Monday, March 26, 2012

Seattle Grade Inflation : Middle School Math

This is an update to January 4, 2011 on this subject.

From SPS School reports on 8th graders ready for high school math from the Official SPS School Report cards

Reliability of school evaluation as ready for High School math calculated by WA State 8th grade MSP Math pass rate divided by Percent ready for high school math.

Tables sorted by Low Income % from smallest to highest
which shows connection to greater grade inflation as school poverty increases.

SY 2009-2010
School ...... MSP :Ready HS : reliability : LowIncome %
Eckstein ..... 84.1 ..... 92 ::...:: 0.91 ::: 15.2
Whitman ... 74.8 ..... 83 ::...:: 0.90 ::: 24.7
Hamilton ... 62.1 ..... 77 ::...:: 0.81 ::: 35.2
Denny ........ 56.9 ..... 76 ::...:: 0.75 ::: 64.4
Mercer ....... 57.0 ..... 86 ::...:: 0.66 ::: 75.4
Aki Kurose .. 34.8 ..... 73 ::...:: 0.48 ::: 82.3


SY 2010-2011
School ...... MSP ::Ready HS : reliability : LowIncome %
Eckstein ..... 80.1 ..... 97 ::...:: 0.83 ::: 22.1
Hamilton ... 70.8 ..... 85 ::...:: 0.83 ::: 27.5
Whitman ... 66.4 ..... 86 ::...:: 0.77 ::: 29.4
Denny ........ 66.8 ..... 92 ::...:: 0.73 ::: 67.3
Mercer ....... 60.7 ..... 87 ::...:: 0.70 ::: 77.3
Aki Kurose .. 36.4 ..... 77 ::...:: 0.47 ::: 87.1

So what's up at Aki Kurose?

Looks like perhaps there is Admin pressure to give higher grades than warranted.

2010-2011 36.4% pass 8th grade MSP ... but District says 77% ready for high school math in grade 9

2009-2010 34.8% pass 8th grade MSP ... but District says 73% ready for high school math in grade 9.

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Is the plan of the SPS to use inflated grades to deceive parents about their child's level of math achievement?
So what does ready for high school math mean?

Now it is clear why the SPS adopted "Discovering Algebra". Too few students are ready for high school math.

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Lets take a look at low income student 8th grade MSP Math pass rates.
MSP MATH
SY 2009-2010
School MSP :: Low Income Student Math pass rate
Eckstein 84.1 .................. 61.1
Whitman 74.8 .................. 48.5
Hamilton 62.1 .................. 35.6
Denny 56.9 .................. 46.8
Mercer 57 .................. 47.1
Aki K 34.8 .................. 32.4
ALL Students

SY 2010-2011
School MSP :: Low Income Student Math pass rate
Eckstein 80.1 .................. 54.4
Hamilton 70.8 .................. 46.1
Whitman 66.4 .................. 38
Denny 66.8 .................. 59.9
Mercer 60.7 .................. 55.8
Aki K 36.4 .................. 36

2 comments:

kprugman said...

Great post - I'm hopeful you'll be back - see the Abramoff documentary if you haven't already. What interests me in your little matter is people's lack of integrity when faced with confronting the glaringly poor results of their own academically motivated failures.

In my own hometown we reported on a high school renovation that cost taxpayers over $500 per square foot. The board attempted to vote themselves a million dollar legal defense after they were indicted. An investigation by the way that was paid for by the district. You should have seen the line of attorneys that were present at the last board meeting. None of those fools resigned as that would have removed the legal umbrella that currently protects them. One board member had the audacity to film the persons who addressed the board. WE finished at 1 AM.

I have my own problems as apparently my small role in these indelicacies has been uncovered. Fortunately, I still have my reputation and my skills as a writer. In fact, I am confident that probably my antagonists will retire before I do.

kprugman said...

And wouldn't you know after all was said and done - the board riffed 200 teachers including 50 math and science teachers. Bogus! On account of state budget cuts. True blue hypocrisy.