Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, there is no “miracle” and the scores are still very low. The Urban Institute adjusted the scores for demographics which means they are effectively lowering the benchmark for proficiency in states with larger minority populations. Demographically adjusting the data to create fake miracle does nothing to help kids actually learn and be successful. The Urban Institute should do better and hold everyone to the same high standard.

I don’t get this comment…how would the data be at all valid if you DIDN’T adjust for demographics? You have to adjust for demographics to get any sort of good and honest data that can be used for comparison sake. Performance is strongly correlated to race and income, so when you look at raw data, the white/rich states are going to perform the best. DUH. But all that tells you is which states are rich and white. When you compare like groups, you are better able to isolate the dependent variable and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of the *schools.* And the teaching. And educational policy.

Isn’t that just basic statistics? What am I missing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s also a test of 4th graders and Mississippi makes a lot of kids repeat 3rd grade. Which means that a lot of kids in the Mississippi data are a year older, and have been in school a year longer, than kids from other states.

Yep. In general we are afraid to tell kids they aren’t good enough and need to try again. Good for them. Hold them back if they aren’t ready.

Studies show holding back only produces short term success. Yes you get better at 3rd grade after 2 shots but that will not necessarily make you better at ,7th grade

does this adjust for the differences in (academic) intelligence among the group of students who repeated 3rd grade and those who didn't? If not, then of course the former will struggle more. What matters is the difference between repeaters and identical students who also failed but did not repeat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s also a test of 4th graders and Mississippi makes a lot of kids repeat 3rd grade. Which means that a lot of kids in the Mississippi data are a year older, and have been in school a year longer, than kids from other states.

Yep. In general we are afraid to tell kids they aren’t good enough and need to try again. Good for them. Hold them back if they aren’t ready.

Studies show holding back only produces short term success. Yes you get better at 3rd grade after 2 shots but that will not necessarily make you better at ,7th grade

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's with the saltiness? Are we afraid to admit that a red state can do something right?

Parents in DC have seen a lot of “miracle” cures in education. They always start with one shining stat. And then it turns out that you got that one great stat by giving up something else, and in a couple of years the something else comes back to bite you.

It’s great that Mississippi dropped Calkins. It’s great that their NAEP scores went up. If you want my school to follow in their footsteps, miss me with talk of “miracles.”

I mean, if you are in VA the state already followed. Our literacy law was based on TN's, which is similar to MS. Though we aren't holding kids back in 3rd the same as MS.

But I hear you on the "miracle" cures thing. It's so true. I've always been a big phonics person and a big "facts matter so teach content rich literature" person, but I also don't think they will solve everything.

Anonymous wrote:What's with the saltiness? Are we afraid to admit that a red state can do something right?

Parents in DC have seen a lot of “miracle” cures in education. They always start with one shining stat. And then it turns out that you got that one great stat by giving up something else, and in a couple of years the something else comes back to bite you.

It’s great that Mississippi dropped Calkins. It’s great that their NAEP scores went up. If you want my school to follow in their footsteps, miss me with talk of “miracles.”

What's with the saltiness? Are we afraid to admit that a red state can do something right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The state still scores below average in reading on the 8th grade NAEP tests. Nearly half of black 8th graders in the state score “below basic,” which is functionally illiterate.

For 4th grade, the state now score about average on the NAEP.

The state is doing better than before but it’s still not that great.

Uhh... the 8th graders didn't go through this reading paradigm.

Gradually, they have been. And 8th grade scores have also been rocketing upwards, albeit with some delay vis-a-vis the 4th grade scores.

Anonymous wrote:Nearly half of black 8th graders in the state score “below basic,” which is functionally illiterate.

For 4th grade, the state now score about average on the NAEP.

The state is doing better than before but it’s still not that great.

Except, on that test, poor black kids get better scores in Mississippi than in any other state.