23 Baltimore City Schools Have Zero Students Proficient in Math

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your issue with #2? They honestly need so much more to make that job worth it.

They need to be paid all that money to do a good job teaching.

Imagine kindergarten teacher #1: her students all come from homes where both parents are literate, 85%have college and 50% have graduate degrees. Their children have been to parks, zoos, museums, restaurants, libraries, and community classes and sports. Most of her students have been read aloud too since they were babies and their families have accumulated libraries in their homes with a selection of books they read together. The students are familiar with books and even have favorites.

And teacher #2: about a quarter of her students come from homes where parents are not literate in any language. Another quarter have basic literacy in a language other than English. More than half of her students’ parents did not attend college for any length of time. Their parents work double shifts during which time the kids are watched by extended family. They go on outings occasionally but have not yet visited a library or museum, and have not been in an organized group like a class or day care. More than half the students have not been read to and there are no books in the home. The students are largely unfamiliar with books and cannot handle one correctly (identify the cover, turn the pages in the right direction).

If teacher #2’s kids are not achieving the same as teacher #1 at the end of the year, you can blame the teacher, or you can look at the systemic issues that are causing students to enter their first day of their first year of school already woefully behind. Obviously we need good teachers in Baltimore. But there is much more at work than “bad teachers.”

Trying to teach kids to read when there aren't even basic needs met is a ridiculous threshold. We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. You also cant teach kids that arent in class.

The hypothetical for teacher #2 didn’t say the kids “basic needs” weren’t met.

Oh yep that's right the basic needs are met but everything else listed isn't with illiterate parents, parents who work multiple jobs, transient care, social and developmental skills not taught by daycare/preschool providers that at least have a certification but instead of with extended family who are either also working multiple jobs and likely sleeping or not working at all (see illiterate) or underemployed. They are unfamiliar with books. Their physiological needs may be met, albeit barely but you have to get safety met as well. Do you think these kids are in stable environments- meaning people, housing, dedicated income, water, and electrical bills paid on time, working A/C, working heat, clothes and shoes that fit and are for the appropriate season, etc? Are their schools happy and safe places to be?

What would you recommend for those kids, if the adults around them are not providing for them?

As stated in my original comment: We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. Or we need universal Pre-K. Or truancy. Or anything other than setting kids up for failure and acting like every kid/community has the same needs. https://www.npr.org/2019/02/26/696794821/why-white-school-districts-have-so-much-more-money#:~:text=%22For%20every%20student%20enrolled%2C%20the%20average%20nonwhite%20school,than%20districts%20composed%20primarily%20of%20students%20of%20color.

Community Schools is the answer. You have to train the parents and students at the same time but if you do it right you can finally break the povety cycle. Of course all of this cost $$$$$ upfront.

https://hcz.org/

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, UMD placed 4th in Putnam Math competition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore City teacher here. I have a Master’s degree and am in my 11th year of teaching and I make in the low $80k. Not sure where that info about salary comes from. Yes, we do get paid a higher salary than other counties but if they didn’t pay us more, nobody would work here. The conditions in most schools are disgusting so they have to do something to attract teachers.

Most students don’t care at all about standardized testing. I proctor MCAP and there is nothing we can do to stop at often just clicking through the test. When they are done, they often just take a nap. They know these scores don’t affect them in any way so why bother? We try our best to retain students who shouldn’t go on to the next grade but admin rarely allows it. Most of these kids have serious attendance issues so that’s why they are so behind. I have a kindergartener who has missed something like 70 days of school. We just celebrated the 100th day last week. We will try to retain this student but I doubt it will be allowed. It will be the same every year in terms of attendance but it will take years before they can be referred to truancy court. Nothing happens there either. It’s very frustrating.

Teacher (with masters degree) salary of $80K is not a lot. In fact, it’s embarrassingly modest.

So odd how that outrageous $400K salary of a Baltimore administrator got deleted. The few at the top are gauging everyone else, especially the children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your issue with #2? They honestly need so much more to make that job worth it.

They need to be paid all that money to do a good job teaching.

Imagine kindergarten teacher #1: her students all come from homes where both parents are literate, 85%have college and 50% have graduate degrees. Their children have been to parks, zoos, museums, restaurants, libraries, and community classes and sports. Most of her students have been read aloud too since they were babies and their families have accumulated libraries in their homes with a selection of books they read together. The students are familiar with books and even have favorites.

