Failing Science
The Patriot News has a story on the Pennsylvania Department of Education's news release that almost two-thirds of Pennsylvania's 11th grade students are not proficient in science. The story also mentions US students falling behind international peers in science achievement. They also touch on the disturbing trend that the more time kids spend in school, the farther behind they fall.
The data for the state and for individual school districts is available here.
One comment on the results attempts to blame "too much of an emphasis on reading and math." But this nonsense is undermined by the fact that almost half of high juniors aren't proficient on math and one-third don't make the grade in reading. Furthermore, the state tests severely inflate the number of students proficient in reading and math (no comparison as yet for science), as compared to the national standard, the NAEP. On the latter test, over 60% of Pennsylvania eighth grade students fail to make proficiency in both reading and math.
The Commonwealth Foundation has a recent analysis offering a "real report card" by converting local school's results on state state test to the national standard. The results should be discouraging.
1 comment:
These abysmal science tests results are appalling, but easily predicted. NCLB has NOTHING to do with this. In fact, you cannot succeed in science if you cannot read with understanding and do math.
Before we decided who is responsible we need more information.
1. The test is based on the Pennsylvania Academic standards for ecology, environment, technology and science. They were made law in 2002. Is the curriculum of the school teaching the standards? Or are the Board, Administration and teachers ignoring the standards? Many education "professionals" continue to rebel against complying with the standards while harping about protecting local control.
Only the most successful students will overcome the lack of effective instruction that is targeted to the standards.
If the curriculum in the district has not been updated to focus on the standards, then the failure is squarely the fault of the Board, the administration and the science teachers.
Parents and education minded citizens should to the next Board meeting and ask directly - Are our science and Tech courses aligned to the academic standards? Insist on a yes or no answer.
2. Does the teacher use activities that encourage higher order thinking skills or do they continue the antiquated textbook, no hands on format that was proven inadequate years ago?
If they plod on with past practice, then the kids will not have developed the thinking strategies necessary to pass the open ended questions on the test. Place the "blame" with the Admin and teachers, not the kids.
3. When was the last updating of the science rooms in the middle school and high school? Do they have an adequate supply of the necessary hand-on science materials? If not, the Board and Admin are 100% responsible for the failure to prioritize spending for academics.
Far too many tax $$$ are funneled to extracurriculars and athletics. That fancy soccer facility, glorious auditorium or new gym/pool is at the expense of science kits, chemicals, and hands on science field trips.
4. How many computers are available and ACTUALlY used daily, by the teachers, to deliver instruction? You cannot learn how to use computers to solve problems without actually using them to "get work done".
See spending issue in 3. See resistance in 1.
5. In many schools, teachers are not prepared to deliver effective instruction. Colleges have historically done a poor job of preparing teachers in math and science. The State has issued regulations to address this problems. The colleges and universities are kicking and screaming about it. They want total control of teacher preparation programs. Yet in their infinite wisdom they have not required a course in special needs kids, in technology in schools, in adapting instruction for english language learners or in effective science instruction techniques. I was shocked to learn that most public education teachers come from the bottom third of their college class!
6. In some PA schools, teachers who do not have a science background in college are teaching middle school or high school science. This is again a recipe for failure. Do not blame the kids.
IF all these things are in place, then we can hold the kids accountable. Look to the Pittsburgh area schools where 70 to 80 % of students are proficient or better.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_602274.html
Of course, many of these schools have adapted to the standards and committed to the changes that ensure students success. Their excellence is reflected in high student success on all the PSSAs.
Interestingly, they are achieving this success without spending up to the State's Costing Out funding study amounts.
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