Blog: FCAR Speakout

Report from Public Hearing on Grade Retention March 1, 2006 Miami

by Barbara Barry [Orange County school counselor who was one of the principal speakers at the hearing]

Last night's [March 1, 2006] public hearing in Miami was incredible. 500 + in attendance. The energy was electric. My husband George videotaped it and we will soon have copies available. Bob Schaeffer and Bob Lange were spectacular. Both challenged the Chancellor's [K-12 schools chancellor, Cheri Yecke] justifications of the test's use, the statistics on learning gains from retention and the assumptions she presented. They exposed the DOE's justifications for what is being done as false, misleading, discriminatory and even "immoral."
 

The 65% solution was blasted by the head of the Miami Dade Teachers Union and Senator Tony Hill of Jacksonville. Its attempts to repeal class size were exposed. School District staff had their feet held to the fire for policies stemming from FCAT performance. Clinical psychologist panelist effectively contradicted Chancellor's assertions on the benefit of stress from rigor and self esteem. The Chancellor and her staff got a passionate and powerful earful of people enraged by FCAT, its consequences for their children, and the predictions of drop outs due to the massive numbers of retentions. Sen. Wilson's staff distributed article titled "Low Test Scores + Retentions=high Drop out rates." People were shocked that their children had such a high risk of dropping out due to retention and demanded change. It was clear how out of touch the DOE and Bush are with the damage being done due by the high stakes testing and the resulting retentions. When the "levee breaks" in Florida it cannot be said they were not warned beforehand.
 

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Last modified: 04/06/08