PARCC test results - slight increase in scores overall, white students see drop, Wilson plunges

[Anonymous]

So math is up and English down? My guess is that bunch of foreign born kids just entered Wilson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC Prep charter middle school appears to be thriving according to the test scores. Any parents here with students there?

KIPP Promise also. Wow. 47/74 (and 55/88 for non-special ed, which I think is the highest non-special ed math score in the whole city!) with a virtually 100% ED AA population. That is incredibly impressive.

are you going to send your child there - no. If all the children at KIPP were high or middle SES kids would you send you kid there - no.

Admit it you want a different kind of education for your kid. You also want the test scores to validate that different kind of education, and that isn't happening. I'm fine with it not happening (I think standardized tests are not great measures of learning), but you can't have it both ways until we have a better test, and that's not going to happen anytime soon (in part because tests that measure learning would be very expensive to grade).

Time, people, to let go of test scores as the holy grail.

I don't know who you're responding to, but I'm the PP and I was expressing nothing but admiration for KIPP's results. They are doing incredibly well with a traditionally under-served/low-performing population. I do actually think test scores matter and I would much rather send my kid to KIPP than my atrociously performing IB school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are white parents going to be clamoring to get into Banneker? It was the top scoring high school in DCPS with 98% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in literacy and 62% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in mathematics. School Without Walls was 84% proficiency in literacy and 52% proficiency in mathematics.

Have you been paying attention to this thread?

Not only is Banneker a test-in school, but it counsels out a large number of its students (anyone whose GPA drops below 3.0, even in the middle of a year). Combine that with the non-existent special ed or ELL populations and, voila, the few students who remain to actually take the PARCC do very well.

If Wilson could do all that, it'd probably be the best in the nation. If SWS was as aggressive as Banneker in counseling students out, its scores would be higher.

Just a correction - i said it used to be 3.0.

I think DCPS has reworked the Banneker grading system so that it's less draconian -- by it is still a school with significant attrition from 9th to 12th.

Thank you for the clarification. I'd love to see the comparable attrition data from SWS.

According to learnDC.org (thank you PP for the suggestion), Banneker and SWS have completely different attrition profiles.

Enrollment at Banneker:
- 9th: 167
- 10th: 114
- 11th: 74
- 12th: 94

Approx. attrition rate: 44%

Enrollment at SWS:
- 9th: 160
- 10th: 142
- 11th: 150
- 12th: 138

Approx. attrition rate: 14%


Quite relevant when we compare PARCC numbers, correct?

(Both are great schools, but there's no need to hype results)

Maybe. PARCC is only supposed administered in during high school once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the right year happens based on their math level.

For 2014-15 DCPS tested kids in 9th and 10th for ELA. No idea what they did for 15-16. At any rate if they normalize to just 10th the attrition issue will be less stark between SWW and Banneker.

But how do you normalize for the fact that, based on general data above, Banneker has kicked out 32% of its lower-performing students by 10th grade, and SWW only 11%?

That 21% difference makes Banneker look like a better school than it actually is.

[Anonymous]

DCist article - highlights small progress in closing of the achievement gap among students in charter schools.

http://dcist.com/2016/08/white_students_parcc.php

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are white parents going to be clamoring to get into Banneker? It was the top scoring high school in DCPS with 98% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in literacy and 62% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in mathematics. School Without Walls was 84% proficiency in literacy and 52% proficiency in mathematics.

Have you been paying attention to this thread?

Not only is Banneker a test-in school, but it counsels out a large number of its students (anyone whose GPA drops below 3.0, even in the middle of a year). Combine that with the non-existent special ed or ELL populations and, voila, the few students who remain to actually take the PARCC do very well.

If Wilson could do all that, it'd probably be the best in the nation. If SWS was as aggressive as Banneker in counseling students out, its scores would be higher.

Just a correction - i said it used to be 3.0.

I think DCPS has reworked the Banneker grading system so that it's less draconian -- by it is still a school with significant attrition from 9th to 12th.

Thank you for the clarification. I'd love to see the comparable attrition data from SWS.

According to learnDC.org (thank you PP for the suggestion), Banneker and SWS have completely different attrition profiles.

