By Kevin Johnson
Mayor of Sacramento
This is a rough week for California schools. Some districts are returning to class. Their funding source – the state budget – is unresolved. And California school test scores – the closest thing to report cards for our schools – are being made public.
I have reviewed the test data. The results for Sacramento students are troubling.
While districts scramble to find positive nuances in the numbers, my focus today will be simple: one grade level and one subject, third-grade reading.
Why third grade reading? You would be hard-pressed to find a better barometer of school accountability. Reading on grade level by the third grade is absolutely crucial. Historically, 80 percent of student who fall behind by third-grade reading never catch up.
How did Sacramento third graders do? Overall, the results were problematic.
Last year, in Sacramento City Unified School District, 39 percent were reading on grade level. That’s a 2 percent increase over the previous year.
While an increase is good, the growth was emblematic of a serious challenge.
Over the last seven years, city school third graders have improved by an average of 2 percent per year. This may sound positive. But think about it from this perspective: at the current rate, it will take 20 years before close to 80 percent of our third graders are on grade level. That’s an entire generation.
Additionally in our city, reading ability can be directly correlated to neighborhoods. You can accurately predict third-grade reading scores by ZIP code. In wealthier neighborhoods, kids are more likely to be doing well than in poorer neighborhoods.
It doesn't have to be this way.
Within our city school district, there are schools where students improve at rapid clips and where demographics don’t dictate student achievement levels. At David Lubin Elementary and Caleb Greenwood K-8 School, children improve at about twice the district rate.
At St. HOPE’s P.S. 7, students have improved four times as fast as the district average. Other high performing schools, such as Crocker-Riverside, continue to build on outstanding results.
Then there are the have-nots.
At Oak Ridge Elementary, the growth has slowed below average. This year, only 19 percent of Oak Ridge third-graders read at grade level. This is unacceptable, and explains why SCUSD must think critically about its plan to focus additional resources and attention on Oak Ridge and other priority schools.
The overall numbers – 39 percent reading at grade level – add up to failure. Remember, these are our children, and it’s our tax dollars being spent to educate them.
Sacramento can’t compete with surrounding communities if we don’t take steps to end the low performance and hold our schools accountable. In Roseville, 66 percent of third graders read at grade level.
Given the choice, where would you send your child?
9 Comments
-
0 agree
Patek Philippe case used the material of the silver and 18K gold,early. For the Century, it mostly uses 18K gold (including gold, platinum, rose gold, etc.) There is only a small part for steel case. Patek Philippe watch movement used the high number of drilling and the early watches reached more than 15 drill and more than 29 at last. It produced some gold watches with complex function in 60's. In watch technology, Patek Philippe has been a leader and had several patents. Form 1851,"Patek Philippe" was the first "rotary handle on the winding" patent.The major patents included precision regulator, dual timer, large screw balance wheel, the external automatic winding rotor, and the balance wheel heart devices. Only from 1949 to 1979, there were 40 patents in 30 years.It has the most patents in the watch technology. For Patek Philippe's exquisite manufacturing technology, it has become top brands in the world. Here are many watches replica,such as Patek Philippe.Welcome to our watch online shop.
Reply
-
0 agree
IWC founder is an American with the pioneering spirit. From 1868, This swiss watchmaker has been leading the watchmaking technology development, and it always create new standards for the highly sophisticated industry. IWC is known as "high-grade watch engineers," and it is specialized in manufacturing men's watches. Classic style is with clever design, elegant and sophisticated.The operation is extremely simple.This is the famous IWC. The Dial is engraved with "IWC Schaffhausen, Switzerland", but this world-famous factory was located a rural town in the Rhine, and many people are puzzled. As the factoty away from the famous swiss watchmaking center and the name unlike the name of swiss company, it makes people curious about their origins. An American youth from the Boston-Florentine Ariosto Jones, is a pioneering,famous watchmaker. In the boat across the Atlantic, he already has a perfect plan in his mind. He took advantage of modern American production machine to manufacture very precise movement in the pocket watch, and it set off a swiss watch revolution in low-wage economy age. Jones established the IWC in 1868. Here are many watches replica,such as IWC.Welcome to our watch online shop.
