Ditch No Child Left Behind, follow Florida?
If the United States wants to get serious about closing achievement gaps, it should quit trying to dictate education policy from the federal level and let states lead the way, writes Lindsey Burke, an education policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, in this recent blog post.
Her poster child for state success: Florida.
Her proof: The progress black students in Florida have made on the National Assessment for Educational Progress.
"Nationally, between 1998 and 2002," Burke writes (she means between 1998 and 2008), "the average score for African-American students in reading increased 12 points. In Florida, over the same period of time, the average increased at double that rate (25 points). The fourth-grade reading gap between black and white students would be half the size it is today if African-American students nationwide had made the same impressive results as black students in Florida."
Burke continues with this kicker: "Notably, African-American students in Florida now outpace or tie the statewide average of all students in reading in eight states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and New Mexico."
Here is an article that proves that anybody has the right to express themselves without having any of the facts checked for accuracy. This article belongs in the Onion.
Are these guys also smoking crystal meth?
Umm. Someone needs to check further into the achievement gap in Florida. From what I'm hearing, if there is any narrowing going on it's because the top students are actually being held back by the grade-level FCAT and the new "all kids on the same page" policies of the new math textbook.
This has to be a joke. This is a published article ?
the Heritage Foundation is an ultra right wing extremist organization. The Koch Brothers, the Walton Family and Gates Foundation pay for these studies.
the idea is, we want a pre-determined outcome. they throw some big bucks at the Heritage Foundation and waalaah! you get what you paid for.
look for this "research" in some obscure magazine you've never heard of!
The Heritage Foundation...also known as the people who gave us Ken Starr.
And you're quoting blog posts, yet. Really, SPT, this is news? How about you start quoting The Stark Raving Cello, the Scribbing Sea Sprite, or Attack of the Redneck Mommy, while you're at it?
Pinellas County failing to graduate 79% of African American males and we can expect it to only get worse is not my idea of success; in fact should be a crime. 41% of Pinellas County Schools are in Correct II, one step from Florida State intervention. Gibbs, already successful in failing its students to state intervention ad nauseam, Lakewood High and Boca Ciega, Fairmount, Melrose, Gulfport, Lakewood Elem, to name a few are schools with predominately African American population are racing towards the same distinction. This person must belong to the same social club as Julie Janssen - Oblivious Divas!