Academic performance went up both in the Wake County school system and public schools statewide this past school year.
New ABCs of Public Education test data released this morning shows that 146 of 158 Wake schools, or 92 percent, met or exceeded state growth standards. That compares to 138 of 155 schools, 89 percent the prior year. (I'm excluding Longview because it has no ABCs status.)
Wake also had 14 Honor Schools or Excellence or Schools of Excellence, meaning schools had passing rates of at least 90 percent and met growth goals. That's up from 12 schools last year.
Wake also had 63 Schools of Distinction, meaning they had passing rates of between 80 and 90 percent and met growth goals.
Nearly half of Wake's schools, 77 of 158 schools, 49 percent, were either Honor Schools of Excellence, Schools of Excellence or Schools of Distinction.
Schools statewide also did better with 88 percent of schools meeting or exceeding growth goals. That's up from 81 percent last year.
Additionally, 37.4 percent of schools statewide were Honor Schools of Excellence, Schools of Excellence or Schools of Distinction. That's up from 25 percent last year.
Some things to consider this year are that retests were counted for the first time on end-of-course tests. But those retests, along with those in elementary and middle schools, were not used to calculate if a school made growth.
The state also didn't count third-graders when determining growth.
No bonuses are being given for the second year in a row because of state budget problems.
The data also confirms that Wake's graduation rate held steady at 78.4 percent after having dropped for several years in a row. The state's graduation rate increased from 71.8 percent to 74.2 percent.
In terms of federal No Child Left Behind results, it also confirms that 38 percent of Wake's schools made adequate yearly progress. That's down from 63 percent in 2008-09
Statewide, 58 percent of schools made AYP compared to 71 percent the prior school year.
Comments
Nice summary printed in
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 08:22 — CaryCurmudgeonNice summary printed in today's paper. Here are how high schools fared, first column pct. passing, second is pct F&R:
Not to pick on Enloe, but, oh well, I will. This list is ranked high to low based on F&R percentage. Half of the schools with higher F&R than Enloe outperform them. All of the schools with lower F&R than Enloe outperform them. I'm still not sure what all goes on at that school, but one thing I am sure of is that the F&R kids enrolled there would be better off in a whole lot of other places.
Is there a link to the
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 12:13 — xmarkspot62Is there a link to the school list from today's paper (page 14A)? If so, please post. Thanks!
Interesting
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 09:32 — user12345Interesting relationship:
Composite score + F&R% = 110% on average.
School of Excellence and
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 18:07 — red_balloonSchool of Excellence and School of Distinction seem passe. I wonder if we can upgrade to School of Brilliance.
The Garrison Keillor School
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 09:07 — fiestamomThe Garrison Keillor School of Everybody's above average...
Bill & Ted's Most Excellent
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 09:22 — CaryCurmudgeonBill & Ted's Most Excellent High School!
NC School Accountability
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 17:38 — AngelaWNC School Accountability Data Story Correction
August 5, 2010 - Earlier today we sent out a news release that opened with "more than half of the schools in the Wake County Public School System earned recognition" in North Carolina's 2009-10 ABCs results.
Due to a calculation error, this was incorrect. The correct percentage of WCPSS schools earning recognition is 49.67.
We apologize for the error.
-wcpss-
as archimedes would say...
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 17:20 — red_balloon..."Eureka!"
It seems a shame to stop at two iterations. Let's keep a good thing going and persevere until 100% clear the tests. If that doesn't work, let's dumb down the dumb standards further.
Only one shot
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 23:05 — Solon77Just remember when your kids only get one shot at the SAT and ACT as taking it multiple times would not be an accurate assessment of their abilities.
Licensed professionals - I guess we should push for a change. If you don't pass on the first try, sorry no second chances.
