Jackson Free Press

Mississippi's model for evaluating schools and school districts could change next year, if the state Board of Education approves changes recommended by a panel today. The state Commission on School Accreditation, which reviews the state's grading system for schools and school districts, voted today to recommend two changes to the state Board.

The grading system, known officially as the "statewide accountability model," scores schools and districts based on three factors: overall performance on standardized tests, improvement in test scores and--for high schools and school districts--high school completion rate.

The first change would switch two labels in the grading system. Schools and districts with the lowest test scores but with some signs of improvement currently receive the label "low-performing," while those that score slightly better on tests but showe inadequate growth received the designation "at risk of failing." "Low performing" schools score below 100, out of a possible 300 on the Quality Distribution Index--the state's measure of test performance--while "at risk of failing" schools have QDI scores between 100 and 132, but inadequate growth.

Commission members and Corinth School District Superintendent, Lee Childress suggested that the labels could be misleading. An "at risk of failing" of 132, out of a possible 300, while another school deemed "low-performing" could have a QDI of 75, he noted.

"I don't think it's fair we assign schools that label ('at risk of failing')," Childress said.

Dennis Penton, superintendent of Pearl River County Schools, agreed. Community members have complained to him that the term "low-performing" sounds better than "at risk of failing," he said.

"It almost seems as through we're saying, 'You're on the bottom, but you can feel good about being on the bottom,'" Penton said. "You begin to talk semantics, but sometimes, when you're struggling and working hard, semantics become important."

Penton also suggested changing the way that the state calculates the high school completion rate of schools and districts. Currently, the accountability model awards 300 points for a student graduating with a full diploma within five years of entering ninth grade. A dropout subtracts 300 points, and intermediate credentials count for between 125 and 150 points.

Penton argued that a student receiving a GED should carry more points than one receiving an occupational diploma or a certificate of attendance, two credentials available to special education students. A GED is a more valuable credential in the workforce and signifies a more time-intensive commitment, he said.

Commission members agreed and approved a recommendation that the accountability model award 200 points for a GED, less than it awards a standard diploma but more than for completing course requirements without passing a graduation test.

The state Board of Education must still approve the changes.

Previous Commentsshow

To put it short Michael, Education in this "age of accountability" is not about educating students. It’s about adults, teachers, administrators, policy heads, maintaining their respective jobs. Teaching to the test to raise test scores only benefits teachers and administrators. The students suffer every time, mainly because they never really get a good education that empowers them. Think about it, passing the state tests really does nothing for these students. These tests aren't college entrance exams, military skills assessments, or apprenticeship aptitude tests. They are merely instruments used to “gauge” teacher, administrator, and school (and now district) performance, or as I like to put it, "value". Though student performance on a standardized test is a poor indicator of the effectiveness of schooling, it is a politically feasible way to communicate certain ideas and perspectives about communities to people. This information is used not to help with instruction in so much as it is used to help determine property values and resource distribution for municipalities (ever gone house hunting and the first thing mentioned by the realtor is the neighborhood school rating?) We need to get back to true neighborhood schooling; where the needs, values, skills and resources needed to empower the community are nurtured and utilized at the neighborhood school. Education cannot be measured by a simple multiple choice test alone. The real value of the school is seen in how it helps to transform a community. Too often, the schools in this state serve to maintain and sustain the status quo of segregation and racial inequality.

Renaldo Bryant

Jul 27 2010

My husband and I have had 2 children to graduate from Oak Grove High School; In their elementary years, I took them out. I have home schooled and sent them to private school. I am grateful for the Lamar County School District for their experience. I must confess as a parent when it came to understanding the diverse aspects of the cultural of public education to understanding what is a quality education is; I had some opinions,I faced racism, and I felt powerless to know how to proactively address my concerns. After experiencing the Parent Leadership Institute of Parents for Public Schools, my entire life has been impacted and transformed in every dimension of public education. Why? PPS moved me beyond the bake sale to a new level of understanding, knowledge and parent engagement to faciliate effectively the parent's voice. To teach me to understand all of the aspects of education from a parent's perspectative. As I read the comments above some of it I can agree it; then some of it I realize there's whole dimension of knowledge and understanding that hasn't been assessed. Now I have a grandchild that will enter public education at new level in this same district than our children did.I want to encourage parents all around the State of MS who kids attend Public Education to get into a Parent Leadership Institute and become apart of a chapter or network to empower you and your children!

vpeters

Jul 29 2010