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http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/opinion/6499072.htmThe fallacy of basing education policy on arbitrary testing results was never more clearly demonstrated than in the recent score given to Manatee County schools by the federal government.
The federal results, based on President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind program, said 49 of the district's 56 schools flunked the test. The failure list included all of the middle schools and high schools in Manatee County. Two elementary schools, Wakeland and Samoset, were singled out with F grades for the second year. Being labeled as F schools twice means that parents in those two school attendance zones have the option of transferring their children to a higher performing school, with transportation provided by the school district.
But wait. Just a few weeks earlier, all of Manatee's schools were given passing grades in the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test program initiated by Gov. Jeb Bush. Twelve of those that earned A's in the state test were on the failure list of the federal test. Wakeland and Samoset, having moved from F in 2002 to C in 2003 on the FCAT, were jubilant. Now, just a few days before the start of a new school year, parents are told the schools are failures.
Which is it? Which set of tests is to be believed? Which Bush policy is the right one, the president's or the governor's? And what does the discrepancy in ratings say about the authenticity of either one?<snip>
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