[Vision2020] Idaho Public Schools 15-year Trends
Dale Courtney
dale@courtneys.us
Wed, 7 May 2003 20:11:15 -0700
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Jessica Lipschultz wrote:=20
> The Winter 2003 Idaho Reading Indicator test results reveal=20
> that 29% of third-grade students in the Moscow School=20
> District and 38% of third-grade students in the state read=20
> below grade level.=20
David, Jessica, Matt, and Natalie:
I applaud your desire to better the state of reading for our children.=20
> We are in the midst of a crisis. A concerned group of=20
> students at the University of Idaho has decided to take=20
> action. We refuse to stand by idly when children are lost=20
> every day because our elected representatives have not made=20
> education a priority.=20
At this point, I was hoping that you all would say that you were going =
to
volunteer your time in the classrooms; that you were going to "adopt" a
child to help him/her read better; that you were going to become a =
teacher's
aid.=20
> Over 600 students, staff, and faculty=20
> have signed postcards to Governor Kempthorne, Representative=20
> Trail, Representative Ringo, and Senator Schroeder. We are=20
> tired of hearing empty promises. Please join your voice with=20
> ours and demand that more funds be allocated for education.=20
I would remind you that throwing money at the problem has done nothing =
to
solve the problem. In fact, there is an inverse relationship between
inflation-adjusted spending and test scores (see the chart below for the
state of Idaho). If you really think that increased funding is the =
driver,
then logically you would call for decreased funding (since increasing =
the
funding has only driven down test scores). =20
Your solution to the problem is exacerbated in Moscow, where the number =
of
children in school has been decreasing precipitously (420 students in 7
years; a 15.4% decrease in the number of students). In Moscow, the =
teacher
to student ratio continues to climb; the funding continues to increase; =
yet
the test scores continue to decline.
If you really care, and if you really want to help the children learn to
read, then throwing money at the problem will not fix the problem. You =
need
to think out of the box and try something completely different. Throwing
money at a failed model will not fix the problem.=20
Best,
Dale Courtney
Moscow, Idaho
Idaho Public Schools 15-Year Trends
<http://courtney.dns2go.com/msd/Trends_files/Roberts1_15189_image001.gif>=
=20
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D2>Jessica Lipschultz wrote: =
</FONT></DIV>
<P><FONT size=3D2>> The Winter 2003 Idaho Reading Indicator test =
results reveal=20
<BR>> that 29% of third-grade students in the Moscow School <BR>> =
District=20
and 38% of third-grade students in the state read <BR>> below grade =
level.=20
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D2>David, Jessica, Matt, and =
Natalie:<BR>I applaud=20
your desire to better the state of reading for our children. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>> We are in the midst of a crisis. A concerned =
group of=20
<BR>> students at the University of Idaho has decided to take =
<BR>>=20
action. We refuse to stand by idly when children are lost <BR>> every =
day=20
because our elected representatives have not made <BR>> education a =
priority.=20
</FONT></P>
<P><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D2>At this point, I was hoping that you =
all would say=20
that you were going to volunteer your time in the classrooms; that you =
were=20
going to "adopt" a child to help him/her read better; that you were =
going to=20
become a teacher's aid. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3D2>> Over 600 students, staff, and faculty <BR>> =
have signed=20
postcards to Governor Kempthorne, Representative <BR>> Trail, =
Representative=20
Ringo, and Senator Schroeder. We are <BR>> tired of hearing empty =
promises.=20
Please join your voice with <BR>> ours and demand that more funds be=20
allocated for education. <BR><BR><FONT color=3D#800000>I would remind =
you that=20
throwing money at the problem has done <U>nothing</U> to solve the =
problem. In=20
fact, there is an inverse relationship between inflation-adjusted =
spending and=20
test scores (see the chart below for the state of Idaho). If =
you<U>=20
really</U> think that increased funding is the driver, then logically =
you would=20
call for decreased funding (since increasing the funding has only driven =
down=20
test scores). <U> </U></FONT></FONT></P>
<P><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D2>Your solution to the problem is =
exacerbated in=20
Moscow, where the number of children in school has been decreasing=20
precipitously (420 students in 7 years; a 15.4% decrease in the =
number of=20
students). <SPAN class=3D919280903-08052003>In Moscow, t</SPAN>he =
teacher to=20
student ratio continues to climb; the funding continues to =
increase; yet=20
the test scores continue to decline.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT color=3D#800000 size=3D2>If you <U>really</U> care, and if you=20
<U>really</U> want to help the children learn to read, then throwing =
money at=20
the problem will not fix the problem. You need to think out of the box =
and try=20
something completely different. Throwing money at a failed model will =
not fix=20
the problem. <BR><BR>Best,<BR>Dale Courtney<BR>Moscow, =
Idaho</FONT></P><!--[if !excel]> <![endif]--> <!--The =
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