MCPS ditching High School Final Exam

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I read the article. If you think 75% pass rate (not an A but just a passing grade) is good for honors algebra 2 - good for you. I do not.

And please stop with the rationalization that those kids taking Algebra 1 in high school are remedial. The normal track is to take Algebra 1 in 9th grade. Advanced is 7/8th. And we all know the "advanced" kids have parents at home helping, tutors, math camps etc... to let MCPS teachers off the hook on their crappy teaching.

Algebra I in 9th grade was the official grade-level track before Curriculum 2.0, but as far as I know, the majority of students were taking Algebra I before 9th grade. (Now, of course, the grade-level track is Algebra I in 8th grade.)

And the majority of students did not have tutors, math camps, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I read the article. If you think 75% pass rate (not an A but just a passing grade) is good for honors algebra 2 - good for you. I do not.

And please stop with the rationalization that those kids taking Algebra 1 in high school are remedial. The normal track is to take Algebra 1 in 9th grade. Advanced is 7/8th. And we all know the "advanced" kids have parents at home helping, tutors, math camps etc... to let MCPS teachers off the hook on their crappy teaching.

Algebra I in 9th grade was the official grade-level track before Curriculum 2.0, but as far as I know, the majority of students were taking Algebra I before 9th grade. (Now, of course, the grade-level track is Algebra I in 8th grade.)

And the majority of students did not have tutors, math camps, etc.

So you are sticking with all kids who take Algebra in 9th are remedial kids and that is why over 75% of them can't even pass a test on a course they took all year? That it has nothing to do with the teachers? Okay - got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I read the article. If you think 75% pass rate (not an A but just a passing grade) is good for honors algebra 2 - good for you. I do not.

And please stop with the rationalization that those kids taking Algebra 1 in high school are remedial. The normal track is to take Algebra 1 in 9th grade. Advanced is 7/8th. And we all know the "advanced" kids have parents at home helping, tutors, math camps etc... to let MCPS teachers off the hook on their crappy teaching.

Algebra I in 9th grade was the official grade-level track before Curriculum 2.0, but as far as I know, the majority of students were taking Algebra I before 9th grade. (Now, of course, the grade-level track is Algebra I in 8th grade.)

And the majority of students did not have tutors, math camps, etc.

So you are sticking with all kids who take Algebra in 9th are remedial kids and that is why over 75% of them can't even pass a test on a course they took all year? That it has nothing to do with the teachers? Okay - got it.

Where did I say any of that?

[Anonymous]

It was only 60% of HSers last year..the second year of a new test and new curriculum for lower performing students. If 99% of these same students got A's next year would we assume that the teachers did a fantastic job? Or would we say that MCPS made an easier test and the curriculum was dumbed down?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was only 60% of HSers last year..the second year of a new test and new curriculum for lower performing students. If 99% of these same students got A's next year would we assume that the teachers did a fantastic job? Or would we say that MCPS made an easier test and the curriculum was dumbed down?

If something goes wrong in MCPS, it's all MCPS's fault. If something goes right in MCPS, it's despite MCPS, not because of MCPS. MCPS can do no right.

-general DCUM opinion

(also: damn you, Starr!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/one-of-nations-largest-school-districts-ditches-high-school-final-exams/2015/09/08/49cf5810-561e-11e5-b8c9-944725fcd3b9_story.html

I totally understand. This is institutionalized cheating. I mean, how else can you explain how students who "earn" straight A's in the quarters, fail Math semester exams - even when the bar is so low?

This will help kids at both ends of the spectrum - the entitled kids who are used to grade inflation and those kids who can never bridge the achievement gap.

So, what does it mean for those who have worked hard at school? 1600 on the new SAT? And 18 APs each? Maybe SAT will become most important? Perhaps it will include Calculus now? One can only hope.

Some kids psych themselves out so much that they bomb the tests. DD is a solid student but terrible test taker. We should not be judged on our ability to perform liked trained seals in a circus act just to prove we know that material.

And I am curious what makes you think that those who bomb the test HAVE NOT been working hard for the whole year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was only 60% of HSers last year..the second year of a new test and new curriculum for lower performing students. If 99% of these same students got A's next year would we assume that the teachers did a fantastic job? Or would we say that MCPS made an easier test and the curriculum was dumbed down?

Wrong.

74% failed in 2015
82% failed in 2014

The county adds extra points to get the kids to not fail so they can save their butts on the "no child left behind." Which tells you they are doing the opposite of the actual rule. They are letting these kids off with knowing very little about actual math. In 2014 after the scores were so low they just awarded every child an extra 15% to their final grade. Of course they are going to redo the test and make it easier.

If you look at the article below, EVERY math level has serious failing final exams. It is very very obvious, the teachers and the curriculum are not doing enough to help these kids.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/three-out-of-four-high-schoolers-failed-algebra-1-final-exams-in-md-district/2015/07/22/d4ab97d0-2b0f-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html

[Anonymous]

You can't consider the fact that it is not a good test? Why are you so confident in the test and so sure that the teaching/curriculum is the problem??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/one-of-nations-largest-school-districts-ditches-high-school-final-exams/2015/09/08/49cf5810-561e-11e5-b8c9-944725fcd3b9_story.html

I totally understand. This is institutionalized cheating. I mean, how else can you explain how students who "earn" straight A's in the quarters, fail Math semester exams - even when the bar is so low?

