State may assign grades to schools
Associated Press
Indiana's State Board of Education is considering a proposal that could change the way the state ranks schools by giving them letter grades instead of putting them into categories.
Since 2006, Indiana has classified schools into one of five categories using a formula based on statewide test scores and student improvement: exemplary progress, commendable progress, academic progress, academic watch or academic probation.
Some say changing those rankings to letter grades -- such as A, B, C, D or F -- would allow people to more clearly understand the rankings and where their local schools fall within them.
The state board voted Wednesday to begin a formal rule-making process that could result in the change to letter grades.
Isn't giving letter grades the same as categorizing?
ReplyDeleteLet's dumb down everything for everyone. We all know about grading on the curve.
Hey....did anyone else check out the grades five and six diagnostic tests for social studies? If you haven't seen one, take time to track them down.
Yikes!
School 79
ReplyDeleteAs a parent, the principal is an evil racist. Most of the staff seems to be pretty good, but that woman is awful. The previous principal was approachable and friendly, and this one is phony, fat and doesn't care about kids. If only she knew what the teachers say about her, and what the neighborhood thinks about her. I give the school a B, the principal an F.
I have witnessed the principal at work at 79 and if you don't think she is doing a good job with those kids you should go observe at some of these other schools, particularly those out east. Any good teacher or parent knows that the staff at any school is a direct reflection of the administration so if you think the teachers are doing a good job, thank the principal. 79 is probably one of the best schools in the district.
ReplyDeleteI completely disagree! The principal at #79 is a bully to her staff in the worst way. True leadership is by inspiration and direction, not dictatorship.
ReplyDeleteTo the comment above regarding the Social Studies diagnostic, are you really surprised? After having a Reading Block, Reading Intervention, Math Block, Math Interventions, Shurley English, Lunch, and Specials, the day is over.
ReplyDeleteI have never met Joyce Akridge, but in the above post that a) refers to a black woman as an "evil racist" b) includes "fat" (a personal insult that has nothing to do with her abilities) in her criticism of that teacher and c) the fact that the school does well under her leadership give me a far uglier view of the poster than the principal.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a source for the above (teachers being placed in low-graded schools and/or that FCAT incidence with the math experts?) I'm a college student doing research on education reform, and that would be great information to include.
ReplyDeleteMy aunt works in Orange County schools, and her stories make me blush. The students run those schools. She has been assaulted numerous times, and their staff turnover is incredible.
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show you what happens when politicians and policymakers attempt to put their hands in education.
There seem two be two basic schools of thought around which all the reform movements revolve -- that government needs to get out of education management and control needs to be given to parents (through vouchers or other choice programs) or that education should run by the government like the police department or fire department where everything is basically the same (and thereby fair and of equal high quality). I can understand both camps, but I do think it's a given that we will never go back to the old days of locally controlled schools that are all different from one another but assigned by address. It's just a different world now.
ReplyDeleteIndianapolis Star, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009, pg. A3
ReplyDelete$3.5 billion in incentives aimed at worst schools.
The Obama administration will spend at least $3.5 billion to push local officals throughout the country to close failing schools and reopen them with new teachers and principals.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan hopes to see the 5,000 worst-performing schools, anout 1 percent of all U.S. schools, turned around in five years. The administration is beefing up the federal school turnaround program.
"Adults need to have the courage to make these tough decisions and do right by our kids," Duncan said in a statement.
Troubled schools can qualify for federal incentives by firing the principal and at least half the staff and reopening with new personnel, or by turning the school over to a charter school operator, for example.
Why do kids have to take Algebra - some who have failed many times - when what they will need are some strong Consumer Math skills? I pity the Algebra teachers who have to get kids to past the ECA exam when they have received students into Algebra classes who have not had pre-requisite courses and who desperately need practical math skills.
ReplyDeleteEver notice how some of the letter verification codes we have to put in to post on the blog resemble some of the difficult names kids are being given these days?
