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NO DFW school with significant numbers of ED and ESL students produces better results then Plano East. Lakewood deserves applause for trying. Keep trying and one day, you'll get there. Just don't rely on TEA ratings, doesn't mean much.
Not sure that comparison makes much sense. Comparing a High School to an Elementary School is difficult (and irrelevant) and Lakewood hardly has enough ED students to evaluate how they serve those students.
Plano in general is probably the most successful school district overall in the metroplex all things considered (demographics, outcomes, etc.). A lot to be proud of there. I think Plano East has somewhere around 28% ED students, I don't think there is any other school in the metroplex with those kind of demographics that comes close to Plano East in terms of SAT/ACT, NMSF, etc.
The problem with most DISD schools of course is that they serve anywhere from 58% ED (Woodrow) to over 90% ED (most DISD open enrollment campuses). The middle class and affluent long ago stopped sending their children to DISD. Not sure it will ever significantly improve as long it continues to serve primarily low SES students as a whole.
The distinctions are comparing schools to a peer group with similar demographics. HP didn't fail to get all distinctions because of closing performance gaps. They have so few minority students that they don't even have a score for that index, and HP would have appeared on that list if it had earned a distinction in Student Progress, which it didn't. Other school in their peer group, including Flower Mound High, Frisco Liberty, Flower Mound Marcus, and Austin Westlake, had higher progress, which is based on students increasing their scores from the previous year (or getting to Level III Advanced, regardless of change of score).
Maybe I am misinterpreting the rating system, but it appears that HP didn't get all distinctions exactly because of closing performance gaps. This is also probably true of many other area schools. When it's one of the 7 areas of distinction, and you don't even qualify for it, you can't get the distinctions in all 7 areas that these listed schools did. Again, these schools likely deserve all the credit in the world for their improvements and performance.
I think the average person reading this list without doing research would assume that these are the 153 best schools in Texas and that just simply isn't the case. Not by a long shot. As I said previously, TEA used to have a more easily understandable system that a lot of people could rely on to make decisions about their children's education. It now is very convoluted and skewed towards economically disadvantaged schools. Those on the list should be very proud and be recognized, but it's lamentable that this new methodology results in such a misleading and difficult to understand product.
I think the average person reading this list without doing research would assume that these are the 153 best schools in Texas and that just simply isn't the case. Not by a long shot.
Exactly. You highlighted the real issue with these lists.
Maybe I am misinterpreting the rating system, but it appears that HP didn't get all distinctions exactly because of closing performance gaps. This is also probably true of many other area schools. When it's one of the 7 areas of distinction, and you don't even qualify for it, you can't get the distinctions in all 7 areas that these listed schools did. Again, these schools likely deserve all the credit in the world for their improvements and performance.
I think the average person reading this list without doing research would assume that these are the 153 best schools in Texas and that just simply isn't the case. Not by a long shot. As I said previously, TEA used to have a more easily understandable system that a lot of people could rely on to make decisions about their children's education. It now is very convoluted and skewed towards economically disadvantaged schools. Those on the list should be very proud and be recognized, but it's lamentable that this new methodology results in such a misleading and difficult to understand product.
You are indeed misinterpreting the rating system. The list Lakewooder cited is not "schools with 7 distinctions," it is "schools with all eligible distinctions." None of the elementary schools on the list have 7 distinctions, because elementary students don't take the Social Studies exam and because they weren't scored on math this year. They are still on the list if they get the other 5 distinctions.
HP was not eligible for closing performance gaps, but that is not why they aren't on the list. They earned 5 of a possible 6 distinctions, and aren't on the list because they failed to earn a distinction in Student Progress.
The system is not at all skewed toward economically disadvantaged schools. It is skewed towards schools that outperform demographically similar schools. Westlake Academy has no poor children at all, and they made the list. A system which DIDN'T adjust for demographics would essentially just be giving Highland Park awards for having rich children whose parents/nannies read to them and put them in decent preschools.
You are indeed misinterpreting the rating system. The list Lakewooder cited is not "schools with 7 distinctions," it is "schools with all eligible distinctions." None of the elementary schools on the list have 7 distinctions, because elementary students don't take the Social Studies exam and because they weren't scored on math this year. They are still on the list if they get the other 5 distinctions.
HP was not eligible for closing performance gaps, but that is not why they aren't on the list. They earned 5 of a possible 6 distinctions, and aren't on the list because they failed to earn a distinction in Student Progress.
The system is not at all skewed toward economically disadvantaged schools. It is skewed towards schools that outperform demographically similar schools. Westlake Academy has no poor children at all, and they made the list. A system which DIDN'T adjust for demographics would essentially just be giving Highland Park awards for having rich children whose parents/nannies read to them and put them in decent preschools.
