Comments on: Georgia School Czar Flunks Math

By: ‘No Child’ target is called out of reach

‘No Child’ target is called out of reach — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 10:44:42 +0000

[…] Georgia School Czar Flunks Math […]

By: ihaas

ihaas — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:37:14 +0000

I come from the North where excellence is the standard. It6 frightens me to see a systems that would allow mediocracy. The South is already the butt of many educational jokes…why continue to feed into this. We need to push our students to higher standards as well as make their own educational choices, while meeting individual needs. Lower standards, as Georgia already has is not acceptable!!!!! We need to prove we are above this. Are state tests already have lower mastery levels than the rest ot the country, which gives a false sense of accomplishment. Our students are truly not meeting the nations standards!! We need to challange them and provide the appropriate skills to be successful citizens, not substandard!

By: JohnKonop

JohnKonop — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:06:34 +0000

Vocational High Schools used to train kids for work right away. Also give them skills to go further.

Today much of the equipment needed for the training is not used anymore.

In my High School in the 70’s you could go to work in many skilled jobs ie shops, automotive repair, hair salon, food industry……..right after graduation. In fact many of the kids co-op.

By: caroline

caroline — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 14:18:07 +0000

What would you describe as vocational? The vocational track prepares you to go to vocational school after high school.

By: JohnKonop

JohnKonop — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:37:34 +0000

We do not have the proper equipment for vocational what I hear in most schools in Georgia. Also they have to pass the same No Child Left Behind test as college bound for a school not to get into funding issues.

By: caroline

caroline — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:32:56 +0000

John,
We do have a vocational track. There are three tracks you choose in high school-college prep, vocational and general cirriculum.

By: JohnKonop

JohnKonop — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:23:04 +0000

I am confused about your letter since we do not have a vocational track. Also no system is 100% correct but you cannot hold back everyone for a few. As a parent who has a child in the gifted algebra 1 program for 7th graders the level of work is so advance it weeds out kids fairly fast who should not be their. Yet they still keep the kids on an advance track that goes fast. Also we have no problem with test scores with this group of kids

Also we have Junior Colleges and elective classes in high school for kids placed in the wrong track. I think the reason the drop out rate is so high is the one size fit all education you support.

By: JohnKonop

JohnKonop — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 13:22:46 +0000

A letter from a professor at a Georgia university.

The problem is who decides and how students are selected as “gifted.” Far
too many children have been placed on the “vocational” track simply because
of where they live and the education of their parents. The state’s standing
on education is proof enough for me that changes need to be made.

By: JohnKonop

JohnKonop — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 22:52:42 +0000

Scott

Great Post! One thing some kids start Algebra 1 in 10th grade.

By: Scott

Scott — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 22:18:34 +0000

The problem here is with the 2 tracks. Right now students start taking Algebra I in either 7th, 8th, or 9th grade. To fit everyone into 2 tracks when now they are in 3 - 4, doesn’t make sense. What about excellerated kids? That all gets phased out with this Math 1, 2, 3.
Excellerated kids deserve to get their educational needs met just like the bottom kids that need extra help get lots of special education help.
Sounds like they’ve just dumbed down education to meet the lower middle.
This all sounds like No Child Left Behind.

Is the State trying to boost it’s numbers to get federal dollars??

For those of us that can’t afford private school, I refuse to sit back and let my kids get dumbed down to meet the needs of students who can’t keep up. Excellerated kids and their parents have to demand better!