It could be an academic bloodbath this year for schools in Wake and statewide.
As noted in today's article by Lynn Bonner, passing rates on the state's end-of-grade reading exams plummeted this year due to new tests and higher standards. While Wake should still do better than the rest of the state, scores will still tumble.
You can expect far fewer Wake schools to be named Schools of Excellence or Schools of Distinction. You'll also probably see even more Wake schools fall short under No Child Left Behind.
Past history shows a decline to be all but certain.
Just look at 2005, the last year before the math EOG exams were toughened up. That year, Wake had 61 Schools of Excellence and 43 Schools of Distinction.
You get to be a School of Excellence if 90 percent or more of the test scores are passing and students show academic growth. School of Distinction is for those who showed growth and had passing rates of between 80 and 90 percent.
Once the new math exams were factored in for elementary and middle schools, Wake was down to 11 Schools of Excellence and 48 Schools of Distinction in 2006.
In 2007, Wake still had 11 Schools of Excellence. But the number of Schools of Distinction was up to 58.
Wake shouldn't come close to reaching those levels in this year's ABCs of Education results. The school-by-school and districtwide results will be released by the State Board of Education on Nov. 1.
With statewide reading passing rates ranging as low as 52 percent in seventh-grade and only as high as 61 percent in fourth- and seventh-grades, Nov. 1 won't be a pretty day for the state's public schools.
(Due to the new reading EOGs, be cautious about trying to link year-round conversion with any decline in passing rates.)
Wake school officials say they don't expect any additional Title I schools to be required to provide transfer choices due to the reading scores. But a lot more schools will not meet NCLB standards. It was already down to 24 percent, based just on math. How much lower will it go?
Comments
Bob -- I point the finger
Thu, 03/12/2009 - 01:30 — jimmybon0Bob -- I point the finger directly at the bureacrates at Department of Public Instruction (Essay Writing Help). Cut their budget by 50%, tell them to stop meddling in the County's school systems (micro-managing), and go back to their base mission. Another great idea would be to move the entire Department out of Raleigh and into a "bligted" rural country, where the jobs would be appreciate. Keep a small staff in Raleigh, but move the troops.
Coursework Writing | Buy Coursework
What is Wakes AG program?
Thu, 11/06/2008 - 15:17 — Anonymous (not verified)Half of my sons 4th grade class attends AG. This same statistic seems to apply to the entire 4th grade. Does it really mean anything? I don't think he is really getting challenged, maybe just separated out so the teachers can help the kids that didn't score so well on those tests.
voiceforequity.blogspot.com
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 12:00 — jenmanJBS--In 3rd grade all WCPSS kids take the CogAts. Kids who score well on that (maybe a score over 75%?) are then able to take the Iowa tests. I think that AG identification is largely dependent on scoring well on the Iowa tests. WCPSS requires a parent's permission to administer the Iowa tests, but I don't know if you can ask for them to give your kid the test even if they don't 'qualify' based on the CogAt score. Hmm. I also don't know if and when they ever administer the Iowa tests again? 8th grade? Anybody know?
On a side note--it makes me wonder how many kids are overlooked for AG services because their parents don't give permission for the Iowa tests or just don't care.
a parent can "nominate" the
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 20:53 — bigwinniea parent can "nominate" the child for testing, remember my two year ordeal of getting my oldest (now 8th grade) tested through WCPSS because he was not in WCPSS in third grade, even though he took Iowa tests from k-3 in private school, I Had all the proof, paperwork, 99th percentiles, etc... but because WCPSS didn't test with CogAts first, it didn't count. I had to "nominate" him, then there is a testing window (only two times in a year I think it was?) and MONTHS passed before he was "identified". which as we know in MS is a joke anyway. But he isin Algebra but should have had it last year.
...or don't even KNOW. I
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 12:18 — JSB (not verified)...or don't even KNOW. I wonder how they ask for permission? A note sent home? (gets lost...) Or is it something a parent has to ask about? (might not ask about what you don't know about!)
There are a multitide of ways this is dysfunctional!
Thanks for the info...
Information sent home
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 18:45 — Bob_SconceIf I recall corectly, you get an envelope sent home with your child. The Iowa test isn't the only way a kid can be identified -- you can also get him/her tested professionally.
FYI .... don't forget,
Tue, 10/07/2008 - 07:37 — Anonymous (not verified)FYI .... don't forget, AG money was cut... or it's going to be the dangling carrot on the next bond , if they can every foat one again, to get that funding.
