Just want you all to know that the board meeting currently going on regarding the final vote on redistricting is not being broadcast as they have had a power outage.
Never fear! Jonathan Cribbs of the Patch is there with a minute by minute blogpost of the meeting.
Follow his report here - (you'll need to refresh your screen every few minutes)
Live Blogging: DeKalb School Board Meets to Vote on School Closings, Redistricting
Click here for a school system press release detailing the final decision.
270 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 270 of 270Kim, Lakeside, Chamblee, and now Tucker are on a 7-period day, so their students wouldn't normally take EOCTs in Winter 2010 unless they were repeating a class.
Lakeside's pass rate for Math I and II in May 2010 were 72% and 73% respectively. Chamblee's were 62% and 82%. I am not surprised that the Math I score is lower than Math II at Chamblee because the high school Math I numbers don't include the accelerated students who took their Math I EOCT in middle school.
11:16, ouch, it hurts knowing that somebody surmises that poor pass rate numbers might be for Hispanics.
at 11:32
Thanks for that clarification. Makes more sense.
Anon 11:32
That's good info and a little less embarrassing. :)
I still love my Indians over the Vikings and Bulldogs in Math II at 80% and definitely stand by my point. Oh yes, my point ...
I've stated on the blog before and repeat again to be less subtle: How is it that Cross Keys manages to educate children well, even at a high level, when it's attendance area is characterized by the Three Horsemen of the Public Education Apocalypse (immigrants, poverty/apartments, and uninvolved parents)? When it is at the end of the line when bags of money are passed around? How?!
If you answer this, then you will understand what is really right and really wrong with DeKalb public schools.
"ouch, it hurts ..."
I have become so used to these assumptions about our kids I don't even bother noting it. But thank you for doing so.
And this has been my point too... it shouldn't matter who your parents are, how much money they have or your school has or how "involved" your parents are -- you should be able to get a quality education in the United States because you have a country that cares that you are educated - for the good of the country - and you have quality teacher who are highly trained, fully supported and excel at their craft. On top of that - they support you! They want you to succeed, make you feel worthy of success and are proud of you when you fulfill their expectations.
@Kim-
Concerning the EOCT scores you posted: unlike many of the county's high schools, Lakeside is NOT on the block schedule. As a result, the majority of the students take the EOCT in the spring, not the winter. Those taking the test in the winter are the kids who failed the first time around and are retaking the course and test.
Here are the EOCT results from the May, 2010 testing:
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/instruction/testing/files/7BD53B4EB0C043099A289321003B25AC.pdf
For Lakeside, the passing rate for Math I was 72%, the passing rate for Math II was 73%.
But we really don't care, Cere. It's not about those things for most parents. We want our public schools to be like private schools where only those that meet certain criteria are welcome.
No, it's not about tuition and applications, although we're working on that part, too. It's about what neighorhood you can afford to live in; creating a sense of exclusivity, of privilege - only the best for our kids is a hard slogan to resist! And if a community can provide it, why shouldn't they?
Families that can't quite afford private schools want the local public school to look and feel like a private school. What parent wouldn't want that?
Did you see the Lakeside Foundation feature in the Neighbor paper last week? See:
http://dunwoody-neighbor.com/stories/Foundation-aids-Lakeside-renovations,168767
“Lakeside will always be in the neighborhood, and is one of the top schools in the county,” said Stamps. “Academically, it is just as good as a private school, and we want to make the outside look that way too.”
Notice the key word, "neighborhood?" That's the problem in my opinon - we are spending regionally scaled capital on "neigbhorhood" scale schools. Seventy million coming for the "Chamblee neighbrohood," soon, too.
Have you seen the $36m athletic complex at Decatur High? It on par, if not above par, with private schools. Don't the kids north of Peachtree deserve that, too? I think civic pride is very important and applaud Decatur. After all, in a one high school system all students benefit and because it was design for public use also, the whole community benefits.
When we take that same expectation into the DeKalb schools political process and demand "the best" for "our kids" versus others it is different. It is no longer those that can give giving what they wish. It is a fixed budget of common funds that everyone wants for "their kids." Those that can get more are taking from those that likely already get less in a zero sum game of political budgeting.
This is why I will continue to harp about CK's auditorium ... where is it? The leadership will say, "CK was never promised an auditorium." To that I answer, "Why the hell not?"
So, when the chips have been played, Dunwoody, Chamblee, Tucker, Lakeside and others will all have, once again, facilities that pale those at Cross Keys. Why? How?
Politics and power ... period.
"Lay on, Macduff, And damn'd be him that first cries, "Hold, enough!"
Been a long time since I uncorked a CK riff - sorry folks. It's like disease I can't rid myself of no matter how hard I try. Damn the truth - insidious!
