Resetting The Bar

Today's Journal....

Ohio may use new report card system

COLUMBUS — Ohio will revamp how it grades K-12 school performance and set new goals for cutting the achievement gap among student groups if federal authorities exempt the state from requirements in the No Child Left Behind Act.

State Superintendent Stan Heffner called the No Child Left Behind Act out of date and unrealistic. On Wednesday, Heffner outlined the changes the Ohio Department of Education is proposing in exchange for relief from the burdens imposed by the 2001 landmark federal education law
Ninety-percent of Ohio schools are expected to fall short of a key target set by NCLB: 100 percent of students in every demographic group score proficient on math and reading tests by the 2013-14 school year, Heffner said. That would mean those schools would be rated as failures.

HOW LONG HAS NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND BEEN IN PLACE? THE FIRST OR SECOND BUSH TERM? HAVE THE SCHOOLS HAD ENOUGH TIME TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS SET IN THIS PROGRAM?

Ninety-percent of Ohio schools are expected to fall short of a key target set by NCLB: 100 percent of students in every demographic group score proficient on math and reading tests by the 2013-14 school year, Heffner said. That would mean those schools would be rated as failures.

SO, THE SCHOOLS AREN'T GOING TO MAKE THE TARGET SO THEY ARE PROPOSING CHANGING THE GAME.

Ohio wants to cast that target aside and replace it with new goals, which Heffner insists are more rigorous. Under the proposed new system, the goal would be to cut the achievement gap in reading and math in half by 2017 and require higher performance from all students, he said. The state will adopt new college- and career-ready standards, develop new statewide tests to measure student growth and set achievable annual goals, according to the state’s waiver application.

HOW IS THIS MORE RIGOROUS? AND WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T MEET THE GOALS BY 2017? MOVE THE TARGET AGAIN? DO WE LET EDUCATORS DESIGN THEIR OWN CRITERIA FOR EVALUATIONS? IF WE DID, WOULD THEY TEND TO BE MORE KIND TO THEMSELVES IN THE PROCESS? TO HAVE THE RULE SETTERS BE THE JUDGES OF FAILURE OR SUCCESS KINDA DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF EVALUATIONS, DOESN'T IT? ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF ARTIST BEING ALLOWED TO JUDGE THEIR OWN ARTWORK.

Roughly 40 percent of Ohio students who go to public colleges need remedial courses in math and English, which is costly and creates delays.

WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT THE METHODS USED TO PREPARE KIDS FOR COLLEGE ENTRANCE? PERHAPS A CHANGE, YEARS AGO, WAS IN ORDER AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, BUT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS NEVER CONSIDERED.

State officials want to scrap the old system of rating school districts as Excellent, Effective, Continuous Improvement, Academic Watch and Academic Emergency. Instead, districts would earn letter grades just like Ohio’s school kids.

THIS REMINDS ME OF THE SILLY LITTLE COLOR CODES THE HOMELAND SECURITY DEPT. CAME UP WITH. REALLY SEEMS JUVENILE AND ACCOMPLISHES LITTLE. WHY BOTHER. ARE THE LABELS OF ACADEMIC EMERGENCY TOO HARSH? NOT GENTLE ENOUGH PERHAPS?

The report card grades would be based on how students score on state achievement tests, how well the district is at helping students learn a year’s worth of material, how well the district did on 26 performance measures, and how well the district does in helping students achieve regardless of their socio-economic, racial or disability status.

WOULD THIS REALLY CHANGE ANYTHING FOR THE MIDDLETOWN SCHOOLS AS TO MORE SUCCESS? IF SO, HOW? I WOULD THINK MIDDLETOWN WOULD STILL STAY AT THE BOTTOM AFTER THE CHANGE.

sickofthebull....."That includes the Special Education students who typically are 2 or more grades below their grade level. This means that even though these children cannot read at their grade level they must read their grade level test AND pass it".

BY YOUR STATEMENT, THE SPECIAL ED KIDS MUST READ AND PASS AT THEIR GRADE LEVEL. WHICH ONE? THEIR GRADE LEVEL OR TWO LEVELS ABOVE? IF AT THEIR GRADE LEVEL, IS THAT A PROBLEM?

"Ever read something above your understanding and be expected to know it and pass a test on it? Doubtful"

YEP....1966.....Calculus......MUM......CATHERINE MULLIGAN THE INSTRUCTOR.....WENT TO EVERY CLASS, TOOK NOTES IN CLASS......CAME TEST TIME.....DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO START.......COMPLETELY LOST. TOO ABSTRACT FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND.

"I see everyday students in my class frustrated because I have to test them on what they cannot do and they do not pass"

OK, YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THE STUDENTS WITH LEARNING ISSUES. DO YOU HAVE A PROGRAM THAT HAS THEM ATTEND AFTER SCHOOL TO RETEACH THE LESSONS? IS THERE A PROGRAM ON SATURDAYS FOR KIDS TO COME TO SCHOOL AND BE RE-TAUGHT IF THEY ARE NOT LEARNING ON THE FIRST GO-AROUND? IF NOT, WHY NOT?

