Underwhelming appearance by Principal Martin at Wilson HS Open House

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight anymore (which probably means I will now get snarky comments), but I think everyone's fretting over something that is almost impossible to fix. If a big enough group of kids at Wilson didn't care about the PARCC because they were worried about AP's, thought it was stupid, thought is didn't really matter to them, then DCPS and Wilson need to work together to figure out a way to make it matter, assuming they in fact think it really does. If the test scores reflect the level of academic rigor at Wilson, or the schools that feed into it, then DCPS as a whole needs to take a new look at their curriculum. Either way, DCPS has to think the scores are worth caring about more than just the 5 minutes after they see them.

I think it's worth noting, though, that kids all over the country thought the test was stupid. Call it test fatigue or irritation that no one does (or can do) anything to fix the curriculum or achievement gap, but kids in many schools either opted out or put little effort into it. Wilson has many issues, but they aren't really all that different in this regard.

Beyond that, well done, Banneker.

Whether students and parents think they are dumb, other states, including Maryland, New Jersey, are making PARCC a graduation requirement. Virginia doesn't use PARCC but has its SOLs.

What makes Wilson different is they are the only cohort of high school students in the city to have, apparently, purposefully tanked the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight anymore (which probably means I will now get snarky comments), but I think everyone's fretting over something that is almost impossible to fix. If a big enough group of kids at Wilson didn't care about the PARCC because they were worried about AP's, thought it was stupid, thought is didn't really matter to them, then DCPS and Wilson need to work together to figure out a way to make it matter, assuming they in fact think it really does. If the test scores reflect the level of academic rigor at Wilson, or the schools that feed into it, then DCPS as a whole needs to take a new look at their curriculum. Either way, DCPS has to think the scores are worth caring about more than just the 5 minutes after they see them.

I think it's worth noting, though, that kids all over the country thought the test was stupid. Call it test fatigue or irritation that no one does (or can do) anything to fix the curriculum or achievement gap, but kids in many schools either opted out or put little effort into it. Wilson has many issues, but they aren't really all that different in this regard.

Beyond that, well done, Banneker.

Whether students and parents think they are dumb, other states, including Maryland, New Jersey, are making PARCC a graduation requirement. Virginia doesn't use PARCC but has its SOLs.

What makes Wilson different is they are the only cohort of high school students in the city to have, apparently, purposefully tanked the test.

It's the wrong message to send. Testing doesn't end when you finish elementary, middle, and high school. There's the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT. Kids better get use to it. Parents may have counseled their children to bomb the PARCC and focus on the AP. But in the real world, I have a lot of competing priorities at my job, and I can't just leave one project because I think another one is more important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight anymore (which probably means I will now get snarky comments), but I think everyone's fretting over something that is almost impossible to fix. If a big enough group of kids at Wilson didn't care about the PARCC because they were worried about AP's, thought it was stupid, thought is didn't really matter to them, then DCPS and Wilson need to work together to figure out a way to make it matter, assuming they in fact think it really does. If the test scores reflect the level of academic rigor at Wilson, or the schools that feed into it, then DCPS as a whole needs to take a new look at their curriculum. Either way, DCPS has to think the scores are worth caring about more than just the 5 minutes after they see them.

I think it's worth noting, though, that kids all over the country thought the test was stupid. Call it test fatigue or irritation that no one does (or can do) anything to fix the curriculum or achievement gap, but kids in many schools either opted out or put little effort into it. Wilson has many issues, but they aren't really all that different in this regard.

Beyond that, well done, Banneker.

Whether students and parents think they are dumb, other states, including Maryland, New Jersey, are making PARCC a graduation requirement. Virginia doesn't use PARCC but has its SOLs.

What makes Wilson different is they are the only cohort of high school students in the city to have, apparently, purposefully tanked the test.

It's the wrong message to send. Testing doesn't end when you finish elementary, middle, and high school. There's the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT. Kids better get use to it. Parents may have counseled their children to bomb the PARCC and focus on the AP. But in the real world, I have a lot of competing priorities at my job, and I can't just leave one project because I think another one is more important.

Right - but DCPS is screwing up PARCC by overtesting everyone.

