sad

[del]

so they made the test more difficult, but they lowered the passing grade?

wtf?

Apparently they made it more difficult but did not extend the amount of time to take the test.

And they lowered the passing grade AFTER hardly anyone passed it.

that's pretty stupid

 

[whitehall]

Southern states with huge populations of legal and mostly illegal Hispanics just can't comply with standardized English requirements in schools. Why do you think the location of public bathrooms are posted in English and Spanish? They would piss in their pants otherwise.

They use international boy/girl signs for restrooms.

Racist, much?

They would piss in their pants if they didn't see the word "bano" with a squiggle over the n.

 

[Unkotare]

Southern states with huge populations of legal and mostly illegal Hispanics just can't comply with standardized English requirements in schools. Why do you think the location of public bathrooms are posted in English and Spanish? They would piss in their pants otherwise.

They use international boy/girl signs for restrooms.

Racist, much?

What race?

 

[Toro]

so they made the test more difficult, but they lowered the passing grade?

wtf?

Apparently they made it more difficult but did not extend the amount of time to take the test.

And they lowered the passing grade AFTER hardly anyone passed it.

My son wrote that test. He said it wasn't any harder than it has been in the past. However, it appears that they are marking harder and raised the pass grade.

 

[whitehall]

Southern states with huge populations of legal and mostly illegal Hispanics just can't comply with standardized English requirements in schools. Why do you think the location of public bathrooms are posted in English and Spanish? They would piss in their pants otherwise.

They use international boy/girl signs for restrooms.

Racist, much?

What race?

What sex?

 

[del]

Southern states with huge populations of legal and mostly illegal Hispanics just can't comply with standardized English requirements in schools. Why do you think the location of public bathrooms are posted in English and Spanish? They would piss in their pants otherwise.

They use international boy/girl signs for restrooms.

Racist, much?

What race?

180m high hurdres

 

[Ravi]

so they made the test more difficult, but they lowered the passing grade?

wtf?

Apparently they made it more difficult but did not extend the amount of time to take the test.

And they lowered the passing grade AFTER hardly anyone passed it.

that's pretty stupid

Republicans. What can I say? They hate public schools.

 

[Ravi]

so they made the test more difficult, but they lowered the passing grade?

wtf?

Apparently they made it more difficult but did not extend the amount of time to take the test.

And they lowered the passing grade AFTER hardly anyone passed it.

My son wrote that test. He said it wasn't any harder than it has been in the past. However, it appears that they are marking harder and raised the pass grade.

Why did he take the same test twice?

 

[Toro]

Apparently they made it more difficult but did not extend the amount of time to take the test.

And they lowered the passing grade AFTER hardly anyone passed it.

My son wrote that test. He said it wasn't any harder than it has been in the past. However, it appears that they are marking harder and raised the pass grade.

Why did he take the same test twice?

He didn't. He's written the FCAT in prior grades. I asked him if it was any harder than it has been in the past and he said "no."

 

[syrenn]

Passing score lowered for FCAT Writing exam | News - Home


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -
The Board of Education decided in an emergency meeting Tuesday to lower the passing grade on the writing portion of Florida's standardized test after preliminary results showed a drastic drop in student passing scores.

no wonder they can't hold an election

Ah yes, lets lower the bar so they can all pass. Well on the way to the road of entitlements. Instil in children that they don't have to work to achieve anything....


And its sad as hell they are lowering the minimum standard.

 

[Unkotare]

Gotta get 'em to college where they can take advantage of grade inflation.

 

[BillyV]

They haven’t changed the test; they’ve just decided to take points away for poor spelling, grammar and punctuation. How dare they grade writing ability on a writing test? It makes one wonder what they were grading on the test before this change – self esteem?

FCAT writing test: FCAT writing test about to get tougher - Orlando Sentinel

Under the new grading system, there will be "increased attention to the correct use of standard English conventions," including spelling, grammar and punctuation, the Florida Department of Education stated in a recent memo to school districts.
"Scoring of this element in the past has been applied with leniency," wrote Deputy Commissioner Kris Ellington.
Students also will be expected to make logical arguments using relevant, specific details — not "contrived statistical claims or unsubstantiated generalities," Ellington wrote.
Finally, the department doesn't want to see evidence that students have memorized phrases to use on their FCAT essays.
"Rote memorization or overuse of compositional techniques, such as rhetorical questions, implausible statistics, or pretentious language is not the expectation for quality writing at any grade level," the memo stated.
The use of memorized phrases, or what the department calls "template writing," is one the state has been trying to stamp out for several years.
The practice, state officials have said, involves students at the same school using the same phrases in their essays, suggesting they've been "coached" to employ them. The phrases include over-the-top language such as "a potpourri of iridescent colors surrounded me," and similar, contrived story conventions such as writing, "POOF!" and then describing the character suddenly being in a land of dragons, pirates or fairies.
Ideally, the department wants students to write coherent, logical essays that show they have a "command of English language conventions."

WTF? r u serious?

Interestingly enough, some posters on message boards also lack the ability to “write coherent, logical essays” using proper “spelling, grammar and punctuation” without "contrived statistical claims or unsubstantiated generalities” or “rote memorization” (talking points) that “they've been "coached" to employ.”

True story.

 

[Ravi]

My son wrote that test. He said it wasn't any harder than it has been in the past. However, it appears that they are marking harder and raised the pass grade.

Why did he take the same test twice?

