Shake Up at SSMA?

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone so negative on Shining Stars?

Look at the numbers from 2016, the first time the PMFs scored SSMA on the PARCC tests:

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS_EC_PK3-8_2016.pdf

They were horrible: I count 9.5 out of 25 or 38.4%. That's Tier 3 stuff.

Under the last director, the scores went up both years. And now they are 14.5 out of 5 or 58%.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/2018-10-29%20Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS%20PK3-8%20PMF.pdf

It's not Tier 1 but it's a measurable jump up in test scores. SSMA has been moving in the right direction. Let's hope it continues. If SSMA could get those math scores up, it would really be great


+1. It’s still a significant jump. Does anyone know which charter really had the highest jump?
Anonymous
From the DCPCSB blog:

https://www.dcpcsb.org/blog/2018-elementary-middle-and-high-school-quality-report-highlights

Ove
rall
BASIS DC PCS (High School) (located in Ward 2) earned the highest School Quality Report score for the third consecutive year with 97.3% on the high school framework.
Rocketship PCS-Legacy Prep (located in Ward 7) has the highest score at 94.6% for the PK-8 framework. This is the highest score of any first-year school. (As a first-year school, Rocketship PCS - Legacy Prep did not receive a Tier.)
Washington Yu Ying PCS (located in Ward 5) has the second highest score at 93.8% for the PK-8 framework, improving by 7.8 percentage points from last year.
Cedar Tree Academy PCS (located in Ward 8) has the third highest score with 89.4% on the PK-8 framework and earned Tier 1 status for the third consecutive year.
The percent of 9th grade students on track to graduate from high school has improved each year for the past four years, increasing from 73.4% in SY 2014-15 to 86.2% in SY 2017-18.
On the PARCC assessment, the proficiency rate for at-risk public charter students improved on both ELA by 2.1 percentage points and for homeless students in math by 1.2 percentage points.

Most Improved Schools
Up 23.4 points, Friendship PCS - Technology Preparatory High School (located in Ward 8) earned a Tier 1 ranking.
Up 20.2 points, Friendship PCS - Woodridge International Middle (located in Ward 5) went from scoring 54.4% last year to 74.7% this year.
Up 18.9 points, Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS (located in Ward 5) went from scoring 44.4% last year to 63.3% this year.
Up 18.3 points, Capital City PCS - High School (located in Ward 4) continues to improve its performance.
Improving its tier ranking from Tier 3 to Tier 2, Achievement Preparatory Academy PCS - Wahler Place Elementary School (located in Ward 8) increased its performance by 14.3 points.

Student Progress
Friendship PCS-Woodridge International Middle (located in Ward 5) and Meridian PCS (located in Ward 1) made gains of five or more points in both ELA and math median growth percentile (MGP).
Meridian PCS (located in Ward 1) and Washington Yu Ying PCS (located in Ward 5) are the only schools to see increases in both ELA and math for every year of the PARCC.

Parent Satisfaction
The re-enrollment rate for DC’s public charter school sector, a key School Quality Report measure of family satisfaction, improved to 84.3%
Students with disabilities are re-enrolling at a rate of 84.8%
Six public charter schools have double-digit re-enrollment rate gains:
Roots PCS: + 20.2% to 81.1%
Bridges PCS: + 19.6% to 87.0%
Perry Street Preparatory PCS: + 16.9% to 85.3%
Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS: + 11.3% to 80.3%
Center City PCS - Capitol Hill: + 11.1% to 80.3%
Achievement Preparatory Academy PCS-Wahler Place Elementary School: + 10.1% to 76.3%

Student Achievement
Capital City PCS-Lower School (located in Ward 4) improved in PARCC proficiency for the third consecutive year in both ELA and math, making it the only PK-8 public charter school to grow in both ELA and math each year since DC students began taking the PARCC assessment in SY 2014-15.
At Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS (located in Ward 5), two-thirds of its returning third graders are scoring proficient (double the proficiency rate for PARCC ELA students citywide).
At Center City PCS - Petworth (located in Ward 4), proficiency rates for returning third grade students improved by nearly 30% from SY 2016-17
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:From the DCPCSB blog:

https://www.dcpcsb.org/blog/2018-elementary-middle-and-high-school-quality-report-highlights

Most Improved Schools
Up 23.4 points, Friendship PCS - Technology Preparatory High School (located in Ward 8) earned a Tier 1 ranking.
Up 20.2 points, Friendship PCS - Woodridge International Middle (located in Ward 5) went from scoring 54.4% last year to 74.7% this year.
Up 18.9 points, Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS (located in Ward 5) went from scoring 44.4% last year to 63.3% this year.
Up 18.3 points, Capital City PCS - High School (located in Ward 4) continues to improve its performance.
Improving its tier ranking from Tier 3 to Tier 2, Achievement Preparatory Academy PCS - Wahler Place Elementary School (located in Ward 8) increased its performance by 14.3 points.



