Government Education Fails Again - GA CRCT Results Dismal
The preliminary results of the Georgia CRCT tests are out and they are dismal. But, not to worry, there are plenty of excuses! The state school superintendent, Kathy Cox, says a major reason is the curriculum and expectations changed so a “dip” was expected.
This needs to be put into perspective. In 2000, Georgia abandoned long used testing designed to measure how well the kids were being educated in favor of a test specifically designed to test only the specific curriculum taught in Georgia government schools. Then the state curriculum was fine tuned to specifically teach the things expected on the test.
In other words, the test was dumbed down and then the curriculum was changed so they teach to the test.
Now, that is pathetic enough but it gets much worse.
All rising government school 9th grade students are required to pass the CRCT at the end of their 8th grade year. Notice, the criteria is pass and the definition of pass is very generous.
Now, if you are teaching to the test and testing to the teaching you’d think this would be a slam-dunk right?
Only 60% of the Georgia government school 8th grade students passed the CRCT. The ones who failed will be given the opportunity again to take the tests after attending summer school. But, hey, not to worry if you still don’t pass after that because they can go on to 9th grade with special permission.
This 60% pass rate was for math and science.
Yet, that is not the end, nor the worst part of the story.
The results of the social studies tests given to 6th and 7th graders was worse. Only 20% - 30% of the 6th and 7th graders passed.
Only 20% - 30%. Is it any wonder we have kids who are so poorly prepared to take their place as citizens in this once great republic called the United States of America.
But all is well, they are already looking for scapegoats…
Cox said new standards and a new curriculum are partly to blame and she’s asked a group of education specialists to figure out what has caused such poor performance.
The guv better be careful, the movie ‘Idiocracy’ may not be that far off…
Instead of putting down the people educating your kids you should help them. There are so many challenges in trying to educate kids these days. Parents are always looking for teachers to blame. We need more money and more help to educate the kids.
Chrisy,
What makes you think that people are putting down teachers?
You must remember that public schools are government run entities. Guess who controls the public schools. I’ll give you a hint: it is not people (like us) nor the parents.
-Parents are always looking for teachers to blame.
This is a major problem with the guv schools…THE PARENTS!
-We need more money and more help to educate the kids.
If it weren’t for the fact that a sole person with an agenda can force a school board to abandon the values of the founding fathers of this country, the family and the social majority, I might tend to agree with you. Cultural Relativism will continue to be a catalyst in the degradation of the guv schools. As shown by this report.
[...] Government Education Fails Again - GA CRCT Results DismalThe preliminary results of the Georgia CRCT tests are out and they are dismal. But, not to worry, there are plenty of excuses! The state school superintendent, Kathy Cox, says a major reason is the curriculum and expectations changed so …Investing Notes - http://investingnotes.com [...]
[...] Government Education Fails Again - GA CRCT Results DismalThe preliminary results of the Georgia CRCT tests are out and they are dismal. But, not to worry, there are plenty of excuses! The state school superintendent, Kathy Cox, says a major reason is the curriculum and expectations changed so …Investing Notes - http://investingnotes.com [...]
[...] results have many people upset.WCTV - homepage - Headlines - http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines|||Government Education Fails Again - GA CRCT Results DismalThe preliminary results of the Georgia CRCT tests are out and they are dismal. But, not to worry, [...]
Mike,
While I concur that a lot of parents blaming the teachers for one simple reason: it’s easy to point their fingers toward teachers where it doesn’t belong.
Fingers SHOULD be pointing at the guv’ment. It is the guv’ment that controls the public schools. Not the teachers.
Yes, there are teachers who have no business being teachers.
This is among many reasons why I send my children to a private Lutheran school. Parents WORK WITH teachers. We DEMAND our kids to work hard to gain intellectual knowledge as well as taking time to enjoy their own childhoods. We need our children to take care of themselves and be productive citizens. Parents and teachers help divert needed monies into private schools which benefits our children.
Guv’ment run schools do not encourage any of the above. Teachers are running into constant battles with guv’ment run schools. They end up feeling defeated with no thanks to parents who puts the blame on teachers. Parents are the ones who should carry the responsibilities to raise their children, not the teachers.
Although public schools are guv’ment run entities, guess how much money the government are directing towards it’s entities (i.e. public schools)?