For the kids that are solid B students and fail the EOC tests - EVAAS then says sorry you do not qualify for Algebra I track. The kid takes the EOC again and scores an 87. Doesn't the kid deserve the benefit of the doubt ? I find the retests have value. If a student has poor course work and consistently scores poorly on tests it is one thing. If a student has good course work, scores poorly on an exam and on the retake scores consistent with the course work - doesn't the student get a break ? Or at least it sends a flag to the teachers and parents.
Not how EVAAS works
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 09:49 — lferreriThat's not how EVAAS works. It takes at least three test scores for EVAAS to make a prediction. So doing poorly on just one test will not cause a student's score to indicate "sorry you do not qualify for Algebra 1 track." That's one of the benefits of using it. The old system was based on one year's EOG score, although a student could still advance with good grades (they have to average 90 or above) plus a teacher recommendation. I am not advocating that we switch to using only EVAAS but using it alone would result in many, many more NC students (23,474) being included while excluding many fewer (2,002). That's why I think using EVAAS first then allowing teachers to include additional students they feel should qualify makes the most sense. Since so many students in the WCPSS would qualify on the first round (63% at least), I expect that there wouldn't be a huge number of exceptions that would have to be made.
IMO the main issue is comparative data
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 00:15 — TrailerParkGirlIMO the main issue is comparative data in the year of the change. If year 1 is based on no retests and year 2 is based on retests, touting the difference between those two as the "gain" is not entirely valid as part of the "gain" is simply based upon the inclusion of the students in the second year that passed on the second try, which is a not in the first year data. Last year this impacted EOGs and this year it is EOCs. If I remember correctly, last year wcpss did at some point show the overall data both including and excluding the EOG retests.
I don't disagree with giving
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 00:01 — red_balloonI don't disagree with giving students multiple chances. But I think the system is geared to pushing as many students as possible across the finish line by lowering the standard than by increasing achievement.
I checked the NC Public Schools wesbite and I find that some EOCs have been dropped and one more will be dropped next year. Plus, the L-III standard appears to be met if one scores around 50%. And this is on a multiple choice test format. Finally, add retests to the mix. It doesn't make sense to me. There have to be better measures of academic success than what are pursued today.
You are correct in that
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 05:46 — willynillyYou are correct in that proficiency simply requires (in 8th grade for sure) that a student get a 51-52%. Just over half correct gains a III and not much more to get a IV.
Before changes were made in
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 00:52 — jeffrey1Before changes were made in scoring (2006 I think). the 8th grade math EOC test had 80 questions, and a student only needed to get 28 correct to attain a Level III status.
Please don't tell me the
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 07:54 — CaryCurmudgeonPlease don't tell me the questions were true/false.
Ha! Multiple choice with
Sat, 08/07/2010 - 00:11 — jeffrey1Ha!
Multiple choice with only 4 choices. Pure guessing gets you 20 out of 80.
Know the answers to just 12 of 80 questions, guess on the remaining, and you scored a 29! Congratulations, junior - you're proficient.
Take it over
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 16:55 — gregishereTake it twice. Take it while standing on your head or while eating or drinking. Take it in the shower. Who cares. Look what everyone is doing with the scores... if they help your argument, you cite them; if the scores undermine your argument you dismiss them. Whatever. A good teacher is hard to find, really. My children have had many, thank goodness. I attribute that to one thing: Wake, for counties in our poor state, pays more dollars to teachers and offers a more vibrant environment for interesting teachers. Everything else is lilly gilding. The truth is pretty obvious: Neighborhood schools is just another word for nativism. Our fight here is the same fight going on nationally. "Forced Busing" sounds a lot like "anchor baby" which sounds a lot like "NAACP are racist" which sounds alot like "Shirley Sherrod doesn't like white farmers" which sounds a lot like "gay marriage will ruin my marriage." All of this stirring up ignorant passions lines us up -- people who are afraid of the future versus people who aren't. The next few elections will show us weather Wake is afraid or not. For now, the scard-ey cats are in charge. They sure make us all look ugly. But, with a little hopey changey from my Kenyan President, I'm betting on the future. (Because, as my conservative brethren have told me, I really don't need to worry about coastal flooding from global warming hurting the economy of my children when they are middle-aged. Don't worry. Be happy.)
