Education: Progression in the 21 st Century ACADEMIC STRATEGY MEETING FOR PARENTS & STUDENTS OCTOBER 13, 2015

Agenda Items: 1. Public Education Process 2. Questions and Conferences 3. Grade/Age Academic Match 4. Academic Progress Monitoring 5. Reading and Math Resources 6. Writing Process

Public Education Process  Understand that public education was NOT created to EDUCATE  It is a social institution used to indoctrinate a people into a work force  Children are being socialized and conditioned to an 8 hour or more work day  I.e bell schedule  Short lunches  Early mornings  Late evenings  Stop believing that all EDUCATORS have a vested interest in your child’s development  It is not the teacher’s job to raise students  The entire academic process does not rest on the school  If you are not active AND present you do not have a voice  You are your child’s GREATEST advocate

Conferences and Questions  Parents and guardians should be present on campus at MINIMUM 12 times per school year  There does not need to be a problem to meet with teachers  If your child has grade level teams, MEET with the team  Have a working relationship with administration and faculty and staff  Create advocates for your student(s)  Keep a running log of all interactions with campus  KNOW the student code of conduct and ALL other rules and district policies  Know the chain of command and follow protocol  ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Social Promotion and its Problems  Over the last several years, there has been an increase in promoting students based on age  In urban areas, you are more likely to see a student that is two years (or more) older than other classmates in the same class  African American children in certain areas are three grade levels behind.  In 1987, legislation was enacted to expand TEC §21.557, Compensatory and Remedial Instruction (1988). The legislation provided a definition of students in Grades 7-12 considered to be at risk of dropping out of school and required districts to provide remedial and support programs for these students. The definition of "at-risk" students included students who had not advanced from one grade level to the next in two or more school years.

Social Promotion and its Problems  In 1991, the rule prohibiting retention of students below Grade 1 was amended to allow districts to assign six-year-old students who were not developmentally ready for the first grade to grades deemed appropriate by the schools (19 TAC §75.195(j), 1992 Supplement)  Also in 1991, legislation updated TEC § (1992) to eliminate the prohibition on advancement of students with grade averages below 70. Policies on advancement from one grade level to the next were to be adopted by school districts. Local policies on promotion had to incorporate a variety of factors, including a minimum, yearly grade point average of 70; course grades earned in each subject; performance on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS); extenuating circumstances; and the judgments of parents and teachers. Districts were required to consider alternatives to retention, including extended school day, extended school year, specialized tutorial support, peer tutoring, cross-age tutoring, student mentoring, and summer programs.

Social Promotion and its Problems  The state testing program known as TAAS was introduced in When last administered in 2002, the TAAS measured mastery of the state curriculum in reading and mathematics at Grades 3-8 and 10; in writing at Grades 4, 8, and 10; and in science and social studies at Grade 8. The Grade 10 tests served as an exit-level examination. As was the case under the previous testing program, the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS), satisfactory performance on the exit level examination was a prerequisite to a high school diploma.  TAKS  2009 STAAR  3 rd grade retention  4 th grade writing  8 th grade history  High school testing and EOC’s

Academic Progress Monitoring  Problems should not have to arise to monitor progress. Academic progress and talent should not deter monitoring progress.

Academic Progress Monitoring It is important that students are taught to track assignments, grades, and progress in order create a sense of RESPONSIBILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY. -Organizational Skills -Sense of Ownership -Confidence Builder

Resources: Easybib.org Math-aids.com qs=chrome..69i57j0l5.3519j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8https:// qs=chrome..69i57j0l5.3519j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8

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