School Community

Charles “Skip” Gruber

BAY MINETTE, Alabama Starting next month, Baldwin County commissioners may launch a whole new enterprise: running an independent school for young people at the Juvenile Detention Center and Girls Residential Wilderness Program.

Officials are set to discuss the issue at the commissions work session today in Robertsdale, with school system representatives offering $54,148 in state funding for the last two months in the current fiscal year and an annual allocation of about $334,582 thereafter.

The move comes as the longtime Baldwin County Public Schools teacher assigned to the juvenile facilities retires, and public school system officials decided to follow state examples for education in similar situations.

“We are one of the very few systems in Alabama to actually have handled the educational services at these type facilities,” said Baldwin County Public Schools spokesman Terry Wilhite. “The Alabama State 

Department of Education says that 98 percent of school districts pass the funds through to the county facilities. The state department has in its guidance that the local board of education act as fiscal agent and submit all paperwork and pass the funds through to the county monthly.”

In return for that, Wilhite said, the school system will keep 4 percent as an administrative fee. The state allocation is based on enrollment, officials said.

“This allows the county that is responsible for those facilities to completely manage the services provided to the resident students and also supervise the employees involved,” Wilhite said. “We are simply following the process that is standard in Alabama by effecting this agreement with the county.”

One potential drawback for the change is that residents at the facilities could lose credit for classes taken while the county pursues accreditation for the new program. That could take up to 2 years, according to Jennifer Lee, who directs county juvenile programs. She said the proposed education program on any given school day would serve up to 62 students at minimum all those in the juvenile programs who do not have high school diplomas or graduation equivalency diplomas. The first hurdle would be securing certification, she said.

“The process takes about 2 years,” Lee said. “We should have no problems with quality staff. I am optimistic that it can be a positive opportunity for the kids.”

Commission support could help develop a strong local program that focuses on academic achievement for young people in the Juvenile Detention Center or Wilderness facilities, she said.

Commission Chairman Frank Burt, long a proponent of the Wilderness Center, said he would consider the issue, but had “numerous concerns.”

He said he expected to get answers from Lees presentation and more as questions were asked.

“I think its a good idea,” said Commissioner Charles “Skip” Gruber. “The youth at those facilities can get behind on a lot of school work, and if we run it, we can offer classes year-round. Now, the school board only offers classes during the regular term, and not in the summer months.”

Currently, the school system offers basic curriculum at the facilities. With classes available year-round, officials said, residents at the facilities could keep up with their peer groups and even make up credits for any classes they are lacking.

According to the plan included in county records, Baldwin will hire two secondary school teachers at annual salaries of $41,111 each, a special education teacher at $46,000 and a teachers aide at $24,933.

The employees will work for the county, and will not in any way be public school system workers. The school system will keep 4 percent of the state education allocation annually as an administrative fee totaling $9,948.

Teachers hired must have valid Alabama teaching certificates, according to the county job descriptions prepared for the new posts.

Under the agreement, the county school system would transfer to the county all equipment currently used for teaching at the facilities, and would provide technical support as the county takes the helm of a new school. 

This morning the Prime Minister said the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) would be scrapped, and said: “I believe we need a new system entirely.”

So how should a new system be designed?

Here are my top six priorities for a new system of regulation – based on what didn’t work about the PCC.

1. Regulator, not mediator.

Even sceptics (like me) accept the PCC did some excellent, unseen work in mediating between the press – mostly local papers – and those who feel they’ve been badly treated, misrepresented or had their privacy breached.

But it’s clear now that mediation isn’t enough. When the PCC chair Peta Buscombe tried muscle-flexing – telling Newsnight that Ryan Giggs should have come to her, not the courts, to protect his privacy – guffaws rang out across the land.

And, notoriously, it went missing in the last major press crisis: the McCann multiple libels. The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee had this to say about that:

We now know that even News International’s tainted management can’t stomach what Rebekah Brooks’ and Andy Coulson’s generation got up to on the News of the World - though they seemed not to care quite so much when the whole scandal was firmly under the radar.