Enrollment at Banneker:
- 9th: 167
- 10th: 114
- 11th: 74
- 12th: 94

Approx. attrition rate: 44%

Enrollment at SWS:
- 9th: 160
- 10th: 142
- 11th: 150
- 12th: 138

Approx. attrition rate: 14%


Quite relevant when we compare PARCC numbers, correct?

(Both are great schools, but there's no need to hype results)

Maybe. PARCC is only supposed administered in during high school once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the right year happens based on their math level.

For 2014-15 DCPS tested kids in 9th and 10th for ELA. No idea what they did for 15-16. At any rate if they normalize to just 10th the attrition issue will be less stark between SWW and Banneker.

But how do you normalize for the fact that, based on general data above, Banneker has kicked out 32% of its lower-performing students by 10th grade, and SWW only 11%?

That 21% difference makes Banneker look like a better school than it actually is.

This is slightly ridiculous. It is a better school because those who graduate are more proficient. Now, it kicks out many kids but that is entirely its right as an application school seeking to educate the high achievers. I'm not sure you would be making such a fuss if this were TJ in Virginia with this attrition rate. Because TJ is mostly white/asian it would be seen as kids not being able to keep up with the curriculum and being steered toward a more appropriate environment. SWW may be harder to get into but its metrics for continuing aren't the same - it caters to more individualized learning.

[Anonymous]

Apparently people can't stand the fact that Banneker is ranked 'best' on anything -- even just one test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Banneker predominantly African American?

Yes. 87% Black and 13% Latino

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Apparently people can't stand the fact that Banneker is ranked 'best' on anything -- even just one test.

Insecurity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The L-T numbers are actually astonishingly good when you realize that they don't have enough non-economically disadvantaged kids to report that group separately. Their ED numbers are 42/40! Compare that to Watkins' 16/26 or Maury's 18/14. If I were the parent of a poor and/or AA kid living on/near the Hill, the choice would be easy.

I am a parent of a non-poor and non-disadvantaged kid and the choice was also easy. We have been there for 3 years now and staying put. Also the new-new principal (Mr. Smith) is great and full of energy and ideas. New RiverSmart gardens and playground and a PTA that is starting to raise real money...It is looking pretty good right now. The only thing that is not there is language immersion-that is the only reason to try to lottery elsewhere, really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are white parents going to be clamoring to get into Banneker? It was the top scoring high school in DCPS with 98% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in literacy and 62% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in mathematics. School Without Walls was 84% proficiency in literacy and 52% proficiency in mathematics.

Have you been paying attention to this thread?

Not only is Banneker a test-in school, but it counsels out a large number of its students (anyone whose GPA drops below 3.0, even in the middle of a year). Combine that with the non-existent special ed or ELL populations and, voila, the few students who remain to actually take the PARCC do very well.

If Wilson could do all that, it'd probably be the best in the nation. If SWS was as aggressive as Banneker in counseling students out, its scores would be higher.

Just a correction - i said it used to be 3.0.

I think DCPS has reworked the Banneker grading system so that it's less draconian -- by it is still a school with significant attrition from 9th to 12th.

Thank you for the clarification. I'd love to see the comparable attrition data from SWS.

According to learnDC.org (thank you PP for the suggestion), Banneker and SWS have completely different attrition profiles.

Enrollment at Banneker:
- 9th: 167
- 10th: 114
- 11th: 74
- 12th: 94

Approx. attrition rate: 44%

Enrollment at SWS:
- 9th: 160
- 10th: 142
- 11th: 150
- 12th: 138

Approx. attrition rate: 14%


Quite relevant when we compare PARCC numbers, correct?

(Both are great schools, but there's no need to hype results)

Maybe. PARCC is only supposed administered in during high school once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the right year happens based on their math level.

For 2014-15 DCPS tested kids in 9th and 10th for ELA. No idea what they did for 15-16. At any rate if they normalize to just 10th the attrition issue will be less stark between SWW and Banneker.

But how do you normalize for the fact that, based on general data above, Banneker has kicked out 32% of its lower-performing students by 10th grade, and SWW only 11%?

That 21% difference makes Banneker look like a better school than it actually is.

