The hard data: Scores down at every level
by Paul Socolar on Sep 21 2012 Posted in Latest news
2012 PSSA scores in the District dropped overall for the first time in a decade.
(Updated, 2:30 p.m.)
The line graphs for the School District are all trending downward.
As the state today finally presents its 2012 PSSA results and report on schools meeting federal targets for adequate yearly progress, the School District has provided its annual breakdown of student performance on the state exam.
- Link to District results and press release
- Link to state results and press release
- Link to state AYP report with school-by-school results
- Link to PSSA scores by school (excerpted from state data)
The declines in proficiency rates on last spring's test range from as much as 17 points for 3rd graders in math to as little as 1 point for 11th graders in both reading and math. For the most part, the lower the grade level, the steeper the decline.
Superintendent William Hite, in his first week on the job, called the results "clearly disappointing."
The release of the District and state results today was dominated by discussion of the ongoing statewide investigation of cheating. District officials cite both new test security protocols and budget cuts as possible causes of the decline. In Philadelphia, teachers were for the first time not allowed to proctor their own classroom. Statewide, there were stricter protocols around handling the tests, and scores overall declined statewide.
In Philadelphia, every grade level and demographic group, including English language learners and special education students, saw proficiency rates go down.
Overall, proficiency rates dropped 9 points in math, to 49.1 percent, and 7 points in reading, to 44.5 percent.
Comments (30)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 13:15.
Individual school results are at emetrics - http://paayp.emetric.net/ Includes SDP and charter data. Many charters also went down - even if they made AYP. (Same for district schools that made AYP - scores at Bodine, SLA, Palumbo, etc. went down).
Submitted by Chris Lehmann (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 13:38.
We actually went down in reading but went up in math.
-- Chris Lehmann
-- Principal
-- SLA
Submitted by Concerned Phila. (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 13:54.
SLA is a magnet school - you only accept students with high grades, good attendance, no behavioral problems, AND proficient/advanced scores in 7th grade. On top of this, you require an interview / presentation of project. Magnet schools should have high scores because of the selection process. (SLA also does not have enough students with an IEP for a sub group).
Congratulations on making AYP but it is not a big deal at a magnet school. The schools on the "chopping block" are neighborhood high schools which have to accept ALL students. We have much more work to do than a magnet school which only takes students who are well prepared. SLA also has the ability to raise a lot of money from parents - you did it last year. What neighborhood high school has that ability other than maybe Northeast and Washington?
So, Mr. Lehman, be honest. Yes, you made AYP even though scores went down in reading but you also only take students who are already high performing.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 17:07.
Magnet Schools get their kids with these "high scores" from many schools that are accused of cheating. Just so you know.
Submitted by Chris Lehmann (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 17:58.
I'm down with honest. I'm pretty sure we've never denied that we are a magnet school. I was merely correcting the statement that our scores went down. Some did, some didn't.
And why do we need to tear down schools that are having success? I wasn't suggesting anything about what my colleagues in the comprehensive schools are trying to do. I have incredible respect for those teachers and principals. This isn't about SLA v. South Philly. The question is simply this: How do we work together to create better conditions for all of Philly's kids?
Submitted by Concerned Phila. (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 19:03.
I've heard you speak - you down play the "magnet" part of SLA... Some of your teachers who are doing good stuff with kids also down play the "magnet" part - I've heard them refer to SLA as an "urban school." Anyway, are you imply neighborhood schools are "not having success" like SLA. A magnet school starts on 3rd base headed home; a neighborhood school is lucky to get up to bat. How are you measuring success?
I'm open to hearing about magnet high schools "success" when they take the students who are reading at a 3rd grade level, have a behavior plan with a litany of stuff since elementary school and help them find "success" - yet to be defined.
Submitted by Frank Murphy on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 19:51.
I was principal for many years of an elementary school (Meade) with the highest percentage of children living in households with incomes well below the poverty level. During this time my eighth grade children who applied to special admission schools were always given fair consideration. SLA under the leadership of Mr. Lehmann is a magnet school that particularly impressed me by its efforts to identify and accept students from under resourced communities for admission. The staff at SLA does go out of their way to reach out to families and students from neighborhoods where few students typically attend magnet schools. They deserve to be recognized for this effort.
Submitted by Hope Moffett (not verified) on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 13:42.
