Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Statewide standardize tests show mixed results

Anonymous wrote:

"

New Post
"Mixed Results evident in standardized tests."
http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2016/08/23/Scores-on-student-assessment-tests-generally-up-in-2016/stories/201608230052

It depends on one's definition of 'more'. One more or....? "

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

The article used the word 'more' at least 8 times never specifying whether more meant one more student or 50. The 'mixed' results are disappointing at best.

Anonymous said...

The BIG QUESTION what plan do PPS have in place for STUDENTS they know will SCORE LOW to help them SCORE
HIGHER on the Statewide Standardize Test
Don't just talk about it lets get something in place I'm pretty sure this make those HATERS HAPPY 😀

Anonymous said...

That IS the BIG QUESTION, 12:00.
Will the new PPS executive in Instruction, Curriculum & Assessment have a depth of background and experience with PA Standards that were missing with the previous exec who is being replaced OR will it be someone who trained under her and knows even less.
So far those involved with this critical element (including highly compensated consultants) were sadly misinformed at best.and PPS is adequately NOT aligned with the PA Core Standards. PA. (These differ from Common Core and PSSA and Keystone are designed and aligned PA.)
We need competent Central Office people in appropriate positions for the sake of 25,000 students, not just because they intelligent, young and nice looking and 'know' somebody. Too many children have paid the price dearly over the last ten years!

Anonymous said...

Additionally, the PA Standards are openly available to all online----and that means each and every skill needed for every subject and every single grade level.

How many parents and community are aware of this? In fact, how many PPS teachers know these PA standards?

How many teachers use every opportunity to embed and demonstrate these PA Standards in all classroom lessons and situations?

These "thinking skills"---that's what they are "thinking" skills start at the pre-school level and expanded and reinforced at every grade level. There is no mystery about what skills and thinking tasks will produce and educated student in our schools!

Perhaps a city-wide forum on these thinking skills (PA Standards) would help PPS parents and community consciously and deliberately use and reinforce PA Standards city-wide.

Questioner said...

Would you please post the link that shows the skills for each grade in each subject?

Anonymous said...

Thank You August 29, 2016 8:12 PM

For pointing that out people need to know and understand the PA Standards mean it's sad if PPS administration staff and teachers don't REALLY have knowledge of this issue there should be a FORUM

Anonymous said...


2:57AM - instead of commenting on your own post of August 29,2016 8:12 PM what prevents you from posting the link that shows the skills for each grade in each subject as asked by Questioner?

Anonymous said...

ALL: Go to the PA Department of Education SAS website.
All of the resources that PPS or anyone else could want have been available there in multitudinous pages and have been available/accessible for the the last 10 YEARS. (This has been posted here again and again so let's drop that 'attitude' that is so prevalent here.)
PPS chose deliberately to rely on Gates instead of accepting resources from PDE, the state. Yes, Vicki Phillips and Carina Wong both worked briefly at PDE but clearly that has not sufficiently informed their foundational knowledge.
The past regime rejected all assistance from people who worked on teams to design the PA's system of standards (inclusive of an abundance of examples for practice).
Hope that the new Superintendent puts it in his plan. It has been suggested to him at a meeting in one school.

Questioner said...

There is in fact a link!

https://www.pdesas.org/Standard/View

I am finding it somewhat cumbersome to use- it's not just a list of grades and subjects, it involves a search feature. It may take some practice.

Questioner said...

There does seem to be a lot of good information there.

Anonymous said...


Attitude begets attitude 10:07 - " Hope that the new Superintendent puts it in his plan. It has been suggested to him at a meeting in one school."
What happened to the attitude! Suggested to him at a meeting in one school. That's it?

If your that passionate then mount a campaign.
Organize the forum. Have PDE back you up and so on....

Anonymous said...

8:12 Sorry but you are truly misinformed. The PA Standards are embedded in and aligned to ALL PPS curriculum lessons and assessments. Why are you continuing to campaign for the opposite? PPS teachers have been trained on PA Standards (for years!) and Common Core (in recent years!). You need to be asking for examples of lessons that have been standards/ eligible content aligned and now CCSS aligned. But then if you see a sample lesson that proves you wrong, I'm sure your campaign will then become "teachers don't know how to execute the lessons." How much put down of PPS teachers can a person stand?!

Anonymous said...

And as someone posted on a different blog, if Harrisburg wasn't able to figure out that it shouldn't have been reimbursing charter schools, how much guidance can they really be provide?

Anonymous said...

i cant seem to locate where to start a new post, any help would be appreciated!

Questioner said...

Just enter your comment on any thread, headed NEW POST, and if it will work well as a new topic, it will be moved to start a new thread.

Anonymous said...

5:19, There is no campaign. Just check the results. They speak to a lack of embededness of Standards in teaching and learning. Pittsburgh's children/students are capable of much more!

And it might be good for you to check PPS attendance at PDE seminars, conferences, workshops, etc. held in Harrisburg with thousands of educators from Districts all over the state with PPS absent over the last ten years.

Anonymous said...

There is no "put down" of PPS teachers. Central Office decides the leaders in instruction and curriculum. If they are not experienced experts in these areas they cannot provide what is required by PDE.