This is slightly ridiculous. It is a better school because those who graduate are more proficient. Now, it kicks out many kids but that is entirely its right as an application school seeking to educate the high achievers. I'm not sure you would be making such a fuss if this were TJ in Virginia with this attrition rate. Because TJ is mostly white/asian it would be seen as kids not being able to keep up with the curriculum and being steered toward a more appropriate environment. SWW may be harder to get into but its metrics for continuing aren't the same - it caters to more individualized learning.

Well, we seem to have different definitions of "good school." For me, it's the one that educates its student body the best (SWW). For you, it's the one that kicks out the most students (Banneker).

Fine. The world is diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are white parents going to be clamoring to get into Banneker? It was the top scoring high school in DCPS with 98% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in literacy and 62% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in mathematics. School Without Walls was 84% proficiency in literacy and 52% proficiency in mathematics.

Have you been paying attention to this thread?

Not only is Banneker a test-in school, but it counsels out a large number of its students (anyone whose GPA drops below 3.0, even in the middle of a year). Combine that with the non-existent special ed or ELL populations and, voila, the few students who remain to actually take the PARCC do very well.

If Wilson could do all that, it'd probably be the best in the nation. If SWS was as aggressive as Banneker in counseling students out, its scores would be higher.

Just a correction - i said it used to be 3.0.

I think DCPS has reworked the Banneker grading system so that it's less draconian -- by it is still a school with significant attrition from 9th to 12th.

Thank you for the clarification. I'd love to see the comparable attrition data from SWS.

According to learnDC.org (thank you PP for the suggestion), Banneker and SWS have completely different attrition profiles.

Enrollment at Banneker:
- 9th: 167
- 10th: 114
- 11th: 74
- 12th: 94

Approx. attrition rate: 44%

Enrollment at SWS:
- 9th: 160
- 10th: 142
- 11th: 150
- 12th: 138

Approx. attrition rate: 14%


Quite relevant when we compare PARCC numbers, correct?

(Both are great schools, but there's no need to hype results)

Maybe. PARCC is only supposed administered in during high school once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the right year happens based on their math level.

For 2014-15 DCPS tested kids in 9th and 10th for ELA. No idea what they did for 15-16. At any rate if they normalize to just 10th the attrition issue will be less stark between SWW and Banneker.

But how do you normalize for the fact that, based on general data above, Banneker has kicked out 32% of its lower-performing students by 10th grade, and SWW only 11%?

That 21% difference makes Banneker look like a better school than it actually is.

This is slightly ridiculous. It is a better school because those who graduate are more proficient. Now, it kicks out many kids but that is entirely its right as an application school seeking to educate the high achievers. I'm not sure you would be making such a fuss if this were TJ in Virginia with this attrition rate. Because TJ is mostly white/asian it would be seen as kids not being able to keep up with the curriculum and being steered toward a more appropriate environment. SWW may be harder to get into but its metrics for continuing aren't the same - it caters to more individualized learning.

YEp. We bitch and moan about not having a school for high achievers in DC, one that is rigorous and based on standards, and yet lo and behold, we actually do have one, and it educates only the brightest kids, and its test scores are held up a unfair because it moves out kids who don't do well. Let's celebrate the fact that there is a school that is doing a great job educating students to an advanced level!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ I hope this is because Watkins and Maury's AA populations come from economically distinct areas of their catchment zones (Maury, especially, has the newly zoned section that is totally different in character from the existing zone) or from EOTR and not that similarly situated (from an economic perspective) kids are performing that differently. It's not as bad at Brent, e.g. Perhaps because there are way fewer OOBers and the whole catchment zone is fairly expensive housing? Weird that the white kids at Watkins and Maury do a bit better than those at Brent.

Not really, at least for Watkins. The white kids at Watkins have historically been among the highest-performers in DCCAS too. It's a true tale of SES-split.

As a white parent IB for Watkins, I wonder if I should send my kid there. The scores for whites are almost unbelievable -- 86/92!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The L-T numbers are actually astonishingly good when you realize that they don't have enough non-economically disadvantaged kids to report that group separately. Their ED numbers are 42/40! Compare that to Watkins' 16/26 or Maury's 18/14. If I were the parent of a poor and/or AA kid living on/near the Hill, the choice would be easy.

