HSD is closing the achievement gap

[Trying to Understand]

For those who don't follow such matters, in 2001, in recognition of the changing demographics of the district, the HSD board resolved to close the achievement gap between white and african american students.

HSD now has good news! According to the latest MAP data reported to DESE, HSD is indeed closing the achievement gap (in all but those pesky western realm schools)! All of that money spent on new middle schools and vice principals for school accountability must be working. Silence all ye naysayers!

Yes, that's right folks, white student academic achievement in math and communications arts has about decreased to the level of african american students in most of the HSD district. Looks like by the next year or so the gap could be completely closed.

And some of us believed that it couldn't be done! Shame on us!

[Trying to Understand]

That was to fire up the crowd.

On a serious note, the recent HSD MAP test scores are still not good and many white kid's scores have dropped particularly in the center region of the district (and at HWHS also) which is disturbing, as this is counter to historical trends.

I suspect that the principal reason may be that more higher achieving white students have left the district, leaving lower achievers and thus lower scores, but the point of NCLB is that no child is to be left behind, and if we can have virtually unlimited resources unleashed to help african american kids close the achievement gap, at least some resources should be used to attempt to retain higher achieving students, and to help lower achieving and struggling white students improve also.

Keep in mind that this is an important topic at this time because the district is going to be hiring a new superintendent soon and a wrong choice could sink the district and whats left of our property values.

[truth]

O.M.G.

This is excellent news! For the black students.

[truth]

Trying to Understand wrote:

That was to fire up the crowd.
On a serious note, the recent HSD MAP test scores are still not good and many white kid's scores have dropped particularly in the center region of the district (and at HWHS also) which is disturbing, as this is counter to historical trends.
I suspect that the principal reason may be that more higher achieving white students have left the district, leaving lower achievers and thus lower scores, but the point of NCLB is that no child is to be left behind, and if we can have virtually unlimited resources unleashed to help african american kids close the achievement gap, at least some resources should be used to attempt to retain higher achieving students, and to help lower achieving and struggling white students improve also.
Keep in mind that this is an important topic at this time because the district is going to be hiring a new superintendent soon and a wrong choice could sink the district and whats left of our property values.

Oh snap! Who is to blame? Every parent in the district?

[Trying to Understand]

My point is that almost ten years ago the district embarked on a course of raising MAP scores of african american students, with a massive reallocation of resources and focus to that task. Remedial education curriculum, drilling and teaching to the tests and other standard stuff to raise scores that bored higher achieving students and increased paperwork for teachers that reduced the time they could spend with other students. This did achieve some improvement in some schools, but there was a cost--less time for enrichment and attention for mid- and higher achievers. There was also quite a bit of appeasement of thugs and tolerance of thug behavior, e.g., fights, intimidation, etc., and a disturbing trend of disciplining nonthugs for relatively minor offenses to achieve numerical balance in discipline reports. The result has been a flight of nonthugs from the district, and we now have alarming (to some people) drops in white student MAP scores in several schools.

NCLB does not discriminate and requires improvement in all achievement categories for all categories of students, with the threat of withholding federal funding after 2014 if goals are not met. HSD now has "negative progress" in the "white" category in several schools, in some instances double digit drops in MAP scores. Based on recent district trends, one would expect this to trigger a task force response with massive funding, grant requests and nationwide searches for teachers and administrators who can relate to the unique problems of non-urban youth in a foreign urban environment. Most likely though, the response will be "Oh, you're still here? and "What part of go away didn't you understand" and this category of students and their parents will get the message and silently disappear from the schools, and will reappear in some school in St. Charles county, or a Catholic or other religious school and do just fine.

It will be interesting to watch the district's response to this MAP data.

[So Sad]

Trying to Understand wrote:

My point is that almost ten years ago the district embarked on a course of raising MAP scores of african american students, with a massive reallocation of resources and focus to that task. Remedial education curriculum, drilling and teaching to the tests and other standard stuff to raise scores that bored higher achieving students and increased paperwork for teachers that reduced the time they could spend with other students. This did achieve some improvement in some schools, but there was a cost--less time for enrichment and attention for mid- and higher achievers. There was also quite a bit of appeasement of thugs and tolerance of thug behavior, e.g., fights, intimidation, etc., and a disturbing trend of disciplining nonthugs for relatively minor offenses to achieve numerical balance in discipline reports. The result has been a flight of nonthugs from the district, and we now have alarming (to some people) drops in white student MAP scores in several schools.
NCLB does not discriminate and requires improvement in all achievement categories for all categories of students, with the threat of withholding federal funding after 2014 if goals are not met. HSD now has "negative progress" in the "white" category in several schools, in some instances double digit drops in MAP scores. Based on recent district trends, one would expect this to trigger a task force response with massive funding, grant requests and nationwide searches for teachers and administrators who can relate to the unique problems of non-urban youth in a foreign urban environment. Most likely though, the response will be "Oh, you're still here? and "What part of go away didn't you understand" and this category of students and their parents will get the message and silently disappear from the schools, and will reappear in some school in St. Charles county, or a Catholic or other religious school and do just fine.
It will be interesting to watch the district's response to this MAP data.

Are you going to present your analysis and suggestions at the next school board meeting?

[Trying to Understand]

Hi So Sad,

Probably not. I know that sounds hypocritical but I don't have a horse in the race anymore and went through the Hazelwood First process which left a bad taste in my mouth--they only gave lip service to safety, security and preserving high achievement learning. The district (but probably not the parents for the most part) is well aware of the MAP numbers. The number one goal in each building of the district under the HSD accountability plan is to have all students be proficient. Not great students, or to reach their max potential, but to be proficient as measured by MAP standards. Problem is, the MAP standards were set as a FLOOR, not the crowning achievement of a district with almost $300,000,000 to spend! Minimum proficiency ain't rocket science!

While I was a parent a couple of years ago I was also told privately by a couple of my kids' HSD educators that it was probably time to get out, and that things would only continue to deteriorate, which turns out was prophetic. For a while HSD has been able to maintain "schools within the schools", but they seem to have lost the critical mass of motivated students to keep these going in at least some of the schools. There are also those in the administration who oppose that concept as elitist, racist, etc., and want to dismantle any kind of separation that provides a safe and secure learning environment for motivated learners.

Plus several of my friends with kids in HSD (both white and black) have gotten the message and are presently touring privates--otherwise they would probably move but the market for their homes is just too bad.

I also remember when U City and Normandy were two of the top districts in the county, and we have all observed what occurred there. I have a good friend who was a student at Normandy high school in the 1970s, and who was robbed several times and beat up, until he could not even go into a restroom safely, and the administration basically told his parents to be more accepting of others. He still reminds me of that just about every time I see him, and this gives me the feeling of deja vu all over again.

It just seems like with all the resources available, these problems should be surmountable. Its so sad!

[yes]

Yes it is hypocritical.

[MOM]

Yes, it is very sad. Thankfully this is our last year!