Pastorek: Plan breaks rules

• By WILL SENTELL
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Oct 15, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek said Tuesday that a plan by East Baton Rouge Parish school leaders to reshuffle test scores would violate state rules.

“I was not supportive of this from Day One,” Pastorek told the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Meanwhile, a sharply divided board voted 4-3 to refer this issue to an advisory panel for more talks on Oct. 22 before the issue returns to Louisiana’s top school board.

Whether and when any changes in state policy emerge is unclear.

The controversy involves how East Baton Rouge Parish handles test scores that determine whether public schools meet performance standards, or become subject to state takeovers.

Under current rules, most student test scores apply to schools where the students attend.

Under EBR’s proposal, scores for students who attend seven magnet schools would return to neighborhood schools that they would otherwise attend.

The change is aimed at raising performance scores throughout the parish, including schools that are in danger of state takeovers.

Backers have repeatedly noted that the Jefferson Parish school district, with state permission, already reshuffles test results the way EBR officials want to do.

But Pastorek, who is a lawyer, said it was a mistake for the state to allow that practice.

“The answer is Jefferson can’t do it,” he said.

This year’s results — they are called school performance scores — are set for release on Friday.

Results for East Baton Rouge Parish will not include any reshuffling of magnet school test scores to neighborhood schools, he said.