OSPI testing = Seattle has no idea what they are doing in Math: OSPI Director of Math deceived Board into buying more expensive trash

About Math...in Seattle Schools

(1) Seattle uses Everyday Math grades k-5
Connected Math Project 2 grades 6,7,8
Discovering from Key Curriculum Press for High School.
None of these books are recommended by the State.
Prior to Seattle's adoption the "Discovering" texts were rated mathematically unsound by the State Board of Education.

High School (with Discovering) was definitely worse in 2010 for Black Students and Limited English Speakers. Remember $800,000 for books and $400,000 for professional development produced these high school results.... not to mention the $11 million in academic coaches for teachers sprinkled about. OSPI Director of Math, Greta Bornemann, testified just before the Board voted 4-3 to adopt "Discovering". You can see her here at minute 117, put cursor slider in slot to move to 117. Even though "Discovering was found "Mathematically unsound" by the State Board of Education ... Greta did not mention that.

Why was Greta mentioning the original recommendations when only one text was recommended? She helped in creating Seattle's $1.2 million dollar High School fiasco.

She said that recommendations serve as a guide but do not direct what a district should buy. There may be many programs that may be sound. So what does Greta think about Seattle's results? Why has Mr. Dorn left Terry Bergeson's math team intact?
Bergeson produced 12 years of expensive math disaster.

Why is Ms. Bornemann still employed as Director of Math at OSPI? No accountability anywhere.

She talks about transparency of process but she neglects to mention the "Discovering" texts that the Seattle Board was about to vote on were rated "Mathematically Unsound" by the State Board of Education.

The MSP used grades 3 through 8 is the first time the New 2008 Math Standards have been tested.

The HSPE at high school still tests the old math standards. It will be gone next year when course ending Math assessments are used (I believe).

It was easy to evaluate "Discovering" before Seattle's adoption. It sucked.

The Math Adoption lawsuit filed on June 5, 2009 looked at likely consequences for Limited English Speakers and Black students.... well they happened.

Rainier Beach H.S. switched from College Prep Math and saw the following for Black students.

Pass Rate "09"= 15.6% => 3.9% in"10"

Level 1 "09"= 64.5% =>80.4% in"10"
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The Pass rate for Limited English speakers that was horrible at Cleveland and Garfield from 2007 to 2009 with IMP and which the SPS gurus led the Board to believe would get better with Discovering in 2010.....(but it Got worse).

Here is the two year average of 08 and 09 compared with 2010

Pass rate:
Cleve from 2.4% => 3.3%
Garfi from 8.35% => 0.0%
Sealth from 8.85% => 0.0%
West S from 15.65% => 6.70%
Frankl from 16.45% => 13.20%

Level 1 + No Scores:
Cleve from 75.8% => 86.7%
Garfi from 64.1% => 76.5%
Sealth from 84.9% => 82.6%
West S from 73.25% => 83.3%
Frankl from 77.25% => 71.0%
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Average of 08 and 09 compared to 2010
Black Student Pass rates:
RBHS from 15.6% => 3.9%
Cleve from 15.05% => 5.7%
Garfi from 26.15% => 16.70%


Average of 08 and 09 compared to 2010
Black Student Level 1 + No Score:
RBHS from 64.5% => 82.4%
Cleve from 70.1% => 71.6%
Garfi from 53.0% => 62.0%

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For Pass Rates in Math if we take the cohort average from grades 7 and 8 (years 07 & 08) then compare with the 10th grade score(2010) we get this:

White students 72.35% => 67.8% ratio .937
Black Students 24.2% => 12.4% ratio .512

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Seattle Central Administration and School Board rarely use evidence in making any decision. They just do whatever they like.

This is known as "Arbitrary and Capricious" decision making.

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If you listen to the Greta link above through the Board's voting you can listen to all the people that found this defective "Discovering" stuff just super duper.

Cheryl Chow speaks around 1:40 for far too long.

Seattle is now producing the same mess that 18,000 student Bethel schools demonstrated would likely occur with "Discovering". Bethel adopted Discovering three years before Seattle.

======Once again the intelligent application of relevant data should have trumped this Educational Nonsense propaganda ... but did not ... bye bye $1.2 million.