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Schools miss expected progress goals
Published Saturday, September 12, 2009
NATCHEZ — Figures made public by the Mississippi Department of Education Friday gave school districts across the state the first indicators as to how the MCT2 impacted the adequate yearly progress of schools.
For the Natchez-Adams School District the indicators are not what school officials had hoped.
The AYP, a component of the No Child Left Behind Act, examines the percentage of students scoring at proficient and above on the MCT2, which tests on math and language arts, to determine progress made in the schools.
While high school students are subjected to the Subject Area Test Program, which tests on algebra 1, biology, English 2 and U.S. History, percentages of those scoring proficient and above are also used to determine the AYP.
Third – eight grade students that took the MCT2, with the exception of eight graders taking the math portion of the exam at Robert Lewis Middle School, did not meet AYP goals.
While the AYP guidelines showed at least 49 percent of the state’s eight graders should have scored at proficient or above, RLMS eight graders scored at 59 percent proficient or advanced.
NASD Director of Curriculum and Instruction Charlotte Franklin said the AYP results show a need for improvement.
“It doesn’t mean were not teaching the curriculum,” Franklin said. “It means there is more work to be done.”
District Superintendent Anthony Morris said while he too sees a need for increased performance on the MCT2, he believes the increased rigor of the MCT2 contributed to elevated AYP expectations and caused higher numbers of schools in the district, and across the state, to miss their AYP goals.
“I think we’re making progress,” Morris said. “It just doesn’t always happen as fast as we’d like it to.”
But the AYP results were not without their bright spots.
Natchez High School students achieved their AYP goals in each of the four testing areas.
“They’re making improvements and we’re thrilled to see it,” Morris said. “They’ve put in the work.”
And while federal standards have already been applied to the state’s standardized tests results, more rankings are coming.
In the coming weeks the Mississippi State Board of Education is expected to release its rankings that will replace former 1-5 system, which was used when the original MCT was still administered.
The state’s rankings will classify schools as either a star school, high performing, satisfactory, low performing, academic watch, at-risk of failing or failing.
Comments
Posted by natashakubelikov (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 1:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They just keep lowering the tests and they still can,t pass
Posted by readingthepaper (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 7:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
NO that is not the case. If your read the article you will see the state just completed year 1 of testing with the MCT2, which is harder than MCT taken previously. Of course, our district, along with others, never came up to par on the original MCT. So to make the test HARDER actually made no sense. Why not give districts the chance to meet the standards you originally set before upping the bar? I dont believe in lowering the bar by any means, but giving districts realistic goals that CAN be achieved would be a great boost for the entire state!
Posted by TEACHME (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 8:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It isn't the test...it's some of the students. They are passed on, given grades, allowed to attend summer school for 3 weeks on a subject that was failed, during a nine month school session, then passed to the next grade. If students were coming into their grade levels, ON GRADE LEVEL, they wouldn't have any trouble meeting the state standards or reaching goals. Training needs to begin at home prior to preschool, continue through West Primary and NOT promoted if expectations aren't met, same with Frazier and McLaurin, Morgantown, etc. It isn't happening!
Posted by niderbip (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Like this is "news".
Posted by unclered (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 8:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
natashakubelikov: Lowering the tests? How do you know this? Are do you know anything at all? You obviously do not.
The fact is, the MCT2 is a much harder test than the MCT. The question we should be asking is, if students across the state were struggling with the MCT, why did the Department of Education think the solution to the problem was a harder test?
When Morris states that "...there is more work to do", to whom is he referring? Teachers, administrators? The only people that need to do more work are the students and their parents.
Posted by shelockholmes (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why are the students at Cathedral so well educated for less
money. Maybe Morris should step aside and let Pat S. take over. An average of $9,000.00 a year is spent on children in public school in Adams County, $5,000.00 at Cathedral.
Posted by quest (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
anyone who consistently uses commas for apostrophes obviously doesn't know much
Posted by sideline (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lets see. These paid for diplomas at private schools don't take these tests and are no better off than public schools. Manure covered up is still manure.
Posted by shelockholmes (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 10:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why are students at Cathedral so much better educated?
Maybe A. Morris should call Pat S. or just give him his job because he can't get it done. Public education is killing any chance we have for industial recruitment. Who wants to $5,000.00 per year per child when they can just locate somewhere else with good public schools. The problem is some people don't want to be pulled up they just want to
pull others down to their level.
