Baltimore Sun: Widespread cheating found at city elementary school

[MattFancy]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bs-md-school-cheating-20100526,0,5832767.story

City and state education officials have uncovered widespread cheating on state tests at a Southwest Baltimore elementary school once held up as an example of against-the-odds achievement and have recently revoked the professional license of the principal, whom they are holding responsible.

Investigators reviewed hundreds of Maryland State Assessment booklets at George Washington Elementary and found thousands of erasure marks. In nearly all instances, the answers were changed from wrong to right.

The 18-month investigation, however, did not reveal who altered the test books. No staff member acknowledged taking part in or witnessing any cheating, and the principal, who was interviewed by investigators, did not provide an explanation, according to Baltimore schools CEO Andres Alonso.

This is what's wrong with schools today. They are set up to each towards a test, instead of just teaching. I'm sure there is probably a benchmark that teachers have to meet with so many students passing the test. So they probably took matters into their own hands and changed answers so the students passed. Maybe Maryland Schools should rethink the MSA's.

[PeterMP]

Maybe the problem is that the people running the schools are willing to cheat to make it look like they are teaching the kids vs. actually teaching them?

And having the tests actually allowed you to figure it out.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

reminds me of the South Park episode where Eric Cartmenez teaches the inner-city kids how to cheat for the big exam.

[PokerPacker]

reminds me of the South Park episode where Eric Cartmenez teaches the inner-city kids how to cheat for the big exam.

I saw the title, and that's exactly what I was gonna post.

[AngloSackSon]

In season 4 of The Wire, there is a good bit of focus on the pressure Baltimore city schools face with State Assessment test results.

[endzone_dave]

Maybe they should focus on helping the schools that have poor test scores instead of punishing them.

[Sniffler]

Maybe they should focus on helping the schools that have poor test scores instead of punishing them.

they actually do... when a school does not meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmark set forth in two consecutive years, the state comes in and takes over. Every teacher must reapply for their job in that school, sign new contracts for extended hours, attend numerous trainings, hold more meetings pertaining to student achievement, planning, and data analysis. They pour in large sums of money for resources, intervention programs for kids, as well as provide lots of manipulatives and learning tools. Once the school successfully meets the benchark (AYP), the state pulls all of the extra money out of the school and moves on...

[AngloSackSon]

they actually do... when a school does not meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmark set forth in two consecutive years, the state comes in and takes over.

Have you worked in Baltimore public schools? It sounds like you have.

If so, have you experienced a state overhaul, and was this as indicting on the teachers as it sounds? I can imagine the pressure they must feel.

My wife's friend just took a job in an inner city Balt. school, and it sounds like a tough environment..

[Thiebear]

Teaching to cheat is only the Instructors/administrators/pricipals fault.

Has nothing to do with any version of any carriculim.

(Achievable Dream - Newport) - gold standard of what to do with inner city.

[KingGibbs]

Everytime I see a story like this I envision a child attending an inner city school and that child wants to strive for better education. But, the thugs and punks of those schools take away from much of the learning process because those school systems are dealing with those said thugs and punks on a regular basis.

It saddens me to know that those kids that do want to learn are stuck in those school systems and have no way out.

Man, I'm getting way too philosophical today.

[desioreo87]

Everytime I see a story like this I envision a child attending an inner city school and that child wants to strive for better education. But, the thugs and punks of those schools take away from much of the learning process because those school systems are dealing with those said thugs and punks on a regular basis.

It saddens me to know that those kids that do want to learn are stuck in those school systems and have no way out.

Man, I'm getting way too philosophical today.

You are exactly right. Season 4 of the wire depicts this pretty well.

I remember the character Bunny Colvin remarking that they aren't learning for our world, they are learning for their world.

Standardize tests don't help anything in the inner city. The teachers first have to find a way to reach these kids on their terms and then they have to try to help them learn something.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

they actually do... when a school does not meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmark set forth in two consecutive years, the state comes in and takes over. Every teacher must reapply for their job in that school, sign new contracts for extended hours, attend numerous trainings, hold more meetings pertaining to student achievement, planning, and data analysis. They pour in large sums of money for resources, intervention programs for kids, as well as provide lots of manipulatives and learning tools. Once the school successfully meets the benchark (AYP), the state pulls all of the extra money out of the school and moves on...