Back to the annexes.
For better or for worse, they are a permitted solution under NCLB.
I would expect that as a whole they are performing better than the schools they came from, regardless of how they compare to the school the annex is attached too.
Only the most motivated families would take the annex as an option. Students could choose to go back to their home schools and a few years ago, the annexes had so few students that they were shut down by December and the students were folded into the named annex school.
From the article in the Neighbor newspaper about the Lakeside Valhalla project:
"The project is collaborating with the DeKalb county school system for renovations. The county has donated $24 million to the school for its facelift."
I don't know whether this was sloppy reporting or if the reporter used the term "donate" because the Lakeside Foundation president used that term. The county does not "donate" money. A donation implies that somehow the county had excess money sitting around, after all its needs were met. Clearly, we still have plenty of unmet needs.
I believe Edler was overwhelmed with redistricting and school closings, many of which would impact her constituents. I think she fully supported the centralized plan but Tyson didn't have the guts to implement it. (Votes were there to pass it, I think.)
I don't think she has even been very involved in her own childrens' schools on the school council or PTA board level. I think it is also important to remember that her children never attended their neighborhood schools. Her constituents are not the parents she would come in contact with on a day to day basis.
Her learning curve is huge, I think patience is the order of the day.
True. She is one of those, "I got mine for my kids." Now, it's her responsibility to represent the needs of all those who lay in the mess left behind by the fact that our system's years-long go-to solution has been to simply offer a transfer, a magnet, a theme or otherwise "choice" school. That way, all those who leave do not have to give those who couldn't leave another thought. (Well, at least until they become their board rep!) I wish her luck. Her Zone 7 board rep experience must be quite the awakening for her. Hopefully, she will rise to the challenge.
ps - 7:07 - you are correct. The $24 million is certainly not a "donation" to the Foundation (they do tend to get a little excited...) It's all coming from SPLOST - the extra penny in sales tax we all pay when we buy goods in DeKalb that has generated what 3/4 of a billion so far? Lakeside waited a very long time for it's fair share. The Foundation didn't have a thing to do with it. They are simply trying to raise money for extras - like lighted soccer fields...
@ anonymous 11:15
"But I'm not so sure that DCSS is making enough effort to offer quality remedial instruction in the failing schools. "
This comes back to Office of School Improvement spending most of their money one ineffective coaches and expensive scripted learning programs instead of direct instruction Title 1 teachers who will serve struggling students in a small group setting. A continually greater percentage of DCSS dollars has been concentrated in the Office of School Improvement ($128,000,000 or 14% of the entire budget in 2010). Their emphasis has been on hiring non-teaching employees. I applaud their recent decision to use federal funds to hire 75 Teach for America Teachers, but this is really a drop in the bucket. They need to revisit the Instructional Coach and America's Choice programs (tens of millions annually for 60 coordinators, 90 Instructional Coaches and America's Choice). Cut these ineffective programs that do not place a single teacher in front of a child and invest the money in direct instruction of students. Until this is done, the schools that have a large percentage of students not on grade level will continue to experience a decline in student achievement.
KIm and Cere
NO regular students at Lakeside or Tucker would be taking the EOCT in the winter - they only take them in spring because there is no block scheduling.
I am guessing the ones that took it were online students or independent study for those that did not pass math the year before.
Unfortunately life is not fair. Children of wealthier parents are going to get a better education no matter where they go to school because they will travel, experience cultural events, etc. that lower income children do not have access to. There will always be haves and have nots.
This is why the school system should not teach all groups the same -some schools in Dekalb may benefit from year round school - let that be an option for those that want it. Title 1 dollars should be used to give these students access to the experiences that kids with higher income receive. Overnight school trips, such as the ones to Tybee Island - which have been cancelled for the most part - was a wonderful example of allowing all kids with access to a educational experience.
I really like the idea of sister schools also. Benefits both groups of kids.
But one has to be careful - there are plenty of "have nots" in the Lakeside, Chamblee, and Druid Hills clusters.
Good ideas! I have always advocated for scholarships for poor students to a real summer camp. Summer camps are one of the very best places for personal growth, increased physical and mental strength and an appreciation for nature, others and the simple things in life. Summer camps boost brain power, physical and mental endurance and strength. They also offer a safe, fun place for rest and happy childhood experiences.
If nothing else, we need to create a much stronger relationship with our county parks & rec so that we have many day camp offerings for young people in the summers. I attended a day camp as a kid and our camp counselors were mostly teachers. Summer camp was really a game-changer for my life.
Title 1 can offer summer programs in a "camp lke" environment. Also, the homeless program pays for homeless students to atend a number of summer programs including the Emory Reading program (whick is located across the metro area), the Emory and CDC Science programs, Moorehouse summer programs and a number of "educationally focused" summer programs.
