DPS grads face remedial work
More than half are unprepared for college classes
By Burt Hubbard, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Nancy Mitchell, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published January 12, 2009 at 12:05 a.m.
Updated January 12, 2009 at 8:50 a.m.
Photo by Chris Schneider / The Rocky
Students react in an advanced biology class at D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School. The school has the lowest college remediation rate in Colorado.
Amber Mendoza is a freshman at Denver's North High School who is slogging through algebra and looking forward to the day when, diploma in hand, she can say goodbye to high school math forever.
Except that, chances are, she won't be able to.
More than half of all Denver Public Schools graduates who enroll in a state college or university must take at least one remedial course, according to a Rocky Mountain News analysis, and in most cases, that class is math.
For graduates of high-poverty schools such as North, the remediation rate shoots even higher - up to nearly 70 percent. That means two out of every three graduates have to pay for and complete a basic skills course that does not count for college credit before they can enroll in a class that will count toward a degree.
Even Denver's higher-performing schools don't fare so well in the Rocky analysis of three years' worth of data. At the Denver School of the Arts, one of two DPS high schools rated "excellent" by the state, the remediation rate is 36 percent.
North's remediation rate, the third-highest in Colorado, is double that of DSA - 67 percent. For Amber, 14, who has struggled to make the adjustment from middle to high school, that's not good news.
"Just because I'm a student at North, I shouldn't have to take remedial courses," she said. "I should be getting the right education now."
State law requires Colorado public colleges and universities to report annually on the numbers of first-time students who must take remedial courses.
Four-year universities typically rely on a student's ACT or SAT college entrance exam scores to make that determination; two- year colleges use an exam called the Accuplacer.
The Rocky analysis looked at data from 2006, 2007 and 2008 by district and by school. The state report excludes schools with fewer than 25 graduates, so only larger high schools and districts are included. Among the findings:
* Ten of the 70 school districts have remediation rates of 50 percent or above. That includes DPS, Sheridan and Commerce City in the metro area.
* Seven school districts have remediation rates of 20 percent or less. Boulder Valley is the only metro area district in that group.
* School remediation rates ranged from a low of 4.8 percent for D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School in Jefferson County to a high of 71.7 percent for Denver's West High School.
* Three metro-area school districts have seen double-digit increases in their remediation rates over the past three years - DPS, Sheridan and Commerce City. DPS' rate was 46.4 percent in 2006 and 56.3 percent in 2008.
Pervasive phenomenon
Colorado's statewide remediation rate in 2008 was 29.9 percent, where it has hovered for at least four years.
A breakdown shows 53 percent of students enrolling in two-year schools required remediation compared with 21 percent of those attending four-year schools.
That's similar to the national remedial rate, according to a September report from Strong American Schools, the group headed by former Gov. Roy Romer.
Titled Diploma to Nowhere, the report found 43 percent of two-year college students needed remediation compared with 29 percent of four-year students.
In fact, the remedial phenomenon is so pervasive that the College Board lists advice for avoiding it on its Web site, starting with "Be aware that simply meeting graduation requirements might not be enough . . . "
If researchers know about the issue, many students do not.
"You feel proud with your diploma," said Juan Evangelista, who graduated from North High School in May 2005.
But when he enrolled in Community College of Denver that fall, a counselor said he had to take remedial courses in three subjects.
"I had the diploma saying, OK, I'm ready for college," Evangelista said. "But it turned out, I had to go back into remedial, learning what I should already have been taught."
Boosting proficiency
Brad Jupp, DPS senior academic adviser, said the district has focused on improving students' access to college, citing efforts such as the Denver Scholarship Foundation.
The Rocky findings show DPS must boost its efforts at proficiency, too.
"The challenge is . . . we can't just increase the number of kids we have going to college," Jupp said, "We have to increase their proficiency rates if we're going to see them succeed in college."
At Abraham Lincoln High School, the number of graduates attending a Colorado college or university over three years has nearly doubled - along with the school's remediation rate.
Jupp said the district's reform plan, the Denver Plan, includes interventions such as doubling up math and literacy classes. Other interventions, such as summer school, have not been implemented for lack of funding.
DPS' tough new graduation requirements, effective with the Class of 2011, also may boost proficiency.
"We care very much about the new graduation requirements," said Kristen Sharp, an organizer with Padres y Jovenes Unidos, an advocacy group working in DPS schools with some of the worst remediation rates.
But Sharp said DPS also should implement "continuation requirements" or set standards a student must meet before being promoted from grade to grade.
"We know that more than 80 percent of students walking into North or Montbello or Lincoln, they're behind walking into the ninth grade," she said. "So it's kind of like no surprise that then they need remedial courses when they're walking into college.
More than 44,000 students were enrolled in remedial courses in Colorado colleges and universities during the 2007-08 school year. Total cost: $14.6 million in state tax dollars.
Nationwide, the cost of remedial education for high school graduates is more than $2.3 billion annually, according to Romer's report.
But Van Schoales, urban education officer with the Denver- based Piton Foundation, believes those figures underestimate the actual toll - in dollars and students.
For example, consider that Denver's West High School enrolled 569 students in fall 2004. Four years later, 52 West graduates enrolled in a Colorado college or university. Of those, 42 students needed at least one remedial course. That leaves 10 graduates of West who attended a state school who were fully prepared for college classes.
Given that DPS received at least $6,500 per pupil per year each of those four years, the cost of educating 10 students fully prepared for college works out to about $1 million each, Schoales calculated.
