Thu Jul 9, 2009 at 10:23 AMBy: reality check How'd Your School Do? "During his tenure, the district has shown increases in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding benchmarks, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels.

In making her announcement, Smith said, "Xavier has a strong record of building shared ownership of school improvement among parents, teachers and the community. He doesn't believe that there is one formula for student success. Instead, he has demonstrated the ability to use many tools to improve outcomes for students."

> Was this your impression, CPS folk?

Thu Jul 9, 2009 at 6:20 PMBy: teacher bonuses How'd Your School Do? Westcott scores went down--did they not get a bonus last year for higher scores? So when scores go down, do they give the $ back?--Just kidding, they work hard at westcott, but this does say something about bonuses.

Thu Jul 9, 2009 at 9:03 PMBy: as for UNO and another Ron How'd Your School Do? "The United Neighborhood Organization (UNO), Chicago's largest Hispanic community-based organization, was the recipient of $98 million of those funds, which is estimated to be the single largest charter school appropriation to any community-based organization in American history."
this is HOW HE CAN AFFORD TO PAY HIMSELF $150,OOO PER YEAR!

Thu Jul 9, 2009 at 9:52 PMBy: maybe How'd Your School Do? attendance?

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 7:01 AMBy: maybe this! How'd Your School Do? UNO does not test all of their students? Check the number of students tested at Tamayo. They only have 11 third graders??? They have over 250.

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 8:00 AMBy: to JS How'd Your School Do? Compare the two Edison's (gifted vs now only neighborhood).

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 9:59 AMBy: gh How'd Your School Do? to observation above--see the editorial in today's sun-times (Friday). Prestidigitation at its political best and an answer to your question.

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 2:03 PMBy: Amy What does "meeting" mean? What score does a child have to get on the ISAT to "meet" state standards. I think it is extremely low. For example I know a 59% in Science is considered meeting state standards. If that's considered meeting than I truly fear for our kids. How about "exceeding" standards can any one give the range? If we want to get any sense of how well kids are performing the closest thing we have will be the exceed numbers.

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 3:54 PMBy: UNO Tamayo How'd Your School Do? The whole school only has 250 students.

There are 30 third-graders. I'm still not sure why only 14 of them took the test, but let's be a little more realistic on the claims.

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 4:05 PMBy: dear uno tomayo How'd Your School Do? if a cps neighborhood school did this, there would be a full-out investigation and allegations of cheating. It would be in the paper before a call was madt tothe principal. 14 out of 30 IS a real concern. And if you do it one place, stats say you have done it in another! If you only allowed 14 out of 30 student to take the test (which is against ISBE rules BTW), then what was wrong with the other 16? Attendance? language? special ed? pretend they are in 2nd grade. Not a big deal--well then let UNO Tomayo come clean-NOW!

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 4:57 PMBy: to the consipiracy theorist How'd Your School Do? If you want to figure out the Scores need to Meet the state standards go to the states website and look up the 2009 cut scores: Its not just magically made up

http://www.isbe.state.il.us/assessment/pdfs/cut_points_09.pdf


If UNO lied about the number of kids taking the test that will also hurt them. There were 30 third graders last year at UNO. So UNO needs to account for them or be at risk of not meeting AYP. No school wants that. These are preliminary numbers is the Chicago School district reporting ELL results they excluded them last year maybe the same was done this year. ISBE will not exclude those kids. Before you come up with lame conspiracy's get your facts.

By the way the percentiles do not reflect the full test only the standard scores do. Percentiles results in reading and math are the result of how the test takers did in the multiple choice portion of this test. The SAT10.

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 5:09 PMBy: Uno Tomayo who? How'd Your School Do? Exactly who would be responsible for investigating the possibility of cheatng at UNO--at a charter school?
AND, who would have the guts to tell the truth about it, report about it, when UNO has such strong ties and $ to Daley.

Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 6:03 PMBy: to JS How'd Your School Do? You can check a spreadsheet that only has exceeds by school for the 2009 preliminary scores at the CPS REA website.
http://research.cps.k12.il.us/cps/accountweb/Reports/allschools.html

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 11:15 AMBy: Concerned parent How'd Your School Do? I would like to know how my school did from a different perspective. What novels were read at each grade level? What field trips were taken and how did they apply to knowledge gained in the classroom pre and post trip? What stories, myths, fairy tales and parables were told to and discussed with the children? What research strategies were presented to the children and what type of research was actually done? How was the math that was learned used in real life experiences? Were the children given instruction on how to think, observe, reflect, and process information? How was this actually done?

How many times did the children have the opportunity to question? Hourly,daily, weekly, monthly, yearly? This would make a great data-driven research project. Any takers?

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 12:39 PMBy: concerned parent How'd Your School Do? The point that I was trying to make is that the things that I listed are the substance of a real education. The data that is derived from test scores is essentially just that, data. The data is easier to talk about, digest and criticize, but the children are metabolizing what is really put in front of them. I would like to see comparisons between schools, grades within a school and the entire city on who reads the most relevant material for a particular age of childhood, who shows how to use and apply the basic skills taught to real life situations, who goes on the most educationally appropriate field trips. It wouldn't be hard to collect this information, though self reports from teachers oftentimes prove to be more wish filled fantasy than what really happens. The difference would be that this would be qualitative versus quantitative research, and that involves more reflective and thoughtful responses from the researchers themselves.

