do school leaders have an impact on student achievement?

Question

should schools use remediation to help students be successful on standardized testing? How much input should school leaders have in deciding the best type of remediation to use?

Answer 1

Standardized tests are a waste of time.... increased student achievement and teacher accountability can be more easily, and cheaply, implemented through making a passing grade an 80% instead of a 60%, portfolio documentation of post-tests for each unit showing 80% or better mastery of the standard/benchmarks being addressed, and justification of advancement rather than justification of retention. Smaller class sizes would give the teachers the individual time with the students needed to ensure adequate progress... and justify placement in special education with even smaller class sizes and specialized instruction and curriculum if the student is not passing.

That being said.... the worst thing possible is for schools to be "teaching to the test." The concept of the testing is supposed to be a random sampling of skills based directly on grade-level state standards and benchmarks... and supposedly if the teachers have been teaching the standards and benchmarks, the kids will pass. However, the tests usually are a bit above grade level in their reading levels, vocabulary, and content expectations. They usually are given long before the end of the school year, so that teachers have to make the best guess they can about which benchmarks to cover before the test, and which after. The tests make the part of the school year that "counts" to be only five months rather than nine.

If you want to be a "school leader," help with curriculum mapping to ensure that benchmark instruction is maximized toward testing expectations, while maintaining effective instruction, re-teaching, student practice, and multi-sensory activities; instruction of metacognitive strategies for test taking for the students; and instruction of general education teachers in multiple learning strategies including those best used for gifted students (compaction, acceleration, depth of information, higher-order questioning, organizational skills), special education students and lower performing regular ed students (task analysis, phonics decoding approaches at all grade levels, multi-sensory, etc.) and ELL students (modeled and guided grammar, phonics decoding approaches, cultural and idiomatic expression, etc.).

Answer 2

Everything that goes on at a school affects student achievement in some way. Remediation can be successful if the student, the parent, and the teacher all work together to make it work. If any one of those three aren't willing then it will not work. As far as school leaders deciding the type of remediation, it depends on whether or not the school district already has a plan in place. For example, if a student does poorly in an advanced class (Physics for example), does the school district already have a plan for what class students should take next if they do well or they do poorly? I would recommend a meeting between the teacher, parent, student, and principle/guidance counselor to hammer out what the problems were during the class, and how to correct them in the future. When a parent comes in that is truly concerned about a child's education, you will find that the school system will be willing to do a lot to help out. However, if the student qualifies for special education services then the special education teacher should really be in charge of choosing what will work best. Input from the child's other teachers, parents, and aides will really give the special education teacher and physical and occupational therapists to make that decision. Hopefully this will address the problem and prevent need for further remediation, which is quickly becoming a concern at the college level. The most important thing that anyone can do to help their child in school is to become positively involved with the school. Don't harass the teacher, but let them know that you want to help. Ask what you can do. You WILL see improvement.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

As a teacher I find that having a standardized test for students to take in order to achieve a pass or fail mark leaves a lot to be desired, however when an outsider is introduced to bargain for a child's grade it is just plain wrong. If parents want their children to have better grades in school then they must be willing to take the time to assist their children with homework, to stay on top of their children's progress, to be actively involved in what their children are learning and to be a part of their children's school life. Blaming a test or a teacher for a students poor showing on a test is not the answer, nor bringing in some mediator to get the child a better grade. This is not at all fair or justifiable to the students that studied hard, did their assignments, asked for help when needed and it shows on their test scores. It leads to the belief that someone can get something better by doing nothing except hiring a good mouthpiece.

Answer 5

I absolutely hate standardized test, but I think if we are going to make our students take them, we need to properly prepare them. To avoid remediation, we need to start programs to ensure good test taking skills BEFORE the test so that there will not be much need for remediation (hopefully). Teachers, parents, and the students should have input in the best types of remediation b/c they are the ones who know the most about the students capabilities.

Answer 6

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Music students can keep practice logs online, record and upload playing tests, and track their own grades. Parents can track inventory assignments and monitor attendance and merits or demerits earned.

Answer 7

Alright listen here that kid is what u call a prep at my school u tell ur kid and all of the others to tell that teacher what they think about it thats what ive always done.it dosnt always work 4 me but i dont stop tryin.Tell ur kid not to feel bad about it cause it happens at every other school ive been to.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

That is a very good question.I will have to think about that one.

Answer 10

yes