Tell me this:
If the measure of a superior builder is that 1/2 of his buildings don't fall down, would you hire him to build your house?
You're turn: Send me your analogies of the 1/2 time show at DOE?
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If a parent raises their children and only half of the children fall down, does that make them a bad parent?
The analogies don't actually fit. Schools with a history of meeting the needs of less than half of the students (on achievement testing) who raise their scores and get above 50% should be celebrated.
I get it that some schools have dropped and are still considered "successful" because they are over 50%. I agree that is not ideal, but to me this whole topic reeks of "How dare a school that I don't picture as a good one be recognized?"
In short, it sounds just mean. And I have spoken to you before and I know that is not who you are.
Anonymous,
I am sorry if my writings sound mean. My comparison is not directed at schools, but at the department that changed the ratings system and essentially rendered it useless.
Children are my passion, providing access to clear, comprehendable data is part and parcel to that passion.
The new system invalidates the historical data. The untrained eye will look at school profiles and see a superior school and actually think that school is superior when in fact it may be one of the 40ish who fails to meet the federal minimums.
The designers of this altered system had one obvious motive in mind when they implemented it - Make DCAS and RTTT look like they are working to ensure voter buy-in. The public is being scammed and if they don't live and die education they won't realize it.
It's shameful.
As for my schools - I am proud of each and every one for their achievements. But, my desire for these schools and teachers is to internally celebrate this moment in time and then use that affirmation to propel them into a new school year and return to the mission at hand - teaching children, not the test, but to be life long achievers of all of their goals.
The benchmark will rise by about 1/3 next year. Approx. 1/3 more children must achieve profiency for our schools to maintain their ratings. While it may be a moment to savor, we cannot be satisfied, knowing that the bar was lowered by a department that is supposed to be dedicated to achievement.
Anonymous is grandstanding here. Settling for mediocrity and defending the indefensible. The analogies are perfectly apt. School Board members are not elected to be cheerleaders, they are elected to ensure the sacred public trust of educating our children is done with fidelity. There are schools whose scores are WELL BELOW 50% and 49% and are still rated SUPERIOR.....by the Delaware DOE.
That is a perverse tragedy. Don't defend in anonymous, get mad like Elizabeth.
No, John. I will not get mad. Ever. Nor am I grandstanding. You are arguing about the rules of the game (the school ratings and AYP), and the game is pointless and broken.
The analogies are appropriate? Comparing building a building with educating a child? Then let your builder educate your children.
A child (or a group of children) in a school not scoring high enough on a test is not the same as a building falling down. I have a child with a learning disability. My child has amazing teachers and goes to a low performing school (less than 50% passing). The teachers, school, and staff go out of their way to provide her an excellent education. She will never be at a passing score on a test that was not designed for her to ever pass. If she was on grade level, she would not have the disability she was born with. There are enough students like her in her school so that it will never have the success John writes about.
And his advice is that I should get mad? At the teachers? The school? Dover? DOE? That will change nothing for my daughter, or the school. It will just leave me mad and angry. So, to John, I offer a no thank you.
For Elizabeth, I offer a thank you. I know that you understand how I feel. I mean no malice, but I do not want to see you (and the other people fighting the good fight) get caught up in anything other than doing what is best for children, especially children like mine.
Anonymous,
My son has autism, and is served in a self contained special classroom in CSD. Nearly 30% of its students are not proficient in reading and 18% in math.
The school is SUPERIOR.
Meanwhile it is failing 3/10 and 1.8/10 kids in two core metrics of education. Failure to be proficient will essentially handicap them for life in the workforce.
It is the same as a building falling down to me. It is unacceptable to throw money at problems will ill informed solutions, JUST AS UNACCEPTABLE is not spending monies and resources because the state calls a building failing its kids superior.
Yes you should get mad....but not in the pejorative useless sense of the word...in the productive advocacy based "I'm angry and I'm going to do something about it" mad.....
For me, and perhaps Elizabeth, that anger begins with a proper and necessary "calling out" of this travesty of labeling schools that is actually creating a counterproductive response within the districts.
I lay this at the foot of the DOE and Governor Jack Markell.
And while you won't "thank me", I'll thank you for caring enough to write about this and encourage you to strip your anonymity and proudly declare yourself.
Thank You.
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