MCPS ditching High School Final Exam

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually Algebra is considered a high school level class in MCPS and is counted as part of the high school GPA for kids in middle school too.

Yes, it's a high-school level class. But the stronger math students take it in middle school.

[Anonymous]

The majority take it in middle school

[Anonymous]

Kids do poorly on a test so remove the test? No thought given to the fact that these kids (W schools and otherwise) are going on to top colleges and entering top-level careers thereafter.
Just a wild thought- maybe we should just LET THE TEACHERS TEACH and go back to having exams that match the content. I know, we will have one less way to rake the teachers over the coals and we will have one less metric generating from an unbelievably incompetent central office. But for crying out loud, don't take the exams away because of the ineptitude of some desk jockeys.

[Anonymous]

CT ditched the PARCC test for all juniors and replaced it with the SAT test for all juniors and the state paid for the SAT test.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_news/state-ditches-common-core-tests-sat-1850933391

I say MCPS should consider the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids do poorly on a test so remove the test? No thought given to the fact that these kids (W schools and otherwise) are going on to top colleges and entering top-level careers thereafter.
Just a wild thought- maybe we should just LET THE TEACHERS TEACH and go back to having exams that match the content. I know, we will have one less way to rake the teachers over the coals and we will have one less metric generating from an unbelievably incompetent central office. But for crying out loud, don't take the exams away because of the ineptitude of some desk jockeys.

+1..We assume that kids getting A's in the class and failing the final means that the class was too easy/grade inflation..but what about the test being poorly written or not matching the class content.

[Anonymous]

If the headline was "Struggling Math students do poorly on MCPS Math Finals" the reaction would be quite different.

[Anonymous]

I think it's both - grade inflation and test is poor - let's move for the SAT test junior year to replace the PARCC that year - SAT math section is focused on Algebra I. This will save money (no PARCC) , reduce number of t tests for students and be a true judge of what MCPS schools curriculum provided by the county is actually teaching its students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's both - grade inflation and test is poor - let's move for the SAT test junior year to replace the PARCC that year - SAT math section is focused on Algebra I. This will save money (no PARCC) , reduce number of t tests for students and be a true judge of what MCPS schools curriculum provided by the county is actually teaching its students.

Why would it save money to pay for the SAT test instead of the PARCC test?

Also, why is the SAT test a better measure of learning in algebra in MCPS than the PARCC test or the MCPS final?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So tired of the generalizations and bashing of kids from "W" schools. My kids attend a "W" school and work their butts off for their grades. I've never seen my kids grades inflated, but I have seen some subpar teachers who clearly have no interest in working in a school that they perceive is full of privileged kids. I'm sure there are kids who game the system in every school, but it's unfair to the kids who work hard to assume that they got their grades due to cheating or grade inflation.

Well, then you don't have to worry, do you? The kids who are working their butts off for their grades are also getting As in semester final exams! And if they bomb the exam because they were providing online tutoring to underprivileged kids in Haiti and did not have time to prepare, they still get a B or a C.

It is the cheaters and gamers who get As in the 2 quarters but FAIL the semester exam. Trust me, it is difficult to fail the exam unless you are a total dunce. Their parents enable them by blaming the inapt teachers and the poorly written questions on the exams! And if what the parents claim is true, how does ditching the final exam help? Their kids still remain underprepared for college and unmitigated dunce-buckets, don't they?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's both - grade inflation and test is poor - let's move for the SAT test junior year to replace the PARCC that year - SAT math section is focused on Algebra I. This will save money (no PARCC) , reduce number of t tests for students and be a true judge of what MCPS schools curriculum provided by the county is actually teaching its students.

Why would it save money to pay for the SAT test instead of the PARCC test?

Also, why is the SAT test a better measure of learning in algebra in MCPS than the PARCC test or the MCPS final?

Are you serious? How about colleges just look at PARCC scores and skip the SAT tests then. Colleges can ask for PARCC scores from k-12 too. Pearson would love it. This is the slippery slope with Pearson/PARCC that concerns me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have a form up to seek comment: http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/sharedaccountability/policy-feedback.aspx

I hope people make their voices heard.

