KY school test scores results are out. They are pathetic

[ukalumni00]

A lot of the problems start at home. Many of these kids simply are not coming from solid family foundations. Add in many teachers who simply are not very good at their jobs or are handcuffed by the system and its a recipe for issues.

Going back to my days in "the system" my parents were not really involved in my school life. Cared what grades we made but did not really push us to do better and never got involved by meeting with our teachers, etc. Had many teachers who simply did not give a crap. Had one that all she did was put in movies and read her book. Come test time we were allowed to do group tests. Loved it at the time but learned absolutely nothing about Math which came back to haunt me during ACT time as well as college. Had other teachers who really did not know the subject they were teaching. Other hand, had some teachers who were very good. Knew their stuff, cared about their students, etc. Did not make it seem like it was their job, but more of a passion.

 

[cole854]

Ignorant fits better...too ingrained on social media, extracurricular activities, lack of focus on career/direction, parents who aren't family oriented, etc.

...or stupid.

 

[funKYcat75]

It doesn’t.....moving to charters makes everything easier.

How? Explain.

 

[KendallCat]

When you are the state with the most inbred citizens, lowest literacy rates and poorest counties in the country, you likely aren't going to compare too well to other states on an intellectual level.

West Virginia and Arkansas say hello.

SEC! SEC!

 

[krazykats]

How? Explain.

See you are trolling again!

 

[funKYcat75]

See you are trolling again!

Not at all. I want to hear how you think charter schools are the answer. No links. Just your well-informed opinion.

 

[ThroughBlue]

My high school hired a history major as a Spanish teacher because he had been on missions in Spanish speaking countries. We watched House all day with Spanish subtitles.

 

[UnfrozenCatfanLawyer]

My high school hired a history major as a Spanish teacher because he had been on missions in Spanish speaking countries. We watched House all day with Spanish subtitles.

What's Spanish for "It's never lupus"?

 

[gamecockcat]

Legalize marijuana and there is more money for schools and the parents are high and eating Cheetos instead of nodded out on the couch from Xanax bars

Hasn't worked in Colorado. Teachers are woefully underpaid even with the huge amount of legalized marijuana taxes. Built schools and bought iPads for everyone but teachers are choosing other careers rather than start in the mid-30s in a relatively high cost of living area.

The system is so broken. I have no answers to 'fixing it' but throwing more money at a broken system hasn't worked for a long time. Maybe states ought to try something completely different and see if that works. Standardized testing is ridiculous and many school districts spend a majority of their time teaching to the tests rather than teaching concepts and facts that students will actually need to compete in the modern economy.

 

[funKYcat75]

majority of their time teaching to the tests

This is not entirely true. There may be a few places in each state that mess around and do that, but it's a narrative that people have started based on a few bad eggs.

concepts and facts that students will actually need to compete in the modern economy

This is partially true. There is a Common Core that schools are required to teach to in order to try and provide some kind of equity across the nation. That has dumbed down some of the curriculum, but good schools are able to (based on teachers, demographics, parent involvement, programs, etc.) teach that and expand. Those are the schools that are reaching proficiency easily and moving the kids beyond.

So the tests are based on Common Core, and teachers are required to teach to Common Core. If that means 'teaching to the test' then I guess that's technically true to a point, but the fantasy of teachers looking at last year's test results, changing their curriculum so that they only teach exactly what each grade level is going to be tested on, is false.

My biggest issue with all of this is that the accountability system and test have changed 10 or more times since my senior class took the very first KIRIS test in high school. Schools are expected to show growth and make progress on different measures where there might only be two years of reliable data until it all changes again. That's a big problem, and the federal gov't requires reporting of it.

Solution: who TF knows? It's not Charter schools, though.

 

[ThroughBlue]

Hasn't worked in Colorado. Teachers are woefully underpaid even with the huge amount of legalized marijuana taxes. Built schools and bought iPads for everyone but teachers are choosing other careers rather than start in the mid-30s in a relatively high cost of living area.

The system is so broken. I have no answers to 'fixing it' but throwing more money at a broken system hasn't worked for a long time. Maybe states ought to try something completely different and see if that works. Standardized testing is ridiculous and many school districts spend a majority of their time teaching to the tests rather than teaching concepts and facts that students will actually need to compete in the modern economy.