"It's not that people aren't working hard," he said. "It's just that the schools are totally ill-prepared to get kids ready for college."
The best and worst
A Rocky analysis three years' worth of data* shows some high schools are preparing their graduates well for college - and some are not. The percentages refer to the number of a school's graduates attending a Colorado college or university who were required to take at least one remedial course.
* TOP HIGH SCHOOLS
District * School * Graduates in remedial courses
1. Jefferson County, D'Evelyn Jr./Sr. High, 4.8%
2. Boulder Valley, Fairview H.S., 10.8%
3. Academy District 20, Air Academy H.S., 13.5%
4. Cherry Creek Schools, Cherry Creek H.S., 14.6%
5. Cheyenne Mountain 12, Cheyenne Mountain H.S., 15.1%
* BOTTOM HIGH SCHOOLS
District * School * Graduates in remedial courses
1. Denver Public Schools, West H.S., 71.1%
2. Denver Public Schools, Montbello H.S., 68.9%
3. Denver Public Schools, North H.S., 66.7%
4. Aurora Public Schools, Aurora Central H.S., 64.5%
5. Denver Public Schools, Abraham Lincoln H.S., 64.3%
Link between poverty and the need for remedial classes
A Rocky analysis of three years' data correlates the need for remedial courses with the need for lunch aid. One column shows the number of graduates in each of the 15 metro-area districts who were required to take at least one remedial course after enrolling in a Colorado college or university. Another column shows the percentage of students in each district who are eligible for federal lunch aid, an indicator of poverty.
Students District * Graduates requiring remediation * Students in poverty
1. Boulder Valley, 20%, 17%
2. Littleton, 23%, 15%
3. Douglas County, 24%, 5%
4. Cherry Creek, 27%, 22%
5. Jefferson County, 29%, 25%
6. St. Vrain, 34%, 31%
7. Adams Five-Star, 39%, 29%
8. Englewood, 45%, 44%
9. Brighton, 48%, 28%
10. Westminster, 49%, 73%
11. Aurora, 49%, 57%
12. Mapleton, 51%, 65%
13. Denver, 53%, 68%
14. Sheridan, 61%, 82%
15. Adams 14/Commerce City, 63%, 83%
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January 12, 2009
5:19 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
We all know there is a terrible problem with public schools; I am thankful these kids are going to college and the problem will not only be corrected, but they will go on to learn even greater things. The bar has been lowered so far, that a high school diploma is an 8th grade equivalent anymore and has lost a lot of respect.
January 12, 2009
5:46 a.m.
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Aaron writes:
Perhaps Burt Hubbard and Nancy Mitchell, the authors of this news piece, can let us know how much time and Amber Mendoza puts in EACH DAY to study and practice the math that she is being taught?
Before the predictable slamming of public school teachers begins, let's hear just how much effort the student puts forth.
"Just because I'm a student at North, I shouldn't have to take remedial courses," she said. "I should be getting the right education now." Sorry, Amber Mendoza, but I'm not buying it that you are not "getting the right education now".
January 12, 2009
6:23 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
It's not so much the teachers as it is the teachers union, and decades of lowering the bar, and an administration out of touch with both parents and teachers. Yet if a superintendent stands up, the union mahkes it weight and presence felt and the system is never changed, it just limps on. Attack the teachers union, you attack the teachers and they rebel, and the kids will pay the price. The crux is the children, not the teachers union, not the administration, not the superintendent, the kids are the crux. We've listened to the lipservice of the administration and the superintendents, we know the union is all powerful and will protect every teacher regardless of performance, yet look at the kids. The kids are being blamed and used as an excuse for failure as well. According to many teachers the kids are a bunch of unruly rapscallions, maybe a few, but that's not the majority of kids. Many things have to change, teachers like to let themselves out the door and say they are not the problem. To easy, the system is broken and all aspects need to be addressed, yes teacher too AARON. Nobody involved should get a free pass out of the room on this issue.
January 12, 2009
6:39 a.m.
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Aaron writes:
Absolutely agree, Louie, that no free passes should be issued. Still, it would be interesting in this one case to have the reporters ask Amber Mendoza a simple question. "How much time have you spent each day practicing at home what you are taught at school?" This is not a blame issue, but simply an inquiry.
gotta go...
January 12, 2009
6:54 a.m.
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DMISSEY writes:
Interesting - Where are the parents in this debate? If the level of parent participation in their children's school is correlated through time spent with children doing homework, and turning off the TV and video games, and with parent time spent at school meetings with teachers and other parents - surprise!!
Parents make the critical difference.
January 12, 2009
6:57 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
True enough AARON, my daughter's homework is above me and the girl is 12. I grew up in the streets and my education is sad, but it was my fault not the system. So I very well understand the point your making. Yet I believe everything needs to be put on the table, nobody gets a free pass. The last superintendent brought results, but it was a fight, the union opposed the man every inch of the way. Now the ball has been handed off, and promises made again by a new superintendent, but he's not Bennett. The new super has the sheepskin, but does he have Bennetts acuments in getting results? I don't think so, Bennett had an unorthodox means of getting results and was more than willing to confront those who opposed him like the union. The system is broken, it was allowed to decay for decades, turning DPS around is not going to be easy. Yet what Bennett accomplished in just 3 years was remarkable, and the first words of disapproval of this man came from who? The union and their members, it was anything to put the man down, even the arrogance to take credit for what he accomplished.