For the reasons you mention, PARCC is only supposed to be given once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the student takes Geometry (that could be 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th for some students). Yes, some students are already taking one AP in 10th, but most APs and SAT/ACTs happen junior and senior year.

For whatever reason DCPS is giving PARCC to everyone, over and over. That isn't what OSSE requires. Of course kids and parents are pushing back. Parents should ask why -- because it goes beyond the 'state' mandate and gives more $ to Pearson.

My now 10th grader at a charter took PARCC in 8th, no PARCC in 9th, and will do it again for the last time this coming spring. Both DC and I can live with that. His AP teachers are aware of the schedule and plan study sessions and practice tests well in advance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight anymore (which probably means I will now get snarky comments), but I think everyone's fretting over something that is almost impossible to fix. If a big enough group of kids at Wilson didn't care about the PARCC because they were worried about AP's, thought it was stupid, thought is didn't really matter to them, then DCPS and Wilson need to work together to figure out a way to make it matter, assuming they in fact think it really does. If the test scores reflect the level of academic rigor at Wilson, or the schools that feed into it, then DCPS as a whole needs to take a new look at their curriculum. Either way, DCPS has to think the scores are worth caring about more than just the 5 minutes after they see them.

I think it's worth noting, though, that kids all over the country thought the test was stupid. Call it test fatigue or irritation that no one does (or can do) anything to fix the curriculum or achievement gap, but kids in many schools either opted out or put little effort into it. Wilson has many issues, but they aren't really all that different in this regard.

Beyond that, well done, Banneker.

Whether students and parents think they are dumb, other states, including Maryland, New Jersey, are making PARCC a graduation requirement. Virginia doesn't use PARCC but has its SOLs.

What makes Wilson different is they are the only cohort of high school students in the city to have, apparently, purposefully tanked the test.

It's the wrong message to send. Testing doesn't end when you finish elementary, middle, and high school. There's the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT. Kids better get use to it. Parents may have counseled their children to bomb the PARCC and focus on the AP. But in the real world, I have a lot of competing priorities at my job, and I can't just leave one project because I think another one is more important.

Never listen to anyone who compares something that is not their job to their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight anymore (which probably means I will now get snarky comments), but I think everyone's fretting over something that is almost impossible to fix. If a big enough group of kids at Wilson didn't care about the PARCC because they were worried about AP's, thought it was stupid, thought is didn't really matter to them, then DCPS and Wilson need to work together to figure out a way to make it matter, assuming they in fact think it really does. If the test scores reflect the level of academic rigor at Wilson, or the schools that feed into it, then DCPS as a whole needs to take a new look at their curriculum. Either way, DCPS has to think the scores are worth caring about more than just the 5 minutes after they see them.

I think it's worth noting, though, that kids all over the country thought the test was stupid. Call it test fatigue or irritation that no one does (or can do) anything to fix the curriculum or achievement gap, but kids in many schools either opted out or put little effort into it. Wilson has many issues, but they aren't really all that different in this regard.

Beyond that, well done, Banneker.

Whether students and parents think they are dumb, other states, including Maryland, New Jersey, are making PARCC a graduation requirement. Virginia doesn't use PARCC but has its SOLs.

What makes Wilson different is they are the only cohort of high school students in the city to have, apparently, purposefully tanked the test.

It's the wrong message to send. Testing doesn't end when you finish elementary, middle, and high school. There's the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT. Kids better get use to it. Parents may have counseled their children to bomb the PARCC and focus on the AP. But in the real world, I have a lot of competing priorities at my job, and I can't just leave one project because I think another one is more important.

Right - but DCPS is screwing up PARCC by overtesting everyone.

For the reasons you mention, PARCC is only supposed to be given once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the student takes Geometry (that could be 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th for some students). Yes, some students are already taking one AP in 10th, but most APs and SAT/ACTs happen junior and senior year.

For whatever reason DCPS is giving PARCC to everyone, over and over. That isn't what OSSE requires. Of course kids and parents are pushing back. Parents should ask why -- because it goes beyond the 'state' mandate and gives more $ to Pearson.

My now 10th grader at a charter took PARCC in 8th, no PARCC in 9th, and will do it again for the last time this coming spring. Both DC and I can live with that. His AP teachers are aware of the schedule and plan study sessions and practice tests well in advance.

