Public school system- not happy

[kamgen]

Okay, so I dont want to rant and rave, but I am so unhappy right now. I will sum it up by saying that we moved down to FL almost 2yr ago and have elementary age kids. We did not realize how unhappy we would be with the public school system. It is like they took the No Child Left Behind initiative and went nuts. My first grader takes 6 tests a week, every week. I will just say, I am not a fan of standardized testing and the extremes.
Any thoughts or experiences with other states public school systems??
Thanks, just wanting to vent and share info.

 

[HelenePA]

what kind of tests is she taking every week? math spelling reading? how else would you see if she is falling behind if not for tests? I also have a 1st grader he takes 5-6 a week...

 

[Goofyluver]

what kind of tests is she taking every week? math spelling reading? how else would you see if she is falling behind if not for tests? I also have a 1st grader he takes 5-6 a week...

Well, for starters, he wouldn't be doing the math, spelling or reading.

 

[kellydizfan]

NY Does all kinds of standardized testing every year while they are in elementary school. It gets fewer as the years go on but the major subjects have tests every year up till 11th grade unless you fail them then continue into your Senior year. My Oldest is so happy she doesn't have to take them any longer.

 

[C.Ann]

No experience with the Florida school system - and my kids are all adults now - but I just wanted to say that I'm sorry you're disappointed with the direction your childrens school is going.. Everyone wants the best education for their child, so I can see why you would be concerned..

Any chance you could home school like some other parents in Florida have chosen to do?

Hope you get some good advice here..

 

[kamgen]

Thanks for the responses.
I do understand that it is important to test their progress, but weekly seems too much for me. Especially since he brings home more than 20 different worksheets a week that he has completed, so obviously he is doing his work. And the homework is every night. I am not against tests, but I am against over-testing kids. It creates test anxiety, makes kids feel overwhelmed and takes up too much learning time.

Many of my friends homeschool. I think it is great for them, but I am not convinced it is the way I want to go. I hear there are some states that are not this way. Hope to hear from more people. thanks everyone.

 

[handinpocket]

My kids are in private school and have at least 3 tests per week. Your children will rise to the challenge.

 

[HelenePA]

Thanks for the responses.
I do understand that it is important to test their progress, but weekly seems too much for me. Especially since he brings home more than 20 different worksheets a week that he has completed, so obviously he is doing his work. And the homework is every night. I am not against tests, but I am against over-testing kids. It creates test anxiety, makes kids feel overwhelmed and takes up too much learning time.

Many of my friends homeschool. I think it is great for them, but I am not convinced it is the way I want to go. I hear there are some states that are not this way. Hope to hear from more people. thanks everyone.

Maybe she feels too much pressure? but my son doesn't. He also has home work every night, 3 pages and a story today. Takes us less than 15 min (on a good night when he's not distracted to do) they have 10 spelling words a week and a bonus word (last test he got a 105% on ) Do you pressure her? does the teacher pressure her? its gotta come from someplace.. we dont really make a big deal about grades... he also came home with his first bad grade ever... did we yell scream make a big deal out of it? Nope just asked him what he was daydreaming about during the test and moved along with life... He has all A's (well he did before this grade, I'm hoping the teacher throws out the lowest grade each marking period to keep his average up)

ETA isn't it better to test often and catch a child falling behind sooner than say test them once a month and find out another child has no idea what is gong on in math? or might have a problem with reading? the more often you test the quicker you find the problems.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Many here know what I think about public school systems, based on my own experiences. I will leave it at that. I have homeschooled my son for several years now. He will never step foot in the public school here ever again.

That said, I do believe that what you are noticing is, in fact, related to NCLB, 'standards', etc.

When my son started first grade, I too, was almost in shock at the demands and expectations, the curriculums used (especially math), etc....

I have heard comments from educators that all but implied that this is a factor.

Of course, all states do have their own separate Department of Education and specific standards. But, I think that it is safe to say that what you are seeing is nationwide to some degree or another.

 

[monkeybug]

Thanks for the responses.
I do understand that it is important to test their progress, but weekly seems too much for me. Especially since he brings home more than 20 different worksheets a week that he has completed, so obviously he is doing his work. And the homework is every night. I am not against tests, but I am against over-testing kids. It creates test anxiety, makes kids feel overwhelmed and takes up too much learning time.

Many of my friends homeschool. I think it is great for them, but I am not convinced it is the way I want to go. I hear there are some states that are not this way. Hope to hear from more people. thanks everyone.

It wasn't that way in Maryland. My daughter went to an excellent school there, and took no where near that many tests. They had weekly spelling tests, and I believe the math tests were bi-weekly. She was in k, 1st, and 2nd grade at that school. The schools standardized test scores were something like 96% proficient 55% advanced in reading (I don't remember the exact scores I'd have to look them up), and very similar in math, so those teachers were effective even with out multiple weekly tests.

It's not that way at their current schools in CA either, but they attend charter schools, so I don't know if it's different at the mainstream schools here.

