I've been teaching in southern california public schools for 15 years and
agree with the comments that have been posted re the reason the schools
are doing poorly....excellent, hard working, dedicated teachers aren't
able to overcome the burden of the demographics...just a fact

On 10/15/09, Judy2/CA wrote:
> Ditto to the above posters' comments. And I also wonder what the
> results would be if all states used the same tests. I read a series of
> articles in my hometown paper last year about a 5th grade class and
> how they progressed through the year. The teachers were allowed to
> keep up any posters, etc that they used throughout the year, during
> testing. The classroom walls were covered with posters that contained
> info that the kids used all year and they could use during the tests.
> My district makes us even take down the alphabet and number lines on
> the walls - as it the kids would take the time to use them. Maybe the
> tests and testing procedures should be uniform as long as they're
> comparing us.
>
> On 10/15/09, sped wrote:
>> I have seen not only immigrants from typically underperforming
>> groups, but I have seen immigrants that are in special education in
>> our district. A double whammy.
>>
>> On 10/15/09, same answer wrote:
>>> California has a high population of minority students who are
>>> part of low performing demographics (i.e. black, hispanic,
>>> native american, somali, phillipino, etc.) The schools with a
>>> lot of white, Chinese, Korean, and other high performing
>>> demographics do very well on the state tests.
>>>
>>> On 10/15/09, Cnn wrote:
>>>> Immigration is the reason. Our top students do just as well
>>>> if not better than students from other states. California
>>>> has the most immigrints from poor countries than any other
>>>> state. It takes years for a stundent eith little formal
>>>> education, whose parents have little formal education to catch
>>>> up. California will nfver outperform Connecticut. Apples and
>>>> oranges. Not all groups of immigrints perform poorly. Look
>>>> at the test scores of recent Korean immigrints whose parents
>>>> usually have some form of formal education if not college
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 10/15/09, wondering wrote:
>>>>> I am hearing a lot of chatter, on radio, tv, and newspapers
>>>>> that CA schools are just above Mississippi and Alabama in
>>>>> how students are doing on tests. I'd like to know why that
>>>>> is. I have my own ideas, but it would be good to hear from
>>>>> people that are in the field, not talking heads,
>>>>> politicians with an agenda, and disgruntled parents.
>>>>>
>>>>> Just how did CA go from being innovative and at the top in
>>>>> public education to where we are now?
>>>

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