So, question becomes... how many AG will they actually "pass" this year. I say, look for a change in 'policy' whereby parents will not longer be about to request placement.....
anyone want to take bets on that gem?
As Someone Once Told Me....
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 09:10 — RiversideRealist... if Wake's ELEM schools cannot provide 'electives' (so as not to compete with the Magnet Schools) then classes like Reading, Math (the core classes) are theoretically the sole focus of the non-Magnet elem curriculum; that being the case, these scores at these schools should be WAAAAAAAAAY high (as there are no other 'distractions'). Right?
Riiiiiiiiiiiight.
Tell your friends
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 18:44 — UncleRuckusJust shakin' my head, again. So what else is new. Can't wait to see the spin (lies) out of Mike Evans & friends. Look like even more justification to have "at-large" elections for school board members, if anything, to add some accountability. And who wouldn't be for more accountability on the school board?
Folks, if you do have kids in public school, please take my advice and get some sort of outside testing and see how your kids stack up against other kids on a Nationwide basis. Recommend the Iowa Test.
http://www.pesdirect.com/itbs.html
I know of you care about your kids, because it has been obvious to me for years, the School Board and WCPSS management doesn't.
Standardized Testing
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 20:02 — Anonymous (not verified)We lived in Wake County for over 10 years. My oldest was identified as gifted in WCPSS and excelled on all the NC EOGs. We moved out of state last year. When tested in the new district with the Iowa Test, my child was ranked well behind others in the the same age and grade. My other child lagged so far behind children of the same age and grade that the new district provided a tutor all year. I had a feeling that WCPSS was failing my children and the Iowa Test confirmed this. After a long summer catching up, we are looking forward to this years Iowa Tests and hopefully great progress. I am glad we caught this before it was too late.
What are the tests used in 3rd or 4th grade...
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 09:36 — JSB (not verified)... that are NOT EOG tests? Which tests do they use to actually test for AG?
Or - does WCPSS base AG status on the EOG results?
My kids are in 2nd and K - so we haven't had any testing yet. We do a lot of at-home supplementation with work that is more challenging for our kids though - the assignments sent home are not stimulating enough and we started to see some apathy set in... so joined edhelper.com for $20 a year to be able to do lessons with worksheets at home.
We are seeing results... but we have NO IDEA if this is at all the right thing to do!
BIG SURPRISE!
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 16:14 — g88ky07"good grief, what has happened to our "top notch" school system I ask you?"
Funny you should ask, our kids are spending too much time being BUSSED! Our kids are spending TOO MUCH time being re-assigned!
Our kids are spending TOO MUCH _AMN time being controlled by the DUMB _SSES running the asylum!
HEAR THAT ROSA! Quit feeding your face and QUIT! TODAY!! YOU are a failure and the rest of your goons that plan to run again, or stick around, need to wake up to this fact, THEY ARE TOO and we've HAD ENOUGH!!!!!
YOU ALL ARE IDIOTS and you're trying to make OUR children follow in YOUR footsteps.
POO on that, WE are NOT supporting you ANY LONGER!
QUIT, RUN AWAY, LEAVE, JUMP OFF THE SHIP, but make NO MISTAKE, YOU people are more stubborn than dirt!
NO BOND, NO BOND, NO _AMN BOND!!!!
Hear that Horace????? Then turn up your hearing aid!!!!!!
EOG results - who cares?
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 13:47 — morticia66i could care less about "School of Distinction/Excellence" titles. what i care about is that my daughter still struggles with math 2 years later because all the focus in 4th grade was on the writing test.
Amen Sister
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 15:52 — Anonymous (not verified)Amen Sister
Listen to Ron
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 12:33 — fiestamomAbout a month ago, Ron addressed an important aspect of this. He said the board can't continue to lose affluent and middle class folks to homeschool, private, charter schools. I am guessing this is a reason test scores are down.
As an aside, I would love to see the statistic on how many+
African Americans are leaving the system. On an anecdotal level, I know 3-4 families who left the public schools in the last year b/c of the poor quality of the schools.
Ron gets the I told you so
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 19:55 — Anonymous (not verified)Ron gets the I told you so on this one. That's for sure.
I can't wait to see how WCPSS spins this though. I am sure they are making more lemonade (the Kool aide kind) from Lemons. LOL
idea
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 11:58 — Forget_not_the_...Perhaps the Feds need to fully fund NCLB or eliminate it....
