Published: 03-05-08
The new select committee on accountability met for the first time Monday February 18. The 15-member committee was statutorily created in SB 1031 during the recent legislative session and is made up of four legislators and 11 members appointed by Governor Rick Perry Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick with Rep. Rob Eissler and Sen. Florence Shapiro serving as co-chairs.
TASA President Thomas Randle Lamar CISD serves as member of the committee. Members are directed to provide a comprehensive review of the accountability system and to report their findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 2008.
Three separate panels provided testimony on an overview of the state and federal accountability systems and student assessment.
A representative from Pearson Educational Measurement Kimberley O’Malley provided testimony on a 2005 pilot program initiated in November 2005 by the USDE for growth-based accountability models.
O’Malley stated there are two basic categories of growth models: Transparent models (AK AR AZ DE FL IA NC); and Complex Models (OH TN).
HB 1 from the 2006 3rd called special session directed the commissioner of education to determine a method of measuring growth in the spring of 2008 and SB 1031 from the 2007 session required the use of a vertical scale.
O’Malley explained that TEA in collaboration with Pearson is comparing two state growth models via pilot programs in order to determine which model best meets state and federal requirements: a transparent and replicable method Reaching the Standard Model; and a more statistically complex method the Sanders’ Model.
O’Malley noted that the transparent model is very clear and easy to understand while the more complex model is more difficult for educators to utilize when identifying student instructional needs and determining which strategies best address those needs due to proprietary interests of the Sanders’ Model.
Statements from the committee as well as public testimony focused on the ever-increasing complexity of the system and the difficulty in educating parents community leaders and elected officials on the dual system.
Public testimony also focused on the high stakes nature of the current system and the negative impact it has on students parents teachers and school districts.
In addition the point was made that a school’s overall rating (e.g. academically unacceptable) is based solely on the lowest performers which often involves a small percentage of students or one tested subject area.
Many addressing the committee stressed that this is misleading as areas of strong academic performance are not recognized in the overall rating of the campus. It was suggested that schools need more time to address a specific problem area before the entire campus is labeled with a final rating.
No public testimony provided to the committee suggested ending accountability or testing.
Another topic of testimony involved the definition of college readiness.
It was noted by TASA member Dr. Richard Middleton Northeast ISD representing the Texas School Alliance that there was not a consistent definition of college readiness and therefore challenging to determine how to incorporate the concept into the P-16 system.
The question of English Language Proficiency and the role it should play in a school’s rating was also brought up during panel discussion.
As noted by Dr. Thomas Randle after the public testimony it will be essential that the committee first identify the problems in the system in order for specific solutions to be developed.
Sen. Shapiro noted that some of the upcoming hearings will be held in other cities across the state but did not mention which cities and on what dates. She noted that the committee would be meeting on the following dates: March 27 April 14 May 12 June 16 July 14 and August 4.
The time and locations of future meetings has not yet been set.
In addition Sen. Shapiro invited the committee members to participate in a meeting with Margaret Spellings USDE at the Capitol on February 29.
