No Child Left behind seems to be working

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2004
No Child Left behind seems to be working
31
Wed, 08-25-2004 - 3:08pm
At least in Pennsylvania-test scores and attendance and graduation rates are significantly improving...



http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04238/367415.stm

81% of Pa. schools get passing grades

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

By Eleanor Chute and Bill Toland, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Four of five Pennsylvania public schools are meeting requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a significant increase over last year.

State Education Secretary-designee Francis Barnes yesterday released the state's 2004 Academic Achievement Report, which showed that 81 percent of schools -- compared with 62 percent last year -- made "adequate yearly progress." Schools are required to make progress under the No Child Left Behind Act or face sanctions that can range from offering school choice to state intervention. Adequate yearly progress, or AYP, is based on math and reading scores on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment tests, test participation rates and attendance or graduation rates. The tests are counted in grades five, eight and 11.

Schools also are judged on the progress of subgroups -- such as racial groups, low-income students and special education students -- if there are at least 40 students in the subgroup in the building. So the number of targets varies from school to school and district to district.

Such gains won't be easy to reproduce next year. This year's and last year's academic standards -- 35 percent of students adjudged proficient or better in math and 45 percent in reading or significant growth -- will be raised next year: 45 percent proficient in math and 54 percent in reading.

Barnes emphasized, "We're making progress."

He noted improvements, particularly in fifth- and eighth-grade PSSA scores.

Even some officials in schools that are struggling tried to put the best light on the results.

"Overall, we see we are making progress," said Duquesne Superintendent Jacquelyn Webb.

The Duquesne district is the only district in Allegheny County on the second year of corrective action, the most serious classification. The state Education Department has done a study of the district and within the next few months is expected to release recommendations on what should be done.

Webb was encouraged that some of the adequate yearly progress targets were met, including elementary school math, which met the standard by showing significant improvement. About 24 percent of fifth-graders are proficient in math.

"We're working very hard to make progress and to meet the standards," said Webb.

The Pittsburgh district overall met the targets for math and reading, but it fell short in some of the subgroups and in some schools.

Some other districts also missed the mark with subgroups, and whether they hit the AYP targets or not, all districts that had a large enough subgroup of black students to count had substantial achievement gaps between black and white students.

While last year's list focused only on schools, this year's list also named districts that missed targets.

Pittsburgh and 14 other districts in Allegheny County landed on the School Improvement I list, which means they missed the AYP target for two years and must make districtwide plans. In addition, Duquesne was on the more serious "corrective action" list, and Wilkinsburg was on the School Improvement II list, which also calls for planning. Five others were on a warning list.

In some districts, all of the schools made adequate yearly progress, but the district didn't. The reason for that is that typically some of the schools didn't have enough students to count in a subgroup, but the district as a whole did. In Hampton, for example, all of the schools made adequate yearly progress, but the district is on a warning list because it missed on math and reading scores for special education students.

The way special education students are counted is a sore spot for some school officials. Except for the most seriously disabled, special education students take the same test as other students in the grade level appropriate to their age, not their instruction level.

For districts in Allegheny County making the school improvement lists, one of the most common problems was failing to meet at least one target for special education students.

Keystone Oaks landed on the School Improvement I list because it missed all four special education targets, math and reading scores as well as test participation in both.

William Urbanek, Keystone Oaks assistant superintendent, said special education students have individualized education plans that should be used as a measure of academic progress.

He said the district would have cleared the test participation mark for special education students if just three or four more had taken the test, but he said some refused.

"I'm not alarmed at this," he said. "We are meeting the targets for performance, participation and attendance in all other areas," he said.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-21-2004
Mon, 08-30-2004 - 8:55am
I have been a teacher so I think I can speak with some experience here...

If you are "teaching" and the children are "learning" teacher's accomplishments would be SHOWN through high test scores of their students.

With something as important as education, I am surprised how many people think they don't need evaluations and tests for teachers and students to monitor progress and effective teaching techniques...

What profession does NOT require evaluations and expectations of improvement?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2004
Mon, 08-30-2004 - 9:00am

If you are "teaching" and the children are "learning" teacher's accomplishments would be SHOWN through high test scores of their students.>

BRAVO! This is what befuddles me about the teachers' union complaining about having to "teach to the test". These are basic reading and math tests-if the kids can't pass them without the test being taught to them, than just what the heck ARE they learning?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Tue, 08-31-2004 - 1:18pm
I agree too, and it seems that testing is one sollution.

