Anonymous wrote:This presentation is pretty good:

http://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/OSSE%20PARCC%203-8%20ReleasePresentation_finalv14.pdf

What I find most interesting are the bar charts of aggregated test results by grade, which show a clear progression -- 3rd graders performed better than fourth-graders, fourth graders performed better than fifth-graders, etc. These results imply that DC's early childhood interventions *are working*, as well as improvements in elementary school education. It is expected that those younger students who have had more exposure to these changes would perform better.

My child attends a Title I preschool, where she is one of two white children in her class. And at this stage, honestly, all the kids are about the same. At three years-old, they are all writing their names, telling stories, counting objects, etc. I would not be surprised at all if that by the time this class takes the 3rd grade PARCC, their scores would be on par not just with the rest of the country, but that the gap between races would merge as well.

As for the PARCC itself -- The presentation also has a nice comparison between a DC CAS math question and a PARCC question. It is just so obvious why the PARCC exam is superior and why teaching to this kind of test would be very different than teaching to the kinds of tests we grew up with. I have taken some of the practice exams to see what all the fuss is about and have been very pleasantly surprised by the level of critical thinking and skills that would be required to do well. We know that previous standardized exam systems have been failing our students -- and maybe even our own generation. I agree with the administration that this is a good baseline upon which to measure students' progress, rather than the CAS. Using the PARCC also frees up resources that had been devoted to the DC exam's design to more useful purposes. Maybe states can afford their own bureaucracies for designing their own unique standards and exams, but DC cannot.

So. (1) Results show that DC actions to improve early childhood and elementary education are working, and that the more exposure students have to these changes, the better they perform; and (2) The PARCC is not just a more meaningful exam than the DC CAS, its adoption frees up District resources for other uses.

Parents, please stop trying to tear this down. My family is willing to give this system a shot, and we hope you do, too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aggregate for WOTP
Janney ES 74%
Ross ES 73%
Lafayette ES 72%
Mann ES 71%
Eaton ES 69%
Murch ES 68%
Key ES 65%
Oyster Adams Bilingual School 52%
Hearst ES 42%

In the interest of accuracy, Murch's aggregate math/english score is 67% (someone made a rounding error). Oyster's aggregate score is 54% (that one is just off). All of the other scores are correct.

so Janney still rules ?

Anonymous wrote:Only because Deal's algebra scores were horrendous. Hardy's were merely bad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Aggregate for WOTP
Janney ES 74%
Ross ES 73%
Lafayette ES 72%
Mann ES 71%
Eaton ES 69%
Murch ES 68%
Key ES 65%
Oyster Adams Bilingual School 52%
Hearst ES 42%

In the interest of accuracy, Murch's aggregate math/english score is 67% (someone made a rounding error). Oyster's aggregate score is 54% (that one is just off). All of the other scores are correct.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

That'a Michelle-RHee - phony school-reform talk. Forget it. Schools don't fail children. Parents do - and sometimes it's because that cards are stacked against them. Schools aren't
"turned around" -- society is. It takes a while, especially if you've wasted years punishing teachers and expecting miracles instead.

Jesus lady, give it up. These tests are not about the teachers, they are about testing the readiness of the kids! If anyone in my company talked like DCPS teachers and made the institution about the employee instead of the customer, they'd be terminated. But, or course, our employees are;t granted jobs for life and don't have the right to appeal terinations and stay on payroll as they work an administrative system designed to protect them.

Not about YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Terminated -- that's rich -- teachers have been terminated by the dozens -- by the hundreds -- with no visible benefit to the kids. Meanwhile, I can't think of one DCPS administrator who been terminated for failing to follow through with their insane promises. What "customers" have they served?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

That'a Michelle-RHee - phony school-reform talk. Forget it. Schools don't fail children. Parents do - and sometimes it's because that cards are stacked against them. Schools aren't
"turned around" -- society is. It takes a while, especially if you've wasted years punishing teachers and expecting miracles instead.

Jesus lady, give it up. These tests are not about the teachers, they are about testing the readiness of the kids! If anyone in my company talked like DCPS teachers and made the institution about the employee instead of the customer, they'd be terminated. But, or course, our employees are;t granted jobs for life and don't have the right to appeal terinations and stay on payroll as they work an administrative system designed to protect them.

Not about YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

"We as a city are failing to educate these kids"? You are well intentioned. But the reality is that no public school system can reverse the course set in motion by poor decision making. Single mothers having multiple babies with multiple fathers is a guaranteed fast pass to generational poverty. If only the political leaders in this city would say what needs to be said. That would go a long way towards closing the DCPS achievement gap.

Look at Hearst. Same teachers, same books, same school resources. Almost 50-50 diversity. But the white students are 75%+ meeting or exceeding expectations for math and English for college. Meanwhile, minority students are at the 20% or lower. DCPS is not the problem, for once.

So you are saying that white parents make better parenting decisions then minority families and because of this white children do better and that if our city leaders would just call minorities out on this it would help close the achievement gap?

I don' even know where to start....

Generally speaking, yes -- especially when the "parenting decision" is not having children in your teens, before being married or finishing your education or having a job. Unfortunately, this happens much more to minority families in DC than it does to white families.

