Our mobility at school is steadily climbing. This is not a good thing. A sample of recent enrollees
1. Child who was enrolled in another school in our district for the first 3 months of the school year. Child then moved to Mexico and has now returned. Whether or not he attended school in Mexico is questionable. We are also not asking what his mode of travel and route was when he returned to the US. Since he was in our district on "snapshot" day he has to take the state mandated TAKS test. In math, which is a subject heavily dependent on prior knowledge. Of which he has none.
2. Very large, very tall 5th grade - a double retainnee at least. The birth certificate appears to be missing. Has missed between 1- 2 months of school. His mother withdrew him from a district in a northern suburb in February. She can't give a straight answer as to why he's not been in school. Once a student withdraws there is nothing the school can do to ensure the student enrolls at a new school in a timely manner. Especially if the parent withdraws with no notice and doesn't tell anyone where they are going (AKA running from child protective services). He's got to take TAKS too. At least his scores will revert back to his old school, which isn't fair to them but gets us off the hook.
3. New family of 4. One of the boys amuses himself by rolling around the hall and crawling under the furniture while his mother fills out the paperwork. This might be tolerable if he was four. He's not, he's twelve - and in the 5th grade. Can you imagine what an asset he'll be to the classroom?
4. New first grader. Can't tell you the name of the last school he attended. We are his fifth school so far. Says he'll be moving "soon" so the final school count by year end will be at least six. If not seven. Needless to say he doesn't know his address or phone number either!
WWGD? What would George do? His wife Laura, was once a teacher. Do you think she can can make sure kids like this aren't left behind?
5 comments:
Testing doesn't seem to be the answer for any child - why is this so popular? Just like any quick fix, it sounds good on paper.
We would be much better off spending he money to make sure that every child learns something! Imagine the individual attention we could provide for the children you mention with the money and time we waste on these tests.
I think in some cases the parents can't spend more time with their kids because of financial circumstances, but, in most of these cases it looks like they just plain DON'T care! It's too bad the schools get stuck with these kids. For those parents...I have to agree with Lou.:o)
WW
Perhaps they care, but can't help. I took a call today from a woman who was looking for high school students to tutor a 6th grader who reads at 1st grade level. He lives with his father, who is loving, caring and involved...but illiterate. Dad is now enrolled in an adult literacy program, but it'll be a while yet before he can help his kid.
Hey, tell me about it. Every fall and spring, the same families enter their kids and withdraw their kids, because their 'services' expire and so they move just across the county line, sign up again, and live there until spring, when THOSE services expire and they move back across the line again and re-enroll their kids in the first school. It's a lifestyle for some people. Yes, THOSE kind of people. And before anyone starts protesting about my name-calling, go check the stats at almost any school. It is those kind of people. Poor kids. Stupid adults. But most of all, poor kids. I hate the testing too but sometimes I think adults should have to pass a parenting test before they're allowed to have kids. Or keep them, once they've had them. No passee, no reproductee. Sheesh. Every child should have the right to be brought up in a home where there is consistent love, no stupid adult behaviors that impact on the child, and considertion. Adults who choose not to provide those things should not be allowed to have kids. Take them away, and let responsible good kind caring loving people raise them. (No, I'm NOT talking about nice people who are temporarily down on their luck; I'm talking about full-time Jerry Springer permanently dysfunctional jerks.) Now, bring it on.
No child left behind, baby! I hate snapshot day. It can be both a curse and a blessing. I love new students who weren't in our district on snapshot day.
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