Reply to PARCC scores not aligning with SES

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Reply to "PARCC scores not aligning with SES"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]That is incorrect. The test is designed to test college readiness through problem-solving and critical thinking skills.[/quote]

I think you are trying to find a way to rationalize all the failures just to defend MCPS staff. The test is not a unicorn identifier looking only for Harvard bound kids- the problem solving and critical thinking skills in all within the context of normal language and math skills.

By your logic then a school like Quince Orchard only had 6 out of 10 kids who are on a trajectory for college. Perhaps this is true and 40% of QO kids will not be able to succeed in college based on their lack of aptitude and critical thinking. I think its more likely that MCPS has failed to consistently instruct those kids in basic language and math problem solving skills.

What about at the ES level? Rachel Carson did not do very well either. I somehow doubt that the kids at RC lack the aptitude but the failure lies in the educational system. [/quote]

No, I am not trying to defend MCPS staff. I do think there are problems with the curriculum.  However, I don't believe that every child is college bound--college is not for everyone.  I don't believe a test like PARCC is appropriate for the fundamental goal of public education.  From the PARCC website:

"The PARCC CCR Determinations in ELA/Literacy and mathematics describe the academic knowledge, skills, and practices in English language arts/literacy and mathematics students must demonstrate to show they are able to enter directly into and [b]succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing courses and relevant technical courses in those content areas at two- and four-year public institutions of higher education[/b]."

Succeeding in college is not the primary goal of public education; it is finding gainful employment (not dependent on a college degree), civic participation and cultural transmission. MCPS needs to adopt a curriculum that meets those goals and find a test that measures content knowledge at grade-level.  NCLB, which led to PARCC is the problem (https://www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2006/december/the-goals-of-education/).  Creating a test that at its foundation assumes that everyone should go and are capable of college-level work was bound to fail. Assuming a person needs at least an IQ of 115 to succeed in college (not Harvard as you mentioned), that represents 25% of the population. I think there is a limit to teaching skills that are closely tied to intelligence. I would argue that a test like PARCC that claims to measure critical thinking skills captures that part of the population. Therefore, using your example, I am not surprised if 40% of kids at QO are failing the PARCC test and will not succeed at college. 
 [/quote]

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