VAMs “Contribute to Student Learning?”
On Friday, The Florida Times-Union released an Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) titled “VAM Data Helps [sic] Contribute to Student Learning.” With curiosity, I thought this might be the first Op-Ed to suggest, hopefully with at least some evidence, that VAM-based data can be used in some type of formative way(s). The author of this might know how, or better yet have research evidence to support the title of his/her Op-Ed piece?
So I thought, in many ways unfortunately, as I can (still) only hope that at least something positive is coming from all this VAM-based nonsense (e.g., increased student learning).
Unfortunately, however, and after reading the first paragraph, I could have predicted that this piece did not come from an educator. Rather, the Op-Ed was written by Gary Chartrand — the chairman of Florida’s State Board of Education.
His claims? All hoaxes, as Diane Ravitch would put it, all of which he is advancing in this Op-Ed without any research evidence whatsoever in support, but because he “believes” in the claims he advances. Recall when people believed the world was flat? Just because people believed this, did not mean it was true though did it (see note below).
Some of his most outlandish (and unfortunately false) claims and beliefs include the following: