Teachers Caught Cheating

This audio (46 mins) from On Point with Tom Ashbrook from WBUR Boston:

Caught!

Teachers Cheating On Students’ Standardized Tests

The huge standardized test cheating scandal in Atlanta — and beyond. Teachers cheating to bump up student scores. Why, and what it says about the state of American education.

Shame and outrage over the Atlanta Public Schools last week, as a big state investigation laid out findings of massive, systemic cheating –- by teachers.

Teachers changing student scores on standardized tests, to make their schools look better than they were.

Not subtle cheating, but gross, flagrant, eraser-on-the-page cheating. Weekend pizza parties where teachers went through stacks of standardized tests, erasing wrong answers, filling in right ones.

And there’s evidence this hasn’t only happened in Atlanta.

This hour On Point: testing, American education, and the message in the cheating.



Tom's guests:

Alan Judd, reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Shawnna Hayes-Tavares, mother of four children, ranging from 9 to 18, all of whom have been in the Atlanta Public Schools system.


Greg Toppo, K-12 education reporter for USA Today.

Daniel Koretz, professor of education at Harvard Graduate School of Education. You can read an article based on his book Measuring Up here.

Hat tip to Dorie Z

Kentucky Board of Education to Meet

The Kentucky Board of Education will hold its annual retreat on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 12 and 13, in the Music Room of the Berry Hill Mansion in Frankfort. Activities for the retreat will begin at 9 a.m. both days.

The board will engage in work sessions around Senate Bill 1, the state education budget and other items. David Karem, recently appointed to the board by Gov. Steve Beshear, will be formally sworn in at the beginning of the proceedings on Tuesday.

The board also will take up some items of regular business after lunch on Tuesday. Those items include:

consideration to move school council authority at Two Rivers Middle School in the Covington Independent school district to the superintendent

• discussion of the selection of an individual to become interim commissioner per KRS 61.810 (1) (f) (Closed Session)
• consideration of a possible motion to appoint a new interim commissioner

A full agenda follows.

KENTUCKY BOARD OF EDUCATION
MAY 12-13, 2009

MUSIC ROOM
BERRY HILL MANSION
FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

BUSINESS SESSION - FULL BOARD
9:00 a.m. (EDT)

I. Swearing-in of new member
II. Call to Order
III. Roll Call
IV. Work session on SB 1 and its implications on the work of the board

• Assessment and Accountability (overview of SB 1; reporting during the interim; 703 KAR 5:080, Administration Code For Kentucky's Educational Assessment Program [Emergency approval]; other required assessment/accountability regulations; long-term accountability model
• Program Reviews
  · Standards (discussion of MOA with CCSSO for work on the new standards; Comprehensive Plan for Standards)
  · Assistance to Districts and Schools (ASSIST structure for interim accountability period; required regulations)
  · "Changing the Face of Education" work

LUNCH

IV. Work session on SB 1 and its implications for the work of the board (Continued; See above list for subtopics)
V. Consideration to move school council authority at Two Rivers Middle School to the superintendent
VI. Discussion of the selection of an individual to become interim commissioner per KRS 61.810 (1) (f) (Closed Session)
VII. Consideration of a possible motion to appoint a new interim commissioner

RECESS

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

BUSINESS SESSION - FULL BOARD (CONT'D)
9:00 a.m. (EDT)

VIII. Book study discussion on Measuring Up: What Educational Testing Really Tells Us by Daniel Koretz
IX. Budget update
X. Questions on strategic plan update
XI. Discussion on dropout/graduation rate issues
XII. Internal Board Business
A. Review of the KBE Policy Manual
B. Review of 2009, 2010 and 2011 Meeting Dates
XIII. Adjournment

SOURCE: KDE press release