Comments from the sidelines: 1. Let's not lose sight of the fact that "test scores" do not measure whether a school system is successful. They are used as a measurement because many believe outcome measures are needed and therefore you need to create something that you can measure and because, now, the feds require it (in my view, the intent of NCLB is to divert public funds, take away time from learning and further weaken public education; I don't have Mr. Atherton's research knowledge, I just have my knowledge of the administration's agenda and of how disruptive NCLB and similar testing has been to learning in my daughter's school). We can talk about "test scores" as shorthand, but let's remember there's a broader view.
2. For a school system to play well its role in the society, it has to be healthy and strong over time. People with options have to have long-term expectations about the school system to commit their location choices and families to the system and to support public education as a societal priority. Assuming rational state legislators (yes, a significant assumption), strong systems -- at least the larger and higher-profile systems -- are important for an ongoing commitment at the level of state funding. Strong systems are important in prevailing in the public perception wars waged by anti-community, pro-privatizing ideologues. If the Administrator produces an improvement in test scores in some schools in a given year (and I'm not sure how you possibly can be confident of cause and effect), but causes skilled members of the school system to leave, causes parents to lose faith, changes positive aspects of the institution's culture for the worse in significant ways, allows ideologues to point to dysfunction, then perhaps the Administrator is not doing an acceptable job despite the test score increases. I'm not saying it's an easy job, I'm just saying test scores isn't the only criterion. Those who wish to dismiss criticisms of Dr. Peebles keep calling this "style." It isn't style, it's substance of a crucial sort. 3. I have concerns as to Dr. Peebles' overall leadership in this regard based on (fairly abundant and consistent) second-hand reports, but I do not have sufficient first-hand knowledge to have an opinion about her performance that is entitled to any consideration. But it seems to me that one year is an extraordinarily short period of time to require that she demonstrate successful performance, for such a complicated job and in such a challenging environment, unless Board members perceive that she is causing very actual and immediate damage. On the other hand, it seems entirely appropriate for there to be communication between Dr. Peebles and the Board about what appear to be very valid concerns. Chuck Holtman Prospect Park Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 07:43:29 -0500 From: "Michael Atherton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE: [Mpls] Update on Dr. Peebles and community support To: <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" .... The problem is knowing exactly what has raised test scores. NCLB was designed and implemented to raise test scores, so we shouldn't be surprised if scores rise. The question should be whether the scores at schools where Dr. Peebles was directly involved improved over and above those at similar schools in the Metro. I haven't seen that analysis yet. If such an analysis does show a significant difference, then the Board's concern about "style" should be ignored. Michael Atherton Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