Maybe it's you Gregishere
Sat, 08/07/2010 - 03:58 — Voice_of_Reason_Maybe it' is the future we fear if those like you achieve your goals. It is true fear because everywhere it has been tried, it fails. Most of the time a lot of people die trying to achieve that failure. All change is not good. Sometimes learning from mistakes and adjusting if far better than radical change. Your side calls conservatives racist, stupid, or non-enlightened and hopes it stops the debate. I am afraid that tactic is slowly beginning to backfire as more and more people are starting to get it. Remember, conservatives have not made the problems you speak of, Most problems today are due to progregressive policies of the past. High poverty rates and broken families are a symtom of a failed wefare state created by progressives. Trillions of dollars have been spent with negative results. Ask yourself,, has the poverty rate improved? I am a firm beleiver in educational opportunities. But opportunities alone do not solve educational problems in some sub-groups of our population. It is the lack of parential involvement in their children and the sub-cultures children have to deal with (drugs, gangs, crime, etc.) that are the problem. Maybe your side needs to address those problems (and also start recognizing them as a cancer rather than a symptom) before you blame the school system for your problems. The best facilities and all the best teachers will not change some children. I went to a school in the south with no air conditioning, the constant drone of a fan, and a school where I rarely saw teacher have parents to help out. Our books were not what they are today and we rarely had the benefit of " throwaway" workbooks. I dare to say the kids of Wake county today have far greater access to quality educational opportunities and a better learning environment than I (a "priviledged" white guy} had. The difference is that we had discipline in the classroom. Teachers were not afraid to punish students and keep them back if they didn't perform. Homework was expected to be done and if it wasn't, you failed and had to attend summer school or repeat the grade.
BTW - if you want to point out any place that progressive values are working in our country or elsewhere, please do. Maybe then, some of us might not be so scared of change. How's that hope and change working out for you?
Keung, I'd really like to
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 16:45 — CaryCurmudgeonKeung,
I'd really like to know whether the 54.2% ED graduation rate improved, but the ABC reports down have the data at that level. Any idea when it will be available? Thanks.
It's there. It's now at 59.7
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 18:44 — KeungHui (author)It's there. It's now at 59.7 percent in Wake. Click here for the link. Click here to search in past years.
Thanks Keung, I won't
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 19:38 — CaryCurmudgeonThanks Keung,
I won't speculate on the whys and hows, but a 5.5% improvement with this group is a step in the right direction.
I presume that is 59.7 with
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 18:53 — red_balloonI presume that is 59.7 with all attempts. I wonder what the number is for only one attempt.
No. It's based on graduating
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 19:04 — KeungHui (author)No. It's based on graduating in 4 years,
Yes Red. This particular
Sun, 08/08/2010 - 21:33 — zandeYes Red. This particular stat has to do with grad rates not EOC percentages. Grad rates for ED kids has improved significantly from last year. This is huge and the complete destruction of the whole school system was not even necessary.
LOL You really have no clue.
Mon, 08/09/2010 - 09:31 — woodstockLOL You really have no clue.
This is huge and the
Mon, 08/09/2010 - 06:59 — JanisTangoThis is huge and the complete destruction of the whole school system was not even necessary.
You must be able to see the future. I'm glad we are in for a change. The previous board leveled huge and complete destruction on entire schools in the past. I guess that's OK as long as it's not your school or your precious private..I mean magnet schools!
"The previous board leveled
Tue, 08/10/2010 - 10:40 — zande"The previous board leveled huge and complete destruction on entire schools in the past. I guess that's OK as long as it's not your school or your precious private..I mean magnet schools! "
Yea right... and as long it is confined to those poor inner city schools and not out in "your precious" suburbs. BTW: Only one of my kids goes to a magnet. The other has been in his base schools all but one year and we felt those schools were "precious" also.