It's optional
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 08:14 — Bob_SconceNCLB and federal money go hand-in-hand. If the Feds truly aren't providing enough money to pay for NCLB's costs, then the State can decline the federal money and get rid of the NCLB requirements with it.
What the feds should fund
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 07:14 — vsheehanWhat the feds should fund and insit on is all states should have to take the Iowa test. The feds should set the bar for what is passing and what is failing grade. To think all you had to do was get 43% of the questions right on the eog to pass is insane.
I am from out of state and I know what would be expected of my child in anouther school system. If we moved back my kids would have to repeat a year of school and then they might be at the bottom of the barrel in that state. Nc can not say they care about education and then set up the curriculm so it is 2 years behind the top performing states.
What a bunch of
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 09:39 — Anonymous (not verified)What a bunch of hooey....
first of all, they change these tests all the time! and aren't they dropping the writing tests all together?!
Here are a few suggestions...
Kids spend less time on a bus, more time sleeping and getting their rest so they are awake enough at school
Kids spend less time learning to test and more time on LEARNING to survive in the world... like maybe how to not be "bamboozled" into a mortgage you can't afford (oh wait, that's right the Dems will do the thinking for us... so we will not need to know how to think for ourselves..sorry).
Teachers are unshackled from the "way they must teach" to the way they know they can teach and get through to kids.
The spin will always be that the tests were made to be "too hard" it's nonsense. Those EOG's are testing for BASIC INFORMATION SKILLS that children should have learned throughout the year. If they can't master BASIC SKILLS there's a big problem... A BIG PROBLEM!
It will be interesting to
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 09:29 — JSB (not verified)It will be interesting to see how the converted MYR schools come out in this. School by school, how did they do versus last year, 2 years ago, 5 years ago, etc.
It will also be interesting to see how the traditional calendar schools that are opt outs and brimming with kids did! Are they actually holding their own even in crowded conditions (hmmm... sort of mirroring what was in existence at other schools prior to the flip??!)
Just wondering. I kow the data folks here will post their findings!
Why Not Toughen Up Exams?
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 07:20 — Lisa_BSO, I'm trying to understand something.
Just saying "... before the math EOG exams were toughened up." seems to show that they already KNEW our exams were too easy. How were our reading tests "toughened up"? How is that a bad thing, and how can it be an excuse? ("Our WCPSS kids did worse this year but it's only because our tests are now a little more realistic ")
It appears that although they are "toughening up" our tests (IMO a good thing), our tests still don't compare with the tests that are used around the country. Why not use tests that would allow us to compare Wake County students against the rest of the country and not just against our own easier tests? Shouldn't we be preparing our kids for the "bigger world"??
I realize this has evolved into a series of rhetorical questions and I'm preaching to the choir. Am I missing something here?
what's missing?
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 07:28 — bigwinnieuh good schools?! :p
bless your heart
uh, good neighborhood
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 09:22 — shearertwuh, good neighborhood schools.....
good grief, what has
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 07:09 — bigwinniegood grief, what has happened to our "top notch" school system I ask you? could it be that MORE TIME is spent on Bussing and "healthy" schools balancing than ACTUALLY TEACHING THEM?!?! can that be? as my beloved Gram used to say "the proof is in the pudding"....and you know what folks? WCPSS makes their pudding with SOUR MILK......
Hmm...
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 09:54 — Bob_SconceConsidering that htis "top notch" school system was based on tests everybody agrees were far too easy, I wonder if we ever actually had that system.
nope, and that is what is
Fri, 10/03/2008 - 11:43 — bigwinnienope, and that is what is coming out now.....there is only so long you can play the shuffle the deck game and move low performing test scorers to higher performing schools and NOT have it start to affect each and every school...DUH....how can people not see this?
You are correct. The game
Mon, 10/06/2008 - 07:30 — Anonymous (not verified)You are correct. The game is over. WCPSS needs to know when to holdem and when to foldem....and know when to walk away and when to RUN....lol.
Seriously, they are playing a game with our kids and the shuffle is to hide the kids that are struggling in the populations of kids that are not. The kids that are struggling are not getting the help they need in their "shuffle game."
I'd like to know, in these MYR schools that have dropped populations, and had to "shuffle" their own staff because they now get less money, do they still offer intercession, or extra work help for kids? I know of some schools where that's been cut, leaving the kids that are struggling SOL.
Just like with anything "political" people will believe what they want to believe and hear what they want to hear... the facts are never a factor.