I am a parent of a non-poor and non-disadvantaged kid and the choice was also easy. We have been there for 3 years now and staying put. Also the new-new principal (Mr. Smith) is great and full of energy and ideas. New RiverSmart gardens and playground and a PTA that is starting to raise real money...It is looking pretty good right now. The only thing that is not there is language immersion-that is the only reason to try to lottery elsewhere, really.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are white parents going to be clamoring to get into Banneker? It was the top scoring high school in DCPS with 98% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in literacy and 62% of its students scoring at or above proficiency in mathematics. School Without Walls was 84% proficiency in literacy and 52% proficiency in mathematics.

Have you been paying attention to this thread?

Not only is Banneker a test-in school, but it counsels out a large number of its students (anyone whose GPA drops below 3.0, even in the middle of a year). Combine that with the non-existent special ed or ELL populations and, voila, the few students who remain to actually take the PARCC do very well.

If Wilson could do all that, it'd probably be the best in the nation. If SWS was as aggressive as Banneker in counseling students out, its scores would be higher.

Just a correction - i said it used to be 3.0.

I think DCPS has reworked the Banneker grading system so that it's less draconian -- by it is still a school with significant attrition from 9th to 12th.

Thank you for the clarification. I'd love to see the comparable attrition data from SWS.

According to learnDC.org (thank you PP for the suggestion), Banneker and SWS have completely different attrition profiles.

Enrollment at Banneker:
- 9th: 167
- 10th: 114
- 11th: 74
- 12th: 94

Approx. attrition rate: 44%

Enrollment at SWS:
- 9th: 160
- 10th: 142
- 11th: 150
- 12th: 138

Approx. attrition rate: 14%


Quite relevant when we compare PARCC numbers, correct?

(Both are great schools, but there's no need to hype results)

Maybe. PARCC is only supposed administered in during high school once, in 10th grade for ELA and whenever the right year happens based on their math level.

For 2014-15 DCPS tested kids in 9th and 10th for ELA. No idea what they did for 15-16. At any rate if they normalize to just 10th the attrition issue will be less stark between SWW and Banneker.

But how do you normalize for the fact that, based on general data above, Banneker has kicked out 32% of its lower-performing students by 10th grade, and SWW only 11%?

That 21% difference makes Banneker look like a better school than it actually is.

This is slightly ridiculous. It is a better school because those who graduate are more proficient. Now, it kicks out many kids but that is entirely its right as an application school seeking to educate the high achievers. I'm not sure you would be making such a fuss if this were TJ in Virginia with this attrition rate. Because TJ is mostly white/asian it would be seen as kids not being able to keep up with the curriculum and being steered toward a more appropriate environment. SWW may be harder to get into but its metrics for continuing aren't the same - it caters to more individualized learning.

YEp. We bitch and moan about not having a school for high achievers in DC, one that is rigorous and based on standards, and yet lo and behold, we actually do have one, and it educates only the brightest kids, and its test scores are held up a unfair because it moves out kids who don't do well. Let's celebrate the fact that there is a school that is doing a great job educating students to an advanced level!

It's not! It's just kicking out 44% of its incoming class, if not more, so that the remaining half can say, "I survived!"

Sounds like a TV show to me, but of course I understand many disagree, because the students in question are black are therefore only half of them deserve to graduate from such magnificent educational institution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This is slightly ridiculous. It is a better school because those who graduate are more proficient. Now, it kicks out many kids but that is entirely its right as an application school seeking to educate the high achievers. I'm not sure you would be making such a fuss if this were TJ in Virginia with this attrition rate. Because TJ is mostly white/asian it would be seen as kids not being able to keep up with the curriculum and being steered toward a more appropriate environment. SWW may be harder to get into but its metrics for continuing aren't the same - it caters to more individualized learning.

YEp. We bitch and moan about not having a school for high achievers in DC, one that is rigorous and based on standards, and yet lo and behold, we actually do have one, and it educates only the brightest kids, and its test scores are held up a unfair because it moves out kids who don't do well. Let's celebrate the fact that there is a school that is doing a great job educating students to an advanced level!

I have to chime in that BASIS high school scores were 91 ELA/86 Math - the BASIS 10th graders are a small cohort but scored quite well.

http://www.dcpcsb.org/evaluating/parcc (scroll down)