January 12, 2009
7:06 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
I am a parent of 5 children, and a Denver resident with a daughter still in public schools DMISSEY. The board could care less about parents, I fought them for years and they turned a deaf ear. Now my daughter goes to a charter school, West Denver Prep, and they are on top of the issues as they relate to education. Many parents care, but the system would never listen to them, thus many no longer participate, or they found alternatives like myself. My brother chose Cherry Creek High Schools and move to the district. It's more like survival of the fittest in DPS.
January 12, 2009
7:12 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
AARON, thanks for the recipe you posted awhile back, I love picking up on the food tips!
January 12, 2009
7:15 a.m.
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Michael writes:
So, the students either do not graduate and a large percentage of those that do appear to not deserve to. Wonderful. Everyone talks about "high tech" jobs and all the new industries that we need to incubate and create for a new, green economy and our kids cannot do basic math if they graduate and I can only imagine how ignorant the ones are that do not graduate. Who will want to employ them? Where will they work when so many illegal aliens are taking the unskilled, uneducated jobs at the low end of the scale?
When kids drop out they and their families should be made to sign a waiver form absolving all state and federal government agencies of any responsibility for them if they do not finish their education. No welfare. No aid for kids having babies. Nothing. NO safety net UNLESS you finish school. Fear is the greatest motivator of all and because of PC we have abandoned it as a tool. It worked well for me as the nuns and my dad tag teamed me pretty good. I graduated.
January 12, 2009
7:34 a.m.
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pak writes:
Want to "go big" on the fries with that order? Let's keep dumbing down our public schools and not holding the teachers accountable. Let's do away with testing because they are too tough and hurt self esteem. Let's not have competition with vouchers and choice. Don't worry, with the coming Obama economy of high taxes and inflation and high energy costs, China and India will take all of our high tech, high paying jobs.
January 12, 2009
7:52 a.m.
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timeandagain writes:
Is it poverty or cultural standards/expectations? I believe it is a cultural attitude about education that leads to poverty...
January 12, 2009
7:54 a.m.
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LesterGovernment writes:
The public schools have become the means by which our "progressive" citizens have molded society. Sure, half of the graduates aren't competent in math but just ask them about global warming or racism and they excel. It isn't that our schools aren't teaching anything well, it's that their efforts are wasted on issues that increase the political power of the teachers union and those that agree with them.
Expect things to continue to deteriorate.
January 12, 2009
7:59 a.m.
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Michael writes:
timeandagain - Be careful there..."cultural attitude"??? Are you implying that there are certain "cultures" (code word for race or ethnic group BTW) that do not embrace education? The PC police will be over to see you very, very soon and that re-education camp will fix your problem.
January 12, 2009
8:09 a.m.
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NeilT writes:
A cultural issue?
I agree, but we're not without fault.
Checkout the ~250 posts on the Bronco's new head coach stories and compare that to the number of posts stories such as this receive.
Sad...
January 12, 2009
8:21 a.m.
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msmith3575 writes:
Louie it is just the opposite the bar is not to low - the bar is continually being raised -Society is demanding more and more from our students as are the colleges
January 12, 2009
8:31 a.m.
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Dub writes:
This situation does have a silver lining though. If the current crop of students are so "uneducated" they will only be hired in the lowest paying jobs, right? The illegals who left the country and are waiting for the economy to rebound will be replaced with the DPS grads. When the illegals come back, there will be no jobs for them because the DPS grads took the lowest paying jobs, therefore there will be no reason to stay here. Wa-La two problems solved, illegal immigration, and how to get your grass mowed. Of course, the problem can be solved by the Teachers Union for enough money.
January 12, 2009
8:35 a.m.
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Noia writes:
If she realizes now she's struggling and the school isn't giving her the help she needs, it's time for her to step up and help herself. Although I don't believe any teacher would ignore a student that went directly to them and said "I really need help with this." If they do, then go to the principle or school councilor.
Start a study or work group with fellow students.
Go to the public library and find books on the subject.
Get a part-time job (or for her age, babysit) for extra cash then use that money to hire a tutor.
Call or go to local colleges and see if there are free study groups you could sit in. (Maybe not as a Freshman but certainly an idea for Juniors or Seniors)
If she's concerned about the subject maybe she'll consider becoming a teacher when she finishes college. Doubtful but it could happen! :)
January 12, 2009
9:21 a.m.
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Michael writes:
Dub - One flaw in your argument. US students who do not graduate or graduate with no skills will still expect a $50K/yr (or better) job with benefits and the whole package. They have been told they are special, they are entitled, and that simply trying is enough - results don't matter. I see it in my nephew who is 18. They will not take those jobs at McDonalds, or cutting lawns, or cleaning hotel rooms, or pounding nails on a construction site in 95 degree heat in the summer or below freezing in the winter. I did them all when I was 15 - 25 yrs old, except for the hotel room gig.
What then?
January 12, 2009
9:26 a.m.
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jhawkey writes:
I had to take remedial courses when I went to college. Want to know why? Because I was too lazy to take advantage of the opportunities that the school district afforded me to take those upper level math classes. It wasn't the school's nor the teachers' fault that I was too lazy. So I had to pay my dues later for taking not taking advantage earlier. It is up to the student and his /her parents to take the responsibility to prepare for college. When are people going to take responsibility for themselves and their actions? It's everybody elses fault.
January 12, 2009
9:28 a.m.
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Michael writes:
msmith - You're half right. Society and the world are continually raising the bar on the what kind of education is required of our young people when they graduate to compete in a global economy. Problem is that our public education system keeps lowering the standards that they demand of our kids to pass and graduate. The two measurements are continually moving away from each other. One gets higher and the other gets lower.
