cur-mud-geon:
anyone who hates hypocrisy and pretense and has the temerity to say so; anyone with the habit of pointing out unpleasant facts in an engaging and humorous manner
Low Reading & Math Test Standards?
Should we really be satisfied that Tony Evers, the deputy state superintendent of public instruction, says “We take testing very seriously in this state”? “We take setting ‘cut scores’ very seriously.” “To say we’re not doing anything is baloney”.
This was in response to questions over the fact that Wisconsin has the second lowest proficiency standards in reading and the fourth lowest in math among 26 states in a study done by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Department of Education tests states’ proficiencies using the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test while our state uses the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination (WKCE) test. The differences show up when comparing Wisconsin’s WKCE scores in math and reading to Wisconsin’s NAEP scores.
Wisconsin showed 81% of fourth graders as possessing reading proficiency using the Wisconsin test while the National test scores ranked us at 35% proficiency. Similarly, fourth graders showed a 77% proficiency in math using the Wisconsin test while only 47% were proficient using the national test. Eighth graders fared just as poorly in the comparisons.
I’m not comfortable with the simplistic statement by Mr. Evers that seeks to dismiss this significant differential. If all U.S. students were to be tested using the Wisconsin approach, would some states test out at 150% or 200% proficiency??? That simply doesn’t answer the critical question.
Are our children being educated to the standards of proficiency necessary to enable them to make their way through life with solid standards of living?
Ozaukee County MATC Study Flawed?
A study by the Ozaukee County Economic Development Corporation’s Kathleen Cady Schilling found no advantage to consideration of a petition to secede from the MATC tax district. In part, she seems to have based the conclusion on the 'fact' that a new campus would need to be built since it was deemed unlikely that MATC would be willing to 'sell' its Mequon campus to the new district.
Who cares? No new campus would be needed. Students can attend any technical college in Wisconsin without regard to the “home” district. If MATC didn’t want to rid itself of the Mequon campus (not a bad idea, by the way, if MATC used the proceeds to reduce its considerable debt load), let it stand. Those desiring to go there can; those desiring to use a different campus can.
President Improperly Vilified For Veto of SCHIP…
The disingenuous rant from the left frames President Bush as being against the health care coverage of poor children, and it points to the ‘proof’ contained in his veto of the latest attempt at government run health care… the $35 Billion SCHIP bill that now sits on his desk.
SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan, was originally intended to do just that…provide health insurance to poor children. SCHIP came from the second term of President Clinton. It has proved to have been the proverbial “camel’s nose under the tent flap”. It has been shown in practice as being used to place both children and adults in yet another government-run program in an attempt to create a 'back door' universal health plan.
My earlier Blog discussed the fact that Wisconsin, for example, has spent 75%...three-quarters for our young math students :)… of its available funding on ADULTS, not children. The big push now is to further relax the federal poverty standard so that families earning as much as four times that standard could apply for this program (called BadgerCare in Wisconsin). A little-known aspect of this bill is that the family needs present no proof that it qualifies since it only states that it earns less than $X. Another little-known aspect is that there is no period of residency required. An immigrant (of the illegal persuasion) could be in the U.S. for an hour and have already signed up for health care insurance at government expense. Only in America! Unfortunately!
This bill needed the President’s veto and it needs to withstand Congress' veto override attempt. That will be delayed by the left in order to buy time to 'gin up' support by telling half-truths…or worse. Congress can easily and quickly pass the required funding measures to continue SCHIP when it gets over trying to run this poorly-conceived bill through the back door.
And, those on the right, such as Sen. Orin Hatch, who permitted themselves to be suckered into this charade, ought to be ashamed!
