Friday, May 16, 2014 | North Kitsap Herald
NorthKitsapHerald.com
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Test results are not an accurate gauge of proficiency T
surable usefulness. Each child is an individual, has potential and limitations, a soul and essence, strong likes and dislikes, and some robust non-conformist genes, as any parent knows. And “No Child Left Behind” demands to convert such vibrant diversity to 100 percent academic uniformity? Right now, the average graduation rate for students in all states of the U.S. is 80 percent. No state and no school in Washington has reached the “No Child Left Behind” 100 percent goal. Therefore, all U.S. schools are considered failing; however, states have been given waivers and continued receiving federal education funds.
Recently, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who himself never taught school, cancelled the waiver for Washington state schools because our legislators decided that teachers’ evaluations should not be tied to statewide test results. At first glance, making teachers responsible for a student’s success seems rational: Students get tested, teachers should get tested and incompetent teachers should be weeded out. However, students’ tests and graduation rates are not really reliable measures of teachers’ competency, as statewide tests are no perfect measure for the students ability. Einstein and Edison can attest to that. Academic diversity and many other variables affect test results substantially. This diversity is already noticeable in first grade.
Children operate emotionally and academically on various levels. And as they advance through the school system, the differences grow larger. Once they reach high school, some ninth-graders will operate below ninth grade, some above. Some students will have IEPs (Individualized Education Program), some are ESL students, some fail but end up with a “P” (passing) grade. Some are frequently truant, some work too many hours. Quite a few students have cell phone addiction, and some students consider school a big waste of time and rarely do any assignment. Some are in “mainstreamed” classes, and experience the “Alice in the rabbit hole” shock. Thus, such diversity of students’ abilities will skew the results of any “one size fits all” test. WASL proved that with devastating results, and some states
have already withdrawn from Common Core tests. Many lawmakers in Olympia and Washington, D.C. favor mandatory teacher evaluation based on statewide test results. The problem with such policy is that teachers get assessed not only for the 180 days they had the students but also for all the years the teachers did not have the students. To assess a teacher’s competency fairly, students must get tested at the beginning of the school year to establish their knowledge, and then again at the end of the school year. And even such procedure may not gauge the teacher’s proficiency fairly because of the diversity of the student body. Critics of public schools, of teachers and their unions, point toward private charter schools, such as the Nobel Network of
Charter Schools in Chicago and its high graduation rate. However, they fail to disclose that Nobel’s zerotolerance policy and its private-business status allows Nobel to fine and expel more than 10 times more students than Chicago Public Schools does. And, while the suspension rate in public schools is 9 percent, Nobel averages 23 percent, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Thus, the kids Nobel does not want end up in public schools and contribute to the low graduation rate critics blame teachers for and ask, “Why can’t they be like Nobel”? — James U. Behrend owned a business in Seattle for 15 years and then taught history at North Kitsap High School. He is now retired but enjoys substituting at NKHS. He lives on Bainbridge Island.
the support of our community and find a way to replace the donations that were missed during this important drive. If you normally donate during Stamp Out Hunger and did not
have the opportunity this past weekend, please fill a bag to help feed a family now. You can drop off your bags at our new location at 787 Liberty Lane NW (off Viking Avenue) or at any of
our dropboxes throughout town, including the ones at Central Market, Albertsons and Red Apple. Help us reach our goal of 5,000 pounds of food donations by June 15.
Our community has always made sure that we have enough to serve the neighbors who most need our help, and we know that this year will be no exception. Thank you to all those
who donated this weekend during Stamp Out Hunger and to all those who will help us out this summer. Mary Nader North Kitsap Fishline
MY VIEW By JAMES U. BEHREND
Letters
community participant for the last three years. P.S. The tarp will be removed during Viking Fest. Mary Anderson Poulsbo
Help stamp out hunger in NK
Send a message your graduate will remember! The North Kitsap Herald Senior Salute will feature a photo of your favorite graduate along with a special congratulatory message from you. It’s a fun way to show you care and to tell the rest of the community just how proud you are.
Publication Date: Friday, June 6th Deadline: Friday, May 23rd Call or email Jodi Blackmore for more info today! jblackmore@northkitsapherald • (360) 779-4464 The North Kitsap Herald Congratulates these businesses on building a stronger community!
SINGLE BOX - $40 (1.375”w X 3.25”h)
Open During Remodel Casa Luna authentic mexican restaurant has been a family owned business for over 20 years in Poulsbo. Families are welcome and they can handle large groups in their banquet room. Carmen welcomes everyone as if it is her own home and her husband Raul is the cook. Open Wednesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner. They’re remodeling and upgrading on Mondays & Tuesdays.
Beyond Carpet Cleaning All certified asthma & allergy friendlyTM products and services undergo extensive scientific testing in independent accredited laboratories to ensure that they meet the standards adopted by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. In fact, Stanley Steemer® is the first carpet cleaning service to earn this certification, removing an average of 94% of common household allergens from the carpets they clean. Those common household allergens include dust, pollen and pet dander to name a few. Congratulations to Stanley Steemer for going beyond just carpet cleaning. At Stanley Steemer, they know a cleaner home is a healthier home.
asa Luna Mexican Restaurant
18830 Front St. down the Alley Downtown Poulsbo 360-779-7676
DOUBLE BOX - $65 (2.875”w X 3.25”h)
community
On the Saturday before Mother’s Day each year, area food banks anticipate the Stamp Out Hunger food drive as its primary way to fill the shelves for the long summer of need. This year, the Stamp Out Hunger bags that typically go with the cards into your mailbox, and serve as a great reminder to give, were not delivered as planned. Our Post Office did not receive the bags for distribution and couldn’t resolve the problem in time for the food drive. The result was a staggering drop in donations from previous years. Though the numbers are not in yet, we expect that we will have received only about 30 percent of last year’s drive totals. Entering into this time of year without the food support that we anticipated is worrisome and can mean that Fishline will run out of food in June instead of August or September. We hope that we can rally
Senior Salute
stronger
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he “No Child Left Behind” federal policy, established in 2001, demands a 100 percent proficiency rate for math and reading in order to receive federal education funds. It also mandates that teachers’ evaluation be based on their students’ scores in the statewide test. One-hundred percent proficiency? Well, any competent millworker can produce 150 perfect 2x4s from various sizes and qualities of green logs, and reach a 100 percent proficiency rate. So can a 3-D printer. However, for a teacher to convert 150 highly individual freshmen, most operating on different academic levels, to 150 equally academically competent sophomores, would qualify as a miracle. Teachers are not craftsmen who have control over shaping some inorganic object into perfect and mea-
We’re partnering with local businesses to build a stronger community.
1-800-STEEMER 360-626-9012 www.stanleysteemer.com www.northkitsapherald.com