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I agree the test scores really tell you nothing. NC should really drop the EOG and use a nationally standardized test such as the Iowa Test, the Stanford, etc. All the EOGs tell us is how one set of students in NC compare to another set of students in NC....and we all know how NC as a states ranks as far as education.
What's important is how my child compares to the national average and that's something that WCPSS doesn't want you to know. I personally find it alarming that WCPSS doesn't let every child take the national tests but reserve them only for AG students. Other school districts have EVERY child taking these tests but not WCPSS. What are they afraid of?
We do have evidence from SAT scores that Wake County students on average do better on the SAT than the average US student.
WCPSS:Students continue to excel on 2006 SAT (http://www.wcpss.net/news/2006_sat/index.html - broken link)
This is an interesting point that I had never considered, but you're right. The NCLB simply says that states set high goals and then work towards meeting them. I do think the educational leaders in NC have been involved in the national levels, for what that is worth re: influence over our state standards.
My second control-freak post of the day but I have my kiddo tested yearly with a nationally normed achievement test (the W-J) so I can determine independently if he has made "adequate yearly progress" to my standards. It's less than 100 bucks, and well worth it IMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NCBoyMommy
I agree the test scores really tell you nothing. NC should really drop the EOG and use a nationally standardized test such as the Iowa Test, the Stanford, etc. All the EOGs tell us is how one set of students in NC compare to another set of students in NC....and we all know how NC as a states ranks as far as education.
NC should really drop the EOG and use a nationally standardized test such as the Iowa Test, the Stanford, etc. All the EOGs tell us is how one set of students in NC compare to another set of students in NC....and we all know how NC as a states ranks as far as education.
What's important is how my child compares to the national average and that's something that WCPSS doesn't want you to know. I personally find it alarming that WCPSS doesn't let every child take the national tests but reserve them only for AG students. Other school districts have EVERY child taking these tests but not WCPSS. What are they afraid of?
MANY states have their own "EOG" tests and do not use a standardized test, thus the inherient problem with NCLB (that and it's the philosophy is that childrent are widgets in a school factory).State tests are not unique to WCPSS or NC. But NC does mandate that WCPSS require their students take the State Issued EOGs. If Wake County had all their students take both the EOGs and the Iowa Test then that would take away even more educational time to unnecessary tests. It seems to me that Wake County is just trying to manage it's classroom time instead of being a test factory.
If you have an issue with the state testing then you can take it up with the NC State Board of Education's Department of Public Instruction, Accountablity Services Division.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NCBoyMommy
What's important is how my child compares to the national average and that's something that WCPSS doesn't want you to know.
Personally, I'm more concerned about WHAT MY children know and if he & she are becoming and wanting to be life long learners rather than how my child compares to anyone else.
We do have evidence from SAT scores that Wake County students on average do better on the SAT than the average US student.
WCPSS:Students continue to excel on 2006 SAT (http://www.wcpss.net/news/2006_sat/index.html - broken link)
I wasn't referring to the SAT I was referring to the Standford 10. Only students who are college bound take the SAT so in my opinion that doesn't tell us as a whole how we are preparing children to enter the world after graduation. A lot of kids won't go on to college.
MANY states have their own "EOG" tests and do not use a standardized test, thus the inherient problem with NCLB (that and it's the philosophy is that childrent are widgets in a school factory).State tests are not unique to WCPSS or NC. But NC does mandate that WCPSS require their students take the State Issued EOGs. If Wake County had all their students take both the EOGs and the Iowa Test then that would take away even more educational time to unnecessary tests. It seems to me that Wake County is just trying to manage it's classroom time instead of being a test factory.
I had stated that NC should do away with EOGs and go to a national standard. I recognize that NC not WCPSS is to blame for that and tried to make that point in my post. The thing that I take issue with WCPSS for is that they do have the AG students take the Standford but only the AG students. So why only a select few?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PDXmom
If you have an issue with the state testing then you can take it up with the NC State Board of Education's Department of Public Instruction, Accountablity Services Division.
The school my kids go to takes a national standardized test (private school).
Quote:
Originally Posted by PDXmom
Personally, I'm more concerned about WHAT MY children know and if he & she are becoming and wanting to be life long learners rather than how my child compares to anyone else.
How do you measure "What your children know" ? Hoping to install a desire for life long learning goes without saying but I'm not so sure how you can know what your child knows and their full grasp of the concept without some sort of standardized testing.
I wasn't referring to the SAT I was referring to the Standford 10. Only students who are college bound take the SAT so in my opinion that doesn't tell us as a whole how we are preparing children to enter the world after graduation. A lot of kids won't go on to college.
I understand what you're talking about, but I'm pointing out that we do have a measure to compare Wake County students to students in the rest of the country and Wake County students look pretty good and the participation rate is very high. IMO it suggests that overall Wake County is doing a decent job.
I understand what you're talking about, but I'm pointing out that we do have a measure to compare Wake County students to students in the rest of the country and Wake County students look pretty good and the participation rate is very high. IMO it suggests that overall Wake County is doing a decent job.
But that is only measuring the top student's what about all the rest? Also if the school is falling below national average I want to know well before my child is a Junior in HS and takes the SAT. By then it's too late.
But that is only measuring the top student's what about all the rest? Also if the school is falling below national average I want to know well before my child is a Junior in HS and takes the SAT. By then it's too late.
First of all, the participation rate in Wake County is very high--79%. Second of all, it's not like only the best students in Wake County take the SAT but everyone in the rest of the country takes it. You're comparing apples to oranges. I'm comparing likely college bound Wake County students to an average US student likely to attend college and again, the Wake County students do fine.
You would need to be pretty uninvolved, IMO, to be unaware until your child took the SAT that they aren't "measuring up".
lamishra;4770047]We're in a central Cary school which historically has had a very high FNR ratio compared to other Cary schools. This year in particular, they moved the FNR kids around in Cary schools specifically. Some schools had over 40% FNR while other Cary schools had less than 5%. I think it just had to do with where the kids lived and with where the new growth was occurring. It doesn't suprise me that this is how the schools naturally evolved in this area. Most of them were also Cary students, not students being bussed in from Raleigh or anywhere else. Next year, our school is supposed to go from 42% FNR to 20%. I know several of the kids have been moved to the new schools that just opened up this year.
In any case, in my experience and what I observed was that the "slower" kids or kids not meeting grade level expectations rarely interfered with the teacher's ability to teach the class. I think a lot of people believe that a high FNR ratio automatically takes away instruction time from other kids, but based on what I've seen as a regular school volunteer, that was not the case. I noticed most of the kids were pulled out of the class for small group instruction with special teachers to catch them up and work on special skills. I noticed this even with the non-English speaking kids. The teacher did not spend anymore time with them than anyone else in the class.[/quote]
Excellent, you volunteer your time to the schools, kudos to you!
So you feel that FNR's do not affect the quality of education the rest of the kids receive, correct?
I certainly have no problems with kids who's families need financial assistance, as long as the FNR students are not disruptive to the educational process.
On a whole do you feel that kids receive an equitable education between schools ,regardless of the test scores?
Other than placing emphasis on education with in the home and making sure the kids stay on top of their work, do you have any other advice on what one can do to assure their kids receive the best education Wake PSS can offer?
We have always been active in our PTA, fund raising running events etc.. do you feel your school is responsive to parents and students?
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but I have my kiddo tested yearly with a nationally normed achievement test (the W-J) so I can determine independently if he has made "adequate yearly progress" to my standards. It's less than 100 bucks, and well worth it IMO.
