Mississippi, Florida, Texas and Louisiana do better on math and reading in 4th and 8th grade tests than MD and VA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder how much of this could have to do with quickly getting kids back into school in person during Covid?

Unrelated to that.

It was the use of literacy curricula that do not work to teach reading. See the "Sold a story" podcast.

I'm not so sure. I don't think VA has gotten test scores back to pre covid levels yet. There was a TON of learning loss. Even at the preschool level. We all know how important preschool is. I sent my kid to the only place nearby that was open and they only had maybe 10 kids in the class. Usually there are multiple options with a full class or two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mississippi has 99% FARMS eligibility, which severely "adjusts" their scores. Mississippi has low overall income but also lowest cost of living in USA

That is silly nonsense. NAEP scores are not modified or adjusted based on FARMS or other factors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When comparing students that are similar to each other (FARMS, race and ethnicity, ELL and special education status) Mississippi, Florida, Texas and Louisiana all do better than Maryland and Virginia on the NAEP test.

When will our school districts wake up and realize they are failing our kids and can't keep blaming bad parenting and poverty for their failures?

https://www.urban.org/research/publication/states-demographically-adjusted-performance-2024-national-assessment

I don't disagree that the schools in VA are bad and getting worse but what happens in the years btw that test and the PSATs for those states mentioned? Too much lead in the water or something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder how much of this could have to do with quickly getting kids back into school in person during Covid?

Unrelated to that.

It was the use of literacy curricula that do not work to teach reading. See the "Sold a story" podcast.

I'm not so sure. I don't think VA has gotten test scores back to pre covid levels yet. There was a TON of learning loss. Even at the preschool level. We all know how important preschool is. I sent my kid to the only place nearby that was open and they only had maybe 10 kids in the class. Usually there are multiple options with a full class or two.

Preschool?

Generations of people did just fine without preschool. It only became a thing in the last few decades when more women started working.

[Anonymous]

Google the pros and cons of the Mississippi miracle.

This has been discussed ad nauseam.

Be prepared for your child to be held back in 3rd to ensure test scores in 4th are high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder how much of this could have to do with quickly getting kids back into school in person during Covid?

Unrelated to that.

It was the use of literacy curricula that do not work to teach reading. See the "Sold a story" podcast.

I'm not so sure. I don't think VA has gotten test scores back to pre covid levels yet. There was a TON of learning loss. Even at the preschool level. We all know how important preschool is. I sent my kid to the only place nearby that was open and they only had maybe 10 kids in the class. Usually there are multiple options with a full class or two.

Preschool?

Generations of people did just fine without preschool. It only became a thing in the last few decades when more women started working.

Define “just fine”.

If you want your school district to have high test scores kids need preschool at 3 and 4 before they are dumped in a classroom of kids that are way ahead of them in schooling and understand the routine and don’t cry at drop off and cling to the teacher for the 1st 3 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Google the pros and cons of the Mississippi miracle.

This has been discussed ad nauseam.

Be prepared for your child to be held back in 3rd to ensure test scores in 4th are high.

Nothing wrong with kids having to repeat grades. I mean how do you possibly fail early primary school when there's so little material being taught? They probably should have been held back even earlier to give them a better chance of success later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder how much of this could have to do with quickly getting kids back into school in person during Covid?

Unrelated to that.

It was the use of literacy curricula that do not work to teach reading. See the "Sold a story" podcast.

I'm not so sure. I don't think VA has gotten test scores back to pre covid levels yet. There was a TON of learning loss. Even at the preschool level. We all know how important preschool is. I sent my kid to the only place nearby that was open and they only had maybe 10 kids in the class. Usually there are multiple options with a full class or two.

Preschool?

Generations of people did just fine without preschool. It only became a thing in the last few decades when more women started working.

Define “just fine”.

If you want your school district to have high test scores kids need preschool at 3 and 4 before they are dumped in a classroom of kids that are way ahead of them in schooling and understand the routine and don’t cry at drop off and cling to the teacher for the 1st 3 months.

Only about half of my peers attended preschool in the 70s. Many of us attended T10 schools, med/law school, etc. Successful careers, etc.

Outside of providing childcare, preschool is beneficial to a subset of kids who aren't getting pre-reading support at home. But for most kids it's really not necessary for academic success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Google the pros and cons of the Mississippi miracle.

This has been discussed ad nauseam.

Be prepared for your child to be held back in 3rd to ensure test scores in 4th are high.

+1

While some of these states have made huge improvements, test scores alone doesn't tell the full story. They make for misleading clickbait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder how much of this could have to do with quickly getting kids back into school in person during Covid?

Unrelated to that.

It was the use of literacy curricula that do not work to teach reading. See the "Sold a story" podcast.

I'm not so sure. I don't think VA has gotten test scores back to pre covid levels yet. There was a TON of learning loss. Even at the preschool level. We all know how important preschool is. I sent my kid to the only place nearby that was open and they only had maybe 10 kids in the class. Usually there are multiple options with a full class or two.