ReplyDeleteIPS does appear to be cutting back on the number of building level administrators. Secondary school principals have been directed to eliminate one assistant principal from each building with the exception of only a few schools.
ReplyDeleteFrom Today's Star. How would your school fair? Or better yet, should there be one grade for the school and another grade for the administration?
ReplyDeleteThat should be "fare", not "fair". I hope you are not an English teacher.
I disagree with the above post. Instead of "an English teacher", it should have read "a teacher".
ReplyDeleteThat's much better, in my opinion.
Well, if we're splitting hairs, both posts have punctuation outside of quotes, which is incorrect. :)
ReplyDeleteActually, you only include the punctuation inside the quotation marks if the punctuation is part of the quote.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
Yeah, if you live in England. American English, however, includes the punctuation marks inside the quotation marks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clarification. I have to go now. I have tickets to the theatre.
ReplyDeleteRules For Writing Real Good:
ReplyDelete1. Proofread carefully so you don't a word out.
2. Never use a big word when a diminuitive one will suffice.
3. Be careful of run-on sentences because they are hard to read and make your writing unclear and are not effective when you are trying to communicate a thought in a concise manner but are being too wordy and verbose.
4. Always use spell check so you won't have to bare two much criticism.
4. It is not a good idea to end a sentence with a participle dangling on.
Love the last post! I needed to laugh today.
ReplyDeleteGreat post two above. See, we IPS teachers have a sense of humor. :)
ReplyDeleteI think the last several posts were funny! The correction of the corrections? The theatre? The Rules for Writing? All very cute!
ReplyDeleteThe Obama administation is pushing 3.5 billion to encourage failing schools to close and reopen with new teachers and principals? Wonder how the NEA feels about that...they are saying that schools can qualify for money if they fire at least half of the staff? Hmm... oh well, I would rather read the humorous posts anyway...
ReplyDeleteRe: money for schools closing and reopening with new teachers and principals
ReplyDeleteJust think, John Marshall has already done that at least two times. This time they appear to have done it right!
Do you think the Obama administration education money is retroactive?
Well that will give administration a tool to get rid of older (higher paid) teacher. Then later higher them on a first year teacher salary again.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the "Hope and Change" message we got during the campaign is working out like we educators thought it would. Do you?
ReplyDeleteRe: "Just think, John Marshall has already done that at least two times. This time they appear to have done it right!"
ReplyDeleteYeah. They did it right by getting rid of most of the kids too. (300 left now according to their web site.) They fired/let-go/rif'ed 90% of the staff two years in a row. It damn well better be better after all of that. At what cost to the community and the pocketbooks of the taxpayers of Marion County? Oh and the Colts who donated a field? What a joke.
"I don't think the "Hope and Change" message we got during the campaign is working out like we educators thought it would. Do you?"
ReplyDeleteDitto. And I campaigned for and voted for Obama and the Democrats. Now, they've turned into Repub-locrats.
More Americans going to fight wars thousands of miles away; a confusing and complicated health care plan that doesn't kick in for years; an adversarial outlook towards public education.
Sometimes I wonder if Bush is still in office.
Not much "change for me to believe in" after nearly a year in office.
The only hope is: "Let's hope taxes do not rise too much." The only change is: "They will. They have to. Do the math of a quadrupled budget."
ReplyDeleteJohn Marshall this year only has about three hundred students and its easy this year with a full staff. Broad Ripple has the same idea, reduce the students (failing), keep all of your staff, and you shine, its simple.
ReplyDeleteThat should be "it's."
ReplyDeleteLong live the 2007-2008 teachers and administration of John Marshall Middle School. The highest increase in ISTEP test scores in the history of the school. Don't blame Tony Bennett, the community, or the parents for the decrease in ISTEP Scores. Prudence Bridgewaters and Jane Kendricks messed it up for kids!!!
