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Originally Posted by agzg
But aren't the scores judged based on improvement from last year, and not so much whether or not they're actually at grade level? I mean, grade level is the goal, but I was under the impression that improvement and retention of improvement from year to year was what was actually being measured.
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One problem with the tests, is they don't always test on the standards.
For example, AIMS 3-8th grade is a combination norm-referenced test and criterion-referenced tests. The ADE literally states that the test includes questions from the SAT-10, which is a norm-referenced test. The SAT-10 doesn't align with AZ standards, so therefore the kids are being tested on items that they might not have learned as they aren't a standard for that particular grade. When I taught 3rd grade, I focused on the 3rd grade standards.
Another problem with AIMS is that it is given, in most districts, the 2nd/3rd weeks of April, when there is still a good 6 weeks left of school. So right there we have lost 6 weeks worth of instructional days. Teachers would LOVE for AIMS to be pushed back, but the state won't "get the scores in time" to determine AZ Learns (that is the excuse they are giving as to why AIMS can't be given in May instead). The reality is, the scores are back to schools by mid-July, its just that they aren't "official" until October, so I quite honestly don't buy their excuses.
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Originally Posted by UGAalum94
And, unless I've missed something major, NCLB doesn't really require that anyone do anything to teachers based on the results of the test. If that's going on, it's an example of a local or state policy that the district is blaming on NCLB.
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But it is due to NCLB that put these high stakes tests on the map, which therefore translates down to the teachers. It's not the districts that blame NCLB for the kids failing, the districts blame the schools administrators, who in turn blame the teachers. Blame is never put on the district or administrators. Blame is never put on the parents or child (god forbid), it is always the teachers fault that the kids are failing. And it isn't the previous teachers fault, it is that teachers fault. I have witnessed it first hand.
Like I've mentioned I taught 3rd grade. Before I moved up to 3rd grade, there was a lot of "problems" (according to adminstration) in the grade level. When the scores came back, 3rd grade was the reason the school failed to make AYP and was labeled failing by the state. My principal was very good at blaming the 1 remaining 3rd grade teacher (myself and the other one were moved to the grade level). He had no problem saying that she was the reason the school failed. This made her feel like crap! Of course my administrator wasn't taking into account that that particular 3rd grade students were awful not only in behavior but in academics. Hello, shouldn't then the 2nd,1st and kinder teachers be blamed as well considering you get what is "brought" up to you? (Just an FYI of these students they did awful on their 4th grade tests and 5th grade tests).