It’s the test that gets an F

Public education isn’t perfect here or anywhere else.

But that’s no reason for the state Department of Education’s recent findings, claiming that high schools in both Las Virgenes Unified School District (LVUSD) and Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

Test scores weren’t the problem. In fact, LVUSD and OPUSD usually finish quite high in comparative tests vs. other schools in California or even nationwide. We have excellent schools around here.

The schools were given unsatisfactory results in AYP because not enough students took the tests to reach a 95 percent benchmark.

That’s unfair.

We aren’t sure of average attendance percentages in public schools, but expecting 95 percent to take a test seems unreasonably high.

The United States Marine Corps or even General Motors probably expect more than 95 percent of their troops/employees to be at work each day, but we doubt public schools or even the U.S. Postal Service reach that level.

Issuing failing grades in AYP (based on participation) seems to be front-loaded with a political agenda.

We can already hear the cry for vouchers, based on complaints that few public schools passed their AYP.

If vouchers were established, the 95 percent expectation would be quietly removed so that private schools showed "incredible improvement" almost immediately.

Then the supporters of school vouchers could gleefully exclaim, "I told you so!" while juggling an apple in one hand and an orange in the other.