Are public schools everywhere in the US getting bad post-pandemic?

[Anonymous]

Yes, time for school choice in all 50 states.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, time for school choice in all 50 states.

You aren’t getting vouchers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in NOVA and the school situation is depressing. The biggest problem I see is that teachers can't control the behavioral problems of kids (not blaming teachers btw) so not a lot of learning is happening and the whole school environment is just really stressful for kids. I was honestly thinking about moving but I hear complaints about this from people in many different places. Are there any places in the US where this isn't the trend?

My kids are doing amazing but I think it's because I made sure they didn't slack off during remote. In the end this was mostly about parenting not schools, but that's always been true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers leaving in droves is a national issue. Kids acting out post pandemic is a national issue. The lack of rigor and closing the achievement gap is a national issue.

yes, some place deal with it better than others. You need to move to a smaller and wealthier school district where the disparities are smaller.

Teachers are not 'leaving in droves'. Back this up by a statistic because it's the classic union line which has not been the case in the DMV.

NP. Are you saying that teacher retention isn't a problem or just taking issue with the "in droves" language? Because if you don't think teacher retention is a problem, why not? Are all these articles and more just BSing their numbers?

https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/11/07/virginia-report-shows-more-teachers-leaving-the-workforce-than-entering-it/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/07/15/teacher-resignations-rise-dc-area/

https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/teaching-in-virginia/turning-the-tide

What have you seen that makes you think that there is no issue with teacher retention?

I would be happy to learn what the union feels will solve the retention issue. Maybe it can be applied to nursing, law enforcement, service industry and just about every other field which is suffering a worker shortage.

[Anonymous]

Two things are ruining schools: “equity” nonsense that drives down standards for leaning and discipline, and electronic devices including student cell phones along with the increased reliance of teachers on iPads/chromebooks/apps for teaching. Let’s go back to the days where kids read physical books in school and miscreants who throw chairs in the classroom get suspended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in NOVA and the school situation is depressing. The biggest problem I see is that teachers can't control the behavioral problems of kids (not blaming teachers btw) so not a lot of learning is happening and the whole school environment is just really stressful for kids. I was honestly thinking about moving but I hear complaints about this from people in many different places. Are there any places in the US where this isn't the trend?

My kids are doing amazing but I think it's because I made sure they didn't slack off during remote. In the end this was mostly about parenting not schools, but that's always been true.

OP here. What do you mean they are doing “amazing?” My kids are getting pretty good grades and scoring high on all their standardized tests scores (both have reading and math scores several grades above grade level) but still find school incredibly stressful, and in many of their classes they dont learn a lot.

[Anonymous]

Homeschooling is on the rise. Some news reports say minority growth in rate of homeschooling is especially high.

[Anonymous]

Yes, standards are so low, teachers are afraid to push the kids in anyway, everything is open-notes, group projects, retakes, etc. and behavior is out of control. Ours literally locks all the bathrooms because they can’t figure out how to stop vaping and vandalism. DD has to search the school for 10 minutes looking for an unlocked bathroom to pee and then gets yelled at by mean random staff members for dawdling and missing class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, time for school choice in all 50 states.

Oh sure honey. Take your 10k and apply it to our private school.
Of course our private will just raise tuition another 10k…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, time for school choice in all 50 states.

Oh sure honey. Take your 10k and apply it to our private school.
Of course our private will just raise tuition another 10k…

I’m sure private schools would love it if families who might apply for financial aid already had 10k covered by an alternate source. While $10,000 in vouchers wouldn’t allow everyone to apply, it would certainly increase the pool of qualified applicants, including qualified applicants who are diverse in various ways. I don’t see why they would raise tuition, especially if voucher money replaced some of their financial aid budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad you started this thread. My oldest just finished first grade and I'm a bit shell shocked and overwhelmed. DH and I just can't imagine 11 more years of this. Our teachers have been good, it's just the problems they deal with daily are wild. The classroom spread is huge; one kid was basically a genius and another just came to America a few months ago, didn't know letters and couldn't speak english. The discipline problems are big too.

I remember schools being a magical place filled with bright students who liked to learn, but I was in Gifted. Every school had a regular, honors and then gifted classes, plus ESL for two years until kids learned English. They now have only one class for everyone, so the rich kids have fled to private or sold their homes and moved.

Don’t worry your kid can go to a magnet school by middle school and then never see those esl/ average kids again! In elementary at least he will have some exposure to kids that are different ….kids with special needs, immigrant kids, etc. and you can easily supplement his education outside of school! It’s a win win

I absolutely hate this argument. Where in the world is the time? Kids are in school all day, we are working all day. We want them to be active and get their.enrgy out with sports and pursue other interests and have family time and friends.

It's one thing to support academics if they are struggling or interested but the idea that everyone should be supplementing after kids are spending (wasting?) all day in school is terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm glad you started this thread. My oldest just finished first grade and I'm a bit shell shocked and overwhelmed. DH and I just can't imagine 11 more years of this. Our teachers have been good, it's just the problems they deal with daily are wild. The classroom spread is huge; one kid was basically a genius and another just came to America a few months ago, didn't know letters and couldn't speak english. The discipline problems are big too.

I remember schools being a magical place filled with bright students who liked to learn, but I was in Gifted. Every school had a regular, honors and then gifted classes, plus ESL for two years until kids learned English. They now have only one class for everyone, so the rich kids have fled to private or sold their homes and moved.

I feel for you. At the other end - sophomore and senior - and watched the train wreck pre pandemic (MCPS) then left that disaster to smaller district (not DMV). Be prepared to do it all: private, homeschool and moving. Good districts exist but increasingly you really have to dig into curriculum and which district pays for outside training. (MCPS does not). I wish you great luck. Sadly you will need it. I told my kids if you are thinking of having children you have to factor in private school - at least K-5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, time for school choice in all 50 states.

Oh sure honey. Take your 10k and apply it to our private school.
Of course our private will just raise tuition another 10k…

I’m sure private schools would love it if families who might apply for financial aid already had 10k covered by an alternate source. While $10,000 in vouchers wouldn’t allow everyone to apply, it would certainly increase the pool of qualified applicants, including qualified applicants who are diverse in various ways. I don’t see why they would raise tuition, especially if voucher money replaced some of their financial aid budget.

Umm, because private schools are private businesses whose primarily goal is maximizing profits? Put another way, I don't see why they wouldn't raise tuition in that scenario. Maybe not by the full $10k, and maybe not as a 1-year step, but a couple grand a year for a few years straight? No doubt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two things are ruining schools: “equity” nonsense that drives down standards for leaning and discipline, and electronic devices including student cell phones along with the increased reliance of teachers on iPads/chromebooks/apps for teaching. Let’s go back to the days where kids read physical books in school and miscreants who throw chairs in the classroom get suspended.

Public schools legally do not have the same ability to expel students that repeatedly exhibit disruptive behaviors. In the past these students could be sent to alternative schools however due to 'equity' they are now generally expected to remain with students who do not exhibit these behaviors.

[Anonymous]

No, they were getting bad long before the pandemic.