With the release of the grades three to eight scores, there is a lot of confusion. These scores are not a “steep drop” of anything. They are a “baseline” for NYS to begin using a new set of standards to try to measure student growth and teacher effectiveness. Take them with a grain of salt - the standards have not been fully rolled out, and the supporting material hasn’t been finished and distributed yet. The tests are being made on the fly and the cut scores are being massaged by the state for dramatic purposes. It isn’t about our kids -- it’s about big companies making money off our schools.