Plunkett: More evidence of collaboration to steal public funds at Mississippi Dept. of Education.

BY: B. Keith Plunkett @Keithplunkett
I first noticed a blog post by the Bigger Pie Forum that published emails showing the Dept. of Education’s interior politics and pressures when it comes to school rankings on May 10 through a tweet. Now that story has been picked up by the Clarion Ledger. It ran this morning.

What it clearly shows is how out of whack things have been as it relates to accountability at the states government run schools, and how the more populous districts have used their considerable power to sway officials at MDE to keep taxpayer money flowing into the coffers.

Bigger Pie reported:

In August 2011, MDE’s former director of its Office of Research and Statistics (ORS) told an MDE contract worker via e-mail that he arbitrarily changed school ratings to make certain schools look more successful than they actually were. Some ratings alternations were made at the request of superintendents.

Former ORS director, Ken Thompson, e-mailed computer programmer Steve Hebbler (who is still under contract with MDE) about finalizing assessment files for the accountability model. Thompson mentioned “appeals” by school administrators who were not happy with their schools’ ratings and wanted them changed.

Judging by Thompson’s emails the pressure must have been intense. In the published emails he said he had become “too tired to fight”.

“I just finished wading through the appeals. We received 33 appeals but it was mostly garbage. I swear I think someone gave out stupid pills this year by the truck load.

“Jackson Public Schools decided they didn’t like the grade-level of 45 students so they want them excluded just because they think they are too old to be in the grade that JPS placed them.

“Hinds County thinks we should apportion proficiency rather than use FAY so they sent pages of students to apportion.

“Tupelo just can’t read and sent pages of students that they claimed weren’t in the SLAIF.

“And the list goes on….

“Some appeals were close enough to valid that I let them have them since it made a difference in the school. Some I let have them just because I’m too tired to fight. There were several errors by schools miscoding test forms that resulted in Pearson restoring the assessments. Arthur is working on getting those results updated. We will have a few MAAECF scoring appeals to change as well. Arthur is going to get those results from Susan in Student Assessment.”

Thompson resigned from MDE in December 2011. He now works as a private educational consultant

Thompson told the Clarion Ledger that “he sometimes gave schools the benefit of the doubt when making decisions because he feels accountability labels in some cases serve as “a ‘gotcha’ system to judge schools.”

The labels put public pressure on schools, Thompson said, and he understands why schools fight for every percentage point.

The Clarion Ledger reporter also decided to call on government school apologist and protector Nancy Loome of The Parents’ Campaign who began circling the wagons for her benefactors at the Superintendents Association.

“When we use assessments and accountability labels to demonize public education, that is a misuse of that system,” she said.

In another email exchange with DeSoto County Schools Accountability and Research Director Ryan Kuykendall, Thompson freely admitted to cooking the books.

“Since your public rate is higher than the rate on your final report, the correct graduation rate was slightly lower than the graduation rate I had originally given you,” Thompson said in an email later that same day. “Consequently, I used the incorrect rate since it was the most advantageous to the district.”

Is there any wonder our education system is in the shape it’s in?

Mrs. Loome has it partially correct. The use of assessments and accountability labels have been misused. But, not to demonize public education. Government school administrators have managed to do that job all on their own.

This effort has been an outright fraud perpetrated by public school administrators against the taxpayers, the students and the parents of Mississippi. Will none of our public officials charged with the job of protecting the public interest call it what it is?

This deserves, at the very least, to be the subject of an investigation.

About Keith: Keith Plunkett has worked on communications issues with a range of public officials from aldermen to Congressmen, and a variety of businesses, governmental agencies and non-profits. He serves or has served as a board member of several non-profit, civic and political organizations. Contact him by going to HorizonMediaMarketing.com or follow him on Twitter @Keithplunkett

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Anderson: Take a closer look at Common Core authors

BY: Rita Anderson

Dot Ward’s column warning of the Common Core state standards in the Clarion Ledger appeared on the same day, coincidentally, that I received a MississippiPEP article with more detailed warnings. Keith Plunkett points out that Marc Tucker, who spoke to a MS Department of Education forum in 2011 and is a chief player in the Common Core initiative, has never taught a day in his life in a K-12 classroom.