Posted by NTZ1979 (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why are people always comparing the results of the public school system's test to those or the private schools when in all actuality the PRIVATE schools are not required to test...or take MCT2 type test!!
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 11:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The No Belt on My Behind Act was passed long ago. If I made a C my behind felt the repercussion. The parents have to help the kids a smidgen or at least give them an incentive to study.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 11:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
White flight in the 60's caused the situation. Now the "Christian" schools, and I use that word very loosely, always have a token black so their sports team won't be a complete flop.
Posted by unclered (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 12:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hardcorps has it right, but he has the wrong decade. White flight in the 90's caused this. The test results reported come from tests taken by children who grow up with parents who have no idea how to parent, grow up in an atmosphere of social chaos, and live in neighborhoods that resemble scenes from a third world country than a small American city. These children are not introduced to books and reading, math puzzles or educational computer programs for Pre-K kids. (Many do not have computers at home at all, must less internet access). They arrive for their first day of school at a great disadvantage compared to middle to upper class white children.
Posted by juju (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 12:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hardcorps, why would whites leaving schools make a difference in what any other children left do anyway. If all of the homeschooled, parochial, and private schooled kids returned, there would have to be new bigger buildings, more teachers and transportation, more money, because the money and ammenities you have now would be cut in half, and basically our county would be broke! If these things were to be you'd really be hollering!
Posted by unclered (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
juju: You think increasing the student population with kids from middle and upper class white families will not raise test scores? It is interesting that the Natchez public schools' test scores were fine when those students were enrolled. It makes a huge difference. When a school has a student population in which over 90% of the kids come from the disadvantaged background I described in an earlier post, the school's average test scores are not going to be impressive. People around here are always complaining that a "black-ghetto" mentality and culture dominates in our public schools. They are absolutely right. It would also be fair to say that this mentality and culture is anathema to education. The answer to the problem is something these complainers do not want to face: Put the white kids back into the public schools and make the "black-ghetto" culture the minority culture it should be.
Posted by thinkforyourself (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
They are lieing to you people. Go to the MAARS Report click on accountability and you will see no schools in the district met Ayp. Morgantown will be back in school improvement. The district has lready received its rating. IT IS AT RISK FAILING. 41 million dollars down the drain again. Dr. Morris salary is 131, 000 per year he as a travel budget that has no ceiling. His wife receives 60,000 per year as a librarian. Who do the city plan to layoff or any body else for that matter? If Dr. Morris can keep his job, so should everyone else. Why did he write a top of the morning and did not list he is Superintendent of the Natchez ADAMS SCHOOL DISTRICT? COULD IT BE HE IS ASHAME? Dr. Edney school board President why are you people wasting any more money and time with a retreat. You already know what needs to be done. Get rid of all the top dogs, clean up this mess we have had for the past 7 years. Start over and look for the best people to run a multi million dollar business. and HELP these Children. SHAME SHAME SHAME.
Posted by tiredofitall50 (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 3:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Years ago when my son started kindergarten, I was so proud of all he had already learned at home from his grandmother and I. West Primary held an open house for students and parents at which they had signs and examples of what they would teach the students during the year. When my son read a sign to the teacher that stated "teaches a chromatic sense of color", imagine my surprise when she said the following: "Oh, we don't like it if they know how to read before they start school. They get bored and start to disrupt the class." Tough. Later in the school year, she even told me that my son was helpful with the other students when he was not busy with his own work. Parents have to instill a love of learning in their children's lives. I am so very proud of both of my children.
Posted by EatMoreChicken (Allison Hamilton) on September 12, 2009 at 4:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Schools in Mississippi and especially in Louisiana need to step it up,schools in Texas have 8-graders performing at a Junior level of Mississippi High school students.......and that bad part about it is over 70% of the schools in Texas are Hispanic including the illegal ones who can barely speak English.