Reply
-
Missy Evans
1 years 107 days ago
0 agree
LOL since we are getting rid of your lovely Michelle Rhee why won't you hire her then!!!!
Reply
-
Amber Evans
1 years 169 days ago
0 agree
I would like to know what evidence those who have previously commented have that these students are in fact being "eliminated" when they are not performing. From what I understand, St. Hope actively works towards bridging the achievement gap across the board to all of the students they serve and elevating the lowest performing students to reach their full potential. These contracts are intended to hold a level of accountability to not only the student but the parent as well as the faculty.
Reply
-
Megan
1 years 169 days ago
0 agree
I'm outraged at Mayor Johnson's comment. My Husband is a new employee at Oak Ridge. That staff is so excited and motivated to do everything that it takes to turn that school around. The school year hasn't even begun and they are getting no support from a Mayor that grew up in that community. Rather than bashing the school talk about what you can do to help them. How about you hold english classes for the parents, provide babysitting, make sure the kids have food on the table, tutor, or mentor. Maybe it's just that those jobs don't offer photo opps or headline the news. Maybe go to Oak Ridge talk to the admin and staff and see what they are all about and then you can tell the community what great and amazing things the can expect to see happen at Oak Ridge.
Reply
-
Jed
1 years 170 days ago
0 agree
It would be great if all families were involved like the ones at St. Hope schools are required to be. That's ideal, but it's not realistic. If parents can't/won't put in the hours why is the child penalized? IT'S NOT HIS/HER FAULT.
How can St. Hope talk about how schools like Oak Ridge and Hiram Johnson aren't up to par when it sends children there who have parents that aren't keeping up the agreement? Those schools don't turn anyone away. This part of the equation is NEVER mentioned in St. Hope's self-promotion. Perhaps giving the whole story would offer some credibility?
Yes, many Sac City schools need to improve. Comparing how "successful" St. Hope schools are will not achieve this.
Jed
Reply
-
Tom Turner
1 years 170 days ago
0 agree
Mr. Mayor...
I sir am an educator from the east coast. I read your monologue and look at it with the same disgust as I do when I read other diatribes that you politicians put out. Claiming that you know 'what is best' for education. All that your 'high-stakes' testing is doing is killing the creativity of teachers to engage students effectively and pulling out other avenues for our children to show creativity in learning. Readers, take a look at www.notonthetest.com. This is what is really happening in schools. We are turning our kids into zombies capable of regurgitating so called thinking skills so that they can master a test. So again Mr. Mayor, what have you done outside of pushing more 'testing' to help teachers in the classroom? What are you doing Mr. Mayor to help teacher salaries be more in line with the accountability you want them to have? What Mr. Mayor are you doing to promote business partnerships?
I applaud you in killing the morale of your teachers right when you WANT them to be excited the most. Way to go Sir! Typical bureaucrat who thinks he is an armchair teacher.
/rant
Reply
-
Robert Snider
1 years 171 days ago
-1 agree
Kate Lennox's comments are right on target. Any school that can choose and eliminate students to manipulate data will "achieve" higher scores.
If St Hope took ALL neighborhood kids without recruiting, there would be a diferent outcome. He should mention the advantages he has in selecting students.
Reply
-
Kate Lenox
1 years 171 days ago
-1 agree
Mayor Johnson is no expert on education, merely at gaming the system. AT PS7 parents and students sign a contract with the school. If the contract isn't fulfilled, the students have to leave. That's how PS7 achieves its high scores. Where do the kids go that are booted out? Oakridge Elementary. Much the same occurs at Sac Charter High. If kids don't pass the high school exit exam or fall behind in credit, they are counseled out and told to go to district schools. Where do many of these kids end up? Hiram Johnson High. St. HOPE Schools don't have a magic formula for helping kids. They simply get rid of the kids that lower the test scores. This is the fatal flaw in the push to make test scores the end all and be all of public education.
Reply
Add Comment