The public needs a new, vigilant regulator working on its behalf - not just a mediator.   

2. It must become truly independent.

A majority of PCC members were ‘lay’ or ‘public’ members. That appeared to render the PCC ‘independent’.

It wasn’t.

Its activities were wholly circumscribed by two other bodies which, though separate from the PCC, paid for it and devised the code it ‘enforced’ – the Press Standards Board of Finance and the Editors’ Code of Practice Committee, respectively.

Both were entirely composed of newspaper and magazine representatives. So it was a bit like the police or the nuclear industry writing their own rules and paying for those who keep an eye on them.

Therefore…

3. It will need a new funding arrangement.

It’s right that newspaper and magazine publishers should pay for their own watchdog. But it should clearly be much more arms-length that it is now. Perhaps it should be placed on a statutory footing: if you want to run a newspaper, you pay the levy.

Nor is it acceptable that a serially offending newspaper group – Richard Desmond’s Northern and Shell, which publishes the Daily/Sunday Express/Star - can simply walk away, refusing to pay or play when it doesn’t like the idea of regulation.

Some better – and heftier – system of funding is a must.

4. It will need a new, stronger Editors’ Code

The current code of the PCC is the least restrictive that newspaper editors themselves could contrive. Its flimsiness is striking if you read it alongside any US newspaper’s code, or that for major news agencies such as Reuters.

It compares badly, too, with the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines, Ofcom’s code, or even the NUJ’s. Plus, almost every line is qualified by a public interest exception – though, unlike most other codes, it makes no effort of any kind to define or describe the public interest, leaving it to editors to justify their breaches post facto.

And we now know what that means.

5. It will need investigative powers and a mechanism to trigger them.

Currently, in broad terms the PCC looks only at individual complaints – a restriction that’s led to wholly inadequate oversight. Complaints on behalf of groups - for example, the portrayal of asylum seekers or Roma - have been routinely rejected.

BBC editors find it exceedingly irritating that the BBC Trust – and before it the BBC Governors – sticks its nose into what they’re up to, asking awkward questions about how they report things like the Middle East, Europe, business, religion, rural affairs, science. Or demanding an explanation when people or groups complain about their work.

But whatever personal irritation BBC editors feel, somewhere at the back of their mind they know it keeps them honest. They need to stick to the Editorial Guidelines, or someone will want to know why.

The same is true of Ofcom for commercial broadcasting.

As someone once said: 70% of the public trust regulated broadcasters; 20% trust the unregulated press. You do the math.

6. It must be able to impose proper sanctions.

The Editors’ Code and the PCC asserted that the requirement to publish PCC adjudications was an effective sanction.

It wasn’t.

Some papers have played the system, ensuring that complaints are ‘resolved’ – usually with a private letter of apology and a promise never to do it again. That’s like an out of court settlement and meant there was no adjudication. So no grovel had to appear.

Where there was an adjudication, it was often hidden away in spite of the requirement to publish it with ‘due prominence’. Or it was published so long after the event that its sting was much reduced.

Without effective sanctions with the potential to truly sting, a regulator will never be effective and certainly never intervene credibly on the national stage on major privacy or public interest questions or breaches of journalism ethics.

There are hot seats, such as one under New Mexico’s Mike Locksley. There are pretty warm seats, like the one on Ron Zook’s armchair. There are tepid seats, lukewarm cushions found underneath backsides in West Lafayette, Fort Collins, Clemson and elsewhere. Then there are ice-cold seats: these are rare indeed. Looking for your 2011 batch of untouchables? Here they are: Saban — him most of all — Pinkel, Stoops, Beamer, Patterson, Petersen, Fitzgerald, Spurrier, Jones, Blakeney, Whittingham, Ellerson, Calhoun, Niumatalolo, Fisher, Cristobal, Mendenhall and Beckman. Yes, Tim Beckman. His seat is so cold it makes those Toledo winters seem like an August practice field during two-a-days.

