S/0 if you could improve low school performance, what would you do?

[Anonymous]

It's not doable politically or financially, but since kids perform poorly for all kinds of reasons that have nothing to do with intelligence and learning, you have to have remedies that go well beyond the academic. So you need to turn the schools into a place where kids (and their families) in need can get all kinds of services: health care, help with qualifying for social service programs, family counseling, etc. I'm not saying that principals and teachers should provide these services, only that the schools serve as the gateway to such services. That will take a lot more money, staff and infrastructure -- which are only a few of the reasons that this idea isn't going anywhere politically or financially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned improving services for special needs children. As a parent with a special needs child, I can tell you that it is a nightmare to get basic services for a child that is obviously struggling and obviously has a learning disability. Even with two parents who are lawyers and clear/cut expensive outside testing, the time required to keep the local schools from dropping the ball is intense. The local schools see para-educators as coverage and reserve staffing for covering meetings and many non special needs functions. As long as the local school has enough of a caseload to justify the existing staff, more cases are just more work. There is a real problem with schools not providing services that are required by federal law and in the end position kids not to fail later on. The local ES schools could care less if a child doesn't get the services they need and later fails in middle or high school.

I can't imagine what happens to kids with parents who can't advocate at this level and don't have the money for expensive outside testing to prove to the school that the child has a problem. Prematurity and learning disabilities are more prevalent in lower SES children than higher SES children. The higher SES children with LDs are more likely to come from older parents that are more likely to be financially established. The gap here is extreme between low SES and high SES.

If MCPS was compliant with federal law and held responsible for reporting and serving special needs children across the county, scores would improve for this population.

SN kids should be put in a specific class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
SN kids should be put in a specific class.

According to federal law, a child has a right to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. If you don't like that, ask your federal elected representatives to change the law.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned improving services for special needs children. As a parent with a special needs child, I can tell you that it is a nightmare to get basic services for a child that is obviously struggling and obviously has a learning disability. Even with two parents who are lawyers and clear/cut expensive outside testing, the time required to keep the local schools from dropping the ball is intense. The local schools see para-educators as coverage and reserve staffing for covering meetings and many non special needs functions. As long as the local school has enough of a caseload to justify the existing staff, more cases are just more work. There is a real problem with schools not providing services that are required by federal law and in the end position kids not to fail later on. The local ES schools could care less if a child doesn't get the services they need and later fails in middle or high school.

I can't imagine what happens to kids with parents who can't advocate at this level and don't have the money for expensive outside testing to prove to the school that the child has a problem. Prematurity and learning disabilities are more prevalent in lower SES children than higher SES children. The higher SES children with LDs are more likely to come from older parents that are more likely to be financially established. The gap here is extreme between low SES and high SES.

If MCPS was compliant with federal law and held responsible for reporting and serving special needs children across the county, scores would improve for this population.

SN kids should be put in a specific class.

No thank you! My SN child needs to be in a mainstream class. In fact, many kids would benefit from being taught in the same way my SN needs to be taught -- explicit, multi-sensory instruction helps many kids. SN kids are quite different and need to be provided instruction that addresses their specific needs, not just warehoused together and subject to low expectations.

[Anonymous]

I agree but extra staff should be employed to team teach with mainstream teachers in that case.

[Anonymous]

