Here is where I agree with Ron Paul: local control, Local Control, LOCAL CONTROL!
"Half of schools in Mass. fall short; Federal standards getting tougher" by David Abel, Globe Staff | September 20, 2008
Half of all Massachusetts public schools this year failed to meet achievement standards established by the state under the No Child Left Behind Act.
That includes 100 of 143 public schools in Boston, according to a report released yesterday by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The number of underachieving schools rose sharply from last year, when 37 percent failed to meet performance standards under the federal law. Commissioner of Education Mitchell Chester said the schools aren't getting worse - federal guidelines are getting tougher.
The results will require schools to consider a range of actions, ranging from replacing staff to changing the curriculum to rethinking budget priorities, which in some cases could lead to lengthened school days, fewer union restrictions, or greater state oversight.
That's what the state wants right there: control over your kids.
Yup, we have TRILLIONS for WARS and BILLIONS for BANKS and BILLIONS for Israel and MILLIONS of taxpayer $$$ to pass out to rich Hollywood folk, Wall Street, corporations, favored client and BANKS, but the schools? FUCK 'EM!!!!
The schools are judged on overall student performance as well as the performance of subgroups based on race/ethnicity, family income level, and special education.
Of course, the free social services for the illegals wouldn't have anything to do with the failing schools, right?
Also see: The Stumbling Middle Schools of Massachusetts
If a school or one of its subgroups fails to meet standards for two consecutive years, the state identifies the school as "needing improvement" and allows parents to request their children be transferred to better-performing schools in their district. If problems continue for an additional two years, the school is designated as requiring "corrective action," meaning the schools must make significant changes that could include staffing, curriculum, or teaching philosophy.
The mandate to "restructure" comes after five substandard years. In such cases, the state might lean on schools to take drastic action and operate under the close supervision of state education officials. Reversing that status takes two consecutive years of score improvements.
This year, 137 schools require overall restructuring, up from 77 last year. There were 140 additional schools that require restructuring because of underperforming subgroups, up from 114 last year.
--more--"No wonder educators, education officials, and students hate the damn thing!
Thank God I'm done with schooling; going to school now would suck, and I feel sorry for the kids.
Maybe they aren't stoo-pid, just BORED!!
