Emporia USD 253 did not make AYP in the 2009-10 school year and is on watch this academic year.
The Kansas State Department of Education recently released which school districts did not make AYP, or adequate yearly progress, during the September Kansas State Board of Education meeting.
Of the state’s 293 school districts, 82 school districts did not make AYP during the 2009-10 academic year. Of the state’s 1,380 schools, 255 schools did not meet AYP targets.
To make AYP in 2009-10, students in elementary, intermediate and middle schools had to be 82.3 percent proficient in math and 83.7 percent proficient in reading. High school students had to be 76.4 percent proficient in math and 81.3 percent proficient in reading.
Emporia, Lebo-Waverly USD 243 and Chase County USD 284 did not make AYP for the 2009-10 school year.
Emporia
George Abel, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning at USD 253, said the district made AYP in the “all students” category but missed it in subgroups.
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cookatwork (anonymous) says...
I'm not sure, exactly, how these tests work but just from what I've seen with MY children they are based alot of speed - how many words can be read in a minute or how fast they can solve math problems. Please correct me if I'm wrong - I would like to understand how they work. BUT if it's based more on speed - I think the powers that be have things way out of scew. Neither of my kids read super fast and when they try they don't remember what they have read. When they read fast they guess at words and then misunderstand what they have just read. I have a problem with this. Comprehension means more to me than speed. Same with math - the faster they work on the problems the more they get wrong.
October 5, 2010 at 5:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Actually cook, kids are given as much time as they want to complete the tests. That is unless they have changed those tests to add a time limit in the past three years. However, what often happens is that the majority of kids finish early and those who don't finish end up rushing because they don't want to appear as if they are struggling. Kids should be allowed to remain at the computers if they are finished and read a book instead of being allowed to get up and return to their seats. The movement is distracting.
I am sorry to hear that Emporia did not make AYP. It would be interesting to take a look at the lesson plans of those who are teaching the areas which did not make it to see if they are covering state standards. The news article did not indicate which areas those are.
I am guessing that the scores are already available online. By accessing the KSDE website, you can check the local scores by school building. Look for Building Reports. Also, you can see which schools made Standard of Excellence. The list is arranged numerically according to school district in the left hand column.
http://www.ksde.org/LinkClick.aspx?fi...
I see where Southern Lyon County 252 did very well and achieved the Standard of Excellence. That's Olpe Elementary and High School, Hartford, and Neosho Rapids. Well done Eagles and Jaguars!
But I do agree with cook about comprehension being more important than speed.
October 6, 2010 at 9:11 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I know I will probably catch a lot of flack over the question I am about to ask, but here goes .
Is it possible that the kids today are more interested in talking or texting on their cell phone, Ipods, etc., than they are interested in " learning " while in school ?
After all, almost every kid, from the age of 7 or 8 and older seems to have a cell phone, etc., and staring at the screen and working the key board of such a device, than anything else !
JMO
October 6, 2010 at 9:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tosie (anonymous) says...
The fact that cell phones are even allowed on school property is highly irritating. Here's the deal - if you are in school, then you don't need to be calling anybody. Your parents know where you are at and you are there to learn. If you have an emergency go to the office and use the phone! Get offline for a few hours, ok?
Technology has completely swallowed up our kids, leaving them without the ability to hardly ever have to use their imagination or think outside the box. Plus, they are too worried about texting, being online, etc to pay attention. Whatever happened to RULES? Back in the day ff kids wrote notes to each other in class you got in trouble and the note got taken away and tossed. How about the teacher taking away the cell phone if you get caught with it & you don't get it back until school is out? yep - I'm sure some people don't agree, but that's ok. It's just my opinion.
October 6, 2010 at 9:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
No, not much flack for you from me, methusla. Communication on these devices are proving to be a real problem in the classroom. I have friends teaching in college who say the language of texting has been a real problem in papers turned in.
As far as I know, methusla, those devices are not allowed in testing situations, or in the classrooms at regular schools. But, you and I both know they do sneak them in.
American kids do not seem to be as interested in their own educations as are students from other countries who continually ace them out in scores. Perhaps we should look into the cultural causes. Are Americans too lax in their expectations? All over Asia and India, where many of our medical doctors come from, kids have much higher expectations.
Ever seen a friday night math competition on the 50-yard line?
October 6, 2010 at 9:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
create,
You are 1000%, right on the money !
I got my knuckles rapped many a time in class, for not paying attention and also had to stay after school and " PAY ATTENTION " and I learned very well and appreciate, very much, what my teachers were doing/did for me. God Bless, every one of them !
I remember very well my high school math teacher.
The first day of class, he told everyone that he was there to " Teach " and we were there to learn and if we were not interested in learning what he had to teach us, those of us who felt we already knew everything to know, might as well go and sit in the hall, while he taught those who wanted to learn ! And I learned much from this man .
October 6, 2010 at 10:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I put many a kid out in the hall for disrupting the class. These kids need an audience, and if you remove them from the class, everyone suddenly settles down. Unfortunately, my method didn't always meet with happy parents. A few told me that my class was boring and that's why their kids disrupted it. I informed him that I was employed to teach English not to be an entertainer.
I always did find that most who don't understand the lesson will disrupt the class rather than ask questions or admit they don't understand the concept because that risks their precious standing in the herd.
October 6, 2010 at 12:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I must also say, my parents were very intrumental in my getting an education and learning all I could from my teachers and having respect for my teachers and school/schooling .
As my father dropped out of school in the eighth grade to help on the family farm and he always made me understand that the way to the future was through education and getting all the education you could . And I believe my father was always somewhat ashamed that he did not get anymore formal education than he received, but he educated himself quite a bit and was one of the hardest working, family oriented men I have ever had the pleasure to know ! My mother graduated from Americus high school, sometime in the 1930's and married my father almost immediately and was also very keen on education and family ! I love you both Mom & Dad and will never forget you, even though you have both been gone for some time.
October 6, 2010 at 2:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )