Wednesday, September 26, 2012

LCSS: As the Buses Roll...A September Surprise


Well darn, is this what we get with our money? Lower SAT scores?  Who wants to bet they will say (LCSS) they need more money due to this?  Who wants to ante up with me?  Mark my words...they will.
 
Please tell me am I reading the Sanford Herald headline correctly?  I went to the eye doctor last week and my vision hasn't changed.  My glasses and contacts work just fine.  But yep, I'm seeing correctly.

I am very very proud of Will Doran.  Thank you for informing the public.  Not just because it confirms some things we've known all along...but more because it shows guts to go up against the LEED PAC gravy ads and the Superintendent.    It takes guts to put the word "fail" in anything describing LCSS.  Backlash might occur if the truth prevails!  Just ask a certain commissioner and me.

But STATS don't lie.   Don't get me wrong...there are good things about LCSS.  One:  the buses are rolling down the roads.  Somehow the LCSS found gas and tires.  Even after only getting $500,000 from  the county instead of $7.9 million.  So thank our lucky stars!

Why do people have such a hard time believing STATS about LCSS but they will jump at a left leaning poll in a heartbeat and claim Obama is winning when Democrats are oversampled?  Hypocrisy example #45,976...LOL!

Here's the article..from the Heralds' website.  You need to subscribe or buy the paper to get the entire article.  But do so.  Stay informed!  Keep reading though.  More commentary at the end.

Local SAT scores drop, participation fails to increase
by WILL DORAN
5 hrs ago | 0 0 comments | 0 0 recommendations | email to a friend | print
SANFORD — Data released this week showed that on average, public high school students in Lee County performed worse on the SAT last year than both their peers around the state and the local students who took the test the year before.

This past school year, Lee County seniors scored an average of 10 points worse on the widely-used college entrance exam than in 2011, dropping from a 973 average to a 963 average, compared to a perfect score of 1,600. The statewide average dropped from 1,001 to 997, although officials attributed that mainly to a rise in participation, which was a record 68 percent. In Lee County, the participation rate remained unchanged from 2011 at 56.2 percent.

Participation increased at Southern Lee High School and Lee Early College, but a decrease in participation at Lee County High School brought the district’s average down.

Jeff Moss, superintendent of Lee County Schools, said he’s concerned by the drop in scores but isn’t as worried about the stagnant participation rate. He said it’s more a reflection of the economy than of other factors.

“Only those that believe they’re going to have the opportunity to financially afford and attend a four-year institution take the SAT,” he said.

Read more: Sanford Herald - Local SAT scores drop participation fails to increase

Mr. Moss' statement cannot be believed.  If you take the SAT, CCCC and other community colleges use to take that as a replacement for the placement exams.   They did when both my hubby and myself attended CCCC in the 90's.    This saves time, gas, money, etc. 

And what is this "Only those that believe they’re going to have the opportunity to financially afford...."?   Everyone in America has the opportunity to go to college.  There are scholarships galore.  There are school loans.  It's not free. But "being able to afford"  doesn't stop a single human being from going to college.  Nor should it stop them from taking the SAT, PSAT, etc.  They might not go to Harvard or Oxford...but dang there are some mighty good schools within driving distance.

Bet let's just stop and reflect on something.  I'll use a scene from "Remembering the Titans".   Ethan Suplee plays football player Louie Lastik.  Around the Championship game with Marshall, Louie hugs Coach Boone and is crying.  He's going to college!  He got the grades. If there was anyone who might have failed, it would have been him.  But he didn't. Oh by the way, Louie actually went on to Ferrum College and Austin Peay State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Safety Education.  Who would have "thunk" that! (http://www.71originaltitans.com/Bios/lewlastik.html)

So I have to ask:  Are our guidance counselors in Lee County schools dismissing the poor?  I mean how else can you wonder where the "financially afford" statement come from to begin with?  Sounds a bit discriminatory.  I sure am glad no one at my high school thought that about me.  Especially since I was in the top 10% of my class.  And came from one of the poorest families in Martin County.  No, I am the one who chose to go another path instead of going on to the one of the schools I was accepted to:  ECU, UNC and NCSU.  I was told if I wanted to go...there was a way.  But I didn't...Yes I regret that.  However, I have my Bachelor's now and am quite proud even though I didn't get it until I was 49!

Lee County kids..if you want to go to college...YOU CAN  find a way. Get away from the naysayers and contact those of us who are in workforce and leaders in this community.  I bet every one of them will point you in the right direction.  Even our LEED PAC brat pack.


But if we have the mentality in Lee Co School System that those who "don't think they will go to college" shouldn't take the SAT...That's an admission of failure right there. 

One last thing to say:  Tony Tata come on down!

3 comments:

Brad C said...

So Bill Tatum and Lynn Smith push through a $40,000 raise for Moss and a year later, the kids perform worse on their SAT scores. That is very disturbing. Our children deserve a better quality education. Tatum and Smith should reduce Moss' salary to the state minimum after this terrible result. Are the students taking the SAT not receiving their $6,000,000.00 net books?

Dale Marks said...

I can't say this on the heralds site, they would ban the comment.


Raleigh got rid of a good super. But we give raises to a sorry one. Go figure???.............Oh yea, talking about Mr Moss for any of you hypocritically offended.

Sheila Barber said...

Agree with that Dale. Those koolaid drinkers say Moss shouldn't be blamed but yet are the very ones who think "Romney at Bain was a bad guy." Go figure on that one too! Thanks for commenting.

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