Lawmakers told Maryland Schools are Complacent and Middle of the Pack

[Anonymous]

This is a sad state of affairs for Maryland Schools.
https://marylandmatters.org/2018/01/16/kirwan-tells-lawmakers-md-is-complacent-about-education-system/

The chairman of the commission studying Maryland’s education policy and funding formulas told legislative fiscal committees Tuesday that despite being ranked among the best in the nation in years past, state schools are actually in the “middle of the pack” in the United States.

William E. “Brit” Kirwan, chairman of the Maryland Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, went on to point out that since the United States is similarly ranked in the middle internationally, Maryland schools are in the middle of the middle in terms of ranking.


“There’s a certain complacency, I fear, about schools in Maryland because we have heard time and again that Maryland schools have been rated [among the] best in the nation,” Kirwan said. “But this rating that we are very proud of, and which does make us all feel good … doesn’t focus on the most important thing – student outcome assessment, how are our students actually doing on assessments of what they’ve learned.”

The state’s “middle-of-the-pack” ranking was from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as “America’s Report Card.” The United States’ middle ranking was from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).

“So, what this tells us is that Maryland schools are a long, long way from performing at the level of ‘the best system,’ ” he said.

He went on to outline certain preliminary findings of the 25-person commission, including shortcomings of funding formulas for school systems in the state’s poorer jurisdictions, needed improvement for recruiting and keeping teachers, and more support for at-risk students.

[Anonymous]

Thje findings are interesting:

Other findings were:

— Maryland’s funding system for K-12 education is the 15th most regressive in the nation.

— Maryland is facing teacher shortages, particularly high school teachers and those who teach Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

— Maryland teacher salaries are 40 percent below salaries for professionals with comparable education.

— The interest in teaching is in “great decline” in Maryland, following a trend across the United States.

For example, Kirwan said, the University of Maryland College Park in 2016 admitted 4,500 students, but fewer than 100 identified “teaching” as a career choice. At Towson University, which “is supposed to be our big producer of teachers,” only 5 percent of students are opting for teaching as a career, he said.

— Of those new teachers, only half of them go on to teach at Maryland public schools.

Among the commission’s recommendations, Kirwin said:

— Universal, all-day pre-K for Maryland children.

— “Significantly more” resources being devoted to at-risk students living in areas of concentrated poverty.

— Better preparing teachers for classroom by teaming with school systems where they will be teaching.

— Expanding the pool of “high-quality teachers” by making certification standards more stringent than the current national standardized PRAXIS tests used. Maryland applicants now have a 98.4 percent pass rate of the PRAXIS test – and it should be more difficult than that, Kirwin said.

[Anonymous]

expanding the pool of highly qualified teachers by making the test more stringent?

[Anonymous]

So said that less than 100 candidates want to be teachers out of 4,500. Standards and certification requirements should be high but pay should be as well. Why would people want to me in education if the salary is not reflective of the standards you're asking for. That's like wanting a Porsche but only having enough money for a Toyota. I wish we paid educators well but found a measurable way to assess quality. The problem with education is linking test scores to teacher evaluations when teachers have no control of outside factors such a immigration, deportation, poverty and socioeconomics, behaviors etc. A typical school day is from 9-3. One hour is spent in specials another hour for lunch/recess. Children only have about 4 hours of instruction. Parents are their children's first teacher because they spend 20+ hours outside of instruction each day and because children don't start "school" until age 5.

This is a sad state of affairs for education in Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Not surprising.

Where are the recommendations to adopt more rigorous standards utilizing strategies and resources employed by the best school systems in Asian and European countries?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not surprising.

Where are the recommendations to adopt more rigorous standards utilizing strategies and resources employed by the best school systems in Asian and European countries?

Based on the report, if we did that we'd be in the bottom of the pool.

I don't think it's the higher income areas that are bringing the scores down. As the report indicates, the poorer areas need more funding and better teachers.


http://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/NaepResults.aspx?PV=61:8:99:AAAA:1:N:6:1:2:2:1:1:1:1:3

[Anonymous]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/471564/

The best Asian school systems do not group by ability. They expect all students to achieve. They don't pour resources into HGCs, magnets, etc. Instead, they provide resources more fairly, with additional resources for kids at the first sign of falling behind.

