Two-Thirds of Wisconsin Public-School 8th Graders Can’t Read

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Two-Thirds of Wisconsin Public-School 8th Graders Can’t Read Proficiently—Despite Highest Per Pupil Spending in Midwest

(CNSNews.com) - Two-thirds of the eighth graders in Wisconsin public schools cannot read proficiently according to the U.S. Department of Education, despite the fact that Wisconsin spends more per pupil in its public schools than any other state in the Midwest.

In the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests administered by the U.S. Department of Education in 2009—the latest year available—only 32 percent of Wisconsin public-school eighth graders earned a “proficient” rating while another 2 percent earned an “advanced” rating. The other 66 percent of Wisconsin public-school eighth graders earned ratings below “proficient,” including 44 percent who earned a rating of “basic” and 22 percent who earned a rating of “below basic.”

The test also showed that the reading abilities of Wisconsin public-school eighth graders had not improved at all between 1998 and 2009 despite a significant inflation-adjusted increase in the amount of money Wisconsin public schools spent per pupil each year.

In 1998, according to the U.S. Department of Education, Wisconsin public school eighth graders scored an average of 266 out of 500 on the NAEP reading test. In 2009, Wisconsin public school eighth graders once again scored an average of 266 out of 500 on the NAEP reading test. Meanwhile, Wisconsin public schools increased their per pupil expenditures from $4,956 per pupil in 1998 to 10,791 per pupil in 2008. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator the $4,956 Wisconsin spent per pupil in 1998 dollars equaled $6,546 in 2008 dollars. That means that from 1998 to 2008, Wisconsin public schools increased their per pupil spending by $4,245 in real terms yet did not add a single point to the reading scores of their eighth graders and still could lift only one-third of their eighth graders to at least a “proficient” level in reading.

The $10,791 that Wisconsin spent per pupil in its public elementary and secondary schools in fiscal year 2008 was more than any other state in the Midwest.

Neighboring Illinois spent $10,353 per student in 2008, Minnesota spent $10,048 per student; Iowa spent $9,520 per student. Among Midwest states, Nebraska was second to Wisconsin in per pupil spending in its public schools, spending $10,565 per student.

Of these nearby states, only Minnesota did slightly better teaching reading to its public school students. In 2009, 39 percent of eighth graders in Minnesota public schools earned a rating of “proficient” or better in reading, and the average eighth grade reading score in the state was 270 out of 500.

In Illinois, only 32 percent of eighth graders earned a rating of “proficient” or better in reading, and the average eighth grade reading score was 265 out of 500. In Iowa, only 32 percent of eighth graders earned a rating of “proficient” or better in reading, and the average reading score was 265 out of 500. In Nebraska, only 35 percent of eighth graders earned a rating of “proficient” or better in their public schools, and the average reading score was 267 out of 500.

Nationwide, only 30 percent of public school eighth graders earned a rating of “proficient” or better in reading, and the average reading score on the NAEP test was 262 out of 500.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress explains its student rating system as follows: “Basic denotes partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work at each grade. Proficient represents solid academic performance. Students reaching this level have demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter. Advanced represents superior performance.”

In other words, despite the $10,791 that taxpayers were paying to educate students in Wisconsin public schools, two-thirds of eighth graders in those schools showed at best only a “partial mastery of prerequisite knowledge and skills that are fundamental for proficient work” at that grade level.

In fiscal 2008, the federal government provided $669.6 million in subsidies to the public schools in Wisconsin.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/two-thirds-wisconsin-public-school-8th-g

[Stanley Hermosill 1]

If you haven't you need to watch Waiting For Superman. It will spell out for you the reason that I suspect the bloated and irrelevant Teachers Unions are at the bottom of this kind of terrible situation. What else could it be other than a lack of teacher accountability?

[mawilson 2,133]

The future is going to be very bright for educated children.

[B_J 2,752]

I'm always curious what is meant by "teacher accountability".

If I go to a doctor and he tells me my blood pressure is too high, then he may give me a new diet and an exercise routine. He may also prescribe medication. If I choose to ignore everything he tells me; then who should be held accountable, me or the doctor?

