23 Baltimore City Schools Have Zero Students Proficient in Math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems counterproductive to introduce higher and higher levels of standards when a lot of people, with a mastery (or even just proficiency) of 5th grade standards, people could really do just fine. 5th grade means: Being able to read a book like Wonder or Holes or a newspaper like USA Today, understanding what decimals and fractions are, having your times tables memorized, being able to do long division. If there are so many students not mastering the prior year's subject, there should maybe an alternate diploma track, under which you can advance your grade (with your same age cohort), but instead of going from, say, 2nd to a 3rd grade curriculum, you go from 2nd grade to 2nd grade Part 2 (aka alternate path 3rd grade).

Germany and many other countries maintain educational systems similar to what you have described. There is a specific name for this system:

- tracking.

Under tracking or “a tracked system,” students are periodically tested and the test results route them into specific “tracks.”

The highest track students typically attend university (provided they maintain their grades). This is known as gymnasium.

The middle track students receive deep training in suitable career education, such as banking.

The lowest track students receive an education in what we would call “trades;” good careers such as welding, automotive mechanics, and including skilled construction or hairdressing, but also retail sales (yes, they train for that).

The US once had a vast system of VoTech or vocational technology public high schools.

Sadly, the system fell out of favor and was mostly dismantled; the demand which still exists generally falls now on community colleges instead of dedicated public high schools.

I mostly agree with some tracking, but the problem with it is that kids mature at different stages.

My spouse was tracked in their home country (Europe). They were a late bloomer. Their teacher said they had no hope for college when they were 13. Their parents didn't accept that so they moved away to a different school district, and also put them into private school. They matured between 13 and 16, and by 16, they were on track for college. Got a degree in a STEM field. If they had stayed in that tracking model they would've gone the trade route, which is not in and of itself a big deal, but it shows that tracking can also stymie potential.

I was somewhat similar. I didn't take my studies seriously until 16 when I really matured. I got straight As, including in all my AP classes.

Our DC is very similar. A late bloomer, and that includes in academics. DC is 15, and I wouldn't want them to be tracked at 13/14 or even 15. They didn't do well in math until a bit later; their previous math scores were all over the place. I think they will come into their own next year like both my spouse and I did.

Even Germany has added numerous flexibilities to their system. For the vast majority however, the original German system works.

Not everyone is meant to attend university.

[Anonymous]

That would never fly in today's equity driven country.

[Anonymous]

Baltimore schools were early adopters of equity. Obviously they succeeded.

[Anonymous]

How is it equity when no one is succeeding? Sounds more like equality. Everyone is given a diploma regardless of whether they went to class or learned anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is it equity when no one is succeeding? Sounds more like equality. Everyone is given a diploma regardless of whether they went to class or learned anything.

With ESSA emphasizing graduation rates, schools are under pressure to graduate more kids so they resort to social promotion.

[Anonymous]

You are all f#cking morons. The problem has been right in your shriveled fat faces for decades.