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Kids flunk Jackson Public Schools tests, still pass
The Clarion Ledger, Jackson Ms. ^ | 5-16-03 | Cathy Hayden

Posted on 05/17/2003 1:42:38 AM PDT by WKB

Edited on 05/07/2004 7:27:52 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

At least 734 Jackson district sixth-graders last year failed a math test required to advance to seventh grade, while 533 sixth-graders failed a language arts test.

But not all ended up repeating the sixth grade, despite parents and students being told they'd have to if they flunked one of the tests.


(Excerpt) Read more at clarionledger.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; US: Mississippi; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: education; standards; testing
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1 posted on 05/17/2003 1:42:38 AM PDT by WKB
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To: WKB
Hey, maybe those kids in Florida should move to Jackson Mississippi?!
2 posted on 05/17/2003 1:54:54 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (This tagline has been banned.)
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To: Jeff Chandler
Hey, maybe those kids in Florida should move to Jackson Mississippi?!

When did we go from "Failing" to "being held back" to just "moving on up"?

3 posted on 05/17/2003 1:58:55 AM PDT by WKB (If all you're gonna do is ride in the wagon, at least pickup your feet!)
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To: WKB
This is a lot worse news than it may first appear. The kinds of math and language skills these students are failing to learn in early grades are fundamental.

As these illiterate children are pushed along, they will be hopelessly lost as they grow up. What are they going to do in high school when they can't read, write or compute?

We don't have public "education" anymore. We have public "day care."

This is a failure of parenting. There is little discipline at home or in school. Many kids don't have two parents to monitor their activities. Parents don't care enough to insist their children learn, even if it means sitting down with the them to work on skills. Teachers can't or won't teach the fundamental skills.

This is a failed public school system from one end of this country to the other and spells doom for America's future.

Ignorant children grow up to be the unskilled servants of the better-educated. Comparison testing shows those getting a better education live in other countries. Our children will be low-paid servants of foreigners who DID LEARN in school.

4 posted on 05/17/2003 4:07:41 AM PDT by NoControllingLegalAuthority
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To: WKB
Too bad they don't show a sample test to see exactly what is on the test.

Part of the problem is so many methods of teaching subjects there is not a foundation laid and followed through.

Too many subjects get a quick couple of days of teaching like commericals in a tv movie.

Every few years colleges turn out new teachers with new ideas on how to teach subjects and gets tried out on these kids.

Yes parents and teachers are part of the problem, but not the only problem.

5 posted on 05/17/2003 4:19:27 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
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Here in Japan , EVERYBODY passes no matter what your test scores are .
6 posted on 05/17/2003 4:19:51 AM PDT by sushiman
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To: WKB
That's because local principals and teachers can use their discretion to pass or fail if a student is within a two-point window — a score of 68 or 69 — of passing the test, said Jackson schools Superintendent Earl Watkins.

Superintendent Watkins has created his own little affirmitive action program. The only thing missing is for him to actually change the scores. Eventually the window will be lowered from "a score of 68 or 69" to, as they say in the education establishment, "whatever it takes to get the desired result".

7 posted on 05/17/2003 4:33:27 AM PDT by nygoose
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To: WKB
This is not designed to enrich school children, It is designed to make the teachers look good.
8 posted on 05/17/2003 4:37:17 AM PDT by chainsaw
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To: NoControllingLegalAuthority
As these illiterate children are pushed along, they will be hopelessly lost as they grow up.

We have a whole bunch like this now. Look what happened to that group in the chicago area hazing incident.

9 posted on 05/17/2003 4:41:31 AM PDT by chainsaw
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To: WKB
That's because local principals and teachers can use their discretion to pass or fail if a student is within a two-point window ...

In other words, they have been given authority to favor students they like, or to discriminate on the basis of race or religion, or to shaft students who don't agree with their political views.

The best thing about standardized testing is its inherent fairness. When you give a standardized test but then permit those in charge to cheat a little around the edges, you're undercutting that fairness, and you're giving those with the "discretion" an arbitrary power they shouldn't have, in my opinion.

10 posted on 05/17/2003 4:54:43 AM PDT by solzhenitsyn ("Live Not By Lies")
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To: Just mythoughts
"Too bad they don't show a sample test to see exactly what is on the test."

I'd like to see that too. So often these standardized test questions are written in such a way as to trick the test taker. It isn't a matter of asking a direct question regarding the subject matter.

