How much stock should we place in test scores? Very little, many parents and educators say. Tests represent a small snapshot of how students are performing at a given time, and there are other forms of measurement, they say.
But what if the scores show a pattern? What does it mean when year after year, students — different students, different tests — keep falling short? And not just by a little bit.
That appears to be the case in the Rochester City School District, and there doesn’t seem to be a significant change on the horizon.
The New York State Department of Education released statewide test scores for English and math in grades 3 to 8 last week. And once again, the RCSD is the lowest performing of the “Big 5” urban school districts.
Across New York State, the average English language arts score is 38 percent for 2016, and that’s up from 31 percent a year ago. In math, the score is 39 percent for 2016, up by about 1 percent from a year ago.
During a conference call with reporters last week, State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia said that the SED used a different test vendor this time, that teacher involvement in creating the tests increased, that there were fewer questions for students to answer, and that students could work until they finished.
In other words, the tests should have been fairer and maybe a little easier.
But in Rochester, precious few students are proficient in math or English. Few function at grade level. For instance, only 6.7 percent of city students are proficient in English language arts, up two points from last year. And math scores declined by 0.2 percent, which leaves just 7.2 percent of city students proficient.
If you drill down at individual schools, it doesn’t change much. At School 10, 162 students took the ELA test in 2015, and there were six kids at level 3 — meaning that they were doing OK. Only two students or 1 percent were working at level 4, meaning they that performed at a higher level.
In 2016, 173 students and only 3 percent of students are working at grade level, and zero are working at level 4.
Elia was questioned about Rochester’s low performance. She said that the district has a lot of challenges, particularly its high childhood poverty. But there are some new developments that are encouraging, she said. For example, Rochester’s new superintendent, Barbara Deane-Williams, has a great deal of experience, she said.
So back to the original premise, what do the test scores tell us, particularly if there’s a pattern? What should parents and educators take away from them, considering that we are consistently performing near the bottom statewide?
At this point, the scores are more than a snapshot in time.
This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 2, 2016.
Even though some of the information in this article is straight-up shocking — when we stop, and think about it — it shouldn’t really be that surprising. I mean, this has been going on for so, so, very long. It’s absolute madness, especially when there IS a solution.
“The New York State Department of Education released statewide test scores for English and math in grades 3 to 8 last week. And once again, the RCSD is the lowest performing of the “Big 5″ urban school districts.” PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DEFINITELY MEANS LOWEST SCORING DISTRICT IN THE STATE — PERIOD.
“But in Rochester, precious few students are proficient in math or English. Few function at grade level. For instance, only 6.7 percent of city students are proficient in English language arts, up two points from last year. And math scores declined by 0.2 percent, which leaves just 7.2 percent of city students proficient.” THIS IS STRAIGHT-UP MADNESS.
“Elia was questioned about Rochester’s low performance. She said that the district has a lot of challenges, particularly its high childhood poverty.” MANY SO-CALLED ‘EDUCATORS,’, INCLUDING THE STATE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER, SEEM TO THINK THEY HAVE THE PERFECT EXCUSE FOR EXPLAINING THIS DISMAL CRISIS AWAY, — THEY DO NOT, I.E., “CHILDHOOD POVERTY.” LET THEM TELL IT — “THERE ARE [ALWAYS] SOME NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE ENCOURAGING.” YET, NOTHING, AND I DO MEAN NOTHING, EVER CHANGES (AT LEAST NOT FOR THE BETTER). THE COMMISSIONER HAS TO BE KIDDING. SHE WANTS US TO BE SO-CALLED “ENCOURAGED” BECAUSE ONE, MIDDLE CLASS, WHITE, SUBURBANITE, WOMAN” HAS A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE.” IS THAT THE BEST SHE CAN DO???? JEAN CLAUDE BRIZARD, EMANUEL RIVERA, CLIFFORD JANEY, PETER MCWALTERS, LAVAL WILSON ALL HAD “A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE.” YET, OVERALL CONDITIONS HAVE CONTINUED TO WORSEN. IS THIS WOMAN SERIOUS (SHE CAN’T BE) — SHE WANTS US TO HANG OUR HOPES REGARDING CHANGE, AND IMPROVEMENT ON ONE INDIVIDUAL??? DAMN.
