Two years ago, while South Carolina’s taxpayer-funded educrats were blatantly misleading lawmakers and the public regarding changes to our state’s costly and ineffective academic assessments (and while the mainstream media was covering for them), this website was sounding the alarm.
Since our public school system was incapable of producing anything resembling academic progress (despite record funding increases) – a decision was made to rig the state -administered tests so that more students would pass them.
“By moving the goalposts just a little bit, failure magically becomes success … which is sadly the only way South Carolina’s worst-in-the-nation public school system ever shows improvement,” we wrote at the time.
Shortly after this report was published, our analysis was confirmed by the nation’s leading testing authority.
“Use of the lower standards would result in dramatic increases in the percentages of students meeting standards in South Carolina schools, even with no actual improvement in student performance,” an analysis by the Seattle, Washington-based Northwest Evaluation Association concluded.
Of course the state’s educrat establishment was hoping you had forgotten all about that. In fact, just last month these government-subsidized goons trotted out S.C. Sen. John Courson – a longtime apologist for our state’s failed status quo – to try and take credit for these illusory gains (an effort we roundly refuted).
Now, it appears as though other media outlets are wising up to the scam …
“South Carolina once had the highest expectations in the country for what its students were required to learn in reading and math,” The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier reported Sunday. “Now it’s attracting national attention for being the lone state to drop its standards in both subjects between 2007 and 2009.”
Um … yeah. Like we said … “fake it till you make it.”
According to state budget writers, South Carolina’s public schools will be funded at an average of $11,754 per child in the current fiscal year – a record-high amount. Obviously, that figure excludes revenues from bonds, investments, and transfers between funds and government agencies (which adds another $1,500 to the total).
In 2010, the state spent $11,140 per child – also a record-high amount – yet our graduation rate showed another decline. That mirrors retreating SAT scores and stagnating ACT scores, all of which hurts our state’s ability to compete for jobs and investment. Also, a recent report found that more than one-third of the nation’s 100 worst public schools are located in South Carolina.
And yet we’re supposed to believe things are getting better?
Please …
More money clearly hasn’t turned around our state’s “worst-in-the-nation” education system … nor has moving the goal posts to give the impression of success. That’s why it’s time to stop trusting government “solutions” and start trusting the accountability of the marketplace.
Of course for that to happen, lawmakers must first be willing to debate real reforms … something they have yet to show the willingness to do.
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By Just wait September 5, 2011 at 3:45 am
The next move for the education mafia:
“Look at the improved test scores! This goes to show that more money=higher text scores, so pony up more dough taxpayer.”
Nicely played.
By Publius September 5, 2011 at 4:09 am
To the many observations of FITSNews.com in all sectors of South Carolina education, economy and government, only one comment is appropriate – the voters always get the government they deserve.
By BigT September 5, 2011 at 9:34 am
The problem w/ FITS reporting on this: He has no more credibility than the education industry….
If you eliminate democrats from education, and then purge RINOs, you may be able to turn it some….
To fix a problem, you MUST correctly identify it. Don’t treat a kidney stone when the patient has a tumor.
But FITS is a friend to the democrat party and RINOs, while he Bashes just about all Republicans…
When the Watch-dog is just as Filthy as the fattened wolf, hope for change is fleeting…
Job One: Eliminate the FITS among us. This state needs Capable, honest midia MORE THAN ANYTHING else…
Hold on if you enjoy my posts (I’m reading your e-mail): Help’s coming…More later…
By Gillon September 5, 2011 at 9:48 am
Heck, look how much we have lowered the standards for leadership in this state over the last few years–witness Sanford and now Haley. Why should lowering educational standards be anything out of the ordinary?
South Carolinians sadly never expect much, and that’s what they usually get.
By Common Sense September 5, 2011 at 9:58 am
tiny tur4d..no one enjoys reading your posts..they do not ever actually discuss the issue at hand, they do not ever offer a solution..all they do is blame democrats and RINOS for everything under the sun. sad and pathetic..try, just once to add something to the discussion. Try to stay on topic. When you realize why you are the most hated person on this site, why you have literally been banned from other sites for your inane insults..then you might realize why you are so full hate and so empty in everything else..sad, sad little man.