Conference
MAC, West

Location
Toledo, Oh.

Nickname
Rockets

Returning starters
18 (9 offense, 9 defense)

Last year’s ranking
No. 72

2010 record
(8-5, 7-1)

Last years
re-ranking
No. 68

2011 schedule

• Sept. 1
  New Hampshire
• Sept. 10
  at Ohio St.
• Sept. 17
  Boise St.
• Sept. 24
  at Syracuse
• Oct. 1
  at Temple
• Oct. 8
  Eastern Michigan
• Oct. 15
  at Bowling Green
• Oct. 22
  Miami (Ohio)
• Nov. 1
  Northern Illinois
• Nov. 8
  W. Michigan
• Nov. 17
  at C. Michigan
• Nov. 25
  at Ball St.

Last years prediction

While I have Northern Illinois taking the West, I do think we’ll see the Rockets return to bowl play after a four-year absence. This is due to what looks like a strong offense, even if quarterback remains a slight concern. I expect to see the defense improve, thanks to an added year of experience in Beckman’s system. With the money Toledo has put into refurbishing its facilities and the way Beckman has recruited, its only a matter of time before the Rockets are the dominating program in the West division.

2010 recap

In a nutshell Toledo’s finest season since 2005, albeit one very slightly diminished by Northern Illinois’s domination of the MAC West division. You’d have to look pretty close to find anything wrong with last season: you could point to a bad loss to a bad Wyoming team, or lopsided defeats to the best teams on the schedule —Arizona, Boise State and the Huskies — or even an avoidable bowl loss to Florida International, but you’d be nitpicking. In two years, Beckman has turned around a proud program fallen on hard times, rebuilding the mess left by his predecessor and leading the Rockets to the top of the West — something, I can say while breathing on my hand and rubbing my collar, I did believe would occur sooner or later. This is a bit sooner, however. Beckman has done a terrific job, garnering goodwill from Toledo fans and the university administration along the way.

High point A three-week stretch from Sept. 11-25. Three very impressive wins, each on the road: by a touchdown at Ohio, 13 points at Western Michigan and 11 points at Purdue. It was the first of two three-game winning streaks on the year, joining the threesome of Kent State, Ball State and Eastern Michiganin October. The first streak was more impressive, it’s safe to say.

Low point You knew Toledo was going to lose to Arizona, Boise State and Northern Illinois— the only question was by how much. I have the answer: 117 points. You didn’t think the Rockets would lose to a three-win Wyoming team, which they did, and it was widely believed that the Rockets would take care of Florida International, which they didn’t.

Tidbit Toledo’s win over Purdue gave the program five wins in as many years over B.C.S. conference competition, joining wins over Colorado in 2009, Michigan in 2008, Iowa State in 2007 and Kansas in 2006. Toledo has had a pretty fair record of success against the B.C.S. conferences over the last 15 years: the Rockets beat Pittsburgh in 2003, Minnesota in 2001, Penn State in 2000 and Purdue again in 1997.

Tidbit (age edition) Say hello to one of the youngest coaching staffs in the nation. Six of Toledo’s 10 coaches, counting Beckman, graduated from college in the 2000s: offensive coordinator Matt Campbell (’02), co-defensive coordinator Paul Nichols (’03), running backs coach Louis Ayeni (’03), receivers coach Jason Candle (’03) and tight ends coach Alex Golesh (’06). The old man among this group is assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator Mike Ward (’84), whom I imagine is the butt of innumerable age-related jokes during staff meetings.

Tidbit (quick turnarounds edition) Five MAC programs finished with a winning record in 2010: Toledo, Miami (Ohio), Northern Illinois, Ohio and Temple. Each of the five lost at least eight games at least once over the previous three seasons. The Rockets went 3-9 in 2008, Tom Amstutz’s final season; Miami (Ohio) lost 11 games in 2009, Mike Haywood’s first season, and 10 games in 2008, Shane Montgomery’s last; the Huskies lost 10 games in 2008, Joe Novak’s final year; Ohio lost eight games in 2008 under Frank Solich; and Temple lost eight games in 2007 under Al Golden.