A BIG PART OF THE SOLUTION IS AS FOLLOWS:
We need to get focused (with laser-like precision) on the foundational academic/intellectual development of our children — by doing everything that we possibly can to make certain that they master literacy skills and knowledge — that is, reading, writing, math skills and knowledge at or above grade level (right from the very beginning), which is one of the most important reasons why we must address / change the standardized testing process, i.e., because it is driving everything that happens at the classroom level, and deprives teachers and support staff of the necessary time and energy to concentrate on developing foundational skills and knowledge. Instead, largely because of state and federal mandates, rules, regulations and policies — teachers find themselves (more and more) teaching narrowly to tests. There is no mystery surrounding the reason why so many of our children don’t do well on tests. It’s because they don’t have adequate reading, writing, and math skills, which again represents the very foundation of all knowledge, and which is necessary for them to be able to master higher-order knowledge and skills — such as critical and analytical reading, writing and thinking. So, I’m saying, if we lay the foundation properly, then we won’t have to worry so much about tests. If the proper foundation has been laid, then the testing issue will take care of itself (as long as that which is being tested, is fundamentally the same as that which is being taught). So there are two issues wrapped up together: 1) the need for more local control (as opposed to far too many dictates from the state and federal governments, and 2) the need to free teachers and support staff up — so that they will have the time and energy to focus, again, with laser-like precision, on laying the academic foundation upon which all knowledge and skills-development is built. This issue is even more important when we consider that huge numbers of our children enter the system lagging far behind their middle class peers — right from the very beginning.
The latter referenced issue is clearly among the most important of all issues we face, and is connected to another issue, i.e., the issue of widespread, concentrated poverty. Please don’t misunderstand me regarding this critically important issue. I do not subscribe (under any circumstances) to any theory or idea about children not being able to learn because they live in poverty. If this was the case, many whom I’ve known (as children of migrant farm workers) would be among the most uneducated people on earth. On the other hand, for us to stick our heads in the sand (as an ostrich would do), and pretend that issues and conditions, which often accompany, i.e., come along with abject poverty — does not impact our ability to educate well — is frankly ludicrous, but the main point is that we need to do all we can to make sure we have the necessary, equitable, resources to provide whatever our children need in order to develop to their full potentials, which is currently not the case, and to be honest, in order to secure such necessary resources probably will require a struggle and a fight (politically speaking). We know that often those who need less — actually get more — because they are well organized and very effective advocates for their children (often exclusively). The other side of this coin is, we must make sure the vast amount of resources that we do receive ($800 million-plus dollars) are being utilized efficiently and effectively, which obviously is not the case currently, and which raises another critical issue that we need to focus on, i.e., rooting out massive waste, and possibly fiscal mismanagement, malfeasance and corruption, which is currently occurring in the Rochester City School District.
But in Rochester, precious few students are proficient in math or English. Few function at grade level. For instance, only 6.7 percent of city students are proficient in English language arts, up two points from last year. And math scores declined by 0.2 percent, which leaves just 7.2 percent of city students proficient.
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As a parent of a high functioning autistic Black male child i must declare that ….it ALL begins at HOME. He scores HIGHER than the students with no special educational needs that are considered proficient. Living in Rochester NY — UNDER a Brooklyn roof.
A QUESTION FOR THE GENERAL, LOCAL, BLACK, PUBLIC:: With regard to the educational, and general welfare, and well being of our children — we all know that it should begin at home, but at the same time — we also know that often it does not begin at home. So, when it does not — what should we do — throw up our hands, and take the position that ‘I’m only looking out for me and mine,’ and then two minutes later — turn around, and start talking hypocritical-crap about ‘how important the village is???’ The Struggle Continues…
I how are college graduates performing in terms of literacy and numeracy?
We are all responsible and who’s children is it anyway. Our children hear and feel our instability, as a bus driver some of you parents should be ashamed of yourselves.
When you don’t greet your own child and your home, you should apologize to your child and change your ways. You are part of the problem. Parents if you’re having situations with feeding your child reach out, put your pride on the shelves and lets take a proactive approach in helping our children to learn.Lets not forget the the battle is in our community,we should all be in attendance in community meetings.Last but surly not lease,neighborhood property deterioration of housing and land decomposition provide a young one a perplexed greeding or no eye contact at all.Lets not even speak of little brother on the block. As a people we must put our children first, not the weekend but the weekday should be more important then Facebook and getting your head bad on the weekend.and again we are the solution we seek.