Excellent info. Do you know if DCSS uses any of their Title 1 money for a summer camp like experience? What would it take to get a roundtable together and make the school system and the county work on this issue together? In fact, how about including someone from juvenile justice. Our school for at-risk juveniles (who have been in trouble with the law), DeKalb Truancy costs us about $45,000 per student annually. Wouldn't you think that some money could be spent earlier on positive experiences so that students don't end up in trouble in the first place? Pay now or pay later... choose to raise a generation of good citizens or choose to build more jails to house illiterate criminals. I know that's an over-simplification, but it does have a basic ring of truth.
To their credit, New Birth did attempt to host summer camps. In fact, Dr. Lewis provided public school bus service for the students to get there. However, in order to keep the public funds out of private religious organizations, it would be best to use the county parks. Hopefully, New Birth members would still feel compelled to volunteer.
@11:32
The topic was Kim's response to my earlier comment about CK's oddly shaped district and Hispanics being ignored here.
Also,
1. I couldn't believe those 7% and 15% pass rates were for the whole school.
2. Hispanics are a relatively small group at those schools and a few students could skew the results.
Someone earlier was pretty perceptive thinking the lawsuit was not filed by an attorney.
In AJC, NAACP president Evans says he was not party to the lawsuit and his name was illegally added.
Even the consultants did not think that we would use the plan they provided. They said they have never had a school system that did. That instead proposed two plans that they expected to be discussed and amended based on public input and politics. Civic processes are political. If DCSS was going to pay a consultant and then mandate the changes without citizen input why would part of the $400,000 be to pay the consultants to organize the meetings, surveys, focus groups, and then to provide update reports on the results. That part was commendable transparency. Unlike when DCSS tried to do this two times previously and failed, something got done and it is an improvement on what we had before. If you listened to the consultants they said this was a first step and the strategic plan would include further consolidation and redistricting. DeKalb county bite off what it could chew on the first step. If you do not like the result, it's our fault, not "theirs". We the voters are ultimately responsible. The process is not pretty but there is progress. I will work to see that more schools are closed, more lines are redrawn and we eliminate ever school that is under 450 enrollment. Tyson could have done what everybody else did and kick the can down the road leaving more for unpopular issues for the new superintendent (who will be appointed in July) to take the heat and blame. The initial budget announcement to staff was no furloughs for teachers, no staffing cuts at schools, art, music, and PE at every elementary school and administrators will take four furlough days (salary cut). I'll take that and work to get more. This is not about anything but our future-the students in all of DeKalb County Schools.
@Anon 9:41 "there will always be haves and have nots"
True as can be - and all the more reason why it is so wrong that we don't provide the baseline facilities equitably or district our schools on a regional basis. I do not see the public school system's duty to socially engineer a socialist utopia. I abhor this kind of thinking.
All I have ever demanded is that we treat all schools the same way in terms of capital and amenities. This has nothing to do with pedagogy or income re-distribution or preventing those "haves" from pitching in everything they want to donate to public causes.
It is about our PUBLIC institutions not serving double-helpings to some over others through our policies and decisions and all using public funds. It's a disgrace.
@Kim, regarding winter EOCT scores and Chamblee - Chamblee is not on the block schedule system so the vast majority of students take EOCTs at the end of second semester. I don't know but would wager that those students taking the EOCT in mid-year must have failed it the previous year. The DCSS website says that only 47 students took the Math 1 exam at mid-year, and only 47% passed. It does not show any scores for Math 2. These are miserable scores but reflect only a small, hopefully atypical population.
Scores at the end of the year for 7 period day schools like Chamblee more accurately reflect what is happening.
In spring of 2010, 62% of Chamblee's 324 Math 1 students passed. 82% of the 282 students in Math 2 passed. These scores are certainly not acceptable to Chamblee parents and/or staff. I'm hoping we see much improvement this spring.
The same pass rate for Cross Keys in spring 2010 was 52% and 43%, respectively.
The website is http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/instruction/testing/files/7BD53B4EB0C043099A289321003B25AC.pdf
I'm not saying this to put down Cross Keys. I'm just saying that we have to be careful when we look at test scores. I wish we had half of the enthusiasm and neighborhood support that Cross Keys has.
Sorry for everyone who really doesn't care about this.........
If anyone would like to read the complaint filed by some south DeKalb parents, you can access the actual file at the Tucker Patch -
Complaint against the DeKalb County School System
While I don't entirely disagree with many of the points made in that complaint, it comes across as unprofessional and poorly written.
