The Four Perfects and Standardized Testing: Taking Down the Testing Machine

By John M. Laverty

It wasn’t supposed to happen, but there were four Perfects in the same school. A Perfect is an industry insider term for a customer that does not miss a single question on their yearly standardized tests. These particular customers are eleven-year-old students at Longshore Middle School. No one could have predicted their perfect scores before the results of their 6th grade tests were reported. Mr. Price, their principal, was the first one to grasp the reason for the Longshore Turnaround, a sudden and highly publicized increase in his school’s test scores. He understood it was caused by this brilliant quartet of students. Joe Meier, CEO of Universal Testing Solutions, also discovered their test results. The principal was thrilled; the CEO was terrified. As the Perfects move into their high school years, Mr. Smythson, their ambitious principal, exploits them to further his own career. Once their talents are fully exposed, they decide to take the testing into their own hands.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Aug 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781483470238

Book preview

THE

FOUR PERFECTS AND

STANDARDIZED TESTING

Taking Down the Testing Machine

JOHN M. LAVERTY

Copyright © 2017 John M. Laverty.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-7022-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-7023-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017908225

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 07/27/2017

CONTENTS

Author’s Note

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

By John M. Laverty

In the Game: Music and Multiple Sclerosis

The Portfolio Musician (with Jeff Conner)

Etudes for Sight-reading

Koenig’s Tutor for Cornet

Instrumental Conducting Performance Materials

Dedicated to

Every person, young and old, who gets up early every day

during the school year to learn something

or teach something

AUTHOR’S NOTE

I t is an odd thing that powerful people who decide how schools should be run have very little experience with students or teachers or for that matter, schools. The loudest individuals are politicians, billionaires, and celebrities. Most did not attend public schools and more often than not they send their children to private schools, ones that operate under a different set of rules. These people correctly claim that some public schools in America are in trouble, and while being woefully uninformed, I believe their intentions are (for the most part) good. I also believe they are completely wrong about the reasons for the problems and the solutions to fix them. If I have done my job as a storyteller, you will better understand some of the problems and solutions. And if I have done my job really well, you will not look at education in America the same way ever again.

I have been actively involved in education since the first day I walked into Hannah McClure Elementary School as a first grader in my hometown of Winchester, KY. Eighteen years later I began my teaching career at Lafayette High School in Lexington, KY. Four years after that I began teaching in the college ranks where I helped prepare undergraduate and graduate students to be teachers.

Over the years, I have seen many trends in education come and go. While I was not yet born when Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka changed state-sponsored segregation in the public schools, I was in high school when bussing caused quite an ugly stir in Louisville, KY. As an undergraduate student studying music education, the topic de jour in all of my education classes was Public Law 94-142, the Education of the Handicapped Act. In less than a decade, block scheduling was all the rage. Then just a few years later, multiple school shootings forced all of us to forever reconsider how to keep our students safe from unthinkable acts of violence happening in what used to be very safe places.

Education is in many ways a reflection of society, constantly evolving and adjusting to technology, the job market, and the state of politics. This is both normal and expected. However, during extraordinary times, the evolution of education can take an unexpected turn for the worse. When America entered the 21st Century, political opportunists tried to improve education through a push for higher standards. It created a situation that has touched almost every aspect of what happens in schools. At the time, this seemed like a sound political and pedagogical strategy. After all, who isn’t for higher standards? Sadly, that pressure brought with it unintended consequences. While its original name was educational reform, its real name became known as standardized tests. Standardized test scores make it easy to assign numbers to students, teachers, individual schools, and school districts. They also allow blame for low scores to be assigned to whomever those with the loudest voices chose to target, often ignoring the real reasons.

The Four Perfects and Standardized Testing is a work of fiction, but it is inspired by actual events. It is a story where villains and heroes move about in the same system. The characters include four exceptional children who garner the attention of adults. Some of these adults seek to profit off of Cathi, Eddie, Libby, and Ricky’s ability to sit in a classroom for an hour and correctly fill in every answer on a bubble sheet. Being exceptional, these students do this year after year.

Set in the fictional town of Mahlerton, located two hours outside of Washington D.C., their story could be that of any exceptional school-aged child in America. Through their story, we see how testing changes their lives, some of the reasons for the current and increasing teacher shortage in America, why school administrators can and do manipulate test scores, and how teachers are coerced to stop teaching subject material in order to teach test-taking strategies. Because of these activities, many students who need the most help are often kicked to the curb because they do not test well.

Despite this dark picture, a growing grassroots effort to keep the standardized testing industry in line has been developing for several years. Teachers, parents, brave administrators and politicians, and yes, even students are taking matters into their own hands. Students, with the support of their parents, are refusing to take the tests, sometimes at great cost. It is one of the purest forms of civil disobedience I can imagine.

Test refusals, also known as opting out, are on the upswing nationally, but this is only a stopgap measure. Despite these efforts, too much time and money are still being devoted to testing. Every tax dollar spent on testing is a dollar not spent on learning. So many teachers are demoralized by the absurdity of what they are required to do, they are leaving the profession in droves which also adds to the hidden cost of testing.

Each character you meet is fictional. They do not represent real people. However, many of the situations they face are real and well-documented. Some I have observed during student teacher observations or while visiting schools during my career as an educator. Other actions have been reported in the press, things such as sit and stare, a horrible punishment given to students who refuse to take the tests. Another activity is administrators altering the results of their schools’ test scores. None of these inappropriate actions help students learn or make schools better, yet they happen with a frequency that is staggering.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the person who did the cover art, my great-niece Autumn. She is in the second grade and is quite talented. However, if things do not change in her state, a remarkable percentage of the time she should be doing math, honing her spelling skills, or even reading a book she loves will continue to be replaced with preparing for tests and taking tests. Her teachers could also end up being punished if she and her fellow students do not do well on those tests. In ten years if she decides to go to college, there is an increasing chance she will not choose education as a major, even though her mother and great-uncle are teachers.

I fear Autumn is in for a tough time as she navigates through her school years. She deserves better. I fear she might not be able to take art or music or be able to spend time in her school library. She deserves better. I fear she might not have time for recess like many other kids her age do right now. They deserve better. I fear they all might not have the option of taking advanced placement classes in high school because the teachers who have the skills to teach those classes have quit teaching. We all deserve better.

CHAPTER 1

A center seat in the back of the plane surrounded by sleeping passengers trapped Preston Smythson for nearly two hours before he decided he could no longer take it. When he finally made an awkward exit from his seat, he began to doubt the wisdom of his ticket selection. Booking his flight online a month earlier, the only consideration had been cost. Now he understood the reason he could purchase a seat that seemed to be a steal. Trapped and uncomfortable, he did enjoy elbowing the snoring passenger in the aisle seat, making him get up so Preston could make an escape.

The long flight from Washington Dulles Airport to McCarran Airport in Las Vegas provided plenty of time to study the program for the upcoming National School Administrators Conference. There were so many sessions, it was impossible to attend them all. The first things he looked at were the topic and the name of the presenter. Before touching down, he wanted a solid plan in place for how to best spend his time during his visit to the city in the desert. This was a new adventure, traveling to a place he had never been and attending a conference he had only heard others rave about. What he understood about the conference made him want to know more. By doing so, he was certain to move up the education ladder, one that promised the respect of being a school administrator and a big pay increase.

Free time was something Preston hadn’t had much of during the past four years. This trip was a welcomed break from his nearly impossible schedule. Practically every moment of his life had been devoted to educating someone, either his students or himself. Working with his students was the job he was paid to do while educating himself was purely a financial investment. If an unanticipated insight into teaching came from his studies, it was a bonus and not an expectation. With the exception of a single graduate class, he did the minimum amount of work to receive a B, the lowest acceptable grade to advance to the next class. Arriving in class at the last possible moment, and always sitting in the back of the room allowed for a timely exit. It also helped limit any unwanted interaction with his fellow graduate students. He looked at each class and assignment as simply a box to check off on his list of things to do to achieve his goal of moving into administration and out of the classroom. He became annoyed whenever a fellow student took time to speak out in class to make a point or challenge something brought up by another student. During his classes, he did not utter a single word unless prompted by the professor.

Preston never enjoyed teaching, mainly because it paid so little. What drove him so hard was he saw an opportunity to earn far more when he became a principal. Now, with all of his classes completed for his principal certification, he faced one major hurdle in order to take that next professional step. At age twenty-eight and with only four years of teaching experience under his belt, no school district would likely take a chance on hiring a principal with his limited resume. He hoped attending the conference might provide him with a broader set of professional opportunities.

When the flight attendant announced they were making their descent, it was music to Preston’s ears. As best he could, he peered out of the cabin window with the excitement of a young child anticipating the arrival of Santa. Unlike his past flights, this first landing out west had a completely different appearance. Instead of a green landscape, the desert had a brown, otherworldly look to it. By the time the plane came to a stop, he believed he was going to be in for the biggest adventure of his professional life.

A biannual event, the National School Administrators Conference serves as a gathering for current and want-to-be public school principals and superintendents. Almost all aspects of the business of running a school district are represented at the conference including textbook and software vendors who make presentations to help sell their wares. Based on the advertisements in the program, by far the largest vendors attending the conference are the standardized test makers followed by the ever-growing list of for-profit charter school companies.

The organization’s mission statement claims the conference is about teaching and learning. While fulfilling this mission, it also provides opportunities for those in attendance to network and lobby for better paying or more prestigious jobs. It also allows many to get away from their mundane administrative tasks and take advantage of a couple of pressure-free days to decompress. A common joke shared by frequent attendees is recalling the number of conferences they had been to and not attended a single workshop, clinic, or research presentation. Some members proudly boast about never having attended a single event. This is nothing to joke about, thought Preston, as he contemplated all he wanted to accomplish by attending his first conference.

The loud and fast-paced city of Las Vegas had the honor of hosting the event. It was the perfect place for the thousands of school administrators to meet. Spread out over some of the largest hotels, it proved to be a financial windfall for the city, even one accustomed to hosting big events. Hotel restaurants were filled to capacity after the official proceedings were finished each day. Casino managers also enjoyed the extra business, although they were perplexed by the amount of gambling public school employees could squeeze into a long weekend. Being not-so-good or experienced gamblers, the casino coffers experienced higher returns than normal during the event.

Many of the attendees came to the conference with a personal agenda, unique to their place in life and their aspirations for their professional future. For others, it provided a chance to visit a city they had never been to and nothing more. Before being held in Las Vegas, the cities of Miami, Honolulu, New Orleans, and New York City had hosted the event. Each city provided plenty of meeting spaces and proved to be destinations with certain expensive amenities not usually found in a small town or in a poor urban area of a big city. While some school districts found it difficult to buy things as basic as pencil sharpeners, few failed to make available the funds for their administrators to take part in this event. Certainly not naive, these school officials understood if the taxpayers from their school districts ever found out how their tax dollars were being spent, a public relations firestorm would surely ensue. For this reason, it was important to keep a lid on the real activities and reasons for having the event in the first place. As a result of their efforts to justify the expenditures, few school districts ever questioned sending their officials.

Like other large organizations, some members are viewed as rising stars and even superstars within the profession. A keynote speaker, a presenter, or a superintendent who recently received national recognition fall into the last category. These individuals can always expect to be treated with a level of respect other members only dream about.

Some, however, are viewed in a different light. This group includes the recently fired or those involved in a scandal, something that draws the attention of their local press like sex or money. These are people who move from school district to school district, always able to find a new high-paying job without much difficulty. If formal charges are not filed by a school district, and they rarely are, an administrator’s past is protected by the threat of a lawsuit against a school district should it give a bad recommendation.

Somewhere in between the revered and the shunned is a collection of individuals referred to by longtime attendees as climbers. To the trained eye, their behavior is easily recognizable. One trait climbers demonstrate is a meet and greet attitude, handing out meticulously designed business cards and shaking the hands of as many people as possible. Unknown to the climbers, one sure-fire way to recognize them is by their attire. Designer suits and footwear are not usually part of their wardrobe. Instead, their clothes identify them as low paid teachers and not higher paid administrators. Climbers also attend numerous events and activities to learn from the experiences of others and to be seen. Trying to appear professional, their unbridled ambition radiates unchecked as they make every effort to impress the more experienced attendees. Preston in every way is a climber.

The past May, he completed all the certification requirements to become a school principal. This was quite an achievement for someone so young. It required of him a large investment of time and money, sacrificing many other aspects of life that his fellow teachers enjoyed including things such as the best three reasons to teach: June, July, and August. While his colleagues relaxed during the summer and took advantage of the time off, he attended classes, wrote papers, and read assigned books and research articles. Weekends during the school year were also lost to two-day classes so he could fulfill the certification requirements as quickly as possible. Driven to the point of exhaustion, earning the certification provided little joy except for the satisfaction of distancing himself from his fellow teachers.

Having taught middle school English and remedial reading for only four years, he was one of the youngest attendees at the mere age of twenty-eight. A pragmatic man, he knew a middle school teacher’s salary would trap him in a lifestyle that would always be limiting. He was confident being at the conference so soon after becoming a certified principal was warranted. It was the next logical step to achieving one of his career goals. When he eventually became a principal, not only would his salary go up, other high-paying opportunities would surely follow. As he watched attendees at the conference interact in different social settings, he saw what he hoped would be his future.

Being from a school district that had done business with Universal Testing Solutions (UTS) for years, he was invited to one of their many cocktail parties. This was unexpected and a welcomed break from the official conference presentations. He would have never been invited if the company knew he was only a teacher. Since he was at the conference, UTS employees assumed he was at least an assistant principal or higher when he received his invitation. While approaching the expensive villa in the hotel the company booked for the cocktail party, he felt a little out of place.

By far the youngest person present, he stood quietly in the express elevator taking the next batch of invitees up to the exclusive top floor of the hotel. When the elevator slowed down signaling its arrival, an unsettling knot developed in his stomach. His hands were also starting to sweat, so much so that when he disembarked and was met by one of the company’s greeters, the man recoiled slightly when they shook hands. During a very short conversation he revealed to the host the name of his school district and the fact he worked for a superintendent who was a loyal and long-time supporter of UTS, someone the company had financially invested in many times over the years.

Please tell Dr. Forest we look forward to helping Mahlerton Public Schools improve student test scores in the future, the man said to Preston.

I sure will. While Preston did not know Dr. Forest very well, he would happily pass on the message should the opportunity present itself.

Armed with a pocket full of newly printed business cards announcing he was available for an open principal position, Preston set out to insert himself into a few of the conversations taking place in the room. This was an opportunity for a little self-promotion. Maybe he would be asked about his school district by someone, what he had done in his career, or if he might be interested in moving on to work in a different district. Planting himself in front of a lavishly stocked hors d’oeuvres table, he set about enjoying the fare. However, he could not stop until he realized he’d eaten four plates of jumbo shrimp. Still, this seemed like a better strategy than having one drink too many being poured at the free wet bar by a tuxedo-clad bartender. With so much at stake, it was probably best to remain sober. Not everyone in the villa held to this philosophy.

To Preston, the whole event felt like a frat party. Lots of loud men acting in ways they would never do under normal circumstances. Just like a fraternity is a social club, people wanting to join that club have to pay homage to its members, and Preston was not yet a member. He had yet to make money for UTS, so while he was treated politely, he was never told the secret password or whatever it was that made the club members and UTS employees in attendance so friendly. With the unsettled feeling returning to his stomach, a quiet exit from the loud setting now seemed like the thing to do. He did not yet belong at such a formal event. A more relaxed location might better fit his needs.

Preston made his way through the hotel to an Irish-style pub located near the back of the casino. He overheard several guests at the cocktail party comment on its wide selection of Scotch whisky and the lovely, scantily-dressed waitresses working in the bar. This was a better place for him to meet people. For the price of a few glasses of quality single-malt he could become part of a discussion he might otherwise have never been privy to. Maybe he would even meet an employer wanting to take a chance on an energetic, newly-certified principal. If this happened, his personal investment traveling to Las Vegas would be well worth the price.

When he arrived at the bar, it was packed with professional-looking men and women, most of whom wore tailored attire. Some were in deep conversation while others were just enjoying a drink and laughing loudly. The room was full of smoke and an overly amplified Irish band was playing in the corner of the bar. The ruckus was so loud it was difficult to hear what anyone was saying. It took ten minutes in this new environment to find an open seat at the bar. A man with what sounded like an English accent came over, put down a drink napkin, and asked two questions: Can I see your drivers license? followed by, What would you like to drink, my man? Unsure of what to order, Preston asked to see a drink list, hoping to find a decent Scotch whiskey that would not max out his credit card. The bartender introduced himself as William and said there was not a list. He then asked Preston what kind of Scotch he liked.

Hi there William. I’m Preston. Good to meet you. This is kind of new to me. I think it’s time to try something different. Can you suggest two or three Scotches that are popular? As Preston asked this, he slid a twenty-dollar bill to the bartender. Smiling, the bartender knew exactly the reason for such an inquiry, happy to help his unsure customer make a proper selection.

There are some that have a heavy peat flavor, and others that have a more mellow taste, closer, I’d say, to your American bourbons. How adventurous do you want to be? Preston indicated that he’d like the first one and picked a brand of Scotch that came in twelve-, eighteen-, and twenty-five-year-old versions. The bartender poured a generous splash of the eighteen-year-old year Scotch into a shot glass for him to try.