And teacher #2: about a quarter of her students come from homes where parents are not literate in any language. Another quarter have basic literacy in a language other than English. More than half of her students’ parents did not attend college for any length of time. Their parents work double shifts during which time the kids are watched by extended family. They go on outings occasionally but have not yet visited a library or museum, and have not been in an organized group like a class or day care. More than half the students have not been read to and there are no books in the home. The students are largely unfamiliar with books and cannot handle one correctly (identify the cover, turn the pages in the right direction).

If teacher #2’s kids are not achieving the same as teacher #1 at the end of the year, you can blame the teacher, or you can look at the systemic issues that are causing students to enter their first day of their first year of school already woefully behind. Obviously we need good teachers in Baltimore. But there is much more at work than “bad teachers.”

Trying to teach kids to read when there aren't even basic needs met is a ridiculous threshold. We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. You also cant teach kids that arent in class.

The hypothetical for teacher #2 didn’t say the kids “basic needs” weren’t met.

Oh yep that's right the basic needs are met but everything else listed isn't with illiterate parents, parents who work multiple jobs, transient care, social and developmental skills not taught by daycare/preschool providers that at least have a certification but instead of with extended family who are either also working multiple jobs and likely sleeping or not working at all (see illiterate) or underemployed. They are unfamiliar with books. Their physiological needs may be met, albeit barely but you have to get safety met as well. Do you think these kids are in stable environments- meaning people, housing, dedicated income, water, and electrical bills paid on time, working A/C, working heat, clothes and shoes that fit and are for the appropriate season, etc? Are their schools happy and safe places to be?

What would you recommend for those kids, if the adults around them are not providing for them?

As stated in my original comment: We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. Or we need universal Pre-K. Or truancy. Or anything other than setting kids up for failure and acting like every kid/community has the same needs. https://www.npr.org/2019/02/26/696794821/why-white-school-districts-have-so-much-more-money#:~:text=%22For%20every%20student%20enrolled%2C%20the%20average%20nonwhite%20school,than%20districts%20composed%20primarily%20of%20students%20of%20color.

You are suggesting school-based replacements for the things parents are failing at (for a variety of reasons)? I mean, I agree with this, but certainly this board has posters suggesting that schools can't do the entire job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your issue with #2? They honestly need so much more to make that job worth it.

They need to be paid all that money to do a good job teaching.

Imagine kindergarten teacher #1: her students all come from homes where both parents are literate, 85%have college and 50% have graduate degrees. Their children have been to parks, zoos, museums, restaurants, libraries, and community classes and sports. Most of her students have been read aloud too since they were babies and their families have accumulated libraries in their homes with a selection of books they read together. The students are familiar with books and even have favorites.

And teacher #2: about a quarter of her students come from homes where parents are not literate in any language. Another quarter have basic literacy in a language other than English. More than half of her students’ parents did not attend college for any length of time. Their parents work double shifts during which time the kids are watched by extended family. They go on outings occasionally but have not yet visited a library or museum, and have not been in an organized group like a class or day care. More than half the students have not been read to and there are no books in the home. The students are largely unfamiliar with books and cannot handle one correctly (identify the cover, turn the pages in the right direction).

If teacher #2’s kids are not achieving the same as teacher #1 at the end of the year, you can blame the teacher, or you can look at the systemic issues that are causing students to enter their first day of their first year of school already woefully behind. Obviously we need good teachers in Baltimore. But there is much more at work than “bad teachers.”

Trying to teach kids to read when there aren't even basic needs met is a ridiculous threshold. We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. You also cant teach kids that arent in class.

The hypothetical for teacher #2 didn’t say the kids “basic needs” weren’t met.

Oh yep that's right the basic needs are met but everything else listed isn't with illiterate parents, parents who work multiple jobs, transient care, social and developmental skills not taught by daycare/preschool providers that at least have a certification but instead of with extended family who are either also working multiple jobs and likely sleeping or not working at all (see illiterate) or underemployed. They are unfamiliar with books. Their physiological needs may be met, albeit barely but you have to get safety met as well. Do you think these kids are in stable environments- meaning people, housing, dedicated income, water, and electrical bills paid on time, working A/C, working heat, clothes and shoes that fit and are for the appropriate season, etc? Are their schools happy and safe places to be?

What would you recommend for those kids, if the adults around them are not providing for them?

