""Not all of our students have had the opportunity to learn."

[CADsortaGUY]

High school exit exam delayed. State postpones the test requirement for graduation for 2 years.

Members of the class of 2004 had several chances to pass the test each year since they were sophomores. But as of October, when figures were last compiled, 52 percent of the class had not yet passed both the math and language arts portions of the test, which are set at middle-school to 10th-grade levels.

Only 52% of Seniors could pass a test set at 10th grade level? WOW!:Q
Guess we better not give them the test if they can't pass then

Why oh why do I torture myself by reading this stuff

CkG

 

[lozina]

The board also decided to reduce the exit exam from a three-day to a two-day test by eliminating one of two long essays students have to write and scratching some multiple-choice English questions.

Some critics, including lawyer John Affeldt of the San Francisco law firm Public Advocates, accused the board of trying to win public approval by making the test easier.

not pretty

 

[Piano Man]

Well, this does not look good on the surface, but CAD, you need to understand something. You live in Ankeny Iowa. A nice safe suburb of plastic houses, upper middle class families, a Super Walmart, and a school district that has a LOT of money. The Ankeny school disstrict has none of the problems that plague most school districts. Yes, 52% sucks for a passing rate, but there are many reasons why this occurs, and its not just the teachers.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Piano Man
Well, this does not look good on the surface, but CAD, you need to understand something. You live in Ankeny Iowa. A nice safe suburb of plastic houses, upper middle class families, a Super Walmart, and a school district that has a LOT of money. The Ankeny school disstrict has none of the problems that plague most school districts. Yes, 52% sucks for a passing rate, but there are many reasons why this occurs, and its not just the teachers.

But it is a service to student to give them a diploma when they do not deserve it? THis is a failure of the schools and the schools should be working to remember the problem, rather than handing out diplomas without meaning.

 

[Piano Man]

Its more than a failure of the schools. Its a failure of the local and state government to not fund these disstricts properly. When you don't have enough teachers, sh!t happens, and EVERYONE loses. No, they shouldn't get rid of it, but the reason this is happening is becasue the disstrict doesn't have the support it needs.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: Piano Man
Its more than a failure of the schools. Its a failure of the local and state government to not fund these disstricts properly. When you don't have enough teachers, sh!t happens, and EVERYONE loses. No, they shouldn't get rid of it, but the reason this is happening is becasue the disstrict doesn't have the support it needs.

Either way the schools have failed and it is time to fix them. Allow poor folks to have vouchers so they can go to better schools. I know I would hate to keep poor underprivledged kids in bad school. Until adequate funding can be found, maybe mandatory teacher overtime should be required until students grades come up. Those not willing to learn, should be removed from the academic portion and helped into a full time vocation training program.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: Piano Man
Well, this does not look good on the surface, but CAD, you need to understand something. You live in Ankeny Iowa. A nice safe suburb of plastic houses, upper middle class families, a Super Walmart, and a school district that has a LOT of money. The Ankeny school disstrict has none of the problems that plague most school districts. Yes, 52% sucks for a passing rate, but there are many reasons why this occurs, and its not just the teachers.

I warnt edjumacated dahwn heyahr een dah lahnd a kohrn. in fact I graduated from a small school system in the middle of Wisconsin. Now I feel that while my school system sucked I think it was better than alot of systems in the nation. And yes I know Ankeny is one of the shining stars of the Iowa school system - or atleast people say it is. Maybe it is because people actually care about their kid's education here and maybe it's because from what I've seen and read it seems to be a fiscally responsible(for the most part) district. I plan on staying here so both of my kids can go through a system that promotes parental involvement and makes numerous opportunities available - because I care about my children's education.

I didn't say it was just the teachers - it's the whole damn system. If almost half of your "graduating" class can't pass 10th grade level tests you have a MAJOR problems. The solution however isn't to dumb down the test or to not test at all.

Oh and not only do we have a Super walmart- we have a Super-Target, a Staples, a Menards, a Home Depot and just recently got us a brand spankin new Kohls

CkG

 

[JellyBaby]

maybe mandatory teacher overtime should be required until students grades come up.

Usually in situations like this one the teachers are already working voluntary, unpaid overtime. Those that care about the kids are at any rate. There may be "status quoers" who could be encouraged into more action.

The failing students aren't benefiting at all by being ignored and passed through for expediency.

Not sure how throwing more money at the problem, making it easier for kids to graduate and hoping for the best will help anyone. Teachers blame parents, parents blame the teachers, kids blame all of the above but no one blames government. Perhaps they should. The feds take money from the states, steal some of it then return it with strings attached at the behest of liberal elitist control freaks and special interests. That's got to go...it just does too much damage to the system.

 

[Trezza]

Its bush's fault if there was oil in text books we would all be the smartest .

 

[Zephyr106]

Nope it's always the parents fault as I said in a related post. It is a cultural aversion to education that affects certain segments of society.

