Schools pruned records, four say

A team of data-processing workers inflated Columbus schools’ attendance figures by routinely and purposely removing large numbers of absent students from the rolls, four former district data analysts told The Dispatch.

At the same time, district administrators summoned school principals to the Kingswood Data Center. There, they were schooled in how to alter other students’ attendance data to improve the schools’ academic standing.

High attendance is likely to accompany strong academic performance. That link varies, but in Columbus and Cincinnati, the correlation between attendance and test scores is particularly weak, state data show. Of more than 3,600 schools statewide, only 16 have attendance rates above 94 percent but a test-score index that would equate to an F. Four of those buildings are in Columbus. One is in Cincinnati. One is in Cleveland. The rest are charter schools.

www.dispatch.com...

So, is this due to the administration not caring about the students or are they just padding the books for more grant money? This is deplorable and yet another reason why we have fail the youth of today. I see a lot of people bashing how unruly kids are today, are they taking cues from what they see or how they are treated?

reply to post by Catalyst317

Does not surprise me in the slighest, Teachers here in the United Kingdom have had it way to easy for many years,
All off a sudden they are comming under scrunty about ther work loads and hey presto they "cook the books" to justify there high salary and over generous holiday and sick entitlements,

They have nearly four months off a year paid leave (not including paterinty and paid school trips) all paid by the British working class taxpayer., I attended a method off instruction course whilst in the militery its not hard to teach people..

They have had it too soft and are panicking incase they have to cut it in the private industry of the teaching world.

ever try to find out teachers individual compentance records . You have no chance, even with the freedom off information act on all social employes, It gets "Lost" in the system you go on about the Masonics, Try catching on to this lot !!!!!!.

reply to post by foxhoundone


Wow, it's completely different for teachers in the States.

We have summers off but we don't get paid. We're only paid for the months worked. Since we are salaried, our hours of work vary. Generally speaking, I spend forty hours a week AT school, and another fifteen or so at home doing lesson plans, grading papers, etc.

We do have insurance, but every year the premiums increase while the benefits decrease. Same as a lot of other jobs, I guess.

Due to the recession, the state froze our salary. We haven't had a cost of living adjustment in over four years. At the same time, the school board has increased the number of days we work for the year. Those who asked for compensation for the added days were "let go."

School budgets are at record lows, which means our schools can't afford the basics like paper, pencils, crayons, glue, etc. Guess who ends up buying these materials for our students? It's estimated in my school district that the average teacher will spend from 800-1000 dollars on their students. Typically elementary teacher's spend more.

Our school performance is sent home to every parent once a year. We call it the school report card. It details how our school compares to others in our county, district, state, and the nation. It's also available online 24/7.

Parents are given relevant data about the teachers, including educational levels and special honors. Parents can see how individual classes performed, but these are not listed by teacher. This is twofold; to protect student privacy and to prevent teachers who always teach special education students from being blacklisted.

Every year the teacher must complete a set amount of continuing education, AND receive positive evaluations from administration. Licenses are renewed every five years.

Speaking only for NC, tenure means very little. Any teacher can be fired at any time for cause. This includes poor student performance.

Interesting the differences....

reply to post by smyleegrl

Here in our part of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland that is, Its preaty much a closed shop for middle class Prodestant teacher students, More or less guaranteed a job for life teaching in social schools, most are there for the perks and put only the basic effort in to get the required tick in the box so to speak, smyleegrl.

Granted the middle class schools are better geared for teaching their students for a university placement but only cause they know how to cleam the monies off the Goverment through grants and scholarship deals and they need the fresh blood so to speak to keep the whole system going to feed the pension pot (a very generous one at that).

Most manage to retire at 55 years off age or go on to become trustees on the board, All paid in the majority bye the working class people who on the whole are given a shoddy deal we pump the vast majorty of cash into the system.

I could go on and on, But TPTB in this part off the world do not like "Plebs" to speak out or question them over goverment policys. Oh yeah its jobs for the boys alright...

Teachers here in the United Kingdom have had it way to easy for many years, All off a sudden they are comming under scrunty about ther work loads and hey presto they "cook the books" to justify there high salary and over generous holiday and sick entitlements, They have nearly four months off a year paid leave (not including paterinty and paid school trips) all paid by the British working class taxpayer., I attended a method off instruction course whilst in the militery its not hard to teach people..

reply to post by foxhoundone


It sounds like the same here in America.

www.ncpublicschools.org..." target="_blank" class="postlink">N.C. Salary scheduleswww.ncpublicschools.org..." target="_blank" class="postlink">Public School's of N.C.