Submitted by Diane Hanfmann, Nov 6, 2007 05:19

My humble opinions follow: An accountability system should not use a broken measuring stick or be able to be described as unfair or inaccurate. Those opposing the use of school grades should read Derek Neal's study, Left Behind by Design.

I live in Palm Beach County, where our Superintendent is calling for an end to school gades and we are designated an A. Also be informed that our state test has been under study for months due to irregularities in third grade reading scores of 2006. We also have a third grade retention policy. The irregularity was not discovered until one year later. As our high schools have to reach a higher bar for being deemed successful, they have fared less well via school grades and are looking for an alternate mode.

Watch out for the masking of low growth in high proficiency schools, the possible punishment of some high growth/low proficiency schools, teaching to the test, narrowing of curriculum, gaming the system,targetting of specific students for focused instruction (those referred to as bubble kids) rather than every child, the misleading perception that an A means all is excellent, and the focus becoming access to bonus money, bragging, and escape from sanctions rather than teaching each and every child.

The measurement system, if copied from Florida, is more indicative of SES than instructional effectiveness. It is disastrous to the schools with high concentrations of low SES kids as they can be labelled failures even when showing more growth than an A school. It is disastrous to the gifted by asking only grade proficiency of them year after year, when such a goal may have been reached even before day one of class. This allows them to be warehoused and the school can deem them a success without the student accessing much benefit from 180 days of school. Imagine the reluctance to accelerate when it would risk learning gains. Learn about slide and glide schools.

End the madness. Save your children. Support assessment as a tool for instruction alone without corrupting influence. End school grades.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable.