Florida's accountability system has become a bad joke

From the Daytona Beach News Leader, by Marie Eggert

As we get ready for a new school year, let's review what we know about Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores:

Initially, when this year's scores were announced, they were very low and provoked an outcry from both educators and parents. Twenty-four hours later, after a conference call and a vote, a new passing score was announced.

Later, the individual schools' grades were announced based on the new passing score with the caveat that no school could drop more than one letter grade.

Recently, it was announced that six Volusia County schools earned higher grades than originally reported because of errors in the way their earlier ratings had been calculated.

Now, let us review the impact these scores have on our schools:

These ever-shifting scores are used to determine student placement in classes.

They are used to determine who will graduate high school and who will pass from third to fourth grade.

Schools that have not improved must develop remediation programs both within the school setting and contracted with outside providers.

Starting this school year (2012-2013), 50 percent of a teacher's evaluation will be determined by students' test scores.
Now, this raises the following questions:

If the same test-scores are changed so frequently, how can they have any validity?

How can the same test scores be used to judge how much each student has learned and to evaluate a teacher's performance in the classroom?

How can teachers be expected to know what they must do to receive a good evaluation when scores keep changing even after the test has been taken?

Are you, the taxpayer, satisfied with the way $70 million of your tax dollars are being spent? Do you think you are getting your money's worth?

http://www.news-journalonline.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2012/07/28/test-presents-challenging-questions.html