This morning on SuperTalk Radio the on-air guest was Joy Pullman, senior fellow at the Heartland Institute, who stated that the four persons responsible for crafting the Common Core state standards have never been K-12 classroom teachers and have no background in writing such standards.

Common Core is not a state-led initiative. The National Governors’ Association is a D.C.- based trade association, which receives half its funds from the federal government. According to Heartland, as recently as two weeks ago, NGA had not released what, if any, resolution that governors voted to authorize Common Core.

Common Core assessments begin in 2014 and this element brings another set of challenges. Then there is the requirement that states establish a longitudinal data system, which includes the sharing of private information about students across state lines.

Granted, our individual liberties are being systematically eroded at the federal level, but must we just roll over?

Who had the authority to commit Mississippi school children to a massive new and untested educational initiative? If there is no local control of education, why do we even have local school boards?

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4 candidates to seek House seat of late Rep. Jessica Upshaw.

Four candidates have entered the state House of Representatives District 95 special election ahead of Monday’s qualifying deadline.

The election is to fill the seat held by the late Rep. Jessica Upshaw, R-Diamondhead, who was found dead March 24 at the Mendenhall home of her boyfriend, former State Rep. Clint Rotenberry. Law enforcement officials said she died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Secretary of State’s Office said as of 3 p.m. Friday, the candidates are Tommy Ballard of Gulfport; Sherri Carr Bevis of Diamondhead; Grant Bower of Diamondhead; and Patricia H. Willis of Diamondhead. The State Board of Election Commissioners will review their applications before they can be placed on the ballot.

Special elections are non-partisan, so party affiliations won’t appear on the ballot.

If no candidate receives a majority in the May 28 vote, a runoff will be held June 18.

Read More

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Hundreds mourn loss of Rep. Jessica Upshaw.

A memorial service was held Saturday afternoon for State Representative Jessica Upshaw. Hundreds of family and friends Gathered at the Diamondhead Community Church to pay there respects.

In a gesture that seemed most fitting, a golf cart adorned with an American Flag sat outside the place where several hundred people gathered to remember a life lost. Rep. Upshaw was instrumental in getting golf cart legislation approved for Diamondhead.

Read More

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• Clint Rotenberry discusses Rep. Jessica Upshaw’s battle with depression. (mississippipep.wordpress.com)

Simpson Sheriff says Rep. Upshaw gunshot wound “appeared self inflicted”.

Map of Mississippi highlighting Simpson County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officials are looking into the death of state Rep. Jessica Upshaw, who was found at a residence in Simpson County on Sunday.

The 53-year-old Republican lawmaker from Diamondhead in Hancock County died of a gunshot wound to the head, Simpson County Sheriff Kenneth Lewis told WLBT-TV.

“It appeared to be self-inflicted,” he said.

Lewis told The Clarion-Ledger that Upshaw was found at the home of former state Rep. Clint Rotenberry in Mendenhall. Rotenberry was first elected to the House in 1992. He lost a Republican primary runoff to Andy Gipson in House District 77, covering parts of Rankin, Simpson and Smith counties, in 2007..

Simpson County Coroner Terry Tutor would not release any details on Upshaw’s death.

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Government School Lobbyists: The wolves are back on the prowl

BY: B. Keith Plunkett @Keithplunkett

The government school lobbyists are dusting off their their tired old rhetoric.

In a Clarion Ledger article released this afternoon Nancy Loome of the Parents Campaign and Mississippi Association of Educators President Kevin Gilbert are pushing the familiar theme of “partnership” with legislators. Gilbert is quoted as saying, “We want our schools to be successful, and we need to come up with collaborative efforts.”

Loome said, “We need to lift up the wonderful successes, and to craft policy that allows our successes and our high-performing schools and districts to thrive.”

Those kind of statements can mean only one thing: They want control . . . again.