The data indicates that it really has nothing to do with socioeconomics. Rather, it boils down to expectations and investment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not surprising.

Where are the recommendations to adopt more rigorous standards utilizing strategies and resources employed by the best school systems in Asian and European countries?

Are you advocating adopting more rigorous standards employed by the best school systems in Asian and European countries, or are you advocating the strategies and resources employed by the best school systems in Asian and European countries? Or both?

Also, which, specifically?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/471564/

The best Asian school systems do not group by ability. They expect all students to achieve. They don't pour resources into HGCs, magnets, etc. Instead, they provide resources more fairly, with additional resources for kids at the first sign of falling behind.

The data indicates that it really has nothing to do with socioeconomics. Rather, it boils down to expectations and investment.

Which data are you referring to? The data in the US indicate nothing of the sort.

Also, which are "the best Asian school systems", in your opinion, and how do you know they are the best?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not surprising.

Where are the recommendations to adopt more rigorous standards utilizing strategies and resources employed by the best school systems in Asian and European countries?

Here is what we hear when we have to give any feedback about the dismal state of education in the US and MD -
"Oh but Asians are "Tiger moms and dads". Lets not pay attention to anything they have to say because what do they know about the rigor in Asian countries and how well prepared students are in those countries? It is just that Asian parents do not want their kids to be happy! "

Is it any surprise that we are flocking to Asian-run prep classes to study all subjects, prep for SATs, prep for AP and IB classes and even magnet preps?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not surprising.

Where are the recommendations to adopt more rigorous standards utilizing strategies and resources employed by the best school systems in Asian and European countries?

Based on the report, if we did that we'd be in the bottom of the pool.

I don't think it's the higher income areas that are bringing the scores down. As the report indicates, the poorer areas need more funding and better teachers.


http://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/NaepResults.aspx?PV=61:8:99:AAAA:1:N:6:1:2:2:1:1:1:1:3

Ouch!

[Anonymous]

How come the Jesuit Cristo Rey schools and the KIPP charter schools can close the achievement gap, but MD schools cannot? Is there another county better resources than MoCo? Why can't MCPS achieve better results?

It might be because the Cristo Rey and KIPP schools emphasize character and discipline. That lays the foundation for learning. Have you ever observed your mcps classroom? Kids sit in groups where they chat and "work independently." Private schools teach at one level (like the Asian model praised by the linked article from The Atlantic), and kids receive constant instruction. It's intellectually stimulating.

Time isn't wasted on independent worksheets. Kids are taught proper penmanship and grammar---two items that have been dropped from the mcps curriculum.

Kids have text books or access to legitimate resources---as opposed to worksheets (at best) hastily thrown together by a team of nothing-special classroom teachers recruited by the central office to develop 2.0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:expanding the pool of highly qualified teachers by making the test more stringent?

No. It will shrink the pool. However, that is not a bad thing. Perhaps performance in the stringent tests should be a criteria in their pay-scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/471564/

The best Asian school systems do not group by ability. They expect all students to achieve. They don't pour resources into HGCs, magnets, etc. Instead, they provide resources more fairly, with additional resources for kids at the first sign of falling behind.

The data indicates that it really has nothing to do with socioeconomics. Rather, it boils down to expectations and investment.

Which data are you referring to? The data in the US indicate nothing of the sort.

Also, which are "the best Asian school systems", in your opinion, and how do you know they are the best?

The linked article explains that countries dealing with far worse poverty than the US don't have the same achievement gap issues.

Typical American: lazily skip over reading the actual article and rely on an isolated comment or simply draw your own conclusion.

[Anonymous]

Okay in order to address these findings, I think we need to understand the data that is being reviewed at a per system level. MCPS is very different from Baltimore County for instance. Very different demographics, different decision makers, different everything. MOCO, PG, Howard, Frederick, Baltimore, Anne Arrundel, etc. are all different from each other. We also need to understand what is their criteria for determining successful schools. Is it ability to close the achievement gap? Ability to recruit future teachers?