Staff Writer
Superior
Court Judge Howard Manning, Jr. entered a final decision on the 2002 Leandro
case on whether or not the state of North Carolina is providing a basic
education to children now that standardized tests are easier to pass. This
review stems from a lawsuit filed by low-wealth school districts in 1994. Five
counties argued that they would not have the same opportunities as schools with
more funding, and Manning ruled that the students had not been provided with a
basic education. The law says that all students must be given a sound education;
however, equal funding is not mentioned in the state’s Constitution. Since this
first court case, there has been more attention given to aiding low-wealth
school districts with more money. There was support behind the idea of giving all
children the chance to participate in pre-kindergarten. Manning has continued
to hold hearings over the years to see the progress that North Carolina schools
have made, and he was also concerned that the state had transitioned from a
four level scale to a five level scale.
Deputy State Superintendent for Public Instruction,
Rebecca Garland, testified at a hearing explaining that the state Department of
Public Instruction implemented this new scale so that students who might not
have been considered passing on the old scale would now be considered passing
for state purposes. Manning finds standardized test results majorly reflect
school performance and is unsure about this new five level scale, writing,
“Lowering the goal posts for passing the state tests watered down the meaning
of grade-level academic achievement.” Before, students were measured on a four
level scale, third and fourth levels would be at or beyond their level. Now, the
five level scale has been adopted, with third, fourth and fifth considered
passing scores. Manning
calls this new system “academic double-speak.” The state Department of Public
Instruction said students with a three are ready for the next grade level, but
need extra help to be ready for life after school, such as a career and
college. “Children at level three are not solidly at grade level and are not
prepared for the next grade,” Manning wrote, “In short, if it looks like a pig,
smells like a pig and snorts like a pig – it’s a pig.”
“The new assessments are much more rigorous
than anything we’ve done in the past,” said Garland. She also said that a
reason for the switch was because of the new national changes in English and
math, called Common Core. Also, changes were made in other courses by the state
in 2012 leading to a change in the tests. Read to Achieve was passed, which
required third graders pass the reading test before moving onto fourth grade,
and the A through F grading system became law for public schools. In the
2012-2013 school year, the passing rate was 44.7 percent, 45 percent of third
graders were reading at their grade level. In 2013-2014, on the new scale,
students in three levels were considered passing and the passing rate increased
to 56.3 percent, with 60 percent of third graders at their reading level.
Garland says, “We felt we had to do this.”
After
the hearing, Manning said he understood why the state brought in the new
system. However, he still is intent on students getting the required education,
and only to consider the top two levels as passing.
Recently,
more than 90 superintendents of North Carolina revealed the “North Carolina
Guide to Strengthening Our Public Schools.” Dr. Mark Edwards, Mooresville
Graded Schools superintendent and North Carolina Superintendents Association
President says, “This guide is much more than a set of legislative priorities.
This reflects a concerted effort by all North Carolina superintendents to
outline a long-term vision of where our schools need to go and identify a path
to get us there.” Some goals include assessing students appropriately,
preparing graduates for life after high school, incorporating digital learning
in public schools and funding education so North Carolina will rank 25th
nationwide in public school funding by 2025. Dr. Frank Till, superintendent of
Cumberland County schools, said, “We felt that the CEOs of the school districts
needed to step up together and identify the shared path of progress for our
public schools.”
