Chastity Pratt Dawsey, Detroit Free-Press (MCT)
Illegal Grade-Fixing Allegations Swirl in Detroit
Education Week
Published Online: February 10, 2011
Complete URL: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/02/10/21mct_midetroitcheating.h30.html
A science teacher from Detroit’s Durfee Elementary accused the school of illegal grade-fixing. Documents show bad grades Pasqualle gave students were changed to C’s. The article details other evidence to support the claims of grade-fixing. Why would a school take such a risk? “The federal No Child Left Behind law and a state reform law passed in 2009 encourage districts to remove principals and restructure or close schools where students do not meet standards.” That is a huge amount of pressure put on schools. People will do all sorts of things to defend their jobs and incomes. Unfortunately it is the students that suffer. “High failure rates reflect badly on a school, but kids who are passed along wind up losing in the end: DPS has a 59% graduation rate and some of the nation's lowest test scores—partly because of the practice of promoting failing students to the next grade, teachers and experts say.” The article uses the term “social promotion” to describe this practice of passing failing students. “But to move students along who have not learned the subject matter shows "depraved indifference" to their educational future.” I really couldn’t say it any better then that. The intended audience for this article would be practitioners, administrators and possibly policy makers. It is relevant to anyone vested in the integrity of education.
What are we doing? I mean seriously - we have schools so freaked out that they are taking crazy drastic measures. Illegally grade-fixing, passing failing students, what does that say about the integrity of education? This article tells us how broken our system is. If test scores and drop-out rates to name a few - aren't enough to tell us there is a problem - schools pressured into grade-fixing or social promotion, screams it at us! I actually feel bad for those fixing the grades but more then anything I am saddened for the students pushed through a system without truly getting educated.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jessica. Nothing says "standardized testing may not be the best method of evaluating teachers" more than this does.It is also fascinating to view the affects of overt pressure on the actual education that students receive. Would make a very interesting study of human nature and behavior.
ReplyDeletePassing along students instead of giving them the grades they have earned is a problem that is nothing new. The problem does seem to have been exacerbated unfortunately as an unintended consequence of no child left behind.
ReplyDeleteI like that there is an attempt to hold schools accountable for the money that is invested in them to educate the kids. I think we need to really step back and re-evaluate the testing that is done and how that information is used.
I also think that if educators want to be taken seriously as professionals, that practices like the ones highlighted in the article must cease. If you are a principal, administrator or teacher manipulating grades in order to misrepresent student achievement, then I think your days as a "professional" should be numbered.
I concur - their days as a "professional" should be numbered. What a disservice to education. I like your point on reevaluating the testing and how it is used. I am by no means saying there is no use or value in testing - just that we might need to revamp it to be sure it is an accurate reflection of the students knowledge and abilities.
ReplyDeleteSummary of the discussion:
ReplyDeleteThis article was about grade fixing, social promotion, and the pressure schools feel to give unearned grades. I worry about the integrity of education when this is and as Doug mentioned has been occuring for some time. Jeff made a good point about the affects all this pressure has on the kind of education the students are receiving. There is also the concern for these students, getting pushed through a system without effectively receiving an education. Doug does like the idea of holding schools accountable but thinks current systems for that should be evaluated and possibly restructured. I agree that holding schools accountable is a worthy task - but I am not sure they have found a reliable method. Ultimately this is a huge problem and needs a solid solution - I will continue to follow this to see how they decide to tackle it. I sincerely hope they don't throw in the towel and settle for an easy fix - standardized tests. As of now it seems like they are still considering options and seeing the limitations and bias of stanardized tests.