Well when the stakes are as high as they are you can't just take the first graders result. You have to do various types of validation. A certain amount of overlapping grading and statistical validation. The first x amount of a grader's results have to be verified and at least a certain percentage thereafter. The way AP tests work as I recall is two people grade each answer then any significant differences go to a more experienced grader. So it's definitely higher than $4 per short answer, but I'm not sure what the exact number would be. It starts to add up to big numbers when large numbers of students take the tests. I do know the free response questions were removed from my state's standardized tests because the couple questions they did have cost tens of millions (could have been a hundred) of dollars in additional costs to grade versus running the scantron sheet through. The AP tests do it for a fee of something like $80 so it's not impossible, in fact, I agree it would be worth doing. If money were the only object, it would probably be better to do statistical sampling of students with a better test than the current flawed tests for all students.

Two things, this type of proper adjustment to look at the actual effect teachers have isn't always done well, and your underlying assumption is that the standardized test accurately measures what a student knows. From assessment theory and observation it is known that a single standardized test in purely multiple choice format cannot accurately measure what a student knows.

Given that though, the tests could have some usefulness. There are two problems though. The unions don't want them used at all because they have this fantasy that all teachers are wonderful and should be treated the same. They don't want anything used that would move towards a pay for performance system as that would undermine their power and worldview. The other problem is that systems like you mention are typically implemented blindly because that's easier and then it doesn't take into account the problems inherent in multiple choice test taking and the failure to adjust for the factors you mentioned or other that weren't considered. When those problems are ignored you have distortions where good teachers are either driven out or forced to teach poorly in order to conform to poorly thought out system.

Yeah that's the whole debate about tracking. For a long time everything used to be tracked and the result was that lower and middle performing students got lower quality teachers and had lower expectations placed on them than they could handle and were given less rigorous work than they were capable of. The solution is for teachers to use methods to differentiate their instruction so that high performing students get what they need and low performing students do as well. It's actually possible and the result is everyone learns more. It's more fun and actually more intellectually challenging as a teacher to teach this way as well. The top 1% or so of students require particular attention that the average teacher is not equipped to give, but that's the case whether students are tracked or not. A relatively small number of US states have any requirements that the top certain percent of students get any special education services. Not sure how the rest of the world handles it. So is this ideal as I've presented it really happening? Probably not that much. Older teachers haven't been trained in it, the methods are mixed up with reform methods that get some push back, teacher certification programs are far lower quality than they should be, and new teacher training is sporadic and of spotty quality. In addition the No Child left behind Act primarily provides incentives for lower performing students so that's where the attention goes. With improved teacher training, both before certification and especially after, good results can be had. As it is, to do it well, a teacher basically has to take it on themselves to learn and improve. We can all take a guess as to how often that happens.

If any schools are discouraging parental participation that is wrong and should be stopped. Parent support and participation is probably more influential to a child's success than anything the most talented teacher can do. While the school should be encouraging and supporting it, if they are not, the parents should demand to be heard.

Data on head start shows that overall, it is slightly better than a wash, but quality head start programs show long lasting educational, life, and community benefits for example through reduced crime long after the head start program. So the question is how to get all of them to be high quality. The educational establishment is only just beginning to really use real data driven methods to ensure high quality effective methods are identified and employed. That's sad it had not been done more before, but it is being done more now. Well actually the real question is how to get more parental support and involvement so that the school isn't expected to raise kids entirely while at the same time improving the effectiveness of the schools. The worlds most effective schools won't get great results without parents supporting their kids (if you don't believe me spend some time in both an inner city and a suburban school, preferably with a good teacher in an urban school), but the worlds most supportive parents will result in more effective schools, partly by demanding and getting improved schools, but partly because it's the foundation for a child having success.

The amount they can help is less, but I'd take the motivational help if they'd give that. The majority of parents can't successfully help their children with school work by the time students reach high school anyway, but the parents that show their kids education is important and support their kid's learning do dramatically better. Even those single parents working two jobs. The real problem is people having children they aren't prepared to support properly. There's probably not much we can ethically do about that though.

If they have less kids to teach, the resources aren't really dwindling. They have the same amount per student. If they want to retain more students they need to improve. There are plenty of options available to them including teacher training and union reform.

Agreed, they should have to take every student and have no ability to cherry pick. That's completely unfair to start with an unlevel playing field. The data from charter schools so far is that their results are even more variable than public schools. There are a few successes and several disasters. Those opposing charter schools on a philosophical or other basis will point out the failures and those promoting them will point out the successes. Overall though charter school results are pretty close but not better than public schools. I'd say that's actually the most damning fact. For all the things holding public schools back, charter schools shouldn't have that much trouble getting significantly better results, but they don't on average.

As far as tablets go, iOS is way ahead for accessibility because they put a lot of resources into it. There is some decent voice command with Siri, and the screen reader VoiceOver, speaks what is on the screen, reads text, web pages, etc. There is still a learning curve, but it makes things possible. There are braille displays for iOS devices too. http://www.apple.com/accessibility/ios/

For Smart phones, last time I checked what my blind friends were using they said the best thing at the time was a specialized operating system and app for a Nokia phone and it worked really well. But they also said iOS was improving fast and that several years ago.