11 posted on 05/17/2003 5:12:07 AM PDT by Katya
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To: WKB
Public schools will never improve until you start making those running the schools responsible.......administration.

The people running the schools seem to get the pass all the time...and everything from teachers, parents, TV, skateboards, etc, getting blamed.

Even though parents should be more responsible for kids behavior...this still doesnt excuse the school from teaching the kids. How can a kid in school 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week, for a good part of the year, cannot learn anything?

If parents are really the ones to blame...then why do local school districts fight home-schooling? Dont blame the parents not taking an active role....then use the law to stop them when they do take an active role

Hold those running the schools responsible
12 posted on 05/17/2003 5:12:25 AM PDT by UCFRoadWarrior (Now If We Can Just Get The US Senate Democrats To Run Off To Oklahoma....)
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To: Katya
I saw a sample science test once for 7th graders and most of the questions on it had to do with humans destroying animal habitat.

This test was nothing more than an "environmenalist wackoooo" bible quiz. It was a new standardized test.

Math questions were about estimation, which number is closer, etc.

What has been taking place over the past 7-10 years the state is developing a curriculum based upon the test, thus requiring schools to teach to the test without any foundation being laid.

Eight grade science was a cut and paste class used to cover the topics on that test. A week of physics was taught because physics was to be on the test.

While I do hold parents and teachers accountable, some of this stuff gets thrown out as being taught without these kids having a clue as what and why bits and pieces are being taught and HIGH TEST SCORES MEAN EXTRA DOLLARS to school districts.

13 posted on 05/17/2003 5:35:49 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
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To: Just mythoughts
To me, the determining factor as to whether it is a student, parental or teaching failure is whether most or all students perform inadequately on a certain section of the test. If most students "get it" how is it a failure of the teacher when, say, 5% of students don't "get it"? If there is widespread failure of the test that is one thing, but where only a few fail, I would examine those who fail, rather than those who successfully taught all but a few.
14 posted on 05/17/2003 5:42:34 AM PDT by NCLaw441
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To: NCLaw441
Forgive me. I now see that closer to one third of students flunked these tests. There may be a teaching factor here.
15 posted on 05/17/2003 5:44:23 AM PDT by NCLaw441
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To: NCLaw441
There may be a teaching factor here.

Many of these teachers got the same teaching they are giving!!

16 posted on 05/17/2003 6:15:58 AM PDT by WKB (If all you're gonna do is ride in the wagon, at least pickup your feet!)
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To: NCLaw441
I won't dispute that there is parental responsibility.

What has happened in this nation more attention is given to "NOT HURTING FEELINGS" rather than accepting what is.

Examining the few who fail is not PC, might hurt somebody's self esteem.

Years ago the school district I live in had elementary classes divided into thirds, those testing at the top, those testing in the middle and those testing at the bottom, placed into three separate class rooms.

Personally, I had no problem with it, however, it was not PC to label kids, so this division of learning ability was ended. The next idea was to teach all kids at the middle level of learning ability, kids at the top and bottom became the trouble makers. Hence a push for medicating those who could not focus or were the problem children.

During this time frame I learned that teachers required as a part of their contracts they would only be required to have one formal parent/teacher conference in a given school year. I do not know if this demand still stands in the contracts, however, this was a shock to me that teachers would, could, and did demand that as a part of their contract they were only required to formally meet with parents one time a year.

All children are not equal in ability to learn at the same rate. Most parents see their little ones as the cutest, best, brightest and do not want what they see as "harm" done to their stars without realizing that maybe their little darlings needs cannot be given in a uniform manner.

Human beings are not uniform dots ......., and sometimes those who test very high on these test can have the most evil hearts and minds, and use their ability to out smart others because they are "most intelligent".


17 posted on 05/17/2003 6:16:55 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
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To: dixiechick2000
Ed u ka shun Ms stlye
18 posted on 05/17/2003 6:30:03 AM PDT by WKB (If all you're gonna do is ride in the wagon, at least pickup your feet!)
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To: afuturegovernor
Will you do a better job for our children when elected?
19 posted on 05/17/2003 6:36:27 AM PDT by WKB (If all you're gonna do is ride in the wagon, at least pickup your feet!)
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To: NoControllingLegalAuthority
What are they going to do in high school when they can't read, write or compute?

Also be passed and when they graduate, then they can use affirmative action to get a scholarship and acceptance at the university of their choice.

20 posted on 05/17/2003 6:41:48 AM PDT by FITZ
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