State and Feds at Odds Over New Rules for Scoring Arizona Schools

The U.S. Department of Education changed its rulesto understand. Horne emphasizes the need for more
for measuring the progress of public schools during thetime for these students. So far, federal officials ignore
2005-2006 school year. The impact was devastatingHorne's argument by stating that if a group of students
to the Arizona schools, which had more than 600are not counted, then they probably are not being
schools marked as ?failed?. That is nearly three timestaught.
as many schools as last year.Horne filed a lawsuit against the federal government in
For the first time, the Arizona schools were forced toJuly 2006 to stop the inclusion of English as a Second
include AIMS test scores for reading and math ofLanguage student test scores until their fourth year of
students, who are in their second or third year ofEnglish language classes. Until the lawsuit is settled, the
learning English. Another change lessened the amountArizona schools must continue to include these student
of help a school may give special education students intest scores.
completing the AIMS test. Additionally, the ArizonaHorne, as well as many educators and administrators
schools now are required to expand the number ofacross the state, see the federal mandate as
students tested each year. In the past, they testedimpractical. They say it paints an unfair picture of many
students in the third, fifth, eighth and tenth grades. Now,reputable Arizona schools. They are concerned that
the Arizona schools must test all students in gradesthe negative ?failed? label and bad publicity will
three through eight, as well as high school sophomores.damage individual Arizona schools that have worked
Superintendent Tom Horne is outspoken on the federalhard to maintain their otherwise high achievement
mandates, calling them illogical and absurd. He cites thatlevels.
these changes are responsible for nearly 400In 2005, there were 54 Arizona schools that failed to
additional Arizona schools failing to meet minimummeet the minimum progress measure four or more
federal progress measures, with about 112 schoolsyears in a row. In 2006, that figure increased to 66
failing only because of the requirement to include theArizona schools. This mandate puts more Arizona
scores of students within their first three years ofschools on the road to potentially failing four years in a
learning English. He vehemently stated that the newrow, which means mandatory state intervention into
federal rules make it impossible for many Arizonathose Arizona schools' daily operations. If these
schools to succeed. Many Arizona schools students?failed? Arizona schools continue to fail in future years,
have only arrived from Mexico the year before andfederal law requires the state to make even bigger
cannot be expected to be proficient in English, makingchanges, which usually starts with the replacement of
it more difficult for them to pass the math and readingprincipals and teachers.
portions of the AIMS test.Horne hopes to prevail through a favorable court
The only consolation offered by federal officials is fordecision. Otherwise, many Arizona schools soon will
the Arizona schools to offer those students aexperience dramatic consequences.
translation of the AIMS test, making it easier for them