Reply to PARCC Scores for Grades 3-8

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[quote=Anonymous]Folks seem to be worried that "less able" kids will impede their own child's learning, or hope that higher performing kids will improve it.  That, in principle, seems to make sense.  Other smart kids should challenge my own.  Children who struggle with learning may demand more of the teacher's time and take away from my own children.

But the data for WOTP elementary schools don't seem to bear that out.  As others have pointed out, the scores of white children across most WOTP schools are the same (statistically at least, though that is hard to gauge given this is the first time the test has been administered).  Rather the differences seem entirely a result of a yawning achievement gap between white and black students and between economically advantaged and disadvantaged (to use the term provided by the test results).  Perhaps that is because AA or economically disadvantaged students in these schools are not behavioral problems.  Or perhaps as much as we think we are devoting more resources to help economically disadvantaged children, that in fact is a bit of a fantasy or woefully not enough (or for some, nothing much that schools can do), and the result leaves economically advantaged children (where WOTP white children largely fall) unaffected.

One last thought, it may still be the case that being around other high performing children has some benefit.  These data are not definitive.  But I might note that being around a diverse set of children -- economically, culturally, racially, etc.. -- may also have lifelong benefits equally or of even greater importance.  Benefits that do not show up on a test, but that make for well-rounded and more understanding citizens.[/quote]

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