Students, parents can help close AYP gap

Sept. 27, 2005

Spectrum\Michael Carson

The headline of a Frontiersman Aug. 14, front-page article, "18 Mat-Su Schools miss AYP" was shortsighted and unfair. The subtitle, "There is a Bigger Picture" (Mat-Su District's proposal) was a more realistic title.

Then an article "Making the Grade" (Mat-Su School District) five days later, on Page A13, revealed more of the bigger picture. That article had a section with individual schools, points accrued, yes/no column and improvement issues regarding AYP. This is where one could find a riveting issue. This single issue accounts for the failure, controversy and criticism of the federal "No child left behind" law. This single controversial issue is shared by many teachers and teachers unions nationally. In the case of Mat-Su specifically, more than half of the 18 schools that failed to meet AYP, failed because of "test participation." In short not enough students showed up. They were just plain absent. If 95 percent of students on one particular subgroup (and it could be only one student in one subgroup) does not show up during the test, the whole entire school fails AYP. For example, if there are 10 students in one subgroup and one does not attend during the test, that would be 90 percent. The entire school fails.

Many teachers are wanting to have parallel mandates. In other words what is the responsibility of the student, parent and the community in the reform of public schools dealing with performance standards, accountability and assessments? Let's just come out and say it, "Who is ultimately responsible when a student does not attend school, especially during the testing week with AYP at stake? In advance of testing week, many schools go out of their way to persuade, cajole and even in some cases, reward, students who attend. Yet it did not happen in more than half our school during that testing week. A school only has a short window to have students complete testing. So makeups are not a possibility after that window closes.

There is so much more at stake than just the label "Failed AYP." Those schools that miss AYP face heavy consequences, especially Title 1 schools. Those consequences include offering transfers, with paid transportation. Then future failure incurs tutoring and additional educational services (more money). Finally, with consecutive failures, firing of teachers, and other consequences occur. Yet all those corrective actions may have resulted because of a lack of test participation - one student. Maybe, if everyone had shown up, that school would have met AYP, but no one will know. A lot of time, effort, not to mention money, would be misdirected for possibly the wrong reason. I do not believe that is a wise way to use money, which is already tight and difficult to get more of.

As an educator, I question the entire federal law, for many reasons. Not to mention that six additional schools did not make it because their subgroups with "disabilities" did not make it. A student with a "disability" has an "individual educational plan" because there is an achievement gap. However , this one particular issue of test participation stands alone as the most unfair, unreasonable, and, in some cases, wasteful of our resources (money). It unfairly burdens school districts with heavy consequences that add additional costs of operating budgets that are already tight.

Furthermore, the problem does not stop there. This is what upsets me even more: When the public reads a headline reporting 18 schools miss AYP. Who is blamed? Teachers. Yes, school districts take heat, but teachers get lambasted. The public's view is that they are not doing the job of educating students. Yet most of the public does not understand NCLB, AYP, subgroups or an IEP.

In truth, the Mat-Su School District, principals and teachers worked together, and produced great results on performance targets. Those results were a 94-percent success rate. The liability of lack of participation in testing is a direct indication the "No Child Left Behind" law is flawed without the student, parent and community mandate. Until those parties have been brought on board with a new mandate, we are going to fall short of closing the achievement gap, especially in the test participation issue.

Finally, real educational reform will become a reality when all parties step up to the table to have unified expectations. School districts, schools, principals and teachers are working to close that achievement gap. We will be able to do so much more when we have a new law with a student, parent and community mandate. A new law with this new mandate will bring us together and, most importantly, continue to close the achievement gap even more for our future students.

Michael Carson, a teacher at Pioneer Peak Elementary School, is a 30-year veteran of Alaska public schools and the recipient last year of the Curtis Menard Jr. teacher of the year award from the Pioneer Peak PTA.