “show me your papers” law in Florida
As springs, rivers decline, 40-year-old law to protect them mostly goes unheeded
http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=28216157
Graham leads rally to protect springs, rivers
U.S. Supreme Court lets health law largely stand
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/us/supreme-court-lets-health-law-largely-stand.html
http://leadernet.aft.org/news/article_detail.cfm?ArticleID=3628 (Randi Weingarten quoted)
http://www.nea.org/home/52334.htm (Dennis Van Roekel quoted)
PolitiFact: Top five falsehoods about the health care law
The group trying to kill Obamacare
http://www.salon.com/2012/06/25/nfib_the_group_trying_to_kill_obamacare/singleton/
Supreme Court strengthens Citizens United decision with Montana ruling
Class war at the Supreme Court
Why middle class has taken a big hit
http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/13/opinion/baker-family-worth/index.html
Prisons, privatization, patronage
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/22/opinion/krugman-prisons-privatization-patronage.html
The truth about the Fast and Furious scandal
http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2012/06/27/fast-and-furious-truth/
Class decides everything
http://www.salon.com/2012/06/24/class_decides_everything/singleton/
The misruling class
http://inthesetimes.com/article/13352/the_misruling_class/
When ALEC takes over your town
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/opinion/nocera-when-alec-takes-over-your-town.html?ref=todayspaper
Post-New Deal America needs unions
http://prospect.org/article/post-new-deal-america-needs-unions
The Texas court case that could wound America’s unions
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