Reply to PARCC results: how will they be communicated to families?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I view ITS’s policy of not adding kids after Count Day much differently than any school that simply does not allow new students after initial grades. I agree both are bad in a public school— and charters ARE publics, even though they sometimes like to pretend they aren’t. But this ITS policy isn’t nearly as egregious to me. I get the rationale (it really can be tough on classrooms to add new students after the kids have finally settled in, as I know well as a DCPS parent). It’s a reality of school, but it’s tough on everyone.

But [b]schools like BASIS or Latin refusing to backfill [/b]in subsequent years is really craven. Even private schools take kids mid-MS or mid-HS! A good school would not struggle to incorporate them. It really looks like an obvious grab for higher test scores. It’s gross. The ITS thing is annoying but doesn’t offend me in the same way.[/quote]

We have been through this before, people. BASIS is unique in DC because it does not do social promotion. Kids don't have to leave, but they will be required to repeat a grade if they do not pass the comprehensive exam. No exceptions. BASIS wanted to accept kids after 5th. They do at other BASIS schools. But DCPCSB won't allow them to administer a test to put the kids in the proper grade level (without regard to age). It would make no sense to have a school that tells kids that are not meeting the standard they have to repeat a grade but let new kids enter into that higher grade even if they can't show mastery of the material.

You can disagree with whether BASIS should socially promote. But that's the argument/policy disagreement. "Backfilling" is a red herring to avoid talking about BASIS's social promotion policy.   [/quote]

Neighborhood schools have to take kids who are below grade.  Even those who speak literally no English at all.  They have to suck it up and deal with it as best they can.  But wah, BASIS couldn't possibly cope without an entrance test.  Even though other schools have to.

The idea with backfilling is that we don't want to create a system where if your 5th grade lottery number is bad, you have no hope for getting into a good school.  [b]What would the school system be like if every school allowed itself to do what BASIS is doing[/b]?  Do we want to live like that?  BASIS is free-riding on other schools' willingness to handle the tougher kids and do the hardest educational work.  But feel free to pat yourself on the back for those great test scores![/quote]

Your response is all over the map and internally inconsistent. At one point you ask, what would it be like if every school stopped social promotion and required kids to actual master material before moving to the next grade - PERISH THE THOUGHT and clutching my pearls. You aren't even making the case you think you are. If BASIS was allowed to administer the test and put kids in appropriate grades they'd take backfills and then there would be hope of getting in after 5th - problem solved! Neighborhood schools have to take kids who enroll and are forced by DC policies to put them in their grade level by age, regardless of whet they actually know. And then DC makes it impossible to hold a kid back so they get moved along and graduate with a useless degree.

BASIS has higher standards than all other schools. I'm ok with that .  [/quote]

[b]Because people don't want over-age kids in their classes!  Do you want your 5th grader to be with 15 and 16 year olds who aren't doing well?[/b]  Come on.  Think about what you are saying.  And because repeating grades doesn't actually solve anything.  If the kid was going to learn the material in a regular classroom setting, they would have learned it the first time.

"Higher standards" my foot, they're just running off the kids who are harder to educate.[/quote]

That's a red herring that frequently gets trotted out. And it is BS. First, it is unlikely that a kid would be 5 or 6 grade levels down. If they are there are serious issues that require heavy remediation that a traditional school cannot address is a traditional classroom setting. So if a 16 year old was at 5th grade level then for damn sure I hope we're not just putting kids in the same grade year after year.

Once a kid is 2 grades behind they have needs a traditional classroom cannot address.  [/quote]

So do tell, what does BASIS offer for such a student?  Or is it just byeeeee, someone else's problem?[/quote]

It is not byeeee. BASIS has a ton of supports in place. Every BASIS teacher has student hours once a week after school for 2 hours. Any kid can drop in and ask for help, supplements support or advice at will. The also do serious interventions. Your question tells me you know nothing about BASIS.

Also, if you repeat a grade and still can't hack it at BASIS then it is not a good fit for you. It needn't be. My kid has would bomb out of a technical HS. That's ok. Bad fit for them.[/quote]

Maybe the supports aren't so great if kids are still failing out, hmmmmm?  Sorry but a good school actually gets the job done for its more challenging students.[/quote]

Everyone does not get a trophy at BASIS. Some kids will fail out because the rigor is beyond their cpability. Not every kids is an academic rock star. You don't do a kid any favors by forcing them to operate above their capability. All the intervention in the world won't get some kids to the standard. There are better fits for them.

Life is like that, too. We do performance reviews at work. You could argue that people on PIPs have bad managers who failed to get them to where they need to be. But ultimately it is on them to perform to the standard or find a job that is a better fit for their skills. And that is OK. It doesn't make them bad people. Just bad fits for the the job.

You seem not to understand the concept here. I bet you love the idea of "honors for all" at JR. Newsflash, the parents who want true honors classes don't want kids behind their advanced kids in their class. Same concept. Get it?[/quote]

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