Some States to Get Wider Latitude in Measuring Students' Gains (NCLB)

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: Some States to Get Wider Latitude in Measuring Students' Gains
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 19, 2005


WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 (AP) - Tinkering again with enforcement of the No Child Left Behind education law, the government plans to let some states change how they measure yearly student progress.

In an experiment, up to 10 states will be allowed to measure not just how students are performing, but also how that performance is changing over time.

Schools are now judged based only on how today's students compare to last year's students in math and reading - like fourth graders in 2005 versus fourth graders in 2004.

Education officials in many states argue that such a system does not recognize changes in the population or growth by individual students. They have been seeking permission to measure growth by students, which might make it easier for schools to meet their goals and avoid penalties.

Education Secretary Margaret Spellings announced the new approach, known as the growth model, on Friday at a gathering of state school chiefs in Richmond, Va....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/19/politics/19child.html

[TrogL]

1. Condensed in a nutshell

seeking ...to meet their goals and avoid penalties

Having gutted the school system, now they want a pat on the back.

[rodeodance]

2. so, the Feds are admitting that things are not so great with their

'punish' mentality.


Grand.

[rodeodance]

3. now Spelling is clapping herself on the back for being 'flexible'