Bad generalization-some of our Title I schools make AYP. Knollwood is an example. Of course AYP is has little meaning in that any school can improve its scores and not make AYP because the % of students passing the test must go up by a predetermined amount every year until 100% pass. At some point then almost all our schools will fail to make AYP (except for Fernbank ES).
What is going on in the DK???
http://tucker.patch.com/articles/senior-citizen-is-arrested-strip-searched-in-tucker
Poor Dresden teachers it seems their new principal is worse than their old one.
@4:33
Why would Fernbank continue to pass AYP - is there something fishy going on there? I find it hard to believe that every student meets expectations on CRCT at any school.
Fernbank is DeKalb County's Lake Woebegone-- "All the kids are above average."
@ 4:33
"Bad generalization-some of our Title I schools make AYP...Of course AYP is has little meaning in that any school can improve its scores and not make AYP ... "
Yet Clayton County and Gwinnett County Title 1 schools had 80+% Title 1 schools make AYP for the last 2 years even with strict monitoring. On the other hand DCSS fell from 80%+ Title 1 schools making AYP to 50+% making AYP after strict monitoring was instituted. What are Clayton and Gwinnett doing that DCSS is not doing in their Title 1 schools? And Clayton has 100% of their schools Title 1. They are measured with the same tools as DCSS.
Title 1 funds are being misspent by the Office of School Improvement. Ms. Berry has headed this department (or Title 1) since Lewis came into power in 2004 (7 years). She needs to be replaced with someone who can make decisions that will result in more of our Title 1 schools making AYP. DCSS has less Title 1 schools making AYP than APS (even with strict monitoring).
Why has Ms. Berry been in charge of this department for 7 years? her decisions have resulted in a negative ROI for Title 1 school students making adequate yearly progress.
Maybe our Title 1 schools will never reach 100% making adequate yearly progress, but we are declining at a precipitous rate.
Livsey was to have 54 students moved to Midvale and in take 51 students from Pleasantdale. Livsey wanted to retain the 54 and also take the 51 from Pleasantdale. This is what passed in our area.
Tucker Annex situation - In 2006 DCSS created an annex at Columbia for AYP students. The following year the county said it did not work and then sent the students in house to TMS. Then in 2009 they decide to do the same thing again but house the annex at Avondale. I attended a community meeting and the question was asked if they were going to do things differently and they said yes.
This school closing and redistricting isn't finished yet. Communities need to stay proactive for the move to 900 seat elementary schools. Have your own community meetings to get input and decide what's best for you to come up with alternative solutions to the county.
Have they ever explained why they want 900 student schools? I understand that 400 student schools create some logistical and efficiency challenges, but why 900 and not 600 or 700 or 1200?
And with no split feeders, how do they fit these 900 student elementaries into our 1400-1500 student middle and high schools? Do they expect a lot of middle school dropouts? Or maybe they want all schools at 150% of capacity like Henderson Mill?
There are a lot of "givens." Magnets that are centralized in 1 or 2 places, no split-feeders, 900 student schools, "theme" schools that seem to have no reason to exist, a dozen specialty schools scattered across the county, blaming NCLB for dumping kids into annexes. We need some board members who ask "Why?" Not just ones who rubber stamp emergency construction requests.
Anon 2:16 "I'm not saying this to put down Cross Keys. I'm just saying that we have to be careful when we look at test scores."
Fair enough. I wish your perspective was the norm in our districts - too many neighbors in Chamblee attendance (and elsewhere) refuse to examen the ACTUAL results underneath test averages in both schools. Too many consider the possibility of being moved into ESes of Cross Keys to be the equivalent of being shipped to a Stalinist gulag - certain death.
I've seen area ES school brochures happily quote some test figures and AYP histories to compare them to schools like Sarah Smith and Oak Grove but not to Woodward, Dresden, Montclair, Cary Reynolds, and Oakcliff ... why is that? Is it because: 1) The comparisons would not fit the storyline folks have in their heads about these schools? or 2) The average reader would not seriously consider these schools simply based on the demographics?
"Bad generalization-some of our Title I schools make AYP."
Yes, indeed. All seven schools of CK made AYP in 2008. This year four of five CK area elementary schools were named "Title I Distinguished Schools." Oakcliff, Cary Reynolds, Dresden and Montclair all repeated this year with Oakcliff making AYP for eleven consecutive years, Dresden and Montclair four consecutive years, and Cary Reynolds three years running! Woodward ES missed this year but made three of the last four years (contrary to what the Ashford Park PTA would have you believe).
And, yes, I will unapologetically harp about these accomplishments repeatedly in my efforts to overcome the myth about these kids and their schools.
