Underperforming Germantown School Misses Testing Benchmark
Neelsville Middle School misses target on state reading test
For yet another year, Neelsville Middle School did not meet its academic goals on the latest round of state tests, according to data the Maryland State Department of Education released last week.
Maryland School Assessments data from 2012 will serve as starting point for revised accountability requirements, replacing the Adequate Yearly Progress system, Patch reported Tuesday.
As part of its academic goal for reading proficiency under the new system, 86 percent of Neelsville’s test takers needed to pass that portion of the Maryland State Assessments, but state data show only 80 percent passed.
The school failed to meet its academic goal for reading proficiency among the school's hispanic students, those who receive free and reduced meals and special education students, the state data show.
There were also a smaller proportion of students who passed math, The Gazette reported last week. Neelsville Principal Lily “Vicky” Lake-Parcan reportedly told the newspaper that test scores were only one indicator of student progress.
Lake-Parcan was hired for the 2011-12 school year after the school failed to meet academic benchmarks for four years in a row, Patch has reported.
In May, the Maryland Board of Education approved restructuring plans for Neelsville that called for replacing nearly half its staff, shifting to an eight-period day and offering the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme by the start of the next school year.
Under the plan, 47 Neelsville staff members would not be back next school year due to restructuring, MCPS Community Superintendent Darryl Williams told Patch in March. The middle school has roughly 97 staff positions, according to MCPS records for 2011-12.
School officials told Patch the hope is that by changing the learning environment — which means bringing in new teachers, offering more training and changing some of the educational programming — administrators would be able to improve the school’s performance.
Bob
9:50 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Lets see, if they follow what the NEA would do, they would give all the teachers a raise, have Martin O'malley there for a photo shoot to show how they are building new democratic voters and blame the republicans, throw more money at the problem until they get 30k per student and still fail and then throw up their hands and blame everyone else but themselves.
You made me laugh!
10:20 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Accepting what you say as true what do you propose? Cutting funding? Keeping the teachers? What?
For my part you have to believe that the parents of the failing students bear a large part of the responsibility. I am not sure how successful any school will be if the home environment does not place a priority on education. As they say reading and writing is fundamental.
Bob
12:27 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Really, so you just outright blame the parents? Sounds like o'malley and the NEA at work. What brings good schools into the "fold". teaching to the test, maybe? the teachers I know say thay already do that, so what do students learn? Sure some parents are hands off, that happens all over. Maybe working with them instead of the "full steam ahead approach". Sure, home environment plays a big part, but isn't it a teachers responsibility to identify "at risk" children and make plans for them. Hmmmm, wasn't done here now was it? Yes, teachers and administrators are part of the blame, sure throwing more money at the problem doesn't work (but seems to be a rallying cry of the misinformed and ignorant). How about teaching, after school programs and having the teachers help those students that are at risk, but to sit back and blame the parentsd alonwe is nothing but ignorance and closed mindedness to the problem. Keep whining, it isn't helping as throwing money and blaming "others" doesn't help.
You made me laugh!
1:37 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
I don't think you understand where I am coming from at all.
I was just really interested if you had a solution that differed from the school districts plan to replace personnel, increase school hours, and introduce a different curriculum. Your initial post did a lot of finger pointing and complaining but very little solution providing.
On my end I do ultimately blame the parents because as a parent of three I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to educate my children. I have no illusion or expectation that someone else is going to ultimately be responsible if they can't read. I model the behavior and the values that I want them to adopt. Anything less is an abdication of your role as a curator of young life. My expectations are the school system will do everything to support my efforts as an involved parent.
Bob
9:32 pm on Saturday, August 4, 2012
You made me laugh, I too have had twins through the school system. The solution talked about on WTOP was moving teachers, yet the problems aren't solved. Blaming parents is only one third, there is the teachers and the NEA. I sat ( still do) with my boys to try to help them, know many teachers that complain about "worthless lesson plans" so I put in a lot of effort. Having expectations about the school is one thing, actually having them follow through is something else.
I'm sorry but I thought I gave several ideas such as individual assistance, differing lesson plans and actually teaching the children something. I don't see where you came up with anything different. Sorry.