FSU physics professor Paul Cottle had sounded the alarm in the Tallahassee Democrat concerning Florida’s leadership’s unimpressive “plans” — or lack thereof — for improving our “pretty much last in the nation” standing in science education.
Eric Smith, Florida commissioner of education, responded. I do commend Smith for taking the time and effort to speak up, but he really didn’t say all that much that’s encouraging. He praised our new set of state science standards. That’s fine, but those comments didn’t address any of Cottle’s concerns. Smith wrote about applying for funding from Race to the Top funds for teacher professional development. Cottle has already pointed out before that funding for such efforts is dismal; is this just more wishful thinking? Hopefully, not. And then the crux of the problem is finally brought up by Smith: end of course testing. First, here is what Cottle said:
On Nov. 11, Education Commissioner Eric Smith announced that Florida would ask the federal government to fund the development and implementation of statewide tests to be given at the end of high-school science courses in chemistry, physics and earth/space sciences. These tests, along with the biology end-of-course test already planned by the FDOE, would focus school districts’ attention on delivering quality instruction in science at the high-school level. But it didn’t take long for the FDOE to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. On Nov. 20, Assistant Deputy Commissioner Kris Ellington reversed the commissioner’s announcement by saying that the department had dropped its plans to ask for funding for tests in chemistry, physics and earth/space science, and instead would ask the Florida Legislature to replace the 11th-grade science FCAT — which tests all areas of science — with an end-of-course test in biology. This step will lead school districts to further de-emphasize instruction in chemistry, physics and earth/space science. Already, only 16 percent of Florida’s high-school graduates take physics, about half the national rate.
Then here is Smith’s response:
While it’s true that we are beginning with an EOC exam in biology, we are also planning to develop EOC tests for other high-school science classes that would include physics, chemistry, and Earth/space science.
And the details are? And the money is coming from where? When is this going to happen?
I do appreciate that Smith responded. But we are hungry for much more detail. We’re not just crying wolf, Mr. Smith. Your own department stated: “Florida students are pretty much last in the nation for science.” And the stats were there to back that statement up. We need to hear something much more concrete, sir.
They could save money by getting using the 2061 documents WITHOUT fudging everything and replacing good with not-so-good. Also they could get together with some other states and end the domination of the horrid retrograde Texas system in textbook publishing, beginning a movement toward a uniform curriculum for all and just put it on the web where it belongs. They could use the power of crowsourcing evaluation to improve and widen standards.
Open government will likely hit education last, to the detriment of the citizens of Florida.
They could also offer points towards school grades for the numbers of students taking a balanced set of science courses including at least a year of chemistry, physics and Earth Science in addition to the biology. But the rules have to be written very carefully because the new school grading requirements for more students enrolled in advanced courses have prompted some administrators to enroll every freshman with 3s on the FCAT in AP courses .In case you don’t understand the insanity of this for the welfare of students, AP for Freshman is appropriate for a very small minority and is causing large numbers of kids in these schools to flunk out of those courses. Nothing but negative outcomes for the kids but points for administrative bonuses because the body counts on those enrollment are recorded in October before the flun- out slaughter of freshmen occurs the end of the first term. What a great way to start your high school year (not!)