As stated in my original comment: We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. Or we need universal Pre-K. Or truancy. Or anything other than setting kids up for failure and acting like every kid/community has the same needs. https://www.npr.org/2019/02/26/696794821/why-white-school-districts-have-so-much-more-money#:~:text=%22For%20every%20student%20enrolled%2C%20the%20average%20nonwhite%20school,than%20districts%20composed%20primarily%20of%20students%20of%20color.

You are suggesting school-based replacements for the things parents are failing at (for a variety of reasons)? I mean, I agree with this, but certainly this board has posters suggesting that schools can't do the entire job.

Schools cant do any job that they are remotely supposed to do when each kid is in crisis, effectively. Their parents are in crisis too. They are doing the best they can but we need community-level, decade-funded measures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your issue with #2? They honestly need so much more to make that job worth it.

They need to be paid all that money to do a good job teaching.

Imagine kindergarten teacher #1: her students all come from homes where both parents are literate, 85%have college and 50% have graduate degrees. Their children have been to parks, zoos, museums, restaurants, libraries, and community classes and sports. Most of her students have been read aloud too since they were babies and their families have accumulated libraries in their homes with a selection of books they read together. The students are familiar with books and even have favorites.

And teacher #2: about a quarter of her students come from homes where parents are not literate in any language. Another quarter have basic literacy in a language other than English. More than half of her students’ parents did not attend college for any length of time. Their parents work double shifts during which time the kids are watched by extended family. They go on outings occasionally but have not yet visited a library or museum, and have not been in an organized group like a class or day care. More than half the students have not been read to and there are no books in the home. The students are largely unfamiliar with books and cannot handle one correctly (identify the cover, turn the pages in the right direction).

If teacher #2’s kids are not achieving the same as teacher #1 at the end of the year, you can blame the teacher, or you can look at the systemic issues that are causing students to enter their first day of their first year of school already woefully behind. Obviously we need good teachers in Baltimore. But there is much more at work than “bad teachers.”

Trying to teach kids to read when there aren't even basic needs met is a ridiculous threshold. We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. You also cant teach kids that arent in class.

The hypothetical for teacher #2 didn’t say the kids “basic needs” weren’t met.

Oh yep that's right the basic needs are met but everything else listed isn't with illiterate parents, parents who work multiple jobs, transient care, social and developmental skills not taught by daycare/preschool providers that at least have a certification but instead of with extended family who are either also working multiple jobs and likely sleeping or not working at all (see illiterate) or underemployed. They are unfamiliar with books. Their physiological needs may be met, albeit barely but you have to get safety met as well. Do you think these kids are in stable environments- meaning people, housing, dedicated income, water, and electrical bills paid on time, working A/C, working heat, clothes and shoes that fit and are for the appropriate season, etc? Are their schools happy and safe places to be?

What would you recommend for those kids, if the adults around them are not providing for them?

As stated in my original comment: We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. Or we need universal Pre-K. Or truancy. Or anything other than setting kids up for failure and acting like every kid/community has the same needs. https://www.npr.org/2019/02/26/696794821/why-white-school-districts-have-so-much-more-money#:~:text=%22For%20every%20student%20enrolled%2C%20the%20average%20nonwhite%20school,than%20districts%20composed%20primarily%20of%20students%20of%20color.

You are suggesting school-based replacements for the things parents are failing at (for a variety of reasons)? I mean, I agree with this, but certainly this board has posters suggesting that schools can't do the entire job.

Schools cant do any job that they are remotely supposed to do when each kid is in crisis, effectively. Their parents are in crisis too. They are doing the best they can but we need community-level, decade-funded measures.

Which ones have been proven to work? It seems like there are 1,000 programs (in DC at least) and things aren't improving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s your issue with #2? They honestly need so much more to make that job worth it.

They need to be paid all that money to do a good job teaching.

Imagine kindergarten teacher #1: her students all come from homes where both parents are literate, 85%have college and 50% have graduate degrees. Their children have been to parks, zoos, museums, restaurants, libraries, and community classes and sports. Most of her students have been read aloud too since they were babies and their families have accumulated libraries in their homes with a selection of books they read together. The students are familiar with books and even have favorites.

And teacher #2: about a quarter of her students come from homes where parents are not literate in any language. Another quarter have basic literacy in a language other than English. More than half of her students’ parents did not attend college for any length of time. Their parents work double shifts during which time the kids are watched by extended family. They go on outings occasionally but have not yet visited a library or museum, and have not been in an organized group like a class or day care. More than half the students have not been read to and there are no books in the home. The students are largely unfamiliar with books and cannot handle one correctly (identify the cover, turn the pages in the right direction).

