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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Geaux Teacher!: Standardized Tests and Cheating

Geaux Teacher!: Standardized Tests and Cheating:

Standardized Tests and Cheating

The Times-Picayune today published an editorial "Investigate cheating claims" that addressed charges made in the spring of 2010 that Miller-McCoy Academy staff was providing questions from the state's high-stakes test to prepare students.

http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2011/08/investigate_cheating_claims_in/3743/comments-newest.html

This is my comment in response to the story and another comment by Oh-Really?

lbarriosAugust 27, 2011, 12:09AM

Oh-Really? said: "The schools now seem to only be teaching the answers to the test questions without regard for the actual learning process."

Your statement is so masterfully worded that it shows clearly the problem with using standardized tests to measure learning, the dichotomy between teaching and testing, and the hypocrisy of expecting teachers to teach and students to learn answers for questions they are not allowed to see. Makes no sense does it? If you


New Watchdog for Charter Schools

The Lens, the first non-profit journalism venture in New Orleans, was launched by co-founders Ariella Cohen and Karen Gadbois in 2009.

Last night, August 25, the on-line newspaper hosted a gathering called the Summer Salon Focus on NOLA Charter Schools at the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities building on Lafayette Street to announce their newest investigative venture. They will assign a corps of reporters to cover every Charter School Board meeting in New Orleans.

The Lens admitted that their first hurdle will be obtaining schedules from the schools, which has been a bone of contention for parents and anyone else attempting to lift the "veil of transparency" that hangs over most of these independent charters. Charters are public schools and subject to the Freedom of Information Act, Public Meetings Law and other regulations for public entities. The information should be filed with the Secretary of State's office and The Louisiana Association of Public Charters should have the information regarding their