When organizations with track records of protecting and promoting government schools as a jobs program for teachers and administrators begin asking to hold hands and sing kumbaya with Republican leaders then we should all beware. When they point to questionable state testing like the MCT2 to illustrate improvement, and describe the continued downward spiral of ACT scores as a success then legislators should be outraged at the gall of someone who wants to help “craft policy.”

These groups have had their opportunity to do better by children and parents and chose instead to cash in.

It was Loome who joined forces with Desoto Superintendent and political boss Milton Kuykendall to kill charter school legislation in the 2012 session. Using a trojan horse tactic, Loome successfully co-opted the charter school message. In large part, helped because of a lack of organization by conservatives. She then worked behind the scenes with Kuykendall to kill charter school legislation in the House of Representatives.

An email obtained by Mississippi PEP in February of 2012 showed the action that went on behind the scenes. Loome sent the email to Kuykendall in early February, just days before the charter school vote in the legislature, asking that he rouse teachers to action against charter schools by lighting up the phone lines. She even went so far as to provide some legislators personal cell numbers. In the email to Kuykendall, Loome wrote:

“We can’t afford to waste scarce taxpayer dollars on inexperienced “mom and pop” charter organizers who don’t know what they are doing.”

She went on to knock “for profit” charter school companies that would “rake in greater profits” (greater than who?). She also wanted to be sure any legislation that may get through require that charter schools in Mississippi show a “proven track record of success.” (Obviously not a current requirement of Mrs. Loome and her pro-government school monopoly friends.)

Kuykendall, always eager to protect his fiefdom in Desoto County obliged.

Now comes Loome wanting to again “collaborate” with legislators.

We have seen this act before.

Mrs. Loome’s Parents Campaign is hooked at the hip with other liberal organizations that think they know what’s best for all children.

If Mississippi legislators successfully break the stranglehold monopoly these organizations have on the future of our children, Mrs. Loome could personally lose her ability to “rake in the profits”, as would Mr. Gilbert and the other pro-government education groups. But more importantly, the shift in political power from lobbyists to parents would be a monumental opportunity for Mississippi to begin making huge strides towards education reform, something that we have not seen under the pro-government system promoted by Mrs. Loome.

Let’s be clear about this, what is at stake here is the future of our state, not just the future of education in our state. Mississippi is dangerously close to the edge. The numbers of dropouts we have is unacceptable and the fact that government school proponents have attempted to keep dropout numbers from even being counted should be a big sign of what is really going on.

Welfare numbers continue to rise. How long can we sustain this before our state is too far gone? Who then, will be pulling the wagon, and how many can fit inside it before it simply is too heavy to tow?

Any push for a voice in the argument from The Parents Campaign, the Superintendent’s Association, the Mississippi Association of Educators and any other group that has had a hand in Mississippi’s race to the bottom should be rejected outright. These groups have overseen the failure that our state must work to correct. They wish to maintain a status quo and a cash cow at the expense of Mississippi students and our states future. It shouldn’t be tolerated, and Mrs. Loome’s games should be rejected. Legislator’s should repeat to themselves the old adage, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

I, for one, don’t think that simply passing charter school legislation is the answer. Frankly, I think we’re too far gone. What needs to happen in Mississippi is full out school choice. Drastic? You bet. But, at this point half-measures get us nowhere. One thing is for sure, whether you’re for charters or full choice, trusting this bunch isn’t the way to go.

The wolves have their sheep’s clothing back from the cleaners. It’s fresh pressed and ready for a new legislative session.

We don’t have too many more chances at this. So, let’s not fall for that again.

About Keith: Keith Plunkett has worked on communications issues with a range of public officials from aldermen to Congressmen, and a variety of businesses, governmental agencies and non-profits. He serves or has served as a board member of several non-profit, civic and political organizations. Contact him by going to HorizonMediaMarketing.com or follow him on Twitter @Keithplunkett

Government School Lobbyists: The wolves are back on the prowl

BY: B. Keith Plunkett @Keithplunkett

The government school lobbyists are dusting off their their tired old rhetoric.