I don't have kids in the testing age but that sounds like overkill. Is there a way for parents to raise this issue with the chancellor or someone else rather than have their kids purposely bomb the test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight anymore (which probably means I will now get snarky comments), but I think everyone's fretting over something that is almost impossible to fix. If a big enough group of kids at Wilson didn't care about the PARCC because they were worried about AP's, thought it was stupid, thought is didn't really matter to them, then DCPS and Wilson need to work together to figure out a way to make it matter, assuming they in fact think it really does. If the test scores reflect the level of academic rigor at Wilson, or the schools that feed into it, then DCPS as a whole needs to take a new look at their curriculum. Either way, DCPS has to think the scores are worth caring about more than just the 5 minutes after they see them.

I think it's worth noting, though, that kids all over the country thought the test was stupid. Call it test fatigue or irritation that no one does (or can do) anything to fix the curriculum or achievement gap, but kids in many schools either opted out or put little effort into it. Wilson has many issues, but they aren't really all that different in this regard.

Beyond that, well done, Banneker.

Whether students and parents think they are dumb, other states, including Maryland, New Jersey, are making PARCC a graduation requirement. Virginia doesn't use PARCC but has its SOLs.

What makes Wilson different is they are the only cohort of high school students in the city to have, apparently, purposefully tanked the test.

It's the wrong message to send. Testing doesn't end when you finish elementary, middle, and high school. There's the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT. Kids better get use to it. Parents may have counseled their children to bomb the PARCC and focus on the AP. But in the real world, I have a lot of competing priorities at my job, and I can't just leave one project because I think another one is more important.

Right - but DCPS is screwing up PARCC by overtesting everyone.

For the reasons you mention, PARCC is only supposed to be given once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the student takes Geometry (that could be 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th for some students). Yes, some students are already taking one AP in 10th, but most APs and SAT/ACTs happen junior and senior year.

For whatever reason DCPS is giving PARCC to everyone, over and over. That isn't what OSSE requires. Of course kids and parents are pushing back. Parents should ask why -- because it goes beyond the 'state' mandate and gives more $ to Pearson.

My now 10th grader at a charter took PARCC in 8th, no PARCC in 9th, and will do it again for the last time this coming spring. Both DC and I can live with that. His AP teachers are aware of the schedule and plan study sessions and practice tests well in advance.

I don't have kids in the testing age but that sounds like overkill. Is there a way for parents to raise this issue with the chancellor or someone else rather than have their kids purposely bomb the test?

Sounds like parents already raised the issue, and were ignored.

Essentially, Wilson students and their parents, of every race and ethnicity, gave a Big Middle Finger to DCPS and to the school administration.

Who's right, who's wrong, doesn't matter. Reflects poorly on the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have a dog in this fight anymore (which probably means I will now get snarky comments), but I think everyone's fretting over something that is almost impossible to fix. If a big enough group of kids at Wilson didn't care about the PARCC because they were worried about AP's, thought it was stupid, thought is didn't really matter to them, then DCPS and Wilson need to work together to figure out a way to make it matter, assuming they in fact think it really does. If the test scores reflect the level of academic rigor at Wilson, or the schools that feed into it, then DCPS as a whole needs to take a new look at their curriculum. Either way, DCPS has to think the scores are worth caring about more than just the 5 minutes after they see them.

I think it's worth noting, though, that kids all over the country thought the test was stupid. Call it test fatigue or irritation that no one does (or can do) anything to fix the curriculum or achievement gap, but kids in many schools either opted out or put little effort into it. Wilson has many issues, but they aren't really all that different in this regard.

Beyond that, well done, Banneker.

Whether students and parents think they are dumb, other states, including Maryland, New Jersey, are making PARCC a graduation requirement. Virginia doesn't use PARCC but has its SOLs.

What makes Wilson different is they are the only cohort of high school students in the city to have, apparently, purposefully tanked the test.

It's the wrong message to send. Testing doesn't end when you finish elementary, middle, and high school. There's the LSAT, GMAT, MCAT. Kids better get use to it. Parents may have counseled their children to bomb the PARCC and focus on the AP. But in the real world, I have a lot of competing priorities at my job, and I can't just leave one project because I think another one is more important.

