If the General Assembly's purpose was to design a school grading system that would damage the morale of teachers and principals doing great work at some of our toughest schools, they could hardly have done better. As the school grades are reported, the level of concern from parents rightfully is noted. Many, without knowing the details and the ‘ins and outs’ of what the data reflects, are confused by the grades the schools receive. For most of us, a letter grade defines quality without explanation. Food for our families must be a grade A. Anything else we don’t serve. Restaurants under a “B” tend to not have many customers. And, if it was that easy to understand the grading system used for our schools, it would be easy for us to assess how good our schools are. The problem is that the school grades are currently based at 80% of the students adjudged as being at or above ‘proficiency’ at their grade level. 20% is awarded for growth. So, if 100% of the students in a school achieved or exceeded their expected growth in a year, you would expect them to receive a good score. If only 50% of those children were proficient, yet made growth that score is lower. And a school that is tagged as not being proficient will never be able to raise its grade, as the growth is factored at a decreased level. Additionally, there is a significant relationship between income/poverty levels and school grades. Over 98% of schools receiving a failing grade have a student population where more than half receive free or reduced lunch. 94% of the schools that received a “D”, a majority of students qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program. With eighty percent of the calculation of a school’s grade based on student proficiency and only 20% based on growth and improvement, it’s unlikely that a school could ever achieve a higher grade. As the spouse of a Johnston County teacher, and the parent of a Johnston County student, I am well aware of the demands that a successful teacher must meet. The amount of personal time that is not compensated is truly staggering. In no other profession, save that of the military, are the two concerns of Mission First, People Always so evident that they require service above and beyond the pay check. In all the years I’ve been part of the education family, I’ve never known a teacher who went into a classroom, at any time, who was determined to fail to teach and therefore not provide their best for those students who wanted to learn. Yes, according to the folks in Raleigh who, by their budget priorities tell us how little they value educators and public schools, our schools do face challenges every day. They are not failing schools, nor are they failing our students. As a proud product of public education in NC, I am appalled at the outright disdain shown by the NCGA towards teachers and public education, as well as their choice to not fund public schools as they should be funded. I urge those parents with concerns to visit the schools your children attend, and invest longer than a 5 minute drop in visit there.
Well said! I hope folks don't just look at the grades and pass judgement. The amount of growth that is achieved means much more to me as a parent and teacher!
We must acknowledge, we must recognize that the public school image that many of us have – of students in neat rows, reciting multiplication facts, all engaged at the same level of proficiency- is a distant memory, not accurately remembered. At any point in time, a teacher may have students with several levels of capability and learning needs- all of whom need to be served. How does a teacher differentiate the lessons of the day for all students? The educational requirements for today’s market are substantially more technical and difficult than at any time in the past. Many of the jobs and technologies that our children will encounter have yet to be invented. If we merely require that they be able to regurgitate facts, but not be able to adapt and apply their learning, society has failed them. To teach what needs to be taught, to learn how to think, not just what to think, requires a significant investment on all our parts – legislators, educational professionals, parents, and citizens alike. Our next generation of physicians, scientists, farmers, technicians, teachers, and leaders are in our classrooms now. If their education is slighted, the outcomes will be far less preferable than if we had dedicated our all for education. And, yes, Title 1 schools do receive a slight increase in funding to try to offset those issues. What additional funding cannot do, though, is replace the parenting that is absent when both parents are wage earners, often unable to attend parent teacher conferences, school meetings, and frequently, unable to be a part of a student’s homework and study. Money does not, never has been able to, nor or ever will be able to reproduce the outcomes on children that the presence of both parents offers. We must also consider the fact that not every student in our schools is fluent in English. The minimal services that are available to remediate that just do not meet the incredible need for those services.
Sadly, that is the reaction that I am hearing. Elected officials are demanding an explanation..as if any lack of success was by the design of the teacher and the school. It seems to me that the elected officials are attempting to have their cake and eat it, too by remonstrating and demanding answers, without having gotten fully (AND I MEAN FULLY) involved in the funding and operation of schools. It's easy to take pot shots. It requires much more to roll up sleeves and actually get into the fight. I fear that this internecine battle tactic - to blame the educators and have them blame one another - is just another strategy applauded by those who seek to eradicate public education. I'd be more inclined to support an elected leader who stands up and says, "Whether it happened on my watch or not, I'm going to lead the repair!" and does so, rather than hiding behind a minimal involvement with school only when a good press photo op presents itself.
