Posted on 10/23/2007 2:20:21 PM PDT by bs9021
It has been reported that middle-class children in suburban schools are not as proficient at their grade levels as most parents think.
Presenting their research findings from a study carried out among California middle class schools, at the Heritage Foundation recently, Lance Izumi and Dr. Vicki Murray noted that of the 284 California middle-class schools where the median home price was more than $400,000, 78% of the students failed standardized tests in English or Math.
Although the U.S. Department of Education’s Nation’s Report Cardwhich was released in September indicated that “Reading skills are improving for both fourth- and eighth-graders, particularly among lower- and middle-performing students,” Izumi argues that “mediocrity now appears to be a systemic tide that has seeped into the middle-class suburban schools.”
Many American families, it was argued, purchase homes in affluent communities as a key to unlocking better opportunities for their children. “The major reason why middle-class families buy expensive homes is for the public school system,” said Mr. Izumi. “School quality is the most important factor in difference in prices of similar homes” he added.
Mr. Izumi Lance, who is the Director of Education Studies at Pacific Research Institute, said “living in a middle-class suburb does not necessarily guarantee a good education to children.”
He said that statistics from their research indicate “nearly 300 schools across California in some of the priciest places did not have at least 50% of their grade level proficiency.”
For instance “at Hillsdale High, a school in an affluent suburb with a median house cost of $867,000 (and which was voted as a California Distinguished School by the Department of Education), amongst 11th graders only 40% are proficient in English,” he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at campusreportonline.net ...
Public Schools?
No problem, just lower the standards until every child makes the grade. Thats what all good union workers say.
Here in MI, where our PS are ranked at 41st in the country, I was told that we are educating line workers only.
Not my kids. I homeschool.
The thing these parents fail to realize is that, no matter how good the schools, lack of parental involvement will torpedo a kid’s academic success in a heartbeat.
>> “living in a middle-class suburb does not necessarily guarantee a good education to children.”
Since when is anything guaranteed? The only guarantee of a good education is parental stress on studies and student diligence.
I’m of the opinion that the problem is not with schools, but with parents. Kids with a good home life, the right priorities, and their heads on straight can get a good education pretty much anywhere. Kids with a family in shambles and a lack of cohesive priorities can fail anywhere.
H
Worse yet, lack of ability in the schools to teach the kids makes it even tougher. Our schools in California are basically just baby sitters and yet the California Education system drains most of the money that we pay in taxes. The teachers should be on a pay for performance like the rest of the population. In Los Angels, only 30% graduate from High School........that is crazy.
If you mean monitoring the homework they do, their studying for tests, and questions about their efforts, you are quite correct. But, for all the whining I hear from public school teachers about "parental involvement," I've yet to run into one that welcomed it (three kids, three schools). In fact, inquire from a public school teacher about anything concerning your child and you will run into a wall of indifference, ignorance and resentment a mile thick. I can only surmise that they resent the intrusion on their territory, as they resist any questions about it.
Time for folks here on FR to rejoice! Since all school children of FR folks are way better then average....These are the kids that the way above average children of FR folks are competing with in the real world....
Again, Rejoice!!
It didn’t used to be that way, but when all the mommies decided to let the schools raise their children instead of doing it themselves, the teachers ended up with a sense of proprietorship. Most of them - the good ones, anyway, didn’t want to raise kids but ended up having to do it anyway. After awhile it becomes hard to give them back.
Not that it’s right, but that’s what happened. At no time after the mid-80s would I have ever wanted to be a teacher.
Okay. That makes some sense. My wife and I are rather odd; we know where our children are, we care about what they do. You are correct. I don't see that very much with other parents, as I'm constantly being reminded by my kids.
What idiots these education wonk-researchers are!
If the kids lived in a $400,000 house in California, they are seriously disadvantaged slum dwellers, probably suffering from malnutrition, have no running water, and are the illegitimate offspring of illiterate parents.
Hell, in LA any illegal alien family would be ashamed, ashamed I tell you, to live in such squalor. $400,000 house indeed!
Now as for the $867,000 Neighborhood, obviously that school is flooded with the anchor babies of the hundreds of illegal aliens required to mow the lawns and rub the feet of California's elite, whose own children long ago succumbed to drug overdoses and skateboard accidents.
“I don’t see that very much with other parents”
You’re right. Make sure you know your kids’ friends and even more important, get to know their friends’ parents and what their schedules are. That’s one thing that is missing from today’s society - the parent network. A trace of it remains, but it used to be the norm. Most parents could count on other parents to be there and to enforce the same rules. Now, not so much.
Foe being one of the “TOP” schools in the county it’s a daily battle with the mediocrity of the teachers. Now that the seniors are getting ready for college applications they need paperwork and transcripts moved and sent.
Teachers and consulars will hand the kids paperwork that was due in yesterday, say they’ll sent stuff and don’t. Day after day it’s a struggle and my kids are near the top of the class with involved parents.
I feel sorry for any kid who’s so-so with disinterested parents.
That's a kind of scary thing about a federal dept of education - even back in the Reagan years there was a very socialist/communist culture there. They really believed it was a waste of resources and a disservice to a child to educate them to a higher level than their job would require! The whole 'school to work' concept is based on identifying a child's eventual vocation early so they can provide just the education necessary and not a bit more. I'm glad that wasn't the attitude of the Founding Fathers - they believed that everyone that wanted to be educated should be allowed to pursue education.
ROTFLMAO. You rock.
Indeed, many of them do. They can't indoctrinate your kids in the liberal sexual agenda and so forth if you are sticking your nose in 'their business.'
That's why it is so important for parents to be involved, even if the teacher's don't want it.
Yabut they knew a lot would never catch it.
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