"School size"
Consider this pattern with two 900 capacity ESes at 85% enrollment, one 1200 MS at 85% enrollment, and one HS at 100% enrollment:
Gr Cap/gr Enr % Sch Cap
1st 180 153 85% 900
2nd 180 153 85% 900
3rd 180 153 85% 900
4th 180 153 85% 900
5th 180 153 85% 900
6th 400 340 85% 1200
7th 400 340 85% 1200
8th 400 340 85% 1200
9th 675 675 100% 2700
10th 675 675 100% 2700
11th 675 675 100% 2700
12th 675 675 100% 2700
In a four ES/two MS cluster, you have a region lot of wiggle room where it is needed, and little to none at the cluster HS level.
Worst case, you have 10%-15% under-enrolled ESes that still meet the State minimums or you have two or three portables or modulars at MSes or HSes that are over cap.
In this model, the ESes have an average enrollment of 765, MSes of 1020, and HS of 2700.
Just my thumbnail or bar napkin (I wish!) perspective ...
... and for the record, if we had a target school plant based on this model, we would need 12 high school or barely 1/2 of those we are paying for today.
Ding-dong! That is reality at the door ...
If our Superintendent is courageous, and the BoE visionary, this is what we would see in the 2020 Vision. Any bets?
What would 1/2 the number of high schools mean?
12 fewer principal salaries * $100k = $1,200,000 per year
2 fewer area assistant superintendents * $120k = $240,000 per year
$1.4 million per year in savings ... what could we do with that over time?
These two items alone have a net present value of $13,140,715.07 at a discount rate of 4% over the next ten years.
Yes, there may be some marginal operating expenses that may increase but we have not even started talking about the ripple affects a dramatically smaller number of schools would have on capital maintenance, central office admin associated with plant operations, and many other secondary costs benefits.
Tens of millions PER YEAR in savings ... what could we do with that?
Is this NYC Times article from a year ago a preview of one we'll see in August for DCSS when the 2020 Vision plan is unvealed:
Board’s Decision to Close 28 Kansas City Schools Follows Years of Inaction
It will likely fall short of this drama but we certainly qualify on need ...
Education Secretary Arne Duncan told Congress today that his department estimates that 82 percent of America’s schools could fail to meet education goals set by No Child Left Behind this year. Duncan urged Congress to fix the law before the next school year begins so that the schools and students most at risk get the help they need.
“No Child Left Behind is broken and we need to fix it now,” said Duncan during testimony before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. “This law has created a thousand ways for schools to fail and very few ways to help them succeed. We should get out of the business of labeling schools as failures and create a new law that is fair and flexible, and focused on the schools and students most at risk,” Duncan continued.
No Child Left Behind requires all U.S. public schools to meet annual targets — called Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) — aimed at making all students 100 percent proficient in reading or language arts and math by 2014.
Now most of the high schools are in the 1200-1400 range in capacity, with the range being from 1176-1575 except for Stephenson which is 1665 and Lakeside which is apparently much higher than the official 1314. Right now they have the capacity to close one of Tower/McNair/Columbia.
They are overcrowded in the Southeast part of the county. Avondale was easy as it was far and away the smallest (589 students, 726 capacity). More consolidation will be more difficult to achieve. This round was all easy-and it was difficult to get through.
@ 9:54
I read that article this morning i the AJC.
I'm not a fan of measuring teachers' effectiveness by testing. If anyone needs their performance measured, it's the DCSS administration and BOE. The teachers follow the edicts that are handed down, teach the way they are told, and watch as their class sizes are constantly increased to pay for the enormous non-teaching admin and support staff (currently comprising close to 60% of all employees).
What has been enlightening information that came out of the publication of testing information and staff and salary information is:
1. The comparison of how many non-teaching staff DCSS has compared to teachers over time (non-teaching staff has grown enormously since 2004)
2. The comparison of salary of the non-teaching staff to teaching staff
3. The comparison of non-teaching staff to student numbers (non-teaching staff has increased while the student population has decreased)
4. The inverse relationship the increase in non-teaching staff has had to student achievement (the more chiefs and less Indians has directly and negatively impacted student achievement)
5. The statistics on the subgroup who consistently do not master basic math and reading skills (Students with Disabilities) don't allow us to "hide" their achievement in the overall average
6. Statistics that show a huge drop in standardized test scores when testing is monitored (this is the most troubling - that Title 1 schools' making AYP dropped from 80+% to 50+% when monitoring was installed)
These statistics have "pulled back the curtain" on an ineffective, bloated administration and BOE and led to questions about nepotism and cronyism that have never been asked before.
While the nepotism, cronyism and general ineffectiveness of DeKalb's administration has a long legacy, it has grown to unimaginable heights in the last decade. If not for statistics that expose how they have driven our school system into the ground, we would be a loss to produce the data to show the results of their mismanagement.