Right - but DCPS is screwing up PARCC by overtesting everyone.

For the reasons you mention, PARCC is only supposed to be given once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the student takes Geometry (that could be 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th for some students). Yes, some students are already taking one AP in 10th, but most APs and SAT/ACTs happen junior and senior year.

For whatever reason DCPS is giving PARCC to everyone, over and over. That isn't what OSSE requires. Of course kids and parents are pushing back. Parents should ask why -- because it goes beyond the 'state' mandate and gives more $ to Pearson.

My now 10th grader at a charter took PARCC in 8th, no PARCC in 9th, and will do it again for the last time this coming spring. Both DC and I can live with that. His AP teachers are aware of the schedule and plan study sessions and practice tests well in advance.

I don't have kids in the testing age but that sounds like overkill. Is there a way for parents to raise this issue with the chancellor or someone else rather than have their kids purposely bomb the test?

Sounds like parents already raised the issue, and were ignored.

Essentially, Wilson students and their parents, of every race and ethnicity, gave a Big Middle Finger to DCPS and to the school administration.

Who's right, who's wrong, doesn't matter. Reflects poorly on the school.

Knowing the full story, I don't think it does and I have no personal connection to Wilson.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it reflects all that poorly on the school, unless you choose to only assume the kids didn't take the test because of some silly reason. These kids have been tested constantly, for years. They are told in elementary school, when they take 4 or 5 practice tests throughout the year, that it matter for their teachers, the school, whatever. Then they are tested again multiple times in middle school. Then they finally get to HS, where there are some tests that do matter, and they are still tested like they have been since elementary school. Throughout this entire process, they have seen very little change resulting from all these tests. It's no wonder they question the need for the PARCC. I suppose they should have risen above it all and taken it seriously, but that's expecting an awful lot from teenagers whose entire academic experience has shown them these kinds of tests don't do much more than make their teachers nervous.

I do think DCPS needs a way to assess how well their students are doing; but, once they have done so, they need to actually try to implement some policies that address whatever they feel is lacking as a result of these tests. That's the point. Just administering a different test, or more tests, doesn't do anything unless they are willing to adapt a curriculum in a way that starts to show some kind of real improvement.

Seriously - DCPS kids take WAY more tests throughout the year than kids in other school districts. I was amazed when I heard parents complaining about all their kids' tests when they just had 3 days a year devoted to them. 2 weeks of prep, and 3 days of test taking a year. That's it. And that was considered too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it reflects all that poorly on the school, unless you choose to only assume the kids didn't take the test because of some silly reason. These kids have been tested constantly, for years. They are told in elementary school, when they take 4 or 5 practice tests throughout the year, that it matter for their teachers, the school, whatever. Then they are tested again multiple times in middle school. Then they finally get to HS, where there are some tests that do matter, and they are still tested like they have been since elementary school. Throughout this entire process, they have seen very little change resulting from all these tests. It's no wonder they question the need for the PARCC. I suppose they should have risen above it all and taken it seriously, but that's expecting an awful lot from teenagers whose entire academic experience has shown them these kinds of tests don't do much more than make their teachers nervous.

I do think DCPS needs a way to assess how well their students are doing; but, once they have done so, they need to actually try to implement some policies that address whatever they feel is lacking as a result of these tests. That's the point. Just administering a different test, or more tests, doesn't do anything unless they are willing to adapt a curriculum in a way that starts to show some kind of real improvement.

Seriously - DCPS kids take WAY more tests throughout the year than kids in other school districts. I was amazed when I heard parents complaining about all their kids' tests when they just had 3 days a year devoted to them. 2 weeks of prep, and 3 days of test taking a year. That's it. And that was considered too much.

If it's not required by OSSE and some charter schools are not giving the same number of tests, parents should really push back. Not just by seeking an opt-out and when that is not granted, have the kids drop the test. Organize and make a stink about it. I would if I had a child in the testing age. I know it's easier said than done, but still...

This would be a great follow up piece to the WaPo article on the PARCC results and how Wilson tanked so badly.