I’m not sure who thought giving kids an iPad meant higher test scores but I hope that person is to not make any more of those type calls.

All it really did was give all these kids access to Snapchat and only God knows what else and now look what we have. A Rise in STDs and child porn

 

[krazykats]

@funKYcat75

If you say so man, and I am aware of some of the downfalls being the finances taken away from public schools to support charter schools, and then possibly charter schools could also cherry pick teachers as well.

That said, I believe if a school was run by individuals meant to treat the school like a business and use the funds in a manner that would allow for financial surplus then you would t have so much wasteful spending.

Secondly, I believe by being able to evaluate teachers performance in an environment which includes student and parent feedback vs test scores then you would get a better understanding of a teachers abilities to educate. At that point raises can be handed out in a charter very differently than in a public school(union) system.

To add to that, students apply to charters so there is no “make room” or “fill the classes” system to hit numbers for funding purposes.

Based on acceptance you are giving qualified kids a chance at possibly receiving a better fit for wducation(and I say possibly because sometimes charters fail too).

This system weeds out the kids with parents who do not care, and allows for more appropriate planning in the schools left with kids who were not accepted or didn’t apply to the charters.

As is we just staff and hope they handle it. When I was in public school we had regular, honors and advanced levels that did the same thing but has since been removed from some schools based on it being bias.

Obviously there is no gaurantee of a perfect system, but I think charters give incentive to operate more efficiently and motivation to have a better institution or “product” for lack of a better term.

 

[funKYcat75]

To add to that, students apply to charters so there is no “make room” or “fill the classes” system to hit numbers for funding purposes.

Based on acceptance you are giving qualified kids a chance at possibly receiving a better fit for wducation(and I say possibly because sometimes charters fail too).

This system weeds out the kids with parents who do not care, and allows for more appropriate planning in the schools left with kids who were not accepted or didn’t apply to the charters.

You're making my point for me. The kids whose parents give a damn, who can provide their own transportation, have the means and ability to afford tutors, see the connection of school to real life, are not the ones who are failing (according to whatever tests they're using to measure it. I've given my opinion on that, and I'd guess we're of the same mind on that subject, sort of.)

That leaves kids who depend on a bus. Whose only guaranteed meals are at school. Who go home to a dark and empty house after school. Charter schools for the most part (there are probably some good ones) could and likely would create an ever bigger gap than already exists.

Now, fill the remaining public school (with less basic funding) with kids who have strikes against them already. No pedagogy or special books and tech will overcome that easily. What experienced teacher will want to work in a place that is set up to fail? Less kids in the district going to public school? Now we're closing buildings. Kids are being bused to their closest open school with other kids whose parents don't or can't work with them.

The charter school fantasy is all hypothetical in the state of KY. Everyone sees these shiny building filled with happy teachers and kids with money rolling in. It's not reality for this state.

 

[krazykats]

Well what can I say, I understand both sides and understand nothing is perfect when teaching kids.

I do understand that in the rural areas it would be too hard for a charter to even get implemented.

But in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Paducah and a few other locations charters would work and help.

My problem honestly is anything the govt runs has too much BS involved and too much wasteful spending.

 

[mktmaker]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/teacher-salary-in-every-state-2018-4

Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin told CBS News that "teachers want more, but it's kind of like having a teenage kid that wants a better car."

 

[funKYcat75]

But in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Paducah and a few other locations charters would work and help.

Maybe, but probably wouldn’t help the kids that need the help the most.

 

[warrior_SW]

-Declare yourself a charter school
Proponent
-sack the education commissioner and replace him with your stooge
-have your stooge gut the accountability system and replace it with something that schools didn’t even know they’d be accountable for this time last year
-create benchmarks that are sure to ensnare half the schools, based on something that nobody understands
-declare that public schools are failing, use test scores to prove it
-profit

This post - as the correct post in this thread - has been completely ignored.

Shock.

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

Ot but lexington citizens should get their property taxes in the mail soon...cant wait to see that 5% increase which goes to "school safety" aka buying ppl at the board mac book pros and hiring more positions there that accomplish nothing.

 

[Joey Rupption]

If you take the supposed charter school advatanges to the extreme: transportation, breakfast in the morning, school during the day w/lunch, after school program with a meal - you soon get to a place where the kids are essentially wards of the state that happen to bunk with the adult that shouldn’t have brought them into this world in the first place. The hater and loser parents, of which there are many, have no one to blame but themselves.

