Thanks to the emailer who noticed this story. It explains the school board pretty well.
'Emperor' arrested in court
by The Associated Press
Friday September 12, 2008, 10:03 AM
The Trenton man who calls himself Emperor El Bey is not making diplomatic immunity claims to authorities after his latest arrest.
The emperor, known to authorities as William McRae, has been bickering with authorities who say he can't keep horses in his backyard. He says the laws don't apply to him because his home is an embassy of something called the Abannaki Aboriginal Nation.
Bey was arrested Wednesday while appearing in municipal court in Bordentown.
He is charged with driving without a license and other offenses. Authorities also say he also owes three women more than $50,000 in child support.
For now, he's in the Mercer County Jail.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Neshaminy isn’t ‘flunking’
From the BCCT. How odd to see a school board member defending their district...
Neshaminy isn’t ‘flunking’; overall performance is strong
I was very disappointed to see the Courier Times headline on Aug 15 proclaiming that the Neshaminy School District “flunked” goals related to state PSSA exams and the No Child Left Behind Act. It is obvious from both the headline and the article itself that the newspaper was trying to generate controversy; but it reflected a deep misunderstanding of the meaning of the districtwide AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) designations.
If a District “makes AYP” in one year, but does not do so the following year, its AYP status is changed to “Warning”; this is what happened in Neshaminy. If you had taken the time to look on the Pennsylvania AYP Web site (www.paayp.com), you would have found that this is not meant to indicate “passing” or “failing” (or “flunking”), but is better thought of as a flag that tells the district to look more carefully at specific areas that may warrant attention.
In Neshaminy’s case, we had several individual schools where small groups of special education students did not pass at sufficient rates, particularly in the Reading area. Consequently, we are undertaking new initiatives this year across the District, including reorganization and expansion of our reading coach program, and implementation of a K-12 writing program.
To see how unrelated AYP status is to overall district performance, consider the following:
Based on our combined District Math and Reading scores, in 2007 Neshaminy would be ranked 142nd out of 500 districts statewide, and we “made AYP”. In 2008, Neshaminy raised its combined scores and would be ranked 10 spots higher (132nd), but we failed to make AYP.
In 2007, Neshaminy’s combined scores were lower than Pennsbury’s and Centennial’s; all three districts made AYP. In 2008, Neshaminy’s combined scores were higher than Pennsbury’s and Centennial’s, but both of those districts “made AYP” while Neshaminy did not.
Downingtown is one of the top performing school districts in the state, ranking 36th out of 500 (93rd percentile) based on its combined scores in 2008, but did not make AYP.
Bensalem School District’s combined scores are ranked 345th out of 500, and the district made AYP.
Bristol Township School District’s combined scores are ranked 431st out of 500, and the District made AYP.
The point is not to judge any individual district’s performance. Instead, what this all makes clear is that district AYP status often has very little to do with overall performance on the PSSA exams. Certainly Neshaminy can do better, and we will continue to strive to improve our test results. But maybe next time the Courier Times will take just a little bit of time to look at what’s really happening, rather than printing misleading headlines that are worthy of the National Enquirer. Such irresponsible journalism not only fails to educate the public, but it plays into the hands of those who look to further political agendas rather than support efforts to improve our schools.
WILLIAM SPITZ
Middletown, is a member of the Neshaminy school board
Editor’s note: Use of the word “flunked” in the headline accurately reflected the school district’s “failure” to meet AYP goals.
Neshaminy isn’t ‘flunking’; overall performance is strong
I was very disappointed to see the Courier Times headline on Aug 15 proclaiming that the Neshaminy School District “flunked” goals related to state PSSA exams and the No Child Left Behind Act. It is obvious from both the headline and the article itself that the newspaper was trying to generate controversy; but it reflected a deep misunderstanding of the meaning of the districtwide AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) designations.