January 12, 2009
9:29 a.m.
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psu96 writes:
those of you who are trashing the public schools, do you know the school laws within CO? Did you know that if a school is recommending retention all a parent has to do is sign a form and the schools have to pass them? Don't see how the teachers union etc...relates but keep playing your broken record???
January 12, 2009
9:33 a.m.
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beentheredonethat writes:
What a load of experts! Noia, the head of a school is a Principal, not a Principle. Dub, you might want to read some books and notice that Wa La is actually a French word-- Voila! Louie, at least you recognize that your education is nothing to brag about, so maybe that should excuse your run-on sentences and inability to put an apostrophe into Teachers' Union. There are no little old nuns who taught Michael to start sentences with Either or When and then finish them with clauses that begin with And. And, Msmith3575, you could maybe do some homework with Louie and learn that Too does not mean the same thing as To. Most of you experts couldn't pass a minimal writing test, much less teach it to the children of the illegals, the vast majority of whom are illiterate themselves and working long hours away from their homes. So, after you've taught for a couple of years in Denver's struggling schools, come back and tell us all about the impact of the teachers' union on the daily efforts of the ones who are actually fighting an uphill battle every single day with every single student.
January 12, 2009
10 a.m.
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Michael writes:
beenthere - There are a variety of names for people who come into chat rooms and blog sites and correct spelling and grammar mistakes. I won't bore you with them as I am sure you know them all. I am sure you also got the point of the posts you decided to spell check and grammar check, but you chose the easy target rather than engage in the discussion. Diversion? Avoidance?
Maybe many of us would have difficulty with a minimal writing test. No argument on that, but since those of us doing the criticizing of teachers and schools are the ones footing the bill, then we need no prerequisite to do it. When you pay my salary though forced taxation then you too can criticize my work. Until then, maybe you should look in the mirror first before you blame us for the obvious failures of our public schools. Just a suggestion.
January 12, 2009
10:01 a.m.
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NeilT writes:
No...
...but they could give you the complete work history of an assistant football coach from two-thousand miles away.
It's sad that parents can quote football statistics, but they can't name the person/people that teach their children.
January 12, 2009
10:18 a.m.
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NeilT writes:
Yeah, Teach!
We pay you to babysit...I mean teach our kids, so shut-up and do your job! We're too busy to get involved. If YOU would just do the job you're paid for, our kids would be smart enough to get decent scores on the SAT/ACT/Accuplacer.
We already feed, clothe and house the punks, what more do you want from us?
Now leave me alone! Entertainment Tonight is on TV and I want to see who Paris Hilton is currently sleeping with. This weekend is no good either. It's the playoffs, so I'll have to get back to you, at my convenience, of course.
And please don't bother my wife. She is working overtime to make the SUV payment.
January 12, 2009
10:33 a.m.
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Creative_N_Denver writes:
It is bad, I was helping two students in Commerce City and they couldn't even spell. (10 grade and a freshman in college) One would also use the slang used in texting on her term papers! I was in shock that the schools would allow students to pass to the next grade with out knowing basic English, Reading or Math! I pulled my own student out of the local schools and now homeschool. Her grades and retention is high. She is an honor student and active in sports. We feel that education is important and started early learning before she entered Kindergarden. Not all parents can do what we did, one parent has to be home to coach the student(s). In todays economy we can't expect a child to come home to a parent. There are after school programs that require payment but they also have programs that will help pay for the families of lower incomes. After school programs (if well rounded) will provide homework assistance and activities. The schools also offer help after school or lunch time to the students who need it (and request it). It really all comes down to parents taking the time to show interest in the students education and providing help where help is needed and if unable to help the child, finding someone who can. It is also important that the child wants the help. Many students have a horrible attitude towards teachers and school. But It all begins at home, with the parents or in my case the Grandparents.
January 12, 2009
10:59 a.m.
Suggest removal
MBR693 writes:
LesterGovernment writes:
"The public schools have become the means by which our "progressive" citizens have molded society. Sure, half of the graduates aren't competent in math but just ask them about global warming or racism and they excel. It isn't that our schools aren't teaching anything well, it's that their efforts are wasted on issues that increase the political power of the teachers union and those that agree with them."
I can't comment on the union aspect, but you're right about the first part. Many in my kids' district have also noticed that the schools tend to adopt trendy teaching methods and my wife and I with three college degrees in science and engineering between us couldn't help our elementary age kids with their math. We finally pulled them out of public schools. No slam on the teachers whatsover; all were great.
Parents need to assume responsibility for the amount of time they allow their children to play video games and watch television, both of which further cater to a society based upon gratification or hedonism, as Dennis Prager would say.
Nobody seems to have commented on a fundamental issue, namely, that schools by design no longer teach from the classical educational methodology whereby students were once taught to think rather than feel through an argument or data. There is no longer critical analysis. This has been replaced with group consensus and modern conventional wisdom rather than logical analysis and thesis.
Of course, with no standard for right and wrong other than what I decide, it's a completely logical outcome.
January 12, 2009
11:05 a.m.
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ILoveChipotle writes:
And the man in charge of their education is now our U.S. Senator... Amazing...
January 12, 2009
11:19 a.m.