He didn't. He's written the FCAT in prior grades. I asked him if it was any harder than it has been in the past and he said "no."

Okay.

My kids never had trouble with the tests. So in their cases they got "cheated" by having to spend so much time prepping for the test. I hate the test, so I might be somewhat biased. But then again, so do all the teachers I know, other parents, and certainly most of the kids that are forced to take it.

 

[Old Rocks]

Where did you get that statistic?

And, as having faith and doing or studying science are not mutually exclusive, your statement is plain silly.

see polls annexed:

Poll: Most Americans Don't Believe Evolution

no, faith and science are not mutually exclusive. but fundamentalism and science are.

No, they aren't.

I was raised in a fundementalist family. Learned to keep my mouth firmly shut by the time I was 12. Yes, the fundementalists are very much anti-science and anti-knowledge.

 

[Old Rocks]

Passing score lowered for FCAT Writing exam | News - Home


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -
The Board of Education decided in an emergency meeting Tuesday to lower the passing grade on the writing portion of Florida's standardized test after preliminary results showed a drastic drop in student passing scores.

no wonder they can't hold an election

Ah yes, lets lower the bar so they can all pass. Well on the way to the road of entitlements. Instil in children that they don't have to work to achieve anything....


And its sad as hell they are lowering the minimum standard.

Republican state. GOP antipathy toward knowledge and science exemplified.

 

[bodecea]

It's what happens core subjects are replaced by social engineering. There are only so many school hours in the day, when most of the tme is spent on getting along and sex ed, there's not much time left over for math and science. Do they teach English at all? Or, has that been wholly eliminated as racist?

When was the last time you checked the daily curriculum at your local school district?

 

[Samson]

Passing score lowered for FCAT Writing exam | News - Home


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -
The Board of Education decided in an emergency meeting Tuesday to lower the passing grade on the writing portion of Florida's standardized test after preliminary results showed a drastic drop in student passing scores.

no wonder they can't hold an election

that is sad... but florida has a terrible public school system.

Compared to which other state's public school system?

 

[Toro]

Passing score lowered for FCAT Writing exam | News - Home


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -
The Board of Education decided in an emergency meeting Tuesday to lower the passing grade on the writing portion of Florida's standardized test after preliminary results showed a drastic drop in student passing scores.

no wonder they can't hold an election

Ah yes, lets lower the bar so they can all pass. Well on the way to the road of entitlements. Instil in children that they don't have to work to achieve anything....


And its sad as hell they are lowering the minimum standard.

Republican state. GOP antipathy toward knowledge and science exemplified.

I disagree. The FCAT standards were put in place by a Republican government here in FL to address underperforming schools and low education standards in the state. It is legitimately debatable whether it has worked - I'm not sure it has - but it was pushed hard by Jeb Bush.

 

[Samson]

Ah yes, lets lower the bar so they can all pass. Well on the way to the road of entitlements. Instil in children that they don't have to work to achieve anything....


And its sad as hell they are lowering the minimum standard.

Republican state. GOP antipathy toward knowledge and science exemplified.

I disagree. The FCAT standards were put in place by a Republican government here in FL to address underperforming schools and low education standards in the state. It is legitimately debatable whether it has worked - I'm not sure it has - but it was pushed hard by Jeb Bush.

Perhaps you missed the partisan tone.

Of course, every "Democrat State" (whatever that may mean) has an excellent record of public schooling.....

 

[midcan5]

The FCAT sucks. It's a problem with the test, not the students. You don't go from an 80% pass rate to a 33% pass rate in one year because suddenly everyone got stupid.

I am not sure of that as my wife has taught math since forever and each [year] says, and [many] other [teachers] agree the students are dumber and lazier. Not all but too many. Some teach the test but the tests change and students have more important things to do after school: sports. Millions of dollars await them round the corner.

Have you noticed the oil companies now have ads on TV about improving our educational system and grades? I can't figure out yet if it is another one of these propaganda efforts to create a mindset that oil companies are wonderful citizens or are they just cynical conspirators? But this is America folks and Americans worship money, sports, and fantasy. Oh and cheap junk from China from that other worshiped item, the market.

"At the heart of Finland's stellar reputation is a philosophy completely alien to America. The country of 5.3 million in an area twice the size of Missouri considers education an end in itself - not a means to an end. It's a deeply rooted value that is reflected in the Ministry of Education and in all 432 municipalities. In sharp contrast, Americans view education as a stepping stone to better-paying jobs or to impress others. The distinction explains why we are obsessed with marquee names, and how we structure, operate and fund schools."


http://www.usmessageboard.com/educa...liberals-in-the-classroom-11.html#post1749647
http://www.usmessageboard.com/educa...ew-of-waiting-for-superman-2.html#post3065163
http://www.usmessageboard.com/education-and-history/108215-education-then-and-now.html
http://www.usmessageboard.com/education-and-history/108215-education-then-and-now-2.html#post2074607
http://www.usmessageboard.com/educa...liberals-in-the-classroom-11.html#post1749647
http://www.usmessageboard.com/education/159100-pay-teachers-more.html#post3418935

Tens of thousands of students didn't get dramatically dumber and lazier in 12 months.

Are you sure? Consider that in 12 months another group of the best and brightest appear before each teacher, and each year school means less to too many. Go on Facebook and friend some students, you'll learn lots there. Do it anonymously so you can play dumb too. Funny stuff there and telling too.