Parent Satisfaction
The re-enrollment rate for DC’s public charter school sector, a key School Quality Report measure of family satisfaction, improved to 84.3%
Students with disabilities are re-enrolling at a rate of 84.8%
Six public charter schools have double-digit re-enrollment rate gains:
Roots PCS: + 20.2% to 81.1%
Bridges PCS: + 19.6% to 87.0%
Perry Street Preparatory PCS: + 16.9% to 85.3%
Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS: + 11.3% to 80.3%
Center City PCS - Capitol Hill: + 11.1% to 80.3%
Achievement Preparatory Academy PCS-Wahler Place Elementary School: + 10.1% to 76.3%



https://www.dcpcsb.org/schoolquality?field_school_tier_value=All&keys=Shining%20Stars

It now says:

"2018 Tier: 2 (63.3%)"
Anonymous
The math is still wrong. I went over it and the numbers add up to 57.4. Out of 90, that's 60.8%.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/2018-10-29%20Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS%20PK3-8%20PMF.pdf

Just as a check, I looked at Roots,which uses the same 90 point scale and its numbers work out via simple division: 33.7 out of 90=37.4%

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/2018-10-29%20Roots%20PCS%20PK3-8%20PMF.pdf

The numbers are still too high.
Anonymous
According to this UPDATED chart, Shining Stars is still a Tier 1 school at 63.3, even though a Tier 2 school scored above it on the PMF at 63.4 and the cutoff is officially 65.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/more-students-ever-attend-top-ranked-public-charter-school
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:According to this UPDATED chart, Shining Stars is still a Tier 1 school at 63.3, even though a Tier 2 school scored above it on the PMF at 63.4 and the cutoff is officially 65.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/more-students-ever-attend-top-ranked-public-charter-school


That’s such bullshit. DC just doesn’t want to ruin their numbers they promoted.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:According to this UPDATED chart, Shining Stars is still a Tier 1 school at 63.3, even though a Tier 2 school scored above it on the PMF at 63.4 and the cutoff is officially 65.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/more-students-ever-attend-top-ranked-public-charter-school


That’s such bullshit. DC just doesn’t want to ruin their numbers they promoted.


And their math is still wrong unless they goose the numbers when they repost. I saved the old copy
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:According to this UPDATED chart, Shining Stars is still a Tier 1 school at 63.3, even though a Tier 2 school scored above it on the PMF at 63.4 and the cutoff is officially 65.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/more-students-ever-attend-top-ranked-public-charter-school


That’s such bullshit. DC just doesn’t want to ruin their numbers they promoted.


And their math is still wrong unless they goose the numbers when they repost. I saved the old copy


My guess is they changed some of the underlying numbers. I will be interested to see in what ways.

PCSB really needs to own this error and take back the Tier 1 ranking. Otherwise, they are undermining EVERYTHING about the ranking system and their fidelity to the process. (The search page for school quality reports lists SSMA as a Tier 2.)

It stinks for SSMA, but if I were involved with the school, I also wouldn't want to be given a grade I didn't earn. (The graduation scandals echo in strange places...)
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:According to this UPDATED chart, Shining Stars is still a Tier 1 school at 63.3, even though a Tier 2 school scored above it on the PMF at 63.4 and the cutoff is officially 65.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/more-students-ever-attend-top-ranked-public-charter-school


That’s such bullshit. DC just doesn’t want to ruin their numbers they promoted.


And their math is still wrong unless they goose the numbers when they repost. I saved the old copy


My guess is they changed some of the underlying numbers. I will be interested to see in what ways.

PCSB really needs to own this error and take back the Tier 1 ranking. Otherwise, they are undermining EVERYTHING about the ranking system and their fidelity to the process. (The search page for school quality reports lists SSMA as a Tier 2.)

It stinks for SSMA, but if I were involved with the school, I also wouldn't want to be given a grade I didn't earn. (The graduation scandals echo in strange places...)


The chart has been mostly fixed now:

https://www.dcpcsb.org/more-students-ever-attend-top-ranked-public-charter-school

Shining Stars is officially a Tier 2 school, though - for no reason - it still is printed ahead of the school with 63.4 on the chart.

The 63.3. number still isn't the right number if you use the scores reported in the original PMF. That number would be 60.77, so 60.7 or 60.8
Anonymous
I want to remind people on this board that when the PARCC test was given, Shining Stars had no air conditioning. One teacher measured the temperature in her classroom at 92 degrees. That's crazy. It goes to how dysfunctional the admin under Dr R was and still is.

We should be relieved that the PARCC test scores were as good as they were.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I want to remind people on this board that when the PARCC test was given, Shining Stars had no air conditioning. One teacher measured the temperature in her classroom at 92 degrees. That's crazy. It goes to how dysfunctional the admin under Dr R was and still is.

We should be relieved that the PARCC test scores were as good as they were.


Definitely the mark of a Tier 1 school!
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone so negative on Shining Stars?

Look at the numbers from 2016, the first time the PMFs scored SSMA on the PARCC tests:

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS_EC_PK3-8_2016.pdf

They were horrible: I count 9.5 out of 25 or 38.4%. That's Tier 3 stuff.