Former players in the N.F.L.

10 S Barry Church (Dallas), QB Bruce Gradkowski (Oakland), OG John Greco (St. Louis), WR Andrew Hawkins (St. Louis), OT Nick Kaczur (New England), P Brett Kern (Tennessee), WR Lance Moore (New Orleans), RB Jalen Parmele (Baltimore), RB Chester Taylor (Chicago), WR Stephen Williams (Arizona).

Arbitrary top five list

German scientists involved in NASAs rocket program
1. Wernher von Braun.
2. Arthur Rudolph.
3. Ernst Stuhlinger.
4. Kurt H. Debus.
5. Walter Haeussermann.

Coaching

Tim Beckman (Findlay ’88), 13-12 after two seasons. Coaches across the country experience pangs of envy when considering the frigidity of Beckmans seat in Toledo. From day one, Beckman has seemed like a good fit at Toledo. For starters, he has experience coaching both in the MAC and in the state of Ohio. From 1998-2004, Beckman was the defensive coordinator and the assistant head coach at Bowling Green. Over that time, Beckman served under Gary Blackney (1998-2000), Urban Meyer (2001-2) and Gregg Brandon (2003-4). Bowling Green’s best defense under Beckman was the 2001 unit, which allowed only 19.5 points per game. In 2005, Beckman was hired by Ohio State as its secondary coach; the Buckeyes went 10-2 that season before going 12-1 and participating in the B.C.S. Championship Game in 2006. Beckman spent the 2007-8 seasons as the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State: the Cowboys went 16-10 over this period and participated in two bowl games, winning one. Oklahoma State won nine games in 2008, then the second-highest win total in school history; all four of its losses came against nationally ranked opposition, and three Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech came against teams then ranked in the top three of the A.P. poll. In all, the last seven teams on which Beckman was an assistant spent at least one week in the Top 25 each season. He brought a breadth of high-level experience to the position, and its showed. Through two years, Beckman has been a wonderful fit.

Players to watch

You can discover all you need to know about Eric Page by taking a glance at one single game: Toledo’s 42-24 win over Central Michigan.

8:41, 1st quarter 99-yard kickoff return, touchdown
11:56, second quarter nine-yard reception, touchdown
8:49, second quarter 25-yard reception, touchdown
10:29, third quarter 95-yard kickoff return, touchdown
10:39, fourth quarter 28-yard pass, touchdown

One game, five touchdowns, three different ways: kickoffs, receiving, passing. Yeah, Page is something else. He’s the best receiver in the country not getting even the slightest national publicity, though Page was a first-team all-American for his work in the return game – 31.3 yards per kickoff return, third in the F.B.S, and three touchdown returns, most in the country. Page is something else as a receiver as well, as his 99 grabs for 1,105 yards and 8 scores suggest. Page is just something else, pure and simple, and he’s the most unheralded offensive skill player in the country.

But Toledo needs to give him some help. Only one other receiver made at least 18 grabs last fall, Kenny Stafford (18 for 337 yards), and while he’s back in the fold in 2011 the Rockets need a real second option to take some pressure off of Page. I think that very well may be former Illinois transfer Cordale Scott, who has N.F.L.-ready size but does lack game experience. Senior Tim Cortazzo is in the mix, but like Scott he does not bring a tremendous amount of playing time into 2011. Perhaps a freshman or sophomore will step up, as Toledo has plenty of those: Bernard Reedy, James Green, Jeff Moore and Cassius McDowell, to name a few, with the latter fully healthy after missing last season with a knee injury. It’s the Eric Page show, but the Rockets need more from the second option on down.

The line is defined by its three senior starters: left tackle Mike VanDerMeulen, left guard Phillipkeith Manley and right tackle John Morookian. It’s an all-name group, not to mention a talented trio with plenty of time spent mauling in the trenches. The Rockets are ready to roll with this three, which is a solid foundation upon which to insert a pair of new starters. Kevin Kowalski’s departure leaves a pretty big hole at center, though the Rockets seem to have found a replacement in sophomore Zac Kerin – though two more youngsters are right on his heels. Look for more competition at right guard, where Toledo could turn to junior A.J. Lindeman – probably the leader at this point – or redshirt freshmen Greg Macnza and Josh Hendershot.

The Rockets brings back a 1,000-yard back in Adonis Thomas, who could be a 1,300-yard back if he continues the hot pace he carried over the second half of last season. Thomas broke through from mid-October on, cracking the 130-yard mark in four of his last six games; his high point came in the bowl loss to F.I.U., when he rushed for 193 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Keep feeding him the ball, Toledo. There’s more where that came from: senior Morgan Williams is a 1,000-yard back in his own right, though that came way back in 2008. Williams has shown an ability to make it happen through the air and on the ground, like Thomas, and can deliver when called upon. Sophomore David Fluellen (224 yards, 5.9 yards per carry) rounds out the top three – and it’s a pretty good top three.

The Toledo defense took a major step forward last fall, its second under Beckman’s tutelage, and this progression was the main reason behind the team’s return to bowl play. It’s very easy to see more improvement taking place in 2011, even if the two lost starters – perhaps three, depending on an injury – will be difficult to replace. That’s primarily due to the returning talent, but don’t sleep on having yet another year of experience playing under Beckman, knowing what he wants to do and knowing what he expects from his defense. So what does his expect? Speed, aggression and solid tackling, the hallmarks of any successful defensive coordinator – and the hallmark of any good defense.

The one area where Toledo really needs to step up is against the pass, where the Rockets ranked 12th in the MAC a year ago. They’ll be much better in 2011, seeing that the Rockets bring back five defensive backs with starting experience. That’s as of today: strong safety Jermaine Robinson (46 tackles, 1 interception) tore his Achilles during bowl play, leaving his availability for the season opener somewhat in doubt. His role is being held for now by senior Diauntae Morrow (40 tackles, 2 picks), who did a nice job in a secondary role last fall. Mark Singer (73 tackles, 2 interceptions) returns at free safety for his third year in the starting lineup.

One cornerback spot is tied up with senior Desmond Marrow (73 tackles, 3 interceptions), who received a sixth year of eligibility from the N.C.A.A. – a huge break for the Rockets. But there are some depth issues behind Marrow and Taikwon Paige, so Toledo will need to locate some quality minutes from a batch of redshirt freshmen, such as Keith Suggs, Anthony Adams, John James and Tyler Smith.

Once a weakness, Toledo now has enough depth up front to make it the envy of the MAC. It’s not just the returning starters, though there are three pretty accomplished linemen dotting the top line of the depth chart: junior T.J. Fatinikun (51 tackles, 13 for loss, 5 sacks) and seniors Malcolm Riley (44 tackles, team-best 5.5 sacks) and Johnie Roberts (34 tackles, 3.5 for loss). The biggest question plaguing this defensive front – and it’s really not plaguing the Rockets, not exactly – is whether to play Riley inside at tackle or outside at end.

If he plays inside alongside Roberts, Toledo could turn to sophomore Christian Smith or junior Hank Keighley. If Riley moves outside, as he has the athleticism to do so, Toledo would call upon senior Johnathan Lamb, one of last season’s leading interior reserves. As you can tell, the Rockets have depth. And this is quite a change, one propelled forward by Beckman and his hard-working staff over only two full recruiting cycles.