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CastleMan writes:
I used to teach at West High School in Denver and I can tell you, the system is a disaster. There are some hard-working and very caring teachers and there are some teachers who one would not describe that way. The administration regards teachers as their enemy and tries to micromanage everything they say, do, even what they wear. The curriculum has been so dumbed down, it's incredible. Students simply aren't challenged. The grading system is also part of the problem. Teachers are pressured, subtly and otherwise, to make sure each class has a bell curve of grades, with only about ten percent of the kids failing and ten percent getting an A. The problem is that only about ten percent of the kids, in my experience, demonstrate enough knowledge of the subject to earn a passing grade. That's so even if they are given full credit for all homework turned in. Many teachers simply grant huge amounts of points for simply attending class in order to assure the curve. They also radically simplify the test. And, yes, many students simply do not study and do not do homework. On average about 10-15 percent of the students in DPS turn in homework. In a subject like math or science it's critical to practice the problems if one wants to pass a test. The other problem is the CSAP. Administrators live and breathe the thing, which is understandable, but the problem is that a child's performance on that exam has nothing to do with whether they pass any class or get a diploma or move to the next grade. It's unproductive if the students have no stake in the outcome. I think each school should be totally autonomous, with complete control of their own hiring, budgets, curriculum and operations, and we must reduce the influence of the teachers union, too. The state should give kids a stake in the CSAP results, like New York among other states has done. And, yes, teachers should be paid more. Many people, including me, reasonably conclude that they can earn alot more money and have a better quality of life by doing something else. Many teachers put in long hours. Even the renowned ProComp system really isn't likely to do much to raise teachers' pay in Denver. Vouchers also need to be put in place. Administrators generally care about only one thing: how much money the school will get from the district, which in turn is based on how many kids are enrolled on the count day in early October. So they tolerate behavior problems, pervasive ditching, lack of motivation, etc. in order to maximize revenue. If parents were in control of where the public dollars needed to educate their children were going, schools would be far more responsive to parents' reasonable expecations (and they are almost always reasonable).
January 12, 2009
11:28 a.m.
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peter303 writes:
This is called social promotion - graduating between grades and from high school if you've keep the desk-seat warm, even if you have mastered basics. Its unfair to kids to fool them that way and become let-down when they find they are ready for college or job.
January 12, 2009
11:55 a.m.
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mcgraw08 writes:
The public school system has many issues that need to be corrected. One of them is the parental involvement piece. When there is back to school night, or parent conferences, or information meetings and out of 150 students that I have only 7 show up. Or when we send out 100 invitations only 1 parent shows up what does that say?? It takes teachers, parents, to help our students. Many of our students who are freshmen don't even have curfews, are allowed to stay up late don't get their homework done due to having jobs to help pay for their cell phones, car payments or insurance. No wonder we are facing an uphill battle. The problems doesn't have to do with the unions, in fact the DCTA union is weak and have sold out to the board and superintendent. I have stated before that yes there are people who shouldn't be teaching but there are those and that is a majority of them who work their butts off. Yet, the are totally disrespected, underpaid and blamed for everything that goes wrong with the students.
January 12, 2009
12:30 p.m.
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Dick_Tater writes:
I'm ok with this. It just means that my kid ( whom my wife and I work with nightly ) will be employing these kids. You're right, it takes work and dedication to be a good parent. But most would rather be selfish and focus on themselves and think their kid should grow up just fine. I have one kid to teach, a teacher in public school has over 100. Don't count on the public system, you have to take responsibility for your own life and those of your children too. If you're going to fail them, why do you expect the public education system to succeed?
January 12, 2009
12:43 p.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
Thank you, Rocky, for making it clear that whatever DPS reform has been going on, it's still a pitifully inadequate school district. One might imagine from reading other headlines that the place has had a wonderful turn-around, and all is swell there now.
Not.
In my opinion, DPS needs an outside audit of labor issues. The fact these issues are decided and discussed in secret is a total turn-off to me as a taxpayer and citizen. If you spend all your dough at the top end, obviously there is not enough to go around at the bottom.
And let's be completely clear about this: The Bennet and Boasberg appointments demonstrated (to me, anyway) in highlighted text that if you are A Somebody you can succeed, but if you are A Nobody you cannot. How the DPS System is consistent with what I was taught about the American System, I don't understand and as the decades pass, am having to accept that I will die without ever achieving that understanding.
It wouldn't be so bad if we weren't having to PAY for all this, but because we are, it stinks. Knowing my tax funds are going to the DPS retirement system to pay for cushy retirements for well-paid (and publically anonymous) administrators makes me want to puke.
Colorado intended that school workers would be controlled by civil service or some other mechanism guaranteed to be sure that the RIGHT people were paid and promoted, and the WRONG people were ousted. In the name of "local control," we lost this.
I have an inner vision of the DPS Board of Education wearing crowns and a Holier-Than-Thou attitude. Could they teach a single class, or manage a single department? I doubt it. This doesn't keep them from issuing mandates from Above.
January 12, 2009
12:58 p.m.
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LOUIE writes:
MSMITH, the bar is being raised, improvements are being made; but with the changing of the guard, will it continue? The improvements you seen 9% in middle school math scores, 10% in middle schools in reading score in the last 3 years, were hard fought changes. Bennett, unlike past superintendents fought the teachers union everyday to get the change going, the bar is being raised finally after decades. Is this new man got what it takes? It's going to require more than that sheepskin the man has.
January 12, 2009
12:59 p.m.
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rebbybird writes:
I agree that schools are complex. I am the mother of two DPS students at Smiley, one in 6th grade and one in 8th grade. We work with our kids almost every night. I attend parent conferences. My kids' teachers are, for the most part, good. The principal cares a lot. We are excited by the IB program and the changes it is bringing to our school.
