All us parents of students in Lebanon schools were mailed a copy of the district report card: To quote both the 2006-7007 LHS School Report Card and the district's overall report card, "Federal Adequate Yearly Progress Rating: NOT MET." For the high school, there is an "Oregon Report Card Overall Rating: LOW."
Of special note is the writing assessment: Apparently 39% of 10th graders passed that test, which of course means 61% failed. Even looking only at "comparison schools," those with similar demographics, this year 47% of those students passed, as did 55% or Oregon's 10th graders. Now these are pathetic rates one and all, but how did we do so poorly?
Our other high school scores were pathetic as well: Last year, only 50% of our 10th graders passed the math section, using a new "lower standard" devised this year. Using the "prior standards," according to the report card, only 33% of our 10th graders passed math. Either way, at least half our 10th graders failed the math test!
We can argue that statewide students scored poorly on these tests (though our students scored more poorly). We can argue that the tests are poorly-designed (possibly true -- why not consider a nationally-normed test vs. one we made up in Oregon?). We can argue that this year the computers broke down so tests were given manually which our students aren't used to.
I've seen the comments about how it's only fair to compare Lebanon's poor results with other districts of similar lower socio-economic status. I find those comments insulting and a cop-out by those who want to justify their belief we have effective administrative leadership in this district.
It has been proven time and again that with the right approach and leadership and belief in the community and in the student's abilities, incredible educational gains can be made in schools with lower socio-economic rating than ours. Don't sell our students short.
Now look at the Financial Data section and the dollars per student spent on: direct classroom expenses (below statewide average), classroom support (below statewide average), building support
( below statewide average), central support (above statewide average).
So we are only above or equal to the statewide spending average when it comes to money spent on the district office/administrative support. Where are our priorities?
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10 comments:
How did our students do in passing tests and graduating before Jim Robinson? What were the numbers in years past?
Is that even a fair comparison because now the State and Federal requirements are SO MUCH more demanding.
Given all the lack of support for the DO and the Academies, why would you expect them to be excelling?
You say that we are selling our students short if we don't compare them with students say in Corvallis or even some parts of Albany. Do you really think the advantages those students have doesn't make a difference?
I was going to write a long debut to your analysis but on second thought, it was not worth my time. Your logic and reasoning is why people in Lebanon are so miss inform. Study the issues and make good comparison before putting numbers up that do not explain or paint the whole picture. Anybody can cherry pick different numbers to prove their point.
Rather than post a lengthy comment, I posted on this same topic over at my blog.
Check out the new 2008 U.S. News & World Report search of the Best High Schools. For Oregon: no gold, those who took the silver (that are close to Lebanon) went to: Corvallis High School, Cresent Valley High & South Eugene. For bronze: Central Linn High in Halsey (the only Linn County school on the list) Where's Lebanon High School?
To the latest anonymous: Can you provide a link? Please?
Also, if US News and World Report's HS report is anything like their college rankings, they are worthless - or do you really think they could have genuinely evaluated every high school listed in the report?
www.usnews.com/directories/high-schools
RE: central support (above statewide average).
It's a shame that the State doesn't explain their numbers so the general public can really see what's going on. This came up in the last negotiations. Our Central Office expenses look high because we have 1.5 million going out to to past teachers and administrators that had an early retirement benefit in addition to PERS. That expense shows up under central support on the State's report. At least that's how I understood it. The early retirement is being phased out and will be almost nothing in about ten years. That's millions of dollars that will benefit present and future students.
The State report also makes Lebanon's drop out rate look much higher than it is because so many of our students are utilizing the ability to attend LBCC for a year after high school.
LE said, " I've seen the comments about how it's only fair to compare Lebanon's poor results with other districts of similar lower socio-economic status. I find those comments insulting and a cop-out by those who want to justify their belief we have effective administrative leadership in this district."
LE, accountability for our schools needs to be spread a little further than just the leadership. Teachers and parents influence children's education too. And don't discount community support. I wish everyone would stop playing the blame game and come up with some solutions they would be willing to work at. As far as I'm concerned, if getting rid of the superintendent or a board member is the answer, then that's the problem. If the infrastructure of our education system is so weak that one person can make it or break it then that's what needs to be addressed.
Do you really want your children's future to be hinged on a single person?
Here is the link to the methodology used in the US News Report.
Long story short, it's based on state test scores - which also appear on the report card - as well as AP classes. It's not additional evidence if it's using the same data as the State Report Card did.
There is also a bit about minority students, but to the best of my knowledge, LHS is so white it is statistically impossible to factor that in.
I want to say I've read a critique of the US News bit somewhere, but I can't find it this early in the morning.
RE anon/central support: Thank you for the thoughtful comment and additional information on what's included in central support and in dropout-rate calculations. To include students going to LBCC through Beyond LHS in the "dropout rate" is pretty unfair, though I suppose one could stretch and say they are LB because of a lack of appropriate classes at LHS, so they have "dropped out," but that's a bit unfair I'd say.
It must be there was no other category for the costs of the early-retirement deal you describe, and I agree that that is misleading as well.
I want to state again that I don't believe all district problems will be solved if Robinson leaves. My position is that he needs to leave for healing and problem-solving to even begin. Robinson has created so much negative feeling in this community that he needs to move on before we can begin to come together to solve problems.
Again, Robinson leaving, in my opinion, is only THE FIRST STEP needed for true problem-solving (vs. blame and name calling) to have a chance to begin.
Again this just prove IE is Josh's wife. You are saying everything exactly to the "t" what Josh said to me in a conversation. Wow who else will know how he thinks?????
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