School ratings for 2015 are out. See district ratings here and school ratings here.
“Yep, just what we thought.” That’s the likely response to today’s ratings from Mississippi parents and educators who feel their public schools have been set up to fail by a hostile legislature. While our national test scores are steadily rising, ratings governed by state officials are going the other direction.
Grades are based on a new curriculum, new test, and a new accountability model that changes the rules – a lot. Read more. Districts are “held harmless” for one year, so those with lower grades under the new model kept the higher prior-year grade as their official rating. That’s almost everyone.
The 2015 “official” ratings include:
• 19 A districts
• 43 B districts
• 54 C districts
• 30 D districts
• No F districts
Without the waiver, the count would be:
• 3 A districts
• 12 B districts
• 68 C districts
• 62 D districts
• 1 F district
A privatizer’s dream.
Let’s refocus. What’s important is our students’ success, and that is at an all-time high. We have a lot to celebrate! Which is hard to do when state leaders seem determined to define our schools as failures. And sell them out to profiteers.
The good news…
Mississippians want public schools to thrive. Legislators say they do, but most vote like they don’t. Let’s give them a chance to prove where they really stand.
The plan…
• Keep embracing higher expectations for our children and schools (teachers, keep on keepin’ on)
• Provide the strongest-ever support for our public schools (parents, ramp up the positive feedback)
• Hold legislators to equally high expectations:
• talk to legislators about how their votes hurt public school children
• ask that they get input from public school educators and parents before voting on ed bills
• support legislators who support strong public schools
• find candidates for 2019 to replace those who don’t
• Spread the word (there’s power in numbers)
Voucher lobbyists may have lots of money, but there are way more of us than there are of them.
Our teachers and kids are doing great work. They deserve a system that rewards great work. Let’s make it happen.
Together, we’ve got this. Are you in?
