This is Unacceptable Part I--The Numbers

This is the first of what will be a special three-part My Two Cents on Student Assessment Data results released by the state Department of Public Instruction this week.  Part II will come on Thursday and Part III on Friday.

If you are over the age of 40 like I am, I have a question for you: When you were in grade school, can you remember sixty percent of your classmates being unable to read or write at the proper grade level?  Were 58% unable to do math?  Were half failing science class?  Well new results from the 2018 Assessment Data tests show that is the current situation in the Oshkosh School District.

Just 40-percent of kids in grades three thru eight in this district are "proficient or advanced" in English Language Arts.  Only 42% are "proficient or advanced" in math.  Kids in Oshkosh must really like their science classes, because a whopping 50% are "proficient or advanced" in that category.  And please keep in mind that "proficient" means "able to do it".  Anyone below that level has not learned the minimum skills or knowledge for that subject.  They are not just doing "OK".

Hopefully no one at the Oshkosh School District Administration building, the administration offices at the individual schools or in any of the classrooms is celebrating these numbers, because they are embarrassing.  I would say that scoring less than 50% in any of the classes in school would be considering "failing" but it's entirely possible that is considered to be good enough to pass nowadays.  If anything, everyone at OASD should be crying because these numbers make me want to cry and I don't even have kids in the system.

Of course, the press release from the District puts a rosy spin on the numbers.  It claims that the District "continues to make steady gains in the area of English language arts and continues to perform above the state average in math and science".  The Director of Curriculum Julie Conrad is quoted in the release as saying "We understand that students are more than numbers and data points and we strive every day to help students reach their potential and become college, career and community ready."

What college is taking the 60% that can't read or write to grade level?  What career are the 58% that can't do math going to pursue?  And what community thinks any of those numbers are acceptable? 

Tomorrow, who is to blame?  Here's a preview: It's not taxpayers or lawmakers.