This will help kids at both ends of the spectrum - the entitled kids who are used to grade inflation and those kids who can never bridge the achievement gap.

So, what does it mean for those who have worked hard at school? 1600 on the new SAT? And 18 APs each? Maybe SAT will become most important? Perhaps it will include Calculus now? One can only hope.

Some kids psych themselves out so much that they bomb the tests. DD is a solid student but terrible test taker. We should not be judged on our ability to perform liked trained seals in a circus act just to prove we know that material.

And I am curious what makes you think that those who bomb the test HAVE NOT been working hard for the whole year.

If your child hasn't learned the art of taking tests and final exams, that should be your #1 reason for WANTING the exams. Why have we become a generation that makes excuses for everything? "My kid gets scared so we need to drop this altogether, it isn't fair!!! (stomps foot.) Instead you should be helping your child get over the fears, working with them, planning and executing practice tests and exams. Working on stress-relieving techniques, explain fight or flight, etc....

Instead we have parents happy their coddled kids don't have to "endure" an 2 hour test. Well guess what? They prepare you for SAT's. They prepare you for college tests and exams. They prepare you for entrance exams into schools, military and corporate jobs. They prepare you for REAL LIFE. When you have to fight thru something you don't like to do, it makes you a much stronger person than running away from it.

And just like your child, MCPS wants to run from their obvious failing performances on all exams. Instead of taking the time to see why this is happening, work thru it and come out on top, they give extra points to kids that fail and now just tell the kids they don't have to take them anymore? And this is supposed to be a school district people are proud of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can't consider the fact that it is not a good test? Why are you so confident in the test and so sure that the teaching/curriculum is the problem??

But it is EVERY test in every math subject, actually every subject. You are convinced every single test is poor? Every test gives questions that aren't in the curriculum? Come on now.....

[Anonymous]

Evidence that kids are failing the exams in every subject?
Both of my kids have said the math exams include information not covered in class..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Evidence that kids are failing the exams in every subject?
Both of my kids have said the math exams include information not covered in class..

Final exam scores for some high school biology, English and history courses in Montgomery County show failure rates of 37 to 50 percent, according to new school data that add to questions about student performance in the well-regarded school district.

The figures come at a time of widespread concern about failing and near-failing grades on math exams in Montgomery. Last semester, a majority of the 30,000 high school students taking seven countywide math exams failed the end-of-semester tests.

The new information gives the exam-failure problem another dimension, showing that it extends to non-math courses, although the failure rates are not as high. For example, more than 50 percent of students failed a modern world history exam typically taken by 11th-graders. The failure rates were similar for exams in U.S. history, at 42 percent, and biology, at 40 percent.

In the same three courses, students fared much better at the honors level, with failure rates of 13 percent on the final exams for each.

“It’s troubling,” said Board of Education member Patricia O’Neill (Bethesda-Chevy Chase). “It raises tons of questions. It is clearly not just a math problem.”

You REALLY want to like MCPS, don't you? Most uninformed people are happy to keep looking away while touting how great the school district is. It is hard to admit the county is failing and now covering up it's failures by getting rid of the exams all together.

So instead of asking for evidence from a stranger on an anonymous forum, I think you need to do some studying up on your fav school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, my kid who got straight A's in both quarters of Algebra isn't wasting any time studying for a semester final which will neither go on her transcript nor affect her semester grade, which WILL go on her transcript. She doesn't care one whit if she gets an E, and if she does so, it doesn't mean she cheated to get her As. She is spending the time she saved NOT studying for algebra and instead studying for her French semester final in order to pull her A/B quarter grades to an A for the semester, which she can only do by getting an A on the final. This is as it should be - why should she have to prove twice that she knows the Algebra material?

I am more worried about the kids who get Cs or below on Algebra quarter grades - MCPS instruction is not working for those kids and they have motivation to study for a final because they are clueless in the class.

Which is all the reason final exams should be given right before Spring Break and not just taken away completely. If we are teaching our kids that they don't have to try hard enough on something "just because" it probably won't make a difference, we are instilling the wrong values in them. Many private schools have moved exams earlier in the year to not only get away from AP exam schedule, but to take the pressure off the end of the year and make sure the kids are aware of their grades before the finish the year. It works very well. Most do it at the end of 3rd quarter and spend 4th quarter on papers, projects, group assignments outside the box learning, etc... They still have major tests, quizzes, and homework until the end.

[Anonymous]

So instead of asking for evidence from a stranger on an anonymous forum, I think you need to do some studying up on your fav school district.

How about before posting on a forum you include evidence to strengthen your point! At least in the article they mention that honors (the majority of kids) are doing fine and we can assume the AP kids are doing fine so again it is the struggling students who are struggling. I am Ok with that actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So instead of asking for evidence from a stranger on an anonymous forum, I think you need to do some studying up on your fav school district.

How about before posting on a forum you include evidence to strengthen your point! At least in the article they mention that honors (the majority of kids) are doing fine and we can assume the AP kids are doing fine so again it is the struggling students who are struggling. I am Ok with that actually.

You think 13% of honor students failing a final exam is okay? I think that is horrible. That should be the regular class level percentages. Honors kids get A's and few B's in all subjects. This wasn't a getting a C or even a D on the final exam. 13% flat out failed it.