Instead of just taking a sip, savoring the flavor and inhaling the scent of the whisky, Preston grabbed the glass and drank it all at once. The entire sample disappeared, burning as it went down his throat. With eyes watering and his taste buds unsure, he blurted out, Yeah, that’s the one. Is it supposed to taste like dirt?

That’s not dirt, the bartender said, that’s what peat tastes like. He poured another sample, this time with a small ice cube in the glass. Go slower this time and you will enjoy the drink. Give the ice a minute to melt and the flavor will open up. The bartender smiled at his customer’s lack of experience. Preston followed William’s instructions to a tee, and the experience was a completely different one.

Oh yeah, I see what you mean. Give me a full pour.

Armed with a generously large glass of fine Scotch in one hand, Preston began to survey the bar as best he could. It was packed with patrons and dimly lit. Searching for a familiar face he might share his drink with, he found none. As he continued to look for someone to have a conversation with, two stately-looking gentlemen approached the part of the bar where he was sitting. Neither man was wearing a conference name tag. Preston assumed they were not part of the conference. There was no need to pay them any mind. Just as he started to become discouraged about his networking prospects, one of the men looked at Preston’s badge and exclaimed, Holy shit, my first job was back east near your school district. Startled yet pleasantly surprised, Preston introduced himself. Bob and Angelo remarked that they were superintendents from school districts somewhere in the Midwest Preston had never heard of.

Frustrated with his inability to get any service, Bob asked Preston, What do you have to do to get a drink in this dive?

Grabbing the opportunity to look in charge, Preston waved his hand to get the bartender’s attention. William, can you get these two a drink?

Sure Preston. What’ll you two have?

Impressed the youngster appeared to have pull with the bartender, both indicated whatever he was drinking would be fine. How about two glasses of the twenty-five-year-old. On the rocks, guys? Preston pointed to his half-full glass. This upgrade was going to be more expensive. He chose to think of it as an investment in his professional future. Turning to the other two, he continued, I just got my principal certification, so I’m in a celebratory mood. No sense wasting the opportunity to point out his professional achievement. The drinks are on me fellas.

Angelo raised his glass. A toast to, what did you say your name was? Oh yeah, Preston. To the start of a new career. Welcome to the big boys’ club.

Cheers! Bob replied. As the three clanked glasses and took a drink, Bob approvingly looked at Angelo. Wow, he’s got good taste. Turning back to Preston, he commented, Now that’s a fine Scotch. Hey, you want to join us at a table? The bar suddenly became quiet and a table near the Irish band, now mercifully taking a break from playing, had just opened up. Angelo, go grab it before someone else does. Firmly planted, the trio would remain there for the next couple of hours. Fortunately, the conversation Preston had longed for was about to begin.

Angelo started. That was some kind of lame presentation earlier today, wasn’t it? I mean, what kind of superintendent wants to have a high retention rate. I’ll tell you what kind. Someone who doesn’t want to be a superintendent for very long.

You got that right, Bob added in a half-spoken, half-laughing manner.

The guest speaker at the first afternoon session was a stuffy-sounding university professor who was advertised as being a renowned expert on why students either graduate or drop out from high school. He presented an impressive amount of data relating to why some urban school districts have high dropout rates. To Preston, the professor’s retention argument was easy to understand. What was not so easy to grasp was this new definition of success he was hearing. Surely keeping at-risk students from dropping out was a goal of any school. He was perplexed by Angelo’s remark to the contrary.

I went to that one too. I thought he laid out a pretty clear way to keep kids in school. Who wouldn’t want that? Preston inquired.

Our new friend here hasn’t figured out what is important in the real world. Should we let him in on the secret, Angelo?

Now completely confused, Preston didn’t know if the conversation was being steered by the Scotch or if something of real substance was taking place. Repositioning himself at the table to better hear what was being discussed, he decided the best course of action was not to talk much and follow the lead of his more experienced drinking buddies.

Everybody, everybody that is except for Mr. Ivory Tower, knows if you keep the loser kids in your school, your test scores go down. Test scores are the only things that matter, period, fade to black, end of story, Bob declared. Test scores that go up mean you have a job, drive a nice car, vacation in exotic places, and attend events like this, all compliments of your school district. Test scores that go down, well, time to look for a new job. Politicians will make sure of that because if test scores go down in their district, they have to find a new line of work too. They’re afraid to look like they don’t care about education. No voter base will ever elect a politician who appears to be weak on education. Of course, the voting public is just too dumb to realize there is no connection between the two things. If they did, we wouldn’t have to waste time and money giving all those damned tests.