For dumbphones it's a lot easier, you can get fairly easy to use talking phones, check what the associations for the blind recommend now. Or check http://www.blindbargains.com/

For desktops and laptops I think Windows is still ahead a little because the software packages available for it, JAWS and WindowEyes are built for it and have been around a long time. The learning curve is so steep for them though that they said unless you needed windows, then apple with it's built in, free, screen reader was a cheaper and almost as good option and a lot of blind people do use it.

There is basically no way around the fact that if you are refusing one of the required vaccines you are making a bad choice, for both your child (or you) and for society. All of the required vaccines are required based on evidence. If you have looked at the specific data and found it lacking, then you didn't understand what you were looking at, just as you are incorrect (by omission) about the ways that a person can acquire Hepatitis B.

If people could make stupid decisions based on incorrect understanding of information they didn't understand that affected only them that would be sad, but up to them. Doing it to their children is child neglect at best. Certainly no one that refuses the required vaccines should be allowed to place other people at risk such as by entering unvaccinated (by choice as opposed to medical necessity) childen into school.

Not sure why I'm responding to you though. If you've already showed a pattern of making incorrect decision based on information you don't understand, you're not likely to change.

Yeah not the biggest, but they look like they are doing a good job and that's all that matters. Gotta love /. haters finding something to whine about (not you TwoStep, the people whining about other things). If you can't get excited about a place where geeks and people that want to make stuff can share equipment that few people can afford on their own, so they can make cool stuff, go read somewhere else.

The Geek Group also has 42,000 square feet, but it appears to be a work in progress.

Something can be interesting, but still not worth the resources. For example, it may be interesting to grind away all of the earth's crust and send it into the sun, but that doesn't mean it's worth it. Everything has tradeoffs and the smarter thing to do is to think for a bit about those tradeoffs rather than knee jerk responding that it's interesting therefore it must be done, damn the cost. Maybe the same resources could be put to a more valuable and interesting use while 95% of the learning and interest value could be gotten out of this project without expending so many resources. Maybe not, but it's probably worth considering.

Oh and I found the last slashdot discussion about library software. A lot of options were discussed. http://ask.slashdot.org/story/12/01/05/0415249/ask-slashdot-tech-for-small-library-automation

This is probably the best comment. Only other thing I would say is that If you really do want a catalog for your books and a checkout system for a sense of organization and security, then adding custom jackets or loops for the books that don't have ISBN/barcodes is a workable solution. It's certainly no worse than RFID tags since those would have to be glued on just the same as a barcode. The jacket, if made out of acid free paper, would also protect the book. Bar or QR codes would certainly be the easiest, fastest, cheapest way to catalog your books. If you don't want to make jackets for all your books that don't have ISBN's people here have mentioned bookmarks with a code on it. Another way is a loop around the front or back cover with the bar or QR code on it. If the loop was made tight enough, it would stay in place better than a bookmark and be much easier to make than a jacket. Just make it wide enough to include all the information you want and be quickly readable by whatever scanner you use. A loop also wouldn't affect the shelf aesthetics like a full jacket would.

Finally, there are a large number of library software systems that would be suitable for home use, including open source ones. Many have been mentioned in comments, but there are far more out there. You may want to do some searching to find the one most suitable for you. Here are some links to get you started: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_library_system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_computer_system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Free_library_and_information_science_software http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Library_and_information_science_software

unfortunately this scanner doesn't incorporate anything that would use google's 3d structured lighting (laser grid, etc) scanning patent, so the patent grant for this scanner does not open up that patent. Google's laser grid patent allows automatic dewarping of a curved page, but this is a moving flatbed scanner. Nothing I've found so far incorporates any of the laser grid stuff.

This is correct but these are partly two different issues. If you set up an LLC you can elect to have it taxed as an S or a C corporation when you set it up. Which one you would want would depend heavily on your circumstances. Generally an LLC is more favorable now than either an S or C corp for this fexibility and ease of setting it up and reduced record keeping requirements, but LLC requirements and benefits vary quite a bit from state to state. Yes, you can form and LLC anywhere, Delaware for example for it's more lax and corporate friendly laws etc, but in some cases your home state's laws would determine if you got any benefit out of it.

To the original poster, basically you should consider and LLC or corporation when your business is successful enough to make it worth it. In other words when it has some substantial income and or assets that you'd like to protect, and the costs and hassle are made up for by the liability protection, etc. As others have noted it's not full liability protection, but it does protect you from certain things that can make it worth it, even as a sole proprietor. It can make your business more attractive to lend money to, more salable, etc.

It's just not that complicated, so it wont cost many thousands from a decent attorney, unless you want a full corporate setup with consulting on how to set up the minutes, how to avoid piercing the corporate veil, and other issues. But for an LLC and some basic advice, it doesn't cost that much, and you'd get correct advice unlike what you are giving. There are enough complications and mistakes that people make doing it on their own to make it worth setting it up right the first time if the business has any success. Most people should not set up an S corporation because they do not understand the record keeping requirements and the various estate, share, and liability issues. So please don't give advice when you don't know what you're talking about. Especially don't advise people not to seek competent advice.