Tom Mountain of the Newton Tab believes he's uncovered the reason for the sudden drop in local MCAS math scores:
The school department was recently forced to publicly admit that the sixth-grade MCAS math scores have steadily declined over the past three years to the point where 32 percent of sixth-graders are now in the "warning" or "needs improvement" category. This means that if we were to attach a letter grade to these sixth-grade MCAS math results it would be a D-plus, with only 68 percent of the students passing...
Since the school department has neither an explanation nor a solution to the problem, and since it's likely that these same highly paid administrators will still be in their positions overseeing this problem for which they have neither an explanation nor a solution, there is every reason to assume that this downward trend will continue....why have the sixth-grade MCAS scores plummeted in just three years? What mitigating circumstances, such as demographic or economic factors, could have contributed to this downward spiral?
Since Newton has been curiously alone in this decline, surely we can't blame the MCAS itself, especially since the test has hardly changed in just three years. The demographics of the city haven't shifted in so short a period. The socioeconomic level of the population has risen steadily. The school budget has dramatically increased...
The only logical and remaining explanation is change that occurred in the Newton math curriculum itself...In short, what has changed in the elementary and middle school math curriculum to have affected such a dramatic decline in the MCAS scores?
Answer: the new math curriculum, otherwise known as anti-racist multicultural math.
Say what?
In 2001 Mr. Young, Mrs. Wyatt and an assortment of other well-paid school administrators, defined the new number-one priority for teaching mathematics, as documented in the curriculum benchmarks, "Respect for Human Differences - students will live out the system wide core of 'Respect for Human Differences' by demonstrating anti-racist/anti-bias behaviors." It continues, "Students will: Consistently analyze their experiences and the curriculum for bias and discrimination; Take effective anti-bias action when bias or discrimination is identified; Work with people of different backgrounds and tell how the experience affected them; Demonstrate how their membership in different groups has advantages and disadvantages that affect how they see the world and the way they are perceived by others..." It goes on and on.
Here are the core values for Newton Public Schools:
to provide--and be self-reflective about--authentic, effective, challenging and
creative instruction that is responsive to different learning styles and improves
student achievement. Respect for human differences places the learner at the
center of the teaching and learning and fashions instruction that builds upon the
learner's unique strengths and addresses his/her needs.
to encourage the broadest understanding and acceptance of human differences
(including differences in socio-economic class, gender, race, ethnicity, culture,
language, learning styles, special needs, physical appearance, sexual orientation, etc.) while affirming fundamental similarities of the human community
Can anyone translate that into plain English for me? And can anyone see in there, anywhere, a commitment to educating Newton's youth to their fullest potential by increasing their literacy, numeracy, scientific understanding, self-discipline, motivation, and all that other stuff that is so crucial to genuine education?
I also note that Newton makes sure to define any sort of standardized test as an assessment that is not "authentic," whereas their definition of an "authentic" assessment is so vague as to be laughable.
It's not a wonder that MCAS math scores have precipitously declined; it's only a wonder that every other MCAS scores hasn't declined as much.
More takes on the topic from Joanne Jacobs, Chris Correa (who begs to differ from Mountain on the topic), and Gene Expression (who begs to differ with Correa).
Posted by kswygert at January 18, 2005 02:01 PM