Local schools rank among nation's best

[jbdlfan]

Marion County schools scored quite well in this report. Plenty of cool stuff going on in the schools next door to the north.


Local schools rank among nation’s best | Ocala.com (http://www.ocala.com/article/20120520/ARTICLES/120529986?p=1&tc=pg)

[jbdlfan]

By the way, the Charter High School lost some of their best teachers to these schools. Bet you don't read this article in the Sun!!!!

[paulandjean]

Whats the point.

[paulandjean]

Why in the world,would a newspaper coment on a schoolteacher going to another school.All schools have good teachers.

[graciegirl]

Marion County schools scored quite well in this report. Plenty of cool stuff going on in the schools next door to the north.


Local schools rank among nation’s best | Ocala.com (http://www.ocala.com/article/20120520/ARTICLES/120529986?p=1&tc=pg)


Good for them. This was a study of schools with economically disadvantaged students and so the title is a bit confusing..

Below exerpted from the above linked article

"U.S. News teamed up with American Institutes for Research (AIR) — a Washington, D.C.-based behavioral and social science research organization — to produce the ranking.
The groups measured academic outcomes at each high school, using race and economic status to also gauge a school's success.
The organization had a three-step process in determining the best schools.
The first step compared reading and math test scores to the national and state averages and focused on economically disadvantaged students. If those students scored above average, the school advanced.

The second step compared test scores of the “least-advantaged” students — black, Hispanic and low-income. If those students scored above average, the school advanced to the final step.

Step three looked at college readiness by measuring Advanced Placement or IB participation rates and student test performance. If these students fared better than the average, then the school passed the final step.
Only about 10 percent of the schools passed all three steps and were ranked.
Gold medals were awarded to the top 500 schools with the highest college readiness index. Silver medals were awarded to schools based on the college readiness index from 501 to 2008.
Another 2,869 schools that passed the first two steps, but not the third, received bronze medals. Those schools either did not offer any AP or IB programs or did not meet the minimum college readiness score."

[jbdlfan]

[QUOTE=paulandjean;495728]Why in the world,would a newspaper coment on a schoolteacher going to another school.All schools have good teachers.[/QUO
I guess I phrased that incorretly. My point was I bet you won't read about the success of another school, especially one that competes academically with TVCS, in the Sun. Sorry for the confusion. You see, TVCS loses GREAT teachers to this district on a regular basis.

[jbdlfan]

Good for them. This was a study of schools with economically disadvantaged students and so the title is a bit confusing..

Below exerpted from the above linked article

"U.S. News teamed up with American Institutes for Research (AIR) — a Washington, D.C.-based behavioral and social science research organization — to produce the ranking.
The groups measured academic outcomes at each high school, using race and economic status to also gauge a school's success.
The organization had a three-step process in determining the best schools.
The first step compared reading and math test scores to the national and state averages and focused on economically disadvantaged students. If those students scored above average, the school advanced.

The second step compared test scores of the “least-advantaged” students — black, Hispanic and low-income. If those students scored above average, the school advanced to the final step.

Step three looked at college readiness by measuring Advanced Placement or IB participation rates and student test performance. If these students fared better than the average, then the school passed the final step.
Only about 10 percent of the schools passed all three steps and were ranked.
Gold medals were awarded to the top 500 schools with the highest college readiness index. Silver medals were awarded to schools based on the college readiness index from 501 to 2008.
Another 2,869 schools that passed the first two steps, but not the third, received bronze medals. Those schools either did not offer any AP or IB programs or did not meet the minimum college readiness score."

Well, yes and no. All schools in the state and the country were ranked. They just gave those with such a high number of disadvantaged extra points. But the major point is the fact that these schools actually have an IB program that is far superior to any other schools in the tri-county area. What was the most impressive is that these schools ranked very high for college readiness, which many Florida schools are lacking, including our TVCHS. It can be fixed, it will just take a willingness.....
Not trying to start an argument, just passing on some great news hoping it might spur on the locals to consider changing.

[paulandjean]

Everything is fine the way it is now.

[jbdlfan]

Everything is fine the way it is now.

Ummmm. Not so much! Students can't compete with programs that have IB programs for prestigious universities. I hope you don't try and quote statistics about how many kids "plan" on going on to college out of the Charter School. I'm talking about the top students that are trying to get into Duke, Stanford, Northwestern, not to mention Ivy League. AP classes don't hold a candle to IB programs. Sorry, it is a fact.