Nice post. I'm amazed that I've read more than one post already that is deflecting the blame at the state instead of directly at the CHEATING school.

[MattFancy]

You are exactly right. Season 4 of the wire depicts this pretty well.

I remember the character Bunny Colvin remarking that they aren't learning for our world, they are learning for their world.

Standardize tests don't help anything in the inner city. The teachers first have to find a way to reach these kids on their terms and then they have to try to help them learn something.

That is the problem. Not everyone learns the same way, so the standardized tests don't do anything. The best teacher finds a way to relate the material to the people they are teaching. That's why teaching to test is pointless.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

That is the problem. Not everyone learns the same way, so the standardized tests don't do anything. The best teacher finds a way to relate the material to the people they are teaching. That's why teaching to test is pointless.

I don't quite understand. If the exams are testing your knowledge on something, what does it matter in what way that material is learned. If I need to learn history or algebra or grammar, there is still always only one right answer when a question is posed, so how my teacher helped me learn that answer (or learn to come to that answer) should be irrelevant.

What am I missing?

[MattFancy]

I don't quite understand. If the exams are testing your knowledge on something, what does it matter in what way that material is learned. If I need to learn history or algebra or grammar, there is still always only one right answer when a question is posed, so how my teacher helped me learn that answer (or learn to come to that answer) should be irrelevant.

What am I missing?

Because the students should learn the material and not memorize it. Its easy to cram and memorize stuff for tests, but if you don't know how to apply it, how good is that?

[Sticksboi05]

Everytime I see a story like this I envision a child attending an inner city school and that child wants to strive for better education. But, the thugs and punks of those schools take away from much of the learning process because those school systems are dealing with those said thugs and punks on a regular basis.

It saddens me to know that those kids that do want to learn are stuck in those school systems and have no way out.

Man, I'm getting way too philosophical today.

I just watched a Home Improvement episode where he said the exact same thing.

And yes, that's what it is. There are kids there who want to learn but they are influenced by the kids who think it's "gay" or a waste of time.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

Because the students should learn the material and not memorize it. Its easy to cram and memorize stuff for tests, but if you don't know how to apply it, how good is that?

I guess THAT is what I misunderstood. I didn't realize teachers were just teaching the kids what the right answers would be on these tests. I certainly agree that the kids should be learning the concepts, not the answers they will see.

However, I'm not making the connection between that teaching method and the failure of standardized testing. If the tests are created to match the appropriate curriculum, then the students should be learning this material anyway, right?

[Sniffler]

Have you worked in Baltimore public schools? It sounds like you have.

If so, have you experienced a state overhaul, and was this as indicting on the teachers as it sounds? I can imagine the pressure they must feel.

My wife's friend just took a job in an inner city Balt. school, and it sounds like a tough environment..

Nope...I work for Montgomery County but my statements are true for all Maryland Public schools. No, I have not experienced a state overhaul though two schools I worked for came close.

Yes, the pressure to teach students a year worth of content in less than ten months is extremely stressful and the pressure is amazing. According to NCLB (No Child Left Behind), every student needs to be proficient in all areas by the year 2014. So... yeah the pressure is a *****!

[Sniffler]

Nice post. I'm amazed that I've read more than one post already that is deflecting the blame at the state instead of directly at the CHEATING school.

I think the ****ed up part about this situation is that the only people who could have done the cheating would be the teachers. Either they were walking around informing the students of their wrong answers and telling the correct answer to bubble in OR the teachers changed the answers after the students were finished testing. Either way... People are going to lose their jobs and never be allowed to work in the field of education ever again!

[mcsluggo]

its a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.

standardized scores allow an objective way to view how schools are achieving, and ideally a way to identify different performances in schools that are facing similar problems and demographics and figure out what works better. In theory.

Reality is always tougher than theory, and getting the system to actually WORK is tough. That said, i think adding in objective external standards and oversight was a POSITIVE step in the RIGHT direction (my rare kudos to the W admin )

but now it has to be refined and made workable ---- this was step that the W admin was TERRIBLE at... by all acounts they got dogmatic on the theory, and obtuse about the needed tinkering around the edges--- the "if you aren't with me then you are against me!" mentality

[MattFancy]

I guess THAT is what I misunderstood. I didn't realize teachers were just teaching the kids what the right answers would be on these tests. I certainly agree that the kids should be learning the concepts, not the answers they will see.