Preschool?

Generations of people did just fine without preschool. It only became a thing in the last few decades when more women started working.

Define “just fine”.

If you want your school district to have high test scores kids need preschool at 3 and 4 before they are dumped in a classroom of kids that are way ahead of them in schooling and understand the routine and don’t cry at drop off and cling to the teacher for the 1st 3 months.

Only about half of my peers attended preschool in the 70s. Many of us attended T10 schools, med/law school, etc. Successful careers, etc.

Outside of providing childcare, preschool is beneficial to a subset of kids who aren't getting pre-reading support at home. But for most kids it's really not necessary for academic success.

Literally the cohort this discussion is about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder how much of this could have to do with quickly getting kids back into school in person during Covid?

Unrelated to that.

It was the use of literacy curricula that do not work to teach reading. See the "Sold a story" podcast.

I'm not so sure. I don't think VA has gotten test scores back to pre covid levels yet. There was a TON of learning loss. Even at the preschool level. We all know how important preschool is. I sent my kid to the only place nearby that was open and they only had maybe 10 kids in the class. Usually there are multiple options with a full class or two.

Preschool?

Generations of people did just fine without preschool. It only became a thing in the last few decades when more women started working.

Define “just fine”.

If you want your school district to have high test scores kids need preschool at 3 and 4 before they are dumped in a classroom of kids that are way ahead of them in schooling and understand the routine and don’t cry at drop off and cling to the teacher for the 1st 3 months.

Only about half of my peers attended preschool in the 70s. Many of us attended T10 schools, med/law school, etc. Successful careers, etc.

Outside of providing childcare, preschool is beneficial to a subset of kids who aren't getting pre-reading support at home. But for most kids it's really not necessary for academic success.

Literally the cohort this discussion is about.

Literally, it's not. We're discussing state-wide test scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Google the pros and cons of the Mississippi miracle.

This has been discussed ad nauseam.

Be prepared for your child to be held back in 3rd to ensure test scores in 4th are high.

This is a good thing. One of my relatives was held back twice during his education when being held back was common.
He ended up with a highly successful business became a 1%er. I'd rather have literate graduates than graduates that cannot write a sentence. I employed 10 high school grads in Maryland. Two were illiterate including the supervisor. I asked her to write a recommendation letter for someone we had to lay off. It was sad. The supervisor was illiterate and could not write a sentence. I had to rewrite the complete document. Clearly no teachers had ever corrected her sentences or paragraphs during her Maryland public education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the pros and cons of the Mississippi miracle.

This has been discussed ad nauseam.

Be prepared for your child to be held back in 3rd to ensure test scores in 4th are high.

Nothing wrong with kids having to repeat grades. I mean how do you possibly fail early primary school when there's so little material being taught? They probably should have been held back even earlier to give them a better chance of success later.

Sure could should be held back when they’re not performing, but why are they held back in third grade only? Hmm .

It’s so the score is in fourth grade are higher

The program is in its infancy, so I’m sure they’re gonna fix it or I hope

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the pros and cons of the Mississippi miracle.

This has been discussed ad nauseam.

Be prepared for your child to be held back in 3rd to ensure test scores in 4th are high.

This is a good thing. One of my relatives was held back twice during his education when being held back was common.
He ended up with a highly successful business became a 1%er. I'd rather have literate graduates than graduates that cannot write a sentence. I employed 10 high school grads in Maryland. Two were illiterate including the supervisor. I asked her to write a recommendation letter for someone we had to lay off. It was sad. The supervisor was illiterate and could not write a sentence. I had to rewrite the complete document. Clearly no teachers had ever corrected her sentences or paragraphs during her Maryland public education.

You realize that holding someone back would not have stopped someone from graduating illiterate.

We need programs for dyslexic kids. Those people are probably dyslexic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Google the pros and cons of the Mississippi miracle.

This has been discussed ad nauseam.

Be prepared for your child to be held back in 3rd to ensure test scores in 4th are high.

Nothing wrong with kids having to repeat grades. I mean how do you possibly fail early primary school when there's so little material being taught? They probably should have been held back even earlier to give them a better chance of success later.

Sure could should be held back when they’re not performing, but why are they held back in third grade only? Hmm .

It’s so the score is in fourth grade are higher

The program is in its infancy, so I’m sure they’re gonna fix it or I hope

Why do you care if some score results are cooked? Those are some backwater areas, let them have a win on this, because they're surely hard pressed to get another one when it comes to education.

And in general, parents are literally the number one reason why normal kids will succeed or fail in school regardless of HHI. No school or teachers will be able to overcome that unless they're sent to boarding schools. This sounds callous but trying to spend all resources on trying to fix that segment of the population (as a third party proxy) will always be at the detriment of the unwealthy average students (because wealthy students have outside resources) and it's unfair that schools actively prevent them from ever being able to catch up to the smarter kids and this negatively impacts their future life achievements.