23 Baltimore City Schools Have Zero Students Proficient in Math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. 23 schools have zero students proficient in math.

https://wpde.com/news/nation-world/23-baltimore-schools-have-zero-students-proficient-in-math-state-test-results-reveal-maryland-comprehensive-assessment-program-department-of-education-statistics-school-failures

2. Teachers can earn more than $90K after a few years in the classroom.

https://teachbaltimorecity.org/your-career/salary-and-benefits

3. Baltimore City is the fourth highest funded large school system in the country.

https://foxbaltimore.com/news/project-baltimore/baltimore-city-schools-spending-per-student-2022-enrollment-performance-kirwan-new-york-boston-washington

I don’t see how this city can be saved. If you think otherwise, why?

Uh, duh. Who in their right mind would choose to teach in Baltimore City for more than 2 months for lower than that pay?

[Anonymous]

Does encrypted disappearing message app used by Maryland Schools Superintendent violate state law?

WBFF Fox45 Baltimore, September 8, 2023

A Project Baltimore investigation has found Maryland’s Superintendent of Schools was using an encrypted messaging app called Signal to conduct state business.

Many of those messages were set to auto-delete, raising serious questions over transparency and whether the superintendent violated open records laws.

The Signal messages were sent between Maryland Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury and high-ranking employees within the Maryland State Department of Education.

[Anonymous]

All of these nightmarish urban school systems are controlled by Democrats at every level. Mayor, school board, principals, teachers, unions…all Democrats. It’s been like that for decades. Yet in discussions like this the blame always falls on Fox News, Trump, MAGA-hat wearing fascists, etc. Do Democrats ever take responsibility for anything?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The Common Core-inspired clarifications section leads to these convoluted problems. Trying not to test kids on quotients or products directly but rather on interpretations can make things complicated on the test. This approach puts large language demands on English Learners. Traditionally ELL have often gravitated toward math and science because of their (at least previously) reduced language demands.

it's just too cumbersome and unnecessarily complicated. State education officials are trying to be so fancy but they just complicate things tremendously.

We'd be much better off with straightforward and easily understood standards and objectives.

Students will multiply two single digits to get a product.
Students will multiply three single digits.
Students will know that the order of the digits being multiplied doesn't matter (2x3x4=2x4x3)

It's THIRD GRADE. The single best thing you can do is be sure they can add, subtract, multiply and divide proficiently.

Please, kids in other schools do fine with those questions. If they really understand the material, the question is easy. People need to stop making excuses for failing schools

They are failing for social issues. Who goes to school in Baltimore City? The vast majority of students live in poverty and experience everything that comes with it. Unstable homes, food, parenting, etc. You can’t build upon this shaky ground effectively.

But democrats could seriously address the 23 schools at issue here, beginning by firing all the failing teachers and administrators- who are failing generation after generation of these primarily African-American children.

Democrats won’t act, however, because they are addicted to the money-flow from teachers unions. So in 10 years, these 23 schools will still be failing Baltimore’s children, and perpetuating all the problems which stem from poor to non-existent education.

Democrats retain 100% political control in Baltimore. It is their city; their problem.

It’s cute that you think teachers are the problem there.

+1. I'm sure some of them are bad teachers, but can we also fire a lot of the parents too?

No doubt, the home-life is a major (if not THE major) issue in Baltimore.

But we, as a government of the people, can do something about the schools.

Private home life of others? - not so much.

We need to change the welfare system in this country to try to force people to raise their kids properly. No junk food purchases on food stamps, maybe having housing checks tied to school attendance especially in the younger years. Stop giving money to bad parents who aren’t raising their kids properly. Maybe even stop housing vouchers altogether and go to a group home model where the kids are centered and there are services in the homes. We need to change things because what we are currently doing is not working.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The Common Core-inspired clarifications section leads to these convoluted problems. Trying not to test kids on quotients or products directly but rather on interpretations can make things complicated on the test. This approach puts large language demands on English Learners. Traditionally ELL have often gravitated toward math and science because of their (at least previously) reduced language demands.

it's just too cumbersome and unnecessarily complicated. State education officials are trying to be so fancy but they just complicate things tremendously.

