Posts tagged Dc Cas
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DCPS students are getting better at taking tests, but are they getting better at thinking?
DC’s 4th- and 8th-graders outperformed every other large urban district in gains on recent standardized tests. That’s great, but does it tell us anything about how they’ll do in high school? DCPS is justifiably celebrating its students’ gains on recent standardized tests that are administered nationwide. The increases in scores here were larger… Keep reading…
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Is DCPS ready to outsource middle schools to charters?
Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson told a DC Council committee on Friday that DCPS hasn’t succeeded in attracting families to its middle schools and suggested that the District should just funnel middle school students to charter schools. What was she thinking? The Council’s Committee on Education held a roundtable hearing last week on the plan to revise DCPS… Keep reading…
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Morning Bell: Scores go up, but why and where?
DC test scores rise: DC leads the nation in test score growth for both reading and math. All racial groups made gains, although a large achievement gap still exists between white students and those who are black or Hispanic. DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and others attributed the higher scores to school reforms and higher expectations for teachers… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Boundary and feeder patterns get a facelift
Task force re-evaluates lines drawn in the 1970’s: A committee of education officials and other stakeholders has begun the process of changing the way DCPS assigns students to schools. Other residents can participate through focus and working groups. Some are concerned that a proposal to include charters in feeder patterns will limit choice. (Post, DME, Examiner)… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Funding woes and hopes for DC schools
Government shutdown threatens school funding: Both charter schools and DCPS may suffer if the impasse in Congress isn’t resolved soon. Charter schools won’t get the quarterly payments scheduled to go out today, which they rely on for operating expenses. And at DCPS, teachers may not get their salaries at the end of the month. (Washington Informer, DCist)… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: Money isn’t flowing to students who need it
District accuses charter managers of self-dealing: DC’s attorney general has filed a lawsuit against three former officials at Options PCS alleging they diverted millions of dollars meant to help the school’s at-risk students. Also indicted were WUSA9 anchor J.C. Haywood and former CFO of the DC Public Charter School Board Jeremy Williams. The defendants deny any… Keep reading…
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Allegations on test scores miss the whole story
DC Council Education Committee Chair David Catania has alleged that testing officials inflated the percentage of students reported as “proficient” on standardized tests given earlier this year. Officials say they were just trying to ensure this year’s scores could be compared with those from previous years. But according to multiple sources, the real… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: DC CAS scores are questioned, but SAT is up
Test scoring method creates controversy: The Post revealed that DC’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education quietly chose a scoring method for last year’s standardized tests that resulted in a higher overall proficiency rate. Councilmember David Catania claims OSSE’s decision amounts to “cheating.” But OSSE defends its scoring choice… Keep reading…
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Do DC’s standardized writing scores mean anything?
There’s been a lot of talk about the most recent DC CAS reading and math scores and what they mean. But another set of test scores, assessing students’ writing skills, hasn’t gotten much attention. What do they mean, if anything? The DC CAS has included a composition section since 2011, but the 2012-13 school year is the first time the scores have been factored… Keep reading…
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Morning bell: New athletic league for charters
Charter students can compete: The creation of a new sports league for charter schools will allow more students to participate in sports. (Post) Keep reading…