 

[Mashburned]

Ot but lexington citizens should get their property taxes in the mail soon...cant wait to see that 5% increase which goes to "school safety" aka buying ppl at the board mac book pros and hiring more positions there that accomplish nothing.

That's one of the craziest things I've ever seen. Just a blatant and uncontested F YOU to the people. I still don't know how it was legal?

 

[funKYcat75]

That's one of the craziest things I've ever seen. Just a blatant and uncontested F YOU to the people. I still don't know how it was legal?

It is wild. I guess there's some statute in Lexington that allows it.

 

[TheySoSensitive]

The charter school overhaul has failed miserably in Michigan where it was spearheaded. They've actually went backwards as far as educational progress as they continue to shut down public schools.

 

[TheySoSensitive]

That's one of the craziest things I've ever seen. Just a blatant and uncontested F YOU to the people. I still don't know how it was legal?

Sounds like a total crock of sh^t. How does something like that get passed with little to no uproar? I'd never even heard of it until just now.

 

[krazykats]

I have family in Jacksonville, FL that flat out love their charter school. Drive 45 each way to make it happen and are no where near well off.

I know of others that really like it as well......so it really depends on the founders and those in charge I’m sure.

I just personally feel anything is better than what we do here in KY now.

 

[Mashburned]

Sounds like a total crock of sh^t. How does something like that get passed with little to no uproar? I'd never even heard of it until just now.

People are stupid emotional idiots. But mostly this was just politicians seizing the day and taking advantage of that FL school shooting. What are we gonna do to make our kids safe? (as if fayette co schools were unsafe...). Well they came up with a big ol plan that costs X-million and the city council voted on it the very next day. Happened before anybody could have really known about it.

A group of citizens tried to petition to let the general public vote on it, but they failed to get enough signatures. Also, the fayette county school system is stupid rich and has a surplus of 20 million. For what? I have no fn clue, but apparently SCHOOL SAFETY OMGG!!! was not serious enough for them to use their own money on it, which they have plenty of.

 

[EastKYWildcat]

Out of my graduating class in high school, I bet 10 of us truly gave a shit about our grades.

 

[Joey Rupption]

Out of my graduating class in high school, I bet 10 of us truly gave a shit about our grades.

You gotta be kidding, EastKY Wildcat.

I personally feel anything is better than what we do here in KY now.

False, we’re doing great up here in Boone and Campbell.

Is this further proof that NKY really is better than the rest of KY? YOU MAKE THE CALL!

 

[cricket3]

My high school hired a history major as a Spanish teacher because he had been on missions in Spanish speaking countries. We watched House all day with Spanish subtitles.

Never thought I’d see a Nate Britt reference.

Nate: I got a job teaching Spanish.
Me: You speak Spanish?
Nate: Nope, and I’m coaching tennis.
Me: You didn’t play tennis did you?
Nate: Nope.
Me: Alright, go Panthers.

 

[ThroughBlue]

Never thought I’d see a Nate Britt reference.

Nate: I got a job teaching Spanish.
Me: You speak Spanish?
Nate: Nope, and I’m coaching tennis.
Me: You didn’t play tennis did you?
Nate: Nope.
Me: Alright, go Panthers.

Didn’t want to name drop lmao

 

[morgousky]

The problems will never be fixed until people realize the federal government cannot control education. Governments are only in the business to promote propaganda for self interest. Giving the government full control over education IS the problem.

My kids go to a private Christian school. I’m lucky in that regard. Most of my friends have children that learn little and they are blown away at the amount of knowledge my four year old has. For example, at our school, they start Spanish at 4 years old. He already knows Spanish words and colors, many simple verbs, and can complete some Spanish sentences. At four years old he’s already naming our first presidents and original colonies. He’s also well ahead in math and English.

Public schools do not TEACH because the government doesn’t want them to. But the teachers aren’t held accountable either, because the government has allowed them to fail without consequence. It’s a two sided sword.

In my hometown, the public schools are a wreck. Sexual assault on the girls happen routinely. There is no discipline. There is no Saturday school, or ISS. The government and the ideologically run system itself has created an environment that is totally unstable.

And then people wonder why.

My children will never go to public schools because they’re terrible and I feel for kids that are disadvantaged and have to.

