Seattle Schools Score changes from '09 to '10 by groups Were promises fulfilled?

How are the Seattle Schools stacking up when compared with the State?

I thought since Dr. Goodloe-Johnson has completed her third year in Seattle and is spending over $10 million dollars on Academic Coaches for teachers each year, inflating the number of Administrators in the Central Administration and spends 9% of total budget on Central Administration it would be time to assess whether her plans produce results better or worse than the rest of the state.

To do this I constructed a spreadsheet of scores for both the State and the Seattle School District and looked at the score changes from 2009 testing to 2010 testing.

I should point out that I find the District's lack of emphasis on academic content appalling and I have regularly pointed out the District's preference for practices that DO NOT work especially in grades k-4 and for limited English speaking students.

So here we go.... check it out.


Seattle Change minus State change
Reading grade 10
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
0.00% .:. 0.00% .:. -3.20% .:. -4.60% .:. -5.60% .:. -9.30%

Seattle Change minus State change
Math grade 10
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
2.20% .:. 2.90% .:. 0.20% .:. -1.90% .:. -2.80% .:. -5.40%

Seattle Change minus State change
Writing grade 10
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
-0.10% .:. 4.00% .:. 0.10% .:. 1.70% .:. -3.50% .:. -4.10%

Seattle Change minus State change
Science grade 10
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
0.60% .:. 3.60% .:. 0.10% .:. 3.20% .:. -0.90% .:. -0.30%

Averages of above 4 values for grade 10
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
0.68% .:. 2.63% .:. -0.70% .:. -0.40% .:. -3.20% .:. -4.78%

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Seattle Change minus State change
Reading grade 7
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
0.80% .:. 2.80% .:. -0.90% .:. 7.40% .:. -0.50% .:. -2.10%

Seattle Change minus State change
MATH grade 7
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
1.70% .:. 0.30% .:. 5.70% .:. 8.10% .:. 2.20% .:. 3.90%

Seattle Change minus State change
Writing grade 7
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
-5.20% .:. -1.10% .:. -3.40% .:. -1.70% .:. -4.90% .:. -14.00%


Seattle Change minus State change
Science grade 8
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
3.30% .:. 9.10% .:. 3.40% .:. 2.60% .:. 11.60% .:. 0.90%

Averages of above 4 values for grade 7 and 8
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
0.15% .:. 2.78% .:. 1.20% .:. 4.10% .:. 2.10% .:. -2.83%

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Seattle Change minus State change
Reading grade 4
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
-0.60% .:. -11.50% .:. 1.30% .:. -1.30% .:. 0.20% .:. -2.40%

Seattle Change minus State change
Math grade 4
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
-1.60% .:. -6.10% .:. 4.10% .:. -3.20% .:. 3.20% .:. -3.20%

Seattle Change minus State change
Writing grade 4
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
-6.20% .:. -9.10% .:. -7.80% .:. -4.20% .:. -0.80% .:. -7.50%

Seattle Change minus State change
Science grade 5
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
-1.30% .:. -10.30% .:. 1.60% .:. -0.60% .:. -1.70% .:. 1.50%



Seattle Change minus State change
Reading grade 3
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited Eng
-2.60% .:. 1.10% .:. 1.40% .:. -1.10% .:. -1.60% .:. -4.60%

Seattle Change minus State change
Math grade 3
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
0.90% .:. -8.10% .:. -0.80% .:. -0.10% .:. -0.50% .:. -5.30%


Averages of above 5 values for grades 3 and 4
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
-2.02% .:. -6.74% .:. -0.36% .:. -1.98% .:. 0.10% .:. -4.60%

The Strategic Plan put forth by Dr. Goodloe-Johnson made claims that large improvements would be made. Clearly that is not happening. Things are worse for the SPS over the last year when District Change and State Change are compared in grades 3 and 4.

As to how things look when the scores from all 14 grade level scores are averaged:
White, AmIndian, Asian/Pac I, Black, Hispanic, Limited English
-0.58% .:. -1.60% .:. 0.13% .:. 0.310% .:. -0.40 .:. -3.71%

So How did it go overall?

Pretty much the same as the state except for American Indians very slightly worse and for Limited English speakers worse.

Clearly achievement gaps are not being closed.
Teach for America is hardly the answer. Using instructional materials and practices that are known to work is the answer ..... but the Superintendent is apparently light years beyond that. She needs to be fired with cause for several reasons. The #1 reason has to do with her actions in regard to the New Technology Network $800,000 Contract.

November 18, 2010 the Recall hearing for Directors Sundquist, Carr, Martin-Morris, and Maier will take place in Judge Inveen's courtroom in the King County Courthouse Room W869 at 3:00 PM.

Given the disappointing results from grades 3 and 4 coupled with my Special Education analysis and the disappointing results for English Language Learners one really must question the "Empress's New Clothes". A faulty foundation in grades k-4 will not produce later success.

It is time to put an end to Dr. Goodloe-Johnson's succession of failing experiments.