[Anonymous]

So I've always kind of wondered something: what are these tests actually testing? I always hear about how teachers have to stop teaching what they are supposed to be teaching so they can focus on teaching what is on these tests. Why aren't they lining the tests up with what the teachers are supposed to be teaching? It seems to me that these tests are mostly evaluating a teacher's ability to simultaneously teach DCPS and PARCC curriculum. For the life of me, I can't figure out how the geometry these kids learn in their HS classroom isn't the same geometry the PARCC system thinks they should know. Where is the disconnect here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I've always kind of wondered something: what are these tests actually testing? I always hear about how teachers have to stop teaching what they are supposed to be teaching so they can focus on teaching what is on these tests. Why aren't they lining the tests up with what the teachers are supposed to be teaching? It seems to me that these tests are mostly evaluating a teacher's ability to simultaneously teach DCPS and PARCC curriculum. For the life of me, I can't figure out how the geometry these kids learn in their HS classroom isn't the same geometry the PARCC system thinks they should know. Where is the disconnect here?

Kids are supposed to be learning the things in the common core standards for a particular grade (you can look up what they are). DCPS and other schools can use lots of different curriculums and textbooks that turn those standards into lessons.

PARCC is a test that has been developed to determine whether the common core standards have been mastered. There is another web-based test out there that does the same thing (called "Smarter Balance" and it's being used by some states).

The Common Core standards are new, and are supposedly 'tougher' than what was expected of students 10 years ago. So teachers are having to teach new stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it reflects all that poorly on the school, unless you choose to only assume the kids didn't take the test because of some silly reason. These kids have been tested constantly, for years. They are told in elementary school, when they take 4 or 5 practice tests throughout the year, that it matter for their teachers, the school, whatever. Then they are tested again multiple times in middle school. Then they finally get to HS, where there are some tests that do matter, and they are still tested like they have been since elementary school. Throughout this entire process, they have seen very little change resulting from all these tests. It's no wonder they question the need for the PARCC. I suppose they should have risen above it all and taken it seriously, but that's expecting an awful lot from teenagers whose entire academic experience has shown them these kinds of tests don't do much more than make their teachers nervous.

I do think DCPS needs a way to assess how well their students are doing; but, once they have done so, they need to actually try to implement some policies that address whatever they feel is lacking as a result of these tests. That's the point. Just administering a different test, or more tests, doesn't do anything unless they are willing to adapt a curriculum in a way that starts to show some kind of real improvement.

Seriously - DCPS kids take WAY more tests throughout the year than kids in other school districts. I was amazed when I heard parents complaining about all their kids' tests when they just had 3 days a year devoted to them. 2 weeks of prep, and 3 days of test taking a year. That's it. And that was considered too much.

If it's not required by OSSE and some charter schools are not giving the same number of tests, parents should really push back. Not just by seeking an opt-out and when that is not granted, have the kids drop the test. Organize and make a stink about it. I would if I had a child in the testing age. I know it's easier said than done, but still...

This would be a great follow up piece to the WaPo article on the PARCC results and how Wilson tanked so badly.

+1. I honestly think DCPS is having kids do it over and over in high school hopes of showing that scores 'improved.' Multiple bites at the apple, so to speak.

Perhaps there is some merit to having kids who got a 1, 2, or 3 re-test a year later to see if they moved toward proficiency. But if you get a 4 or 5 on ELA in 10th you should be done. And you shouldn't be bothered with that one at all in 9th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So I've always kind of wondered something: what are these tests actually testing? I always hear about how teachers have to stop teaching what they are supposed to be teaching so they can focus on teaching what is on these tests. Why aren't they lining the tests up with what the teachers are supposed to be teaching? It seems to me that these tests are mostly evaluating a teacher's ability to simultaneously teach DCPS and PARCC curriculum. For the life of me, I can't figure out how the geometry these kids learn in their HS classroom isn't the same geometry the PARCC system thinks they should know. Where is the disconnect here?

Kids are supposed to be learning the things in the common core standards for a particular grade (you can look up what they are). DCPS and other schools can use lots of different curriculums and textbooks that turn those standards into lessons.

PARCC is a test that has been developed to determine whether the common core standards have been mastered. There is another web-based test out there that does the same thing (called "Smarter Balance" and it's being used by some states).

The Common Core standards are new, and are supposedly 'tougher' than what was expected of students 10 years ago. So teachers are having to teach new stuff.