Parents worked with the teachers and principal at our school to create IB. Without everyone, this change could not happened. My think that the school is improving, although I don't think we have more than a year's test scores to prove it. The kids seem more engaged, and the community is involved.
But this past fall, DPS decided to locate a charter school at Smiley. They said it was to give parents a choice about what school to attend and because Smiley's enrollment is down. DPS will move a charter school into Smiley called Envision.
Here is where I think things don't work. Envision is supported by some foundations here in town. I am sure they are well meaning, but Envision's academic record is not very good. Their high schools in San Francisco do not seem to perform that well. I am not an expert at this, but the scores for 9th grade students at one school, City Arts and Tech, showed that only 3.5% of the students were proficient in math in 2007. Only 15% of 10th graders were proficient in math. Both grades showed declines from 2006. What kind of choice is DPS offering us?
A woman in our neighborhood e-mailed these scores out to everyone and she told me that a group of parents met with some of the school board members. They did not support the parents and voted to put the school in Smiley, even when a group of parents spoke out against it at at school board meeting.
So I guess that I feel like it is easy to blame parents, teachers, unions, students, but isn't the school board and DPS really to blame too? I just don't see how these types of solutions solve anything for our kids.
January 12, 2009
1:05 p.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
LOUIE, I am also confused about the "teachers union" issues.
The teachers union is VOLUNTARILY recognized as the teachers' "exclusive representative." The Board has no requirement to recognize any such entity.
In past years, the Board was elected largely by teachers and their supporters. So naturally, it recognized the union. Having elected Board members hire a superintendent who fights the union is the practical equivalent of three wrongs making a right.
If DPS wants to do away with the teacher's union, it should stop recognizing it, period.
January 12, 2009
1:21 p.m.
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CastleMan writes:
BetterEducated, it's not that easy. Federal labor law is involved in this.
January 12, 2009
1:24 p.m.
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ColoNative writes:
The desire to learn is not external. It comes from within. The motivation to learn is often based on the need to adapt. I am the only one who can make the changes to avoid getting a crappy low wage job. I got my wake up call as an enlisted military member. As anE-1, I learned that the officers were not smarter than me. They were more educated, but they were not smarter. They got paid for telling me to do crappy jobs. I got paid significantly less money for doing the crappy jobs. So, rather than whining my life away in an enlisted dorm, I spent my off duty time obtaining what the officers had - an education. Now, as a retired officer, I am still reaping the benefits of the time I spent in school.
When I started my education, I found out that all those people I thought just wanted to give me crappy things to do were also there ready to help. I found that there were more gracious people than mean people along the way. Mean people are still out there. Hard work is still out there. But by God's grace, I was able to get an education.
January 12, 2009
1:25 p.m.
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LOUIE writes:
BEENTHEREDONETHAT, I apologize for my lack of ability in writing, however I seen enough of DPS in the last 20 years to last a lifetime. Got a few moments to spend I tell you some wonderful stories about the system, and so will many other parents. Yes I have an 8th grade education and was state raised; but what excuse do those in charge of education have to lean on? Got wonderful degrees, great educations, but turn out a failing product, resist change, a union to fight to keep the incompetent, and they can put the blame everywhere but themselves, because they have a great education that says they must be smarter than the rest of us. Ever hear of being educated beyond your intelligence? They hand me their applications everyday asking for work, but they don't have the ability, merely the sheepskin. Oh they can spell, but can they run a multimillion dollar empire as I do each day? No, but they have a college degree. I have a poor education true enough, but what's your excuse for your part in the failures we all are glaring at here?
January 12, 2009
1:28 p.m.
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ColoNative writes:
By the way, I attended Adams City High School, which even back in the day, was a pretty nasty place.
January 12, 2009
1:36 p.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
CastleMan, federal labor law does not apply to state public bargaining and DPS' attorney will be the first to tell you so.
The National Labor Relations Act excludes public workers.
Colorado is among the states who have chosen NOT to grant collective bargaining in the public sector. The governor gave this right to state workers with a written Resolution and the Denver BOE did the same thing beginning in the early 70's, to my understanding.
January 12, 2009
1:42 p.m.
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CastleMan writes:
There's no doubt that personal responsibility and the involvement of parents are key to helping a teenager graduate from high school and go on to college or a rewarding career and life. However, that does not excuse the pervasive and persistent failures of our public education system. The system encourages and rewards mediocrity. It does not do nearly enough to encourage and positively reinforce those who are willing to try and who do the work necessary to really learn and become educated. In short, the public school system in most communities, and most definitely in Denver, is motivated mostly to maximize revenues from the taxpayer and protect its "turf." That's not to say that no educator cares about kids and whether those kids are learning. Many do. The problem there is that too many educators went to education schools, where the main focus is the particularly popular theory about "how children learn" as opposed to what children need to learn. The result is too much concern with self-esteem, which in turn begets social promotion, which in turn degrades the public school system's attention to academic achievement and the pursuit of knowledge. More competition, not less, and a concerted effort to draw educators from the professions (or at least from fields that require knowledge of an actual academic subject area as opposed to the faux-psychology emphasized in education classes at most colleges) and not the education schools is essential if this vicious downward cycle is to be stopped.
January 12, 2009
1:48 p.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
CastleMan said: "In short, the public school system in most communities, and most definitely in Denver, is motivated mostly to maximize revenues from the taxpayer and protect its "turf."