And it's not a matter of city leaders simply calling minorities out about this -- it's that you can't begin to solve a problem until you've acknowledged it - and you address it, directly.

It would have been nice if firing half the teachers and raising the salaries of the remaining half had worked, but that was a stupid plan from the beginning. So it's time to be realistic and confront the issue head on.

Another DCPS employee earning her union card. Whether or there are societal ills to be addressed in order to close the achievement gap, firing the bottom of the barrel in DCPS and paying teacher to opt out of a ridiculous tenure system makes sense to me. But good on you for trying to conflate those issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

That'a Michelle-RHee - phony school-reform talk. Forget it. Schools don't fail children. Parents do - and sometimes it's because that cards are stacked against them. Schools aren't
"turned around" -- society is. It takes a while, especially if you've wasted years punishing teachers and expecting miracles instead.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

"We as a city are failing to educate these kids"? You are well intentioned. But the reality is that no public school system can reverse the course set in motion by poor decision making. Single mothers having multiple babies with multiple fathers is a guaranteed fast pass to generational poverty. If only the political leaders in this city would say what needs to be said. That would go a long way towards closing the DCPS achievement gap.

Look at Hearst. Same teachers, same books, same school resources. Almost 50-50 diversity. But the white students are 75%+ meeting or exceeding expectations for math and English for college. Meanwhile, minority students are at the 20% or lower. DCPS is not the problem, for once.

So you are saying that white parents make better parenting decisions then minority families and because of this white children do better and that if our city leaders would just call minorities out on this it would help close the achievement gap?

I don' even know where to start....

Generally speaking, yes -- especially when the "parenting decision" is not having children in your teens, before being married or finishing your education or having a job. Unfortunately, this happens much more to minority families in DC than it does to white families.

And it's not a matter of city leaders simply calling minorities out about this -- it's that you can't begin to solve a problem until you've acknowledged it - and you address it, directly.

It would have been nice if firing half the teachers and raising the salaries of the remaining half had worked, but that was a stupid plan from the beginning. So it's time to be realistic and confront the issue head on.

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

Agreed, all this tells us what we already know. So how does the new DCPS curriculum and cornerstones provide equity by providing them with a curriculum (not that DCPS has one yet!!!) when what we really need are better remedial programs to support children at the bottom, bump up children in the middle, and maintain or provide enhancement for those at the top. The constant churning of personnel (teachers, principals, and support staff) does nothing at many EOTP schools does nothing to help this situation.

After that your sentence shou look down have read"in the same classroom. " Ability based grouping/tracking is forbidden. Mixed ability groupings have benefits. However, the teacher instructs based on the lowest common denominator, and that is not benefitting the majority of the class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

"We as a city are failing to educate these kids"? You are well intentioned. But the reality is that no public school system can reverse the course set in motion by poor decision making. Single mothers having multiple babies with multiple fathers is a guaranteed fast pass to generational poverty. If only the political leaders in this city would say what needs to be said. That would go a long way towards closing the DCPS achievement gap.

Look at Hearst. Same teachers, same books, same school resources. Almost 50-50 diversity. But the white students are 75%+ meeting or exceeding expectations for math and English for college. Meanwhile, minority students are at the 20% or lower. DCPS is not the problem, for once.

So you are saying that white parents make better parenting decisions then minority families and because of this white children do better and that if our city leaders would just call minorities out on this it would help close the achievement gap?

I don' even know where to start....

Generally speaking, yes -- especially when the "parenting decision" is not having children in your teens, before being married or finishing your education or having a job. Unfortunately, this happens much more to minority families in DC than it does to white families.

And it's not a matter of city leaders simply calling minorities out about this -- it's that you can't begin to solve a problem until you've acknowledged it - and you address it, directly.

It would have been nice if firing half the teachers and raising the salaries of the remaining half had worked, but that was a stupid plan from the beginning. So it's time to be realistic and confront the issue head on.

What did you have in mind? We could try to coerce the pregnant teens into having abortions, but that's Planned Parenthood's job.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My primary reaction to these scores is concern - and dismay. DC/DCPS really needs to figure out how to help all the students in DCPS. There are so many schools with scores below 10%, the MS in Ward and have 1-2% of the students tested proficient at grade level in reading and math and I think none or almost none are advanced. That means less that less then 10 students in grades 6-8 enrolled in DCPS in Ward 8 tested as on grade level. We as a city are failing to educate these kids. The difference between white and black, white and Hispanic, the haves and the have nots in D.C. is staggering. I know this has been a focus of DCPS for some time but whatever they are doing is not working. I know this is nothing new (unfortunately) but it just makes me so mad and also sad. I know people who work in these schools who try so hard and are so frustrated and discouraged by these scores. I really want to know if there are urban school systems that managed to turn around a significant number of struggling schools. It just feels impossible yet we as community need all of our children to be educated.

I just think the schools that are really struggling should be of more concern.

Agreed, all this tells us what we already know. So how does the new DCPS curriculum and cornerstones provide equity by providing them with a curriculum (not that DCPS has one yet!!!) when what we really need are better remedial programs to support children at the bottom, bump up children in the middle, and maintain or provide enhancement for those at the top. The constant churning of personnel (teachers, principals, and support staff) does nothing at many EOTP schools does nothing to help this situation.