Educators' Advantage - Regional Office of Education #13

The following is an
excerpt from a January
12, 2008 Belleville News
Democrat article.
Bill Bond is former
principal of Heath High
School in Paducah, KY,
where, in 1997, he witnessed
a student shoot
eight students outside
his school office. He now
shares the following ten
myths of school shooter
profiles:
Myth No. 1
“He didn’t fit the profile.”
Experts say there is no
profile, other than being
a teenage boy.
Myth No. 2
“No one knew.”
In more than 90 percent
of cases, at least one
person had suspicions, 88
percent of the time it was
an adult.
Myth No. 3
“He just snapped.”
Most school shootings
come from a planned
attack, not a sudden
break with reality.
Myth No. 4
“He hadn’t threatened
anyone.”
Most attackers do not
threaten, and most that
threaten do not attack.
Still, schools are advised
to take all threats seriously.
Educators’ Advantage • Volume 3, Issue 3 • Page 14
Myths about high school shooter profiles
Myth No. 5
“He was a loner.”
Only one-quarter of
shooters were part of a
“fringe group,” and in
many cases were considered
“mainstream” and
involved in school activities.
Myth No. 6
“He was crazy.”
Only one-third had been
seen by a mental health
professional, only onefifth
diagnosed with a
disorder.
Myth No. 7
“If only we’d had a SWAT
team or metal detectors.”
Most shootings end within
15 minutes, long before
a tactical team could even
assemble. Most shooters
surrender to administrators
or staff, or stop on
their own.
Myth No. 8
“He’d never touched a
gun.”
Most shooters had
access to weapons and
used them prior to the
attack.
2008 Illinois State Assessments
ISAT
(Illinois Standards Achievement Test)
Test Dates March 3-14, 2008
2008 Illinois State Assessments
Myth No. 9
“We did everything we
could to help him.”
Bullying and perceived
persecution was often a
trigger, and administrators
and teachers were
primary targets.
Myth No. 10
“School violence is rampant.”
Only 12-20 homicides a
year occur in U.S. schools,
including gang-or disputerelated
violence. School
violence has dropped by
PSAE
half in the last decade.
IAA
ISAT
PSAE
Test Dates
(Illinois Standards Achievement Test) (Prairie State Achievement Examination)
April 23-24, 2008 October 25 & 28,
March 3-14, 2008
Makeup May 7-8, 2008 2008
2
(Illinois Alternate Assessment)
Test Dates
Grade
March 10-April 11, 2008
3 4 5 6 7 8 11�
Grade 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 1
Reading
Mathematics
Reading
Science
Mathematics
Writing
Science
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Writing � � �� �� � �� �� ��
IAA2 (For English Language Learners Only)
Speaking and Kindergarten: January 14 – February 22, 2008
(Illinois Alternate Assessment)
Reading, Writing, and Listening: January 14 – February 1, 2008
Test Dates
Grade
Grade K
3
1 2
4
March 10-April 11, 2008
3
5
4 5
6
6 7
7
8 9
8
10 11
11�12
Speaking Reading �� � �� � �� � �� � � � �� � �� �
Mathematics Listening �� � �� � �� � �� � � � �� � �� �
Reading Science � � �� � � � � � � � � � �� �
Writing � � � � �� � �� � � �� � �� �
ACCESS for ELLs
(Prairie State Achievement Examination)
April 23-24, 2008
Makeup May 7-8, 2008
(For English Language Learners Only)
Important Speaking and Kindergarten: January 14 – February 22, 2008
Test Dates News About Writing Assessment
Writing will be assessed Reading, at the following Writing, grades and in Listening: spring 2008 January and spring 2009: 14 – February 1, 2008
Grade K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Speaking
� Spring 2009: Grades 3, 5, 6, 8, and 11
� � � � � � � � � � � � �
Listening � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Reading � � � � � � � � � � � � �
Writing � � � � � � � � � � � � �
1
Voluntary PSAE retake for grade 12 students.
2 � indicates that an assessment will be given
IAA is given to students with severe cognitive disabilities in place of ISAT, IMAGE, or PSAE, if appropriate.
October 25 & 28,
2008
Grade 3 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 1
Reading � � � � � � � �
Mathematics � � � � � � � �
Science � � � �
Writing � � �� �� � �� �� ��
Test Dates
� Spring 2008: Grades 5, 6, 8, and 11
ACCESS for ELLs
� indicates that an assessment will be given
Information about test format and rubrics is posted on www.isbe.net/assessment/writing.htm.