[Anonymous]

Wow! The teachers were finally given some information (this is the first that was sent to us, BTW)




Hello from your High School Council on Teaching & Learning!

As some of you have heard, the press has shared information regarding possible changes to the MCPS high school exam schedule. It is important to note that no change has yet been made to the grading policy (Policy IKA). At this point, the Board of Education has accepted the recommendations of the Superintendent, including the proposal of four grading options if countywide final exams are eliminated. The Board of Education is currently seeking public input regarding these possible changes to our high school exam schedule. This is our opportunity as teachers and educators to share our varying opinions on the possible changes.

· Proposed changes to Policy IKA, which were recommended to the full Board of Education by the BOE Policy Committee:
http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/sharedaccountability/IKA-Draft-20150904.pdf


· Individuals are encouraged to comment on the proposed changes to Policy IKA using the following link:
https://mcpsweb.wufoo.com/forms/policy-ika-grading-reporting-feedback-form/


· If there are no countywide semester finals, the following are proposed grading options from the superintendent:
http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/sharedaccountability/0301.16_OptionsForGrading9_8_webFinal.pdf


· Individuals are encouraged to comment on the proposed grading options using the link:
https://mcpsweb.wufoo.com/forms/options-for-calculating-semester-grades/

As teachers of a vast school district, we will have varying opinions on the suggested policy changes. To discuss what makes the most instructional sense, MCEA’s High School Council on Teaching & Learning will work to gather this information and do so in a way that we can best tell the narrative of those who work in schools and are trusted with the instructional program and process. MCEA will be supporting the high school teachers as we embark on this topic together, ensuring that not only are our voices heard, but our public comments will be taken into consideration when discussing the future changes to our high school exam schedule.

There are many sides to this issue with varying opinions as to the best solution in regards to the possible change in our high school exam schedule. We invite you to provide public comment on both the policy and the proposed four options if the policy is passed and countywide final exams are eliminated, as we know there may be other thoughts as to how best to implement this type of change. The High School Council on Teaching & Learning (CTL) will be working with MCEA leadership to best reach all constituents, ensuring that their voices are heard on the matter. Stay tuned!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid got A's in both the quarters, she will not get an E in the semester exam even if she bombed it. Unless, of course she cheated to get the As in the first place.

And the Final Exam is a part of the grade that goes on the transcript.

What are you smoking?

The final doesn't go on the transcript that goes to colleges

And you have to get a C or above on the final to get an A in the course, even if you got As in both quarters.

The grades of two quarters (approximately 40% each, and the final exam approximately 20% - make up the full 100% of the final grade for the course.

The fact is that a good student who is getting As legitimately in both the quarters knows his material well enough that he can get an A or a B in the final exam without preparation.

Mainly because the final exam is not that difficult. So all the W kids who failed in the finals but had straight As in the quarters are cheaters as well as not very bright.

Where are you getting that W kids are getting As in the quarters and failing the exams. First of all they are smart enough to know that they need a C or more to keep the A. To be fair that may not apply to the kids taking Algebra 1 in 9th grade because it's basically the remedial math group. My kid tutored in one of those classes and there was a high percentage of SPED kids with aides, and kids really struggling with math. I highly doubt they are getting As in the quarters to begin with, despite working hard. These are not kids trying to game the system, they are just trying to pass Algebra 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's both - grade inflation and test is poor - let's move for the SAT test junior year to replace the PARCC that year - SAT math section is focused on Algebra I. This will save money (no PARCC) , reduce number of t tests for students and be a true judge of what MCPS schools curriculum provided by the county is actually teaching its students.

Why would it save money to pay for the SAT test instead of the PARCC test?

Also, why is the SAT test a better measure of learning in algebra in MCPS than the PARCC test or the MCPS final?

Are you serious? How about colleges just look at PARCC scores and skip the SAT tests then. Colleges can ask for PARCC scores from k-12 too. Pearson would love it. This is the slippery slope with Pearson/PARCC that concerns me.

Lots of colleges do already skip the SAT.

[Anonymous]

But how many colleges will be excited to here about a school system that measures the cumulative knowledge of calculus or physics or chemistry through a "project"?