The Common Core test scores and analysis were released and some surprising results indeed for NYC public and charter schools alike. With any new test, there will be a drop in schools. The Common Core is an initiative meant to make the generally considered low standards more rigorous. Not in itself a bad mission statement necessarily, but there are better alternatives and flaws within Common Core. One of the big flaws? It basically stuffs the coffers of Pearson and Big Testing. NYC alone paid MILLIONS for this Common Core test. Not to mention all the monitors and bureaucracy from the State of New York to simply administer the test.
The average drop for charter schools was 51%, while it was 34% for public schools. Here are some truly awe-inducing drops, from schools that were touted, heralded as penultimate success stories and offered as proof against public education:
- Harlem Village Academy: 2012, 100% pass rate; 2013, 21% pass rate
- Democracy Prep Harlem Charter (a Teach For America stuffed school): 2012, 84% pass rate; 2013, 13% pass rate
- KIPP AMP: 2012, 79% pass rate; 2013, 9% pass rate
- The Equity Project: 2012, 76% pass rate; 2013; 20% pass rate
- Bronx Charter School of Excellence (what a name): 2012, 96% pass rate; 2013, 33% pass rate
Why the drop?
The tests overall did have a higher bar, but going from full passage rate to an abysmal one-fifth passage rate is obscene. Charter schools have this mythical connotation to them, built up by the likes of John Stossel’s apostles (and his mustache) along with disingenuous films like Waiting for Superman. Charter schools can solve poverty because of how distinctly amazing their teachers are, compared to those union thugs slumming it in the public schools.
There was one charter school- Success Academies- which still maintained high pass rates. I have personal doubts about the score maintenance, as we have seen the cheating scandals at charters becoming rampant, along with cherry picking of students. If their schools are terribly selective, then one could expect those types of results. It is also important to note the stories many share of special/high needs students getting into these schools through the lottery system and charter schools getting them reassigned or kicked out midway through the year because of inadequate progress or behavior- powers that public schools don’t have.
Charter school proponents and school reforms advocates often inundate the public with numbers, saying their data proves their points. But what about this data? The cold, hard data you can’t fix or fudge to your talking points? Well, Mayor El Bloombito called it good news, in true double-plus good, double-speak fashion. Joel Klein also wrote that these scores were good news. Then again, you see at the bottom that Klein oversees “Amplify, which creates digital products and services for teachers, students and parents.” Another education profiteer, hedgucator, benefiting from siphoning funds, desperate measures, and abuse on the education system. He even assures us that Common Core somehow will lead students to success in the global economy. Does Common Core tuck kids in at night and feed them fresh fruit and veggies too?
The schools above have received millions, while public schools are suffering from loss of funds at every level. You don’t see outside organizations awarding public schools with the millions that you do for charters.
This still avoids the question about the flaws with standardized testing in general, but for now, the charter school spin is running at full force, while the children are ostensibly the ones still losing and being branded as failures before they reach an age of self-determination.
So what story do reformers tell us now?
Antoinette Marie, Modern Pencil
The Modern Pencil 