Can achievement gap be closed with extra tutoring?

[Anonymous]

Universal preschool could be beneficial for these children.
There is a 2017 OLO report on the costs and benefits of such a program. The benefits are massive but the costs are also really high
(full day PreK for 10,000 students in the county would cost around $120 million). Right now only 3300 get county funded preK, mostly in half day programs.
see page iii of the report
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OLO/Resources/Files/2017%20Reports/OLOReport2017_7PreKinMontgomeryCountyandinOtherJurisdictions.pdf

And the studies show those 3300 kids do no better than those who do not have it. This should not be based on the school budget. There is no room, there is no time to make more room, there is no busses to get these kids. So that $120 million is a small number in the total costs to even start a program that high and there is no legit study that shows that one year is a difference. We used to have part time K and not it is full time and the numbers are worse. Why is that?

Learning starts at home. It always has. And I hate to say this but when woman decided they needed to be in the workforce and not at home raising their kids, the economics of this country went crazy. Unemployment went up, home values soared, cost of college skyrocketed, and more. We are now a 2 income society to even survive for the most part. Add technological advances that have taken away normal work hours and you have parents that are completely disengaged with their children. Kids as young as 6 weeks being raised by strangers for 10 hours and both family members are working 10 hours minimum with commute, and then even more on their home computer and phone. Single parent families is now almost automatic poverty. Impossible to live in a world on your own when 2 income is the majority. The kids that are thriving in school either have a parent at home full or part time, or have enough money to place them in a well regarded preschool at a young age. The rest of the kids in low income daycare or at home with random neighbors, family, or sometimes on their own, have no shot. Their parents or parent are exhausted after working 2 measly jobs in one day and no way out. They sure as heck can't afford college. Parents need to have options. Not just rich parents.

Other countries have incredible maternity and paternity leave issued by the government, but they don't have the level of poverty and teen pregnancy we do. So people who complain about how great Sweden is with their year maternity leave, have no clue. Finland has wonderful daycare/preschool options paid by the government, but again - they don't have millions of illegal immigrants or poor uneducated families. The sheer number makes it impossible. Trying to work on a state level is possible, but is it fair?

There has to be a way to start moving in a better direction for our kids in this country. Hogan signing free college was a great start, but we need to do more in the ages of 0-5yrs old. That is where it counts. Also, the amount of immigrants, legal and illegal in this country makes it very hard to help these kids in the early years. The language and cultural barrier is extreme. There need to be programs in place that assist LEGAL immigrants with assimilating as well as their children.

Your second point is a good one. The race for two-income households has been devastating to children. But don't blame women entering the workforce. The two-income households have been a necessity because our public school system is based on location-specific resource allocation. This drives up property prices and forces both parents to work to be able to afford the real estate to even get a shot at the American Dream. MCPS does a better job at re-distribution than many other jurisdictions.

But to OP's point, we need more resources to reach children who need tutoring/remediation. Not just on the weekends. We need more teachers/aides to help kids who are behind. But, resources are scarce in such an over-populated area. Can we start blaming the developers now? County planners? Mixed-use, high-density living can't work if you are not prepared with resources.

[Anonymous]

The longer MCPS has a terrible and disjointed math “curriculum” the longer the achievement gap will persist and the longer parents will have to do MCPS’ job and tutor/supplement their children.

[Anonymous]

The longer MCPS has a terrible and disjointed math “curriculum” the longer the achievement gap will persist and the longer parents will have to do MCPS’ job and tutor/supplement their children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The longer MCPS has a terrible and disjointed math “curriculum” the longer the achievement gap will persist and the longer parents will have to do MCPS’ job and tutor/supplement their children.

Agree.

Maybe MCPS should just turn into a 12 hour daycare and parents can select which tutors and math, English, science and social studies curricula they’d like their child taught.

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to make the Saturday School mandatory for low performing students. Maybe MCPS can pay for the fees?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible to make the Saturday School mandatory for low performing students. Maybe MCPS can pay for the fees?

The ones from affluent families, too?

[Anonymous]

There are no dumb people in this world. The achievement gap can be closed. Everyone can achieve the same.

[Anonymous]

I understand the reasons why MCPS moved to change the disciplinary code. From an equity perspective, it is hard to look at all of the data around disproportionate punishment against kids of color and continue business as usual.

HOWEVER, I think MCPS went too far in the wrong direction. As a parent in a racially and economically diverse school, I often see a tiny handful of kids derail a whole classroom.

So, you have a class of 20. Two kids are routinely disruptive, to the point that neither they nor their peers are learning.

The middle class kids? They self-advocate and ask to wear earphones or to take their book to the library and finish a project there.

It is the poor and working class kids that end up having their learning disrupted, either because their own cultural backgrounds don't stress children advocating for their own interests with adults or because the teachers lump them in with the disruptive kids.

It is also often the poor and working class kids who bear the brunt of bullying from the very small minority of kids who are acting out.

If MCPS wants to close the gap, the first thing they need to do is protect poor kids, and kids of color, by giving teachers some "sticks" to deal with children who are acting out.

[Anonymous]

Before and after school programs would do A LOT. These need to be more than just doing worksheets in a cafeteria with a bored aid guarding the door though. The problem with underperforming kids is that they come into school with a large deficit and it builds over time. The morning time should be spent front loading and filling gaps for what will be covered in class and then the afternoon spent reviewing and practicing what was don't in class.

