Friday, October 21, 2016

JPS School Board responds to F rating

The Board of Trustees for the Jackson Public School District issued the following press release:


The Jackson Public School District is disappointed about the District’s downgrade based on the results from the Mississippi Assessment Program (MAP). Despite the inconsistency of state testing over the past three years, increased rigor of the MAP tests, combined with changed standards for what is considered a passing school and a failing school, we expected to perform much better. (Um, Benita, MDE relaxed the standards during one of those years and JPS still didn't improve its rating.)

However, there are still reasons for optimism. For example, 27.4 percent of our schools are rated C or above. This is a clear illustration that our students are capable of excelling on the new assessments. We are very proud of those 16 schools. We congratulate Baker Elementary, Davis Magnet IB Elementary, Power APAC Elementary and Bailey APAC Middle School for exemplifying academic excellence as “A” schools. We will build on this and share their best practices among our schools. The administration is working closely with all of our schools to identify areas that we can improve and implement innovative strategies to increase academic achievement.

The remaining data is glaring. To go from a district with only 3.5 per cent of its schools labeled “F” to “36.2 percent, that is indeed a significant number, and a number that is just not acceptable. We are still analyzing the data to pinpoint what happened, but we know that 24 percent of our schools increased at least one letter grade from last year. We also know that 40 percent of our schools dropped at least one letter grade.

As board members, we have the fiduciary responsibility to our students, parents, taxpayers and community to hold the administration accountable for these results. In doing so, the Board plans to hold an October 28, 2016, meeting to evaluate the superintendent and our leadership team to discern what happened, and how the administration plans to improve student performance. The meeting with begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Board room located at 621 South State Street.

I believe our teachers are our strengths. I am confident that they, along with all other JPS employees will rise to the occasion.

Beneta Burt, President
Board of Trustees


Kingfish note: On a Friday night during football season. Nice.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kaze sez black community electing wrong black folks. That includes Obama.

Anonymous said...

We need to turn half the high schools in town into trade schools. Teach these kids a trade. This notion that everyone needs a college education is bogus. If we taught kids how to do things like fix cars, repair appliances, do clothing alterations, etc. then there would be a good alternative path for many who wind up busing tables or emptying trash with their worthless diplomas.

I don't know when teaching a usable, marketable trade got such a bad name.

Maybe Mr. Common Cosby could even teach Rapping 101, because you DAMN sure don't need an education for that.

Anonymous said...

And on top of trade schools what if we incentivized people to do work independent of dollars (there aren't many in the Jackson area to pass around).

Incentivize people to work and pay them in another way. That's how we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.

Anonymous said...

Teaching them to read would be a great improvement and should be the first step.

Anonymous said...

The state already has a system of trade schools--the community colleges. Nothing about the Jackson Public Schools will change until substantially more middle class black and white families recommit themselves to sending their children to the public schools. It's a big part of what works in Madison and Rankin counties, and unfortunately I don't think it's ever going to happen in Jackson again, barring a significant upswing in the Jackson business and real estate climates.

Anonymous said...

10:42, You sort of have it mixed up. The middle class black and white families left the Jackson Public Schools because they became a poor excuse for schools. The schools did not get any better when they left but they left because the were terrible.
If the schools improve the middle class will send their kids back. It doesn't make any sense for the middle class to send their kids to Jackson schools until the schools improve. What parents want to do that to their children?

Anonymous said...

Incentivize people to work and pay them in another way.

Pay them in what other way?

Anonymous said...

11:25, you are so right. You only get one shot at educating your child. Children are the same as they have always been, born with a clean slate and can be educated or not educated from that point. We now have a greater emphasis on reading by the end of third grade and that will starting showing benefits soon. We are in the third (?) year of that plan so soon these literate children will be in middle school.

What has changed is the methods of educating children and the standards for teachers. Teach the tests and forget the rest was the motto of teachers a few years ago. At least, now they have to teach reading.

We could have trade schools and probably one prep school in JPS and it would increase our work force measurably and produce tax payers instead of tax users. Maybe the dicipline problems currently rampant would not exist in the prep schools as they would be seeking scholarships and college admission.

Anonymous said...

8:53 if Trump is elected, all Mississippi Schools will be above c rating, "in your freeking dreams"! Trump and the elected officials in Washington could care less about the schools in Mississippi.
Vote Trump and all ignorant blacks and whites will live the American Dream, again in your dreams!

I don't have an answer, just an ignorant comment!!

Anonymous said...

None of the suggestions above are going to work until male members of a society get a backbone and become MEN to their WIVES and children (INSIDE THE HOME), churches and communities.

THE driving reason why today's societies separate.

Anonymous said...