In a Clarion Ledger article released this afternoon Nancy Loome of the Parents Campaign and Mississippi Association of Educators President Kevin Gilbert are pushing the familiar theme of “partnership” with legislators. Gilbert is quoted as saying, “We want our schools to be successful, and we need to come up with collaborative efforts.”

Loome said, “We need to lift up the wonderful successes, and to craft policy that allows our successes and our high-performing schools and districts to thrive.”

Those kind of statements can mean only one thing: They want control . . . again.

When organizations with track records of protecting and promoting government schools as a jobs program for teachers and administrators begin asking to hold hands and sing kumbaya with Republican leaders then we should all beware. When they point to questionable state testing like the MCT2 to illustrate improvement, and describe the continued downward spiral of ACT scores as a success then legislators should be outraged at the gall of someone who wants to help “craft policy.”

These groups have had their opportunity to do better by children and parents and chose instead to cash in.

It was Loome who joined forces with Desoto Superintendent and political boss Milton Kuykendall to kill charter school legislation in the 2012 session. Using a trojan horse tactic, Loome successfully co-opted the charter school message. In large part, helped because of a lack of organization by conservatives. She then worked behind the scenes with Kuykendall to kill charter school legislation in the House of Representatives.

An email obtained by Mississippi PEP in February of 2012 showed the action that went on behind the scenes. Loome sent the email to Kuykendall in early February, just days before the charter school vote in the legislature, asking that he rouse teachers to action against charter schools by lighting up the phone lines. She even went so far as to provide some legislators personal cell numbers. In the email to Kuykendall, Loome wrote:

“We can’t afford to waste scarce taxpayer dollars on inexperienced “mom and pop” charter organizers who don’t know what they are doing.”

She went on to knock “for profit” charter school companies that would “rake in greater profits” (greater than who?). She also wanted to be sure any legislation that may get through require that charter schools in Mississippi show a “proven track record of success.” (Obviously not a current requirement of Mrs. Loome and her pro-government school monopoly friends.)

Kuykendall, always eager to protect his fiefdom in Desoto County obliged.

Now comes Loome wanting to again “collaborate” with legislators.

We have seen this act before.

Mrs. Loome’s Parents Campaign is hooked at the hip with other liberal organizations that think they know what’s best for all children.

If Mississippi legislators successfully break the stranglehold monopoly these organizations have on the future of our children, Mrs. Loome could personally lose her ability to “rake in the profits”, as would Mr. Gilbert and the other pro-government education groups. But more importantly, the shift in political power from lobbyists to parents would be a monumental opportunity for Mississippi to begin making huge strides towards education reform, something that we have not seen under the pro-government system promoted by Mrs. Loome.

Let’s be clear about this, what is at stake here is the future of our state, not just the future of education in our state. Mississippi is dangerously close to the edge. The numbers of dropouts we have is unacceptable and the fact that government school proponents have attempted to keep dropout numbers from even being counted should be a big sign of what is really going on.

Welfare numbers continue to rise. How long can we sustain this before our state is too far gone? Who then, will be pulling the wagon, and how many can fit inside it before it simply is too heavy to tow?

Any push for a voice in the argument from The Parents Campaign, the Superintendent’s Association, the Mississippi Association of Educators and any other group that has had a hand in Mississippi’s race to the bottom should be rejected outright. These groups have overseen the failure that our state must work to correct. They wish to maintain a status quo and a cash cow at the expense of Mississippi students and our states future. It shouldn’t be tolerated, and Mrs. Loome’s games should be rejected. Legislator’s should repeat to themselves the old adage, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

I, for one, don’t think that simply passing charter school legislation is the answer. Frankly, I think we’re too far gone. What needs to happen in Mississippi is full out school choice. Drastic? You bet. But, at this point half-measures get us nowhere. One thing is for sure, whether you’re for charters or full choice, trusting this bunch isn’t the way to go.

The wolves have their sheep’s clothing back from the cleaners. It’s fresh pressed and ready for a new legislative session.

We don’t have too many more chances at this. So, let’s not fall for that again.

