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School leaders urge moving forward on accountability
Addressing the veto specter surrounding the school accountability bill, school leaders said Tuesday the worst thing that could happen for students is nothing at all.
“My concern is that we do nothing,” said Salem Abraham, president of the Canadian ISD Board of Trustees and member of the interim committee that examined the accountability system.
“I’m hopeful that we wouldn’t do all this work and take all this public input and in the end have this thing vetoed,” Abraham said on a conference call organized by several school groups.
Gov. Rick Perry has indicated that he is displeased with the direction of the school accountability bill, particularly a change in the rules for promoting kids the next grade even if they fail the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills.
Current law prohibits “social promotion” for third-graders, fifth-graders and eighth-graders who do not pass certain tests. But in practice, most of those students do get moved along to the next grade by a panel of teachers, principals and the parents.
A veto would leave in place the current law that many say is too punitive and puts too much focus on a single test.
The companion bills crafted by education leaders in the House and Senate lessen the focus on high-stakes testing in the lower grades and return the grade promotion decision back to schools. Those bills were developed in light of the public testimony in hearings across the state last summer.
As conferees hammer out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill, Spring Branch Superintendent Duncan Klussmann said they face a decision between staying on the path recommended by the interim select committee or moving away from those recommendations.
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By John
May 26, 2009 4:22 PM | Link to this
I teach in a border school with 99% hispanic population. All current teaching shows that second language acquisition takes 5-7 years to master. Students usually transition from Spanish to English around the 3rd grade if the student has been in school since kinder. That’s the rub. Accountability says if they are exited from the bi-lingual program they are fully functional - and they fail in 3rd. Then, they make it to 5th and fail again. The accountability program does not account for the difficulties for an ESL child who, based on accountability, must be at least 20 when he/she graduates. And our district is tough, we are free to fail any child at any time. One of our 5th graders transferred to another district and they called to verify he really was in 5th. “But” he’s 14. Simple math says this child will be 22 before he graduates- if he does. And it is not the teachers at fault- this pressure is from the state. Solve this delemma before making the children more accountable. They are paying a stiff price for the state’s myopathy as is.
By John
May 26, 2009 4:21 PM | Link to this
I teach in a border school with 99% hispanic population. All current teaching shows that second language acquisition takes 5-7 years to master. Students usually transition from Spanish to English around the 3rd grade if the student has been in school since kinder. That’s the rub. Accountability says if they are exited from the bi-lingual program they are fully functional - and they fail in 3rd. Then, they make it to 5th and fail again. The accountability program does not account for the difficulties for an ESL child who, based on accountability, must be at least 20 when he/she graduates. And our district is tough, we are free to fail any child at any time. One of our 5th graders transferred to another district and they called to verify he really was in 5th. “But” he’s 14. Simple math says this child will be 22 before he graduates- if he does. And it is not the teachers at fault- this pressure is from the state. Solve this delemma before making the children more accountable. They are paying a stiff price for the state’s myopathy as is.
By West Austinite
May 26, 2009 4:06 PM | Link to this
We need more accountability in our public school systems for results that are relevant. TAKS is a diversion and gives the appearance that our children are getting a relevant education. Every educator I’ve met agrees that it’s more problematic than helpful. Public education is in desperate need of reform. Where are the courageous and visionary education leaders we need? When will the public school systems cease to squash the spirits of those who feel called to teach students (not TEKS)? We know Eanes and AISD well. Eanes and AISD are equally culpable here, although we’ve met more AISD teachers who flourish in their teaching passions in spite of cumbersome administration. Eanes is vicious toward teachers who don’t surrender power to the system. Remember the Westlake High School award-winning physics teacher who was attacked by the Eanes superintendent when he resigned to teach at a less privileged school? He’s one of many bullied by that district in recent years. TEA could do better by writing better standards, lowering class sizes and encouraging student-focused teaching across the board. When will courageous global-mindset leaders take the reins of school boards and stop the business-as-usual and the institutional-self-preservation? (If you can obtain them, read through the transcripts of school board meetings and review the documents. Quality of education is usually not on the agenda.) Most global thought leaders predict that we’ll see more vouchers and home-schooling soon, because of the demise of public ed. Some believe it’s easier to go around a sinking ship than to try and save it. I hope that public ed will be remade so that we can prepare 21stC quality leaders. Let’s hope that public ed will rise with the tide of courageous educators and administrators with a vision for their students. Please step up. You’re needed.
By Change for the better
May 26, 2009 3:40 PM | Link to this
Perhaps you are the idiot? And you are really mean too. Are you employed by a public school district? Gosh, I hope not. Private schools are definitely the answer for students who are not well-served by public school. We’ve already seen change - private school is working like a charm for my student and many others I know who have left public school. It’s a remarkable change for the better.
By theinside
May 26, 2009 3:09 PM | Link to this
Oh, so many idiots who don’t understand public education. Get educated, you fools. Private schools and vouchers are not the answer to public school woes. Be a parent and start making your kids do their jobs, and maybe then we’ll see change.
By In favor of veto
May 26, 2009 2:56 PM | Link to this
The education bureaucrats want this bill to pass because it further weakens the already absent accountability in public school districts. As the parent of a student who was socially promoted in Eanes ISD, I agree with Governor Perry. By late elementary, I gave up on Eanes ISD and chose a private school to educate my student. It’s been uphill since then and we are very pleased with the great private education. I hope that Governor Perry will veto this bill.