An informed reader writes:
There’s an emperor-has-no-clothes aspect to this whole [Utah NCLB] imbroglio that’s gone un-noted and I wonder if Eduwonk can illuminate the masses that are being left uninformed by the NYT.
It’s not hard for Utah to like their accountability system better than AYP, because Utah DOES NOT HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. Last year, the legislature instructed the state department of education to develop a new accountability system. It currently is being designed.
So, for the time being, everyone in Utah can agree they like their own home-grown accountability system better because no one knows what it is – this really cuts down on criticisms. One of the shortcomings of actual accountability systems is that they identify schools with weaknesses that need to be confronted – but not Utah’s, not yet!
Here’s a posting to a PowerPoint presentation on Utah’s state department of education website showing the state of the UPASS system:
http://www.usoe.k12.ut.us/eval/_UPASS/Final%20U-PASS%20Presentation.ppt
OK, this reader is informed except about the “illumination” part, you’ll get none of that here…but a good point nonetheless.