Alexandria  Retired Teachers Association
  • HOME
  • EVENTS
    • EVENTS CALENDAR
    • EVENT REGISTRATION
  • HEALTH AND WELLNESS
  • IMPORTANT LINKS
  • INITIATIVES
  • LEGISLATION
  • NEWSLETTERS
    • 2020-2021 ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
    • 2019-2020 ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
    • 2018-2019 ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
    • 2017-2018 ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
    • 2016-2017 ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS
  • OFFICERS
  • ORGANIZATIONAL DOCUMENTS
    • BUDGET
    • CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
    • HISTORICAL RECORD
    • MEMBERSHIP FORM
  • SAFETY FOR SENIORS

VEA Update

9/18/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
September 17, 2013
Monday's House Appropriations Committee meeting included a very interesting report regarding an error that was made in regard to the reporting of scores for the Virginia Alternative Assessment Program (VAAP).  The VAAP is the "SOL aligned" test taken by students with significant cognitive disabilities who cannot take the SOL tests even with accommodations.  Eight thousand students take the VAAP, and scores were erroneously calculated for 4,300 of these students. On June 27, 2013, the Board of Education (BOE) set new cut scores for the VAAP.  These cut scores determine what score is needed to pass, to be considered proficient, and to be considered advanced.  On July 22, a staff member in a local school division identified "discrepancies" in the performance levels.  On July 29, the Virginia Department of Education contacted Pearson, the testing company that receives $28 million per year to "partner" with Virginia in running the assessment program, seeking an investigation. It turned out that Pearson had created a place-holder "look up" table to do test runs of the program.  When the BOE set the new cut scores, the actual "look up" table was to be put in place.  Pearson personnel did not do this.  The consequence was that scores for 4,354 students were reported incorrectly, 1,656 who were said to have passed actually failed, and 2,698 who were reported as advanced were proficient.  Of the 4,354 errors, only 1001 were actually reported to students and parents. Of these 1001, 369 were said to have passed, but actually failed; and 632 were said to have been advanced, but were actually proficient.  Pearson is taking a number of steps to ensure that such an error does not take place again.  They have contracted with PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct a 3rd party quality review of all software systems for VAAP.  This is interesting, as the problem was a personnel problem – not a software problem.  They did fire the fellow who made the error.  Pearson is providing VDOE $300,000 in services as compensation.  What was interesting to me was how the members of the House Appropriations Committee reacted to the error.  I wonder if school personnel had made this error rather than a corporate entity, would the General Assembly have been as forgiving?  There was no mention of the impact of this error on students and families.  In a sign of the incredible shrinking press corps, no press attended the meeting.  I doubt you'll ever see a story about this in the papers. 
Thank you,
Robley Jones
VEA GR&R
0 Comments

VEA Update

9/15/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture





September 12, 2013

I hope your school year is off to a great start! It is saddening to know that once again you are doing more with less. As we look to the General Assembly session ahead, one thing we are going to have to do is repair the recessionary damage to our schools.

We are framing the case for presentation to the press and the politicians. Our numbers cruncher, Carol Donohue, has been gathering the facts needed to make our case. A few really jumped out from the page, as I looked over her work.  We have 1,693 fewer teachers, 3,273 fewer support personnel, and 19,519 more students than we had in 2008-09. Ouch!

Then, today, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities came out with a study, Most States Funding Schools Less Than Before the Recession, a must-read for education advocates.  Virginia (Surprise, surprise!) doesn't stack up so well. We are one of 13 states where per-student, inflation-adjusted spending remains more than 10% lower than it was in 2008. In fact, by this measure we are spending $695 less per student than in 2008.

This report concludes with a message that we should be echoing across Virginia:  "At a time when the nation is trying to produce workers with the skills to master new technologies and adapt to the complexities of a global economy, large cuts in funding for basic education undermine a crucial building block for future prosperity."  We'll substitute "Virginia" for "the nation" as we present our message, and you can substitute your locality for "the nation" when you advocate for education on the local level. It's an important message.

This leads me to the fact that what happens in November will decide how successful we will be as we work to repair the damage in the 2014 General Assembly session. If we elect friends of public education from both parties, we'll advance a pro-public education agenda.

What are some very easy things you can do?
First, take the pledge to vote:  www.veanea.org/PledgetoVote.
Urge your colleagues to take the pledge!
Bookmark the VEA elections web site and keep up with which candidates are recommended and keep up with election events:  www.veaelection2013.com.
Make sure you and your colleagues are registered to vote. The registration deadline is October 15, and you can now register online:  www.vote.virginia.gov.
You can also update your address on this site.

Finally, let me share an editorial with you that appeared recently in the Roanoke Times: 
Aiming higher  for higher education.  (inserted by webmaster)

Again, I hope your year is off to a great start.
Thank you,
Robley Jones
VEA GR&R

0 Comments

    ARTA LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

    Check here for legislative information that might affect you as a retiree.  Sign up for the news feed below (RSS Feed) to receive alerts of these updates.  Comments are welcome!

    Archives

    May 2018
    February 2018
    November 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013

    Categories

    All
    Aarp
    NCSS
    Nea
    VEA
    VRS
    VRTA

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.