USD 500 does an EXCELLENT job and these results need to be qualified. Some of these schools have Spanish speaking populations exceeding 80%.
These teachers have a terrific challenge. ME Pearson scored low here, but I can tell you it is a building full of wonderful teachers and students. Every student there will leave that place much better off than when they arrived and they will be prepared for Junior High School.
The scores do not tell the whole story.

Actually that's pretty pathetic. There is no excusing the fact that the test results show that in many schools only 25-30% of kids are able to meet an objective standard. I have a son that was in Welborn last year and is now in Eisenhower. He was and is at the top of his class. I am even more impressed with that fact considering these scores indicate just demonstrate the sytematic incompetence in this district. In any other industry, success 30% of the time would result in the management being fired. Here, it is considered a major accomplishment. Maybe if the teachers actually TAUGHT 5 days a week instead of 4 1/2, maybe if they didn't have in-service days every other week, maybe if they didn't waste time separating kids by the way their skin matches a paper bag, and instead focused on actually teaching, then maybe they could have better results.

I will say one thing. The schools are moving in the right direction. And for that they are to be encouraged. But the district should be embarrassed by these scores, and should either work to continue to improve or else refund each household our tax dollars for services not rendered.

Well Michael I agree with some of the things you say however have to disagree with one major tenant of your argument. The district is actually succeeding at an 80% rate. By using the percentile method of ranking, half of all student WILL finish in the lower 50 percentiles. Thus the district actually succeeded in those students being where they should have finished. Obviously the 30% who finished above the 50th percentile is also a success thus leaving only 20% of the student body finishing in a place other than would be normally expected.

The benchmark for success is much different for a child from a poor new-immigrant family versus Michael's son. That is why I hate it when test results are released carte blanche to the biased pundits.
This is a school district that covers a large segment of an urban core of a major metropolitan area.
They have challenges that are unimaginable and they perform extremely well.
I see these teachers in action, I see their smiling faces, I see their dedication.. I see an administrative office that distributed 6000 laptops..
Nope. I do not agree that they are underperforming. I think they are excelling.

I have an issue when they put such a great emphasis on test scores. There are many children and adults as well that are very smart in school but are just poor test takers. They can get straight A's in class but get an F on a test. I have seen that happen many times. They get nervous when taking tests, or their minds just go blank. I don't pay that much attention to test scores. I don't think it is a fair way to judge the true performance of the children.

We need vouchers! So we can educate our children they way we see fit. Take charge of your children.

Fred, you state we need vouchers? Are you meaning vouchers so non-Catholic children can go to Cahtolic school's and to private schools? Vouchers to help pay tuition? I am comfused would you mind clarifying for me?

Thanks.

Vouchers to go anywhere you want. Pay tuition.

Freedom!