We moved from a DCC school to a W school. Teacher quality was the same, the admin. was similar, the curriculum was nearly identical. The DCC school had smaller class sizes and more children being pulled out for help with English and with reading. From what I saw, the teachers and admin were dedicated to having these children read and achieve English fluency. What I also saw however was low turnout on back to school nights. When I volunteered, I encountered children who did not have books at home or even crayons. Now, I did not know most of these families personally, but I find it hard to believe that it would beyond the ability of most families in MoCo to purchase a few used books and a packet of crayons for their child. We can throw tons of resources (because smaller class sizes, additional teaching staff, free breakfasts all cost a lot) at the children but unless this effort is reinforced by parents who partner with the schools to educate their children, it will not help these children achieve their full potential. I'm not sure how you "legislate" this! If there was one other thing the county could do, it might be universal preschool. Again though, the benefits of universal preschool would ideally be magnified and leveraged by parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from a DCC school to a W school. Teacher quality was the same, the admin. was similar, the curriculum was nearly identical. The DCC school had smaller class sizes and more children being pulled out for help with English and with reading. From what I saw, the teachers and admin were dedicated to having these children read and achieve English fluency. What I also saw however was low turnout on back to school nights. When I volunteered, I encountered children who did not have books at home or even crayons. Now, I did not know most of these families personally, but I find it hard to believe that it would beyond the ability of most families in MoCo to purchase a few used books and a packet of crayons for their child. We can throw tons of resources (because smaller class sizes, additional teaching staff, free breakfasts all cost a lot) at the children but unless this effort is reinforced by parents who partner with the schools to educate their children, it will not help these children achieve their full potential. I'm not sure how you "legislate" this! If there was one other thing the county could do, it might be universal preschool. Again though, the benefits of universal preschool would ideally be magnified and leveraged by parents.

Agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised no one has mentioned improving services for special needs children. As a parent with a special needs child, I can tell you that it is a nightmare to get basic services for a child that is obviously struggling and obviously has a learning disability. Even with two parents who are lawyers and clear/cut expensive outside testing, the time required to keep the local schools from dropping the ball is intense. The local schools see para-educators as coverage and reserve staffing for covering meetings and many non special needs functions. As long as the local school has enough of a caseload to justify the existing staff, more cases are just more work. There is a real problem with schools not providing services that are required by federal law and in the end position kids not to fail later on. The local ES schools could care less if a child doesn't get the services they need and later fails in middle or high school.

I can't imagine what happens to kids with parents who can't advocate at this level and don't have the money for expensive outside testing to prove to the school that the child has a problem. Prematurity and learning disabilities are more prevalent in lower SES children than higher SES children. The higher SES children with LDs are more likely to come from older parents that are more likely to be financially established. The gap here is extreme between low SES and high SES.

If MCPS was compliant with federal law and held responsible for reporting and serving special needs children across the county, scores would improve for this population.

SN kids should be put i
n a specific class.

I agree, it's great for SN kids but you are punishing the "normal" and advanced kids.

No thank you! My SN child needs to be in a mainstream class. In fact, many kids would benefit from being taught in the same way my SN needs to be taught -- explicit, multi-sensory instruction helps many kids. SN kids are quite different and need to be provided instruction that addresses their specific needs, not just warehoused together and subject to low expectations.

[Anonymous]

Longer recess in in k - 3 years.

Emphasis on early Math skills in grades 1-3 through daily reptilian ala KUmon type practice


Less funding for head start, more funding for two teachers per class in k-3. Head start gains are short lasting and being realistic preschool skills are retaught in K anyways. Head start just needs to focus on nurturing environment - the learning will come naturally.

High expectations for all kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: What would you do to actually raise the performance of the lower performing students? Not lower the gap by hoping others would drop but actually raise the performance of lower performing students and schools?

# 1) Put lower performing kids in a different class completely - I mean obviously, they need extra time and focus on certain skills they are lacking.

2) That separate class would focus more on preparing for standardized testing

3) That separate class would de-emphasize homework (at home) - and even provide a class time for homework. I can guarantee you many of these kids do not have the same resources or quiet places for homework. More single parents, more english as a second language, not as much access to computers, etc. I can attest that this can be just as good, because I switched from a top public to a private, and the private did not emphasize homework (at home) so much, plus we had an extra period for doing homework, and all but 2 kids went to college, and mine wasn't even a top school.

4) That separate class would add extra computer instruction or computer class time use.

This and also expelling unruly kids that refuse to change. Disruptive classes affect everyone.

