Outskirts Press, INC.

A Riveting Case Against High-Stakes Testing

This book chronicles the challenges of operating a non-profit independent charter school. It details the most critical year in the school’s history. This educational institution, in particular, serves a population where ninety-nine percent of the students receive free or reduced lunch in one of the largest school districts in America. The school must earn a passing grade amidst constant changes made in the state-wide assessment. One questionable policy implemented during this time decreased the number of students needed in each grade level for a school to receive a grade. The number was pruned from 29 to 10 despite the fact that statistically, a population should hover around 25-30 to increase the reliability and validity of the results. Ironically, policies are quickly put in place to prevent any school from dropping more than two letters grades, however, there were no policies put in place to account for schools that are ranked at the bottom, but show substantial gains.

Should the elementary school be unsuccessful, its fate would negatively impact the middle/high school since they share the same facility and resources. The middle/high school was one of the first secondary charter schools in its region to be accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges.

Whether traditional or charter school, the overall purpose of this book is to highlight systemic problems that directly and indirectly affect students, parents, educators, and the community at-large, especially in low-income areas which leaves educational policy disjointed, incremental, and ineffective.