If teacher #2’s kids are not achieving the same as teacher #1 at the end of the year, you can blame the teacher, or you can look at the systemic issues that are causing students to enter their first day of their first year of school already woefully behind. Obviously we need good teachers in Baltimore. But there is much more at work than “bad teachers.”

Trying to teach kids to read when there aren't even basic needs met is a ridiculous threshold. We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. You also cant teach kids that arent in class.

The hypothetical for teacher #2 didn’t say the kids “basic needs” weren’t met.

Oh yep that's right the basic needs are met but everything else listed isn't with illiterate parents, parents who work multiple jobs, transient care, social and developmental skills not taught by daycare/preschool providers that at least have a certification but instead of with extended family who are either also working multiple jobs and likely sleeping or not working at all (see illiterate) or underemployed. They are unfamiliar with books. Their physiological needs may be met, albeit barely but you have to get safety met as well. Do you think these kids are in stable environments- meaning people, housing, dedicated income, water, and electrical bills paid on time, working A/C, working heat, clothes and shoes that fit and are for the appropriate season, etc? Are their schools happy and safe places to be?

What would you recommend for those kids, if the adults around them are not providing for them?

As stated in my original comment: We need more counselors, social workers, basic skills, IEP aides, etc. in classes. Or we need universal Pre-K. Or truancy. Or anything other than setting kids up for failure and acting like every kid/community has the same needs. https://www.npr.org/2019/02/26/696794821/why-white-school-districts-have-so-much-more-money#:~:text=%22For%20every%20student%20enrolled%2C%20the%20average%20nonwhite%20school,than%20districts%20composed%20primarily%20of%20students%20of%20color.

Community Schools is the answer. You have to train the parents and students at the same time but if you do it right you can finally break the povety cycle. Of course all of this cost $$$$$ upfront.

https://hcz.org/

That only worked with parents who chose to participate. There are MANY parents who view school as childcare and nothing more. They have no interest in parenting classes, etc. In fact, if you call many parents during the day, they either won't answer or if they do, they will scream at you to deal with it. Many other phone numbers don't work. I stopped calling parents a long time ago.

[Anonymous]

Up The Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman 1964.

[Anonymous]

I would like to believe that good parents & good parenting is the answer, but social media has too much influence over kids to feel confident in this answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Up The Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman 1964.

Great reference.

[Anonymous]

Why? Read it. Then you'll know why.

https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Terrordome-Years-Baltimore-America/dp/0826219861

[Anonymous]

One solution might be to have schools separated out by how students score on these tests. Put all the failing students together and then start with the very basics. Teach them to read. Provide intensive services at that school and give the teachers specialty pay for teaching in those schools. Smaller classes too. Keeping kids who can’t read on the standard curriculum and just presenting they can is not helpful to them. Decades ago someone came up with teach for America as a sort of peace corp for inner city schools. It was hugely popular and fairly prestigious for a while. It was criticized (often with good reason) but we need some kind of similar solution now — a way to convince people that this is important community service and yes it will be hard but your country will be grateful. Now it’s like “yeah, we’ll give you an impossible and often dangerous job and we will absolutely call you lazy and criticize you when you fail. And the pay is not great and the hours are totally not flexible with a super early start time. Please apply!”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We would be better off grouping kids by academic ability and willingness to be taught/learn together vs zip code. Put all the low preforming and behaviors problem kids in the same school. Teachers can then better teach to their level and more specifically address their struggles.

If 23 schools have zero students proficient in math it looks like that is already happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We would be better off grouping kids by academic ability and willingness to be taught/learn together vs zip code. Put all the low preforming and behaviors problem kids in the same school. Teachers can then better teach to their level and more specifically address their struggles.

If 23 schools have zero students proficient in math it looks like that is already happening.

Some of that is because the kids who are willing and able to learn are getting zero attention because the teachers are too busy running triage on disruptive behavior.

[Anonymous]

Two thoughts to ponder:

-About 10 years ago Oprah was ready to make a significant donation to BCPS. When he people started looking at the books she walked.

-Ed Burns who retired as a homicide cop to become a middle school teacher needed counseling for PTSD because of his time in the schools. He also served in Army infantry during Vietnam before becoming a cop.