Where would you send them? The school is legally obligated to educate a child unruly or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from a DCC school to a W school. Teacher quality was the same, the admin. was similar, the curriculum was nearly identical. The DCC school had smaller class sizes and more children being pulled out for help with English and with reading. From what I saw, the teachers and admin were dedicated to having these children read and achieve English fluency. What I also saw however was low turnout on back to school nights. When I volunteered, I encountered children who did not have books at home or even crayons. Now, I did not know most of these families personally, but I find it hard to believe that it would beyond the ability of most families in MoCo to purchase a few used books and a packet of crayons for their child. We can throw tons of resources (because smaller class sizes, additional teaching staff, free breakfasts all cost a lot) at the children but unless this effort is reinforced by parents who partner with the schools to educate their children, it will not help these children achieve their full potential. I'm not sure how you "legislate" this! If there was one other thing the county could do, it might be universal preschool. Again though, the benefits of universal preschool would ideally be magnified and leveraged by parents.

+1.

[Anonymous]

We can throw tons of resources (because smaller class sizes, additional teaching staff, free breakfasts all cost a lot) at the children but unless this effort is reinforced by parents who partner with the schools to educate their children, it will not help these children achieve their full potential.

If your assertion is true then any money spent on this group is a waste. Failing is failing so the county may as well re-allocate $$ back to the areas with higher performing students.

Parental involvement and home education is critical ONLY when the educational system is deficient, which is exactly what is going on here. We just don't want to admit t. Its far easier to call whatever we do a success on our part and a failure on the lower SES parent's part. This simply isn't true but its more convenient for us.

The lower performing schools where kids are receiving free before and aftercare have these kids for 11 hours a day. The 2 remaining hours in the day when the child is awake and with their parents does not need to be spent reading and coloring if the 11 hours are used effectively.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from a DCC school to a W school. Teacher quality was the same, the admin. was similar, the curriculum was nearly identical. The DCC school had smaller class sizes and more children being pulled out for help with English and with reading. From what I saw, the teachers and admin were dedicated to having these children read and achieve English fluency. What I also saw however was low turnout on back to school nights. When I volunteered, I encountered children who did not have books at home or even crayons. Now, I did not know most of these families personally, but I find it hard to believe that it would beyond the ability of most families in MoCo to purchase a few used books and a packet of crayons for their child. We can throw tons of resources (because smaller class sizes, additional teaching staff, free breakfasts all cost a lot) at the children but unless this effort is reinforced by parents who partner with the schools to educate their children, it will not help these children achieve their full potential. I'm not sure how you "legislate" this! If there was one other thing the county could do, it might be universal preschool. Again though, the benefits of universal preschool would ideally be magnified and leveraged by parents.

I don't buy the "no books" "no crayons" thing. Sorry, low income kids routinely get free books sent home with them from various charities along with loads of other stuff throughout the year. They have them but the books are likely buried under a ton of other crap - plastic toys, barbies, xbox, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: What would you do to actually raise the performance of the lower performing students? Not lower the gap by hoping others would drop but actually raise the performance of lower performing students and schools?

# 1) Put lower performing kids in a different class completely - I mean obviously, they need extra time and focus on certain skills they are lacking.

2) That separate class would focus more on preparing for standardized testing

3) That separate class would de-emphasize homework (at home) - and even provide a class time for homework. I can guarantee you many of these kids do not have the same resources or quiet places for homework. More single parents, more english as a second language, not as much access to computers, etc. I can attest that this can be just as good, because I switched from a top public to a private, and the private did not emphasize homework (at home) so much, plus we had an extra period for doing homework, and all but 2 kids went to college, and mine wasn't even a top school.

4) That separate class would add extra computer instruction or computer class time use.

This and also expelling unruly kids that refuse to change. Disruptive classes affect everyone.

Where would you send them? The school is legally obligated to educate a child unruly or not.

There used to be a school called Mark Twain where disruptive kids were sent. Not sure why it was shut down but I hope they bring it back. My son is in a classroom with 2 crazy boys and the teacher can barely manage them. they are extremely disruptive. No one is learning anything. My son hates it but we are stuck. No child left behind, but at what expense. i really hate mcps.

[Anonymous]

If the kids don't meet standards - the parents need to pay for extra instruction. If you are low SES you better put some pressure on your kids to pay attention, study and learn so that you aren't penalized. It sounds harsh, but many non - Englush speaking families come from countries where education barely exists. So to them, the fact that the kids are even going to school is a huge improvement. They have no idea the high standards MCPS used to have.