Anonymous said...

And there is the rub. PDE, seemingly, has no ability to 'require' anything from PPS.

Anonymous said...

Tell me 8:53 were reps from Wilkinsburg, Sto Rox, McKeesport, Woodland Hills and School District of Phil present at these PDE seminars? Have these districts shown drastic improvement in results - assuming scores are your measuring stick - as a result of being enlightened by info shared in Harrisburg?

Anonymous said...

Who are the experienced experts in these areas of instruction and curriculum ?

Anonymous said...


What is the purpose of the PDE if not to enforce the teaching and learning of it's own standards?

Anonymous said...

There are Districts who improved substantially (over 26 points not %ages) with only a few months of including the PA standards in the curriculum and instruction delivered in classrooms by teachers who were given the PD necessary.

It all depends on the people in schools and classrooms becoming experienced with the Standards and designing ways and means to ensure delivery.

PPS can do this. The resources are definitively available.

Questioner said...

Can you provide a few examples?

Anonymous said...

PDE cannot enforce the teaching and learning of 500 school districts. They do, however, provide the needed resources to accomplish this. IT IS THE TASK/CHALLENGE FOR PA SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DO THE PD, TEACHING, INSTRUCTION AND CURRICULUM TAILORED TO THEIR OWN STUDENT POPULATIONS ( as opposed to a universal one).

Anonymous said...

YES, but these are detailed and many pages not currently. PDE provides lots of examples for review and use appropriate to the populations of those recruited to Harrisburg throughout the year to do the work that is online. Certainly, there are student populations that have not been given any attention, but that is a PDE problem NOT a School Problem. PPS teachers can be PD'd on how to do this effectively for THEIR students.

Questioner said...

Examples of the school districts that improved by 26 points after PDE instruction (not examples of the instruction).

Are there any districts in Allegheny County with a high % of low income students that go to the PDE workshops etc?

Anonymous said...


It is indefensible that the Pennsylvania Department Education has no mechanism available by which the lowest performing schools districts must adhere to criteria that ensures the teaching and learning of the PA Core Standards.

Anonymous said...

11:34 So please get in touch with these low performing districts and be as vigilant about making them understand the big mistake they are making if they're not attending Harrisburg seminars as you are with the Pittsburgh District.

Those school administrations need the same type of critical scrutiny or don't you care about how students are learning in those districts?

Anonymous said...

10:07AM
If what you say is true, that the past regime rejected all assistance from people who worked on teams to design the PA's system of standards, where are these people now and why is there not a concerted effort by PDE and these individuals to persuade the Hamlet Administration to see the wisdom in teaching and learning the PA standards.

Hoping and making a suggestion at a meeting in a school doesn't sound like a strategy to turn around our failing schools.

Anonymous said...

Serious health issues are postponing that intended strategy at this specific point in time.

God-willing there will be information shared soon. Be assured that this is coming from someone who is well aware that this work must continue in as many local districts as can be managed. Contacts are in place. Know that there are Consultants who are profitting by expensive commitments to flawed strategies in these Districts including PPS.

I do not defend PDE, the 333 Market Street building is much smaller than PPS and has far fewer educators who can follow up with 500 Districts.

Anonymous said...



All that is needed is a handful of educators to turn around 1 low performing school district and the rest will be flocking to 333 Market Street setting up tents.

Anonymous said...

Yes! It has yet to happen but if you can show us at least one low performing school district that PDE is able to turn around which produces sustainable growth in students you will have restored our faith in what Harrisburg has to offer.

Right now there simply isn't enough evidence to support a school district becoming high achieving just
from attending workshops in Harrisburg.

PA standards and PA Common Core training HAS HAPPENED in Pittsburgh Public Schools but you know what? No where embedded in those standards are there strategies to combat high student absentiism or disruptive school environments or lack of sufficient classroom materials, for example. It's great that teachers are trained on how to help students learn to make inferences or write argumentative essays. But if a teacher has disengaged students, vacant seats, and a lack of parental support, who's really teaching and who's really learning?

Where are the experts for those areas of urgent need that are paramount to creating the right environment for teaching and learning to occur?

Anonymous said...


Too early to say but_____ they have a strategy in place ( 16 committees in fact ) covering all the bases that you mention 9:59 in structuring a successful transfer of Wilkinsburg students to Westinghouse.

Let's see if a field of experts have indeed been gathered together to create the right environment for teaching and learning to occur.

BTW-PDE was embedded in the planning if you recall.

Anonymous said...


Keeping in mind that it was the Wilkinsburg school board and the then acting superintendent who traveled to that small building on 333 Market St, asking for guidance.

Anonymous said...

I may be mistaken but I thought their purpose for traveling to Harrisburg was to share with state officials their blueprint (so to speak) for transition activities and key hirings and secure grant money to help facilitate those plans.

Or are you referring to the Wilkinsburg Board's initial request to move their high school students?

Anonymous said...


1:00PM - You are mistaken. Read carefully without drawing inferences.https://www.google.com/#q=This+years+return+will+be+different+for+wilkinsburg+molly+born

Anonymous said...


Hope the 'House' becomes a home for these students!