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They do group into other factors, ie. ESL, economically disadvantaged, and learning disabled. But to ignore the fact that there is such a big disparity in race without those factors is to ignore a problem that needs to be fixed. I think not underscoring this issue and directly addressing because of race would be racist.
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Originally Posted by Marty3d
A couple things, if you want a particular group to improve, you have to collect data identified with that group. This didn't start with NCLB, it started in 1977. Collecting data does allow you to set long and short term goals and then measure progress toward those goals. Obviously, setting a goal is not the same as producing a result. By setting an "acceptable" passing rate as a function of ethnicity is in my mind a pointless pursuit at best and dangerous at worst. It suggests that students should receive different treatment whether in a diverse classroom or not. It also suggests that it is acceptable for some groups to have a low passing rate - that's insulting unless there is a recognized learning disability.
It's not that it's acceptable, it's about setting in some accountability, so that if the schools cannot get these percentages up, we need to stop wasting money there and allot it to vouchers, tutors, etc.
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Originally Posted by maf763
Where are you getting this number from?
probably from romneys quote that 47% don't pay taxes. With our nations limited attention span that limits their news to headline knows and our obvious lack of comprehension, I can see how this is what's at the end, like the telephone game.
I've taught a long time and I see these two things as the major impediments:
Inner city blacks: Too many kids without fathers figures, especially the boys. Every boy needs a man around, especially if they live in a rough environment.
Hispanics: Family/Church/Tradition first, education second. Also, language barriers.
Not much can be done until these things change.
The fatherless figures do seem to be improving, however.
Here's what the Virginia state board of education actually did. It looked at students' test scores in reading and math and then proposed new passing rates. In math it set an acceptable passing rate at 82 percent for Asian students, 68 percent for whites, 52 percent for Latinos, 45 percent for blacks and 33 percent for kids with disabilities.
This is for state goals. It is not at the individual level. The students all have the same grades that make them pass/fail. An example. A 75 is passing regardless of race. The difference is on the percentage of students within each race that must be at the passing rate for each school. It's a way to do deal with the reality that schools with a larger number of minorities are at a disadvantage when it comes to meeting state goals, which has implications for funding and accredidation.
"Only 36 percent of black students who speak English at home passed their grade's math test, while 47 percent of Somali-speaking students passed. Other black ethnic groups did even better, although still lower than the district average of 70 percent. • In reading, 56 percent of black students who speak English passed, while 67 percent of Somali-speaking students passed.
"It's very alarming that students that were born right here are at the bottom of the barrel," said Vallerie Fisher, whose daughter is a senior at Rainier Beach. "How is that possible?"
Man, these issues are more pervasive than I thought.
Since the article did not say if they were comparing equal numbers of students in each category we really cannot trust the conclusions, can we?
Maybe there were five brilliant Somalis, all from the same genius family, and being compared to a good cross section of American black kids. We don't know.
If this is true, though, it really does speak to cultural differences, both in the home and the social lives of these students. Why else would Asian students, with a different culture AND language, do so much better than Americans, in general?
To me, sure there are school systems around the country that need to be gutted and restructured, but the main problem is the home.
Any idiot knows that this has less to do with race than it does with socioeconomic status. Black children with educated parents from affluent DC suburbs will outperform poor white kids from Appalachia. Why is race the only issue in 2012? I can't believe these people are getting paid to make these decisions.
Any idiot knows that this has less to do with race than it does with socioeconomic status. Black children with educated parents from affluent DC suburbs will outperform poor white kids from Appalachia. Why is race the only issue in 2012? I can't believe these people are getting paid to make these decisions.
Agreed. It's pretty terrible that the state is creating categories like this since it's only furthering some not so truthful stereotyping. What makes it worst is that some people are buying into it or using it to make some not so subtle political statements. I'm a middle class minority and went to school with other middle class minorities and we exceeded the states standards. NOVA has the highest concentration of affluent families and minorities, especially east asian, indian, and middle eastern descent in the state. Every group in that region of the state performs well when it comes to state scores, SAT's, school performance,etc... It's also densely populated so it shouldn't surprise anyone that the rate is that high. Then you have areas like Richmond, Norfolk(both with high minority populations; densely populated), and regions out in the western part of the state that are poverty stricken( non-minorities populations; less populated) where there are students who struggle not because they're cognitively challenged or because their skin contains a certain amount of pigment.
The problem is NOT in the schools. I'm rural but the majority of the students are poor..88% are on free/reduced lunch.
I've also been in inner city schools. The differences I see are lower crime, little to no gangs, and fewer drugs in the rural schools.
The similarities though are family life and home environment.
And you get the same stories from the kids; jail visits, court hearings, MIA parents.
Their home life is in shambles. They get shuffled from relative to relative like a borrowed gravy dish.
Few families, if any, all have the same last name. I can't tell if a parent signed any forms because of that.
I wish I could say it improves each year but sadly it doesn't. It's getting worse each year.
Yes I've noticed that too. I've worked in a rural school and an almost inner city school and to tell the truth, I can't tell much difference except that in the rural schools they're more likely to wear carhartts and in the city they're more likely to sag, as in pants. The rural school was in SE MO, the meth manufacture capitol of the world and drugs and hopelessness were rampant. I went to see the dad of one of my girl scouts once and he was expecting me but when I got there they were passing around joints--I think it was about 10 am on a school day but both girls were running around outside. Three times my troop got money ripped off by assistant leaders and the families were always picking up and moving 10 miles over to escape the bill collectors. One girl was being raised by g-ma b/c both parents were in jail--dad was in for driving over and crushing stepmom's head on their honeymoon, which they spent getting drunk on a county road.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crbcrbrgv
I've taught a long time and I see these two things as the major impediments:
Inner city blacks: Too many kids without fathers figures, especially the boys. Every boy needs a man around, especially if they live in a rough environment.
Hispanics: Family/Church/Tradition first, education second. Also, language barriers.
Not much can be done until these things change.
The fatherless figures do seem to be improving, however.
First one--quite a problem with all of them, all races but yes, I would mostly agree. Gangs are seen as a family substitute but kids can't raise kids. Many are bullied into joining the gangs.
Hispanics: I work with ELLs and can't tell much difference in study habits between these guys and the rest of the students. Some are very lazy and want to party and some want to work hard and get ahead. They are more likely to hang out in big groups and all skip together though and I've heard them try to hold each other back. Many of them came from much worse places than what they have here and they certainly have a big burden trying to keep up with a full load of classes as well as trying to learn English at the same time and some will be headed to school and a parent will say "Oh no, I need you to stay home and babysit today."
An interesting thing I've noticed about the Asians and I first learned about this while traveling in Vietnam and it seems to be quite common: They only sleep about 5 hours a night and that includes the children. I can't imagine that it would be healthy but they use the extra time to study and that can be quite burdensome to them. This carries over into their US experience.
Another interesting thing: an African kid told me today that the Africans love their math classes the best b/c they find them easy. The reason they find them easy is b/c they learned to do math w/o a calculator and they know their math facts. Hmm? I do believe that b/c I also learned w/o a calculator and the classes seem pretty dumbed down to me.
I'm guessing you've never been to VA for an extended time. I live in the Redneck Capital of the World for a year. Not only is prejudism alive and well, so too is the ideology that the war ain't over and it hasn't been lost. And I'm not joking! Oh, and ain't is a staple in their vocabulary. Don't be so shocked.
Not really new--FL does the same thing, Minneapolis does the same thing....its a way to get kids to "pass" school and not be there until they are 23.
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