What Makes a School in PG County Bad? (Bowie, Lake Arbor: low income, apartment)

[ChocLot]

I read a lot on here about schools in PG County being bad. What makes them so? A breakdown from ES up to HS would be helpful.

Thanks!

[North Beach Person]

Generally in MD the schools are compared to each other using MSA (Md School Asessment) scores and starting this year HSA (High School Assessment scores, required to pass to graduate). Under NCLB dropout rates, 4 year graduation rates, standardized test scores are all looked at. The various school populations are also broken out: ethnicity, free lunch, special ed., ESOL, etc. If you don't make AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) in each sub-category your are put into improvement status, get extra staffing, funds, etc. PG County scores are low compared to many of the other jurusdictions, a lot of poverty in PG and low scores track poverty. Some schools are ok. Where I am is BUT: where my kids go in a different county has lower demographics (income, college degree) but the scores on all the tests are way higher. That would include the above tests and SAT scores.
PG in general has a major transient program, kids will sometimes attend 4 different schools in a year. That's part of the problem.

[lscalder]

Not all schools in PG county are bad. The schools in the Affluent areas are excellent. Now the schools in the Lower income areas are where the issues are.

The higher income area schools are blue ribbon schools.

[cool rob]

Originally Posted by lscalder

Not all schools in PG county are bad. The schools in the Affluent areas are excellent. Now the schools in the Lower income areas are where the issues are.

The higher income area schools are blue ribbon schools.

You are incorrect, Glenarden Elementary which is in a lower income section of the county ranks as high or higher than others in affluent ares such as Woodmore Elem, Lake Arbor, etc. CHeck the Maryland Dept of Education website, they break it down. If I find the link I will send it too you.

[lscalder]

Originally Posted by cool rob

You are incorrect, Glenarden Elementary which is in a lower income section of the county ranks as high or higher than others in affluent ares such as Woodmore Elem, Lake Arbor, etc. CHeck the Maryland Dept of Education website, they break it down. If I find the link I will send it too you.

Glen Arden is not a lower income area. House prices in that area are sellign around the same price as Bowie.

What are you on?

[kjg1963]

Originally Posted by cool rob

You are incorrect, Glenarden Elementary which is in a lower income section of the county ranks as high or higher than others in affluent ares such as Woodmore Elem, Lake Arbor, etc. CHeck the Maryland Dept of Education website, they break it down. If I find the link I will send it too you.

Glenarden Woods Elementary was a Blue Ribbon school in 2006 and Beacon Heights Elementary in Riverdale was a 2004 winner. I know Eleanor Roosevelt is a past winner, but I don't think any High Schools have achieved this honor in the past few years.

[cool rob]

Originally Posted by lscalder

Glen Arden is not a lower income area. House prices in that area are sellign around the same price as Bowie.

What are you on?

You must be confusing Glenarden with Springdale, Glendale or Lanham, Glenarden has a number of low income apartment dwellings and it borders landover from many directions on 202 and 704. What are you on?

[jayman1981]

You know this is a good question. I always wanted to know for myself, what is considered bad. What I want to know is the success rate for kids from the P.G. school system. People act like these kids are going to turn out to be thugs and criminals with no future.

[Alanboy395]

Kids who dont care and parents who put up with it.

[Mom21]

In my opinion, it seems as if parents in PG aren't aware of how far behind their kids are. I see examples of this constantly in tutorial programs. There are PG high school students graciously volunteering to tutor children while their parents are volunteering in other areas. Problem is, several of the elementary to middle school age students that attend private schools are AHEAD OF THE HIGH SCHOOLERS! In the high schoolers are good kids, who get good grades, who are willingly volunteering, and are being raised by good parents. BUT THEY LAG BEHIND SOME ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS. I was actually trying to find a way to break this news to a good friend of mine. Her high school daughter was assisting with spelling words of sixth grader and she remarked that she had never seen some of the words before. Another high schooler in a MAGNET PROGRAM said she had never done a book report. This really hurts to see these good kids, who are making good grades, receive such a poor education.

A rude awakening occurs when they take the PSAT/SAT and score so poorly. Maybe any high school teachers out there in PG county could shed some light on the problem?