If a District “makes AYP” in one year, but does not do so the following year, its AYP status is changed to “Warning”; this is what happened in Neshaminy. If you had taken the time to look on the Pennsylvania AYP Web site (www.paayp.com), you would have found that this is not meant to indicate “passing” or “failing” (or “flunking”), but is better thought of as a flag that tells the district to look more carefully at specific areas that may warrant attention.
In Neshaminy’s case, we had several individual schools where small groups of special education students did not pass at sufficient rates, particularly in the Reading area. Consequently, we are undertaking new initiatives this year across the District, including reorganization and expansion of our reading coach program, and implementation of a K-12 writing program.
To see how unrelated AYP status is to overall district performance, consider the following:
Based on our combined District Math and Reading scores, in 2007 Neshaminy would be ranked 142nd out of 500 districts statewide, and we “made AYP”. In 2008, Neshaminy raised its combined scores and would be ranked 10 spots higher (132nd), but we failed to make AYP.
In 2007, Neshaminy’s combined scores were lower than Pennsbury’s and Centennial’s; all three districts made AYP. In 2008, Neshaminy’s combined scores were higher than Pennsbury’s and Centennial’s, but both of those districts “made AYP” while Neshaminy did not.
Downingtown is one of the top performing school districts in the state, ranking 36th out of 500 (93rd percentile) based on its combined scores in 2008, but did not make AYP.
Bensalem School District’s combined scores are ranked 345th out of 500, and the district made AYP.
Bristol Township School District’s combined scores are ranked 431st out of 500, and the District made AYP.
The point is not to judge any individual district’s performance. Instead, what this all makes clear is that district AYP status often has very little to do with overall performance on the PSSA exams. Certainly Neshaminy can do better, and we will continue to strive to improve our test results. But maybe next time the Courier Times will take just a little bit of time to look at what’s really happening, rather than printing misleading headlines that are worthy of the National Enquirer. Such irresponsible journalism not only fails to educate the public, but it plays into the hands of those who look to further political agendas rather than support efforts to improve our schools.
WILLIAM SPITZ
Middletown, is a member of the Neshaminy school board
Editor’s note: Use of the word “flunked” in the headline accurately reflected the school district’s “failure” to meet AYP goals.
Local School Honored
From the Philadelphia Daily News. This is the US DOE's Blue Ribbon School Award. One of the schools honored was St. John the Evangelist School in Morrisville.
Schools are selected based on one of two criteria: those with at least 40 percent of their students from low-income families that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests; and those whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on standardized tests.
Feds honor 2 city schools for achievement
By MENSAH M. DEAN, Posted on Wed, Sep. 10, 2008
Two Philadelphia schools were among 320 schools nationwide that U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings yesterday named "2008 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools."
Russell Conwell Middle School in Kensington and George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science in North Philly were among those honored for the high level of achievement of their students.
"These Blue Ribbon Schools are an example of what teachers and students can achieve," Spellings said in a statement. "Now our challenge is to help other schools follow their lead."
For the past 26 years, the federal award has been given to public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.
Schools are selected based on one of two criteria: those with at least 40 percent of their students from low-income families that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests; and those whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on standardized tests.
Other area schools honored are Chadds Ford Elementary School; St. Aloysius Academy, in Bryn Mawr; and St. John the Evangelist School in Morrisville, Bucks County.
Each schools' principal and a guest will be invited to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony Oct. 20-21 at which they will receive a plaque and flag signifying their Blue Ribbon status. *
Schools are selected based on one of two criteria: those with at least 40 percent of their students from low-income families that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests; and those whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on standardized tests.
Feds honor 2 city schools for achievement
By MENSAH M. DEAN, Posted on Wed, Sep. 10, 2008
Two Philadelphia schools were among 320 schools nationwide that U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings yesterday named "2008 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools."
Russell Conwell Middle School in Kensington and George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science in North Philly were among those honored for the high level of achievement of their students.
"These Blue Ribbon Schools are an example of what teachers and students can achieve," Spellings said in a statement. "Now our challenge is to help other schools follow their lead."
For the past 26 years, the federal award has been given to public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.
Schools are selected based on one of two criteria: those with at least 40 percent of their students from low-income families that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests; and those whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on standardized tests.
Other area schools honored are Chadds Ford Elementary School; St. Aloysius Academy, in Bryn Mawr; and St. John the Evangelist School in Morrisville, Bucks County.
Each schools' principal and a guest will be invited to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony Oct. 20-21 at which they will receive a plaque and flag signifying their Blue Ribbon status. *
Stunning achievement gap in Phila schools
From the Inquirer
SRC stunned by achievement gap in Phila schools
By Kristen A. Graham, Posted on Wed, Sep. 10, 2008
Philadelphia School District officials have known they had an achievement gap on their hands for years.
Today, they saw the raw data, and were collectively horrified.
One in 10 white students is classified as mentally gifted; just 3 in 100 black students are.
Black and Latino students make up 79 percent of the district's 165,000 students, but make up just 54 percent of students in the district's prestigious magnet schools. Those groups make up 90 percent of all children labeled "emotionally disturbed," and most of the students at the district's lowest-performing schools.
"Steady progress is not enough," said new superintendent Arlene Ackerman, who has told district employees they must accelerate their efforts to help students. "Why do you think I'm talking about urgency?"
School Reform Commission member James Gallagher said the numbers were "extremely disturbing, but very important."
Each school will receive data on its own specific gaps, and principals will have to meet performance targets tied to narrowing them, Ackerman said. The district will also conduct professional development, and has already earmarked $12 million in resources for the lowest-performing schools.
Ackerman, who came to the district three months ago, has said she will introduce a weighted student funding formula that gives more money to schools that educate certain students, such as special education or low-income pupils.
To counter low participation rates and low scores on the SAT and PSAT, Ackerman and commission chair Sandra Dungee Glenn said the district would also find $163,608 to pay for every student to take the exams. The district has paid for the exams in the past but in recent years, that money was cut.
The superintendent also took aim at some of the district's special admittance schools. She said she can't understand why the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, which opened last week in Northeast Philadelphia, requires students not only to audition but also score in the 85th percentile on state exams.
"We know the numbers of African American and Latino students who are scoring at that level," Ackerman said. "We are keeping these people out."
Meanwhile, on a visit to the Kensington Creative and Performing Arts Academy, Ackerman discovered the students there have no art classrooms or place to dance.
Ackerman, who said she was not targeting all special admittance schools, was not sure who in her central office made the decision on admittance criteria. But she said she would ask the School Reform Commission to revisit the criteria in the near future.
"We have lots of inequities that are causing these numbers," Ackerman said of the achievement gap.
Also at the commission meeting, members of the Germantown High community highlighted problems at that school.
The school has had four principals in four years, most recently losing Michael Silverman, who had earned the respect of the community, when Ackerman tapped him to be a regional superintendent.
Students did not have rosters on the first day of school, a glitch that will take weeks to sort out. Rev. Bryant Robinson, a member of the Germantown Clergy Initiative, was there on the first day.
"It was dysfunctional. It was chaos," Robinson said. Students were roaming the halls, unsure where to go, he said.
Ackerman said she had monitored the rostering situation before school began, and apologized for the chaos. She said it's a problem that schools don't begin scheduling students until August. Rosters should be sent home by July, she said.
Rev. Kevin Porter, another member of the clergy group, said he was most concerned by Silverman's abrupt departure, and that the community, which had input on the last two principal searches, was not consulted.
"So much of what makes a principal's success is relationships," Porter said, adding that Silverman quickly won over the community by building strong relationships.
Ackerman admitted she made a mistake in removing Silverman. She said does not regret moving Silverman, but said she should have left him at Germantown until a permanent principal was selected.
The final issue the clergy raised was a lack of African American teachers at Germantown, a predominately black school. An old school district policy still in place means that there are caps to how many black teachers can work at one school.
Two qualified African American male teacher candidates were turned away from Germantown because it had already reached its quota of black teachers, the clergy said.