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 3:23 PMBy: concerned parent How'd Your School Do? So is teaching in a CPS school all about preparing the children for the tests? How is it done? What are the tools that are used that are not books, research, field experiences and real life application? I truly am trying to understand what is going on in the majority of CPS classrooms. It seems so foreign from life and humanity. And the majority of the posts on this blog are about the adult pressures and adult behaviors. Where are the children in this education equation?

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 4:36 PMBy: concerned parent How'd Your School Do? Thanks for the clarification. I will try to do a better job in the future of deciding whether it is the employer or the employee that is at fault. Still, my questions remain unanswered.

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 6:32 PMBy: To: Dear Parent How'd Your School Do? Please tell me what CPS school had gym 4 days a week, no suspensions, etc.
This school sounds wonderful, why did they close the school?

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 6:40 PMBy: Stephanie Banchero How'd Your School Do? re: UNO test scores.

I can't comment specifically on the test scores at this school, but wanted to make a few points (some of which already have been made.)

1) Don't forget that schools must test 95% of their students or they fail under NCLB. So even if all kids who took the test in a school got 100% on the exam, the school would fail NCLB if they tested less than 95% of their kids.

2) These scores are preliminary so there very well could be some major mistakes. And those of you have followed state testing, know there are always mistakes!

3) Sometimes, tests are considered "not valid." This happens if a kid scribbles all over the exam, for example. The trick is that these tests don't count. So if 15 kids don't complete the exam and scribble all over it, for example, they would not be counted as "failed" tests. They simply would not be counted at all. Every year the Tribune does an analysis of state test scores to see if schools are "throwing out" tons of tests scores based on "invalid" exams. We will look into again this year.

I am not suggesting that any of these things are taking place at UNO but just wanted to raise a few points that might explain seemingly weird test data.

Thanks
Stephanie Banchero
Chicago Tribune
Education Reporter

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 9:46 PMBy: stephanie! wrong--sorry How'd Your School Do? "Sometimes, tests are considered "not valid." This happens if a kid scribbles all over the exam... The trick is that these tests don't count. " ISAT states that a child can draw all over the test, can scribble, can purposely answer every answer wrong AND the test still counts--Yes, those are the ISDAT rules --ask them. We tried to do this for 1 student legit, he drew happy faces in each bubble--ISBE's answer: NO- the test counts. (Brought down our school scores too.) A school can never invalidate an ISAT exam and no matter what, ISAT will not do it either--so UNO needs to be investigated.

Sat Jul 11, 2009 at 10:24 PMBy: Doc The Duncan Diaspora Why did you find the fact that Botana did undergraduate and graduate work at Chicago State "interesting"? Is it because most the the teachers that have come from that school are by far more effective than those who graduate from some of Illinois' more "elite" schools? I just wondered

Sun Jul 12, 2009 at 1:13 PMBy: one happy mom How'd Your School Do? ... with a son in a gifted Kindergarten program:

http://cpsobsessed.com/2009/07/11/year-end-thoughts-on-cps-kindergarten/

Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 8:49 AMBy: Stephanie Banchero How'd Your School Do? [updated] Sorry. I should have been more specific.

Unless the rules have changed in the last year, tests can still be considered "invalid" for a few reasons. If students, for example, don't answer enough questions on a specific section of the exam, it can be invalidated.

The Tribune has done a story on this pretty much every year.

Stephanie Banchero

Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 10:08 AMBy: Stephanie Banchero How'd Your School Do? [updated] I just checked with state. Still true that tests can be invalidated if student doesn't answer enough questions.

Stephanie Banchero

Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 10:18 AMBy: UNo-14 of 30 How'd Your School Do? [updated] My guess is that the scores that were reported did not include ELLs -- REA publishes a report that includes scores for ELLs and one that doesn't. CPS grades schools on non-ELL scores, so I'm guessing that's what caused the discrepancy here. Plus, like Stephanie said, things are still preliminary.

Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 11:22 AMBy: Stephanie Banchero How'd Your School Do? [updated] Folks,
As I mentioned before, I am not at all commenting on UNO. I was just pointing out that the scores can be tricky because of all sorts of things that go into creating those prelim reports. Often times there are major differences between prelim and final scores at individual schools.
Also, as I mentioned, the Tribune checks the "invalid exam" issue every year to see if schools are tossing out lots of scores when they should not be doing so. We will check it again this year. You all raise good questions.

thanks,
Stephanie Banchero

Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 6:02 PMBy: Look at the scores with the # ELL tested How'd Your School Do? [updated] ELLs WERE to be tested==all ELLS, so now what are the numbers with ELLs tested on ISAT for 3rd grade?
Did tomayp test ALL students as required I think is the question from the first pdf.

Mon Jul 13, 2009 at 6:18 PMBy: I think they are with ELLs How'd Your School Do? [updated] the schools have them and I thought they were released with the CPS press on how well CPS did on ISAT...