Jay Mathews is against closing Achievement gap-will McPS follow?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"In DC, especially charters, student progress is the most important factor in the DCPCSB PMF ratings. All kids need to be making progress from year to year. The schools where kids stagnate, be they higher or lower performing students, will not score as well. "

not in Montgomery county. And federal funding to local public school only look at the criteria on gap closing , which force the school doing some wired thing.

yes - but the point is there are models out there that Mont County could adopt.

[Anonymous]

Focusing on artificially closing the achievement gap doesn't help anyone. It does little to nothing for students that are underperforming and sets a limit on students capable of achieving beyond the low bar. This attitude has basically wrecked MCPS with the god awful 2.0 and gutting of acceleration. This has had a negative impact on real estate value further out from the inner circle where incomes are high enough for private school or paying for after school supplemental education. A return to allowing all groups to progress is much needed! You can't improve or maintain a school system if you are constantly alienating and underserving the higher performers. They'll just leave and go elsewhere (Virginia, Howard) and the system will have even more need which is also what is happening now.

The focus should be on all groups making progress and using programs outside of school to address the "opportunity gap". The underperforming kids are at a disadvantage because they don't have resources outside of school. Higher quality subsidized after, before, and year round summer/spring/winter break programs with tutoring would do far more for these groups than dumbing down the in school education so it appears that everybody is a magic P or inflated C.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"In DC, especially charters, student progress is the most important factor in the DCPCSB PMF ratings. All kids need to be making progress from year to year. The schools where kids stagnate, be they higher or lower performing students, will not score as well. "

not in Montgomery county. And federal funding to local public school only look at the criteria on gap closing , which force the school doing some wired thing.

yes - but the point is there are models out there that Mont County could adopt.

2nd.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I agree completely. We need to see progress for all students. Teachers are not magicians and they should not be expected to CLOSE the gap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Focusing on artificially closing the achievement gap doesn't help anyone. It does little to nothing for students that are underperforming and sets a limit on students capable of achieving beyond the low bar. This attitude has basically wrecked MCPS with the god awful 2.0 and gutting of acceleration. This has had a negative impact on real estate value further out from the inner circle where incomes are high enough for private school or paying for after school supplemental education. A return to allowing all groups to progress is much needed! You can't improve or maintain a school system if you are constantly alienating and underserving the higher performers. They'll just leave and go elsewhere (Virginia, Howard) and the system will have even more need which is also what is happening now.

The focus should be on all groups making progress and using programs outside of school to address the "opportunity gap". The underperforming kids are at a disadvantage because they don't have resources outside of school. Higher quality subsidized after, before, and year round summer/spring/winter break programs with tutoring would do far more for these groups than dumbing down the in school education so it appears that everybody is a magic P or inflated C.

The folks at the high end of the achievement gap are not the victims, and you using words like alienate and under serve to describe affluent whites is outrageous and offensive. Your housing values are a result of many factors, a strong school system in one of them.

People can move to Howard (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-roundtable-1003-20131001-story.html) or Virginia (http://www.fcps.edu/is/cag/), but seems like you'll find much of the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Focusing on artificially closing the achievement gap doesn't help anyone. It does little to nothing for students that are underperforming and sets a limit on students capable of achieving beyond the low bar. This attitude has basically wrecked MCPS with the god awful 2.0 and gutting of acceleration. This has had a negative impact on real estate value further out from the inner circle where incomes are high enough for private school or paying for after school supplemental education. A return to allowing all groups to progress is much needed! You can't improve or maintain a school system if you are constantly alienating and underserving the higher performers. They'll just leave and go elsewhere (Virginia, Howard) and the system will have even more need which is also what is happening now.

The focus should be on all groups making progress and using programs outside of school to address the "opportunity gap". The underperforming kids are at a disadvantage because they don't have resources outside of school. Higher quality subsidized after, before, and year round summer/spring/winter break programs with tutoring would do far more for these groups than dumbing down the in school education so it appears that everybody is a magic P or inflated C.

The folks at the high end of the achievement gap are not the victims, and you using words like alienate and under serve to describe affluent whites is outrageous and offensive. Your housing values are a result of many factors, a strong school system in one of them.

People can move to Howard (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-roundtable-1003-20131001-story.html) or Virginia (http://www.fcps.edu/is/cag/), but seems like you'll find much of the same.

