Private schools are indefensible

[TwiceHorn 31451]

21 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

You are correct. You don’t get it. The world is not black and white. There are degrees to everything. Everyone who sends their kids to private school is not rich, unless you mean compared to poverty levels. There is a range, from fuck you money all the way to barely afford tuition down to scholarship. Yes, the majority reside in the comfortably pay section. The same can be said for entrance exams. Yes, they have entrance exams. That doesn’t mean everyone who goes is brilliant. There is nuance. Obviously, if you score high, and you can afford it, then it’s just about space availability (which is also includes many factors). The entrance exams are a tool to cut out the students who clearly need special help or won’t be able to hack it, and then a lever. Let’s say your kid didn’t exactly ace the test, but was on the marginal side. If you have fuck you money, I’m sure they will bend the rules a little. Then you have the legacy variable, sibling variable, references, diversity. the entrance exam is just one of many variables considered 

 

 

 

Yeah, financial aid is pretty common at Dallas' elite privates.  Even at some of the non-elite. And, forty years ago, at least, entrance exams were used to place new students, not so much as "you can't come here because you're dumb."  There are loads of dumbshits at SM, Jesuit, Hockaday, and Ursuline.

About half my pre-school friends went on to St. Marks.  All of them went in a grade behind me at my elite public.

The thing that elite privates used to be good at, besides just having an "achieving culture," was tailoring a curriculum to a student's individual interests and talents.  That's great for individual students, but hardly necessary to provide a top-flight education.

[BearSchlong 8084]

Apparently my alma mater was founded in 1954.  Same year as Brown vs. Board of Education.

https://www.southerneducation.org/publications/historyofprivateschools/

 

 

[Sbbruin 21843]

20 hours ago, Lobo said:

Why isn't there "Financials of Your Inevitable Divorce" book out there?  We could add it wedding registries.  

[Sbbruin 21843]

We were just informed that the tuition at my son's school, where he hasn't physically attended a class in a year and which is already more expensive than a lot of college tuitions, is going up $1,500 next year.  Sounds about right.

[BrickHorn 18219]

One change to public education is the competition for advanced programs. Fifth graders now apply to middle school magnet or other special tracks the way we applied to colleges as high school seniors. They take placement tests and fill out applications and write essays. As fucking fifth graders. And they do it again as 8th graders.

And it’s all for the privilege of stressing the fuck out in a bubbling cauldron of overachievement and insecurity. I listened to the principal of a magnet high school tell a room full of applicants’ parents that their program will make the kids “crack” but that it’s better for them to have a nervous breakdown while still living at home than it would be in college. What the fuck kind of message is that? 

Edited March 16, 2021 by BrickHorn

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

The academic rigor was an important aspect of our kids HS experience.  They handled it well, and it prepared them for college very well.  

There were kids who couldn't handle it, but not too many I think, and better there than away at a very expensive college.

I wouldn't want a principal telling me my kids were gonna crack.  That means the school is doing it wrong, or my kid doesn't belong there.

[midtown 3345]

51 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

One change to public education is the competition for advanced programs. Fifth graders now apply to middle school magnet or other special tracks the way we applied to colleges as high school seniors. They take placement tests and fill out applications and write essays. As fucking fifth graders. And they do it again as 8th graders.

I do agree with this.  My kids didn't have to write essays but their grades did allow them to apply for magnet schools.   My son applied to all 3 in our district.  Got into the two that were grade based.  Got waitlisted at number 30 for the STEM magnet which is a bitch to get into.  I think there are 4 applicants for every spot.   On the last day they emailed and he got in.   He had 4 middle schools to chose from.  Not including the fact that in theory he could have gone to a charter or switched to the district I live in.  Since he was in your other kids get in auto.   I think we applied to all 3 again for my daughter just to be thorough but we knew she was going into STEM.  Especially as a female with very high math.

 

51 minutes ago, BrickHorn said:

I listened to the principal of a magnet high school tell a room full of applicants’ parents that their program will make the kids “crack” but that it’s better for them to have a nervous breakdown while still living at home than it would be in college. What the fuck kind of message is that? 

In a similar situation.   We have Basis HS here.  Right by my house actually.  We had a neighbor where the dad has a PhD in something I cant pronounce and the mom a masters at works at the UTHSC.   So clearly they value higher education.   They put their daughter at Basis for middle school and yanked her out after 1 year.   They said 3 hours of HW a night is just ridiculous.   To me this is no different than parents living vicariously through their kids for sports.   Unless you have some kind of prodigy why put your kids through that?

Edited March 16, 2021 by midtown

[Guest Lobo]

1 hour ago, BrickHorn said:

And it’s all for the privilege of stressing the fuck out in a bubbling cauldron of overachievement and insecurity. I listened to the principal of a magnet high school tell a room full of applicants’ parents that their program will make the kids “crack” but that it’s better for them to have a nervous breakdown while still living at home than it would be in college. What the fuck kind of message is that? 

It's a nicer message than the more pragmatic and honest message.  While still one of the better nations in which to live on this planet, the United States public K-12 educational system has been in marked decline for decades.  As a result, we are witnessing multiple generations who don't know they're in a failing system.  Parents of kids in K-12 publics today also came from mediocre-to-poor performing schools.  They just don't know it because at the time, it felt 'challenging to them.'  They also can't see that they are raising their own children in mediocre-to-poor performing schools as well.  Nobody can see the forests for the trees.  "Bad Schools" are just something that happens to other families on the wrong side of town, caused by un-engaged parents and uncaring administrators.  

The message is this...we're now 3 generations into underwhelming public education in K-12.  We don't make well-rounded, engaged, and critical citizens anymore.  And that's fine, but the multi-generational ripple effect of it is obvious...we are now in the era of 'Empowered Stupidity.'  You now have multi-generations who think they went to a fine school, did fine, and now have fine kids also doing fine in fine schools.  And there's no convincing them otherwise because they aren't the kind of critical thinkers to look at empirical data.  They simply seek out confirmation bias, and the last few years have ingrained in them that while there are esoteric intellectual elites, they themselves are quite smart and informed, and can safely look down upon much of the rest of the country. 

I disagree with the notion that there is a large segment of the nation that celebrates ignorance and is against independent thought.  Rather, I think it's a sense of complacency.  "Me and mine are just fine with our schools, we're as smart as anybody, and what we think and believe is right and just."  When you have that much complacency, that much self-appraised intelligence, and pepper in a little bit of Dunning-Krueger...you get a huge chunk of what you see on full display today.  Tens of millons of Americans on whom you can project almost anything because they don't know they're stupid.  

I've been advocating and lobbying at the state legislature for over a decade for more school choice.  And the proliferation of private schools, charter schools, magnet schools, home schooling, and hybrid models is only going to widen this chasm, and further worsen our public education system.  No amount of money is going to change that fact.  And what's more, more parental engagement may actually worsen the issue, not improve it.  

We worry about universal Pre-K, school vouchers, and college readiness.  Our real national challenge with regard to education is only just now rearing its ugly head...20% of us are gonna have to babysit the other 80% in this country for the foreseeable future.  Because they're like toddlers, they think they know everything.  Which makes them even more dangerous.  I like our local publics I.S.D.  But I am already having my doubts about it just one year in.  

Edited March 16, 2021 by Lobo

[TwiceHorn 31451]

1 hour ago, BrickHorn said:

One change to public education is the competition for advanced programs. Fifth graders now apply to middle school magnet or other special tracks the way we applied to colleges as high school seniors. They take placement tests and fill out applications and write essays. As fucking fifth graders. And they do it again as 8th graders.

And it’s all for the privilege of stressing the fuck out in a bubbling cauldron of overachievement and insecurity. I listened to the principal of a magnet high school tell a room full of applicants’ parents that their program will make the kids “crack” but that it’s better for them to have a nervous breakdown while still living at home than it would be in college. What the fuck kind of message is that? 

Coming from an objectively high achiever like you, that's saying something.

I knew a fair number of kids that were pretty driven in high school that were burnt out by the time they got to UT and that was long before all of this insanity.

[TwiceHorn 31451]

7 minutes ago, Wanker Bob said:

Those countries don't have boastful proclamations on their monuments like this: 

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Most of the European nations also have far better upward mobility than the US current day even though the US used to be at or near the top of the list. 

If Americans want to be okay with their rapid decline in these areas then that's fine but for God's sakes shut up with the "land of the free, land of opportunity, greatest country on Earth" bullshit. Because at this point in the 21st century it's all just bullshit

Maybe what it is is an equalization.  America was a land of opportunity and a haven for refugees and European malcontents for a couple of centuries, while Europe was busy persecuting their very small number of minorities via rigid class structures, state religions, and an entrenched aristocracy (which is not to say we didn't and don't have similar things, but on a smaller scale).  We needed to fill up a country, they were already full.  Now everyone's birthrate is in decline, but Europe's especially, and they are now, for the first time, multilateral and multicultural in a pretty real sense.

Edited March 16, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[Bevo 13576]

6 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Coming from an objectively high achiever like you, that's saying something.

I knew a fair number of kids that were pretty driven in high school that were burnt out by the time they got to UT and that was long before all of this insanity.

I knew a lot also. I would go to Abel's and Nasty's to ease the pressure - 606, Maggie Mae's, Jorge's, Antone's, and pretty much any bar with women would work in a pinch.

[TwiceHorn 31451]

1 minute ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Efinby I just listens do to an NPR report that said EU millemials were leaving in droves for the US and it's easier process to start up a company. They further a stayed upwars monility

in the hugw bireabureau of tie RU was a facto that kept uopwar

smonilty lacking. Who s then US

May I mambu dogfish in the banana patch?

[babysdaddy 2721]

Just now, Wanker Bob said:

Those countries don't have boastful proclamations on their monuments like this: 

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Most of the European nations also have far better upward mobility than the US current day even though the US used to be at or near the top of the list. 

If Americans want to be okay with their rapid decline in these areas then that's fine but for God's sakes shut up with the "land of the free, land of opportunity, greatest country on Earth" bullshit. Because at this point in the 21st century it's all just bullshit

You're lucky we bailed your ass outta WW2 or you'd be speaking German.  You're welcome. 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, BrickHorn said:

One change to public education is the competition for advanced programs. Fifth graders now apply to middle school magnet or other special tracks the way we applied to colleges as high school seniors. They take placement tests and fill out applications and write essays. As fucking fifth graders. And they do it again as 8th graders.

And it’s all for the privilege of stressing the fuck out in a bubbling cauldron of overachievement and insecurity. I listened to the principal of a magnet high school tell a room full of applicants’ parents that their program will make the kids “crack” but that it’s better for them to have a nervous breakdown while still living at home than it would be in college. What the fuck kind of message is that? 

Breaking kids down and building them up( confidence through achievement) is not a foreign concept.  Maybe that's not what the principal meant, but that's how I read your passage.  This happy/happy unicorn fart bullshit is not getting us anywhere either.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

21 minutes ago, slorch said:

Breaking kids down and building them up( confidence through achievement) is not a foreign concept.  Maybe that's not what the principal meant, but that's how I read your passage.  This happy/happy unicorn fart bullshit is not getting us anywhere either.

Our daughter said college was much easier for her because she had such a rigorous HS program. Humblebrag here, but she graduated from William & Mary  Cum Laude in 3.5 years.

[Captainant 27655]

1 hour ago, babysdaddy said:

You're lucky we bailed your ass outta WW2 or you'd be speaking German.  You're welcome. 

TBH, we're lucky that America didn't fall in line with fascism back then, and the jury is still out today. Isolationism, nationalism, and anti-semitism were pretty popular back in the interwar period before Japan and Germany declared war. Shit even Dr. Seuss made note of it in his comics of the day (spoiler'd below if you care to look)

Spoiler

 

 

[Guest Lobo]

I wonder if any Senators are signing copies of those to raise campaign funds.  ^^^

noCR, Dr. Seuss has been in the news lately in case you haven't noticed.  

Edited March 16, 2021 by Lobo

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Our daughter said college was much easier for her because she had such a rigorous HS program. Humblebrag here, but she graduated from William & Mary  Cum Laude in 3.5 years.

"Bill and Mary" on the sportsbooks still always makes me giggle a little.

 

Congrats for your daughter!!!

[Johnny Sack 8397]

1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Our daughter said college was much easier for her because she had such a rigorous HS program. Humblebrag here, but she graduated from William & Mary  Cum Laude in 3.5 years.

I had several friends who went to St. John's.  Unless they were in an extremely rigorous degree program, college was a waste of time for them.

[Brothahorn 10087]

On 3/14/2021 at 9:07 PM, clapclapclap said:

Nice Humble brag.

Just inside the gun line. Didn't want to spend that Kingwood money.

[Guest]

Unlivable Forest

[LABEVO 928]

No kids so take this with a grain of salt but absolutely don’t believe quality or school either public or private doesn’t matter much for top performers in schools. 
 

the top public or private schools send order of magnitude more students to top tier universities. I’m surprised when I got into the workforce a decade plus ago how much different was my education experience vs my work colleagues. The top school start training students for college prep at 6th grade so you are way ahead for college applications. 
 

the quality of education varies so widely from your 2A west Texas school vs Pally High (palo alto). The reality is that the top tier school are feeders for the best universities which in turn are feeders for the top jobs. 

[lmao 178]

You don't want your kids around minorities you can just say that instead of the novel.

[next2naus 439]

I went here: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/texas/districts/austin-independent-school-district/mccallum-high-school-18612

and I plan to send my kids here for HS:https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/new-york/districts/half-hollow-hills-central-school-district/half-hollow-hills-high-school-east-13729

 

[troph 24783]

10 hours ago, BrickHorn said:

One change to public education is the competition for advanced programs. Fifth graders now apply to middle school magnet or other special tracks the way we applied to colleges as high school seniors. They take placement tests and fill out applications and write essays. As fucking fifth graders. And they do it again as 8th graders.

