The percentage of English language learners in New York State is over 10% and growing. In Mississippi it’s 3%. The “declining performance” in public schools is due to increased immigration, period. I work at a school with high numbers of language learners and this accounts for nearly all of our students below grade level. We are tossing kids into the system at age 5 with little English and little background in school and then somehow expecting it to even out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you keep disabled kids with GenEd and high achievers well, no child left behind I guess. At the expense of the geniuses that have to withstand not only woke trash but bloated admin doing “restorative justice” while also engaging in positive discrimination against wypipo

Because everyone thinks their kid is a genius doesn’t make it so. There are very very few geniuses.

NP My kids aren’t geniuses, but I still believe strongly in supporting those who are. They drive innovation and are an essential part of our country’s future. If we try to make everyone fit into the same “average” mold, we risk holding back progress as a society.

I attended one of the top ten high schools in the nation, and it has been incredible to see what my classmates have gone on to accomplish.

Elementary school does not need separate classes for the top students based on a test. More than a few of those kids end up in regular high school honors classes. That was me. The brilliant kids will show themselves in middle school. They’ll take advanced math classes. The city kids will test for one of the specialty high schools. The ones who stay in their high school will be in smaller advanced classes, even college classes. No super smart kid is harmed going to an elementary school with all levels to learn the basics.

One example would be Mark Zuckerberg. He went to regular public school, no gifted programs. By 10th grade he transferred to Phillips Academy. There was no doubt the kid was a genius. They show themselves.

Anonymous wrote:Mississippi has shown the way. Direct instruction using tried and true methods with clear science (example: Phonics), avoid fads (whole language, balanced literacy, and other Lucy Calkins crap). Teach kids he material directly, do not think they will learn by osmosis.

Oh please. Let’s use them as an example when they are in the top ten.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mississippi has shown the way. Direct instruction using tried and true methods with clear science (example: Phonics), avoid fads (whole language, balanced literacy, and other Lucy Calkins crap). Teach kids he material directly, do not think they will learn by osmosis.

Um. Phonics is a fad.

Fads are based on unsubstantiated hypotheses (Ken Goodman, Marie Clay, etc) or cults of personality (Lucy Calkins). Phonics is not a fad. It's supported by valid research.

Phonics is also not MAGA. Look at the AFT. Look at Eric Adams in NYC. Look at the NAACP. Look at New Jersey's new Literacy Framework. I could go on. Just because Democrats were late to the table on this issue doesn't mean we should give it over to MAGA. It's too important to give up.

Anonymous wrote:Phonics = MAGA.

This is ridiculous. You would rather not use a proven method of teaching kids to read because you believe it is MAGA?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mississippi has shown the way. Direct instruction using tried and true methods with clear science (example: Phonics), avoid fads (whole language, balanced literacy, and other Lucy Calkins crap). Teach kids he material directly, do not think they will learn by osmosis.

Um. Phonics is a fad.

You are showing your age. It used to be a standard method of teaching reading, back when kids were taught to read in school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you keep disabled kids with GenEd and high achievers well, no child left behind I guess. At the expense of the geniuses that have to withstand not only woke trash but bloated admin doing “restorative justice” while also engaging in positive discrimination against wypipo

Because everyone thinks their kid is a genius doesn’t make it so. There are very very few geniuses.

NP My kids aren’t geniuses, but I still believe strongly in supporting those who are. They drive innovation and are an essential part of our country’s future. If we try to make everyone fit into the same “average” mold, we risk holding back progress as a society.

I attended one of the top ten high schools in the nation, and it has been incredible to see what my classmates have gone on to accomplish.

Phonics = MAGA.

Anonymous wrote:If you keep disabled kids with GenEd and high achievers well, no child left behind I guess. At the expense of the geniuses that have to withstand not only woke trash but bloated admin doing “restorative justice” while also engaging in positive discrimination against wypipo

Because everyone thinks their kid is a genius doesn’t make it so. There are very very few geniuses.

Anonymous wrote:https://nypost.com/2025/12/05/us-news/nearly-half-of-students-across-ny-state-fail-to-make-the-grade-on-math-english-tests-data/

Nearly half the public school kids are below proficiency in math and English. NY spends a massive amount per pupil and still fails at providing a basic education.

NY’s model is not working.

NY Post is a tabloid in Trumps pocket. They were caught buying negative stories about Trump in order to kill them

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mississippi has shown the way. Direct instruction using tried and true methods with clear science (example: Phonics), avoid fads (whole language, balanced literacy, and other Lucy Calkins crap). Teach kids he material directly, do not think they will learn by osmosis.

Mississippi was 30th in the nation in 2024

Adjusted for demographics, they are much closer to #1. Despite being Mississippi, which means that the demographic adjustments almost certainly do not fully account for how bad their demographics are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mississippi has shown the way. Direct instruction using tried and true methods with clear science (example: Phonics), avoid fads (whole language, balanced literacy, and other Lucy Calkins crap). Teach kids he material directly, do not think they will learn by osmosis.

Um. Phonics is a fad.

I suspect you are a troll but no, and putting "um" in front of your idiotic statement does not make it any more true. Phonics IS reading.
In Japan they teach kids to read by syllables. Do you think they would say "Forget about memorizing these syllables to sound out the word. Just absorb the whole word as a unit." Of course not because they don't hate their own people and want them illiterate.

Bring back basic skills testing. I bet some DCUMs would have trouble with questions on these current tests.

If you keep disabled kids with GenEd and high achievers well, no child left behind I guess. At the expense of the geniuses that have to withstand not only woke trash but bloated admin doing “restorative justice” while also engaging in positive discrimination against wypipo

Anonymous wrote:https://nypost.com/2025/12/05/us-news/nearly-half-of-students-across-ny-state-fail-to-make-the-grade-on-math-english-tests-data/

Nearly half the public school kids are below proficiency in math and English. NY spends a massive amount per pupil and still fails at providing a basic education.

NY’s model is not working.

Um...This is true in Maryland too. It's not a "New York thing."

MCAP 2024-25 (State Tests): About 51% of students were ELA proficient, while only 24-26% were Math proficient, meaning 49% and 74-76% were below proficient respectively.