What happened to Tosa West HS? (Wauwatosa, Forest: 2014, private schools, voucher)

[40hourworkday]

My wife and I are considering moving to Wauwatosa from the Chicago area.


We have kids, so one thing we were looking at is the high school.


Wauwatosa West, in particular.


Test results indicate it was around the 70th or 80th best high school in Wisconsin in 2007-2010.


Now it's not so hot... ranked around 300th.


What happened?

[zoomkay]

In 2013-2014 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.
GreatSchools' ratings currently reflect 2012-13 testing data.



Beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction implemented new definitions of what it means to be proficient on the WSAS test. As a result of these changes, proficiency scores for Wisconsin schools are lower than they were in previous years.


Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

https://apps2.dpi.wi.gov/sdpr/district-report.action

[helena101]

Originally Posted by zoomkay

In 2013-2014 Wisconsin used the Wisconsin Student Assessment System (WSAS), which includes the WKCE and WAA, to test students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in math and reading, and in grades 4, 8 and 10 in language arts, science and social studies. The WSAS is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Wisconsin. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level. In private schools, only voucher program participants are tested.
GreatSchools' ratings currently reflect 2012-13 testing data.



Beginning in the 2012-2013 school year, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction implemented new definitions of what it means to be proficient on the WSAS test. As a result of these changes, proficiency scores for Wisconsin schools are lower than they were in previous years.


Source: Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

https://apps2.dpi.wi.gov/sdpr/district-report.action

But this only explains why test scores might look lower at all schools than previous years. It doesn't explain why that particular high school has dropped so low in the rankings when compared to other high schools in the state.

[40hourworkday]

Thanks, that is interesting. What I'm more interested in is Tosa West's performance relative to the rest of the state (since presumably all schools would be affected by a statewide change evenly).

My concern is probably best illustrated by the attached chart from West High School in Wauwatosa WI - SchoolDigger.com

Granted, Tosa West was 74th percentile in 2013. But on average it's doing worse than the rest of the state since about 2008. Seems odd to me, since it's sort of a wealthy town, isn't it?

[40hourworkday]

Related: Eisenhower Elementary in Tosa seems to have suffered a similar fate.

[helena101]

Wauwatosa East has also declined:

East High School in Wauwatosa WI - SchoolDigger.com

Here's an example of a school that has gone up compared to other schools in the state in recent years:

De Forest High School in De Forest WI - SchoolDigger.com

[40hourworkday]

I just noticed in 2008 the total number of ranked elementaries jumps from 671 to 998.

Similarly with high schools, it jumps from 281 total schools to 437 total schools.

Either the State of Wisconsin went on one hell of a school-building spree in 2007-2008... or a bunch of schools were only ranked after 2008. Very weird... and the ones added to the mix were all really good ones...

[openmike]

When one looks at education as a tools for learning many of us are critical of the entire system failure to consider the following:

Students do fine in shorter ( refreshed ) memory skills in subjects they have very low interest and consider It's relativeness to future use as nil , until they months later draw blank ....poof the knowledge never happened a case of presumed learning gone bye bye.

Unless there is a redundant "use" or application ongoing the retention is partially lost or totally lost and
when faced with a test ( deamed pertinent in the view of "educators". who perceive they " taught " ) the
tester blanks out. Again educators teach that which requires " memory" and like math a process that
last year was A+ material ,but now not stored or missing recall.

One problem is the subject matter in schools is not interesting, not applicable to anything, boring , creates passivity, complacency, and at test time creates a incapacitating stress sequence resulting in failure especially when only 15% of high school kids are smart or gifted .

In my opinion testing serves NOTHING including teacher evaluation the later forced to teach NOTHING or in fairness very little of anything tangible.

Testing does accomplish two things ie, stress for students and teachers by a board of educators with the audacity to ask questions few of us can answer.

One exception is when aptitude is measured from reading a given problem and answering based on known logical and corrrect . Comprehending what's read at the time of test allows the student to make an educated decision . Hopefully I haven't contradicted my earlier attacks.

[zoomkay]

Originally Posted by 40hourworkday

Thanks, that is interesting. What I'm more interested in is Tosa West's performance relative to the rest of the state (since presumably all schools would be affected by a statewide change evenly).

My concern is probably best illustrated by the attached chart from West High School in Wauwatosa WI - SchoolDigger.com

Granted, Tosa West was 74th percentile in 2013. But on average it's doing worse than the rest of the state since about 2008. Seems odd to me, since it's sort of a wealthy town, isn't it?

This is an old article, but also sheds some light on what has been happening in Wauwatosa schools.

Teachers, Wauwatosa School Board seek answers to high turnover

http://www.wauwatosanow.com/news/wau...225176672.html

http://www.wauwatosanow.com/news/wau...221481621.html

http://www.wauwatosanow.com/news/wau...215764251.html


I am trying my best to NOT give you a highly politicized answer... At any rate, Tosa is a great community, with great people and great schools. It's hard to say why things have changed in that particular community at this point because not enough time has passed to determine what the main sources of the problem are.