Last week the State and City admitted that they expect a 30% reduction in the students passing rate of the new and harder "Common Core" tests. In fact, Chancellor Dennis Walcott expects that up to 80% of the students in some districts who take the test will not be considered "proficient" . While all expect the scores to plummet, the most affected will be those "high poverty students" .However, education officials have decided not to publicize the expected widening of the student academic achievement gap based upon income and race. While all students will see scores plummet, look for the greatest drops to occur in schools that have a population that comes from high poverty areas. Unfortunately, these high poverty areas have a large population of Black and Hispanic students and education officials expect that these students will experience the greatest drops in test scores.
These "high poverty students" suffer from common social problems, a lack of household resources (books, computers, a private room to study in, and in many cases a safe environment) and in many cases come from a single family household which means money is scarce and discipline may be lacking. Too many times the only food the children get is the free breakfast and lunch programs at school. Regardless, the lack of effective academic intervention programs for these "high poverty students" will manifest itself into low test scores and result in a widening income/racial student academic achievement gap.What a fitting way for the Bloomberg Administration to end their tenure, with low test scores and a widening income/racial student academic achievement gap. The education Mayor? What a joke.
5 comments:
72I think their ultimate target is the destruction of free, public, universal education, or its transformation into separate, unequal systems, not all of which educate children...
These tests will be used to do much harm... reinforcing separate modes of education for rich and poor, for Black and white, is one of them.
Whose schools are most likely to reduce teaching and increase test prep most dramatically?
And that's where your prediction comes in. What a shame that you are probably correct.
Should we be trying to cope with the effects? or undo the tests? (I think: both)
Jonathan
The racial student academic achievement rate will widen? What a shock.
while I agree that the things that you write are the items that make a big impact on students- the person that can make the biggest impact and change the course of what students are able to do on these exams is their teacher and their school. With a great teacher, a child can overcome anything.
Anon 10:35
You sound like ex-chancellor Joel Klein by ignoring poverty and family by blaming teachers for student outcomes.
While a great teacher helps, it is the social-economic community and family that is the major contributor to student outcomes. Also class size does matter.
Anon- thats a joke right?
Here's an idea. How about putting the most resources towards the students who need them the most.
Post a Comment