MD report cards are out!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not impressed by the bell curve either because what it takes to get a 3, 4, or 5 is terrifyingly low.

Its measuring grade level proficiency not performance or academic achievement. A school with a 4 and a 66% means that 44% of the school is not measuring in at grade level proficiency. A 3 requires just over half of your school passing which conversely means that almost half of the rest of school is failing.

What are you looking at that that states that 66% is the grade level proficiency?

Points were based ... "on factors such as chronic absenteeism, graduation rates, access to a well-rounded education and academic achievement on the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) tests.

To achieve a five-star ranking, a school must receive more than 74 percent of available points. " ie, the things mentioned above. It's not just purely about test scores.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/quarter-of-mcps-schools-receive-top-rank-in-new-state-accountability-model/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just heard on NPR that 25% of Montgomery County schools scored 5 stars. Five stars start at 75% and above. Seems like a pretty weak showing.

Maybe it is harder to be proficient on PARCC when your curriculum does not actually align with the Common Core?

The Curriculum isn't true Common Core. The issue is the Curriculum 2.0, which has no text books, no math facts (just strategies), no vocabulary, no spelling and no grammar. Most kids who are doing well on PARCC are probably either just that smart or supplemented at home.

I do have to say that they are working on all of these things you listed this year in our ES, despite the delay in better curriculum.

That's great they do it at yours. They don't do it at ours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only 2 MS with a 5? that's sad. Not even all of the W MS got a 5. What is up with the MS?

Which MS? Can't get into the darn report.

Try this:

https://bethesdamagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/See-how-MCPS-schools-ranked-by-cluster.pdf

It's actually 3 MS, and of course, all in wealthy clusters:

North Bethesda
Hoover
Pyle

Westland is a 5 too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Looked at Poolesville HS, since it is supposed to have three test-in magnet programs, and one non-magnet program for local students who do not qualify for the Science, Humanities and GE programs.

It is a rural community with lower numbers of Hispanic population than Gaithersburg. There are more White rural students. Interesting to see the performance of White students in ELA. Majority of Asians are either bussed to the school or are high achieving and their families moved to poolesville for the magnet HS. Special Ed students typically are in non-magnet programs, though there are some twice gifted students in the magnet programs as well. Most Hispanic students are those who are in magnet programs and are high achieving.

PERCENT PROFICIENT
-- ---- ---- ---- -- MATH -- -- ELA
Asian-- ---- ---- ---- ---- --97.6 % -- -- 92.9 %
Black or African American-- ---- 70 % -- -- 52.2 %
Hispanic/Latino of any race -- -- 75 % -- -- 72.7 %
White-- ---- ---- ---- -- 81.9 % -- -- 54 %
Two or more races-- ---- -- 88.9 % -- -- 65 %
Special Education-- ---- -- 37.5 % -- -- 22.2 %
All Students-- ---- ---- -- 85.4 % -- -- 66.3 %

Tell me why any busy overachiever high school student would prioritize studying for a state standardized test when s/he has AP tests, papers, psats, sat/acts, debate team, sports practices and games, college applications and interviews, etc.

I sure wouldn’t. I’d be conserving my brain cells, short term memory and long term memory for those other things.

And don’t say it’s now 10% or 20% of one’s subject grade in math or English lit. With only THREE grades even possible in each subject and for your gpa calculation (A, B, or C, no + or -) and rampant liberal rounding up, half a$$ing the state test makes sense on all levels. Not to mention doesn’t detract from one’s real goals and higher pressure tests.

[Anonymous]

Our scores are down for maintenance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not impressed by the bell curve either because what it takes to get a 3, 4, or 5 is terrifyingly low.

Its measuring grade level proficiency not performance or academic achievement. A school with a 4 and a 66% means that 44% of the school is not measuring in at grade level proficiency. A 3 requires just over half of your school passing which conversely means that almost half of the rest of school is failing.

Sounds like someone had that 2.0 math in school.

PP is not exactly right. I’ve only really looked at the elementary school methodology, but if the school’s average PARCC student score is 4, then they get 4/5 points - 80%. Every single kid at that school could be proficient (4 is proficient on PARCC), and the school would still only score 80%, not 100%, in that category. I think that’s why 75% of all points is 5 stars. Because getting 100% of the points is designed to be impossible.

[Anonymous]

Shocked about Oakland terrace. ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shocked about Oakland terrace. ?

Why? They've consistently been a model. They've had a strong principal who demands excellence. And strong teachers.

My kids go to a far less diverse and more affluent school...which has lazy teachers who seemingly do the bare minimum. I suspect more diverse schools feel more pressure to push kids...and tend to attract more passionate teachers.

The link is down, so I haven't seen my school's scores yet. I'm betting they are lower than OT.

[Anonymous]

Curious how all the parents who defended 2.0 and made fun of me for suggesting we needed to kick it old school with vocabulary and grammar feel about the scores? You know who you are: all the people who said, "my kindergartener is thriving! We love our school! Stop complaining and give it a chance!"

[Anonymous]

The linked Bethesda article lists tons of 5s...including Weller Road Elementary. That's shocking given the demographics. It's far more diverse than OT. Good for them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shocked about Oakland terrace. ?

Here is the climate survey for OT:

http://sharedaccountability.mcpsmd.org/SurveyResults/content.php?sch=769&survey=2018SSE&type=Staff&comparison=0&grade=0&l=0&print=yes

All staff of this school were surveyed. - 37 Returned (52%)
better than many, I suppose, with a 52% return

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Curious how all the parents who defended 2.0 and made fun of me for suggesting we needed to kick it old school with vocabulary and grammar feel about the scores? You know who you are: all the people who said, "my kindergartener is thriving! We love our school! Stop complaining and give it a chance!"

Both things can be true. I'm one of the parents who said my child was thriving, and the test scores demonstrate that she is. 5s all around on PARCC since she started taking it, high MAPs, etc.

So it worked for my kid. It clearly did not work for others, and that's an issue, but I wouldn't assume the other parents were speaking in bad faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious how all the parents who defended 2.0 and made fun of me for suggesting we needed to kick it old school with vocabulary and grammar feel about the scores? You know who you are: all the people who said, "my kindergartener is thriving! We love our school! Stop complaining and give it a chance!"

Both things can be true. I'm one of the parents who said my child was thriving, and the test scores demonstrate that she is. 5s all around on PARCC since she started taking it, high MAPs, etc.

So it worked for my kid. It clearly did not work for others, and that's an issue, but I wouldn't assume the other parents were speaking in bad faith.

Did you supplement? Is your kid a bookworm?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shocked about Oakland terrace. ?

We moved from Oakland Terrace to Kensington Parkwood a number of years ago and regretted it. OT is a fantastic school with a Principal who really strives for academic excellence. Kids who are ready and thirsting for challenge are given those opportunities and supported and kids who need a lot of help are also supported. The Principal is aggressive and hard charging which might be tough for some of the staff but she really expects them to challenge and support children at every ability level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curious how all the parents who defended 2.0 and made fun of me for suggesting we needed to kick it old school with vocabulary and grammar feel about the scores? You know who you are: all the people who said, "my kindergartener is thriving! We love our school! Stop complaining and give it a chance!"

Both things can be true. I'm one of the parents who said my child was thriving, and the test scores demonstrate that she is. 5s all around on PARCC since she started taking it, high MAPs, etc.

So it worked for my kid. It clearly did not work for others, and that's an issue, but I wouldn't assume the other parents were speaking in bad faith.

Did you supplement? Is your kid a bookworm?

Yes and yes. (not PP)