COMMENT 330505
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2012-10-11 05:27 PM |
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The results monitoring is working. Keep it up. Nothing like a little bit of sunshine to clean up educational delivery deficiencies.
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COMMENT 330517
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2012-10-11 06:35 PM |
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Our public schools continue to improve and shine. Remember that private schools have zero required tests....they do not have to report any scores to the public. Clearly our public schools are improving, and doing many are doing great. Congrats to the students and the teachers....amazing work!
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COMMENT 330505
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2012-10-11 07:23 PM |
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We pay teachers to teach our students. Too bad it took this level of outside testing scrutiny to finally get them to do the job they should have been doing all along. So they are not failing as badly as before, and this deserves congratulations? I don't get it. Maybe they can all refund the paychecks they took when the scores were so much lower. Obviously now all the sudden they know how to teach when someone is looking over their shoulder; so why didn't they do this all along. What were we paying them to do before?
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COMMENT 330533
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2012-10-11 07:59 PM |
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What has always amazed me about Santa Barbara is that Cleveland and Cold Springs are only a mile & a half away, but they're completely different worlds. Cleveland scores in the bottom 10% of elementary schools in California, and Cold Springs is in the top 10%. I'd love to see a long-term study comparing students from these two schools.
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COMMENT 330549
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2012-10-11 09:20 PM |
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533, it is all about money. Look at how much the parents make, all the extras available at Cold Springs, including all the extra tutoring and lessons given to the Cold Springs kids. Montecito is a much richer district...and everyone knows that where more money is available the kids have more support..... 525-Santa Barbara Public Schools have continued to do well for the past 20 years...where have you been? Your animosity to teachers is bizarre....
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COMMENT 330554P
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2012-10-11 09:38 PM |
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525 - Do you honestly think that teaching to the test, is improved teaching? I preferred the previous way. Everyone knew who the "good" teachers were and it was not the "easy" teachers. Even the kids knew that. I am not a teacher, nor involved in education in any way. Why the animosity toward teachers? All of our futures depend on them. They train tomorrows leaders.
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COMMENT 330555P
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2012-10-11 09:41 PM |
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A few differences between Cleveland and Cold Spring: As of 2010-11 (the latest data available), Cold Spring received $19,500 per student while Cleveland received $8,600 per student. Cold Spring's tested students in 2011-12 were 1% English learner and 0% low income, while Cleveland's students were 80% English learner and 100% low income. There's a great new principal at Cleveland, and her teachers will raise achievement levels there, but it's pretty hard when you have such disadvantaged students and so much less money. It's interesting how dramatically neighborhood demographics can change within short distances, but that's true the world over.
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COMMENT 330505
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2012-10-12 07:14 AM |
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Great idea 555P, let's makes sure all our schools get $19,500 per student like Cold Springs. Of course since Cold Springs is a basic aid district, we need to also make sure all our homes in cost well over a million dollars to generate that basic aid income. That could work. Everyone knows affluent families provide an extra boost for student performance. (See current Univ of Texas affirmative action lawsuit before the US Supreme Court) You are correct 555P we need a better class of more affluent parents and properties if we are to replicate the Cold Springs effect. Or perhaps you are saying we should tax ourselves with additional parcel taxes until all our schools can generate $19,000 per student with 85% of that going directly into teachers pockets. That could work too. That could generate over $400,000 a year in salaries for teachers and staff for each 25 student class. ($19,000 x 25 x 85% going for personnel costs)
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COMMENT 330600P
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2012-10-12 07:58 AM |
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Education in general needs to be rethought. Why teach so much "data" when there's google? Kids need a strong foundation in basic skills (3r's), curiosity, motivation, and integrity. They need to be rewarded for their creativity to encourage innovation. Can these things be taught and tested by a standardized test? Perhaps private schools are "on to something"...
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COMMENT 330620
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2012-10-12 08:55 AM |
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If Cleveland school had $19k per student, they still wouldn't rank anywhere near the top 10%. The kids would still have the same lack of educational support at home.
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COMMENT 330672
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2012-10-12 11:05 AM |
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The comments about Cleveland and Cold Springs are interesting. I do think the biggest issue isn't the school itself, it's the type of life, support and involvement the kids have at home. Similarly, the problem with the high schools and the increase at DP versus the decline at SM and SB is probably directly related to the same issues, compounded by "white flight" of middle income kids and non-english language learners to DP.
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COMMENT 330533
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2012-10-12 12:07 PM |
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I totally agree that Cleveland has a completely different demographic than Cold Springs. An interesting piece is that California gives schools a "Similar Schools Rank" by comparing schools that have similar demographics. Cleveland is in the bottom 30% even among schools that are equally low income, and Cold Springs is in the top 10% among schools that are equally wealthy. We aren't there yet, but I'd sacrifice almost anything to get my kids in a school like Cold Springs.
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COMMENT 330699
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2012-10-12 12:22 PM |
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If you would sacrafice anything to get your kids in a school like Cold Springs, _start now_. Go to the school where your children will be sent. Ask the principal, "where can I help"? Make the commitment. Renew it each and every month. Feel like your talents are wasted in that arena? Tell the principal. Make suggestions. Listen to their critiques. Make the commitment. Renew it each and every month.
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COMMENT 330701
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2012-10-12 12:33 PM |
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I agree with 699. Childrens' success in school has 90% to do with parent involvment (be it at home and/or in school). My sister is a 4th grade teacher in the area and is constantly telling me the exact same thing: it is the parents, not necessarily the school, that influences the child's performance. So, even if your kid is in a "bad" school, they can still excel if the parents are willing to put in the effort to help them. Start by reading every night. If your kids go to after school care while you work, then review their homework when you get home. It's easy and fun to be part of their success.
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COMMENT 330717
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2012-10-12 01:19 PM |
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The scores are an easy way to try and guage the successes (or failures) of each school. However, public education has deteriorated into a school year-long charade of teaching to the test. Instruction is minipulated to ensure the focus is on the results of the test and not the actual teaching of subject matter. We are raising thousands of test takers and ignoring the principles of learning.
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MACSCIDOR
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2012-10-13 05:46 PM |
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An elementary-school-teacher friend (now retired) married a college professor. From the start of school, she set aside *one-hour every evening for each of their two daughters* ... to discuss their class topics and answer questions -- and, there was no change to this nightly schedule -- even when an out-of-town friend stopped by for a short visit! = Very cool. (Grandma lived miles away but designed and sewed wonderful Halloween costumes for the two girls.) [The two girls turned out great.]
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COMMENT 330505
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2012-10-14 08:31 AM |
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When 60% of high school graduates need remedial courses in english and math before they can start college level work, why are teacher unions still protecting the bad teachers in our high schools to continue this educational travesty. Why are they not on the front lines demanding reform from their members so tax payers can get a return on their huge investments in education already. 50% of all state taxes already go to education. And the return on that investment of half of our tax dollars is to turn out 60% of students who are materially deficient in english and math? Why do we put up with this. Why do we keep putting teacher-union friendly legislators in positions to keep this educational rip-off of students going?
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