Our Students are being Shortchanged in their Education

Everyone knows that the education that our children receive has a direct impact on their future. The education they receive will determine the types of jobs available to them, the amount of money they will earn, and the stability of their lives.  Individuals with a high school diploma make less money than college educated individuals.  People with PHD’s make more than those with Bachelor degrees.  We all know these facts.

the committee wanted to discover where our students ranked in comparison to the rest of the state so they asked for the district’s help in looking at the CSAP scores.  Instead of helping, they received a district letter stating that the district didn’t have the data, and referring the committee to the Department of Education Website, and suggesting that they were on their own. 

The data on the education our children are receiving is troubling.  In Math the situation is bleak.   92% of the state’s 10^th graders score higher in Math than our 10^th graders.  89% of the 9^th graders score higher than the Ellicott Students, 82% of the 8^th grade students and 84% of the 7^th grade students score higher in Math than our students.

Our reading scores show that 84% of the state’s 3^rd grade students score higher than our students. 78% of the state’s 6^th graders score higher than our students.

Our writing scores are not good either, as 79% of the state’s 4^th graders score higher than our students. And 74% of the state’s 9^th graders score higher than our 9^th grade students.

There is no doubt that the Ellicott district has a problem.  The problem is directly related to the curriculum.  The problem is not a teaching problem.   As soon as the committee makes that statement, someone will want to jump up and say something like “you cannot make statements like that based on just one year’s data.  OK, so here are our 5 year average scores.

In the education system, the community has 12 years or so to prepare our children for adulthood. It appears that as a community, we are severely handicapping our students, by giving them we are giving our children skills and abilities that give them a severe handicap in getting good jobs and pay as adults.

There are solutions, but there is no record that the board or the district administration has even discussed them.  For example, there is the 20 minute lesson plan program that takes the well documented attention span of young adults, and then has lessons plans that focus on using that attention span.  There are team teaching solutions that have proven an increase in test scores of between 40 and 60%.  Almost all the schools in Colorado who have high 80+ CSAP scores year after year use solutions such as team teaching and attention span lesson plans.  However, there is no evidence that the superintendent has ever explained these solutions, or that the board has ever asked about solutions to the problem.  Why not?

There is no reason why our students should not be scoring 85% and better on CSAP tests.  Our teachers have the skills and abilities to teach the subject matter.  Our students have the ability and skills to learn the subjects.  All it takes is the school board commitment to getting the job done.  All it takes is the boards direction and guidance.   The board should mandate that our students will not remain in the bottom 1/3 of the state in receiving an education.  When will the board direct the superintendent to make the necessary improvements?  Or will the board surrender the students to a life of “what could have been”.

Think back to when each member ran for the school board.  Each one said that they had some changes that they wanted to make to improve the education of our students.  Can any board member name one thing that they have accomplished in the time they have been on the board that actually improves the education of our students?

Ellicott Educational Improvement or 12 Months of Effort

Two board members have been on this board for three years and their term will expire in about 11 months. Two board members have been on the board for 1 year. One board member has been on and off the board so many times it seems like a yo-yo.

Review of all the minutes for the last 12 months shows what has been accomplished.   Each of board member has expressed their desire to improve the education of the district students.  However, it seems like the board has lost its way, or that they are being held back from doing what you want to accomplish.  Here is what the record shows:

In the last 12 months, the board has approved 29 policy changes as recommended by the Colorado School Board Association.

The board has approved spending $6,596,832.32. and approved 5 other budget actions.

The board removed 17 staff members and hired 25 staff members.

The board approived 12 meeting minutes and approved 6 grant applications. 

The board approved attendance of 1 outside meeting, and approved 3 handbook actions.

The board approved 1 refinance action and approved 1 calendar action. 

The board approved 5 teacher evaluation actions

The board approved 4 contracts.

The board approved the 4 day work week and approved 5 committee appointment actions.

The board approved 3 signature authorizations. 

The board renewed the Superintendents staff, and principal’s employment, then approved the teacher salary freezes.

The board approved 5 signature change actions and approved 1 audit report, and oh yes, the board went into executive meetings 9 times.

That is all the board has accomplished in the last 12 months.  Where are there any educational improvements that each of the board members wanted to make? Where are the new classes, or the discussion on improving CSAP?   Where are the teacher retention fixes. The new district goals or even the superintendent’s goals?   Where is the board discussion on getting a MOLD evaluation?  

There is only one goal to keep in mind, and that is "Do what is best for the students"      

Will any of you take responsibility for your lack of action?  Will you continue to sit here and pretend you are helping students become well educated adults?

It’s all about the students and not pretentious egos.