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Cheating by California teachers invalidates schools' test scores
Los Angeles Times ^ | September 18, 2011 | By Howard Blume

Posted on 09/19/2011 7:30:43 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin

Twenty-two California schools had their test scores thrown out this year. Nearly half the campuses lost their Academic Performance Index scores because of cheating by teachers. Several others were penalized because of help teachers gave students that violated rules. Additionally, some school scores were rejected because of what appeared to be accidental actions.

In most cases, schools or school districts turned themselves in. Because of budget cuts, the state Education Department no longer conducts random audits at schools or scans test booklets for irregularities.

The number of schools with invalidated test scores remains relatively small but is edging upward. In 2003, no schools were disqualified for "adult irregularities." In 2007, 13 had scores rejected, and in 2009, the last year the state funded anti-cheating measures, 15 were tossed. In 2010, the number was 24. The state has more than 10,000 schools.

The Boston-based National Center for Fair & Open Testing recorded cheating in at least 30 states plus the District of Columbia over the last three years.

"Accountability always pressures employees to deliver results," said Rick Hess, an education specialist at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington, D.C. "Widespread cheating — whether it's steroids in baseball or false information in mortgage lending — usually is more a symptom of broken systems than an outbreak of venality."

In Los Angeles County, Short Avenue Elementary in Del Rey and Animo Leadership Charter High School in Inglewood did not receive API scores.

Two other schools in L.A. County also lost their academic ratings: Graves Middle School and Kwis Elementary.

At Graves, in the South Whittier School District, an eighth-grade English teacher was accused of discussing vocabulary questions between portions of the test and urging students to correct wrong answers. Students reported the teacher, who is now subject to dismissal.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: api; cheating; education; nclb; nochildleftbehind; publicschools; schools; teachercheating; teachers; teachersunions; teacherunions; unions

1 posted on 09/19/2011 7:30:47 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Georgia, California - ah yes, we must as a society continue to worship these wonderful selfless teachers.


2 posted on 09/19/2011 7:33:50 PM PDT by C. Edmund Wright
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Geeee, what a surprise... (NOT)! Over half of the students are here illegally!


3 posted on 09/19/2011 7:34:59 PM PDT by Die_Hard Conservative Lady (When all the working class leave California what will be left?)
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To: DeaconBenjamin
Public school teachers teaching students how to get ahead in life, CHEAT!
4 posted on 09/19/2011 7:50:05 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (Holy flippin' crap, Sarah rocks the world!)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

>> Because of budget cuts, the state Education Department no longer conducts random audits at schools or scans test booklets for irregularities.

Than what the Hell are these slackers doing with the remaining funds?


5 posted on 09/19/2011 7:53:26 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Your Hope has been Redistributed. Here's your damn Change!)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

Forget about Ca. teachers cheating.. The Bama wants to build them all new schools with taxpayer funds. Trailer trash is more fitting for what they have become.


6 posted on 09/19/2011 8:22:08 PM PDT by tflabo ( to have been selected)
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To: tflabo
ozero's bailout for successful socialists, not wanted by real educators, and testing reveals their inadaquacy.

Being a union, the NEA can't clean up a dirty act, so the answer to the question is ... eliminate the NEA.


Hmmmm ... there's an idea ... on every teacher's competency test, include a, or some questions regarding the union ...

Do you like it?

Is it worth it?

Should you pay more or less dues?


I'd be curious to know THAT stat

7 posted on 09/19/2011 8:31:34 PM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
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To: DeaconBenjamin

This is merely symptomatic of a union/crony politician/grievance group scandal of billions of wasted taxpayer dollars.

Common sense, decency and achievement have been replaced by Liberal legislators and moronic Lefty pundits screaming for money for “the children” when in fact it’s a failure factory with plush salaries, retirements and benefits for the purveyors of Obamadrone students who can barely read but know about Global Warming and trans-gendered “rights.”

More dummies = more funding.

To fix this nation is to approach the Left like a cancer, cut it out enirely, spread radioactive, anti-union legislation and end the NEA.

Kill the pensions
Fix the cirricula
End Affirmative Action entry, promotion and admissions

Beef up trade schools
Close the border.

Otherwise, we’re toast.


8 posted on 09/19/2011 8:51:35 PM PDT by wac3rd (Somewhere in Hell, Ted Kennedy snickers....)
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To: Gene Eric; All
Than what the Hell are these slackers doing with the remaining funds?

You beat me to it!

These cheating scandals should shame the educational establishment and the unions. Instead of accountability, we get variations of "Bush's fault!" as the excuses, along with demands for higher pay.

9 posted on 09/19/2011 10:53:15 PM PDT by newzjunkey (Will racist demagogue Andre Carson be censured by the House?)
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