 

[lisateaches]

I do not buy into the , if we test them they will learn mentality. We spend so much time assessing, and much less time teaching. Thanks George W.

 

[HelenePA]

I do not buy into the , if we test them they will learn mentality. We spend so much time assessing, and much less time teaching. Thanks George W.

but if we test them dont we know they are learning?

 

[tvguy]

I'm 54, and we had weekly quizzes in elementary school in each of the subjects decades ago, so that just seems normal to me.

I just know I have 2 kids in college now who went through the private school system and THEY are appalled at how poorly prepared so many of their classmates from public schools are.

It will be another 2 years before the first patch of first graders who were under No Child Left Behind when it started in 2002 start hitting college. Only then we will see if it has helped or hurt them.

I just know, we could not continue the ways things were before No Child Left Behind.

 

[lisateaches]

but if we test them dont we know they are learning?

Teachers informally assess things ALL THE TIME. I do NOT need to test my students to know which ones have not mastered drawing conclusions. I ask them questions, I observe who can answer it in written form. This is ridiculous to think formal assessment is the only way to tell if they have learned. The best school in St.Louis rarely assesses. Of course it is over $25,000 a year for PK, but still
Would you rather waste time testing or actually teaching? I'm not saying formal assessment does not have its place, but... we are teaching them how to take tests, not how to be thinkers. We need to teach kids how to solve problems in life and maybe we'll have a cure for cancer.

 

[HelenePA]

how big and long are these tests your first graders are all taking? My son bring home one sided tests that probably take 20 min a day at most.. we waste 20 min a day (or more) on the dis (some of us... most of us) Now my 3rd grader will take a big state test later this year and last year she took a terra nova test (I seriously wanna brag how she did on it.. but I'll be a good girl and not get into all that)

 

[ChristmasElf]

Okay, so I dont want to rant and rave, but I am so unhappy right now. I will sum it up by saying that we moved down to FL almost 2yr ago and have elementary age kids. We did not realize how unhappy we would be with the public school system. It is like they took the No Child Left Behind initiative and went nuts. My first grader takes 6 tests a week, every week. I will just say, I am not a fan of standardized testing and the extremes.
Any thoughts or experiences with other states public school systems??
Thanks, just wanting to vent and share info.

Ah, more problems with the Lake county school district. Seems they flipped out about 8 years ago and just continue to upset more people each year.

We haven't had that much testing here in Orange county (West)

I will say that FLVS (Florida's Virtual school) is awesome! They have partnered with Connections Academy and have a great school all online.

You can check it out at www.FLVS.net
Your child would still participate in FCAT in the Spring and can take sports, etc at his "regular" school.

 

[diznygirl]

Like anything, it's going to vary by school and by teacher. We had a teacher one year that didn't believe in homework or testing. Others were more moderate. My kids have friends in different classes, and it was different for each one. You'd think they would be all on the same page with a grade level curriculum.

Where are you from originally? I've found that a lot of the people dissatisfied with the schools here are from up north. We came from Southern California, and these public schools are better than the district we were in there.

 

[HelenePA]

Teachers informally assess things ALL THE TIME. I do NOT need to test my students to know which ones have not mastered drawing conclusions. I ask them questions, I observe who can answer it in written form. This is ridiculous to think formal assessment is the only way to tell if they have learned. The best school in St.Louis rarely assesses. Of course it is over $25,000 a year for PK, but still
Would you rather waste time testing or actually teaching? I'm not saying formal assessment does not have its place, but... we are teaching them how to take tests, not how to be thinkers. We need to teach kids how to solve problems in life and maybe we'll have a cure for cancer.

well of course the teacher know but what about the parents who are in denial their kids are falling behind? how are you going to prove it to them if not for testing?

 

[southern_redhead]

Teachers informally assess things ALL THE TIME. I do NOT need to test my students to know which ones have not mastered drawing conclusions. I ask them questions, I observe who can answer it in written form. This is ridiculous to think formal assessment is the only way to tell if they have learned. The best school in St.Louis rarely assesses. Of course it is over $25,000 a year for PK, but still
Would you rather waste time testing or actually teaching? I'm not saying formal assessment does not have its place, but... we are teaching them how to take tests, not how to be thinkers. We need to teach kids how to solve problems in life and maybe we'll have a cure for cancer.

 

[angwill]

We have a lot of testing here as well. I will be honest though in that our schools administration was bad before NCLB and seems to get worse all the time. Because we have failed NCLB for over 5 years there are all kinds of plusses for the kids that would never have been made available to them. They have extra tutoring time at the school for any child who wants it, the school has to pay for children who are behind according to testing to get private tutoring, etc. Before NCLB those kids were passed through without help or knowing what they need to know. I knew of one kid who graduated and had no clue how to make change which is a basic life skill and he had a normal IQ too.

Are there any districts in the Orlando area school systems that are good? I am asking because we are looking to move down there and our son will be in high school when we move. I read that Polk and Oceala countie schools were worse than Lake county.