Florida hires security firm to catch test cheaters in Florida schools. Cutting everything else.

[madfloridian]

They can't afford to take care of the poor and needy, they are cutting programs for seniors, cutting school funds, cutting funds from hospitals....but they are going to hire a test security firm.

Florida hires eyes to stop FCAT cheaters

The state has a message to potential cheaters on this year's FCAT exams: We're watching for you. The Department of Education informed school districts last month that it is stepping up efforts to screen for cheaters by calling in Utah-based Caveon Test Security to analyze answer sheets.

The state's strategy is becoming more common as results of standardized tests such as the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test carry higher and higher stakes for students and educators.

"We wanted to inform school districts in advance of everything that's going to be looked at," said Kris Ellington, assistant deputy commissioner of the Department of Education. Every school district received a memo about the data analysis and a company presentation on what would be scrutinized and how, she said.

"We like to say that it's keeping honest people honest," Ellington said. "We want to make sure the tests are a valid indicator of what kids know."

Wow, that will teach those teachers and test scorers to cheat.

Here are some of the other clients of Caveon Security in the field of education.

Caveon clients

Education

The College Board
State of Delaware Department of Education
State of Florida Department of Education
State of Indiana Department of Education
State of Massachusetts Department of Education
State of South Carolina Department of Education
State of North Carolina Department of Education
State of Texas Department of Education

Good list to analyze, I would say.

With education reforms come profits in all areas. Testing security firms are only one area.

There are powerful forces at work in the field of education, with both parties on board in a bipartisan way.

I would think people might become irate at the hiring of a testing security firm with all the major cuts going on in Florida. I doubt they will, they will probably blame the teachers for that as well.

[Drale]

1. Almost a guarantee that the owner of that security firm

is a good friend of Rick Scott's.

[Lost-in-FL]

5. Or owned by his wife. nt

[Enrique]

7. that was my first thought

and I'm sure it's not just me and you

[chervilant]

23. hmm...

One has to wonder if any of the Bush Criminals are involved...

[999998th word]

29. This has A.L.E.C. stench all over it

If not A.L.E.C.-than it reeks of some other fascist front group ,there are plenty of these'stank tanks' out there.

[Brickbat]

2. This is one of the saddest things I've ever read.

[madfloridian]

22. I agree. It really is.

First thing I thought...I could not have cheated on tests in any way. They were kept under lock and key in the office until 5 minutes before testing. All we saw is the practice test which was geared to look so easy.

An aide monitored the testing with us, and the tests were put back under lock and key at the end of each day's session.

[TheEuclideanOne]

32. It only looks sad in comparison

So they didn't cut this from the budget, big deal, they overlooked one item. It is like theives coming to your house and stealing everything, but just forgetting to take the TV remote control. It only looks bad because they cut everything else. Normally, something like this would not even be known by anybody. What is sad to me is that things have been cut so deeply that it makes this look signifigant.

[madfloridian]

33. It's sad not because of the budget.

It's sad because they have managed to make teachers and other educators, once respected, look like crooks and cheats.

It's sad because all their tactics are geared to making public education look bad so they can destroy it.

[bluestateguy]

3. The more they make these tests the End All Be All of education, the more this will happen

If education is centered all around these tests, and teacher pay and benefits are also judged on the basis of these tests, then we can only expect more of this cheating and fudging of the numbers to happen.

People will do what they have to do.

[madfloridian]

10. I disagree. We always had test security measures. Another hit at public education.

The way tests are set up now the higher ups would have to be in on it.

[Initech]

4. Election cheaters catching test cheaters - how ironic.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. K n R

[madfloridian]

8. Same firm used by DC schools...

Odd. The testing security company found no sign of cheating but she is referring it to the IG to clear the teachers that the firm said were not cheating? I feel like Alice in Wonderland.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/henderson_asks_inspector_general_to_investigate_dc_test_erasures/2011/03/29/AFO3fFzB_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage

"More than 100 D.C. public schools had the unusual rates of erasures, in which wrong answers were replaced by correct ones. One seventh grade classroom, at Noyes Education Campus in Northeast Washington, averaged 12.7 wrong-to-right erasures per student on the 2009 DC CAS reading test. The citywide average that year was less than one per test.

Henderson also released a series of reports from a test security firm the District hired to investigate elevated erasure rates at eight schools, including Noyes, in 2009. The firm, Caveon Test Security, said it found no evidence that staff tampered with answer sheets.

While Henderson said she had complete confidence in Caveon, she said she referred the matter to Inspector General Charles J. Willoughby to eliminate doubts about test security and affirm the integrity of the teachers involved.

“These poor teachers are now tainted,” Henderson said. “They were cleared by an investigation. I feel like I owe it to them to remove the taint.”

[HankyDubs]

30. hey madflo

Did they check Michelle Rhee's eraser? Private security for public schools, no security for charters?

[sarcasmo]

9. With politicians it's always follow the money.

[madfloridian]

11. I am afraid you are right.

Seems they have all been caught in the money web.

[Rex]

12. I don't know why anyone would want to teach in todays climate

of hatred for education. My hat is off to all the teachers out there...I tried it for 2 years, hardest job in the world imo.

[madfloridian]

13. And I can't figure why this post keeps getting unrecced. ??

I see no reason to rec or unrec, it is just a factual post.

Unless people really believe that we need security firms to watch teachers. And that would be sad.

[Rex]

14. I don't know either...unnrecing the OP makes no sense.

It must be the lurker unrec crowd...no one with a braincell would agree with the conditions teachers have to live with in todays climate of hostility toward education!

Well, no one with good intentions imo.

[madfloridian]

15. I could not teach now under these conditions.

And I loved teaching. I would not go through a classroom door in Florida.

[Biker13]

18. Here's One!

STRONG K&R!!!

Biker's Old Lady

[madfloridian]

19. Hey....

thanks! :)

[chervilant]

24. hmm...

I think those who unrec you are the same deluded DUers who think Obama and Duncan are 'saving' public education, despite your considerable and commendable efforts to shine a bright light on this administration's egregious assault on teachers and unions.

Clearly, your efforts do not go unnoticed among those pathetic few who don't seem to have the honor and the courage to offer a cogent and substantiated rebuttal (which they cannot), but you are greatly appreciated by those of us who teach or struggle to teach in the face of this relentless teacher-bashing.

[madfloridian]

25. "relentless teacher bashing".....that is exactly what it is.

Both parties.

[theaocp]

27. They're not working the thread.

They're working against YOU. Nevertheless, I love you, Mad'. :hug:

[madfloridian]

34. Yes, I have personally been told that.

It's a fact what you say.

[onethatcares]

16. "we like to say that it's keeping honest people honest"

Does prickscott ever look in a mirror?

Jeez, we have a king instead of a gov, a man that doesn't care what the citizens think or say.

we are screwed.

[madfloridian]

17. Maybe when other states spend money on testing security companies...

people will pay attention.

[girl gone mad]

20. Don't be discouraged by the sockpuppets, mad.

They're never very bright.

[Starry Messenger]

21. k&r

[upi402]

26. Nah, they're just looking for future Election Commissioners

:hurts:

[madfloridian]

28. Heh heh

Funny one. :o

[BlueJac]

31. Another Rick Scott buddy scam........

I hate that fuck!

[sulphurdunn]

35. How else can the young

learn to serve a ruling class other than by having its values imposed upon their education? That's all the Republicans want to do. They just want a docile America where the lesser orders have an assigned place, follow assigned routines, know how to do assigned tasks, adhere to assigned beliefs and can pass assigned tests to prove it. There's nothing new in that.:shrug: