How National Education Rankings Really Work

I've met many new friends in the fight against Common Core.  One such friend is Marla Baldwin, teacher from Calcasieu Parish.

Marla published an extraordinary post on Facebook yesterday. She has given me permission to share it here:

I’m getting really sick of the people who are acting like the "sky is falling" because Gov. Jindal used his executive power to start the process of exiting LA from CC/PARCC. Here's the comment that set me off tonight. "Oh great, Gov. Jindal wants Louisiana to stay at the bottom of the country in test score ranking."

First of all, governor Jindal has finally listened to the people of Louisiana rather than the corporations who stand to make money off of CC/PARCC or have already received $ from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their support.

Secondly, most people do not understand or have not thought about what the ranking of states by test scores actually mean. Here's a reminder about how the ranking of states really works: 50 states get ranked. That means that one will be #1 and one will be #50. Imagine having 50 Valedictorians in a graduating class. While all 50 valedictorians are wonderful, each could be ranked from #1 to #50. Is being valedictorian #50, really that big of a deal? If you rank, that's what you get, a top and a bottom, and lots of in-between.

Now let's think about the ranking of states. Let's say Massachusetts is #1 with a score of 87. Louisiana is NOT #50, but let's say we are with a score of 77. That's only a 10 point difference. It is NOT what most people think that #1 is 100 and #50 is a big fat 0. This is part of the manufactured crisis that reformers put out in the media, [emphasis added] because they know 1) people will believe the media at face value without really knowing what's going on & 2) the best way to get people to accept radical change like CC is to make them believe that the change is necessary.

AND if all states were to improve from CC (which is highly unlikely), wouldn't all states improve? Hence, #1 will still be #1 but maybe with a score of 89. #50 might improve to a whopping 79. What makes anybody think that Louisiana will suddenly jettison to the top of the country in test scores based on the implementation of CC?

People need to stop being so gullible and start really thinking about what's really going on. It's all about the $$$$$$$. It was NEVER about our children. Finally, no one even knows how valid these tests are and no one mentions the other factors that contribute to student achievement, such as poverty, crime, unemployment rates, parents imprisoned which vary from state to state.

So, there you have it. Louisiana school rankings might not be as bad as the media and education reformers would have you believe.  Who'da' thunk?

Can You Say Conflict of Interest?

I almost fell out of my chair in laughter when I read a story in today's Baton Rouge Business Report.  Here's a link to the little write-up that brought so much jocularity to my life earlier today.  

Go ahead and read the story first. If you don't, the rest will not make sense.

Here is some information that the Baton Rouge Business Report neglected to include in the article regarding some of the organizations that signed the statement referenced in the article:

It is a well-known fact that Bill Gates, via The Gates Foundation, has financed every aspect of Common Core to the tune of $2.3 billion. 

Stand for Children has received $10,898,378 from The Gates Foundation as of 2013 to advocate for the Common Core State Standards. 

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) has a few interesting connections to the US Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation.  For the record, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its Institute for Competitive Workforce have received $6,053,918 from the Gates Foundation to advocate for the Common Core State Standards. 

In addition to a partnership between LABI and the US Chamber announced in January of this year, an overlooked, but very important, connection between the LABI and the US Chamber of Commerce is Maura Donahue.

Maura Donahue is a former past chair of the Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee of the U.S. Chamber and she currently serves on the Senior Council, the Executive Committee, and is chair of the Nominating Committee.

Maura Donahue also sits on the boards of LABI (Executive Committee, Vice President, Board of Directors), and Greater New Orleans Inc., two organizations that "signed off" on the statement issued today.

One other detail that I need to mention: Maura Donahue is the wife of Louisiana Senator Jack Donahue, who sits on the Louisiana Senate Education Committee.

I don't see a problem here at all, do you?

So.......here we are

Decided to take it off Facebook.  I'm sure my friends appreciate my decision to do so.

Why I have sunk my teeth so deep into the Common Core States Standards (CCSS) issue?   My one and only is a 1.5 semesters away from graduating from LSU so why am I so concerned about what happens in Louisiana schools, right?

Well for starters, I have nieces and a nephew, two of whom are just beginning their schooling so I am concerned with what and how they will be taught.

Secondly, I view CCSS as just another cog in the wheel of the federal government gaining control over every aspect of our lives.

Too bad our state government doesn't see it this way. Guess the $$ signs have clouded their vision.

So, stick around.  I have a lot to say on the subject and as I continue to peel back the layers of this foul-smelling onion, I'm sure I'll have even more to say.