"The data you accessed through the build-a-table application on the VDOE website and shared with Carol Wolf is from an incomplete database base that was inadvertently and prematurely exposed to the public through the application. The reports you created do not reflect the results of 300,000 – 400,000 state assessments that have yet to be loaded into the system. Access to 2012-2013 assessment data won’t available to the public until next month. The database includes personally identifiable student information."
Butcher's response sent at 3:13 p.m., July 2, 2013:
"I don't care whether it's incomplete or not; it's a public record. "Availability to the public" depends on whether the records meet a FOIA exception, not on VDOE fiat. As to personally identifiable student information, your folks use the magic "<" to protect that and I expect they'll continue to do so. I want the rest of it."
"I don't care whether it's incomplete or not; it's a public record. "Availability to the public" depends on whether the records meet a FOIA exception, not on VDOE fiat. As to personally identifiable student information, your folks use the magic "<" to protect that and I expect they'll continue to do so. I want the rest of it."
Meanwhile, stay tuned. Butcher and I will keep the data posted on our websites and will compare it to the "final" data when it is released next month. Or sooner. ~ CW
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Here are the dirty dozen school divisions -- the 12 WORST -- in reading and math from across Virginia, according to the latest data available from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
As predicted, the new English test dropped the scores overall. Also, as predicted, the loss of the ability to use the VGLA to cheat cost Richmond more than most other divisions. The math scores statewide rebounded from the new test last year, however, Richmond continued to sink. Calls for comment from Richmond Public School (RPS) and Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) officials have not yet been returned.
The ever-vigilant John Butcher at The Cranky Taxpayer.Org website pulled the new 2012-2013 reading and math scores yesterday afternoon from VDOE's website and database:
http://bi.virginia.gov/BuildATab/rdPage.aspx and we each posted data and analysis on the SaveOur Schools blogsite and on the Cranky Taxpayer website:
http://crankytaxpayer.org/sol_scores.htm.
Butcher made copies of all the data he pulled yesterday (which was a good thing) since today it appears that VDOE officials have removed the 2013 information and it is no longer available from the database.
Butcher sent an e-mail at 11:58 a.m. today to VDOE's public relations officer, Charles Pyle, asking why the data was removed. "Given that the data already are in the wild, I suggest you reactivate the database so I (and others) can look at other data. Failing that, please consider this a FOIA request for the entire database and start the five-day clock."
The ever-vigilant John Butcher at The Cranky Taxpayer.Org website pulled the new 2012-2013 reading and math scores yesterday afternoon from VDOE's website and database:
http://bi.virginia.gov/BuildATab/rdPage.aspx and we each posted data and analysis on the SaveOur Schools blogsite and on the Cranky Taxpayer website:
http://crankytaxpayer.org/sol_scores.htm.
Butcher made copies of all the data he pulled yesterday (which was a good thing) since today it appears that VDOE officials have removed the 2013 information and it is no longer available from the database.
Butcher sent an e-mail at 11:58 a.m. today to VDOE's public relations officer, Charles Pyle, asking why the data was removed. "Given that the data already are in the wild, I suggest you reactivate the database so I (and others) can look at other data. Failing that, please consider this a FOIA request for the entire database and start the five-day clock."
Those data cast a clear light on the effect of Richmond's VGLA cheating. We start with the math scores by year. Here are the Richmond and state scores for students with and without disabilities; the second graph shows the Richmond scores minus the state scores, both with and without disabilities.
Notice that Richmond has performed well below the state average but its students with disabilities performed well above the state average for students with disabilities until 2012. Further notice the drop in scores for students with disabilities in 2011, perhaps related to the State Superintendent's belated "concern" about abuse of the VGLA.
To the point here, Richmond's kids without disabilities underperformed the state average while the kids with disabilities outperformed the statewide average for students with disabilities. Until 2012, that is, when the new test stopped Richmond's abuse of the VGLA and took the Richmond scores for students with disabilities below the state scores.
The new reading test in 2013, with no VGLA (except for LEP students), confirms this picture. Again we see Richmond's students before 2013 generally underperforming the state average but its students with disabilities outperforming the state average for students with disabilities. But the 2013 plunge in Richmond's scores, led by the students with disabilities, gives away the game.
"Plunge" understates the reality: Richmond's students with disabilities went from 3 points above the state average for students with disabilities to 16.7 points below from 2012 to 2013. Looking at these scores in context with the math test leaves only one explanation: the Richmond scores for students with disabilities were inflated until deflated by the new, VGLA-free math and reading tests.
The following charts compare the scores of surrounding localities and Richmond.
The following charts compare the scores of surrounding localities and Richmond.
Wouldn't it make more sense to wait until you have 100% of the data before posting graphs and also a list of the top 12 worst schools in english and math?
ReplyDeleteI can appreciate that your suggestion makes sense on one level. But, consider this -- wouldn't it make more sense to follow the numbers through the system so we can see how VDOE allows the districts to have "re-takes" and to "eliminate" scores of children for a variety of reasons. The numbers are the raw, unadulterated, uncut numbers. It would make most sense if VDOE would publish all the high school scores given that VDOE had to have those numbers in order to determine who graduates.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, it is important to remember that Virginia's SOLs aren't simply about measuring how well our children, including those in special education, do in public school. The NCLB mandate (unfunded or not) and the SOLs are also supposed to measure how well the teacher, school, school district and state perform their jobs. The task becomes exponentially more complicated when attempting to determine how the children in special education are faring.
ReplyDeleteConsequently, wouldn't make more sense to make this data available in a more timely fashion in order to ensure that the schools and teachers (in addition to the students) can get whatever assistance they need to improve their academic performance during the summer, rather than waiting until the end of summer to address any shortcomings?
First off, some of these students never had to take a standardized test and then you take then off cold turkey and expect them to perform at the same standard of every other child????? Are you serious, that makes no sense before you call out people for cheating why don't you check your statistics towards those students who because of their disability were not able to function well taking a test and then now you are telling them who cares about the fact you have a disability you need to make it or break it like ever other child regardless..... This is so terrible we as so called educators think that way, I'm digusted. Richmond had more exceptional education students them most locales so the expectation of us has always been poor. VGLA was designed for our people to fail and now here is the result, Thank You Educators you have met your goal!!!! Ignorance!!!! We must do better for our babies!!!! They need a good education like any body else......
ReplyDelete