While the statistics have been misused to bludgeon teachers over the head, if the taxpayers place the blame where it truly lies - with the school leadership - then this data may yet prove to be valuable to us and to the students.
Here is the article:
82 percent of US schools may be labeled 'failing'
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/82-percent-of-us-866587.html
I say it is time to eliminate the DePartment of Education.
@ Anonymous 10:52
"I say it is time to eliminate the DePartment of Education. "
I don't think we can lay all the DCSS woes at the feet of the Department of Education. At least we now have the data that has allowed us to "pull the curtain back" and see the nepotism and cronyism that has been the DeKalb School system for years. I for one am grateful that we have the data to measure the effectiveness of the DCSS leadership. The question has become - what do we do when we see this leadership has led us to decreasing student achievement with associated increasing cost?
No new maps yet, but they have posted a detail explanation of the changes from the board meeting.
Part of Avalon ES got split-feeder, going to DHHS and DHMS instead of Towers. Looks like unincorporated Dekalb between Decatur and Avalon Estates.
Looking at the maps, for all the jokes about Falfalel King and the Fernbank 4, there actually is a neighborhood off Clairmont with a large number of pre-school children that probably doesn't realize they have been moved out of the Fernbank zone.
All of Avondale ES will go to DHHS, all of Midway ES and Knollwood ES will go to Towers.
The change sends moves some students that were being reassigned to Knollwood and the Towers cluster to Avondale and the DHHS cluster with Memorial Drive being the boundary between the two.
I could see those numbers at Lakeside as many of the students do not take Math I or Math II. My son for instance had Advanced Geometry and Advanced Alg. II his freshman year and as a junior he is taking AP Cal. There may not be that many of their students taking Math I and Math II. This would be interesting to look at also. I know the parent pushed hard at Lakeside against the Math I and Math II and wanted the old system to continue. My son has continued on the old system and we are very happy with our decision.
Ella, the opportunity for LHS freshman to double up on math to stay on the old track was only offered to your son's class. The vast majority of the current 9 & 10 graders are in Math I and II. There may be a few 10th graders that are in regular math but that isn't the norm.
Regardless of the school system, to only hold teachers, and occasionally principals, accountable is just plain crazy.
In every case, these folks have superiors who are making all the decisions. It is mind boggling why politicians refuse to address this issue.
This year's 11th graders are the first "year" of "new" math -- they are in math 3 unless they had "problems" and are in some remedial program or were "advanced" into the old doubled up program Ella is speaking of and are still on old math (there are some issues cropping up because some of the high schools don't have advanced offerings beyond AP Calculus for these kids for senior year next year). The 10th graders (my middle guy & his friends) are in Math 2 or, if accelerated, they are in Accelerated Math 3... that is their only option.. no old math available. My 8th grader is in Accelerated Math 1 and I'm currently looking to "advance" him into Algebra II+statistics for next year (returning, kind of) to "old" math but I understand that, currently "the state DOE hasn't approved the shift back to the "old" "modified" curriculum" that the "survey" spoke about so we are still in limbo -- my fear is that the Accelerated math 1s go to geometry so the acceleration is "gone" (calculus will be in 12th grade -- which is "normal, gifted") and there will be no plan for algebra in 8th grade (which is also "normal, gifted) so it will be a huge step backwards....
@2:47 - what neighborhood are you referring to on Clairmont that has been moved out of Fernbank and into BriarVista? Just curious. You may be surprised to know that a lot of Clairmont from I85 down to close to the railroad tracks at Desmond goes to Sagamore Hills.
@anon 2:47 -
"Looking at the maps, for all the jokes about Falfalel King and the Fernbank 4, there actually is a neighborhood off Clairmont with a large number of pre-school children that probably doesn't realize they have been moved out of the Fernbank zone."
What are you talking about? There are no maps posted.
Maps are posted but are hard to find. You have to go to the DCSS website and find the list of news on redistricting and click the link there to see the changes. The maps are embedded into the text in that section for each area changed. It's on this page if the link works.
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/redistricting
It is in the section titled Modifications to Superintendent's Recommendation.
@7:36, 7:51
I haven't seen new maps, but that section hasn't changed. The neighborhood is relatively new and tucked in near Mason Mill Park. I took a wrong turn one time and drove through there. It seemed like almost every house had small children playing in front.
@Kim 1/11. 12:32
I read the NYT article you cited and this paragraph struck me (pow!):
In 2006, the Council of the Great City Schools, a Washington-based coalition of the nation’s largest school districts, produced an extensive analysis of what was going wrong in the Kansas City schools. It concluded that the board wasted too much time on administrative trivia, its instructional program lacked “cohesion and forward momentum” and it had “no machinery” for intervening when students fell behind.
Does the DCSS Board have any "machinery" for intervening? Clearly many many students have fallen are are falling behind.