Posted by juju (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 5:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
unclered, why do you think that because kids are white they can't be disadvantaged. And also, why do you think that private school kids are 'white.' It looks like the United Nations at Trinity with all of their Asians, Blacks, Whites and Middle-Easterners, and they do great! All of the schools have their share of disadvantaged and single-parent homes. Each has applications for tuition waivers for those. IT'S ALL ABOUT STANDARDS NOT COLOR!! The "black-ghetto" culture as you called it will always be because that is the majority in Natchez. Yes, before consolidation the 'schools' test scores were up, but were theirs' during that time? It's always EXCUSES!! Never satisfied and envying what someone else has or does instead of being responsible for one's self. As I said in my above post, all of the above ammenities and opportunities are there for anyone who WANTS them. Twice as much in fact without the private school kids. I'm sure that Natchez receives tons of Title I money too! This allows way more ADVANTAGES than some private schools who operate on pennies, with antiquated equipment, ragged books, and underpaid teachers. Tuition doesn't hardly pay the light bill in private schools. But the MIND SET is different with the parents wanting the best for their kids and raising the money for the school. These kids and parents don't expect from others.
Posted by unclered (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The statistics concerning the academic performance of African-American students have been consistent for at least forty years: African American students have on average scored 15% points lower than whites and Asians. And why do I focus on disadvantages black children? Because they make up 95% of the student population of the Natchez-Adams School District. To ignore this fact is to bury your head in the sand. As for the minority population at Trinity, it is less than 2% of the student body. Also, if they can afford to go to Trinity, they are not from a disadvantaged, under-privileged background.
You are right in saying the mindset is different in private schools. It is different because it comes from a culture and society that is foreign to the families who now send their kids to the public schools. Parents who have to deal with the stresses of poverty and crime, which have plagued their neighborhoods and families for generations, hardly have the time and energy to begin childhood education at home. As many of these parents are not educated themselves, what would they teach?
These are not excuses, but the facts of the world in which we live. This Natchez as it is and has always been. The Brown v. Board of Education decision has been ignored by the public, the politicians and the lower courts. The white flight that occurred when the courts ordered the desegregation of the Natchez public schools has led to an even worse case of segregation. As the Supreme Court correctly ruled in Brown, setting an historical precedent, separate is NOT equal.
Natchez currently has nothing more than apartheid schooling and is now reaping the results. We should all be ashamed, especially those who have gladly turned their backs on these children on racial grounds, abandoned them to lives of pathos, and then mock and disparage them on newspaper blogs.
Welcome to Natchez, MS, where the motto for education is "Apartheid Forever."
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 6:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good luck deciphering this.
http://orsap.mde.k12.ms.us:8080/MAARS/ma...
Posted by tiredofitall50 (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 7:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nearly all parents of school age students these days attended school themselves. My parents both had to quit school to help support their families, my father at a very young age, yet they both tried to make sure all of us completed school. Although, that did not work with all of us. You do not have know how to read or write to make sure your children learn. Although there are so many opportunities for adults to learn, that it is a shame that more do not do so.
We were also taught to respect our elders. I have worked with the public for many years and I have heard so many parents, black and white, say that their children do not have to listen to this teacher or that teacher.
School is not a babysitting service. And teachers are not the only ones responsible for making sure your children learn. You have to be willing to teach your children as much as you can, even if it is only that if they stay in school, and pay attention while they are there, they have so many more opportunities available to them.
Poverty is not based on race. Believe me I know. But poverty is no excuse for ignorance.
Posted by juju (anonymous) on September 12, 2009 at 9:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
unclered, I'll be sure to forward your speech to the black school-board president at Trinity, and President Obama who also graduated from a private school. Thanks.
Posted by niderbip (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 1:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
it's always been real simple:
lousy parents = lousy schools.
Posted by DTownStar (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 3:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Iam from the natchez area, but moved to Texas.. When I left and came here let me tell you high school was alot harder for me because I had never even seen some of the stuff that teachers where throwing at me... The problem I think is parents should have a study time for there kids.. Start them off small and there will not be a problem with studying later...
Posted by 2008 (anonymous) on September 13, 2009 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
My grandson went to a great daycare in LA. By the time he entered 1st grade he could read. When I went to the first day of school for him I heard and saw many parents wanting to take their kids out of the teacher’s class because she was older, stricter and didn't put up with misbehavior in the classroom. If your children are pre-1st grade their is no excuse for them not to be able to read and this should be taught in every pre-k daycare center everywhere. If you don't get the attention of the kids at an early age they will never develop an attention span for education.
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