The JPS board are a bunch of auto mechanics hired to fix the space shuttle. They don't want to give up their jobs and they don't want to admit their shortcomings. What's more they have no training in doing what's required. They have accepted procedure that can only benefit the monetary interest of the teachers union and the politicians whose short term concerns can only cripple children who need basic education. To absolutely insist on academic credibility and a zero tolerance for disruption and crime would politically alienate a large percentage of their patrons, so they listen to any experimental B.S. the liberal education establishment spews out, hoping something might work. There are thousands of educators and parents out there who know better but, the politicians are allowed to make the appointments and they just want to keep the hustle going.

Anonymous said...

I know this is politically incorrect, but we need to put kids in classes based on how smart they are. Students that can go faster in one class, students that need a little more in one class, and the kids that just don't get it in one class.

I have also read about a school district where the kids watch tutorials online at home and come in and do their homework at school - so the teachers can really help them with the actual work.

We need to think outside the box for JPS - the old way of teaching and doing things isn't working.

Anonymous said...

"Incentivize people to work and pay them in another way. That's how we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps."
October 21, 2016 at 9:38 AM

"...and pay them IN ANOTHER WAY."

Are we talking about prostitutes and body-painted strippers, here? Because THAT 'other way' seems to work - at least with Jackson's "leaders".

Anonymous said...

9:38, it would be better to teach them a work ethic when they are young but that would take caring parents who had a work ethic themselves.

Anonymous said...

Beneta Burt, one of the apologists shown above, has been a democrat operative in the Metro for at least 45 years. She has fed at the trough of federal programs for decades.....JTPA, CETA, Planning and Development Districts, the multitude of fed/state pipeline give-aways and all the programs that followed. When will we ever learn to stop re-cycling all these re-treads and having them stomp around in the puddle of inefficiency and poor performance in federal-state programs? The only plan any of them has is their individual plan for personal retirement.

Anonymous said...

1:07 PM states, "I don't have an answer, just an ignorant comment!!"

And that's the damned truth!

Anonymous said...

5:07

It goes back to 1:09

Anonymous said...

"
None of the suggestions above are going to work until male members of a society get a backbone and become MEN to their WIVES and children (INSIDE THE HOME), churches and communities."

Seriously, wtf does that even mean? Obviously a racial slur - you should be supporting black women who are doing the best they can when our society continues to divide their families by disproportionately jailing them, destroy their opportunities with substandard educational system, all the while patting yourselves on the back for your christian values. Jesus would hate you.

Anonymous said...

11:59, why do some people think everything is racial? Are you suggesting only black men leave others to raise their family and kids? Why are the black women you speak of raising their family without their husband? Do you think black people should have a lighter sentence than others when they commit a crime? Don't blacks have the same opportunity for education as other races. According to the law they have more and better opportunities for an education.
You need to face the truth instead of looking for someone to blame for problems people bring on themselves.

Anonymous said...

11:59

Cant believe you say that. You are obviously a black woman? You apparently don't want a husband, father (inside the home) for your kids... a strong man who takes you and yalls kids to church... who goes to school functions and demands better for you and HIS family.

Real men - husbands and FATHERS love, protect and provide for their wives and children. They are the strength and safety for your family, ALONG WITH MOTHER... but you seem to not care?

If someone's getting jailed, they must have done something wrong. PD's don't go around residential areas and just scoop up folks to put them in jail.

The vast majority of white folks don't get graduate college either... for various reasons - but they don't claim that others "destroy their opportunities with substandard educational system". All of us have to try harder because it's not "handed to us".

Anonymous said...

2:07 said "We need to think outside the box for JPS - the old way of teaching and doing things isn't working."
OK, I missed something here. From what I have read the 'old way' is not at all what is happening at JPS. The 'old way' is you don't miss school, you aren't late for class, you mind your teachers, you do your homework. And your parents are involved in your school. Unless you have ironclad proof, your parents presume that if you have a problem at school the teachers are right and you, the kid, are wrong. Under the 'old way' neither police nor security guards were needed on school grounds.
I have to disagree 2:07. As I recall the old way worked quite well. It starts with parents and teachers working together and making the kids understand who the adults are and who the children are.

Anonymous said...

Oct. 24th @11:14, your comment is the most sensible yet. I have a son graduating from JPS in May. He has already made 27 on the ACT and will be retaking it soon. The schools are not the problem. The problem with JPS is disrespectful, unruly kids whose parents refuse to parent. If you send teachers rotten apples, don't expect to get apple pie. Also, when a teacher sends a disruptive child to the principal for punishment, that child should not be allowed to re-enter that class without a parent/teacher/principal conference.

And, yes, my husband and I are a team, but if he was dead or if he left our family, it would still be my responsibility to teach my children to be law abiding decent human beings. Not having a man around is no excuse for a woman to not raise her children, and I wish people would stop asking "Where is the father". Sometimes the father is a bum who needs to be out of the house.

Anonymous said...

11:05

You're talking out of both sides of your mouth.



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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

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Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

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This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

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If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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