"The article suggests that the fact that Highland didn’t make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2011 is a further indication of questionable results in the past. Yet, the authors fail to mention that in 2011, Highland missed AYP by four students in just one subgroup—special education—in mathematics during a year that the Academic Measurable Objective increased. This data tells us nothing about Highland, but rather speaks to the absurdity of the AYP formula."Weast has been gone only 10 months, and already special education students are being blamed for a school's failure. Not a good sign, Dr. Starr. We had hoped we were in for a change.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Starr Scapegoats Special Education
In his press release discussing Highland Elementary and the Atlanta Journal Constitution article, Dr. Starr wasted no time in scapegoating special education students for Highland's recent failure to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
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I won't agree or disagree with the premise of your post here, but the term "Academic Measurable Objective" is not a real term. The actual term is "Annual Measurable Objective." I would hope that MCPS would know it's own and the state's terms/acronyms/abbreviations and use them properly. In this case, I guess not.
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing out that error in the Superintendent's press release:
DeleteAMO’s or Annual Measurable Objectives are state established performance targets that assess the progress of student subgroups, schools, school districts, and the state annually.
http://mdk12.org/assessments/ayp/HowDoesMarylanddetermineIfAYPismet-Middle.html
How is he "scapegoating" Special Ed students? He presented the facts which is this school missed its AYP target in just one of many subgroups at the school. A fact is a fact!
ReplyDelete@anon @ 1:24 - How come the press release didn't say "the teachers at Highland ES failed to bring a sufficient number of students to the proficient level in only one category". nooooo. He'd rather blame special ed kids!
ReplyDeleteThis is really stretching it - even for the Parents Coalition. Starr's not blaming Special Ed kids. He can't even state simPle facts now without you twisting his words. Give the guy a break, and all your readers as well.
ReplyDeleteReally? Where were the simple facts in the press release? Nothing about the students that were moved out of the school. Enrollment was dropped. Nothing about actual budget numbers that don't show what press release claims.
DeleteThe simple facts were that the school missed AYP by a small number of students in one subgroup.
ReplyDelete