The maps I saw on "modifications" were not new. They were just links to the old superintendent's map. They do explain the changes by referring to sections of the superintendent's map.
@ DeKalbparent
"Does the DCSS Board have any "machinery" for intervening?"
This is what Ms. Berry and the Office of Improvement is supposed to be doing with that $128,000,000 of federal funding.
Who else would like to see a breakdown of exactly where that money is going?
^Anon,
The Board directs the Superintendent, and the Superintendent directs everyone else (including the Office of School Improvement). This doesn't satisfy me as good "machinery". It strikes me as "machinery" that has a lot of parts, where any number of things can get in there and gum up the works.
Yes, I would like to know where the money goes.
I would also like a tracer put on the money from athletics and the money from renting out the old DSA and Open Campus buildings on N Druid Hills Rd.
We keep posting how Title I schools are failing and confusing AYP with the actual student performance. If you go to the Georgia Deapartment of Education website and look at the report card for DeKalb you will find that Title I students have a conistent pass rate on the CRCT with the exception of math which is hitting everyone. Grades 1 to 8 show a mixture of improvement in every other subject or in some case a decline of 1%. In some cases math even improved. However, although the test scores remain the same or slightly improved the per centage who must pass to make AYP has increased each year since AYP was inaugerated. Complaining about schools making AYP is a useless exercise. Even the US Secretary of Education predicts that soon up to 80% of all schools in the US will not make AYP. What we are doing in Title I is treading water-many more students make it through school because of extra Title I support. More is needed. To suppose that all that is done now is wrong would be to throught the baby out with the bath water.
The new maps are posted
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/redistricting/attendance-areas-approved-elementary-schools-map.pdf
high schools
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/redistricting/attendance-areas-approved-middle-and-high-schools-map.pdf
@ anonymous 4:20
"We keep posting how Title I schools are failing and confusing AYP with the actual student performance."
AYP is extremely important. All those NCLB transfers are putting many students in trailers and the overcrowding in the few high schools that made AYP is unsustainable. Are you a teacher who has all the increased paperwork that comes with not making AYP? Obviously not.
You do understand that making AYP is actually based on CRCT, EOCT, and GHSGT scores - right? So it's totally incorrect to say that AYP has nothing to do with scores. AYP has EVERYTHING to do with scores. That is the definition of AYP.
DCSS Title I schools are failing to make adequate yearly progress at a rate that NO other school system in the metro area is experiencing with the exception of Atlanta Public (who has a slightly higher pass rate than DCSS). You need to compare us with other counties. Clayton with 100% Title schools had 80+% pass rate for the last two years. They have the same CRCT, EOCT, GHSGT, etc. standards DCSS has. If you say DCSS is progressing, the scores say ALL of the other systems in metro Atlanta are seeing much GREATER progress.
The most disturbing fact is that like APS, DCSS had a "pumped up" made AYP rate of 80+% until the testing was strictly monitored last spring. Then it dropped to 50+%. This is almost identical to APS.
Clayton and Gwinnett stayed the same 80+% made AYP rate before and after monitoring.
Don't blame the DCSS teachers. They have followed all the edicts of the Central Office. The Office of School Improvement has spent hundreds of millions in scripted learning programs and non-teaching "Coaches" that drain the classroom of planning and instructional time and have forced teachers to use strategies that do not work.
This department needs a new director that can make the educational decisions that work for our students in Title I schools. Audria Berry needs to be replaced - lawsuit or no lawsuit. Her job is to ensure students in Title 1 schools make Adequate Yearly Progress. Her performance is based on this, it is woefully lacking, and Ms. Tyson has the data to prove it. When does someone in the administration and the BOE hold her and the other members of the Office of School Improvement accountable?
@ 4:58 pm
"Audria Berry needs to be replaced - lawsuit or no lawsuit. Her job is to ensure students in Title 1 schools make Adequate Yearly Progress."
Agreed. Dr. Berry's failure to perform is Ms. Tyson's failure to perform since she keeps her in place. Does Ms. Tyson realize that her #1 job is ensuring student achievement and student achievement is based on schools making adequate yearly progress? Closing schools, building schools, cutting the budget - none of this matters if she can't bring about an increase in student achievement. Ms. Tyson's personnel decisions are what make or break our students.
Ms. Tyson has the data to straighten out the Office of School Improvement. She needs to use that data to get a Director in the Office of School Improvement that will make decisions that move our Title 1 students forward, not backward.
@9:52 Those kids off Mason Mill go to Sagamore Hills currently. They will be going to Briar Vista now.
I realized today that I made an omission in my numbers above. I left out Kindergarten! This makes it look even more reasonable.
The two ESes per MS, and two MSes per HS looks good to me.
