tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post7331515863361165465..comments2024-03-26T14:44:37.985-04:00Comments on D-Ed Reckoning: Theory IV: Do Poor Students Perform Better in School Districts with Educated ParentsKDeRosahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06853211164976890091noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-17275004266978563072008-03-12T12:31:00.000-04:002008-03-12T12:31:00.000-04:00I've never understood the public perception that '...I've never understood the public perception that 'good schools' create excellent students out of thin air. <BR/><BR/>As a teacher in California, I worked in a large school system in which all the schools in the district were identical from the 'outside': same buildings, same class sizes, same curriculum standards, same funding (except for Title I, which actually helped the low income schools more). Result: The schools in the high income neighborhoods had much higher test scores.<BR/><BR/>This isn't a result of the school creating good students - it's good students performing well no matter where they're placed. Although, I will note that often the more experienced teachers tended to migrate within the district to the higher-SES schools (so teacher experience probably did vary between schools).<BR/><BR/>It's not surprising that low-SES students don't magically become high performers when they attend a school with higher SES families. It's really hard to overcome the influence of a strong, educated family environment on academic performance (or the lack thereof!).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-33366836838765917282008-03-11T17:18:00.000-04:002008-03-11T17:18:00.000-04:00Let's not discount the fact that higher-SES studen...Let's not discount the fact that higher-SES students have better access to the typical school curriculum in the first place so their problems will be reduced, typically less severe,a dn more readily remedied.KDeRosahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06853211164976890091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-25403954143226121892008-03-11T16:39:00.000-04:002008-03-11T16:39:00.000-04:00Oops. Forgot to add that when these kids do achiev...Oops. Forgot to add that when these kids do achieve due to their parents refusal to let them fail, then the schools take all the credit. And then the unsuspecting public says, "See? That's what more money in affluent neighborhoods get you: Better Schools."<BR/><BR/>And the myth continues...Spedvethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03059941547661456333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25541994.post-85984127572741125552008-03-11T16:37:00.000-04:002008-03-11T16:37:00.000-04:00The relationship of SES to student achievement is ...The relationship of SES to student achievement is not complicated. It is the simple fact that higher income and educated parents have the means to see that children achieve (whther by tutoring their kids themselves or with their $$), irrespective of what the school is teaching them in the classroom. PERIOD. Higher educated and/or higher income parents ensure that their kids keep up with the Joneses academically.<BR/><BR/>It's not rocket science. <BR/>If anything, it's helicopter science.Spedvethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03059941547661456333noreply@blogger.com