By Todd September 5, 2011 at 10:03 am
Let’s play a game:
Student One is in 6th grade. Has an IQ that is just high enough to keep them out of special ed classes. They read a couple of grade levels below the other students and one parent is in prison and the other is working two jobs. How do you best help this student?
a. Give them a $1500 tax credit so they can go to a $6000 a year private school.
b. Cut funding to their school so the school can’t afford supplies. Refuse federal funding that we are all paying for anyway so that we don’t have to answer to Washington.
c. Provide help for the student so they can try to succeed by paying teachers more who work in excellent schools to help “mentor” teachers (often beginning their career) in lower performing schools, reducing class sizes and realizing that it will cost more money in the short term but will pay off in the long term. Also, encourage adults in the area to become active parts of the solution by volunteering in the school as mentors and helpers within the school. Finally provide quality Adult Education for the parents both within the prison system and through the local school districts to help the parents “break the cycle.”
d. Nothing
By CNSYD September 5, 2011 at 11:09 am
Gillon, who touted Sanfraud and Haley for Governor? That would be Sic Willie. So Sic Willie gets a lot of credit.
By CNSYD September 5, 2011 at 11:16 am
NWEA. Who the hell are they and what does the “northwest” have to do with SC? Interesting that one of NWEA’s Board members is a former educrat for Horry County. So what responsibility does she have for the state of education in SC?
The ONLY way to compare is to use nationally normed tests. That is SAT and ACT. BUT you have to compare apples to apples. SC has ALL students taking these tests. Other states only require college bound students to take them
You convinently gloss over demographics. Iowa always does well on nationally normed tests. Care to compare their demographics with SC?
By cayceite September 5, 2011 at 11:17 am
PLEASE …
Until you are willing to take your extra large Fanny into a few Classrooms and see the REALITY of SC education situation please Do Not write any more articles about how to fix this Politically Created SC Education mess.
By CNSYD September 5, 2011 at 11:49 am
Sic Willie, Howie Rich says he would have mailed your check today but the post office is closed so it may take an extra day to get it to you.
By eggaday September 5, 2011 at 1:10 pm
you got it Todd. Thank you.
By Mac Hanna September 5, 2011 at 1:18 pm
FYI. and in confidence. Why not determine for yourself just how low the standards are in order to show progress. I have been told that mastery of as little as 37% of the curriculum gets a passing mark on the achievement tests. I am a retired teacher with family still teaching. Please guard my confidentiality should you pursue this. The story needs to be told. By the way. I was told that I was too tough, was assigned five preparations including high school AP/IB classes that seem to contradict state departyment of education guidelines and was forced to retire when I refused to accept the teaching schedule and was informed by the schedule maker, who said, “This is the way we want it. There will be no changes.”
By Educated Teacher September 5, 2011 at 2:04 pm
Okay, folks, stop sounding so uneducated! The NWEA administers and oversees standardized and normed tests for progress measure and End of course knowledge. One of those is the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) that is given to most South Carolina students every fall, winter, and spring to measure adequate progress and to determine readiness for state-wide standardized tests. The test provides excellent data and can scientifically determine whether most students will pass the end-of-year state PASS or HSAP test.
Also, the ability of Will Folks to write sarcastically yet objectively has you thinking he sides with Democrats when he has emphatically stated that he would have voted for Nikki Haley again and not because he fellated her and enjoyed it either.
Many of you just glaze over the headlines or checkout a twitter feed headline without actually reading in-depth or doing your research before you spout off at the mouth.
Stop showing your ignorant side, people!!!
By Jake September 5, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Well stated Todd
By BIN News Editorial Staff September 5, 2011 at 9:49 pm
sic(k)willie, “…you ignorant slut.” :)
That’s the old SNL line our Funding Editor uses when sic(k) willie pukes up old voucher cr@p from Howie the Voucher Clown.
sic(k) willie must keep the voucher scam in focus if he expects Howie to keep sending him carpetbugger money.
sic(k) willie is such a voucher slut.
BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced
By FunkyChicken September 6, 2011 at 8:50 am
Willie,
Please stop writing about serious issues and get back to the “tit and ass” stuff with a little more discussion about the affairs going on in Columbia. You are not a serious writer, but I do find the T and A stuff humorous at times.
By Betsy September 6, 2011 at 10:54 am
It’s terrible. What’s even more terrible, are the fact that many of the low scores are still “adjusted”. In the district I was in, it was customary for administrators to go in and change grades to improve their pass rates. The statewide standardized testing was also not given accordingly. Any time and administrator got in trouble and was about to lose their job, they lawyered up then threatened to go to the State Dept. They were always just “moved” to another school with a lower position but same salary. If FITS wants to do a big expose piece, then look no further than the most southern geographically district in our state…It’s about as corrupt as can be….
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