RIGHT ON!!!!!!!
These are political issues. If they had a LEGAL basis for resolution, they would have been cleared up a long time ago.
The legislature didn't want Colorado to have collective bargaining in the public sector and it flies in the face of the public entities' ability to control their affairs. The Denver BOE wanted it anyway -- so now there it is, unregulated and uncontrolled and apparently no longer what the Board wants.
That's why it was so disturbing that the governor granted the power to state workers through his little Resolution. If people are going to collectively bargain (and I am a supporter of this when it is done right), there has to be a mechanism whereby the exclusive representative is selected in the first place, and then maintained over time.
In other words -- I view the Denver teachers' union as a Creature of the Board itself. That Dr. Frankenstein monster is a pretty good metaphor. :-)
January 12, 2009
1:51 p.m.
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LOUIE writes:
BEENTHEREDONETHAT, education is very important, the system has been broken for many decades. There are many people who don't have college degrees, that are extremely accomplished and have a native intelligence. My oldest daughter will be the first in my family to earn a degree in medical. I am proud she was able to go beyond me in education. Yet will she accomplish all that my family has, will she rise up out of the streets of poverty with no formal education as the head of my family has done and put together a multimillion dollar empire? He has been asked numerous times to speak at various schools of higher learning on business issues. I don't know. But it takes more than education in today's world, and I will never let the girl rest on her laurels. I live very low to the earth, as do my brothers, but we walk where few ever will, because we've been taught how. I wish I could go to school, but there is no way, maybe if I go into semi-retirement in a few years I will as I probably will do just that before my 60th birthday. Education is but one factor, albeit a very important one; that's why so many of us are tired of DPS and want change.
January 12, 2009
1:55 p.m.
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LOUIE writes:
Great post CASTLEMAN, I really picked up a few thoughts from what you have put up. Made me think a bit, thanks!
January 12, 2009
2:09 p.m.
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vudumom writes:
What is the problem with public schools?
All of the above.
Public education today has so many problems even the best multitaskers in the world couldn't help.
What is a parent to do that really cares about educating their children?
What ever is best for the home and child situation.
Even the so called best private school (Graland ) is not much better than the higher ranking public school. I was familiar with a few parents who had their children in that school and by fourth grade they were hiring tutors or switching schools.
January 12, 2009
2:14 p.m.
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NeilT writes:
Kids, nationwide, not just in Denver, are not prepared for college upon graduating high school. This, for the most part, is due to them not being prepared for proper/standard high school coursework upon "graduating" middle school.
This is a foundational issue. It starts at the beginning of their education and stays with them throughout. What, exactly, is the girl in this story supposed to do to excel in math and meet college requirements? Even if she mastered her current class, it's highly unlikely she could advance to the next level when SHE NEEDS to. Schools are not self-paced. Once your "path" is determined, usually at a very young age, you're pretty well stuck on that path. This girl can probably get all the help she needs for her current math class, but she will have to wait until next year to move up to the next level. A level that, apparently, is the next step on a path that will fall short of college requirements.
This is a serious problem. Our system slams all kids into one mold. Sure, there's some leeway at the beginning of their education, but once they're on that path, well, that's it.
It's like making every American wear a size medium shirt. People come in a variety of sizes both physically and mentally.
January 12, 2009
2:16 p.m.
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NeilT writes:
CastleMan,
Great post!
Thank you!
January 12, 2009
2:17 p.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
Our kids received a terrific public education up here in the SW mtns. It's not impossible, we have seen it accomplished.
January 12, 2009
2:20 p.m.
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conniesz writes:
Even with the new graduation requirements there will be issues. The reason - students forget things they learned last year or two years ago. A requirement to pass an Algebra II class doesn't mean that a student will retain any of the knowledge by the time they graduate if they took the class when they were in 10th grade.
What to do? Require that everyone take a math refresher class either last semester junior year or first semester senior year if they are not enrolled in a regular math class. This would bring their math knowledge back to the forefront of their brains in time to do better on the SATs.
It might work - of course I can hear the howls of how unfair it is for them to have to retake the same class - so perhaps there should be a way to place out of the refresher class - yes, I'm talking about some sort of standardized test. Pass that test and you can take basket weaving during the class period you would have had to take the math refresher class if you so choose.
Learning isn't something that happens and then sticks in your mind until you need it. If you don't exercise skills - math skills most particularly - you will lose them.
January 12, 2009
2:28 p.m.
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conniesz writes:
One more thing - many schools grade math using what I like to call the "worth ethic" method. That is, if you turn in all of the homework you cannot fail - even if you never pass a single test.
That just isn't right, and you end up with some kids who get Bs in math all through high school but come out the other end and can't do long division or even know what the line in a fraction stands for.
Math is not a work ethic subject - how hard you try does not translate into understanding or knowledge. We need to focus on teaching these kids math, not busy work.
I believe the kid who aces every math test should not have to do the busy work homework, and I believe the kids who struggle with the busy work but cannot pass a test need more and different instruction, not a causal pass to the next grade.
January 12, 2009
2:37 p.m.
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BetterEducated writes:
Since I'm so candid about my confusion, here are two more issues I don't understand about DPS:
1. Why can't DPS tell teachers where they will teach? I get the impression the teachers are in control of this instead? Is this through their bargaining contract, or what? Paying teachers to go to "at risk" schools seems weird to me, why can't DPS assign them wherever they are most needed?
