Dr Starr puts his spin on falling test scores

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Btw the kids this will hurt the most are the bright ones whose parents don't have the resources to help them at home. My kids are going to an academic camp this summer and am floored by what they are teaching. 80% Far East 15 % Indian 5% White. If MCPS doesn't teach these kids, parents will figure out other ways.

And the racial stats are indicative of what?

[Anonymous]

All I see on here is status anxiety combined with a touch of racial panic. Same with the other thread about "Dr. Starr is an idiot." This conversation has as much depth and reason as scribblings on a bathroom wall. Either tell us very specifically about a policy or pedagogical issue at your school (and tell us which school it is), or stop blathering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The vast majority of area private schools (not just the tippy top ones) are far superior.

And you know this how?

New poster here, with a kid in private school. I don't think they are superior. My kid has the advantage of a much smaller class size, and he gets a little more flexibility in curriculum. But he's learning pretty much the same thing as my older kids did in public. When you correct for SES, kids test about the same. Private schools just have far more kids from higher income households.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Btw the kids this will hurt the most are the bright ones whose parents don't have the resources to help them at home. My kids are going to an academic camp this summer and am floored by what they are teaching. 80% Far East 15 % Indian 5% White. If MCPS doesn't teach these kids, parents will figure out other ways.

And the racial stats are indicative of what?

Silly. It indicates what everybody knows, namely that people from East Asia are the smartest and most driven, followed by people from South Asia, followed by white people (some of them, maybe); and black people and Hispanic people are dumb and lazy and only get into magnet programs because of affirmative action.

(I do not actually believe this. But a lot of people do.)

[Anonymous]

We do know for fact, blacks in America were prohibited and forbidden (with support from the local and national courts) from schools and the study of writing, arithmetic, and reading for centuries in the new land of America. Many caught with books or in classes trying to learn were subject to severe punishment -- including lynching and death -- at the hands of those holding them in captivity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We do know for fact, blacks in America were prohibited and forbidden (with support from the local and national courts) from schools and the study of writing, arithmetic, and reading for centuries in the new land of America. Many caught with books or in classes trying to learn were subject to severe punishment -- including lynching and death -- at the hands of those holding them in captivity.

And I guess Dr. Starr brought this policy to MOCO?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I see on here is status anxiety combined with a touch of racial panic. Same with the other thread about "Dr. Starr is an idiot." This conversation has as much depth and reason as scribblings on a bathroom wall. Either tell us very specifically about a policy or pedagogical issue at your school (and tell us which school it is), or stop blathering.

DING!DING!DING!
AND WE HAVE A WINNER!

[Anonymous]

And I guess Dr. Starr brought this policy to MOCO?

In case you are still wondering? Mr Starr did not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And I guess Dr. Starr brought this policy to MOCO?

In case you are still wondering? Mr Starr did not.

PP -- do u realize what I was responding too??

[Anonymous]

All I see on here is status anxiety combined with a touch of racial panic. Same with the other thread about "Dr. Starr is an idiot." This conversation has as much depth and reason as scribblings on a bathroom wall. Either tell us very specifically about a policy or pedagogical issue at your school (and tell us which school it is), or stop blathering.

I don't see any anxiety just a pattern of terrible leadership, poor decision making and a lack of accountability. 2.0 is disaster, Starr is screwing up the budget, MCPS has turned into an embarrassment for MD, and students of all races and income levels are the ones losing out.

Under Starr's leadership we have seen the following:

1. an end to math acceleration
2. failing scores for high school students
3. significant drop (much more than other counties, 12% is much more than 4%) in MSA test scores
4. Failed implementation of the curriculum, it took the teachers union going after them to even admit their was a problem
5. Arrogance in admitting the failure of the curriculum AND the implementation
6. Antagonistic relationship with parent community
7. Bad fiscal decisions involving pay increases leading to increases in class size and budget deficits
8. Antagonistic relationship with Maryland Council members and the state which may lead to bigger budget problems

So far Starr and MCPS response has been

1. Ignore and deny
2. Blame the local schools, principals and teachers - if broad based ignore and deny doesn't work, respond that it is just your school
3. Blame the students (they failed just for kicks and giggles)
4. If all else fails compare yourself only to the lowest ranking large school systems in the country and say things aren't that bad in comparison and you're number ! compared to the bottom of the pack

[Anonymous]

We don't give MSAs in high school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since K through 3 have not been accelerated during his tenure (the "go-slow but deep") we have an appropriate control or comparator group to test your hypothesis. Tell me how these kids are doing on outside metrics (e.g., MSA) last year, this year and the next? It will be interesting to follow this cohort out. So far, from what I have gathered from the recent summer MSA release results for the elementary school kids they are not holding ground but moving in reverse. I do not believe any of these kids were accelerated or enriched under Starr; rather beneficiaries of a much deeper curriculum with emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving.