We'd be much better off with straightforward and easily understood standards and objectives.

Students will multiply two single digits to get a product.
Students will multiply three single digits.
Students will know that the order of the digits being multiplied doesn't matter (2x3x4=2x4x3)

It's THIRD GRADE. The single best thing you can do is be sure they can add, subtract, multiply and divide proficiently.

Please, kids in other schools do fine with those questions. If they really understand the material, the question is easy. People need to stop making excuses for failing schools

They are failing for social issues. Who goes to school in Baltimore City? The vast majority of students live in poverty and experience everything that comes with it. Unstable homes, food, parenting, etc. You can’t build upon this shaky ground effectively.

But democrats could seriously address the 23 schools at issue here, beginning by firing all the failing teachers and administrators- who are failing generation after generation of these primarily African-American children.

Democrats won’t act, however, because they are addicted to the money-flow from teachers unions. So in 10 years, these 23 schools will still be failing Baltimore’s children, and perpetuating all the problems which stem from poor to non-existent education.

Democrats retain 100% political control in Baltimore. It is their city; their problem.

It’s cute that you think teachers are the problem there.

+1. I'm sure some of them are bad teachers, but can we also fire a lot of the parents too?

No doubt, the home-life is a major (if not THE major) issue in Baltimore.

But we, as a government of the people, can do something about the schools.

Private home life of others? - not so much.

We need to change the welfare system in this country to try to force people to raise their kids properly. No junk food purchases on food stamps, maybe having housing checks tied to school attendance especially in the younger years. Stop giving money to bad parents who aren’t raising their kids properly. Maybe even stop housing vouchers altogether and go to a group home model where the kids are centered and there are services in the homes. We need to change things because what we are currently doing is not working.

Agree, but I don’t think there is a way to force parents to be good parents. It isn’t the fault of politicians- it is 100% poor parenting. The only thing to be done is stop funneling even money into these failing schools. It doesn’t work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The Common Core-inspired clarifications section leads to these convoluted problems. Trying not to test kids on quotients or products directly but rather on interpretations can make things complicated on the test. This approach puts large language demands on English Learners. Traditionally ELL have often gravitated toward math and science because of their (at least previously) reduced language demands.

it's just too cumbersome and unnecessarily complicated. State education officials are trying to be so fancy but they just complicate things tremendously.

We'd be much better off with straightforward and easily understood standards and objectives.

Students will multiply two single digits to get a product.
Students will multiply three single digits.
Students will know that the order of the digits being multiplied doesn't matter (2x3x4=2x4x3)

It's THIRD GRADE. The single best thing you can do is be sure they can add, subtract, multiply and divide proficiently.

Please, kids in other schools do fine with those questions. If they really understand the material, the question is easy. People need to stop making excuses for failing schools

They are failing for social issues. Who goes to school in Baltimore City? The vast majority of students live in poverty and experience everything that comes with it. Unstable homes, food, parenting, etc. You can’t build upon this shaky ground effectively.

But democrats could seriously address the 23 schools at issue here, beginning by firing all the failing teachers and administrators- who are failing generation after generation of these primarily African-American children.

Democrats won’t act, however, because they are addicted to the money-flow from teachers unions. So in 10 years, these 23 schools will still be failing Baltimore’s children, and perpetuating all the problems which stem from poor to non-existent education.

Democrats retain 100% political control in Baltimore. It is their city; their problem.

It’s cute that you think teachers are the problem there.

+1. I'm sure some of them are bad teachers, but can we also fire a lot of the parents too?

No doubt, the home-life is a major (if not THE major) issue in Baltimore.

But we, as a government of the people, can do something about the schools.

Private home life of others? - not so much.