[graciegirl]

Ummmm. Not so much! Students can't compete with programs that have IB programs for prestigious universities. I hope you don't try and quote statistics about how many kids "plan" on going on to college out of the Charter School. I'm talking about the top students that are trying to get into Duke, Stanford, Northwestern, not to mention Ivy League. AP classes don't hold a candle to IB programs. Sorry, it is a fact.

With all due respect, none of us have school age children, and although many of us are still interested in the schools around us, it is not our primary focus as it was some time ago.

You seem to be pointing out the supposed weakness of the charter schools. To what end, I might ask?

Here is an article that seems to point out the relative merits of both AP and IB programs .

http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/ap-vs-ib.htm

[CMANN]

I have missed the point of this posting completely. Was there a point?

[jbdlfan]

With all due respect, none of us have school age children, and although many of us are still interested in the schools around us, it is not our primary focus as it was some time ago.

You seem to be pointing out the supposed weakness of the charter schools. To what end, I might ask?

Here is an article that seems to point out the relative merits of both AP and IB programs .

AP vs. IB? - Ask The Dean (http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/ap-vs-ib.htm)

With all due respect, I have a child who DID graduate from the Charter School and it was an issue. My original post was to point out how well these local schools are doing. My second point was that unfortunately we would not read about in the Sun because it emphasized the success of "other" schools. They seem reluctant to report these successes and that is sad. My guess is it has a little to due with how these schools are achieving this success. Finally, the article mainly focused on the idea of college readiness, which in my opinion, should be a major focus.
As it often does on this board, it was considered Villages bashing or there must be an agenda garbage.....sorry, it's neither.

[jbdlfan]

I have missed the point of this posting completely. Was there a point?

I'm sorry, I thought I posted this in the Non-Villages forum. Oh wait I did! Was just showing how well some of these "other" schools are doing considering the tough socioeconomic conditions they are forced to contend with. Go back to your pickleball and canasta, stick your head in the sand and ignore the people that live around you.

[paulandjean]

What tough socioeconimic conditions they are forced to contend with?I am a former retired teacher, taught in the inner-city,what do you mean?High Schools is just that prepare them to reach the next level.

[jbdlfan]

What tough socioeconimic conditions they are forced to contend with?I am a former retired teacher, taught in the inner-city,what do you mean?High Schools is just that prepare them to reach the next level.

Double digit unemployment. 1300 homeless students in Marion County alone. My school, a feader to one of these high schools, 80% free and reduced lunches. 20% mobility rate. Generational poverty going back 100 years.

[graciegirl]

(jdbifan quote)[I'm sorry, I thought I posted this in the Non-Villages forum. Oh wait I did! Was just showing how well some of these "other" schools are doing considering the tough socioeconomic conditions they are forced to contend with. Go back to your pickleball and canasta, stick your head in the sand and ignore the people that live around you. quote=jbdlfan;496655]With all due respect, I have a child who DID graduate from the Charter School and it was an issue. My original post was to point out how well these local schools are doing. My second point was that unfortunately we would not read about in the Sun because it emphasized the success of "other" schools. They seem reluctant to report these successes and that is sad. My guess is it has a little to due with how these schools are achieving this success. Finally, the article mainly focused on the idea of college readiness, which in my opinion, should be a major focus.
As it often does on this board, it was considered Villages bashing or there must be an agenda garbage.....sorry, it's neither.[/quote] above quoted jdbifan.






I remember you saying that your son was an honor student at The Villages High School and that you taught at the middle school nearby and that you recently were planning to move into The Villages.

You will find that a large percentage of villagers have retired after working for a very long time and are probably deserving of their leisure activities. That doesn't mean we don't care about education and social issues. That is a whole different argument, the answer to 100 years of poverty.

I do point out that The Sun is probably writing with a focus to the retired population who live here and in so doing would include the happenings of the Charter Schools as many people who live here volunteer and attend their athletic events too. The Charter School is of interest too, as they were built by the developer and are on our campus, so to speak.

Many young students, due to a lot of reasons, aren't able to attend their first college choices and they do what has always been done; work as hard as they can and achieve as much as they can, and in so doing make their success in life even more gratifying.

[paulandjean]

Hog Wash!