One of the things that always complicates reactions to these types of rankings are the differing perspectives people have on what school ratings are supposed to tell us. Namely, is it evaluating the performance of the teachers/administrators or is it providing parents with information regarding the best schools for their children?
What you describe is an evaluation tool that provides a more accurate assessment of the performance of teachers/administrators in a given school. Basically, are they outperforming their demographics. This is important information, and to the best of my knowledge this is the basic intent of the Accountability Ratings. Basically, holding schools accountable for their performance by implementing metrics that measure that performance.
However, when it comes to parents making decisions regarding the best school for their children, they have to factor in the overall top line performance of the school (particularly noticeable at the High School level with SAT/ACT scores, college matriculation rates, etc.). The teachers at a low SES High School might be doing a tremendous job and deserve credit and recognition for that. However, many parents would feel that the best educational opportunity for their child is at a top performing school with high SAT/ACT scores and matriculation into selective Universities.
The problem with most DISD schools of course is that they serve anywhere from 58% ED (Woodrow) to over 90% ED (most DISD open enrollment campuses). The middle class and affluent long ago stopped sending their children to DISD. Not sure it will ever significantly improve as long it continues to serve primarily low SES students as a whole.
Not seeing how you reached that conclusion when 40% of Woodrow, Long and much
more of Stonewall and Lakewood (which you said had very little ED) are middle-class to affluent to very affluent.
Maybe I am misinterpreting the rating system, but it appears that HP didn't get all distinctions exactly because of closing performance gaps. This is also probably true of many other area schools. When it's one of the 7 areas of distinction, and you don't even qualify for it, you can't get the distinctions in all 7 areas that these listed schools did. Again, these schools likely deserve all the credit in the world for their improvements and performance.
Actually, after looking at the list again, it is indeed a list of schools with 7 distinctions, not "all eligible distinctions," which is what they've used for the past couple of years. Notably, this means that no elementary schools made the list, including schools like Withers, Lakewood, and Stonewall who got all 5 distinctions that they were eligible for.
So you were correct that Highland Park was not eligible for this list as they couldn't get all 7 distinctions. That glosses over the fact that they did not in fact get all the distinctions they were eligible for because their student progress rates (measuring how much of a difference the school itself is actually making, rather than merely whether the kid is capable of passing the STAAR because of upbringing) is mediocre for the school's demographics.
Not seeing how you reached that conclusion when 40% of Woodrow, Long and much
more of Stonewall and Lakewood (which you said had very little ED) are middle-class to affluent to very affluent.
Obviously I meant in the aggregate. 85% of DISD enrollment is economically disadvantaged. 85%!
There are exceptions in terms of specific schools (which I know well as a Lakewood resident that will likely send my children to Lakewood when they are old enough), but in the aggregate it is amazing how small the cohort of students from middle class and affluent families is in DISD.
It is just my opinion, but I think it is unrealistic to expect schools to deliver high level college preparation metrics if they are serving primarily a population that is economically stressed. Remember my comment was in regards to someone comparing the job that Plano East does with DISD campuses. Plano East does a great job, but I wonder how well they would do with an 85% ED campus instead of 28%.
Obviously I meant in the aggregate. 85% of DISD enrollment is economically disadvantaged. 85%!
There are exceptions in terms of specific schools (which I know well as a Lakewood resident that will likely send my children to Lakewood when they are old enough), but in the aggregate it is amazing how small the cohort of students from middle class and affluent families is in DISD.
It is just my opinion, but I think it is unrealistic to expect schools to deliver high level college preparation metrics if they are serving primarily a population that is economically stressed. Remember my comment was in regards to someone comparing the job that Plano East does with DISD campuses. Plano East does a great job, but I wonder how well they would do with an 85% ED campus instead of 28%.
Being "economically stressed" has little to no bearing on whether a child can or can't achieve academically. It all comes down to whether their parent(s) make education & academic achievement a priority in their household. Poor people are a self-fulfilling prophesy. They're poor b/c they don't have a good education, along with limited marketable skills. But, when they have kids, they blow off their kid's education, ensuring they too will grow up with a poor education & limited marketable skills. And, I say this as a former homeless person who grew up in one of the poorest, blue collar counties in Texas. My parents both worked, and for parts of the year, each logged 60 hrs/wk. But, they made education a priority. And, I knew I'd get in trouble if I didn't achieve in school.
Agree 100%. Of the high schools with the 20 highest SAT scores in DFW, only 3 are on this list and they are all magnet / charter (DISD TAG, Uplift Northern Hills, & Westlake Academy).
Where can I find the SAT/ACT scores for HS in the Metroplex?
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