California's Top Public High Schools(900+ API)

[hsw]

Any high school has dubious education value; most smart kids acquire their DNA and motivation from their parents and their family's culture of achievement, long before high school...perhaps by age 7 or so

Do a "reverse" analysis: look at high schools and colleges/grad schools of Silicon Valley's wealthiest engineers and company founders; suspect will find many rather mediocre public high schools from suburbs all over US (and 3rd World countries like India)...and likely a minority who attended "elite" high schools but a vast majority who attended elite colleges and/or grad schools like Stanford

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by hsw

Any high school has dubious education value; most smart kids acquire their DNA and motivation from their parents and their family's culture of achievement, long before high school...perhaps by age 7 or so.

It's tempting to think that if you assume that any educational outcomes that schooling provides will ensue shortly after instruction. But educational research shows that a lot of education happens on a delayed implantation level. People continue to assimilate aspects of their high-school learning many many years after graduation so measuring exactly what was learned will always be an inexact mode of assessment. Getting kids to accept a culture of achievement that is greatly at variance with the one they were raised with can take decades and may even have to wait a generation. But even incremental progress is preferable mental and behavioral stagnation.

[timelesschild]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

It's tempting to think that if you assume that any educational outcomes that schooling provides will ensue shortly after instruction. But educational research shows that a lot of education happens on a delayed implantation level. People continue to assimilate aspects of their high-school learning many many years after graduation so measuring exactly what was learned will always be an inexact mode of assessment. Getting kids to accept a culture of achievement that is greatly at variance with the one they were raised with can take decades and may even have to wait a generation. But even incremental progress is preferable mental and behavioral stagnation.

I understand, but the problem with this is that it is HUGELY unfair to high-achieving students, who are ignored while teachers have to dodder around with the others. AP courses and gifted/talented classes do not fill the gaps as well as they should.

There are no perfect solutions, but the model we're using now is not producing incredible results. Worldwide, we're sort of losing ground. The countries which utilize the track system tend to produce very high-calibre students.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by timelesschild

I understand, but the problem with this is that it is HUGELY unfair to high-achieving students, who are ignored while teachers have to dodder around with the others. AP courses and gifted/talented classes do not fill the gaps as well as they should.

There are no perfect solutions, but the model we're using now is not producing incredible results. Worldwide, we're sort of losing ground. The countries which utilize the track system tend to produce very high-calibre students.

The end result should be to allow specialization at an earlier age. Doing away with general education in college would help as well. You have high school, then you spend the first two years of college retaking high school classes with more people in your classroom. General ed was the biggest waste of time I ever had. Anyways, I was ready to specialize by the time I was a sophmore in high school. My senior year I only had 4 classes because I took too many classes early on in 0 period and 7th period. High school simply wasn't challenging, and I was wasting time I could have spent in my younger years putting towards a degree with no real challenge. Luckily, I found a nice parttime job and that did more than the last two years of high school in advancing my career.

[esmith143]

Originally Posted by Sandpointian

Moreover, qith controls in place, I think you'll find the actual value added of these schools quite mediocre.

If not negative.

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

California is one of the most, if not the most, dynamic state in the union. We are the envy of the world. Thank You Democrats.

I know many Europeans who don't envy us due to the state of education in this state and in our country. The fact that we've let our education system fail while our government spends billions on a war that most American's aren't even on board with is unacceptable. Many people abroad don't envy us, they pity us. How do we expect to compete in a global economy when the already sub par schools are losing funding and programs left and right?

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

I know many Europeans who don't envy us due to the state of education in this state and in our country. The fact that we've let our education system fail while our government spends billions on a war that most American's aren't even on board with is unacceptable. Many people abroad don't envy us, they pity us. How do we expect to compete in a global economy when the already sub par schools are losing funding and programs left and right?

I agree, that is a laugh, we are the envy of the world. We have a lot to offer in our country, not just in California, but to say "we are the envy of the world" what are you referring to? Our educational system, I certainly hope not. As for these studies and stats, I feel, like I do about all stats and I do not care where they come from they can be manipulated (spelling) to accomplish whatever the leader is trying to prove.

Nita

[bhcompy]

The only people that say we are (still?) the envy of the world are people like happ who have no grasp on reality

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

The only people that say we are (still?) the envy of the world are people like happ who have no grasp on reality

This kind of post contains no content of interest to the general public and clearly crosses the line between legitimate debate and a flat-out ad hominem attack. You need to review the forum's rules of use.

[RobE]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

That's known as "ability grouping" or "tracking." It's highly controversial and illegal in many cases. Many people think that it makes intuitive sense, but there's no good evidence that it's good for education and serves the broad public interest. Even though the intent may be to provide stimulating instruction at the proper level of readiness, the effect has too often been one of re-segregating socioeconomic classes.

Seven is a bit early for that. My proposal is to finish basic education by ninth grade and use high school to either prepare kids for work with vocational training or for college with high level academics. The parents and child should choose which track and not the school.

The factory model has to end, too so that we can find a way to treat each child as the unique person they are. Unfortunately, doing that in a way that is economical is a problem.