True. They are not much better than MCPS. Under-performers will bring high performing kids down no matter where you go.

[Anonymous]

Once again, those high achievers are the victims. Just can't catch a break.

[Anonymous]

How many times we have read the parents complained about their bright kids were left alone in the classroom while the teachers spent most of time try to move other student forward. This happens more in lower grades, especially in elematory school. The teachers are frustrated because c they don't have enough time to teach all the students and they are not allow to advance the faster learner at all. As Jay said in his article, closing gap should not done by stopping the faster leaners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Focusing on artificially closing the achievement gap doesn't help anyone. It does little to nothing for students that are underperforming and sets a limit on students capable of achieving beyond the low bar. This attitude has basically wrecked MCPS with the god awful 2.0 and gutting of acceleration. This has had a negative impact on real estate value further out from the inner circle where incomes are high enough for private school or paying for after school supplemental education. A return to allowing all groups to progress is much needed! You can't improve or maintain a school system if you are constantly alienating and underserving the higher performers. They'll just leave and go elsewhere (Virginia, Howard) and the system will have even more need which is also what is happening now.

The focus should be on all groups making progress and using programs outside of school to address the "opportunity gap". The underperforming kids are at a disadvantage because they don't have resources outside of school. Higher quality subsidized after, before, and year round summer/spring/winter break programs with tutoring would do far more for these groups than dumbing down the in school education so it appears that everybody is a magic P or inflated C.

The folks at the high end of the achievement gap are not the victims, and you using words like alienate and under serve to describe affluent whites is outrageous and offensive. Your housing values are a result of many factors, a strong school system in one of them.

People can move to Howard (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/columbia/ph-ho-cf-roundtable-1003-20131001-story.html) or Virginia (http://www.fcps.edu/is/cag/), but seems like you'll find much of the same.

I'm not the PP, but what exactly do you find offensive about that? First of all, it's not just 'affluent white' kids who are intelligent and hardworking. Guess what? I'm a minority and I have hard-working, smart kids who also deserve to be challenged. My kids are definitely being underserved by MCPS so far in early ES. It's not offensive to say that in the least.

All kids deserve to actually be learning something during the time they are spending in school. Otherwise, WTF is the point?

It's not outrageous to expect the school system to provide for ALL kids. And, also, FTR, it's not just 'white' kids who are intelligent and deserving of extra challenges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There will always be an achievement gap.

There is enough evidence from all local school systems who have been attempting to close the gap that it is not going to close.

He is right. The focus needs to just shift to upward trends in each group.

This is it in a nutshell for me!

Makes sense. We want to see ALL kids improving. If kids are going to be spending 30 hours a week in school, we want them ALL to be actually learning something. Focus on how we can make that happen (smaller class sizes, for one).

Whatever level a kid is at - above/below/ESOL - teach the kid where he currently is, and show that at the end of the year there has been some improvement.

Trying to close an achievement gap that is due to factors out of the school system's control (poverty/unstable families/unstable homes) is IMPOSSIBLE.

You're making too much sense. Please send your feedback to MCPS and the Board of Ed. They don't listen to us, but maybe they'll listen to you. -OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There will always be an achievement gap.

There is enough evidence from all local school systems who have been attempting to close the gap that it is not going to close.

He is right. The focus needs to just shift to upward trends in each group.

This is it in a nutshell for me!

Makes sense. We want to see ALL kids improving. If kids are going to be spending 30 hours a week in school, we want them ALL to be actually learning something. Focus on how we can make that happen (smaller class sizes, for one).

Whatever level a kid is at - above/below/ESOL - teach the kid where he currently is, and show that at the end of the year there has been some improvement.

Trying to close an achievement gap that is due to factors out of the school system's control (poverty/unstable families/unstable homes) is IMPOSSIBLE.

You're making too much sense. Please send your feedback to MCPS and the Board of Ed. They don't listen to us, but maybe they'll listen to you. -OP

EEK! Sorry, I'm not OP. Meant to sign it ---teacher. Long day :/.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once again, those high achievers are the victims. Just can't catch a break.

Nobody wants to be a victim. What exactly is your point?

The high achievers should be satisfied with the lack of education in early ES? That benefits nobody.