I think I found it. From the
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 23:32 — red_balloonI think I found it. From the N&O news article:
This was the first year that high school students who failed end-of-course tests on their first try had their retest scores count in ABC calculations.
Given that retests counted toward the 59.7%, a better comparison to last year would need to exclude retests from the 59.7%. I wonder if such data would be released.
Edit: It appears that the results had nowhere to go but up. The tailwind wasn't just the retest feature if the elimination of the following tests made the EOCs less rigorous.
*Elimination of Tests from the North Carolina Testing Program
The following tests have been eliminated from the North Carolina Testing Program for 2009-10 and beyond:
Source: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/eoc/
There is no "retest" for
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 23:33 — danofncThere is no "retest" for graduation. You are confusing EOC testing (which I think is done after 9th, 10th, and 11th) for graduation rates.
Take a minute to read what you're responding to before you type.
...
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 01:11 — red_balloonIs it correct to surmise that none of the EOC tests essential for graduation are taken during grade 12 i.e., Algebra I, Biology, Civics & Economics, English I, and History EOC tests are completed in grades 9 - 11? If that is true, my understanding about retests helping attain the 59.7% graduation rate would be incorrect.
I should have phrased that
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 19:50 — red_balloonI should have phrased that better. I meant to ask what the pass rate was on the first attempt since it will be a better comparison to last year. Or were high schools not given two attempts i.e., the second chance was given to only ES and MS students?
You either graduate or you
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 22:56 — danofncYou either graduate or you don't.
Your attempts at humor (sarcasm?) get worse and worse.
Students could take the ABC test over
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 13:14 — pauld315Of course you see improvement in the test scores, tehy allowed high school students who didn't do well on the test to take it over . This is reported in the N&O today.
So, they take it twice ....
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 17:33 — user12345So, they take it twice .... the goal is to show proficiency not perfection ... there are probably 10 different tests ... I am not sure what the big deal is ....
Nope, there are 4.....blue,
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 19:15 — willynillyNope, there are 4.....blue, red, purpel and green. This is true for the math, reading and science EOGs. Not to mention that a number of the actual test questions are posted on the DPI web site WITH the answers. OH......and the tests given this year were the same given last year (at least for the science test 8th grade).
.
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 22:12 — innocentbystander.
So if you failed a red and
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 19:21 — user12345So if you failed a red and passed blue ... you have mastered the material as measured by passing the test ... it is not like these kids go home and study between failing one day and passing it the next ... My wife usually has to almost got get them out of bed to have them retest ....
Either you know it or you don't
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 23:21 — Solon77We got caught up in it this year. My son is a solid B student and after the exam we asked him how he thought he did, he said he thought he did well. Well it turns out he failed the math test. He had a new teacher the second half of the year and we were not notified my son failed. We found out as my wife was checking SPAN. So at 10 at night my wife tells my son he is going to school the next morning to retake the test. So obviously he did not do any extra studying or anything else. On the retake he scored a 92. We then followed up with the math department head to make sure my son was properly placed for this coming year. I believe the retests offer an additional datapoint that deserves attention.
Actually, the two tests are
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 20:11 — willynillyActually, the two tests are very nearly identical. For example, the green test has questions 1 thru 80 on say....oh, 110 pages. All that is done is that the segments of test questions are moved around in each test booklet. As I have adminsitered the science tests over the years I know that in the test booklets the questions are pretty much all the same and in 2 of the books identical. Also, the science tests given this year were the exact same tests given last year....budget. Not that it matters since the students saw the test for the first time the first time they took it. According to the language arts teacher on my academic team the reading test was the same too.
.
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 22:13 — innocentbystander.