If a teacher goes to the classroom, presents a well prepared lesson, guides the students through examples, and then gives the students an assignment to work independently; who is responsible for making sure the students do their work? Is it always on the teacher? At what point are the students accountable? And what about the parents?

Just curious.

[Zero Sum 305]

The future is going to be very bright for educated children.

Kids are products of their parents, too. And parents vote.

[lostinblue 1,989]

I'm always curious what is meant by "teacher accountability".

If I go to a doctor and he tells me my blood pressure is too high, then he may give me a new diet and an exercise routine. He may also prescribe medication. If I choose to ignore everything he tells me; then who should be held accountable, me or the doctor?

If a teacher goes to the classroom, presents a well prepared lesson, guides the students through examples, and then gives the students an assignment to work independently; who is responsible for making sure the students do their work? Is it always on the teacher? At what point are the students accountable? And what about the parents?

Just curious.

What about sending a student to the next grade level when he has not mastered the one he is in.

[B_J 2,752]

What about sending a student to the next grade level when he has not mastered the one he is in.

I'm not sure what you're asking. I'm against it. Is that good enough?

[Zero Sum 305]

I'm not sure what you're asking. I'm against it. Is that good enough?

I got to see that happen with one student. The principal fought us teachers that didn't want the kid promoted.

[B_J 2,752]

I got to see that happen with one student. The principal fought us teachers that didn't want the kid promoted.

Of course, principals are dealing with the overall school rating. We know it varies from state to state; but in some places failing too many kids will be viewed negatively for the school, so kids just get moved up. It's the same with discipline. Too many kids suspended or in alternative school and the school will be viewed negatively, so discipline just disappears. Basically, it becomes if there are no rules, then no kids get in trouble; must be great discipline at the school.

It all comes back to the question of how to fairly evaluate schools and teachers?

[Zero Sum 305]

Of course, principals are dealing with the overall school rating. We know it varies from state to state; but in some places failing too many kids will be viewed negatively for the school, so kids just get moved up. It's the same with discipline. Too many kids suspended or in alternative school and the school will be viewed negatively, so discipline just disappears. Basically, it becomes if there are no rules, then no kids get in trouble; must be great discipline at the school.

It all comes back to the question of how to fairly evaluate schools and teachers?

Bingo.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

maybe they should start judging schools based on how many they fail rather than the stats schools like to display with how many they pass? at least this way parents would know such a school has honest standards rather than the joke that is currently the standard.

and yes, i blame nclb for being a part of this.

[Zero Sum 305]

maybe they should start judging schools based on how many they fail rather than the stats schools like to display with how many they pass? at least this way parents would know such a school has honest standards rather than the joke that is currently the standard.

and yes, i blame nclb for being a part of this.

Interesting. How they fail- this would technically have to compile information on several things. Test scores... check. Parental involvement... check. Administrator tenure (length of stay on job) and salaries... check. Instructional staff salaries... check. District investment, per pupil... check. Student/teacher ratio... check. And many more checks.

[Amby 490]

This reminds me of a class I took a few years ago. There was about 200 people in the class and we had a test that week. At the end of the class the prof asked if anyone had any questions about the test and one guy raised his hand and said "are we going to be able to understand it this time?" The prof asked what he didn't understand and then the guy said "what reading level will the questions be at?" At this point we were all just looking at each other like The prof asked the guy what his reading level was and in front of the entire class he said "probably 7th or 8th grade". The prof just layed his head on the desk and waved his hand for us to go.

Edited February 24, 2011 by Amby

[Dan and Judy 614]

This reminds me of a class I took a few years ago. There was about 200 people in the class and we had a test that week. At the end of the class the prof asked if anyone had any questions about the test and one guy raised his hand and said "are we going to be able to understand it this time?" The prof asked what he didn't understand and then the guy said "what reading level will the questions be at?" At this point we were all just looking at each other like The prof asked the guy what his reading level was and in front of the entire class he said "probably 7th or 8th grade". The prof just layed his head on the desk and waved his hand for us to go.

I was taking a college class and there was one guy in the class who was kind of slow. The teacher was writing something on the board and the guy said "I cant read......" before he finished his sentence. I said "then you shouldn´t be in this class"

It got a big laugh but I felt bad about it almost immediately mostly because he was slow.