Education commissioner defends Texas Projection Measure
06:34 PM CDT on Thursday, July 22, 2010
AUSTIN — Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott Thursday defended a policy that has allowed schools to boost their state ratings by counting some failed students as passing, saying much of the criticism of the policy is politically motivated.
Scott, speaking to the State Board of Education, said the so-called Texas Projection Measure has been misunderstood and misrepresented by critics who contend the policy gives a false impression of school performance.
The complex formula allows schools and districts to count as passing some students who actually fail the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills if the projection measure shows they are likely to pass in a future year.
“There is a little bit of election year politics going on here,” Scott said. “It is very easy to demagogue. It is very easy for someone to say