However, I'm not making the connection between that teaching method and the failure of standardized testing. If the tests are created to match the appropriate curriculum, then the students should be learning this material anyway, right?

I guess I'm just not wording it right haha. The teachers seem to be more worried about making sure their students pass the MSA's than they are worried about making sure they understand the material. Its not all the teachers' fault by any means. But if the students don't understand the concepts behing things, are they really learning. I could memorize dates and formulas of things all I want. But if I don't know how to apply them, does it really matter that I know it?

[TD_washingtonredskins]

but now it has to be refined and made workable

I cut down your post so that you didn't think I was addressing your political views...

What do you believe should be done to refine it? I guess I'm still missing the problem here.

You have a test that is administered to schools around the country. The test (I would assume...maybe this is my problem) will include topics/subjects that should be taught to the kids taking the test.

Where is the problem here? Maybe they need to tinker with the questions, but the process itself seems relatively cut and dry.

[mcsluggo]

Nope...I work for Montgomery County but my statements are true for all Maryland Public schools. No, I have not experienced a state overhaul though two schools I worked for came close.

Yes, the pressure to teach students a year worth of content in less than ten months is extremely stressful and the pressure is amazing. According to NCLB (No Child Left Behind), every student needs to be proficient in all areas by the year 2014. So... yeah the pressure is a *****!

the thing is... MOST people could be a good teacher at my children's school. abouot 70 % of the kids in my daughter's class have at least one parent that volunteers at least once a month to come in and provide free assistance. the parents re-enforce the learning at home, attend parent teacher conferences etc etc etc... AND any family coming into a school like that is MUCH more likely to ALSO behave that way, even if they didn't elsewhere. it is a virtuous circle.

so are the teachers at this school better than teachers at low performing schools?

perhaps. but it is also much easier to be a good teacher... i am sure there is ALSO a beneficial self selection process at play in good schools. good teachers feel rewarded, and don't burn out as hard , and aren't chased out of the system. it is DRAINING to work like a dog and feel like you aren't making much progress. on the other hand its usually fairly easy to do a crappy job at ANYTHING, if you are able to just not care anymore.

its a tough tough nut. and unfortuntely the debate is constantly clouded by screaming people with dogmatic opinions, and rapant interest conflics (on BOTH sides of the political spectrum)

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I guess I'm just not wording it right haha. The teachers seem to be more worried about making sure their students pass the MSA's than they are worried about making sure they understand the material. Its not all the teachers' fault by any means. But if the students don't understand the concepts behing things, are they really learning. I could memorize dates and formulas of things all I want. But if I don't know how to apply them, does it really matter that I know it?

OK, I agree with you.

But this leads me to one of three conclusions:

1) The tests are way out of whack with what the regular curriculum would be for the students.

2) The teachers would not normally be fulfilling the actual curriculum requirements if not for the test.

3) The teachers don't trust their abilities to correctly teach the material and allow the students to be tested on it.

If the issue is #1, then the process would obviously need to be re-visited.

If the issue is #2, then I think the tests are doing what they are intended to do...flush out areas where classes or school systems are coming up short.

If the issue is #3, then this group of professionals needs to be OK with having their performance evaluated in the only true way it can be...let someone grade the graders.

[mcsluggo]

I cut down your post so that you didn't think I was addressing your political views...

What do you believe should be done to refine it? I guess I'm still missing the problem here.

You have a test that is administered to schools around the country. The test (I would assume...maybe this is my problem) will include topics/subjects that should be taught to the kids taking the test.

Where is the problem here? Maybe they need to tinker with the questions, but the process itself seems relatively cut and dry.

beacuse it isn't cut and dried. how do you measure "success" at different schools? in some areas just keeping all the kids in school, safe, and adequately fed is a HUGE early success... and burns alot of energy.

edit... and yeah, thanks for focusing on the content instead of the political jabs. I shoulda kept that out of there, it only further clouds the discussion and makes things more difficult.