Dec 14, 2007

Some of the Dirt on Huckabee Clinton doesn't want to leak yet.

Very interesting information is available via a lawsuit filed against the state board of education and the governor of Arkansas in a dispute about district funding. This Arkansas Supreme Court Decision is a gold mine of information that utterly devastates Huckabee's self-promotion as the "education" candidate.

This is from the Supreme Court's Chief Justice (by the way, the "home schooling advocate" Jonell Caldwell, named in the suit and who claims to be a pioneer in homeschooling in AK and has a much viewed video in support of Huckabee is in fact the chairman of the Arkansas State Education Board)

Results of the State's own Benchmark testing for eighth grade students in April 2000 showed that only sixteen percent were proficient or above in math statewide, and in the Little Rock School District only nine percent were proficient or above.

With respect to Arkansas high school students entering state universities, fifty-eight percent needed remediation in either English or math. For the Rogers High School students entering a university (including some students with 3.0 grade averages), forty-four percent needed remediation in either English or math.

Judge Kilgore concluded in his 2001 order that the "State has a remarkably serious problem with student performance." We agree.

...

Do you remember the NEA convention speech where Huckabee is talking about making sure that teachers are valued by way of increased salaries? What an incredible, bald-faced liar. If he really thought this was a priority, perhaps he'd have pressured the legislature to increase teacher pay. Not that I am a fan of paying teachers who can only achieve a 9% competency rate amongst students in math, but it's clear that Huckabee plays very fast and loose with the facts.
Arkansas' entry level for teacher salaries is last when compared to our eight bordering states, and Arkansas spends twenty percent less than the national average for teachers across the board. The entry level salary for Arkansas school districts bordering Memphis, Tennessee was about $5,695 less than that offered in Memphis school districts, and for more experienced teachers the differential was almost $6,000. A similar disparity exists for beginning salaries between school districts in Texarkana, Arkansas and Texarkana, Texas. Arkansas school districts pay about $4,000 less than those in Texas.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just love how people throw around statistics and use them how they see fit. While only 9% of the students were proficient or advanced,(which I agree is not acceptable) what were the scores BEFORE he implemented his intiatives?

Students all over the country (not just those from AR) need remedial classes upon entering college, not because the teachers didn't do their jobs, but because college is rapidly becoming a right and not a priviledge.

Teachers are fighting an uphill battle. They have students who would rather text their friends, swear in the teacher's face, gripe about doing homework, and then have the nerve to argue that their grades are not high enough. These students are backed by parents who were texting their child while in class, doesn't understand why a child should attend class during a shortened week of school, and does not believe the teacher when the teacher calls expressing concern about the child's ability or lack of participation.

The third component is the administration. In most cases, all a parent has to do is go over the teacher's head and complain. Suddenly the teacher finds him/herself faced with doing what ever it takes to keep the parent quiet so the administration gets off the teacher's back, or sticking to what he/she knows is best for the child and possibly face being moved to a less desired position/building/team the next year (or worse if it comes from the superintendent).

NCLB has destroyed the American Educational system. While our students should be expected to meet certain standards, we are testing them to death, leaving little time for the necessary instruction, and children do not perform at their best unless they have a vested interest in the results. State testing? Federal Testing? District Testing? National Testing? Until they start looking at colleges, children today don't care about the results of their tests and some even find it funny that a school may close due to their lack of initative. (notice I did not say ABILITY)

Demidog said...

I take it you are a teacher. You know , the NEA lobbied for this garbage.

It's time to abolish the Department of Education and leave education policy to the parents.