As a part of the implementation of "No Child Left Behind", Idaho designed
the "ISAT" tests. These are the tests that were given at various grade
levels to track "Adequate Yearly Progress" of all students.
In order to graduate, all students needed to pass the test given at the 10th
grade level. If the students did not receive a "proficient" score in the
10th grade, they were given additional chances to take the test, and a plan
was written for these students in order that they could graduate.
The vendor who originally wrote the tests beta-tested them on a select few
10th graders the year the tests were implemented. Those scores were then
averaged, and the average became the "proficient" score.
Unfortunately, many years ago, some of our rural school districts adopted a
reading curriculum called "Barretta-Lorton". This system, also dubbed "code
if you can" used symbols other than letters to associate sounds with words.
Small children then had to learn letters as well as the symbols, and no
phonics were included.
My son's class was one of the beta-tested classes. They also had gone
through the Barrett-Lorton system as small children. Over 80% of the class
was reading well below grade level at 10th grade, and some still couldn't
read at all. THESE ARE THE KIDS WHO SET THE PROFICIENT LEVEL.
Idaho doesn't really expect much from their kids.
Bev Bafus
" -----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com
[mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]On Behalf Of deb
Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2010 9:23 PM
To: Bill London; vision2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] education and economic development
Exactly! Idaho is becoming one of "those" states which has a high number
of unemployed, a low number of adequately educated prospective workers, and
nothing to attract anyone from outside who might bring dollars in. Look at
the ratings on Idaho for education, opportunity, growth, diversity, and as a
desirable place to live......going down every year. We look like Mississippi
at its worst....
Debi R-S
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill London
To: vision2020
Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2010 3:39 PM
Subject: [Vision2020] education and economic development
There's a great article in the Sunday (June 6) Lewiston Tribune, page 1E
(business section), entitled "Idaho labor pool a matter of quantity over
quality." The article was reprinted from the Boise Statesman.
In summary, the article explains that Idaho has plenty of unemployed
people, but very few of those have the skills needed by the high-tech
companies that are sought by every economic development plan (including
Moscow's).
"The talent pool isn't there," explained one of the high-tech
entrepreneurs.
Idaho is falling behind because the public education system (K-12 and
college) has been slowly strangled by the Legislature and the Republican
Party.
As is explained in the article, we are now seeing two significant
results to this anti-education policy. First, there just are not enough
students who graduate in the needed fields because those college programs do
not have the funds to grow. Second, when talented workers consider moving
to Idaho, they want to know that their own kids will be getting a
"world-class" education -- and when they discover the problems with K-12
funding in Idaho, those workers chose to go elsewhere.
It's time to move Idaho ahead
BL
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