Post rankings of DCPS - % of advanced students in reading and math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

No-DCPS uses a standardizing testing system that is identical to the one used in Massachusettts. It was introduced by Clifford Janey Rhee's predecessor. She has not changed it as far as I know.

Actually, Massachusetts spends the money to produce brand new tests every year. Although DCPS based the instructional standards on those from Massachusetts, only one test was created per grade, and they have been administering that SAME test every year.

This is interesting comment. I think this past year (2008) was the second year of the new DCCAS. If the above poster's information is accurate, that means DC teachers have seen the same test twice in a row and probably adjusted to teach to the test (i.e. if geometry wasn't covered by April in grade 3, but it's on the DCCAS, I'll guarantee you that teachers are now teaching it earlier!) So, I'd really discount any bump in test scores between 2007 and 2008 unless it was really quite large.

[Anonymous]

I learned a lot reading this thread. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

There IS one test that is given to children in all three jurisdications -- in 4th grade -- it is called the NAEP test. I'm not sure if it is given to ALL the children in fourth grade or just some. I can't seem to find results per school or per school district, either -- just state by state.

Still -- the results seem to show levels of both proficient and advanced students in Math, Reading, and Writing. If you could get the results for the various school districts and compare them, I think it would help a lot to determine of the individual state standards for MD and VA were setting a higher or lower bar.

Anyone know more about this test?

According to this article, written last year, although Maryland State math test scores have been going up a LOT, the scores for the NAEP 4th grade math have barely budged. To me, this would indicate that the Maryland state tests aren't all that hard.

http://somd.com/news/headlines/2007/6636.shtml

[Anonymous]

Just to interject...the top DCPS schools can be as good, or even better than both MoCo schools and private schools. I went to a "Big Three" private growing here up from K-12. I loved it and hope to send my own children there who are currently at one of the top DCPS schools. My older child went to a MoCo school before we moved back into DC and I strongly believe our school is MUCH better than the top MoCo school he went to...smaller class size, superb principal, incredibly energetic parent body at our school. And though we can afford private school, I prefer our DCPS because it's in the neighborhood, small, my kids are THRIVING...honestly just fabulous.

[Anonymous]

check out the NAEP scores by ethnicity by race
http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2007/10/a_different_loo.php

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just to interject...the top DCPS schools can be as good, or even better than both MoCo schools and private schools. I went to a "Big Three" private growing here up from K-12. I loved it and hope to send my own children there who are currently at one of the top DCPS schools. My older child went to a MoCo school before we moved back into DC and I strongly believe our school is MUCH better than the top MoCo school he went to...smaller class size, superb principal, incredibly energetic parent body at our school. And though we can afford private school, I prefer our DCPS because it's in the neighborhood, small, my kids are THRIVING...honestly just fabulous.

Spill the beans PP--what school??

[Anonymous]

Sounds like Mann - am I right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:check out the NAEP scores by ethnicity by race
http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2007/10/a_different_loo.php

Fascinating. Wherever did you find this? It's no secret that Virginia schools are better than Maryland's, but white students in DC out-perform their white peers in both? Very interesting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:check out the NAEP scores by ethnicity by race
http://www.schoolinfosystem.org/archives/2007/10/a_different_loo.php

Fascinating. Wherever did you find this? It's no secret that Virginia schools are better than Maryland's, but white students in DC out-perform their white peers in both? Very interesting.

Not just better than VA and MD -- best in the country, if I'm reading the chart properly.

[Anonymous]

I believe that you are.

[Anonymous]

This really shouldn't be shocking, actually. DC's white population is small, geographically concentrated, and socio-economically homogeneous. So the dynamic in most of these students' homes -- emphasis on education, strong support from parents -- is reinforced throughout the ES communities. And parents in these areas tend to subsidize their schools.

Although this data point would be a great selling point for white parents torn between DCPS and private, the flip side is that the system is doing an abysmal job with black and Hispanic students. So I guess I'm not surprised that most of us haven't heard this before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just to interject...the top DCPS schools can be as good, or even better than both MoCo schools and private schools. I went to a "Big Three" private growing here up from K-12. I loved it and hope to send my own children there who are currently at one of the top DCPS schools. My older child went to a MoCo school before we moved back into DC and I strongly believe our school is MUCH better than the top MoCo school he went to...smaller class size, superb principal, incredibly energetic parent body at our school. And though we can afford private school, I prefer our DCPS because it's in the neighborhood, small, my kids are THRIVING...honestly just fabulous.

Please, tell us. Key?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This really shouldn't be shocking, actually. DC's white population is small, geographically concentrated, and socio-economically homogeneous. So the dynamic in most of these students' homes -- emphasis on education, strong support from parents -- is reinforced throughout the ES communities. And parents in these areas tend to subsidize their schools.

Although this data point would be a great selling point for white parents torn between DCPS and private, the flip side is that the system is doing an abysmal job with black and Hispanic students. So I guess I'm not surprised that most of us haven't heard this before.

Don't most of these kids go to private MS and HS, rather than DCPS? I wonder how DCPS kids compare after ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This really shouldn't be shocking, actually. DC's white population is small, geographically concentrated, and socio-economically homogeneous. So the dynamic in most of these students' homes -- emphasis on education, strong support from parents -- is reinforced throughout the ES communities. And parents in these areas tend to subsidize their schools.

Although this data point would be a great selling point for white parents torn between DCPS and private, the flip side is that the system is doing an abysmal job with black and Hispanic students. So I guess I'm not surprised that most of us haven't heard this before.

Your last paragraph is actually one reason why we moved out of DCPS. The two-tiered nature of a school like Wilson gives me the creeps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This really shouldn't be shocking, actually. DC's white population is small, geographically concentrated, and socio-economically homogeneous. So the dynamic in most of these students' homes -- emphasis on education, strong support from parents -- is reinforced throughout the ES communities. And parents in these areas tend to subsidize their schools.

Although this data point would be a great selling point for white parents torn between DCPS and private, the flip side is that the system is doing an abysmal job with black and Hispanic students. So I guess I'm not surprised that most of us haven't heard this before.

Don't most of these kids go to private MS and HS, rather than DCPS? I wonder how DCPS kids compare after ES.

This data is broken down by race. So while many white (and black) students leave DCPS after ES, the white kids who stay are still the same kids clustered in the same areas going to the best DCPS MSs and HSs. I'm guessing the data would stay the same. A much-referenced study of kids who graduated from Lafayette in 2000 showed that there was no difference in HS success and college acceptances between the kids who stayed in DCPS and those who went private or moved to another district.