I do think that the teaching agenda needs to be updated, but it appears that this issue comes up with a battle with the unions (at least in NYC it does)

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Tue, 08-31-2004 - 1:20pm
I dont think that they currently need to have continuing education, especially once they receive tenure. Then it is almost impossible to get rid of the teacher, short of having that teacher commit some serious crime against a child.

If teachers are doing such a great job, then why aren't the children learning?

If you dont think that the teachers have to share in the blame for that, then there is no point debating this with you.


Edited 9/1/2004 10:48 am ET ET by debateguy

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Tue, 08-31-2004 - 1:21pm
Apparently not enough to pass the test...that is for certain.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Tue, 08-31-2004 - 11:39pm
A lot of teachers care about their pay and leave the poorer schools behind. Here in Tennessee in my area a few teachers have left and went to Georgia cause the pay is better. I have no idea how much better though, but I think in order for the plan to work teachers have to care more about education and helping kids then money. Sure, money is definietly important cause of taxes and bills, but if I was a parent I'd want my kids to have a good education so they can go onto college and make a living for themselves. XOXO.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Tue, 08-31-2004 - 11:47pm
It does seem the private schools do get better education then public schools. In my high school there was this guy who failed his senior year three-four times. When he turned eighteen he just dropped school all together. I thought that was rather sad and I wonder if any of his teachers tried to help him or if he was just lazy. I love being in college though cause the teachers do care more and so do the students. Your not forced to be there and the teachers care more about your grades. My last term my math teacher always said after class how he would stay as late as the student could (class always ended around 7:30pm too) to help and there's also a math center where people can go for tutoring by students and/or teachers who volunteer to help. The teacher also worked at TVA and he always said how math was his passion and he loved teaching and the worst days of the year were any holiday. I wish more teachers would be like him. I also remember in another math class I had this guy said he accidently fell asleep in a class he had the day before and how guilty he felt about wasting the teachers time. If only kids cared about their futures and wanting to get to a good college more than sports and other after school programs. XOXO.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Tue, 08-31-2004 - 11:54pm
I remember when I was in late elementary school I always had trouble with school. I had this really hard teacher (she was for more advanced students) that I had gotten into her class. I struggled a lot with keeping my grades up but she cared and kept helping me to get better. :) She definietly wanted to see me pass and to go on and not just to get rid of me but to help me education wise. :) If it wasn't for her I'd still be struggling with school so she was definietly a blessing to me. :) Now I have great study habits and am doing a lot better in school and did pretty well in high school. Too bad not every school had teachers like her. I also had one teacher in high school who was a math teacher and she was pretty hard and everybody thought she was so mean. She was just doing her job and she also helped me become a better student. Kids, I think, today want to take an easy route to get out of high school. I'm glad at least some of my teachers were hard on me cause it helped me prepare for the real world that I'm getting involved with now being in college. I may go to a local community school but it's a great school and I'm glad to be there and be challenged and help my mind grow. Hopefully schools can improve over the next few years. One thing I do like about both candidates is they both appear to care about education and agree on that. XOXO.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Tue, 08-31-2004 - 11:57pm
As a fellow student I like to be tested cause then I can see if I really am learning and knowing what I learn. It just helps me to see where I stand in the subject (or subjects). From tests it shows me what I don't know and then I can go back and learn it. I might not get every question right but at least I'm learning and learning from mistakes and experience is what I think testing is all about and it helps me to want to know it and get a higher score and keep it in my mind more/longer. :) XOXO.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 12:00am
Also at my school one yr we had this really great principle. I thought he did a great job at getting kids to class (not being tardy or skipping) and discipline, etc. but he left and went to Georgia. Apparently things are better down there. :\ We then got a crappy principle who didn't make the kids mind at all. My mom used to work at the cafeteria and once she saw two kids either smoking or making out (forgot which one) and she told the principle about it and he gave an excuse saying how he couldn't because he didn't know the kids. How lame! He's the principle and is supposed to make kids mind whether he knows them or not! Ugh. I'm so glad I'm outta high school now days. XOXO.