I'm glad someone's finally starting to wake up to this scourge, and it's happening in my home state, no less!
Kentucky is a stronghold of failed gimmickry in its so-called public schools, and as long ago as 1994, Louisville's Jefferson County had its first school with a year-round calendar. But now this school is one of 2 in Louisville that's abolishing its failed year-round setup.
I planned on quarantining the AP article about this event, because the piece continues to praise year-round school even though it's a massive failure, but what the shit. Also, it isn't true that the calendar had only 175 days, because Kentucky requires 177 - and because additional days were used for what the schools should have been providing all along, so by my calculation it was about 221 days.
In its rush to heap adulation on year-round school, the AP says test scores increased at one of the schools, but this too is misleading: Standardized tests are known to be poor measures of academic achievement, because they only show how well schools teach to the test, not to the student.
Few tears are being shed at the schools abandoning their year-round schedules. Since one of the schools went year-round 6 years ago, parents have been pulling their kids from the school, and enrollment there has dropped every year. That tells you something right there. Ever hear the saying, "The customer is always right"?
Maybe sometime before the 30th century, the Campbell County Schools will finally get the message.
(Source: http://www.kypost.com/content/news/commonwealth/story.aspx?content_id=5adf3f21-28b7-49f6-a0f8-9328889808ca)
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Year-round school scourge eases in Louisville
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Hi Tim. Congratulations on the 7.5 rating that I see the Online Lunchpail has received.
ReplyDeleteThat's very good, but I think it could be even better. You're not a fan of the Associated Press, but I think you could actually learn something from the textbook journalism it follows. You see, it isn't the AP that's praising year-round schools. It's unnamed reporter does what he or she is taught in journalism 101 -- talk to both sides of the issue. That's something you never do and I wish you would. The praise and criticism for a year-round school schedule is direct or indirect quotations from educators, principals and students, not the reporter's opinion. You are clearly a skilled writer. If you weren't so narrow in your view, you really could put that talent to use as an editorial writer or columnist.
By the way, you should have mentioned classes on this schedule are only held Tuesday through Friday.
And again scheff speaks about something he knows nothing about..
ReplyDeleteIf you read the article you would see Mondays are used for what the schools should have been doing anyway..that's where the 221 comes from scheff..
SO the sleight of hand from the AP/Scheff/Rush Gang goes on.
Hi everyone!!
ReplyDeleteThis lollipop is tasty..
I got a lollipop from the bank the other day, and it sure it tasty.
Hello Ann. I hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the confusion over how many days are required of students at Louisville schools on the year-round schedule it is 177, not 221. Mondays are optional. From the Jefferson County Public Schools' web site: "The fifth-day program held on Mondays, is an optional program to assist working families while providing child-centered enrichment programs for students."
Uh-huh....sort of like how the SSN is "optional"
ReplyDelete