Allow me to give you just a small example. Illinois State Lottery was created to direct a large percentage of monies into schools. It was very successful. Until one day, a certain governor decided to change the rules. While I was working for the Lottery, I and other employees were gag ordered not to reveal how much money our ex-governer had “stolen” for other guv’ment entities that were not related to schools nor educational purposes. To this day, our public schools are so pitiful that I’m ashamed to be paying for three cities’ public schools. Because I know my money isn’t going towards any of these cities’ public schools.
We need competition in schools. Which means giving parents the choice as to which schools their children should attend. Why should a child be forced to attend a failing school. BTW, nice picture of Kaulapapa.
Aloha,
Keahi
RE/MAX 808 Realty
877-737-2093
808-737-2093
Money is NOT the problem in the government schoools. The City of Atlanta spends over $13,000 per student per year. That means the “average” classroom costs the city over $260,000 a year. Yet, with that kind of money the education provided is still extremely poor.
So, if money isn’t the problem, what is? Unfortunately, the government schools’ primary purpose no longer seems to be to educate. It appears to be a jobs program fiercely protected by the NEA.
Who is to blame? This might surprise some but ultimately I believe it is the fault of the parents but not for the reason you might think.
It is the fault of the parents because they willingly continue to send their children to these failing institutions. When someone says, “But, I can’t afford private school!” my response is the same…
Do you have a cellphone?
Do you have a car payment?
Do you have cable television?
Do you have a house you can’t afford?
How often do you eat out instead of fixing dinner at home?
How much credit card debt are you carrying?
Yes, I know it sounds harsh, but if you have kids there is no higher financial priority you have than to provide for them. Remember, you had a choice as to whether you would have kids, they had no choice in the matter.
Tim,
Very profound statements and I concur!
While those similar thoughts came to hubby and my minds when we decided to put our children to private school, we made every efforts to skim where we needed the money. We still skim a little more for this year since we still want to avoid monthly payments for tuitions. It’s a good feeling to get them all paid before the school year.
But…..
We didn’t really think about it for other parents who use those excuses why they can’t “afford” private schools. Nor did we think about parents’ fault for continuing to send their children to public schools.
A new thought came to my mind as I write this. College. If majority of the parents are willing to fork out the money for college to “educate” their public schooled children, it is generally too late. Because, by then, grown children are already academically challenged. Certainly creating domino effects.
Note to readers:
No, we are not rich. We planned for our children to go to private school hence we saved money throughout the year for the following year’s tuitions. Hence, our ability to get it paid in full. Of course, we will still have to save money every month for the following year’s tuitions. We will continue to do that every year. It’s like saving money every month for upcoming vacation. It is that simple.
I believe it is next to impossible for some people to understand the financial situation of others when not in their shoes. What some of you call an excuse is another persons reality. When a person says they cannot afford private school, obviously a cell phone or car payment will not suffice to cover the expense.
Also, you assume that “they” spend exorbitantly on these items. The fact remains that some people simply cannot afford to pay property taxes which is supposed to fund public schools (I live in Illinois), and then pay private school tuition, put a roof over their heads, food on the table, and pay for college someday. It is an economic reality.
If you are going to complain about it, which seems to happen quite frequently on the “Real Estate Investment” forum, then at the very least try to offer a reasonable and viable solution.
The main problem that our public schools face at this moment in time is that they were never set up to handle the myriad problems that face students, teachers and parents today. The goal and purpose of public schools is to educate. In order to maintain that singular focus, the model assumes that a number of things are in place. Namely, a safe and stable home environment, two capable parents, a well mannered child who has been taught to respect elders in positions of authority, and so on.
Unfortunately, many public schools are now expected to do much more than simply educate. Many teachers in public schools spend more than 50% of their time trying to discipline unruly children (who may actually only make up a small percentage of the students in the class). The classes are often overcrowded, and they often do not have adquete supplies. Many teachers reach into their own pockets to fill some of these gaps.
There is a percentage of the public school population who are actually homeless, and the only meals they get are the school Breakfast (if they serve it) and lunch. Not to mention the many children who are coming from broken homes, and have parents who can’t or won’t provide for them properly.
Then to add insult to injury, the children who do seem to have conditions at home that would allow them to receive the education they need, have to deal with this other population of students that nobody wants to deal with. If this “problem” population of students existed in the private school, you would see the same problems there.
My opinion is that the solution lies with proper parenting. The problem though is that you cannot “re-parent” grown people who have not had proper parent models themselves, and now have children that they do not know how to raise. So what is the real solution?
