What a simple word...recognized. Well, here in Texas it's sometimes NOT so simple. The standardized tests here (called TAKS) are incredibly stressful on teachers, students, principals. I won't even go into the details. Lets just say, way too much emphasis goes into those tests every year. Too much depends on them.
There are different levels of ratings that schools get, depending on the results of the tests school-wide. There's Academically Unacceptable, Acceptable, Recognized, and Exemplary. The school where Jim teaches has never made it above Acceptable (but has never gotten Unacceptable). This year, they made it to Recognized. I was very excited for them and for the principal, who has tried so hard every year to motivate and encourage (and threaten some, I'm sure). Needless to say, she has been in a WAY good mood. If they can keep it up each year, that would be even better.
Okay, that's about the only news I have going on these days. :)
4 comments:
That's really fantastic!
They put a lot of emphasis on test scores in MA too. Each year we get a notice from the district that Monkey's school has scored low enough that we are entitled to move him to another school in the district :-/
Fortunately, it doesn't apply to their pre-school classes and the school is transitioning from a normal public school to a Montessori based school...which appears to be helping.
There are still a lot of older kids being failed by our school regardless of all the emphasis put on test scores though.
That is great! They put a lot of pressure on teachers and students here in Ohio as well.
So if the principal is happy, Jim is probably happy, and if Jim is happy, you are happy! :)
I know what you mean - my Hubby is a public school teacher under the same constraints as yours.
Good for his school!
Like the other comments - I think they make it out like only your state is like this. We've lived in 4 states, and all of them try to outdo the other states for bad stats. Barbara
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