Sunday, September 25, 2011

It Sure is Hard to Hit a Moving Target!

So, it’s no secret that my colleagues and I have not been having a good time at work recently.  It has all stemmed from the fact that the state of California decided to change the cut points on the end of year standardized testing.  What that means is that what was considered proficient in previous years was no longer considered proficient for the test we took last year. 

Even though the kids are completely different from year to year, the teachers are judged on the growth/drop from year-to-year’s test scores.  Of course that’s unfair because apples and oranges are being compared, and there is no consideration that each year’s kids come in higher or lower than the previous years.  It’s not an accurate measure to show growth, but it’s what they use.  We know that, and work our tails off to make sure that number doesn’t drop.

This past year, my grade level team ended the year feeling very successful.  Our kids scored quite well on the district assessments (which mirror the standardized tests by the way), and we predicted that growth would be seen on our standardized testing scores.  Then come to find out, our percent proficient last year didn’t go up or down, but remained the same. 

It was a surprise to say the least, but we were certainly relieved the percentage didn’t go down.  After further data analysis though, we were confused. 

Reading Comp

Literary Response

Word Analysis

Written Con

Writing Strat

Overall

ELA

2010

65%

68%

69%

64%

66%

69%

2011

74%

83%

79%

79%

68%

69%

ELL 2010

54%

59%

58%

59%

61%

60%

ELL 2011

69%

67%

60%

71%

67%

64%

**ELL – English Language Learners

It seemed as if our percent correct went up (some by almost 15%) in every single strand or category. This was something we were very proud of, but we questioned how it was possible to grow in EVERY SINGLE AREA and remain stagnant in the percentage of kids who were labeled proficient.
That was when we were told the cut points had changed.  In addition we were told that our teaching program was a failure and needed to be changed because it didn’t work.  Oh, and this was told to use while at the same time our school was announced as a National Blue Ribbon by the US Federal Government. 

Regardless of how low we all felt about what we were told, I find it so appalling that the testing company can simply decide to change what the proficiency cut points are.  Proficiency should be established (whatever that may be) and left alone as a target that can be worked towards.  How are out kids supposed to meet a target that constantly changes?

Since high-stakes testing made its way into primary public school, it’s been something that’s caused a lot of teacher grief.  Most of us have changed the way we teach, and we teach to the test which has too many drawbacks to list.  But we’ve made it work and have seen progress.  However, looking at those numbers is so frustrating!  There is so much growth shown in that little chart, but the kids and their teachers are being deemed unsuccessful by the school administration.  That’s a tough pill to take, especially when it’s not because the kids didn’t learn, but because the target didn’t hold still.

And now I’m done being sad and mad and obsessive about this.  I’ve climbed down from my soapbox.  It’s now time to move on and to think about this year’s kids and what moveable target they will have to meet.

11 comments:

  1. This is just a typical 1950's management technique that has sprouted amongst the gobshites in administrations across the English speaking world. It's designed to destabilise YOU. Designed to keep you permanently off-balance and it has little or nothing to do with what you are doing. It's totally to do with government workers.
    For gods sake is your union or your professional body so punch drunk that they cannot stand up to this insane rubbish. Even send out a newsletter to prepare you. Or work out quick smart which area will be targeted next so no teacher will be caught like you lot this year.

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  2. I know you love to teach and are good at it but, there are other jobs with way less stress out there.
    It's just a thought.
    m.

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  3. It made me so angry to actually see the numbers. I can't believe they can change the standards just by snapping their fingers.

    Thank you for being a teacher and making a difference.

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  4. @Vince - I know that our admin's behavior is designed to destabilize us for sure. It's just his M.O. As for the unions, I don't have a clue why this isn't the kind of thing that works them up. It seems the only thing they do care about is anything that makes us work hard. Or why the admin, both site and district, are not appalled by this. When asking some of the district employees I work with how this could be, they just nod and shrug. But I'm not going to talk about it anymore...UGH!

    @Mark - I know! Also so many jobs that don't make me get up at 5:30 in the morning! It's what I know and am good at. I'm too old to change it now. :)

    @Becky - Tell me about it. I can't stop looking at those stupid numbers to figure out an explanantion beyond, "Oh we just arbitrarily changed it!" That's the worse part. No one can tell us why.

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  5. Im not qualified enough to comment about these benchmarks... I don't know enough about them to offer but what I will say is stick with it, try not to stress too much and remember just by being a teacher is having a profound effect on some of these kids lives. Be strong and if things get so frustrating why not think about a different type of teaching area like adult teaching perhaps. Just thought. Still love your blog. x

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  6. @Jenni - Sometimes the idea of teaching/training adults sounds great, or something completely different like international spy or drug dealer sound quite appealing. However, for the time being I'll stick with it - hoping that someone will finally come along and see the light!

    @Jason - That's good practice for Thursday!

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  7. That's so ridiculous. You guys work so hard and have made those kids so successful. You all really should be proud of what you've done.

    It's sad I love to teach but have no desire to go back to that crap! They wonder why teacher retention is low, ha!

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  8. That's insane that they do that to you. Maybe I should be glad my job is only substitute teaching? I could go on myself for a while about standardized testing and how unfair to kids it is, but I won't here, because you know that even more than me!

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  9. I think you should apply to be an internation drug dealing spy.

    I can make a few calls if you like.

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