Btw, I was a high school teacher for 7 years. Both of my uncles were public school principals, and my mother and mother in law were both English teachers, both with masters degrees. The problem isn’t so much the teachers even though they are a problem too. You aren’t allowed to really teach anymore. The DOE has destroyed that ability.

 

[the nail at the foul line]

 

[BlueRaider22]

View embedded media

Good stuff. After Katrina, Charter Schools opened all over New Orleans.

I have read much about Charter Schools and 90% of it is positive. After Katrina, Charter Schools opened all over New Orleans. Within a few yrs scholarship and test scores went through the roof. Areas that used to produce rubbish started to flourish. By far the negative comments I’ve heard about them come from Public School teachers/admin......and the info isn’t really backed by good information. It just comes across as negative born out of fear of change and difference. It’s threatening to them and their livelihoods.

 

[ThroughBlue]

When will people (liberals) realize injecting government into everything (anything) usually doesn’t work

 

[buckethead1978]

Where (state) and when did you teach HS? What subject? And how did the federal government impact you in the classroom?

 

[WalkersGoggles]

Majority of the time it’s parent failure

 

[Creed Bratton]

Volunteered only. Have no idea as to what the underlying problem with the test scores are. Would like to hear if current curriculum, student to teacher ratio, problems from home, etc.

Yes, Yes and Yes

 

[Mashburned]

How are a lot of these districts in KY supposed to perform when they have mountain lions out there roaming around? Nobody will talk about that.

 

[LordEggForgotHisPassword]

there are lots of central office staff doing shit for children.

 

[UKBrassowTipIN]

The problems will never be fixed until people realize the federal government cannot control education. Governments are only in the business to promote propaganda for self interest. Giving the government full control over education IS the problem.

My kids go to a private Christian school. I’m lucky in that regard. Most of my friends have children that learn little and they are blown away at the amount of knowledge my four year old has. For example, at our school, they start Spanish at 4 years old. He already knows Spanish words and colors, many simple verbs, and can complete some Spanish sentences. At four years old he’s already naming our first presidents and original colonies. He’s also well ahead in math and English.

Public schools do not TEACH because the government doesn’t want them to. But the teachers aren’t held accountable either, because the government has allowed them to fail without consequence. It’s a two sided sword.

In my hometown, the public schools are a wreck. Sexual assault on the girls happen routinely. There is no discipline. There is no Saturday school, or ISS. The government and the ideologically run system itself has created an environment that is totally unstable.

And then people wonder why.

My children will never go to public schools because they’re terrible and I feel for kids that are disadvantaged and have to.

Btw, I was a high school teacher for 7 years. Both of my uncles were public school principals, and my mother and mother in law were both English teachers, both with masters degrees. The problem isn’t so much the teachers even though they are a problem too. You aren’t allowed to really teach anymore. The DOE has destroyed that ability.

Yep. The problem never really is the employee in govt jobs..its the framework they are put into. Govt jobs are shit bc they have no incentive or structure to be efficient...if stating open depended on it, they would..but like all govt entities when you receive the same amount of money from the govt to operate regardless theres no reason to change.

I went to public school and really learned nothing at all, was completely unprepared when I went to college. So I think the household I was raised in is what really made the difference.

 

[backbeatcat]

Fayette County amongst the stupidest. Kentucky Education Commissioner offers many excuses in this linked article.

https://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Not-a-lot-of-positives-in-new--494347721.html

I overheard something that I very rarely hear the other day: a parent holding their child accountable for their progress in school.

I overheard a conversation where one parent said (paraphrase) "If my kid brings home a C they have no business playing sports so I pull them. I don't need the school to pull them for me."

The other parent said in response "That's right, the academics are the number one thing and everything else is options you get if that is in order." I think this is what parenting is all about. Kids need for their parents to help them understand how important academics are and make tough decisions to create incentives for success. Extra tutoring should replace video game time if the kid isn't learning. At least at my daughter's school there is after-school tutoring FOR FREE. And sadly these are the parents I see more often instead:

"That school isn't teaching him anything." (Your kid isn't making an effort. You aren't owning this problem)
"I didn't need to know that stuff so why do they make you learn it?" (If you don't value education they won't)
"Teacher better give him at least a D so coach doesn't sit my kid! Way to go champ! Another touchdown and 80 yards rushing!" (Sports are games and academics are survival)