Reply to Frontline doc about Rhee and cheating

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[quote=Anonymous]I am a former DCPS teacher, our order, which I felt was not just a principal directed mandate was that we can't fail students. If we do, we are responsible and your job is at risk. If the students don't come to school or miss classes and have a certain percentage (dictated by DCPS downtown under TAS) you can dismiss those students from your final teacher assessment. Additionally, if the school does not score a certain percentage on the DC CAS they risk being closed down or restructured. Some parents are so happy their children are getting A and B grades but sadly don't realize that these grades are meaningless. Sally got 30% of her grade for showing up to class with a pencil. She got extra credit for doing homework, the teacher suspected but couldn't prove that she had her friend do it. She got points for class participation and for going to Saturday school for the DC CAS. She got a D on the end of year assessment but her report card shows she is an A/B student so Sally and her mother are happy!!!!

There is so much yearly turmoil and overturn of staff at some schools they cannot get anything initiated or show growth. On average it takes 5 years to overhaul a school, though some experts say it is not even possible, so it is impossible to show major growth each year in a restructured school. Demographics, number of special ed and ELL students can make a difference, as can the number of out of boundary students who have transferred in due to behavior issues at other schools. Teachers cannot work miracles and have little control over these issues.

DCPS does NOT have a curriculum and aligned formative or end of year assessments, let's say that again because it seems to be something that is not addressed. DCPS DOES NOT HAVE A STANDARDS BASED CURRICULUM, it is in the development stage this year. Everyone is doing something different, schools keep trying new theories/strategies of learning that someone from downtown now thinks is the best thing going, and teachers are required to show this strategy when they are observed or they are marked down under IMPACT or by literacy coaches. Students all need a dose of reality, as others have said if we don't admit were students are in regards to learning then we cannot achieve anything. To move forward we need to give all students a series of standardized tests (proctored from outside), going forward let's have SMALL classes with differentiated learning for those in the middle band, and for those at the extreme ends of the spectrum give them remedial or advance classes. Students should get 2 grades in middle/high school, one for mastery (which does not include participation, attendance, bell work etc only the standardized exams that test the mastery of standards) and another grade that includes all the other things. Students nor parents really know what DCPS grades mean because they are a mix of mastery, attendance, participation, extra credit, etc. If we are not honest we can't move forward with helping our schools or helping our students improve. The question is, is everyone ready to hear the truth?[/quote]

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