Universal's take on their performance at Audenried (from their 09/10/2012 press release): "In addition to Universal Bluford and Daroff, many of Universal's goals were also achieved for its other renaissance schools, both under Universal management for the past school year: Universal Audenried High School and Universal Vare Middle School. Universal has begun the transformation process at these schools by IMPROVING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE and STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES; increasing student attendance; significantly reducing disruptive behavior; and attaining an 84% graduation rate for nearly 140 seniors. The data: Universal's own graduation program only listed 111 graduating seniors, of which at least 2 were not present. The only way to get to that 84% number is if their were 132 seniors, which is not "nearly 140." Rahim Islam did inform ABC news the day of graduation that 120 students were graduating and ABC didn't check up on that number by either looking at the program or counting the number of students walking in. They seemed to accept what Rahim said at face value. I, personally, cannot recommend this approach to news journalism. (This is not really important but it still bothers me three months after that graduation ceremony because pople should use real number). And now for the test scores: Remember how 29.1% proficiency in English and 21.1% proficiency in math (plus the non-NCLB relevant 57.1% mastery in writing!) was ostensibly slower growth than the growth Universal could provide? Keep in mind that those results came from 128 students who took all three of those tests in 2011. Also keep in mind that my students actually, accidentally, had anti-cheating interventions implemented early simplybecause they had a parade of substitutes leading up to the test (no teaching to the test) and I was released from my basement room only in time for the last day of E/M testing. Well, despite their claim that they are improving academic performance and standardized test scores, the state PSSA results beg to differ. The number of students proficient or advanced in math? 9.6%. In reading? 15.7%. In writing? 36.9%. It gets even more interesting when you look at the number of students who were scores for the different tests. In Math and English, where it counts for NCLB, 125 students took the test. In writing, that number was 65 students testing. SMH at the SRC and this District. This is the educational justice you grought to pass. Looking back, it seems more like a miscarriage of justice.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 08:09.
You are getting so boring with your complaining. Stop complaining and tell us how you would fix it or get off the digital waves.
Submitted by Concerned Phila. (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 12:58.
Hope is one of the few people who have told the truth about Universal and Audenreid. Look at Audenreid's scores for 2012 - significant drop from 2011 (before Universal). Universal was handed another school this year presumable because they are successful at "turning around" schools. They have done the opposite. (Where are their backers now? Ackerman? Archie?)
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 09:14.
She is also the poison that continues to give teachers in Philadelphia a bad name. Teachers who work hard each day to change kids lives. Data does not need a voice. We can do the math. So, what are her solutions besides rip into the school leadership? How does this help kids?
Submitted by Concerned Phila. (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 09:26.
How is advocating for her students and challenging the powers that be give teachers a bad name? Hope took risks that very few teachers are willing to take - myself included.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 13:59.
More propaganda from another administrative stooge. Hope stood up to the clowns that wanted to parcel out the schools for their own benefit and helped expose the bigot Ackerman.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 17:06.
Again, where are the solutions? Complaints and bitterness. So typical. So sad for kids in Philadelphia. So sad for our teaching profession.
Submitted by Concerned Phila. (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 17:44.
So, what are your solutions? You haven't given any.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 20:45.
Agreed. And considering she left the district over a year ago, of her own accord, she comes off as bitter and unable to let go and move on. Your unnecessary rant is just about as silly sounding as Ackerman's response to the drop in scores that was published in the Inquirer. Both of you are trying to hard to remain relevant in a city that has moved on.
Submitted by anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 13:36.
And the principal of the school they were handed is an excellent retired principal from the public schools who led and was responsible for creating one of the best public elementary schools in Philly. He will likely turn around Creighton- and Universal will take the credit.
We desperately need excellent leaders at the helm of our schools.
Submitted by Hope Moffett (not verified) on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 13:51.
Oh, also, for those who don't have the insider view, Audenried is surely missing the old math department head, who actually taught at the old Audenried and used his right to return to come back. In schools where many teachers, like myself, lack experience and rigorous academic training, it was nice to have a veteran, PhD holding teacher leading a core subject. Strict and demanding, the students grew to love him.
Where did he head after Audenried was handed over to Universal? He took a teaching job at Central.
Submitted by Linda K. (not verified) on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 17:51.
Thanks for the 411.....well put and I wish you the best....
Linda K.
Art Teacher
Submitted by Education Grad Student (not verified) on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 17:59.
This cheating scandal illustrates the pitfalls with making test scores the end-all-be-all of accountability: It is easy to manipulate test scores. It may not be as easy to cheat now as it was prior to PDE instituting so many safeguards, but it is still possible. Real accountability needs to take place on an ongoing basis. Administrators need to frequently be visiting classrooms in their building for formal and informal observations. Administrators should also be looking at teachers' lesson and unit plans weekly and providing feedback. Teachers need to be critiquing one another on lesson plans, curriculum based assessments, and every once in a while, observe each others' classrooms. Constructive criticism makes everyone better. Test scores from the state tests are such an incomplete picture of what happens in the classroom. Also, administrators and teachers need to be critiquing each other on how they relate to students, such as behavior management.
There also needs to be an acknowledgement that there should not be a huge discrepancy in what teachers and principals make. Teaching is an incredibly difficult and demanding job and while principals may be in charge, teachers are the heart and soul of any school's faculty because they interact directly with students.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 09/21/2012 - 19:27.
You put a lot of faith in administrators. Far too many Philadelphia administrators either only taught for a short period of time, were lousy as teachers, or have not had to prepare a lesson and carry it out in decades. They offer little constructive feedback because they can't. I'd love to have an administrator who knows something about pedagogy, authentic assessment, my content, etc. but few exist in Philadelphia.