Many new charter schools are showing amazing test results, sometimes a few months after opening. I know teachers’ unions are against charter schools, but how can anyone argue against this type of empirical evidence? Preston said, correct about how test scores had significantly improved at many of these newly-opened schools. The presentation by the professor earlier in the day included examples of this type of success. It is hard to argue with numbers.

Hey, you know what they say. There are lies, damned lies, and statistics, Bob said.

What do you mean? Preston was now even more confused.

Angelo, I bet you saw what was missing. Preston, didn’t you notice the only numbers he mentioned were how test scores of charter schools compared to traditional schools from the same neighborhoods? This made it look like each of the schools, despite widely differing test scores, had the same type of students. Just to be clear, they don’t. It was well hidden in the statistics. That means he was not comparing apples to apples. What he failed to mention is the people running charter schools often send low achieving students right back to the schools from which they came. Every student with a behavioral problem or a learning disability is tracked from the first minute they try to enroll in a charter school. If you’re not sure about this, find someone who teaches in a traditional public school and ask them what happens to their school just a few months after a nearby charter school opens. They’ll tell you their classrooms swell as students are cast out by the same charter school that is supposed save students from a poor education. Weaker students don’t stand a chance finishing out the year in their new school. Talk about a form of targeted suspension, well, there it is.

By law they can’t do that, Preston exclaimed.

They sure as hell can, Bob replied. Charter schools suspend kids for the smallest of infractions. Dress code violation, suspension. Talking back to a teacher, suspension. Those schools can make up the rules as they go along. A lot of them have a zero tolerance policy for anything they deem disruptive. Believe me, kids that might drag down a charter school’s test scores are long gone before testing season begins. If you think about it, that’s a pretty smart way to do business. And while it’s possible a teacher here or there might want to defend a student from being expelled, it probably doesn’t happen. Charter schools, especially ones that are not unionized, can fire any teacher at any time for any reason. Oh, Angelo, if only we could operate by those rules.

Once again, you got that right. The high point for me today was how he kept saying there is a group of students who need considerable help. Yeah, like any of us care. If parents or in some cases parent doesn’t give a damn, and if the student doesn’t give a damn, no sense in any of us caring either. Let them quit school and good luck to them making their way through life living on the streets. This is one of the hidden secrets of the remarkable success of the charter school movement. They don’t wait for them to drop out, they just kick them out. Angelo’s dismissive remarks were shocking to Preston. Still idealistic about the education field, he didn’t understand how these two experienced administrators could be so jaded. Surely the success of every student must be their primary concern, yet the tone of the conversation suggested otherwise.

Look here, if the bottom ten percent of students in my district were to quietly go into that good night, I wouldn’t lose one wink of sleep. Their families don’t pay property taxes, and I have yet to see a parent of any of those kids attended a school board meeting, let alone complain that we are demanding too little from their children. All those people do is bring down the rest of the school, and that’s a fact, Bob said, pausing to gulp down a little more Scotch.

Wow this stuff’s good. Where was I? Oh yeah. When I finally figured out how to use targeted suspensions, test scores in my district started to rise. Got me an award from the state board of education, a contract extension, and a considerable pay raise. I made sure my raise for improved scores was in my new contract before I signed it. It took me a while to understand how things work. I wouldn’t even consider running a school district without being able to get rid of the losers. Speaking of which, I have my interview with a charter school company tomorrow. Not the same number of interviews you had this week Angelo, but I’ll still go on my one interview anyway. If things go well with the company’s CEO, maybe I’ll change careers. From what I hear they are looking to expand into bigger markets that have more money to siphon off. I never thought I would see the day when for-profit schools would become so commonplace. I’m getting tired of fighting their political power, aren’t you? Anyway, if they hire me, I might even be able to pay cash for that new fishing boat I always wanted with the signing bonus. Man, do I love to fish.

Preston was not sure what to make of Bob’s interview with the charter school company. He didn’t even know there were charter school companies much less well-paid employment opportunities. What seemed obvious was the pay must be better than a superintendent’s salary. This was too much information to process, so he returned to the conversation about tests.

His own middle school had scored so high on its standardized tests it appeared to be on the cutting edge of education. He noticed when the local press picked up on the improved test scores, his principal was elevated to a status similar to that of a rock star. As a faculty, they didn’t do anything differently during the past year, but because of their recent test scores they must be a much better school staffed by