About Keith: Keith Plunkett has worked on communications issues with a range of public officials from aldermen to Congressmen, and a variety of businesses, governmental agencies and non-profits. He serves or has served as a board member of several non-profit, civic and political organizations. Contact him by going to HorizonMediaMarketing.com or follow him on Twitter @Keithplunkett

Reader’s top 5 picks of the week for July 30-August 5

This weeks top reads on Mississippi PEP cover the topics of school choice, free speech of christian values, political one-upmanship at the Neshoba County Fair and federal seizure of weapons and ammo in Jones County.

If you missed any of those, here’s a list of the Top Five Reads of the Week:

1. Not as Good as You Think: MCPP Liberty Luncheon speaker Lance Izumi delivers a sobering message about “affluent” government school districts in Mississippi The top read of the week is by Keith Plunkett and covers the subject of a recent visit by education expert Lance Izumi. Izumi is the Senior Director of Education Studies from the Pacific Research Institute. He also interviewed with Keith for the PEP Talk Podcast. To hear that interview be sure and subscribe to the Mississippi PEP Newsletter at the top of the page to receive a password for access.
2. McDaniel: Christians rally to support their values one chicken sandwich at a time. Senator Chris McDaniel writes that Christians support of Chik-fil-A was a demonstration for the restaurant president’s right to freely oppose same-sex marriage, and also has a foundation in the principles that built our national identity.
3. Performance based compensation for teachers is patching leaks, we need a new ship. Governor Bryant’s call for teacher merit pay may be a good idea. But, Plunkett argues that despite the Governor’s best attempts, public education in Mississippi is still a sinking ship.
4. Feds look to seize weapons, ammo in Jones County. An excerpt from a Jesse Bass written piece in the Hattiesburg American about the federal governments move to seize weapons from a Jones County doctor following a shoot out with deputies.
5. Hall from Neshoba: Lt. Governor Reeves throwing elbows at Governor and Speaker Rounding out the top five is this excerpt from a piece by the Clarion Ledger’s Sam Hall. Hall notes the Lt. Governor’s attempts to run a few victory laps around Governor Phil Bryant and Speaker Philip Gunn.

Jackson hires firm to help improve city’s image

For years, Mississippi’s capital city has battled a reputation as a place of blight, corruption and high crime.

Now, Jackson officials say they have enlisted help to upgrade public perception of the state’s biggest city. A local advertising firm, Fahrenheit Creative Group, has been hired in a $45,000 contract, to create better vibes for Jackson.

City Council President Tony Yarber tells the Clarion-Ledger that he’s frustrated by the negative perceptions.

Critics argue the perceptions are based in realties: crime is a serious problem in many areas of Jackson, boarded-up homes can be found in even more affluent neighborhoods and politics is widely seen as more theater than a serious exercise in good-government.

via Jackson hires firm to help improve city’s image | Hattiesburg American | hattiesburgamerican.com.

Under pressure, Chaney backs off of insurance exchange

Plans for Mississippi’s state-run insurance exchange now are on hold pending the results of November’s general election, according to Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney.

The decision is a complete turnaround from statements Chaney, a Republican, made Wednesday when he announced his intentions to continue work on the insurance exchange in spite of political pressure from Tea Party members and other conservatives to halt its progress.

“Presently, we are far enough along in creating a free-market exchange, without provisions of the Affordable Care Act, that we do not have to make any final decision until after the November election, at which time we can make an intelligent and informed decision,” read Chaney’s statement to The Clarion-Ledger on Thursday.

Opponents of the federal health care law have been putting pressure on leaders in several states to not move forward with health care exchanges in an effort to derail implementation of portions of it.

Chaney’s new stance on the insurance exchange plans – which would allow Mississippians to shop an online insurance marketplace for comparable rates and provisions – was met with praise by Republican Gov. Phil Bryant.

“The Governor appreciates the decision of (Chaney) to delay implementing a state health insurance exchange until after the November elections,” said spokesman Mick Bullock.

via Insurance exchange tabled | The Clarion-Ledger | clarionledger.com.

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