Local News: Chester, MA

1 2 3

Health Care

Cartoon Clicks: What's freezing up health care?

Climate Change

Closed Door Politics On Climate Change

Afghanistan

Karzai announces new Afghan cabinet

Chester

Weather

27°F | 15°F

Sep 17, 2009 | Posted by: roboblogger

Schools still fall short

Full story: Berkshire Eagle

The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education identified 14 Berkshire County schools as being in need of improvement based on the latest Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test results that were released on Wednesday.

Read All 9 Comments

Comments

Showing posts 1 - 9 of9

Read the Scores

Amherst, MA

Please do not put a positive twist on the article. I can understand the scores and they are not positive. Matter of fact, it is a reflection on how poor a job Berkshire County is doing in comparison to their counterparts. You can fool the uneducated, but not me. I am sorry, this is not the time to put a spin, to save your administrator salaries. You are taking money but showing little or no progress. When will the tax payers wake up?

only in ma

Lenox, MA

it seems as though the general rules of employment don't apply to teachers. if you perform poorly and there is documented proof of it you are looking for work. over 50% of the schools have "room to improve", what does that say for teachers and administrators? most of the school committees give in to the teacher's union and hope for the best, which isn't even so so.
to read the the scores we are awake we just need to find a way to get the reins back from these school committees.

George

North Adams, MA

only in ma wrote:

it seems as though the general rules of employment don't apply to teachers. if you perform poorly and there is documented proof of it you are looking for work. over 50% of the schools have "room to improve", what does that say for teachers and administrators? most of the school committees give in to the teacher's union and hope for the best, which isn't even so so.
to read the the scores we are awake we just need to find a way to get the reins back from these school committees.

The MCAS is not a yearly test. How would you hold accountable teachers for the grades in between tests? Or, since the last test is in grade 10 (and covers some subjects that students haven't even had yet), how would you hold acountable teachers that teach subjects in grades 11 and 12?

The fact is, this is a bad testing system. If you want to hold teachers accountable for results, a subject specific test is required. Something like the Regent's exams in New York.

The problem though with basing teacher assessment on one test, is that, quite frankly, alot of the students aren't that bright.

HellerCarbonCapN TradeLLC

Rockville, MD

With all the millions in taxpayer monies that Berkshire County invests in its school systems, why aren't local schools the best in the state instead of "in need of improvement"?
Can somebody say inept management?

ramdan

Since: May 08

10,317

Lee, MA

HellerCarbonCapNTradeLLC wrote:

With all the millions in taxpayer monies that Berkshire County invests in its school systems, why aren't local schools the best in the state instead of "in need of improvement"?
Can somebody say inept management?

Inept management of possibly inept employees,with tenure!

Bad Times

Pittsfield, MA

only in ma wrote:

it seems as though the general rules of employment don't apply to teachers. if you perform poorly and there is documented proof of it you are looking for work. over 50% of the schools have "room to improve", what does that say for teachers and administrators? most of the school committees give in to the teacher's union and hope for the best, which isn't even so so.
to read the the scores we are awake we just need to find a way to get the reins back from these school committees.

Youre both right and wrong at the same time. Youre right, the general rules of employment dont apply to teachers. As civil servants go, they have the highest level of education and they are paid the least...by far! But youre wrong, its not ALL on the teachers and administrators that Pittsfield public schools do not do well on MCAS tests...its on YOU underperforming parents of this p!sshole dump of a town!

growth

San Francisco, CA

The parent issue is not unique to Berkshire County - and cannot be the excuse of our schools.
The real story, though, on the quality of our schools will be out in October when the state reports on the MCAS results based on their new growth model - that will show how schools do with the students that show up at their door.
No more excuses - this will show which schools are actually growing their students.

Dave

Pittsfield, MA

George wrote:

<quoted text>
The MCAS is not a yearly test. How would you hold accountable teachers for the grades in between tests? Or, since the last test is in grade 10 (and covers some subjects that students haven't even had yet), how would you hold acountable teachers that teach subjects in grades 11 and 12?
The fact is, this is a bad testing system. If you want to hold teachers accountable for results, a subject specific test is required. Something like the Regent's exams in New York.
The problem though with basing teacher assessment on one test, is that, quite frankly, alot of the students aren't that bright.

The students "aren't that bright"? Is that just Berkshire county? If so we should be looking at a cause. Toxic exposure?

berkman

Since: Aug 08

278

Holyoke, MA

I see where Reid Middle School made AYP. I heard the principal fired almost the whole english department from last year. So if they made the grade, why did they get fired?

	Tell me when this thread is updated!
	(registration is not required)

Showing posts 1 - 9 of9

Type in your comments to post to the forum

Name
(appears on your post)

Comments

Type the numbers you see in the image on the right:

Please note by clicking on "Post Comment" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Be polite. Inappropriate posts may be removed by the moderator. Send us your feedback.

Other Recent Chester Discussions

Topic	Updated	Last By	Comments
Nursing program graduates 18	Thu	freda	2
Dalton Pair die in crash Car hits rock ledge	Dec 11	Prove me wrong	15
Mass. man gets up to 23 years on rape convictions	Dec 9	anonymous	9
Winter cuffs Berkshires	Dec 7	Jackasourus	7
Hit by car, puppy recovers from injuries	Dec 4	IMO	62
Emery Mines at JJ Kelly WMA	Dec 2	day hikers	2
Budgets are squeezing the freebies	Dec 2	Lynn	2