We need to change the welfare system in this country to try to force people to raise their kids properly. No junk food purchases on food stamps, maybe having housing checks tied to school attendance especially in the younger years. Stop giving money to bad parents who aren’t raising their kids properly. Maybe even stop housing vouchers altogether and go to a group home model where the kids are centered and there are services in the homes. We need to change things because what we are currently doing is not working.

Agree, but I don’t think there is a way to force parents to be good parents. It isn’t the fault of politicians- it is 100% poor parenting. The only thing to be done is stop funneling even money into these failing schools. It doesn’t work.

Sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it does. I'm the Baltimore City teacher who posted previously. My school has hired two intervention teachers per grade and that has made a big difference. They work with small groups of students who need remediation. Without that extra money, the classroom teacher would be expected to work miracles. It also helps reduce burnout in classroom teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The Common Core-inspired clarifications section leads to these convoluted problems. Trying not to test kids on quotients or products directly but rather on interpretations can make things complicated on the test. This approach puts large language demands on English Learners. Traditionally ELL have often gravitated toward math and science because of their (at least previously) reduced language demands.

it's just too cumbersome and unnecessarily complicated. State education officials are trying to be so fancy but they just complicate things tremendously.

We'd be much better off with straightforward and easily understood standards and objectives.

Students will multiply two single digits to get a product.
Students will multiply three single digits.
Students will know that the order of the digits being multiplied doesn't matter (2x3x4=2x4x3)

It's THIRD GRADE. The single best thing you can do is be sure they can add, subtract, multiply and divide proficiently.

Please, kids in other schools do fine with those questions. If they really understand the material, the question is easy. People need to stop making excuses for failing schools

They are failing for social issues. Who goes to school in Baltimore City? The vast majority of students live in poverty and experience everything that comes with it. Unstable homes, food, parenting, etc. You can’t build upon this shaky ground effectively.

But democrats could seriously address the 23 schools at issue here, beginning by firing all the failing teachers and administrators- who are failing generation after generation of these primarily African-American children.

Democrats won’t act, however, because they are addicted to the money-flow from teachers unions. So in 10 years, these 23 schools will still be failing Baltimore’s children, and perpetuating all the problems which stem from poor to non-existent education.

Democrats retain 100% political control in Baltimore. It is their city; their problem.

It’s cute that you think teachers are the problem there.

+1. I'm sure some of them are bad teachers, but can we also fire a lot of the parents too?

No doubt, the home-life is a major (if not THE major) issue in Baltimore.

But we, as a government of the people, can do something about the schools.

Private home life of others? - not so much.

We need to change the welfare system in this country to try to force people to raise their kids properly. No junk food purchases on food stamps, maybe having housing checks tied to school attendance especially in the younger years. Stop giving money to bad parents who aren’t raising their kids properly. Maybe even stop housing vouchers altogether and go to a group home model where the kids are centered and there are services in the homes. We need to change things because what we are currently doing is not working.

Agree, but I don’t think there is a way to force parents to be good parents. It isn’t the fault of politicians- it is 100% poor parenting. The only thing to be done is stop funneling even money into these failing schools. It doesn’t work.

Sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it does. I'm the Baltimore City teacher who posted previously. My school has hired two intervention teachers per grade and that has made a big difference. They work with small groups of students who need remediation. Without that extra money, the classroom teacher would be expected to work miracles. It also helps reduce burnout in classroom teachers.

Ok, and those extra teachers and the extra money still hasn’t resulted in more students being proficient in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The Common Core-inspired clarifications section leads to these convoluted problems. Trying not to test kids on quotients or products directly but rather on interpretations can make things complicated on the test. This approach puts large language demands on English Learners. Traditionally ELL have often gravitated toward math and science because of their (at least previously) reduced language demands.

it's just too cumbersome and unnecessarily complicated. State education officials are trying to be so fancy but they just complicate things tremendously.

We'd be much better off with straightforward and easily understood standards and objectives.

Students will multiply two single digits to get a product.
Students will multiply three single digits.
Students will know that the order of the digits being multiplied doesn't matter (2x3x4=2x4x3)

It's THIRD GRADE. The single best thing you can do is be sure they can add, subtract, multiply and divide proficiently.

