You have heard correct as to problem students being returned to the classroom almost immediately. Until the school board grows a pair and they hire administrators who have a pair you will never see test scores go up. The simple fact of the matter is the students run the school. They know that no matter what they do or how poorly they perform on tests they are going to be moved on to the next grade level. This explains why a student in 8th grade only reads on a 3rd grade level. No accountability from the students or the parents. These kids are learning how to live off the system. Free breakfast and now free lunch and no school fees. I'm just wondering if all the high school students will now be eligible to take college entrance exams for free? I know as a fact that there are students who get a voucher to take the test. With all the federal money the district is going to be collecting maybe they can do all the building they want to and not have to pass  a levy.  Seen this for years with my own two eyes.

I can certainly agree on the lack of classroom policies. I often wonder why they tie teachers hands in the classroom. When I was in school, they gave us the boot.

I am not a school apologist, I promise.  But, Improvement is hard to track when the state keeps changing the rules. What do you use as a benchmark?  Standardized test scores? If so, you are about to see a huge drop as the state recently changed the rules again.  

I'm shooting from the hip here. I have done work as a contractor at the schools (here and in other districts), so I have limited knowledge. I do know that ratios have changed and are on the verge of 30:1. That means there are 30 kids pre every teacher per classroom.  In the early 2000's when I started it was 24:1 in most districts.  Add a few more bodies (some of which sweat or provide a little more funk) and you raise the temps.  

Other than that, yes, I went to school in the 90's in a building that had no AC, and I do remember how unpleasant it was at the time.  who knows, maybe I would have done better had I not had hot conditions... I dont know.