Another cheating scandal

Look at the dramatic drop in test scores when outside monitors were used.


TAKS free-fall raises suspicions of cheating

Does Forest Brook High School have a TAKS cheating problem? It depends whom you believe. But new evidence points to yes.

Despite highly suspicious test scores, a February report by the Texas Education Agency declared the Houston school cheating-free – largely because school officials, when asked, said they were unaware of any wrongdoing on their campus.

These numbers don't lie.

Here are the passing rates on the 11th-grade TAKS graduation test at Forest Brook High School. Outside monitors oversaw the 2007 tests to prevent cheating.

2005
Science: 93%
Math: 87%
Social studies: 99%
English language arts: 73%

2006
Science: 89%
Math: 80%
Social studies: 100%
English language arts: 83%

2007
Science: 39%
Math: 44%
Social studies: 72%
English language arts: 75%

The plot thickens.

One school, Oak Village Middle, has earned an unacceptable rating in each of the last three years. It's one of only five Texas schools with such a string of low performance.

It was Oak Village that led TEA to require monitors to oversee TAKS testing this spring. Under Texas law, a fourth year of unacceptable scores gives the state education commissioner the authority to order a school closed.

In March, then-Commissioner Shirley Neeley sent a letter to North Forest officials saying she wanted to make sure the scores reported this year were completely accurate. That meant, she wrote, the district had to bring in outside monitors to oversee testing and ensure no security rules were violated.

As it turns out, the monitors appear not to have had a significant impact on Oak Village's scores, which increased slightly from 2006. But scores at Forest Brook High took a remarkable nosedive under outside supervision.

Here's the kicker:

The state's clearing of Forest Brook had one other effect on the school. It freed up its access to the $165,000 Governor's Educator Excellence Grant the school had qualified for. It was awarded the money because of its rapidly rising test scores in 2006.

I'm less concerned about low test scores than the high level of cheating. How do children learn to be moral and decent adults in a school environment of cheating? This is yet another reason to homeschool.

--------------------------
Related Tags: Public school, homeschool, cheating, TAKS, Forest Brook High School