In Chicago, the superintendent of schools has proposed a boarding school type of program for students who are essentially in danger where they live. In other words, their environment must be changed in order for them to have a chance at changing their circumstances. This is probably one of the best solutions that exists for children who have no other resources available to them. What this solution realizes is that we now need a new public school model if we want the public education system to actually work. A model devised to fit the American Society from the 1950’s is probably not going to work today. If it could, everything would still be made out of metal, and nothing would be made in China.
You people are supposed to be intelligent, where is your solution.
Also remember that “those people” who use “excuses” for why they can’t afford private school, but then fork over money for college generally can’t afford college either. Anybody ever heard of financial aid, or community college; apparently not.
Brian,
I chuckle when someone tells me that I’m intelligent. Bright, yes. Intellectual, no. Maybe I’m just being modest but in my eyes, one of the most important characteristics is the ability to use one’s common sense.
Many parents fail to use their common sense.
You mentioned about parents who had no role model. My hubby’s father walked out of his family when hubby was 8 years old. He didn’t see his father much. His mother worked as a nurse. He has two older siblings. While it is true that he didn’t have much of any male role model, my hubby turned out very well. Excellent husband and excellent father to our children. Make no mistake, he made the efforts to be the kind of man he hoped to be. So, your theory doesn’t quite hold well.
People chooses their behaviors. People chooses their habits. People chooses their level of responsibilities.
We choose to raise our children as a nuclear family. We also choose to be close to our relatives and make every efforts to get along with our in-laws. We choose to spend our time with our children, not to ignore them. We choose to send our children to successful school, even if it’s a private school. We choose to participate as volunteers at our children’s school.
If we don’t do them then we’re choosing to find excuses why we can’t or won’t do them.
I live in Illinois too. But further south (Springfield). You mentioned that the Chicago school superintendant made a proposal of boarding school. I say—-PHLBBBBBBBBBBBTHHH!
Why did I blow a raspberry? Look at it from my point of view: Talk is talk. But I haven’t seen any action that backs up their words.
Bottom line—-Good parents are those who are familiar with “Action speaks louder than words”.
Debbie,
1. Good for your hubby (I do not mean that sarcastically), he sounds like a great guy.
2. The scenario I laid out for you is not a theory. It is fact. Whether or not the parents choose to be good role models or make excuses for why they are not was not the focus of what I had to say. The main point was simply that the current public school model is not set up to handle today’s problems…period.
3. The “Boarding School” concept that was mentioned was just that, a concept. I only heard it no more than a week or two ago at most on the radio. Considering the financial condition of our state, I would be surprised if such a concept were to ever see the light of day. That again, was not the point. The point was that at least somebody is making a genuine effort to actually solve some of the many problems we have, not just point fingers at them, anybody with a pulse could do that.
4. Your statements and general tone only go to reinforce the condition that I alluded to in the beginning of my original post: you like so many others live with blinders on. Since you can only really perceive life from your own point of view, you can’t understand how or why a rational person could fail to do some really basic things in life.
You make statements like “I achieved ABC…why can’t they?”, but you don’t know what “they” have been through. It is really easy to write people off. Some of them are lazy…some are looking for a handout…but that is not representative of everyone who is in a tough situation. Honestly, I am not always able to relate either. I worked hard in school, went to college, I go to work everyday to support my wife and children, and I expect others to do the same. What I do understand though is that life is not always that neat and clean. “Stuff” happens. I am willing to give people the benefit of the doubt. I believe people do the best they can with what they have.
Brian,
Okay. I see your points. I think I understand your points.
What makes it doubly hard for me to understand is that I have made so many accomplishments since I had scarlet fever/lack of oxygen as a young child which resulted hearing impairment. The society have a hard time labeling me as a “handicap” simply because I defy it.
If I can survive it, why can’t they survive better as normal hearing people?
I know. Totally different subject but related to the “choosing” decisions. Knowing full well that I only have one life to live, I chose to not seek handouts from the society nor the guv’ment. I chose to be an accomplished person. I chose to like myself, etc., etc., etc.
That is what I like about America, the freedom to choose. By golly, I choose to help teach my children to like themselves and be proud of their accomplishments in order to live a healthy and productive lives. That’s my job as a parent and hope for the best.
Debbie,
Wow, I totally understand where you are coming from now. You have overcome some substantial obstacles in your life. To be honest I don’t know why some people don’t choose to have the type of attitude that says “I will overcome”.