Yes, I understand. Thank you. This is a very rational reason, and makes sense. But, if teachers are teaching new stuff, and the curriculum/textbooks they use to teach this new stuff are being used effectively, presumably we would see better results on these tests than we are (tanking aside). I still can't shake the feeling that, despite Common Core, these students are either not being taught all of what they need to know, or there are other factors at play here. In either case, you would think DCPS would do more to figure out what that is and address it. Some of these numbers are abysmal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it reflects all that poorly on the school, unless you choose to only assume the kids didn't take the test because of some silly reason. These kids have been tested constantly, for years. They are told in elementary school, when they take 4 or 5 practice tests throughout the year, that it matter for their teachers, the school, whatever. Then they are tested again multiple times in middle school. Then they finally get to HS, where there are some tests that do matter, and they are still tested like they have been since elementary school. Throughout this entire process, they have seen very little change resulting from all these tests. It's no wonder they question the need for the PARCC. I suppose they should have risen above it all and taken it seriously, but that's expecting an awful lot from teenagers whose entire academic experience has shown them these kinds of tests don't do much more than make their teachers nervous.

I do think DCPS needs a way to assess how well their students are doing; but, once they have done so, they need to actually try to implement some policies that address whatever they feel is lacking as a result of these tests. That's the point. Just administering a different test, or more tests, doesn't do anything unless they are willing to adapt a curriculum in a way that starts to show some kind of real improvement.

Seriously - DCPS kids take WAY more tests throughout the year than kids in other school districts. I was amazed when I heard parents complaining about all their kids' tests when they just had 3 days a year devoted to them. 2 weeks of prep, and 3 days of test taking a year. That's it. And that was considered too much.

If it's not required by OSSE and some charter schools are not giving the same number of tests, parents should really push back. Not just by seeking an opt-out and when that is not granted, have the kids drop the test. Organize and make a stink about it. I would if I had a child in the testing age. I know it's easier said than done, but still...

This would be a great follow up piece to the WaPo article on the PARCC results and how Wilson tanked so badly.

+1.

The communications from the school around all this have added precious little light.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it reflects all that poorly on the school, unless you choose to only assume the kids didn't take the test because of some silly reason. These kids have been tested constantly, for years. They are told in elementary school, when they take 4 or 5 practice tests throughout the year, that it matter for their teachers, the school, whatever. Then they are tested again multiple times in middle school. Then they finally get to HS, where there are some tests that do matter, and they are still tested like they have been since elementary school. Throughout this entire process, they have seen very little change resulting from all these tests. It's no wonder they question the need for the PARCC. I suppose they should have risen above it all and taken it seriously, but that's expecting an awful lot from teenagers whose entire academic experience has shown them these kinds of tests don't do much more than make their teachers nervous.

I do think DCPS needs a way to assess how well their students are doing; but, once they have done so, they need to actually try to implement some policies that address whatever they feel is lacking as a result of these tests. That's the point. Just administering a different test, or more tests, doesn't do anything unless they are willing to adapt a curriculum in a way that starts to show some kind of real improvement.

Seriously - DCPS kids take WAY more tests throughout the year than kids in other school districts. I was amazed when I heard parents complaining about all their kids' tests when they just had 3 days a year devoted to them. 2 weeks of prep, and 3 days of test taking a year. That's it. And that was considered too much.

If it's not required by OSSE and some charter schools are not giving the same number of tests, parents should really push back. Not just by seeking an opt-out and when that is not granted, have the kids drop the test. Organize and make a stink about it. I would if I had a child in the testing age. I know it's easier said than done, but still...

This would be a great follow up piece to the WaPo article on the PARCC results and how Wilson tanked so badly.

+1. I honestly think DCPS is having kids do it over and over in high school hopes of showing that scores 'improved.' Multiple bites at the apple, so to speak.

Perhaps there is some merit to having kids who got a 1, 2, or 3 re-test a year later to see if they moved toward proficiency. But if you get a 4 or 5 on ELA in 10th you should be done. And you shouldn't be bothered with that one at all in 9th.

Still, what makes Wilson so different from SWW or Banneker? Because their responses to the same challenge have been diametrically opposed.