As discussed at the very beginning of this thread, the MSAs are not a valid assessment of learning under the Common Core. So the fact that third graders taught third grade math under C 2.0 did not score as well as third graders taught third grade math under the curriculum the MSAs were designed to assess doesn't really say much.

But, didn't MSA scores decline across the board, not just for third graders (the only ones taking MSA who had been taught under 2.0)?

which other grades take MSAs?

I believe it is 3-12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Under Starr's leadership we have seen the following:

1. an end to math acceleration
2. failing scores for high school students
3. significant drop (much more than other counties, 12% is much more than 4%) in MSA test scores
4. Failed implementation of the curriculum, it took the teachers union going after them to even admit their was a problem
5. Arrogance in admitting the failure of the curriculum AND the implementation
6. Antagonistic relationship with parent community
7. Bad fiscal decisions involving pay increases leading to increases in class size and budget deficits
8. Antagonistic relationship with Maryland Council members and the state which may lead to bigger budget problems

Actually --

1. Not true.
2. Also under Weast.
3. True, but nobody knows what this means.
4. "Failed" according to whom? DCUM?
5. See 4.
6. Also under Weast (and maybe earlier, I don't know).
7. Class sizes in FY 2012 were bigger than in FY 2011? Data please.
8. Actually worse under Weast.

You can dislike MCPS all you want, but this hatred of Starr is just not rational.

[Anonymous]

Just read Starr's speeches and you'll know how delusional he is. No need for the weast booster club to comment whatsoever. Starr's words and actions speak for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Under Starr's leadership we have seen the following:

1. an end to math acceleration
2. failing scores for high school students
3. significant drop (much more than other counties, 12% is much more than 4%) in MSA test scores
4. Failed implementation of the curriculum, it took the teachers union going after them to even admit their was a problem
5. Arrogance in admitting the failure of the curriculum AND the implementation
6. Antagonistic relationship with parent community
7. Bad fiscal decisions involving pay increases leading to increases in class size and budget deficits
8. Antagonistic relationship with Maryland Council members and the state which may lead to bigger budget problems

Actually --

1. Not true.
2. Also under Weast.
3. True, but nobody knows what this means.
4. "Failed" according to whom? DCUM?
5. See 4.
6. Also under Weast (and maybe earlier, I don't know).
7. Class sizes in FY 2012 were bigger than in FY 2011? Data please.
8. Actually worse under Weast.

You can dislike MCPS all you want, but this hatred of Starr is just not rational.

Hmm...

1. Only because parents went ballistic
2. Hey, don't judge my poor performance, the last guy was even worse!
3. It's not failure if you can't explain why it happened.
4. Classroom meterials from Rockville were being written ar the last minute. Not surprisingly, they were riddled with errors.
5. They do seem to enjoy telling students and parents we don't kow what's good for us/our kids. That's not going to fly now. It might have 20 years ago.
6. If only those pesky parents would stop CARING about what goes on in school and let us decide how we conduct the public's business.
7 & 8. Yes the MOCO budget it a mess, dating back to Duncan's attempts to run for governor in 06. If not before. Part of the job description at that level is managing relationships with counterparties. I would say your funding authority is high up that list.

The 2014 school board elections in MOCO will be verrry interesting. Members Brandman, Docca, Durso, and O'Neil should be presed as to where they stand on Starr's track record so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


The 2014 school board elections in MOCO will be verrry interesting. Members Brandman, Docca, Durso, and O'Neil should be presed as to where they stand on Starr's track record so far.

Oh goody! Maybe we can see Parents Coalition members run in the primaries and all finish dead last again! Why not nominate Sartucci? She's such a peach.