tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post748563813935587474..comments2023-11-03T04:00:24.785-04:00Comments on Kentucky School News and Commentary: Starve the Schools. Blame the Schools. Bleed the Schools?Richard Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14586435007687942849noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-70577314169183183962008-10-26T18:49:00.000-04:002008-10-26T18:49:00.000-04:00'94 would have been around the time we first met. ...'94 would have been around the time we first met. We were both arguing to the board of education that KIRIS was broken. I don't think I was considered a foe of KERA...but opposing KERA sure could get a person branded...fairly or unfairly. <BR/><BR/>Folks-in-charge sure do seem to appreciate constructive criticism more in the abstract than in actual practice.<BR/><BR/>We can think about KERA in different ways; and that probably gets in the way of communications sometimes.<BR/><BR/>Despite its weaknesses, KERA, writ large, was a huge boost to Kentucky children. So as a concept - if KERA means reforming the schools to produce better student achievement - it must be supported, monitored, challenged and defended. <BR/><BR/>But really, KERA is a big honkin' set of laws. We should fix what's broken.<BR/><BR/>BTW, a mutual friend wanted me to develop a post on your report. I had some time last week. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for the comment.Richard Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14586435007687942849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5776587.post-30822910463026286392008-10-26T12:03:00.000-04:002008-10-26T12:03:00.000-04:00Two points:First, I hope you don’t believe every l...Two points:<BR/><BR/>First, I hope you don’t believe every label the newspapers apply to people. Back in 1994 anyone who dared to question anything about what was happening with anything in KERA was automatically labeled a “foe” of the entire process. <BR/><BR/>Actually, at that time I was focused on the now defunct KIRIS test. It took a lot more time and research before I understood that problems with the act’s implementation extended well beyond assessment. Claiming I was a foe of KERA overall in 1994 isn’t correct. In fact, even today, there are certain central goals in the act that I fully support. The problem, as it always has been, is with the specific implementations of those general goals.<BR/><BR/>Second, there is important information in the new Bluegrass Institute report on the gaps in Jefferson County schools that certainly can be laid at the feet of KERA. <BR/><BR/>The report examines trends in data between the 2003-04 school year and the most recently available data when the draft was assembled in late summer. If KERA was working effectively, we would hope to see almost all schools with improving trends in math and reading proficiency for all racial groups. We would also hope to see virtually all schools making at least some progress in graduating students of both sexes and all racial groups. However, we found trends of decline, not improvement, in a disturbingly high number of schools.<BR/><BR/>It’s those unsatisfactory trends during the most recent half-decade of KERA – not the relatively low proficiency rates and low graduation rates – that raise the biggest questions about the reform’s performance. After 18 years of KERA, too many kids are still being left behind, and sometimes, in too many of the schools we studied, more of them are being left behind now than half a decade ago. That just can’t be a “plus” for KERA.<BR/><BR/>However, I am honored that The Principal took so much time to discuss this new report and appears to agree with much of what I wrote. The ultimate goal is one I think we both share – better educations for all of Kentucky’s children. As The Principal’s interesting historical discussion points out, it’s been far too long in coming. Clearly, we have to find a way to turn still-remaining, long-standing trends around before those better educations will truly be at hand for all students. While we may disagree on the details of how that can best be done, it is obvious that where we are today simply isn’t adequate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com