2. Why can't DPS hold students back if they have not passed the course? When we were kids, there was a clock on the wall that said, "Time will pass....will you?" and we always understood there was a chance we'd have to repeat a grade. This was Jeffco in the 60's. ??
January 12, 2009
2:37 p.m.
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conniesz writes:
Dear beentheredonethat,
Teachers Union is perfectly fine usage - it is a union of teachers, not a union owned by teachers.
Get over yourself - you're not as smart or as educated as you think/pretend you are.
January 13, 2009
9:46 a.m.
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Cheryl writes:
There are several puzzle pieces to fit together here. The teachers must care, the kids need to want to learn and the parents must be willing to “parent”. A teacher cannot teach if they spend their day playing classroom cop. I have a child at D’Evelyn. We do have great teachers, but lots of schools do. I can tell you that parent involvement is huge. D’Evelyn students learn early how to behave, good manners, respect, kindness, how to tell right from wrong and that “right” is better, and they learn to value themselves. They are encouraged (not threatened) to succeed, to do their best, and that it is OK to be smart. There are no special concessions or excuses for not getting the work done. Standards are not lowered to accommodate laziness. Things like drugs, alcohol and violence are not tolerated by the students, parents or teachers. And parents are in touch enough to notice. D’Evelyn students do not start out smarter, they just learn to apply themselves. Do they have their own opinions, yes. And they can express them with perfect language skills. Do they play sports, yes. But if their grades slip, they DON’T play, no questions. My child is prepared for college, has already taken college courses, and can probably get into any college in the country. But it is a double edged sword. My child will not get the scholarships that someone in sports will get with less academic training. Here is another piece of the puzzle, society. It seems society values some things higher than being smart. How many truly smart people can you name? How many sports figures? Sad isn’t it? Society also shows value with money. How much to professors make? Sports stars? Is there a section in this paper for what smart people have accomplished? Until we can fit all parts of this puzzle together, children will not learn the value of education. Everything they do, they are taught. The choice is up to us all.
January 13, 2009
12:23 p.m.
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M3Y writes:
I agree with many who have posted here.
Kudos to conniesz for her comments on work ethic and student 'pathing'. I have 2 children who attended private school for most of elementary school. However, when finances didn't allow me to pay for private school tuition, I was forced to enroll my kids into the neighborhood public elementary school after Christmas that year. What a disaster! My girls were so bored for the 6 months they attended that school. The students at that school were already ‘pathed’ or more accurately in a rut that they had no chance of escaping. My girls didn’t fit the mold or paths laid out for their grades and ended up either helping the teacher teach the subject matter or ignored and left alone.
My kids now attend D'Evelyn Junior High and I agree with Cheryl's posting on expectations. This is my kids' first year at D'Evelyn. My kids are definitely challenged. They have homework every night with expectations to complete it nightly. They also have a parent (single parent) who focuses on education and school involvement. My kids need additional help, so I pay for tutoring. It's not that I can't help my kids with their homework. I know that I stress out my kids when I try to help. I choose to pick my battles with my children and I'd rather not fight over homework. I pay a homework center to be the ‘heavy’, which makes home life much easier and enjoyable. The teacher at the homework center makes sure the assignments are completed to D'Evelyn standards. The school curriculum lays out expectations without bending the rules, which reinforces the student’s accountability and responsibility. My kids still hear me ask if they got their homework done for the day, if they are on-task and on-target with any long-term assignments or projects. I don't pay for someone else to 'parent' my children, just to help and make sure the homework gets done.
January 13, 2009
12:29 p.m.
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M3Y writes:
To Louie's point and as well as others who have posted that a student has responsibility for his/her own education as well. Here! Here! Toasting to all of you!
Not all parents are involved parents. Those who do not teach their children at home about accountability and responsibility cannot leave it up to society, school and television to teach these things and expect it all to work out. A child’s education starts the day a child is born, not the first day of kindergarten. That means parents are the first teachers. There is no magic bullet to fix the public education issue. I do believe that when parents and citizens as yourselves get involved and voice your opinions that change can happen.
Even after our children graduate from high school we need to stay involved. Our children will have their own children. We, as tax-paying grandparents, can still be involved in the education system. Don't get quiet, speak up!
January 21, 2009
11:20 a.m.
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cobizteacher writes:
I am also a teacher at West High School. I was a bit puzzled that, after one semester as a teacher, castleman would consider himself to be either an authority on public education or the complete inner workings at West. A school is like any other business in that there are a few top performing employees, a few low performing employees and a bunch of people that are elsewhere on the spectrum. My experience at West is that the vast majority of teachers are very dedicated, hard working people that are doing the best they can in very difficult circumstances. I also believe that the staff works very hard to develop their skills as teachers to meet the need of our kids. I don’t see any pervasive attempt to either lower the bar or dumb down the curriculum. I would also put our administrative team up against any other high school administrators in the state.
This is truly a multifaceted problem. There is plenty of blame to go around and plenty of places to look for solutions. I personally think that Adams 50 is on the right track with competency based education. In CTE (Career and Technical Education), we have been standards-based, competency-based for 90 years. In a competency-based system, students work at a level until they can demonstrate that they have mastered the standards or competencies. Then they move on. Usually there are multiple ways that a student can demonstrate a competency. So, if Billy shows up with 6th grade math skills, he starts at level 7, regardless of his age or class. When he masters that competency, he moves to level 8, and so on. It totally eliminates the need for retaining students. When he masters all of the competencies through grade 12, he gets a diploma. If that is at age 16, cool! Looks like an early start on college. If that is at age 21, so be it.