The policy was devised to keep racial balance at a time when black teachers were effectively kept out of white schools, but now, it is blocking student achievement, officials said.
"This is crazy," Ackerman said. "I pledge to you to bring back to the SRC a policy that will change this."
SRC stunned by achievement gap in Phila schools
By Kristen A. Graham, Posted on Wed, Sep. 10, 2008
Philadelphia School District officials have known they had an achievement gap on their hands for years.
Today, they saw the raw data, and were collectively horrified.
One in 10 white students is classified as mentally gifted; just 3 in 100 black students are.
Black and Latino students make up 79 percent of the district's 165,000 students, but make up just 54 percent of students in the district's prestigious magnet schools. Those groups make up 90 percent of all children labeled "emotionally disturbed," and most of the students at the district's lowest-performing schools.
"Steady progress is not enough," said new superintendent Arlene Ackerman, who has told district employees they must accelerate their efforts to help students. "Why do you think I'm talking about urgency?"
School Reform Commission member James Gallagher said the numbers were "extremely disturbing, but very important."
Each school will receive data on its own specific gaps, and principals will have to meet performance targets tied to narrowing them, Ackerman said. The district will also conduct professional development, and has already earmarked $12 million in resources for the lowest-performing schools.
Ackerman, who came to the district three months ago, has said she will introduce a weighted student funding formula that gives more money to schools that educate certain students, such as special education or low-income pupils.
To counter low participation rates and low scores on the SAT and PSAT, Ackerman and commission chair Sandra Dungee Glenn said the district would also find $163,608 to pay for every student to take the exams. The district has paid for the exams in the past but in recent years, that money was cut.
The superintendent also took aim at some of the district's special admittance schools. She said she can't understand why the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, which opened last week in Northeast Philadelphia, requires students not only to audition but also score in the 85th percentile on state exams.
"We know the numbers of African American and Latino students who are scoring at that level," Ackerman said. "We are keeping these people out."
Meanwhile, on a visit to the Kensington Creative and Performing Arts Academy, Ackerman discovered the students there have no art classrooms or place to dance.
Ackerman, who said she was not targeting all special admittance schools, was not sure who in her central office made the decision on admittance criteria. But she said she would ask the School Reform Commission to revisit the criteria in the near future.
"We have lots of inequities that are causing these numbers," Ackerman said of the achievement gap.
Also at the commission meeting, members of the Germantown High community highlighted problems at that school.
The school has had four principals in four years, most recently losing Michael Silverman, who had earned the respect of the community, when Ackerman tapped him to be a regional superintendent.
Students did not have rosters on the first day of school, a glitch that will take weeks to sort out. Rev. Bryant Robinson, a member of the Germantown Clergy Initiative, was there on the first day.
"It was dysfunctional. It was chaos," Robinson said. Students were roaming the halls, unsure where to go, he said.
Ackerman said she had monitored the rostering situation before school began, and apologized for the chaos. She said it's a problem that schools don't begin scheduling students until August. Rosters should be sent home by July, she said.
Rev. Kevin Porter, another member of the clergy group, said he was most concerned by Silverman's abrupt departure, and that the community, which had input on the last two principal searches, was not consulted.
"So much of what makes a principal's success is relationships," Porter said, adding that Silverman quickly won over the community by building strong relationships.
Ackerman admitted she made a mistake in removing Silverman. She said does not regret moving Silverman, but said she should have left him at Germantown until a permanent principal was selected.
The final issue the clergy raised was a lack of African American teachers at Germantown, a predominately black school. An old school district policy still in place means that there are caps to how many black teachers can work at one school.
Two qualified African American male teacher candidates were turned away from Germantown because it had already reached its quota of black teachers, the clergy said.
The policy was devised to keep racial balance at a time when black teachers were effectively kept out of white schools, but now, it is blocking student achievement, officials said.
"This is crazy," Ackerman said. "I pledge to you to bring back to the SRC a policy that will change this."
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