ReplyDeleteAfter a year, President Obama has not shown me a whole lot. I am really disappointed that he has not kept his word about 'bringing home the troops'. His education policies are certainly not in line with what we expected as teachers. I cannot take back my vote from last year, but I can darn sure not vote for him again.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at the administrator who are telling teacher to inflate finale grades or risk losing the new magnet school in one year. So, I guess Linda will get her wish of inflated grades, then most of the school will not pass the End-of-Course Assessments?
ReplyDeleteIf Tech doesn't get a new principal soon, it will certainly be an F school. It is out of control. No one is in charge.
ReplyDeleteIs it true that Shortridge's enrollment is down to around 400 students at this point?
ReplyDeleteWhy isn't anyone talking about the new board polices that are trying to be rammed down our throats? Dr. Johnson sent out an e-mail in Nov. containing these docs. Principals are to report back on Dec. 10th with comments from staff. If you have not read these "proposed" policies yet, you will be in for a big shock! They appear to me to be yet another way to do an end run around the union, seniority, fair pay, etc. They will put even more power in the hands of our prinicpals. Check your e-mails for Nov 25th, "import updates" for Dr. Johnson. Check your trash. If these go thru, which they prob will considering our current school board, all ips tchrs will be impacted. Put the power of budget and human resources in the hands of principals? Hidden meaning, any principal will have total control of hiring and firing without due process? Remove printers from home rooms and place them in a central location? Hmmm, let's see, "Class, let me give you a topic to discuss while I go to a central location to get the copy of this 6 step discipline report. How about the Russion Revolution and it's social implications. Okay, 5th graders, discuss amongst yourselves, and I'll be right back." While some ideas might make sense, I believe the true hidden agenda is to do away with our current system and replace it with one that will include, what is actually merit pay. Do we really want to put teachers in an a position in which they must compete against each other, rather than help and share materials? Believe me, when money is involved, most people will be out only for themselves. Don't believe it? Talk to any salesman who competes for his pay! It quickly becomes very cut-throat, not collaberative. If we really want things to change, we must act now. We must file complaints against our abusive principals. We must alert the media! Come on, people, wake up!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if a student is given the grade he has earned, they will be sent on to the next grade. It is totally amazing to me that downtown continues to think we can take a student with a low IQ and get them to graduate and go on to college. One last point I would like to make. Drop the ISTEP and see how much money we can save.
ReplyDeleteIQ is not as set in stone as we once thought, and if we don't hold high expectations for all children, many children will get cheated, almost all of whom are disadvantaged children (whose IQ scores are hugely influenced by cultural differences and limited experiences rather than actual intellectual potential). And if we drop ISTEP, we lose federal funding. How will that save us money? Besides, research shows parents like testing. So even if we could stop testing and not lose money, many parents would move their kids to schools that still tested, so we'd still lose funding. Don't get me wrong, I understand the frustration behind the above post. (I know a teacher who had 100% of her students advance at least one grade level in her subject last year. 100%. But only a little over half passed ISTEP for her subject. I think that teacher deserves a gold medal, and her principal is happy with her. But on any merit system I am familiar with, the focus would be on that ISTEP percentage. Still, I don't think it's as simple as just accepting failures and doing away with ISTEP.
ReplyDelete"Long live the 2007-2008 teachers and administration of John Marshall Middle School. The highest increase in ISTEP test scores in the history of the school. Don't blame Tony Bennett, the community, or the parents for the decrease in ISTEP Scores. Prudence Bridgewaters and Jane Kendricks messed it up for kids!!!"
ReplyDeleteAMEN to that. AMEN!
That place had really made a difference in the lives of students and the community. It was a really hopeful place to work. Way to go IPS on destroying something that was working on the East side.
West side next.
ReplyDeleteCentral Office has a rather dismal record when it comes to them making decisions at the building level. Most of the CO employees have not been in an actual school in over two decades.
ReplyDeleteMisery is having a female parent, complete with a beard and moustache, tell a teacher they have a bad attitude. OMG What next?
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that our president is bribing us with money, which, in the end, teachers will never see. It's only going to make things worse. As for our superintendent, who is already after money...well, it's just more fuel for his fire.
ReplyDelete