tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7893272060787897238.post1320007116804365562..comments2024-03-19T08:42:45.690-04:00Comments on The Delaware Libertarian: Rethinking the DSTP: putting the cart back behind the horseSteven H. Newtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09097470960863103473noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7893272060787897238.post-34083522846618021302009-03-05T11:28:00.000-05:002009-03-05T11:28:00.000-05:00There should be a DE Way annual award if not a Hal...There should be a DE Way annual award if not a Hall Of Fame. The history of the DSTP is a candidate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7893272060787897238.post-14193606199375248682009-03-05T11:00:00.000-05:002009-03-05T11:00:00.000-05:00https://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/cornerstone...https://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/cornerstones/de.pdfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7893272060787897238.post-12031499743456640892009-03-05T10:58:00.000-05:002009-03-05T10:58:00.000-05:00“Only in Delaware would we have turned over the de...“Only in Delaware would we have turned over the development of the DSTP to an educrat--in this case, John Tanner--who negotiated the contract for scoring the tests as a DOE employee and then went to work for vendor with whom he negotiated the contract”<BR/><BR/>DOE and the governor kept quiet because Tanner knew his test (DSTP) that was only meant to be an assessment to be the “yardstick” to measure student achievement to better address academic needs was twisted into an accountability piece to be unitized as requirements for NCLB. DSTP was in development back in 1995 and rolled out in spring 1998 and NCLB nothing more than ESEA reauthorized in 2000. The business roundtable had their “political” way in spite of warnings by Dr. Noble re: narrowing the scope of education and teaching to the test.<BR/><BR/>As far as the Growth Model re AYP, it’s not Markell’s gift to the public as Delaware has been a pilot state approved by USDOE. Attached is a letter dated January 8, 2009 from USDOE to Val at Delaware DOE gives Delaware an extension on the Growth Model https://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/cornerstones/de.pdf<BR/><BR/>As far as given schools spending flexibility of state grants this is nothing new.<BR/>The feds version is called Ed-Flex which gives more latitude in utilizing federal grand to obtain end results. Markell may have been handed a financial crisis however he was handed the framework for educational reform on a silver platter. The battles for these reforms have been won without his help. In fact DSTP was slated to be replaced two years ago but put on hold due to financial concerns.<BR/><BR/>As far as “(and what follows is so wonkish that probably nobody but kilroy or pandora is going to enjoy it),” the DSTP data even flawed is meat on the table for data freaks. I presented my opinions to the USDOE a few years back that determined based on the data, “it would take 26 years to close the achievement gap to a reasonable level however, long before 26 years someone would come along with another save the world educational reform plan.” The rebuttal countered by position. <BR/><BR/>I’ll pull in my political horns and give Markell and Denn some space but I will keep pushing for full financial transparency of public schools and Delaware DOE. Real reform can’t happen until we reform school finances. LEAD report indicate 150 million dollars in waste within current methodology of public school finances.<BR/><BR/> <BR/>pandora said...<BR/>“My point was: In order to write a good paper you must be able to write a good sentence.”<BR/><BR/>Is this a cheap Delaware Liberal shot at Kilroy! LOLAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7893272060787897238.post-33228631348571007032009-03-05T09:58:00.000-05:002009-03-05T09:58:00.000-05:00Excellent points, Steve. The problem with the DST...Excellent points, Steve. The problem with the DSTP is that it lacked basic educational sense while creating false positives, as well as false negatives.<BR/><BR/>When my son was in 2nd grade the teacher had the class writing paper after paper - in preparation for the 3rd grade DSTP. Consider that: Writing papers before learning the parts of speech. Being me, I raised my concerns over this approach, and was told that this was the way it was and the way it had to be along with a bevy of education jargon justifying the practice.<BR/><BR/>My point was: In order to write a good paper you must be able to write a good sentence. Seemed simple enough, but as those of us dealing with these situation soon realize... there's profit in making simple complicated.<BR/><BR/>IMO, the DSTP forces teachers to skip over the building blocks of education in the name of test scores. Its narrow focus hurts all students, but I'm seeing a case to be made that, in the long run, it ends up hurting those scoring 4s or 5s the most. To me, those results are a false positive.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com