Kress responds to Petrilli:
Kress responds to Petrilli:
I hope everyone is ready to get wonkish!
Let's deal with the easy part - gains on the Long Term Trend for students with disabilities (SWDs) and English Language Learners (ELLs) from 2004-2008. This is squarely within NCLB time.
9 year old SWDs improved a half grade level (5 points) in reading.
9 year olds ELLs improved almost a grade level (8 points) in reading.
9 year old SWDs improved over a half grade level (6 points) in math.
9 year old ELLs improved 3 points in math.
13 year old SWDs improved 3 points in math.
13 year old ELLs improved over a half grade level (7 points) in math.
13 year old SWDs improved almost a full grade level (9 points) in reading.
13 year old ELLs improved 2 points in reading.
Now, since Mike is enamored of the Main NDE, let's look at that data:
For 4th grade math, it is true that SWDs had an incredible jump from 2000 to 2003, from 200 to 216. I don't want to argue this was due to NCLB, but, since there's almost a full academic year since the summer of 2002 in this data, I would suggest that this bridge period probably shouldn't be used for a pre and post analysis.
In any event, 4th grade SWDs have gone up 7 points since 2003, which is a gain of over a half a grade level. 4th grade ELLs had that nice pop in 2003, too, but also have grown an additional half grade level since.
It is incontestable that something unusual happened in NAEP testing between the late 1990s and 2002 and 2003, first a drop and then an unusual increase. I can't explain it, and I suspect Mike can't either. I invite thoughts from any and all of you on that topic.
Nevertheless, it is heartening to see that 4th grade ELLs have improved over a half grade level in reading since 2002, and SWDs have improved almost a half grade level as well.
The same pattern of a pop in 2003 occurs in 8th grade math with further gains for SWDs and ELLs after 2003. Reading at the 8th grade level is stagnant.
Even with all this back and forth on data, which I'm happy to continue with anyone who is interested, I stand fully behind my thesis: consequential accountability, which began in many states in the mid-1990s and was extended and deepened by NCLB, works! Any weakening of its pillars threatens the progress we've made.
Let's deal with the easy part - gains on the Long Term Trend for students with disabilities (SWDs) and English Language Learners (ELLs) from 2004-2008. This is squarely within NCLB time.
9 year old SWDs improved a half grade level (5 points) in reading.
9 year olds ELLs improved almost a grade level (8 points) in reading.
9 year old SWDs improved over a half grade level (6 points) in math.
9 year old ELLs improved 3 points in math.
13 year old SWDs improved 3 points in math.
13 year old ELLs improved over a half grade level (7 points) in math.
13 year old SWDs improved almost a full grade level (9 points) in reading.
13 year old ELLs improved 2 points in reading.
Now, since Mike is enamored of the Main NDE, let's look at that data:
For 4th grade math, it is true that SWDs had an incredible jump from 2000 to 2003, from 200 to 216. I don't want to argue this was due to NCLB, but, since there's almost a full academic year since the summer of 2002 in this data, I would suggest that this bridge period probably shouldn't be used for a pre and post analysis.
In any event, 4th grade SWDs have gone up 7 points since 2003, which is a gain of over a half a grade level. 4th grade ELLs had that nice pop in 2003, too, but also have grown an additional half grade level since.
It is incontestable that something unusual happened in NAEP testing between the late 1990s and 2002 and 2003, first a drop and then an unusual increase. I can't explain it, and I suspect Mike can't either. I invite thoughts from any and all of you on that topic.
Nevertheless, it is heartening to see that 4th grade ELLs have improved over a half grade level in reading since 2002, and SWDs have improved almost a half grade level as well.
The same pattern of a pop in 2003 occurs in 8th grade math with further gains for SWDs and ELLs after 2003. Reading at the 8th grade level is stagnant.
Even with all this back and forth on data, which I'm happy to continue with anyone who is interested, I stand fully behind my thesis: consequential accountability, which began in many states in the mid-1990s and was extended and deepened by NCLB, works! Any weakening of its pillars threatens the progress we've made.
posted by Whitney Tilson at 12:50 PM
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