"It is my job to see that every child in my classroom improves AT LEAST a year but there are some children who SIMPLY CANNOT"

OK, AGAIN, DOES YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WILL ADDRESS THE ONES WHO "SIMPLY CAN'T LEARN"? ARE THEY SENT SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE SOMEONE WILL WORK WITH THEM SO THEY CAN LEARN? DID YOU VOLUNTEER TO STAY AFTER SCHOOL AND INVITE THEM TO CLASS TO RETEACH OR IS THAT NOT ALLOWED?

"No amount of pissing and moaning is going to change that"

JUST REACTING TO THE INFORMATION IN THE ARTICLE. NOT "PISSING AND MOANING".

"Please educate yourselves on this issue before speaking about it. Thanks"

JUST OFFERING SOME OPINIONS ON WHAT I READ. YOU HAVE DONE THE SAME. WE ARE BOTH ENTITLED TO DO THAT. IT IS CALLED FREEDOM OF SPEECH TEACHER.

"Oh, and before the usual attacks begin"

QUITE DEFENSIVE AREN'T WE? JUST A CITIZEN WHO IS HELPING PAY FOR THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN TOWN WHICH GIVES ONE EVERY RIGHT IN THE WORLD TO OFFER CRITICISM. AS POORLY AS THIS DISTRICT HAS BEEN DOING, IT'S BOUND TO RECEIVE IT'S FAIR SHARE OF CRITICISM, DON'T YOU THINK?

While sitting here thinking about your last post, I realized I failed to respond to the calculus issue you had. You stated you "didn't know where to start". Imagine that for an 8, 9 or 10 (or older) year old who can't read and comprehend simple sight words. Have you ever even looked at the tests these students take? I am not saying they are extremely difficult, but for a struggling child I can only imagine what it must be like inside their heads trying to make head or tails of them. We set them up for failure every single year and it just plain...I will just say it...SUCKS...

sickofthebull wrote: While sitting here thinking about your last post, I realized I failed to respond to the calculus issue you had. You stated you "didn't know where to start". Imagine that for an 8, 9 or 10 (or older) year old who can't read and comprehend simple sight words. Have you ever even looked at the tests these students take? I am not saying they are extremely difficult, but for a struggling child I can only imagine what it must be like inside their heads trying to make head or tails of them. We set them up for failure every single year and it just plain...I will just say it...SUCKS...

Now that you have identified the problems, is there any support from the teachers to confront the administration and all head to Columbus with your plight? Have you tried getting other districts to join you as it would appear you all have the same problem? Or, has that already been tried and they won't listen to you? Do you need more people in the community to come to the schools to help teach reading? If so, was the suggestions well-received by the school admin and board?

Looks as if the teachers will receive a new method of evaluation...

Today's Journal....

Initiative will change teacher evaluations
Middletown part of the prototype for new evaluation system

With increased public interest in school accountability, area school districts are trying to come up with ways to adjust their teacher evaluation plans to keep up with changing state laws.

But there’s a growing sentiment among state and federal legislators, school administrators and the general public that a simple up or down rating isn’t sufficient, especially with a growing sentiment that teachers, like workers in the private sector, should have some if not all of their pay based on how good a job they’re doing.

IMAGINE THAT. AN EVALUATION BASED ON CONTRIBUTIONS AND MERIT. BEEN THAT WAY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR DECADES.

When a Middletown teacher is up for an evaluation, an administrator will have at least three formal observations of 20 to 40 minutes in length to go along with 3-to-5-minute unscheduled walkthroughs.

Teachers also are observed in how they interact with parents and students, with the entire process — which is capped off with a final evaluation — revolving around “goal setting,” Rasmussen said.

THAT'S GREAT RASMUSSEN. BUT WHO EVALUATES THE ADMINISTRATOR WHO DOES THE EVALUATIONS OF THE TEACHERS AND HOW ARE THE ADMINISTRATORS QUALIFIED TO DO THE EVALUATIONS IN THE FIRST PLACE? WHAT HAPPENS IF THE ADMINISTRATOR DISLIKES THE TEACHER? IMO, PERHAPS WE NEED AN EX-CEO FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR RUNNING THE SCHOOLS, NOT ONE WHO HAS BEEN TRAINED IN THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD. TOO MUCH BIAS IN HAVING SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS RUNNING THE SHOW. HAVING A PERSON FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR WOULD ELIMINATE THE "ARTISTS FROM JUDGING THEIR OWN PAINTINGS" AND MAY ADD A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO HOW THE SCHOOLS ARE SET UP, ALLOWING FOR THE EDUCATIONAL DIRECTION/EMPHASIS/COMMUNITY TO BE TIED MORE CLOSELY WITH THE WORKING WORLD. RIGHT NOW, THERE APPEARS TO BE A GAP BETWEEN HOW THE SCHOOLS ARE RUN AND THE END PRODUCT NEEDED FROM THEM BY THE WORKING WORLD. JMO

seems likr the middietown school system is moving in the right direction finally.

Spider, have you been to the high school this year? there is a new principal and new procedures in place. Much calmer environment.  Also, curious whether you have been in any other public high schools during school hours? What you find appalling may just be "kids these days."  When I am at MHS, I see kids wearing sloppy clothes that I would not let my own kids wear to school, but I do not see unruly or dangerous behavior in the halls.