Submitted by Education Grad Student (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 19:42.
I wasn't putting faith in administrators. My comment reflected what administrators should be doing in order to evaluate teachers. There also needs to be better assessment of administrators as well. I know a lot more about the evaluation of teachers than administrators. There needs to be a Danielson-like framework for evaluating principals and other administrators.
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/24/2012 - 13:41.
Coming next year.
Submitted by Philly Parent and Teacher (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 09:39.
Paul - I'd appreciate clarification on why charter schools only have to have one grade configuration (3 - 5, 6 - 8 or 9 - 12) make targets to make AYP while School District schools have to have all grades in the building (K-8) meet all targets to make AYP? This is on the emetrics site. There are many K-8 charter schools (e.g. Hardy Williams, KIPP West, etc.) that "Made AYP" but did not make all targets.
This is also evident in Mastery schools. Most Mastery Renaissance schools are 6 or 7-12. If you look at Mastery Shoemaker, they did not make AYP for 6 -8 (special ed). In 9-12 they do not have a special ed subgroup so for 9-12 they made targets. Therefore, the school made AYP because they only have to make AYP in one grade configuration.
The convoluted way AYP may or may not be achieved may depend on the grade configuration in charter schools. Obviously, without an IEP (special education) sub group, the chance of making AYP increases. The modified tests for special education are not going to be continued. Will this encourage more schools - charter and special admit schools in the District - to try to keep their special education numbers low (under 40 students) to ensure they have a better change of AYP? Lab Charter under June Brown apparently ensured they had nearly no students with an IEP.
I would appreciate any information on why charters are allowed to make AYP in one grade configuration but school district schools are not given this "privileged." Far fewer charter schools would have made AYP if they didn't have this advantage.
Submitted by Philly Parent and Teacher (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 12:58.
How, for example, did Math, Civics and Science Charter make AYP?
This is from emetrics: This only applies to charters -
"District measures are assessed in three grade spans: Grades 3–5, 6–8, and 9–12. To meet AYP goals and targets in Academic Performance or Test Participation, the district needs to achieve all measures for both subjects in one grade span only. Currently, test results from Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 will determine AYP results.
This year, charter schools are assessed in three grade spans: Grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12."
Math, Civics and Science Charter -
http://paayp.emetric.net/District/DataTable/c51/126513230
The do not have one grade "span" where both reading and math targets were met. Yet, they are listed as "Made AYP." Why?
Most charters did not make AYP K-8, they made one grade "span." Look at Universal Institute Charter - bombed 3 -5th grade and barely made 6 - 8. The same is true at Christopher Columbus Charter - bombed 3 - 5 but passed on 6 - 8. Now, if they were a School District of Philadelphia school, they would not have made AYP.
Here are charters which would NOT have made AYP without this "exception" that is NOT given to SDP schools: http://paayp.emetric.net/District/SchoolList/c51/4
Belmont Charter, Alliance for Progress, Antonia Pantoja community CS, Discovery Charter School, Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter, First Charter School for Literacy, Global Leadership Academy Charter, Hardy Williams CS (run by Mastery), Khepera Charter, KIPP Philadelphia, KIPP West Philadelphia, Mariana Barcetti Charter, MAST Community Charter, Mastery Shoemaker, Math, Civics and Science Charter, Northwood Academy Charter, Pan American Academy Charter, People for People Charter, Phila. Academy Charter School, Richard Allen Prep Charter, Russell Byers Charter, Truebright Charter, West Oak Lane Charter, Wissahickon Charter, Young Scholars Frederick Douglass
Now add these schools to the other charters than did not make AYP and the percentage of charters that made AYP is very close to the SDP - about 15%.
The SRC needs to be made aware of this "gimmick" for determining AYP in charters. It gives them a huge advantage.
Submitted by Education Grad Student (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 19:44.
Wow, I was not aware of this double standard. Why has the District not fought this double standard more thoroughly? It would seem that the District is favoring charter schools over District schools if it is aware of this double standard and does not challenge it.
Submitted by Philly Parent and Teacher (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 20:00.
I had no idea until I looked up charter school results. It is a huge double standard. The media will report percentage making AYP in charter vs SDP . If the double standard is not included, the powers that be will argue charters are performing better. In reality, the percentages of charter and SDP school making AYP are very similar.
Submitted by K.R. Luebbert on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 21:52.
This is horrible--I would like to say unbelievable, but I guess it is just par for the course--making the true public school meet a higher standard than the charters. This sounds like a topic that is ready for a Notebook article! Ben???
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/22/2012 - 21:25.
"Lies, damned lies, and statistics" - Mark Twain
They are already aware!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/23/2012 - 17:32.
so if audenried was doing so well y did they feel the need to get rid of the principal and replace him with someone else. Also I can't see how universal takes credit for what these children have done so far since they have only had the school for 1 year. In order for us to truly see what universal has done they need to look at the freshman class that came in under them. In my opininion unversal is bragging about a group of kids that they actually didn't do to much for
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