Newcomers raising school test scores? (Charlotte: low crime, schools, university)

[mullman]

Originally Posted by Frankie117

Besides, standardized tests are a pathetic way to measure intelligence.

+1

Shoe is to Moon, as Shovel is to___________.

[marvinnative]

I come from a long line of school teachers. What I hear from them is it has less to do with how much money you make and everything to do with the commitment that the PARENTS make to education. If parents are teaching their children to be good students (get good rest, do your assignments, have steady attendance, and can show them that all of this equates to a better standard of living later), then the teachers can do their jobs and the community as a whole can enjoy a better quality of citizen. Lazy, sleeping children with disrespectful attitudes pull down the learning for the whole class.

[newcharlottan]

Where I used to live, near Orlando, I picked the house specifically for the school it was near as it was the ONLY A rated school among D and F schools.

Then when I went to register, I didn't know they had this most irritating school district cluster thingie. They would divide the city into clusters. Often having a cluster of ONE A or B (as A were rare) rated school and adding all the C-D-F schools with it. They would then based on a lottery, fill the best rated school first and then the trickle down effect. When I went to register, my daughter would have been in an F school that was almost 7 miles away from my house. I ended up putting her in private school.

Now it is like pure bliss. Her school is wonderful! The teachers are awesome! She has flourished there and I feel so blessed. LOL

So maybe alot of these kids came from districts like mine (FL is full of them) and when they come, they are so happy that their kids are actually getting an education, and that they participate more. Which in turn are more involved with kids homework etc.

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by newcharlottan

Where I used to live, near Orlando, I picked the house specifically for the school it was near as it was the ONLY A rated school among D and F schools.

Then when I went to register, I didn't know they had this most irritating school district cluster thingie. They would divide the city into clusters. Often having a cluster of ONE A or B (as A were rare) rated school and adding all the C-D-F schools with it. They would then based on a lottery, fill the best rated school first and then the trickle down effect. When I went to register, my daughter would have been in an F school that was almost 7 miles away from my house. I ended up putting her in private school.

Now it is like pure bliss. Her school is wonderful! The teachers are awesome! She has flourished there and I feel so blessed. LOL

So maybe alot of these kids came from districts like mine (FL is full of them) and when they come, they are so happy that their kids are actually getting an education, and that they participate more.

I am so glad things have worked out well for you here! And especially happy to hear you are pleased w/ the school system.

I do think that parental participation affects student success - on many levels. Good point/observation!

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by anifani821

What do you all think about that? I had a neighbor tell me this weekend that she has heard people say that they think the influx of newcomers to various areas of the metro has raised testing scores. I just listened but I thought - well that could work both ways . . . depending on many factors, including the education level of the parents . . . So if an area has people moving in who are not well educated and do not emphasize education for their children, I would doubt it would raise testing scores - in fact - it may lower test scores.

Are there surveys to compare what areas in the metro have scores that have gone up - in areas with a high % of newcomers?

Any thoughts on this one?

Thoughts are once what your friend heard becomes an irrefutable fact in black and white (or little electrons rotating in a database somewhere), it's in the opinion category until then. It's another "my kid is smarter than your kid" statement- but don't be offended!

[pink caddy]

Don't you love it? "Mrs. Jones said that Mrs. Smith said.." Ani, to answer your question I think one should always start with the basics-that is questioning the source of information, Substanstiation. I am becoming an older and grumper man each day (well there's a blessing there that I'm still around I guess) with listening to people talk BS. What do I mean by BS?
Gossip, innuendo, not factual, talking for the sake of talking, and most important expressing "opinions" that have no substance at all.

So, in summary, I would question your neighbor and ask for the source of information he/she has so that we then can discuss intelligently.I would think that this information would (a) not be available (b) difficult to prove (c) statistically flawed in some way.

I think this could be an interesting topic but not without some real facts and figures. "Opinions" on this subject might start WW111-- LOL
je

[Palmetto Heel]

How long do you think it will be before transplants start quoting this wild speculation as fact?

[jmm051]

Perhaps it also has to do with a younger base of teachers? I do not have any kids in school BUT since I have moved here I have met quite a few friends of friends...MANY of them teachers. Perhaps younger teachers eager to teach and make a difference are adding to this as well. Not to say seasoned teachers aren't wonderful(because they are and schools need all levels of teachers). But perhaps this is one of the factors.

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by Palmetto Heel

How long do you think it will be before transplants start quoting this wild speculation as fact?

Well, I think you hit on the core of the discussion - you and several others. That was what got me thinking - b/c this "supposition" had entirely come about b/c of newcomers at this lady's church . . . who had said the scores have gone up b/c of newcomers who brought children from BETTER SCHOOL SYSTEMS, meaning, those in the NE.

Now, for sure, I have heard a lot about "blue ribbon" school systems. So I just wanted to think about it for a while and do some research. Yes, I can find scores but they are in no way "weighted" as to "newcomers." I have been mulling it over thinking about how I would go about researching this, as a consultant. Let's say the school system hired me to come up w/ a profile that would demonstrate if there were - or were not - any correlation b/n newcomers and rising scores.

So I have considered - how would I set that up in some valid fashion.

As several have said . . . at this point . . . seems like a lot of supposition and jumping to conclusions for anyone to make that "leap."

On one hand, being somewhat the pragmatist - if scores have indeed increased, who cares WHY, hee hee. But . . . from the aspect of planning and development w/in the school system itself . . . perhaps it would have some meaning. For ex., if it were proven to be true that schools w/ teachers trained OUTSIDE NC were scoring better . . . should one then take a good look at teacher education w/in our university system . . . and see what is done differently in other systems? And integrate any differences in approach, methodology, course outline, resource allocation, etc.

On the other hand, if scores have gone up in schools where all that has changed is the level of proficiency of incoming students . . . then one needs to examine the school systems where those kids transferred from . . . and find out what they are doing differently than our school system is doing.

In addition, as MarvinNative (and others) pointed out . . . what about measuring the influence parental involvement (and parental influence on study habits at home) might have . . . Perhaps incoming students simply are from families that put an emphasis on education and excellence.

I agree w/ those of you who have said - we don't have facts here. But it is interesting and it appears that it is being discussed out in the community . . . and as Miker and John have inferred - urban rumors are based on such things as these statements . . . and I am very interested in putting that in context, meaning - totally false? some truth? or impossible to define if there is such a connection?

[SunnyKayak]

If we state that newcomers are causing a rise in school test scores then it would be fair to assume that they are also responsible for crime and gang activity.