Zephyr

 

[NesuD]

Originally posted by: Piano Man
Its more than a failure of the schools. Its a failure of the local and state government to not fund these disstricts properly. When you don't have enough teachers, sh!t happens, and EVERYONE loses. No, they shouldn't get rid of it, but the reason this is happening is becasue the disstrict doesn't have the support it needs.

I disagree. More often than not this situation is a direct result of parentel apathy. First and foremost it is my responsibility as a parent to educate my children. If by their senior year I haven't noticed that they can't read properly or construct a sentence correctly then shame on me. I taught both of my children to read because i disagreed with the local public school systems method for learning to read. Right now both of my sons 11 and 13 read and write at college levels. I am absolutely convinced that this is a direct result of them being taught to read properly from a young age by me. More teachers doesn't do a thing to combat parental apathy. If children are properly educated in the fundamentals at a young age in particular reading they always do better in later years.

 

[Lucky]

The opportunity for a good early education does not mean sh*t if you have a horrible home environment that does not foster good educational habits.

 

[magomago]

I think its ludicrous that they are allowing the kids to pass. It was made to set standards and if students didn't pass the ridiculously easy curriculum (I asked a lot of my lower class friends how the test was and what kind of questions they were and most said they were easy) and were given multiple chances to do so (actually at our school they gave the kids UNLIMITED time to do it) then you are held back! IF that happens to 50% of students - tough luck!
Its like they made the law to only be applied when 95%+ of the students pass it.

You know I think we should have two different kinds of diplomas- one for actually taking challanging classes and learning, and another for just sitting there in a desk for twelve years

 

[jackschmittusa]

Poor schools are in poor neighborhoods. When 90% of the people you see drive 12yr old Fords and Chevys, and 10% drive Caddys and BMWs because they are drug dealers and pimps, it dosen't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the route to wealth and success is not dependent on learning anything at school.

 

[Nitemare]

I see two options here.

Make the students learn more (better teachers, equipment, get rid of the moron students and those that don't want to learn)

or

Make the test even easier so a retard can pass it.

Anyone want to guess which option they will choose? I've seen and taken these tests. i could have passed the 12th grade exam in 6th grade. You have to be mentally deficient and not worthy to graduate mustless leave school to pass these tests. I find it scary that they are in their current grade and can't pass these.

 

[gistech1978]

its called early childhood education.
pays dividends later in life.
OK is one of the worst states in the nation with regards to education spending.
however, oklahoma is also the state that had 7 students with a perfect ACT score and leads the SE region in ACT avg test scores, just goes to show that money wont solve all the education problems.
however, im not saying here in OK the schools dont need more support, they desperately do and unfortuantely that is the case in every state in the nation now.
less police and prisons, more schools.

 

[chowderhead]

In California, we have such a diverse student population. Many come to school unprepared to learn. Some have "special needs" or limited English skills, or socio-economic difficulties. The educational establishment wants to believe that it can cater and accommodate all these increasing/neverending need. It simply cannot and many other students suffer because of this shift in priorities.
Even as a strong Democrat, I know that I have become increasingly intolerant to this. The schools cannot be the major social service center for students and their parents. Parents have to take responsibility in making sure that their kids are prepared to excel and to learn. If they cannot pass a 10th-grade level test to graduate HS, then they should not graduate. It's harsh but so is the real world. Something needs to be done to wake people up to the fact that the schools are overburdened with trying to do too much. It cannot continue to so.
<rant >
This is also OT, but we have a huge state budget deficit, now I read that child/day care assistance will be threatened if the budget is not passed. One question, why am I paying taxes so you can get free child care? Shouldn't you pay for your own child care? If you cannot afford child care for your kid(s), shouldn't you take personal responsibility in the first place to not have kids or get family members to look after them? </rant>

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: chowderhead
In California, we have such a diverse student population. Many come to school unprepared to learn. Some have "special needs" or limited English skills, or socio-economic difficulties. The educational establishment wants to believe that it can cater and accommodate all these increasing/neverending need. It simply cannot and many other students suffer because of this shift in priorities.
Even as a strong Democrat, I know that I have become increasingly intolerant to this. The schools cannot be the major social service center for students and their parents. Parents have to take responsibility in making sure that their kids are prepared to excel and to learn. If they cannot pass a 10th-grade level test to graduate HS, then they should not graduate. It's harsh but so is the real world. Something needs to be done to wake people up to the fact that the schools are overburdened with trying to do too much. It cannot continue to so.
<rant >
This is also OT, but we have a huge state budget deficit, now I read that child/day care assistance will be threatened if the budget is not passed. One question, why am I paying taxes so you can get free child care? Shouldn't you pay for your own child care? If you cannot afford child care for your kid(s), shouldn't you take personal responsibility in the first place to not have kids or get family members to look after them? </rant>

People use school as day care. You are already paying for it.

 

[chowderhead]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

[/i]



People use school as day care. You are already paying for it.

Yes, of course. I know that. I am talking about before and after school and children too young for school.