Please, kids in other schools do fine with those questions. If they really understand the material, the question is easy. People need to stop making excuses for failing schools

They are failing for social issues. Who goes to school in Baltimore City? The vast majority of students live in poverty and experience everything that comes with it. Unstable homes, food, parenting, etc. You can’t build upon this shaky ground effectively.

But democrats could seriously address the 23 schools at issue here, beginning by firing all the failing teachers and administrators- who are failing generation after generation of these primarily African-American children.

Democrats won’t act, however, because they are addicted to the money-flow from teachers unions. So in 10 years, these 23 schools will still be failing Baltimore’s children, and perpetuating all the problems which stem from poor to non-existent education.

Democrats retain 100% political control in Baltimore. It is their city; their problem.

It’s cute that you think teachers are the problem there.

+1. I'm sure some of them are bad teachers, but can we also fire a lot of the parents too?

No doubt, the home-life is a major (if not THE major) issue in Baltimore.

But we, as a government of the people, can do something about the schools.

Private home life of others? - not so much.

We need to change the welfare system in this country to try to force people to raise their kids properly. No junk food purchases on food stamps, maybe having housing checks tied to school attendance especially in the younger years. Stop giving money to bad parents who aren’t raising their kids properly. Maybe even stop housing vouchers altogether and go to a group home model where the kids are centered and there are services in the homes. We need to change things because what we are currently doing is not working.

Agree, but I don’t think there is a way to force parents to be good parents. It isn’t the fault of politicians- it is 100% poor parenting. The only thing to be done is stop funneling even money into these failing schools. It doesn’t work.

Sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it does. I'm the Baltimore City teacher who posted previously. My school has hired two intervention teachers per grade and that has made a big difference. They work with small groups of students who need remediation. Without that extra money, the classroom teacher would be expected to work miracles. It also helps reduce burnout in classroom teachers.

Ok, and those extra teachers and the extra money still hasn’t resulted in more students being proficient in math.

We only have them for reading and our scores have improved a lot. Maybe if they reassigned the majority of people at city schools headquarters, they could pull small groups for math.

[Anonymous]

OP alerted us to this scandal involving every student in 23 separate Baltimore schools in February 2023. There must be thousands upon thousands of students in these 23 schools.

It has been more than a year. Has the problem been corrected and the students all brought up to minimum proficiency? Even some of the students? Any of them??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP alerted us to this scandal involving every student in 23 separate Baltimore schools in February 2023. There must be thousands upon thousands of students in these 23 schools.

It has been more than a year. Has the problem been corrected and the students all brought up to minimum proficiency? Even some of the students? Any of them??

Those kids barely even go to school yet they still pass them. Ask me how I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP alerted us to this scandal involving every student in 23 separate Baltimore schools in February 2023. There must be thousands upon thousands of students in these 23 schools.

It has been more than a year. Has the problem been corrected and the students all brought up to minimum proficiency? Even some of the students? Any of them??

Those kids barely even go to school yet they still pass them. Ask me how I know.

It should be a crime to do that. A federal crime so local DAs can’t look the other way. Some type of fraud maybe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP alerted us to this scandal involving every student in 23 separate Baltimore schools in February 2023. There must be thousands upon thousands of students in these 23 schools.

It has been more than a year. Has the problem been corrected and the students all brought up to minimum proficiency? Even some of the students? Any of them??

Those kids barely even go to school yet they still pass them. Ask me how I know.

It should be a crime to do that. A federal crime so local DAs can’t look the other way. Some type of fraud maybe.

It is called “social promotion.”

Social promotion has occurred in inner city public schools for decades now.

Social promotion literally results in many inner city youth graduating high school but not being able to read. As in: illiterate. No, I am not exaggerating.

Look into the phenomenon. It is shocking.

