The Texas Academic Performance Report Essay

Jones felt the best approach would be a cohort analysis focusing in on the current 4th graders, specifically focused on Mathematics. Mr. Jones needs to seek the input of the others in his building. There has been no mention of others involvement. Focusing only on one cohort of students does not give the other grades and subject in some ways makes the other areas feel less accountable for the success of the school as a whole. Mr. Jones did look at the released version of the state test, he made sure his books were aligned to the curriculum and he did have a test to be used as a

Since 1997, the primary tool for teacher evaluation was the Professional Development and Appraisal System better known as PDAS. Due to significant efforts to enhance both teacher effectiveness and “student learning and growth,” the Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) was elaborated (TEA, 2016, p. 3). The T-TESS was designed by educators to support continuous improvement by focusing on “feedback and support,” “moving the mindset away from compliance” (TEA, 2016, p. 3).

“Shrinking state and local education budgets matched with the added pressure of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which sets rigid standards in reading and math that schools must achieve in order to receive federal funding, have created a new challenge for districts” (Van Harken).

If the schools didn’t make AYP for three years in a row, they had to provide free tutoring and supplemental educational service. Everyone involved felt that the NCLB had unsolved issues. (Randolph & Wilson-Younger, 2012). There are teachers that argue that the testing is not fair with the children that are under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Children with individualized education plans are being forced to take standardized test on their grade level and the teachers argue that the tests might be way above where these children are academically. This also includes the children who have English as their second language because they are struggling when they are taking the standardized tests. Additionally, Choi, (Aug. 2012) describes how many schools struggle to meet the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the Act called No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Pressures on the schools to meet the AYP can affect how each school does their testing and teaching policies. While states have been silent, the question has been whether states have a responsibility to intervene.

With this information, a region of schools can compare their results and figure out how well a region is doing in comparison to other regions. However, this is not completely valid due to the difference in assessment in each region. Therefore, they cannot be accurately compared to other regions because of this difference. (Costa and Kallick, 1995)

6. After looking at the data, the grade span and population that should be of most concern to the district is grades 3-5 IEP-special education. The reading proficiency decreased from 57.8% to 46.7% and the mathematic proficiency decreased from 70.2% to 54.1%. This data could indicate there was a change in the special education program that is affecting the instruction of the students.

Facts: Kentucky’s 168 school districts ranked nationally in the lower 20-25% in virtually every academic category. Educational standards throughout the state’s districts were not uniform, and found to disproportionately hinder the academic growth of minority and socioeconomically poorer

Since completing the Agency Observation Checklist, I have taken a deeper look into the district I am currently employed in and the inequities that exist in its policies and practices. South Middle School is part of the Wentzville R-IV School District in Wentzville, MO. Wentzville is about 40 miles west of St. Louis and is considered a suburban city. Wentzville has grown significantly since 2010 and is continuing to rapidly grow. Wentzville School District currently serves close to 17,000 students. There are three high schools, three middle, schools, ten elementary schools, and one early childhood center. I work at South Middle School and have focused my observation and analysis on the English Language Learner structures

High Stakes Testing has been overly integrated in the education systems. High-stakes testing are used to determine grade retention, school curriculum, and whether or not students will receive a high school diploma (Myers, 2015). Since the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001, high stakes testing has become the norm and mandating that students must pass a standardized test before moving up in grade. As a special education director, the focus is to ensure the student’s accommodations are being followed. Accommodations help increase students’ academic performance. “Both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) call for students with disabilities to participate in the general education curriculum and in testing programs to the maximum extent possible for each student (Luke and Schwartz, 2010).” Throughout the years, high stakes testing is becoming more common than ever before. The reality is high stakes testing is one indicator in evaluating children with specific needs. This paper will discuss, the violation of the statutory language regarding assessment based on IDEA, the strategies and goals of a remediation, staff training, common Core and PARCC assessment, and funding for the remediation plan under IDEA.

Of all the males in state and federal prisons, 68% do not have a high school diploma (Amurao, 2013). A disproportionate number of Black male students that are enrolled in special education courses for countless reasons, however, most are for learning disabilities and behavioral issues. A study concluded in 1998 that the placement of African Americans in Special Education the schools enroll disproportionate numbers of Black males in special education. A study completed in 10 cities of disparities of White and African American males in special education and the racial composition of the teaching staff showed that there was a relationship between the number of Black male students that were placed in special education and the number of white teachers in the school system. The cities that were studied had the highest percentage of Caucasian teachers who had the highest percentage of Black students that were identified as special education (Walker,

Purpose: To improve a testing experience for our students to increase the percentage of students meeting the standards of the standardized test.

The first school in the district to present was Bradford Area High School. The principle, Mr. Ray, spoke saying that overall the school scored a 77.9%. The goal he has set for his school is to improve college prep classes, mastery skills in standardized testing, and to continue to revamp the science curriculum since it is the lowest scores on the state’s testing. I feel this could affect me as a future teacher because I would know what I need to work on more with my students. In addition, this could mean more jobs available to college prep classes.

In today’s educational environment, all students expect to receive the same level of instruction from schools and all students must meet the same set of standards. Expectations for students with learning disabilities are the same as students without any learning difficulties. It is now unacceptable for schools or teachers to expect less from one segment of students because they have physical disabilities, learning disabilities, discipline problems, or come from poor backgrounds. Standardize testing has resulted in making every student count as much as their peers and the most positive impact has been seen with the lowest ability students. Schools have developed new approaches to reach these previously underserved students while

Throughout my academic career, it has always been my mission to perform at my best ability. I did this not only for myself, but also for my family and friends who put their faith in my capacity to achieve success. It was my family that raised me to be family-oriented and to give my spare time to those that may need my help. By applying for the Delta Epsilon Sigma Honor Society, I am continuing to strive for the highest level of excellence possible in academics and service to the community.

As we review and synthesize data of a district for planning school improvement, the following information is needed to access and determine the needs of a school. First, a thorough analysis of performance data must be reviewed to see how school districts measure up with state and federal accountability. During this process, it is very important that schools focus the performance indicators that will guarantee growth and success. School teams must refer to the districts mission and vision to guide the planning process. The performance indicators will provide data that will be beneficial in creating improvement strategies. So, after careful evaluation of the data, the next step would be to plan effective methods and strategies that will improve student achievement. Moreover, this plan should include needs, demographics and opportunities for students to be successful. Additionally, the baseline data is important information to include in the improvement plan.