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School Grade Policy Might Be Extended Again
August 28, 2013
The State Board of Education will debate in October whether to extend for another year a plan to keep public schools from dropping by more than a letter grade on their state-issued report cards, interim Education Commissioner Pam Stewart said Tuesday.
This year, six Escambia County schools benefit from the one letter grade drop protection: Ernest Ward, C.A. Weis, McArthur, Montclair, Navy Point and O. J. Semmes.
The state board has approved the “safety net” on the report cards for two years now, most recently in July, as public schools implement the nationwide “common core” standards on what students are expected to know.
Over the last two years, the board was asked late in the process of calculating grades to approve the policy.
“I think when the board voted in the summer, I think it was always the intention that they take it up again when it wasn’t such a quick turnaround, but they had time to be thoughtful about it and think about it and do it early. … I think it’s important that our schools and school districts know what the rules are that they’re playing with as early as possible in the year,” Stewart said.
The board voted for the policy by a narrow, 4-3 margin this summer, with some members criticizing it as a move to water down the state system. Stewart said another change could involve whether to consider how long students have been at a school before they are counted toward the grades.
Stewart’s comments to reporters came at an education summit called by Gov. Rick Scott to address school grades and other parts of the state’s accountability system.
Comments
5 Responses to “School Grade Policy Might Be Extended Again”
What they said lol
Do away with State Board of Educations indecisiveness and them and problem solved.
Its sad when the word “debate” really means – ” we screwed up–we have no idea what we are doing”
So lets talk about how lost we are and get paid for talking about how lost we are.
No leadership
Isn’t that the same thing that led to the resignation of our most recent state secretary of education? He changed the grade for a charter school owned by a campaign contributor in Indiana, if I remember correctly. Now we’re going to make it official policy? Is this about teaching our kids, or Rick Scott getting reelected? What a fiasco.
So basically, your school can go into the tank, and it won’t be reflected by their “grade”. How long before they institute that policy for students?
Our educational system is all screwed up!
What in the world is wrong with our school system? When did passing a child, (help that child in this world we live in) get a good education if he or she did not make the grade! What ever happen to Reading Writing (not printing), English, Arithmetic, Geography, History, and Physical Education in our schools? I know that knowledge has greatly increased in the last century AND OUR CHILDREN need to be able to know a great deal more. BUT PASSING A CHILD just so he or she won’t feel bad or the school won’t be known for NOT TEACHING is a crime in itself. HOW is this helping our children? SOMEONE – PLEASE explain!! I’m not the most knowledgeable person in this world, BUT it was very important for me to know that my children got a good education. I wanted them to learn all that they could, DO THEIR VERY BEST, to be able to live & survive on their own. Not looking for someone else to support them, for them to be self sufficient! Praise the LORD, they are!! PARENTS WAKE-UP, work with your children, help them when they need help in learning a subject, don’t be ashamed to get help for them if you aren’t able to help. DON’T JUST IGNORE your children. God gave them to you, so do your very best for them.