Dorsey Explains Milestones Waiver From State

Stephens County School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey said that the school system will not have any problem adjusting to the state Board of Education’s decision to grant a waiver of promotion, placement, and retention requirements tied to the 2016 administration of the Georgia Milestones End of Grade tests.

The Georgia Department of Education said that during this year’s administration of the Georgia Milestones End of Grade tests, some local school districts reported technology-related interruptions of online testing.

Dorsey said that the Stephens County school system did not have any major problems with the testing.

“I know the technology that they are talking about, when you have everybody in the state trying to do something they have never tried before, it is like all of us trying to get off of all ten lanes in an Atlanta traffic jam on to a one-lane ramp, so I think they had some of those challenges,” said Dorsey. “Fortunately, some of our issues with that were very minimal.”

State education officials said that while some of the technological problems were short-term and quickly resolved, with minimal impact on student experiences, others required more extensive technical support.

The Department of Education said that it believes that further analysis of the possible impacts of these interruptions is warranted prior to the release of student scores, given the stakes involved for students.

State law requires that students in grade three earn an At/Above Grade Level designation in reading to be promoted to fourth grade. In grades five and eight, state law requires that students earn an At/Above Grade Level designation in reading, as well as score in the Developing Learner achievement level or above in mathematics to be promoted to the next grade.

Dorsey said that all it means for Stephens County is that the decision on promotion in those grades will fall to the teachers, not a test.

“In (grades) 3, 5, and 8, the students would normally have to pass that test or a committee would have to meet to decide on the promotion of that child,” said Dorsey. “This waiver removes the criteria and it will be truly just the teacher evaluation, along with administration and parents.”

Dorsey went on to say that he does not feel that is a bad thing.

“Having teachers make those primary evaluations is certainly something I wish our state would move back towards,” said Dorsey.

In a press release, State School Superintendent Richard Woods said that while many districts tested without a major incident, the waiver is in the best interests of the state’s students.

Woods said he is committed to a responsible approach to accountability that ensures public trust in the process.