Don't they also see the
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 09:43 — user12345Don't they also see the sample questions on the Blue Diamonds or one of those computer prep programs too. Again, as mentioned in the post above, learning at 10pm at night that you failed and need to show up the next day for a retest does not allow much time to cram for a test ...again, proficiency not perfection ...
Schools of Distinction
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 12:33 — Bob_SconceI'm disgusted by the State's euphamisms. It's no distinction to fail 20% of your students and it's not excellent to fail 10%. And, it's even worse when you consider that they're measuring by the State's EOG tests, which are among the easier administered by the 50 states. It's just a charade to make people think that our schools are better than they really are.
Amen
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 09:13 — fiestamomTell me about it. It's not just Wake County Schools, though. Look at the names the Federal Government gives its programs. Scary times.
The failing 10% makes me wonder. I know at least one Wake County school doesn't allow teachers to record zeroes. (like if a kid doesn't turn in work), they get 50%. I don't get that at all. Knowing this fact I am not confident in the numbers WCPSS releases. I fear the students are way worse off. But hey, at least they're going to an Excellent School of Distinction.
I get it
Sat, 08/07/2010 - 11:21 — bluedaisyBecause its so easy for a student to give up completely when there's no digging out of the hole. Would you agree its better to give a child hope that he can get out of the hole vs locking the door he shut himself with? I am so glad my child got second, third and fourth chances and more while in high school. Had he been not provided opportunities to climb out of the hole he created, he would not be in college right now. These kids watch SPAN, see the impact a 0 has on their grades. That's good. But if the 0 completely defeats your efforts to improve, because "its just not worth it", then what has the child really accomplished? While I don't agree each 0 should be a 50 just because, I do think teachers, by and large, are not just about the grade. They are about the learning process, and should help a student achieve life skills, not test taking skils. A student's brain is not completely mature until around 25, they make wrong choices and need chances to learn from them.
Problem with objective grading
Sat, 08/07/2010 - 16:44 — Bob_SconceNot a big fan of either of those sorts of grades -- the point of grading should be to show mastery of the material, not to record how many homework problems you did correctly. The two are related, but there may be many reasons why homework isn't completed that has nothing to do with whether or not the kid understands the subject matter. If, at the end of the year, a kid has mastered the subject matter, he should get an A.
I have a bias on this, though.... I nearly failed 5th grade math because I only did the hard problems on my homework -- the easy ones were boring, so I didn't do them. Ended up staying after school a lot that year. Today, I probably would have been labeled as ADHD.
I'd love to hear from teachers on the subject.
Homework.............well,
Sat, 08/07/2010 - 17:34 — willynillyHomework.............well, my personal philosophy is one rooted in sports. Although "practice" can keep you from playing the game no one really keeps score (ok, maybe the coach does). I never weight homework more than 10%. My homework assignment is work I have taught my students to do, a note-taking strategy a little more advanced than SQ3R. It is rather involved, but I require that it be done. If a student does not do it then I give them a zero (note that 10% does not tank the grade). However, within the time frame of that particular chapter, the student can make it up at any time. Past the chapter test date that student can make it up, but they have to have their parents bring them to school at 6 am to do the work with me watching. Otherwise the zero stands. A consequence for not doing it the first time, but they will get full credit for the work IF they do the work as per my direction. A college student would have to do the same work to ready themselves for a test, but I make my students do the work on an 8th grade level.
Tests in my class are 40% of a students grade while classwork (which includes everything else) is 50% of their grade.
the truth
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 14:47 — user12345Way to go Del / teachers
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 12:25 — user12345Let' see if the new directions of zones can keep the momentum.
Way to go?
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 13:44 — Duhhuh666The headline says "Graduation Rates Stay Flat" and you want to pat Del Burns on the back?
Way to go, no glad your gone is what should be said.
I guess people can always
Thu, 08/05/2010 - 14:04 — user12345I guess people can always find something wrong with any good news. btw, did you notice the three Pacific Islanders scored a point lower this year? :-)