[Anonymous]

It seems counterproductive to introduce higher and higher levels of standards when a lot of people, with a mastery (or even just proficiency) of 5th grade standards, people could really do just fine. 5th grade means: Being able to read a book like Wonder or Holes or a newspaper like USA Today, understanding what decimals and fractions are, having your times tables memorized, being able to do long division. If there are so many students not mastering the prior year's subject, there should maybe an alternate diploma track, under which you can advance your grade (with your same age cohort), but instead of going from, say, 2nd to a 3rd grade curriculum, you go from 2nd grade to 2nd grade Part 2 (aka alternate path 3rd grade).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems counterproductive to introduce higher and higher levels of standards when a lot of people, with a mastery (or even just proficiency) of 5th grade standards, people could really do just fine. 5th grade means: Being able to read a book like Wonder or Holes or a newspaper like USA Today, understanding what decimals and fractions are, having your times tables memorized, being able to do long division. If there are so many students not mastering the prior year's subject, there should maybe an alternate diploma track, under which you can advance your grade (with your same age cohort), but instead of going from, say, 2nd to a 3rd grade curriculum, you go from 2nd grade to 2nd grade Part 2 (aka alternate path 3rd grade).

Germany and many other countries maintain educational systems similar to what you have described. There is a specific name for this system:

- tracking.

Under tracking or “a tracked system,” students are periodically tested and the test results route them into specific “tracks.”

The highest track students typically attend university (provided they maintain their grades). This is known as gymnasium.

The middle track students receive deep training in suitable career education, such as banking.

The lowest track students receive an education in what we would call “trades;” good careers such as welding, automotive mechanics, and including skilled construction or hairdressing, but also retail sales (yes, they train for that).

The US once had a vast system of VoTech or vocational technology public high schools.

Sadly, the system fell out of favor and was mostly dismantled; the demand which still exists generally falls now on community colleges instead of dedicated public high schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems counterproductive to introduce higher and higher levels of standards when a lot of people, with a mastery (or even just proficiency) of 5th grade standards, people could really do just fine. 5th grade means: Being able to read a book like Wonder or Holes or a newspaper like USA Today, understanding what decimals and fractions are, having your times tables memorized, being able to do long division. If there are so many students not mastering the prior year's subject, there should maybe an alternate diploma track, under which you can advance your grade (with your same age cohort), but instead of going from, say, 2nd to a 3rd grade curriculum, you go from 2nd grade to 2nd grade Part 2 (aka alternate path 3rd grade).

Germany and many other countries maintain educational systems similar to what you have described. There is a specific name for this system:

- tracking.

Under tracking or “a tracked system,” students are periodically tested and the test results route them into specific “tracks.”

The highest track students typically attend university (provided they maintain their grades). This is known as gymnasium.

The middle track students receive deep training in suitable career education, such as banking.

The lowest track students receive an education in what we would call “trades;” good careers such as welding, automotive mechanics, and including skilled construction or hairdressing, but also retail sales (yes, they train for that).

The US once had a vast system of VoTech or vocational technology public high schools.

Sadly, the system fell out of favor and was mostly dismantled; the demand which still exists generally falls now on community colleges instead of dedicated public high schools.

I mostly agree with some tracking, but the problem with it is that kids mature at different stages.

My spouse was tracked in their home country (Europe). They were a late bloomer. Their teacher said they had no hope for college when they were 13. Their parents didn't accept that so they moved away to a different school district, and also put them into private school. They matured between 13 and 16, and by 16, they were on track for college. Got a degree in a STEM field. If they had stayed in that tracking model they would've gone the trade route, which is not in and of itself a big deal, but it shows that tracking can also stymie potential.

I was somewhat similar. I didn't take my studies seriously until 16 when I really matured. I got straight As, including in all my AP classes.

Our DC is very similar. A late bloomer, and that includes in academics. DC is 15, and I wouldn't want them to be tracked at 13/14 or even 15. They didn't do well in math until a bit later; their previous math scores were all over the place. I think they will come into their own next year like both my spouse and I did.