What I have realized is that a lot of folks actually do not know that it is a choice that you make, either consciously or unconsciously. There seems to be this feeling of helplessness that I don’t really understand, but I try not to judge. Thanks for your comments.
@Brian:
Actually, most new car payments would EASILY cover many private school options. We are most certainly not rich but my wife and I long ago decided to make the sacrifices required to provide an education for our child. It isn’t the government’s responsibility to parent or educate my kid, it is mine and only mine.
You are correct about the breakdown of discipline in the government schools but 99% of the government schools today are run as indoctrination centers. Which is why the troublemakers can’t be segregated like they were in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
Karl Marx listed 10 things that had to happen for his socioeconomic theory leading to communism to come into being. The very first on the list is for the government to take over ALL education of the children. They don’t have control over all, but they do have control over most because parents are willing accomplices in the indoctrination of their kids.
I am a product of government education and if the government school system today was like it was when I was growing up, my kid would be in one.
But they aren’t.
@Brian:
Brian, I not only offer a solution, I live it! The solution is to do whatever you have to do to meet your responsibility as a parent. If you really can’t “afford it” then you need to be talking to your legislators to get voucher laws passed. You absolutely should be able to take the money the local government spends to babysit your kid and use it at any private school of your choice to get them educated.
Yes, even the hated, evil rich, should be able to that. God, I hope to be one of the hated, evil rich someday.
Tim,
Just a couple of quickies…
1. I haven’t read Marx’s Communist Manifesto, or anything else he may have written, but to call our public schools “indoctrination centers” is a bit of a stretch. Actually it is a huge stretch. For that to be the case there are a couple of things that would need to be in place…
A. A high level of organization from the top levels of administration down to every teacher and worker in the schools.
B. I high level of discipline and commitment to enact the policies that are handed down.
As illustrated in your original post, many public school systems are like your own…they can’t even decide what they want to teach and how they want to evaluate what they are (or in many cases are not) teaching.
In terms of indoctrination, we really don’t need the school system to do that. Our society does that all on its own. Unless you are like those of us who have “unplugged from the Matrix” most people in this country are mindless consumers, which is exactly what our corrupt capitalist structure needs (Please don’t confuse what I am saying to mean that I believe that Capitalism is corrupt…I am referring to the way we run things in this day and age, not how the system is supposed to work).
2. Your solution really is a non-solution for the group of people I am thinking about. Private school in the Chicago Metro area will cost you $10k - $15k per year. That’s not including books, uniforms, and the fundraisers. And yes, this is for K-8, High School will cost more. And no, that is not for the “Upper-Crust” schools, that’s getting you into the average private school.
Now the people riding around with $800/month car payments financed over 8 years certainly could find a better use for those funds. But the folks I am thinking about are living on $15 to $20k per year, and have at least 2 children.
Talking to Legislators is a good start, but it gets nothing done NOW, which is when many folks need a solution. The only other alternative that I didn’t mention before is to simply pick up and move to an area with a better school district. Many people are unwilling to do that, and that is their choice, but their children pay the price.
And before I forget, we do have vouchers and Charter Schools here in Illinois. That actually is a step in the right direction. It probably needs a few more years for the system to grow and provide people with adequate choices.
With respect to your final comment about the “hated evil rich”, here in the Chi-town area most of thier children are in private schools or well-to-do public school districts. So in this area, it really is a huge socioeconomic class issue when it comes to education.
I generally agree with your point about people needing to make the right choices, I just don’t think that it is as black and white as your comments make it seem.
Our school system has been proud of our scores. The difference in our system is that we HOLD PARENTS ACCOUNTABLE. Any problems with students are directly dealt with promptly by teacher/parent communication. We put parents who don’t send their kids to school in jail. Teachers can only mold the clay they are given. Education starts at home. Kids are being taught to fight or play the system by their parents! Indoctrinated into Socialism by the Obama’s of the country. Government only screws things up worse. Put control back into local communties. Teachers are doing a good job. Schools should check teacher’s credentials better before hiring.
[...] I recently opined about the dismal performance of the schools here in GA on the recent standardized … I can’t really express how pathetic this is. I have lived in GA for all but one of the last 40 years! So, I remember when the schools here were able to hold their own against any in the country. I remember when the schools used the Iowa Basic Skills tests to evaluate how well the students were learning. [...]