Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is incorrect. The test is designed to test college readiness through problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

No. First, the CC stands for College and Careers. Second, Maryland gives the PARCC test for grades 3 through 8. Do you think that the test is designed to test the college readiness of 9-year-olds? A major component of the test is the knowledge, skills, and practices students performing at a given level are able to demonstrate at any grade.

No, you don't understand the point of the test. From PARCC:


Meaning of the College- and Career-Ready Determinations

A student who is determined to be College- and Career-Ready through performance on the PARCC high school
assessments is one who has demonstrated the academic knowledge, skills, and practices in ELA/literacy or
mathematics necessary to enter directly into and succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing courses in those content
areas in programs leading to a credential or degree1 from two- and four-year public2 institutions of higher
education. PARCC will make College- and Career-Ready Determinations in ELA/literacy and in mathematics.

? Students who earn a College- and Career-Ready Determination in ELA/literacy will have demonstrated
the academic knowledge, skills and practices necessary to enter directly into and succeed in entry-level,
credit-bearing courses in College English Composition, Literature, and technical courses requiring
college-level reading and writing.

? Students who earn a College- and Career-Ready Determination in mathematics will have demonstrated
the academic knowledge, skills and practices necessary to enter directly into and succeed in entry-level,
credit-bearing courses in College Algebra, Introductory College Statistics, and technical courses requiring
an equivalent level of mathematics3.

Source: https://parcc-assessment.org/content/uploads/2017/11/PARCCCCRDPolicyandPLDsFINAL.pdf

Anonymous wrote:

That is incorrect. The test is designed to test college readiness through problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

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.

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 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."

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.

Anonymous wrote:

That is incorrect. The test is designed to test college readiness through problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

No. First, the CC stands for College and Careers. Second, Maryland gives the PARCC test for grades 3 through 8. Do you think that the test is designed to test the college readiness of 9-year-olds? A major component of the test is the knowledge, skills, and practices students performing at a given level are able to demonstrate at any grade.

That is incorrect. The test is designed to test college readiness through problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

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.

Anonymous wrote:

The only students who take Algebra I in high school are the students taking below-grade-level math. Students taking grade-level math take Algebra I in 8th grade - i.e, middle school. Students taking above-grade-level math take Algebra I in 7th grade -- also middle school.

And what happens to the huge number of kids who failed Algebra I in high school? Do they just keep re-taking it or do they get moved into the next class and fall further behind?

How about the high numbers of ELA failures in middle performing schools? How can a school be a GS 8 when 40% of the school can't pass 10th grade English? These are not high FARMS schools either. Something is terribly wrong.

PARCC is ONLY testing basic academic skills. It doesn't include scientific process, require any knowledge of historical or political concepts, or anything beyond english language and math. 2.0 was designed specifically for PARCC by MCPS staff and Pearsons that created the PARCC test. For the past seven years, MCPS has basically ONLY been prepping for PARCC and the failure rates are very horrible.

That is incorrect. The test is designed to test college readiness through problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

what curriculum?

a bunch of mumbo jumbo slapped on a website in 2012 followed by these worksheets riddled with typos and errors?

BTW, most kids do not need weekly computer lab time to "get used to clicking on multiple choice standardized tests on the computer." do another gym class instead MCPS!

Anonymous wrote:

The only students who take Algebra I in high school are the students taking below-grade-level math. Students taking grade-level math take Algebra I in 8th grade - i.e, middle school. Students taking above-grade-level math take Algebra I in 7th grade -- also middle school.

And what happens to the huge number of kids who failed Algebra I in high school? Do they just keep re-taking it or do they get moved into the next class and fall further behind?

How about the high numbers of ELA failures in middle performing schools? How can a school be a GS 8 when 40% of the school can't pass 10th grade English? These are not high FARMS schools either. Something is terribly wrong.

PARCC is ONLY testing basic academic skills. It doesn't include scientific process, require any knowledge of historical or political concepts, or anything beyond english language and math. 2.0 was designed specifically for PARCC by MCPS staff and Pearsons that created the PARCC test. For the past seven years, MCPS has basically ONLY been prepping for PARCC and the failure rates are very horrible.

That's factually incorrect.

Starting with the curriculum guides, here: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/elementary/guides.aspx

The only students who take Algebra I in high school are the students taking below-grade-level math. Students taking grade-level math take Algebra I in 8th grade - i.e, middle school. Students taking above-grade-level math take Algebra I in 7th grade -- also middle school.

And what happens to the huge number of kids who failed Algebra I in high school? Do they just keep re-taking it or do they get moved into the next class and fall further behind?

How about the high numbers of ELA failures in middle performing schools? How can a school be a GS 8 when 40% of the school can't pass 10th grade English? These are not high FARMS schools either. Something is terribly wrong.

PARCC is ONLY testing basic academic skills. It doesn't include scientific process, require any knowledge of historical or political concepts, or anything beyond english language and math. 2.0 was designed specifically for PARCC by MCPS staff and Pearsons that created the PARCC test. For the past seven years, MCPS has basically ONLY been prepping for PARCC and the failure rates are very horrible.

PP you said it!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, this is a big problem for math but doesn't explain ELA. I think it is a curriculum problem. Mcps doesn't align with PARCC expectations. My child consistently gets high 4/low 5 on Math in ES. Always high 3 on ELA. Always has trouble with the writing part according to the report. Reads above level but can't write. I plan to get a tutor this year.

Last year mCPS announced getting rid of PARCC (last of the majority of districts to cease using buddy buddy Pearson's PARCC test). What is the replacement going to be? Are they reverse engineering the "curriculum" to score well yet?

Where and when did you see a MCPS announcement about getting rid of PARCC? It's not a district decision, it's a state decision.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/wtop.com/maryland/2018/09/maryland-wants-to-see-end-of-parcc-tests-but-whats-next/amp/

Ah. MARYLAND is getting rid of PARCC. And replacing it with tests written by Maryland, just like we used to have. Why would you think that the new state-written tests would be better than the PARCC tests, if the previous state-written tests weren't better?

Let me guess, everyone will pass these new tests and we can finally claim victory!

The primary issue with the PARCC test is what it is trying to measure and predict. The PARCC test is testing COLLEGE readiness through critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, not content knowledge. A score of 4 means that a student is demonstrating these skills when presented with grade-level content and will most likely be ready for college in the future if they continue on that trajectory. A 30% pass rate is not surprising or else you believe that everyone is meant to go to college. What MCPS needs to do is measure if students are meeting grade level requirements. I think the idea of college for all has gone too far and reflected by PARCC. College should not be the goal for every student--a solid educational foundation should be the goal, especially at the ES level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, this is a big problem for math but doesn't explain ELA. I think it is a curriculum problem. Mcps doesn't align with PARCC expectations. My child consistently gets high 4/low 5 on Math in ES. Always high 3 on ELA. Always has trouble with the writing part according to the report. Reads above level but can't write. I plan to get a tutor this year.

Last year mCPS announced getting rid of PARCC (last of the majority of districts to cease using buddy buddy Pearson's PARCC test). What is the replacement going to be? Are they reverse engineering the "curriculum" to score well yet?

Where and when did you see a MCPS announcement about getting rid of PARCC? It's not a district decision, it's a state decision.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/wtop.com/maryland/2018/09/maryland-wants-to-see-end-of-parcc-tests-but-whats-next/amp/