The goal also shouldn't focus on the gap. It should focus on bringing up the lowest performers to grade level and then offering the opportunity to all students to go beyond. Too much focus on the "gap" leads to curtailing achievement opportunities beyond grade level for fear that asian or white kids might benefit and then the goal posts just were raised for the educators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Is it possible to make the Saturday School mandatory for low performing students. Maybe MCPS can pay for the fees?

The ones from affluent families, too?

Of course! MCPS should stop removing any rigor or chance of failure from the system. Kids need to pass tests to move to the next grade level or acceleration program. If you fail then you must attend Saturday school and/or summer school.

No more gate keeping on acceleration programs but no dumbing it down either. You want to be in GT/Magnet Level XYZ - no problem. If you earn lower than a C in the first semester you are out. Can't pass the Algebra final exam. OK - your butt is in summer school five days a week until you can pass.

Its easier to solve problems if you aren't spending all your time trying to hide the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which is it, PP? Either preschool is ineffective, or it isn't. Or are you saying that preschool is effective for non-poor kids but ineffective for poor kids?

No schooling works unless parents are teaching at home too. That is how I understand it. I mean if it did, then kids going to school full time all day, would be doing great. And they aren't.

This. My siblings and I went to private schools for k-12, and at one point boarding school, but my parents always supplemented at home (not in this area). We weren't rolling in it, but my parents (both grad school degrees but not super successful) always instilled the notion that education was very important. If one of the kids was struggling, they would sit up all night if they had to, to get us caught up and prepared. If parents aren't interested, the kids won't be. It is a rare case for kids to thrive despite parental neglect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the reasons why MCPS moved to change the disciplinary code. From an equity perspective, it is hard to look at all of the data around disproportionate punishment against kids of color and continue business as usual.

HOWEVER, I think MCPS went too far in the wrong direction. As a parent in a racially and economically diverse school, I often see a tiny handful of kids derail a whole classroom.

So, you have a class of 20. Two kids are routinely disruptive, to the point that neither they nor their peers are learning.

The middle class kids? They self-advocate and ask to wear earphones or to take their book to the library and finish a project there.

It is the poor and working class kids that end up having their learning disrupted, either because their own cultural backgrounds don't stress children advocating for their own interests with adults or because the teachers lump them in with the disruptive kids.

It is also often the poor and working class kids who bear the brunt of bullying from the very small minority of kids who are acting out.

If MCPS wants to close the gap, the first thing they need to do is protect poor kids, and kids of color, by giving teachers some "sticks" to deal with children who are acting out.

So what if it is the poor kids of color that are disrupting? Minority kids can no longer be disciplined.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand the reasons why MCPS moved to change the disciplinary code. From an equity perspective, it is hard to look at all of the data around disproportionate punishment against kids of color and continue business as usual.

HOWEVER, I think MCPS went too far in the wrong direction. As a parent in a racially and economically diverse school, I often see a tiny handful of kids derail a whole classroom.

So, you have a class of 20. Two kids are routinely disruptive, to the point that neither they nor their peers are learning.

The middle class kids? They self-advocate and ask to wear earphones or to take their book to the library and finish a project there.

It is the poor and working class kids that end up having their learning disrupted, either because their own cultural backgrounds don't stress children advocating for their own interests with adults or because the teachers lump them in with the disruptive kids.

It is also often the poor and working class kids who bear the brunt of bullying from the very small minority of kids who are acting out.

If MCPS wants to close the gap, the first thing they need to do is protect poor kids, and kids of color, by giving teachers some "sticks" to deal with children who are acting out.

So what if it is the poor kids of color that are disrupting? Minority kids can no longer be disciplined.

Almost. The problem is that NO ONE can be disciplined, regardless of background. But the origin of the policy is almost certainly that the previous system disproportionately disciplined kids of color because racism is pernicious and systemic.

The result is that the new policy helps no one. Kids who need boundaries aren't getting them AND their classmates are having their learning disrupted as a result. That is most true for poor kids and kids of color because they don't have the resources to leave the classroom and because they are disproportionately the targets of those badly behaved kids.

Basically, if MCPS wants to close the achievement gap (the subject of this chain), they need to do more to support the "regular" Black and Latinx kids who want to learn but whose learning is being disrupted by a handful of kids that need either better boundaries or a more restrictive placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are no dumb people in this world. The achievement gap can be closed. Everyone can achieve the same.

Everyone does not have to achieve the same. However, low performers are falling further and further behind in learning skills needed to function in a modern society. By the 8th grade, to expect that students should master math skills & reading/writing skills is not really too much to ask.

However based on the replies here it almost seem that people believe that there is no achievement gap in education and learning. It seems that people believe that we should not pay any credence to the results of exams such as PARCC, MAP, AP/IB, SAT. Is it really the tests that are the problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible to make the Saturday School mandatory for low performing students. Maybe MCPS can pay for the fees?

The ones from affluent families, too?

Yes, why not? It should be a resource for all students. Those who can afford to pay for it should pay for it. FARMS students of all races should avail of it for free or at a very subsidized rates.