tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post724571796848494310..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Statement on the Legislative Session and Capacity NeedsMelissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89151001239391566862015-07-24T13:14:20.767-07:002015-07-24T13:14:20.767-07:00RBHS seems to be caught in a "Catch 22" ...RBHS seems to be caught in a "Catch 22" situation.<br /><br />Oh My -- read the following <br />as it explains that RBHS stays at " F- " for a while.<br /><br />c.<b> A Continuing Priority school is placed into the Lowest 5% tier until a Turnaround Plan has been implemented for three years and the school meets the predetermined exit criteria.</b> These Priority Schools could be showing blue and green cells for the current year and have a good index rating but <b>are placed into the Lowest 5% tier regardless of other performance because the school did not meet exit criteria.</b><br /><br />4. What happens now that my school is in the Lowest 5% tier?<br />Schools placed into the Lowest 5% tier are designated as Priority Schools based on the low academic performance of the All Students group using multiple years of data. The school will work with the OSPI to identify areas in need of improvement and create a school improvement plan<b> aligned with a federal school Turnaround Model or the Washington Synergy Model.</b> Priority Schools are required to implement a Turnaround Model for three years and meet predetermined performance criteria to exit Priority School status.<br /><br />Bulletin - The Federal School Turnaround Models have produced inconsistent results.<br /><br />=====<br />Here is a Turnaround model example =><br />Check Totem Middle School in Marysville received a $2.3 million SIG award.<br /><br />check results - <a href="http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/waslTrend.aspx?domain=MSPHSPE&groupLevel=District&schoolId=2561&reportLevel=School&year=2013-14&gradeLevelId=8&waslCategory=1&chartType=1" rel="nofollow"><b>HERE</b></a> for 8th grade math.<br /><br /><br />This school's math program was praised by LEV in December 2011 =><br /><a href="http://www.msvl.k12.wa.us/in-the-news/levvisitstotemmiddleschool" rel="nofollow"><br /><b>Totem Middle School has solution for Math Success</b></a><br /><br /><i>Earlier this week, LEV staff members visited Totem Middle School, and it’s safe to say we were blown away. With half of the students receiving free or reduced lunch, <b>Totem has been able to do something remarkable – turn around their math scores dramatically in just three years</b>.<br /><br />Just take a look at these statistics:<br /><br />- 2009-2010: 12% of their students took Algebra I in 8th grade <br /><br />- 2010-2011: 45% of their students took Algebra I in 8th grade <br /><br />- 2011-2012: 83% of their students are taking Algebra I in 8th grade.</i><br /><br />Does placing 8th grade students into an Algebra I class indicate accomplishment?<br /><b>The LEV article fails to reference any math scores.</b><br /><br />The student pass rates for 8th grade math MSP have never exceeded 40% and in 2014 dropped to 28%.<br /><br />EoC algebra I pass rates for grade 8 students<br /><a href="http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/EocTrend.aspx?domain=EOC&groupLevel=District&schoolId=2561&reportLevel=School&year=2013-14&gradeLevelId=8&waslCategory=1" rel="nofollow"><b>HERE</b></a><br /><br /><br />-- Dan DempseyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-13334423488055647752015-07-23T14:58:38.023-07:002015-07-23T14:58:38.023-07:00In looking at the 2014 Letter Grades for schools ...In looking at the 2014 Letter Grades for schools <a href="http://washingtonpolicy.org/pages/2014-achievement-index" rel="nofollow">HERE</a>. I am confused.<br /><br /><i>Conclusion<br /><br />A letter grading system gives parents and taxpayers a clear, understandable measure of each school’s performance in serving the learning needs of children. Educators give letter grades to students every day to assess academic progress through the year. In the same way, <b>letter grades for schools would show policymakers and the public how well schools are performing.</b></i><br /><br />But does it?<br /><br /><b>Rainier Beach HS received an " F- "</b> grade for lowest 5% in state<br /><br />but look at RBHS performance over the last four years<br />in the academic performance index.<br /><br />select ESD 123 - Seattle - Rainier Beach<br /><a href="https://eds.ospi.k12.wa.us/WAI/IndexReport/dropdown" rel="nofollow">https://eds.ospi.k12.wa.us/WAI/IndexReport/dropdown</a><br /><br />I see dramatic improvement at RBHS over the last four years.<br />Does that " F- " really tell policymakers and the public how well RBHS is performing?<br /><br />RBHS proficiency by year<br />2011 => 3.94<br />2012 => 4.69<br />2013 => 6.75<br />2014 => 6.54<br /><br /><b>Aki Kurose got a " C "</b><br />2011 => 5.25<br />2012 => 4.94<br />2013 => 5.73<br />2014 => 5.98<br /><br />Why the Governor and legislators thought a single letter grade would tell anything of value about a school beats me. I guess the "Reform Ed lobby" folks told them to do it. So they did.<br /><br />-- Dan DempseyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-71184765375764045422015-07-22T18:58:06.828-07:002015-07-22T18:58:06.828-07:00Some background on the RBHS & Aki Kurose Grant...<a href="http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/eric-pettigrew/house-oks-continuation-of-the-urban-school-turnaround-initiative/" rel="nofollow">Some background on the RBHS & Aki Kurose Grant</a><br /><br /><b>House OKs continuation of the Urban School Turnaround Initiative</b><br />Posted on March 4, 2013<br />Rep. Eric Pettigrew<br /><br />In last year’s supplemental budget, the legislature allocated funds to accelerate student learning and target the achievement gap through research-based techniques in two Seattle schools.<br /><br />Aki Kurose Middle School Academy and Rainier Beach High School, both located in Seattle, received $1 million grants to be spent in the 2012-2013 school year. Each school was required to submit a spending plan for the grant funds, and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction was charged with monitoring the activities of both schools.<br /><br />(and more follows)<br /><br />-- Dan DempseyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-54007393602087248082015-07-22T17:20:55.000-07:002015-07-22T17:20:55.000-07:00I am a bit skeptical.
In addition, funds were sec...I am a bit skeptical.<br /><br /><i>In addition, funds were secured to continue the expiring and<b> successful Urban School Turnaround Initiatives Grant for Rainer Beach High School and Aki Kurose Middle School</b>, thanks to the leadership of Rep. Eric Pettigrew. The grant totaled $600,000 ($400,000 year one and $200,000 year two) split evenly between the two schools.</i><br /><br />Vocabulary question:<br /><b>successful</b> Urban School Turnaround Initiatives Grant<br /><br />Was the successful part that a grant was secured?<br /><br />Or <b>did the grant actually produce some success?</b><br /><br />If so what was the success and how was it measured.<br /><br />====<br />Most of the RttT turnaround strategies did not produce measurable improvement.<br /><br />It is really hard to attribute success to a particular action but it should be easier to find some measure of success. Aki and RBHS seem to be doing better. If so what part did the grant play.<br /><br />-- Dan DempseyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com