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 Test Scores 
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Evaluations of schools across the state have now been done, and they are a few schools in the Charlotte area they are on the verge of being closed, the schools are evaluated on the test scores of the students. It is my opinion that if a students does not want to learn, you are going to have a hard time making them learn. So why is it then if when a school gets low test score, the blame fall straight to the administrator and the teachers?

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Clint Davis


Mon Mar 20, 2006 10:53 am
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I think that they point blame at school administrators and teachers because they feel we need to teach them anyhow and find ways to interest them to make them want to learn. I think that with elementary school teachers there is some blame to be placed if a student doesn't want to learn. I say this because I believe that all children want to learn especially if you're willing to make it as interesting as possible. I think that students that don't want to learn have had a bad experience before that turned them away from learning. But I don't think that the thing to do is close a school because of low test scores, what will that really prove. It is going to cause more problems because then you have move students to new schools, provide new teachers, put some teachers out of the job, and deal with some many other issues.

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Misty Anderson


Tue Mar 21, 2006 10:48 am
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Unfortunately, when schools get lower test scores, funds are taken away and yet the school is forced to do better, which makes it worse. I think there needs to be some type of program that is set up to help schools figure out the problem and then tackel it so that the schools can get back on their feet. Also, if these schools shut down, I think it will over crowd others and also lower the score in that school.

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ANGELA OVERFIELD


Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:21 pm
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In my opinion, I think judging schools by test scores is a quick, easy (and often innaccurate!) way of ranking schools. Shouldn't low test scores send out a signal that these schools need the most assistance and help? It's not always entirely the student, teacher or school's fault. It's discouraging to hear that schools might be shutting down, which to me sounds basically like the school system is giving up on those students, teachers, parents and community.

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Lauren Leslie


Sun Mar 26, 2006 8:33 pm
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I don't really have an answer for clint's question but I am definitely seeing it first hand. I just started my practicum in Burke county and the elementary school that I am in has been told that this year is their last chance. The school is about 60% hispanic and the test scores are horrible. In the school I see two different things: I see teachers who have been frowned apon because of the test scores that their students produce. And because of this some of these teachers have NO desire to continue on with the year, they have pretty much given up. The other thing that I see is children with a huge passion to learn. Learning excites them to extremes. I guess I just don't think it is fair. These teachers are teaching the best that they can given the demographics and the students have such passion and love for school but because of the testing they are frowned upon.

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Margie Jackson


Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:16 pm
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I don't really think that there are too many instances in which students do not want to learn. I think that students need to be given a reason to learn sometimes because many of those students who "don't want to learn" have basically given up on thinking that anyone cares about whether or not they learn. It takes more than just teaching for those students to inspire them; it truly takes giving a damn about them and letting them know why they're worth it.

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KeishaGordon


Tue Mar 28, 2006 12:48 am
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The whole idea of schools being shut down because of test scores is one that I am absolutely terrified of as well as confused by. I plan on teaching in inner-city schools, and most of these schools are the ones that have been placed on probation, so it makes me feel as if my job will constantly be on the line. NCLB is a wonderful ideal, but there are too many issues that surround the policy that I find myself wondering who the hell advised the decisions. For instance, how is it that the schools that perform well are rewarded with bonus', and the schools that most need that financial support for the texts up to date enough to pass those tests, are left without any compensation. I understand the whole concept of positive reinforcement, but to me, it seems more like Bush has an alternate agenda. With the vouchers in place, and the funds constantly being pulled from the schools that have the majority of students of free and reduce lunch, doesn't it seem to make you wonder if, in Bush's ideal world, the poor stayed uneducated while the rich are handed their education on a silver platter? I know it sounds like conspiracy theory, but take a minute and think about it and it becomes a plausible idea.

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Ann Boschini


Tue Mar 28, 2006 1:04 am
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My question is what good will come out of closing the school? The solution is not to close the school. Where is the restoration in that? The problems will only carry over into the other schools that the students will be sent to. I agree that there needs to a program implemented that helps to rebuild what problem there is that is hendering the school from getting higher test scores.

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Macie Elizabeth Baswell


Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:14 am
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They usually close the schools, fire most if not all of the staff, the government comes in and renovates the entire school, and then they re-open it.

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Ann Boschini


Tue Mar 28, 2006 3:14 pm
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First of all I attended one of the schools that has been threatened to be closed. It makes me so angry when I hear that a judge in Winston Salem is threatening to close a school in Charlotte. As a student at Waddell, we had been through so much. First of all they broke up two high schools and sent students to Waddell, unwillingly. Our principal my senior year was arrested. We had the swat team there my Junior year for the last two weeks of school and our liberties as a student were taken away. We had to be escorted everywhere and were not allowed to speak during lunch. A teacher my senior year, had a heart attack in the hall and died. We were looked down upon by the School Board and by all the other high schools in the city. I could go on and on. But anyways, the only time that Waddell and the other schools threatened to be closed have been on television are the times that bad things happen at the schools. But when we did things well, it was rarely talked about. Our football team went to state semi-finals the first year it was open in 2002, the first time a team had ever gone that far in its first year. Students graduated with full ride scholarships to a number of top-notch Black universities around the country, once again never spoken about. There were others but I won't go on and on. It just infuriates me when I think that the state is just regarding the scores of test when looking at the integrity of a school. Never did anyone come to speak to students and see how the school was first-hand. Now I'm not going to say that we didn't have our problems, but every other school in Charlotte-Meck had their problems, but they just had the parent support and the money from home to provide the supplies and the support to keep the school looking good and to cover up the problems that arose. I just wish that for once the news channels would show the good side of the schools and stop focusing on the bad, especially the test scores.

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Kristina Bleynat


Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:18 am
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In this particular situation and court case that has been going on for so long, it is not necessarily the staff of the school it is the idea that the state and local government is not insuring that all schools are given the funding that they need in order to provide students with "basic education." This particular judge has been involved with the case for most of it duration and has a lot of authority on the situation. He is pushing to get the schools that do not get funding the proper funding that they need in order to provide all kids an equal education. However, I do not think that closing down the schools, and letting the media believe that it is all the staffs' fault is the appropriate thing to do. I think that it would be possible to get a task force in there and do an overhaul while the school is still open. I think he needs to also start putting more focus and pressure on our state legislature. From I have read he has put a great deal on them, but obviously not enought because they are going to do whatever the hell they want. The schools like Waddell are never going to get the funding they need to be "exemplary" schools or "schools of distinction" until the state stops being a bunch of pompous asses who have never taught a day in their lives and figure out that the poorer areas need to be helped out too and that we do need to provide at least a basic education to all schools. However, being the pessimist I am, I do not foresee this happening anytime soon. Unfortunately, we are going to be jumping right into the middle of this and will in turn suffer. And they wonder why new teachers turn to other careers.

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Brekke Bell


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Thu Mar 30, 2006 1:25 am
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