FITSNews Exclusive - Rex “Testing Reform” Bill Is Dead January 31, 2008
Posted by fitsnews in : SC Politics , trackback
ORWELLIAN, ACCOUNTABILITY-GUTTING MONSTROSITY DERAILED BY HOUSE REPUBLICANS
FITSNews - January 31, 2008 - Two days ago, State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex put out a press release touting his so-called “testing reform” bill, saying his proposal “would make the first significant changes to South Carolina’s Education Accountability Act since it was approved by the General Assembly 10 years ago.” In the same release, Rex gloated that the bill was “sponsored by House Education Committee Chairman Bob Walker (R-Spartanburg) and co-sponsored by more than 70 Republicans and Democrats” and would be “introduced later this week.”
Well, as Phil Collins would say, “Something Happened on the Way to Heaven.”
That’s because instead of the testing reform bill promised by Rex and several of his Republican allies, the since-aborted proposal was instead a Trojan Horse designed to totally gut South Carolina’s already-weak accountability standards and give Rex complete control over selecting, administering, grading and defining our state’s academic assessment program - among other potentially-debilitating “reforms.”
The mammoth bill is now deader than a doornail on the Republican side of the aisle, although sources tell FITSNews there is still a chance that House Democratic Leader Harry Ott will introduce it on Rex’s behalf at some point.
Republican leaders say they were “shocked” at some of the Orwellian provisions of the bill - sweeping changes which multiple legislators have told FITSNews were not initially disclosed to them by Rep. Walker, who serves as the House Education Committee Chairman … for now, anyway.
These legislators thought they were getting a bill that would simply reform the state’s hated Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT), one of the nation’s costliest and least effective assessment tools. Several have told FITSNews they had no idea that the proposal was an attempt to neuter South Carolina’s academic standards, consolidate Rex’s grip over testing and redefine failing schools in our state as “schools of academic priority,” among other anti-reform measures.
The end result of this stillborn legislation is perhaps the biggest trainwreck of Rex’s tenure as Superintendent, and an encouraging “shot across the bow” of those who wish to further dumb-down our students.
In our post on this earlier today, we referenced allegations that Rex had coordinated with House Speaker Bobby Harrell on the proposal, which some have said is necessary in order to “prop up” test results which would in turn aid the gubernatorial ambitions of both politicians.
Today, the Speaker’s Office flatly disputed that claim, according to an e-mail sent to FITSNews by Harrell spokesman Greg Foster:
The first time the Speaker sat down to look at a summary of Rex’s plan and the language was last night. Our staff did have the plan and was researching what it did so we could properly brief the Speaker about the plan.
When we were able to go over it, the Speaker did not agree with most of it and said he would not support this bill.
We were told they were looking into mainly replacing the PACT test with a diagnostic test. Well, they went much further than that. From what we researched and saw in the plan, it looks like an attempt to dismantle many parts of the EAA.
However the Speaker still believes we need to replace the PACT test with a diagnostic test to help our teachers do their jobs. That is why Speaker Harrell is putting together a bill that replaces the PACT test.
Harrell, of course, was one of the architects of the original Education Accountability Act ten years ago.
Developing …
Comments»
Well done young Foster. The force is stong with you.
I’m glad that Harrell’s office thinks the bill is crap, but you’d think his spokesman, his communicator - if you will - would be able to articulate himself a little better than that.
“When we were able to go over it …” That sounds like the script from the show “Family Ties” when the uglier younger sister decided to be a valley girl. They got over it? Does that mean they were very upset, but eventually they “got over it” and the Speaker still did not agree?
“Well, they went much further than that …” Wellll, Peter, that’s not the plan we taaaalked about. Welllll, we’re going to have to get over this.
“From what we researched and saw in the plan, it looks like an attempt to dismantle many parts of the EAA …” researched … saw … lookS?
I know this is probably overly critical, but if you’re going to respond on behalf of the Speaker, it should be somewhat intelligible.
Well thank you, ColumbiaIsTheCenterOfTheUniverse. Your breakdown of my email will be quite helpful to our office in the future.
The email was sent to FITSNews to note the timeline of when the Speaker read the bill. A previous post on this website:
“Rex and his Republican allies, including Speaker Bobby Harrell, are hinging this bureacracy-expanding, dumbing-down of our kids on one thing - the widespread contempt parents and teachers have for the state’s current measurement of academic progress, the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT).”
The post made it appear that FITSNews was suggesting that the Speaker and Rex were working together on this bill. We heard rumor of this post yesterday evening, before the Speaker even had a chance to read the bill. In response, I sent an email to FITSNews explaining what really happened and they were nice enough include that fact in this post.
But once again, thank you for your close attention to detail. Next time I tap out a quick email on my phone and hit send, I will think about where the email may appear and the critics that may breakdown my work.
And for a final time…I just can’t express my appreciation of the time you took out of your busy day to comment about my email.
Your Most Humble Servant,
gf
Great Job WIll!!!!!!!!!!
Why don’t all of you guys take a chill pill and realize that the real buffoon is Dr. Tryannasaurus Rex? He did a press release on Tuesday touting the “broad bi-partisan support” for “taking an axe to the PACT” without actually speaking with House members and leadership. He tried to force members of the General Assembly to swallow his whole package to gut education accountability in order to get testing reform and he got called on it.
What Mr. Foster doesn’t say (because he is too much of a gentleman), but I am surprised Sic Willie hasn’t said yet, is that this was a total cluster of wishful thinking by the nanny state Super of Ed.
Thank goodness that our House members “just said no.”
PACT needs to go away. Just like sic(k) willie. They both have a lot in common. Both are bloated buffoons who waste our time and money without giving value. Like vouchers, they’re nothing but a scam.
But, there’s some good news. Both will, in due time, sooner than later, go away. Attacking Rex is just political. What a scam. What a pervert.
good to know state employees like the speaker’s speaker are busy playing on the net all day instead of doing their jobs…and did you order that land’s end turtle neck in navy blue or forest green?
Note to Greg Foster: when you’re explaining, you’re losing. Some more advice (courtesy of Mark Twain): Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel. Will owns your boy on this one.
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