Dear Editor,
I have just read the article in today’s Dispatch regarding the
consequences of the school scoring system. I have two children at
South Valley Middle School who have test scores in the 95th
percentile (nationally).
Dear Editor,
I have just read the article in today’s Dispatch regarding the consequences of the school scoring system. I have two children at South Valley Middle School who have test scores in the 95th percentile (nationally).
I am concerned that the school will be severely punished next year if it can’t make the extremely confusing statistical number it needs to in order achieve the proper label and funding. I do not believe that every child could nor should move to Ascension Solorsano Middle School just because that school achieved its magic number.
The teachers who teach my sons are extremely motivated and enthusiastic. The teachers and the principal should not be made scapegoats for the scoring systems implemented by the state and federal governments. There have to be other ways of improving student performances other than by demoralizing and downgrading individual schools and the employees of those schools.
Each of the schools should be providing the same education to all of the students. More funding needs to be provided to the “underperforming schools” to improve the performance of the students.
This should include wage increases for the teachers at underperforming schools because some teachers migrate to the perceived “better” schools. It is extremely confusing for me to see such big improvements in scores and then read that the school is going to have even stricter sanctions imposed. My children would be severely disappointed to lose all their teachers and a dedicated principal and vice principal because of such draconian measures.
Judy Williams, Gilroy