Under the last director, the scores went up both years. And now they are 14.5 out of 5 or 58%.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/2018-10-29%20Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS%20PK3-8%20PMF.pdf

It's not Tier 1 but it's a measurable jump up in test scores. SSMA has been moving in the right direction. Let's hope it continues. If SSMA could get those math scores up, it would really be great


I think the reason people are so negative about SSMA is that Dr R has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. There is a lot of bad blood out there, people with axes to grind because of her, her condescension, her disorganization, her straight up mean-spiritedness.

Shining Stars is a school with a lot of potential. And it has a lot of people that want it to succeed. But as long as the executive director stays in charge, it will have enemies.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone so negative on Shining Stars?

Look at the numbers from 2016, the first time the PMFs scored SSMA on the PARCC tests:

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS_EC_PK3-8_2016.pdf

They were horrible: I count 9.5 out of 25 or 38.4%. That's Tier 3 stuff.

Under the last director, the scores went up both years. And now they are 14.5 out of 5 or 58%.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/2018-10-29%20Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS%20PK3-8%20PMF.pdf

It's not Tier 1 but it's a measurable jump up in test scores. SSMA has been moving in the right direction. Let's hope it continues. If SSMA could get those math scores up, it would really be great


I think the reason people are so negative about SSMA is that Dr R has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. There is a lot of bad blood out there, people with axes to grind because of her, her condescension, her disorganization, her straight up mean-spiritedness.

Shining Stars is a school with a lot of potential. And it has a lot of people that want it to succeed. But as long as the executive director stays in charge, it will have enemies.


Dr. R is the only reason that school fails and will continue to fail. She'll keep herself in power, at the detriment to the children, until the school is shut down. The parent community is wonderful, but is powerless and don't realize it. It's sad to see. It really could be great, but Dr. R will burn the school to the ground before letting that happen.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone so negative on Shining Stars?

Look at the numbers from 2016, the first time the PMFs scored SSMA on the PARCC tests:

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS_EC_PK3-8_2016.pdf

They were horrible: I count 9.5 out of 25 or 38.4%. That's Tier 3 stuff.

Under the last director, the scores went up both years. And now they are 14.5 out of 5 or 58%.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/2018-10-29%20Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS%20PK3-8%20PMF.pdf

It's not Tier 1 but it's a measurable jump up in test scores. SSMA has been moving in the right direction. Let's hope it continues. If SSMA could get those math scores up, it would really be great


I think the reason people are so negative about SSMA is that Dr R has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. There is a lot of bad blood out there, people with axes to grind because of her, her condescension, her disorganization, her straight up mean-spiritedness.

Shining Stars is a school with a lot of potential. And it has a lot of people that want it to succeed. But as long as the executive director stays in charge, it will have enemies.


Dr. R is the only reason that school fails and will continue to fail. She'll keep herself in power, at the detriment to the children, until the school is shut down. The parent community is wonderful, but is powerless and don't realize it. It's sad to see. It really could be great, but Dr. R will burn the school to the ground before letting that happen.


The school isn't failing. It's getting better. I'm not a Dr. R supporter. Nor am I a detractor. A good school isn't about one person.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone so negative on Shining Stars?

Look at the numbers from 2016, the first time the PMFs scored SSMA on the PARCC tests:

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS_EC_PK3-8_2016.pdf

They were horrible: I count 9.5 out of 25 or 38.4%. That's Tier 3 stuff.

Under the last director, the scores went up both years. And now they are 14.5 out of 5 or 58%.

https://www.dcpcsb.org/sites/default/files/2018-10-29%20Shining%20Stars%20Montessori%20Academy%20PCS%20PK3-8%20PMF.pdf

It's not Tier 1 but it's a measurable jump up in test scores. SSMA has been moving in the right direction. Let's hope it continues. If SSMA could get those math scores up, it would really be great


I think the reason people are so negative about SSMA is that Dr R has rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. There is a lot of bad blood out there, people with axes to grind because of her, her condescension, her disorganization, her straight up mean-spiritedness.

Shining Stars is a school with a lot of potential. And it has a lot of people that want it to succeed. But as long as the executive director stays in charge, it will have enemies.


Dr. R is the only reason that school fails and will continue to fail. She'll keep herself in power, at the detriment to the children, until the school is shut down. The parent community is wonderful, but is powerless and don't realize it. It's sad to see. It really could be great, but Dr. R will burn the school to the ground before letting that happen.


The school isn't failing. It's getting better. I'm not a Dr. R supporter. Nor am I a detractor. A good school isn't about one person.


You're correct it's not about one person. But it is about leadership, particularly in Charter schools. SSMA is void of it. As was discovered last year, there wasn't even a real Board to present issues too. Never seen so many parents volunteer to assist with issues and be shunned. Not one time did Dr. R show up to parent meetings to address issues. Try that in a public school. Everything could have been handled very differently but that takes self-reflection and acknowledgment of short-comings. But she loves to email about the AC...That's her job not the parents. The students, faculty, and parents certainly deserve better.
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