Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Break's Over, Kids.

 The Mississippi Department of Education issued the following press release. 

All required federal and statewide assessments will be administered to public-school students this school year, including the 3rd Grade Reading Assessment and high school assessments for Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) has provided districts with pandemic-related flexibilities to make it easier to administer the assessments and to schedule in-person testing for virtual learners.

Schools are expected to provide safe testing accommodations to full-time virtual learners who are able go to their school campus to test. Virtual learners are strongly urged to be tested, though schools cannot require students to show up for testing.

“The assessments identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement to ensure they are on track for the next grade and eventually, college and career,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “This year’s statewide assessments will provide valuable information about the impact of COVID-19 on learning and will help identify where accelerated learning opportunities for students are most needed.”

Current 3rd graders are not required to meet a passing score on the reading assessment to be promoted to 4th grade for the 2021-22 school year. Students still must meet all other district requirements for promotion.

This school year, high school students who take required end-of-course high school assessments including Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History are not required to meet a passing score to meet high school graduation requirements. Students must meet all other state and district requirements to graduate.


15 comments:

Anonymous said...

breaks over? my teen loves the virtual school. grades are up. made the decision to stay virtual instead of switching back to in person. still sees friends indoors and goes out with them.

it’s homeschooling with certified licensed teachers. School Choice!

these tests are BS anyway..

Anonymous said...

The tests are much needed and will prove the disastrous regression caused by virtual learning.

Anonymous said...

Virtual Learning works well for high IQ children who enjoy learning and do it effortlessly. Unfortunately, the majority of the population are low IQ and unmotivated.

Here is a test. Does your child spend more time on Wikipedia or Social Media?
Bonus points if your child contributes to wikipedia and triple score if they contribute FOSS to github.

Anonymous said...

One of the only good thing that came out of the last year of lockdown is that a lot more kids got to listen to and call into Rush Limbaugh’s show. He would always have kids calling in during the summer break. But the last year of his life he seemed to enjoy a lot more calls from his young fans.

Anonymous said...

@10:38pm Will pray for your teen, who will not be prepared in the least for the real world.

Anonymous said...

@11:42 AM
Prove it shut it.

I can give you plenty of anecdotes that prove otherwise.

Anonymous said...

It's quite predictable. Kids and districts who were ahead will be further ahead. Kids and districts which were behind will be further behind. The status quo is reinforced.

Without a concentrated remedial effort many of Mississippi's most vulnerable students will never catch up. So sad. So unnecessary. RIP JPS

Anonymous said...

The biggest problem is that nobody goes hungry or goes without air conditioning so their is no motivation to work hard. Meanwhile kids in India can code 3 different programming languages before high school and Chinese kids are learning Fundamentals of Investing as well as International Logistics Management in Jr High.

Anonymous said...

11:42--its 10:38.

That's thinking in the past. My teen will be prepared for the future in that they will be comfortable in a virtual community/work environment. That's the workplace of the future.

4:11 hit it right. our schools in the USA get so caught up in testing, dogma, and skills no one needs ever again. my teen being home (and doing all 'school work' so fast) has bought and sold several thousands of dollars of clothing online during the pandemic. nay-- i pray for all the teens who expect to graduate from college with 100k in debt, with a BA in some relic of the past, and cant find a job as a museum curator...mine can always fall back on this business acumen learned..

Anonymous said...

@12:28pm - LOL Lesson 1: "Plenty of anecdotes that prove otherwise".

An anecdote means evidence collected in a casual or informal manner, and relying heavily (or entirely) on personal testimony, and usually lacking in any objectivity.

Just because you say your child is special doesn't make it so. An entire generation of youth have been told this by their over-indulgent parents, and millions of them are struggling with any actual movement toward independence, because they think they can work from home, to pay their bills. Actual studies have been done on today's Millennials/Gen Zs.....the one trait most of them consistently don't have? Grit.

We won't know the extent of the damage for a decade. Enjoy your happy moments with your teen, when their 30, you may still be paying their bills and housing them.

Anonymous said...

Down on the Coast, Ocean Springs Elementary has been operating as a normal school since August.




Anonymous said...

@8:16
Many schools have

The Relics Among Us said...

Lest this went right over your head:

“The assessments identify students’ strengths and areas for improvement to ensure they are on track for the next grade and eventually, college and career,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education.

This woman is totally entrenched with the ancient concept that every child needs a college degree. Kudos that she felt obliged to throw in the word career, as an after-thought. She's too old and hard-headed to understand the value of vocational/career education at the HS level, merging into careers with the possible (but not required) tandem with Community College.

The woman is a dictator, not a leader. She's a relic, not a bright bulb. A regurgitator of outdated minutia and theory that never worked in the first place. But, when Gallo can't round up a quality guest, she's always in the wings (on speaker-phone).

Anonymous said...

@8:57am Bullseye.

Carey Wright is in bed with the MS Community College Board and IHL to keep them numbers rolling in at all costs. THAT's why the sustained mantra of "college" is unrelentingly pushed - they have to complete/promote/graduate them no matter what to keep funding levels in balance in order to justify thousands of absurd administrative salaries that contribute nothing.

Teachers are so sick of hearing "work with the student" and being pressured to giving alternative or extra credit assignments when the student isn't learning anything - except how to game the system. It really is a moral issue - for the student, their family, and the community.

Anonymous said...

Not taking away the thunder of achievement students are presently feeling by "completing" courses online, but it must be said - we live in a world where the “pressure" of schooling and/or education - is virtually no pressure at all. No child left behind indeed.

Those completion rates must climb, climb, climb at all costs - thousands of bloated administrative salaries must be justified. The bureaucracy must appear successful - regardless of whether or not students have been prepared for college. Which most have certainly not been as evidenced by the hundreds of remedial courses and "dual enrollment" classes being offered to help them leap frog over college standards by taking them in high school.


The reality on the ground is: rampant grade and performance inflation - which is an open secret in education - ask any teacher. In the 1960s, an "A" was given only 15% of the time. Today, an A grade is the most common grade given. 75% of all grades are now either As or Bs. Higher education is even worse.


It is the fault of the "older generation" or Boomers - which has been in charge for over 40 years, and which was supposed to act like
adults - but they didn't. Children are paying for their moral and educational lapse, which also is fraying the moral fiber of American
society as a whole. As monetary inflation devalues the dollar, so grade inflation devalues the currency of education - student grades.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

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.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

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.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

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.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

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.

Note: Security provided by INS
.