To Attn. Commissioners:

Re: Orwellian Double-speak and "80 of 800" and the pathetic, whining "I don't believe in statistics," statement pure gibberish that was provided a venue it did not deserve at a venerable meeting such as yours:



Dear Commissioners:

Under our State's "sunshine" laws, the "real" grades of under-performing schools that drop more than one grade will still be made known (exposed) to the public, of course... right?



The wonderful thing about Orwell's writings was his clear exposition that the very meanings of words could be altered till meaning itself becomes meaningless as wishing more guns and black/white thinking abused adult minds into our schools than are already there... I wonder how many of the public are as ignorant of the world as I am, a fair number is my guess? Teachers, schools, students... parents, the public, we are in this together - but there are persons that ARE NOT WITH US, they are are only for themselves, sadly for them and for us all.



I had thought the Department of Education was on the side of the kids, no kidding, really. I had actually presumed that those at the DOE would, of all persons, innately put them first, right? Sigh....



1. Transition Safety Net-I recommend the continuation of the transition safety net provision that prevents schools from dropping more than one letter grade in a given year. THIS IS WHERE WE BEGIN TO VEER INTO THE RALM OF PURE HILARITY, AND GENUINE TEARS OF SADNESS AND WOE: FOR HERE BEGINS THE ORWELLIAN BANTER IN ERNEST: The continuation of this safety net provision was the primary recommendation of the advisory task force. The department understands the superintendents' concern that multiple changes to performance expectations, grade calculations and other variables within the calculation on a short timeline may have contributed to a reduction in clarity of the system. However, similar issues will likely be in play in 2015-2016 with a revamped accountability model and higher performance expectations of CCSS. As such, complexity does not multi-faceted nature of schooling will necessarily require the consideration of multiple variables in assigning letter grades. I believe the transition to CCSS will be an opportunity to provide greater transparency in our state accountability system.



2. Revise Inclusion of Students in ESE Centers - For the 2013-2014 letter grades, assessment scores of students attending ESE center schools will not be applied back to the "home" school for students who have never previously enrolled in a non-ESE center school within the district and who score at the emergent level on the Florida Alternative Assessment (FAA). I recommend this logic be applied retroactively to 2012-2013 letter grades. Given the time constraints under which we are operating, current letter grade calculation procedures and the desire to avoid a delayed release of grades this year, the department will work with school districts through the

appeals process to ensure this provision is accurately applied retroactively to 2012-2013 school letter grades.



The DOE's core mission and purpose is obvious from these two above, and the dozens not suggested nor I doubt, ever thought of, let alone considered by this committee; I was formerly incredibly silly and naive about the DOE, quite clearly and unforgivably. Shame on me - and on us all. In the long run, neither teacher, student nor school will benefit in the end, not a one.



ESE Students Marginalized Unforgivably:

The second recommendation above does not seem to make provision for the need to set goals for the ESE children and to have goals for their teachers and schools as a consequence. To not include ESE children as being capable of improvement is the clear implication, if accommodation is not made for their expected (demanded should be the case) continual improvements - not "even though" they are special ESE, but "especially because" they are ESE and are indeed special should there be an even higher and greater expectation of constant increase and improvement on the parts of both children and adults (i.e.; students, teachers, school administrators).



Putting children in a room and leading those in charge of them to believe that their participation and sense of human dignity does not extend to there being ESE kids on the Honor Role for Academic Achievement and Improvement is inhumane, in the most vile sort of insipid way when one gives it but a second or two of thought it comes clear the horror of it. Not just that there is nothing to strive for, this is not the worst of it, it is that because these are children and ESE, they are not to even know that it is possible for them, how could they? Even the "adults" around them do not know or believe that they are anything but "dead weight" and this communicates clearly that they are less than human. Aaaargh! And to those that do not see this, stay clear of our children, please... is this mentioned somewhere in some fashion one hopes? We all are diminished in direct proportion and tainted by such glaring wrong-thinking and wrong-actions, every school, all teachers, each kid.



I would not trust these misguided persons to care for my dog. Seriously -Stay away from my GR! golden retriever



If the DOE board, overseeing CHILDREN is so readily influenced, politically "managed" is the polite word for corrupt... then all such boards, including the one for Trayvon Martin... all corrupt... time for a do-over of all such tainted "special" and "emergency" boards appointed under "mis-managed" personell, unnamed... sorry... drifting off into fanasy. Don't vote on this, not going to ever happen, no do-overs for Trayvon. But you can strike a blow for right and for logic and truth and the very meaning of common-sense itself against people that say things like "I don't believe" in whatever it scientific thing it is that they wish to not believe - not when it's about children. If you wish to know BOTH how many bullying incidents occured at your child's school, or if you have no child, to know how many are being bullied in the schools near you, and also to know if these schools scored an F or D, honestly and truly, without obfuscation, then vote for this and join with the voice of reason, and true Florida sunshine and light. Don't let the darkness win!