You don’t replace Archie Donald’s production, and you certainly have had a difficult time replacing his leadership and experience, which won’t be easily duplicated. The good news: Dan Molls (143 tackles, 5 sacks, 3 interceptions) is one of the MAC’s best defensive players, let alone one of the conference’s best linebackers. He’s now the star of this defense, a role the quiet, heady junior will accept with little fanfare. Linebacker depth took a hit when Isaiah Ballard was kicked off the team in late May, but the Rockets have enough, with Molls leading the way, to get it done at the position.

Charles Rancifer takes over at the outside linebacker spot that would have likely gone to Ballard, and while the Rockets lose experience and proven production hopes are high that Rancifer will step seamlessly from reserve duties to a starting role. Converted cornerback Byron Best is an option here, but I worry about his lack of size making him a liability against the run. Junior Robert Bell leads the way on the weak side, though redshirt freshman Ray Bush cut into his lead with a strong spring. And former Oklahoma State transfer Jordan Barnes might be too talented to keep off the field, though he has yet to make a significant move on the depth chart.

Position battle(s) to watch

Quarterback Going by the numbers, this competition would be over before it even started: the answer would be sophomore Terrance Owens. He replaced an injured Austin Dantin in late October, throwing for at least two touchdowns in each of his four regular season starts and, when all was said and done, faring far better statistically than his teammate. But numbers don’t always tell the whole story, and you can’t quantify the leadership role Dantin holds with this team. That is likely why the scrappier junior is still neck-and-neck with the strong-armed sophomore, and that’s why we shouldn’t hold our breath for an answer under center until Toledo returns to the practice field in August. Let’s take a peek in that crystal ball, however, and take a stab at the eventual starter. In Dantin’s favor is his experience, which also can’t be calculated. This is also the quarterback who led the Rockets to those three solid road wins in September, and that’s the sort of team-building stretch that will rally any locker room behind a quarterback. But you can’t ignore Owens’s physical gifts, most notably this arm: Toledo has some big targets at receiver, and Owens can get them the ball in places — down field, for instance — that Dantin simply cannot. Both will play, but Owens’s passing ability likely gives him the edge. If Beckman does opt for Dantin, however, it will be because he trusts Dantin’s head in tight spots, in games where a younger quarterback might succumb the to the moment. I see three such games before the calendar turns to October: Ohio State, Boise State and Syracuse.

Game(s) to watch

The three non-conference games stand out. That’s a pretty intimidating stretch for any team, MAC  or otherwise. But Toledo really needs to understand that those games won’t decide the season. It’s the games against Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, in back-to-back weeks, that will decide whether Toledo has a successful or a disappointing 2011 campaign.

Season breakdown & prediction

In a nutshell There’s a lot to like here. A lot to like, beginning with Tim Beckman. He’s done an outstanding job thus far, rebuilding this program from the dark final days under Tom Amstutz into the finest team in the MAC West. More than likely, the Rockets are the best team in the MAC altogether, even if Ohio will finish the regular season with a better final record. Don’t let the won-loss mark fool you: the non-conference mark might prevent Toledo from making any improvement in the win column, but this team is better than it was a year ago. The Rockets will probably enter MAC play at 1-3, with losses to Ohio State, Boise State and Syracuse, but look for this team to make a major move during MAC play: we won’t see more than two losses during conference action, with another 7-1 conference mark very much in the cards. Why? Because the offense is ready to roll, minus the ongoing quarterback competition. Beckman needs to make a decision here, but I don’t think he can go wrong with either Dantin or Owens – experience on the one hand, blossoming talent on the other. Secondly, the defense will continue to improve with each practice under Beckman, especially now that the Rockets have great depth in the secondary and the front seven. So everything is lined up for another banner year: I think 8-4 is a safe pick, though that would probably take seven wins in the MAC. Definitely doable. Along with Ohio, Toledo is the class of the conference. Get on the Beckman bandwagon now, as he might be heading for a bigger job over the next year or two.

Dream season The Rockets lose to Ohio State and Boise State but run the table the rest of the way, topping the regular season with a win in the MAC title game.

Nightmare season Its not too hard to picture a 5-7 finish with this schedule; that wouldnt make it any easier to swallow, however.

In case you were wondering

Where do Toledo fans congregate? I’m all about the little guy here on the Countdown, so here are two independent sites that talk Toledo sports: The Launch Pad and The Rocket Report. For recruiting news, check out Rocket Digest. For a blogs take, Let’s Go Rockets is your best option.

Word Count

Through 65 teams 190,846.

Up Next

Who is No. 55? The largest employer in the city housing tomorrows university is the school itself. The second-largest, fittingly, is the second-largest grocery retailer in the United States.

Patrick Henry High School won its first Claudia Dodson VHSL Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award, a release from the Virginia High School League announced Wednesday.

The award recognizes schools that have “established policies and procedures that make sportsmanship a priority” within the school and its community.

Ocean Lakes High School won its 18^th Dodson Award while West Point High School won its 11^th and First Colonial , Park View and Princess Anne picked up their 10^th awards.

Other first-time winners joining Patrick Henry included Bruton and Indian River .

VHSCA games set for next week

The annual Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star games will be held July 11-15 in the Hampton Roads area.

Play will conclude on Friday with the East-West football game.

Motorsports

McClure cleared to race

Following a hard crash last week in Daytona that left him with a mild concussion, Abingdon’s Eric McClure has received medical clearance to compete in Friday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway.

It will be the 155^th-career Nationwide Series start for McClure and his sixth at the 1.5-mile facility.

In five starts at Kentucky, McClure has been running at the finish four times.

BMS offers deal for Earnhardt fans

Bristol Motor Speedway officials have created a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ticket deal for the Aug. 27 IRWIN Tools Night Race.

The package includes a ticket to the IRWIN Tools Night Race, admittance to a question-and-answer session before the start of the race and an Earnhardt cap. Due to space restrictions in the BMS hospitality area, availability for the package is limited. The Earnhardt ticket package is available now for $135.

A number of other Sprint Cup drivers, led by five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, and other Bristol winners Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Kasey Kahne, also are participating in race-day question-and-answer sessions, along with Paul Menard, Travis Kvapil and David Gilliland. These packages begin at $125.

Muddy Creek to host Kawasaki event

The annual Kawasaki Team Green Tennessee State championship motocross will be held this weekend at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tenn.

Hundreds of amateur and pro riders from around the East Coast are expected to compete.

Ford event planned for Bristol

The July 9-10 Ford Blue Oval Bash at Bristol Dragway will feature high-performance racing action, street machines and extreme exhibition vehicles.

Action begins on Saturday with a test and tune-up session open to all manufacturers.

Youth sports

Abingdon youth football signups set

The signup session for Abingdon midget league football players and cheerleaders will be Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon at Latture Field.

Are we wating time, energy and money on the CRCT? (AJC photo)

After a very long week and some great debate and comments on the APS cheating scandal, I have one big question: Does the test at the heart of this debacle  the Georgia Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests tell us anything useful?

Does the CRCT help students? Does it help teachers. Does it help anyone?

If not, why do we give it beyond fulfilling the mandate of No Child Left Behind?  Why do we drill students for months to attain a meets proficiency level if it means little?  If we had to test, couldnt we find a better test?

I think standardized testing is fine as long as the results have useful applications. But to give this test every year and spend so much time prepping students for it seems a waste to me if teachers get nothing from the results that can help drive instruction.

Here is what one administrator told me when I asked her about the value of the CRCT:

I think its instructional value is almost nil.  Its an outcome measure, so you only see it at the end of a year, and the data is not detailed enough to give you any real information about kids achievement.

CRCT and tests like it are strictly useful for accountability purposes (determining AYP) so schools who are abnormally focused on them for guidance in instruction are really missing the mark.  Good growth measures and quality internal assessments (mostly formative) are the most useful for improving learning.

Thats why its so ridiculous to knowledgeable educators that policy makers and politicians are so enamored of these tests.  In Finland, which is arguably the best education system in the world based on international comparisons, there arent even standardized tests.