I suspect most of us saw this coming when the DISD took the highly unusual step of calling Land 8th graders back from Summer break to retake the TAKS test. Now Tawnell Hobbs at the DMN reports reports that, sure enough, the retest scores "plunge" for these same students when compared to their first attempt during the school year. Details are still sketchy, but DISD administration is quick to note that the irregularities are the result of actions by the school staff, not the students. The possibilty of felony indictments has been publicly suggested.
A quick search of on-line comments related to this issue reveals the ususal charges of district-wide ineptitude and corruption while calling for the District to be broken up or simply handed over to someone else to run. Not so fast this time.
Despite the pressure for high performance associated with TAKS scores, I still am dismayed at the notion that teachers and/or administrators would resort to cheating. That much of the staff at a middle school could be involved makes me heartsick for those parents who dropped their children off every day and into the care of that staff. Now the concern might be as much for what they have learned as it is for what they haven’t.
The bright spot, if there can be one, is that the DISD found this themselves (although you have to hate it when kids get looked at more closely because they did too well). It was DISD and no one else who pressured TEA into allowing the almost unprecedented step of retesting. It took a while, but TEA eventually agreed and we were able to obtain the evidence needed. Now the District appears to be moving boldly root out the problem.
With so much at stake and so many challenges presented to our educators, I am sorry to say that I believe things like this are bound to happen occassionally. I am encouraged, however, that this is not tolerated within the District. Hopefully, their ongoing actions show that same resolution.
One of the important things I take from this incident is that District educators are feeling the pressure of low performing students. While cheating is not an appropriate response, one has to believe that at many other schools equal motivation is being focused on legitimate efforts to improve the educational experience.
For those not familiar with WM Land Middle School, it is a new school just north of the Buckner/Interstate 30 intersection. I found the comments about it at this website to be of interest.