Gr Cap/gr Enr % SchCap
K 150 128 85% 900
1st 150 128 85% 900
2nd 150 128 85% 900
3rd 150 128 85% 900
4th 150 128 85% 900
5th 150 128 85% 900
6th 400 340 85% 1200
7th 400 340 85% 1200
8th 400 340 85% 1200
9th 675 675 100% 2700
10th 675 675 100% 2700
11th 675 675 100% 2700
12th 675 675 100% 2700
we've all been complaining about Ms. Tyson not letting anyone in administration go, including Ms. Berry. I think I have this right (but I'm not certain). RT took over in April 2010. Contracts came out in March 2010 (I think also for administration). RT thought at the time that she was only signing on for a "short walk in the park" and that she was treading water temporarily. We are now a year later and it has become very clear to everyone, including RT, I'm sure, that this wasn't so short or temporary and that she is now in charge of the contracts this go round. So now we shall see what she does with them -- I'm not sure she had an opportunity to do something with them a year ago. I just saying...
@6:23
I was basing my comment on the district's "change" map which makes it appear the area south of Druid Hills Rd. along Clairmont is part of the Fernbank area moving to Briar Vista. Looking back at the map which shows 2010-11 lines I can see that you are correct. That is Sagamore Hills currently.
What exactly is the "administration" making teachers do that is ineffective? If you are not an America's Choice school- I am really curious to know if other schools have scripts.
Other schools don't have scripts, but what DCSS acts them to do is not effective. I only have elementary examples, as that is where I taught.
Example 1: The past 4 years of elementary math have been change after change after change. Teachers were not properly trained to teach using the Math Expressions curriculum as they were given training by teacher trainers who were trained by someone from a district person who were trained by someone from Harcourt/Math Expressions. The trainings were watered down each time with less and less time given to training. Expressions is great, but a teacher needs to understand how the program is set up and have sufficient time to gather materials and learn the whys and hows themselves. You see Expressions requires elementary teachers to understand why they are asking the children to do something, which is not usually understood by most elementary teachers, nor do they really care.
2. Benchmarks in elementary school that were poorly written, not even on the topic that you were required to teach, riddled with errors and difficult to print out-so much paper is wasted. They don't give a teacher the information that benchmarks are intended to give-do my kids understand this. The data is poor and should not be used for any type of analysis.
3. Being data driven is good, as I learned about using data to drive instruction when I was earning my masters in 1994-1996. However the data that one uses needs to be quality data. Information from the CRCT is not quality, as students can make a passing score and in reality make a 50%. There really is very little reliable data for teachers to use to influence instruction.
4. Not allowing zeros and giving students umpteen times to complete work. When I was growing up, I was give a due date (even in elementary school with projects) and that is when they were due. I could turn them in early, but when they were late or not turned in at all there were consequences. When I earned a zero on a test, I was shown the material, but there were no do overs. I earned what I earned and that was it-unless the majority of the class failed and that meant that teacher didn't do as good of a job as she had thought. We fail our kids by not giving them the grade that they earn and by allowing multiple times to complete work for a grade.
5. Lack of discipline. Schools are riddled with administrators who know that they will not be backed up by higher up administrators if they try to make students accountable for their actions. Many parents now a days do not want their children to be held responsible for their actions either. We wouldn't want to hurt someone's self esteem. The problem with this approach is that we have children (and parents) running our schools. I learned to have a positive self esteem by working hard and making good, positive decisions. We are failing our students when we allow them to do what they want and disrupt the educational process for those that truly want an education.
6. There have been so many problems with administration not doing the right thing, what kind of role model is this for children? Some are facing law suits, while others received a slap on the wrist and were given demotions, while others have had nothing happen. Children also learn that it's not what one knows in DCSS, but who they know-a message that is partially correct in real life, but I would say that it's what you know more and who you sometimes that helps one.
FWIW - here's a question to consider. Do you all think the consulting firm (MGT of America) was a good one? Do you think they did a good job? Do you think they were honest, credible and hard-working? (I do.)
So then, in digging back into the Heery-Mitchell case, I found this --
MGT of America in a May 2005 audit reported that "an overall on-time and within budget completion in the face of a nearly 20 percent funding shortfall is evidence of the professionalism and experience of the Heery/Mitchell Joint Venture."..."The [school system] is to be commended for hiring a competent agency representative," MGT concluded.
Lewis wanted Rubino & McGeehin of Bethesda, Md., to become the new auditor, and its 2006 report was highly critical of Heery/Mitchell, although it did not accuse the companies of fraud. (The state also issued a report on an audit available at this link.)
Now, isn't that interesting?
Here's the post on the subject:
So, how is the civil case between DCSS and Heery Mitchell coming along?
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