And it’s all for the privilege of stressing the fuck out in a bubbling cauldron of overachievement and insecurity. I listened to the principal of a magnet high school tell a room full of applicants’ parents that their program will make the kids “crack” but that it’s better for them to have a nervous breakdown while still living at home than it would be in college. What the fuck kind of message is that? 

I’ve had a terribly hard time pushing my kids to achieve as youngsters, even in high school.  I’m not saying I don’t come down hard when grades suffer, I do.  I’m just unwilling to put scholarship, college credit, AP scores and all of that on their plate. Maybe it’s nearsighted, I’m hoping not. They are bright but I don’t know - I was a fuck up until college and only got into UT through community college transfer admission.  I ended up ok. I didn’t turn it on until my last 4 semesters at UT either.  I was also miserable as a kid for a variety of reasons.  I kinda think being well adjusted isn’t appreciated as much as it should be.  Learn in grade school and high school sure, but you know what? I’m ok with my sons going a much different route, one that says no to as much of this high stress BS as possible. Figure out who you are, figure out what you want and only then put it into overdrive. And don’t do any permanent damage to your future along the way to figuring it out.  Gap years, community college, six year degrees, what ever it takes. Then when in college or out there in the world and it’s time to crack under pressure you won’t, because you know who you are and what you want.  I don’t know if it’s right, every one of my kids has started a sport and then lost interest after a few years, started another and lost interest, played in the band and quit. They all have things they do but no one is asking them to step up and be a 15 year old semi pro at anything, not even a semi pro academic. I feel like my greatest deficit was I didn’t have a fun childhood. I’m now chasing good times (responsibily) but wirh this insatiable deficit.  I have a theory that having a fun childhood is critical to adult happiness.  I think I may be right. And so educationally, the only thing I want is for them to complete a modest course load at their level of ability, to know themselves and the people they chose.  I’m kinda hoping the folks with people skills are the ones that will be in high demand in a few decades. I could be wrong. I hope I’m not. And I’ll say this, I believe in the innate human drive to achieve and the extra helping of competitive drive my kids will get from my DNA.  I guess maybe I’m saying while I am hard on them, I’m going to trust that we will find our way without the gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands. Oh my kids go to a supposedly amazing public high school.  They may send their kids to private but we are not. 

Edited March 17, 2021 by troph

[Guest]

6 hours ago, troph said:

I’ve had a terribly hard time pushing my kids to achieve as youngsters, even in high school.  I’m not saying I don’t come down hard when grades suffer, I do.  I’m just unwilling to put scholarship, college credit, AP scores and all of that on their plate. Maybe it’s nearsighted, I’m hoping not. 

Don't focus on the grades/ AP scores/ETC.

Was the effort given?

 

Easier said than done, for sure, but we never ripped our kids for making a bad grade.  They caught plenty of hell for not putting in the work.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

The son was lackluster with his academics till he decided he wanted to become an astronaut.  That motivated him to become the student he needed to be, and to get the grades he needed, to get into the schools he needed to achieve that goal.  Started learning Russian because he was convinced he'd have to go to Russia to get into a space program because the US had begun stepping back it seemed from space exploration. Decided he needed to get in to Annapolis or the AF academy.  Grades went from good to stellar.  

Point is, intelligent, motivated kids will do what it takes if they're truly focussed, have the mental chops, and are willing to put the time in.  

[troph 24783]

1 hour ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

The son was lackluster with his academics till he decided he wanted to become an astronaut.  That motivated him to become the student he needed to be, and to get the grades he needed, to get into the schools he needed to achieve that goal.  Started learning Russian because he was convinced he'd have to go to Russia to get into a space program because the US had begun stepping back it seemed from space exploration. Decided he needed to get in to Annapolis or the AF academy.  Grades went from good to stellar.  

Point is, intelligent, motivated kids will do what it takes if they're truly focussed, have the mental chops, and are willing to put the time in.  

Once they have the internal goals.  Parental imposed goals are a terrible proxy for internally derived motivation. 

[Guest]

sounds like you want the kids to live with you till they're 40...

That's all fine and good, I guess.

 

Were your parents just over imposing as hell?

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

9 minutes ago, troph said:

Once they have the internal goals.  Parental imposed goals are a terrible proxy for internally derived motivation. 

The parents role is to foster an appreciation for education.  Then have their kids in the right places to take advantage of  opportunities presented.

It's up to the kid at that point.

[Nivek 16923]

Yeah it seems that parent inspired goals are more stressful than kid inspired goals. But i was a kid that stressed himself out.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

1 hour ago, Nivek said:

Yeah it seems that parent inspired goals are more stressful than kid inspired goals. But i was a kid that stressed himself out.

The daughter was more that way.  She used it to achieve, but didn't suffer or miss her HS experience(s).

That's one of the tricks to success I think.

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

The daughter was more that way.  She used it to achieve, but didn't suffer or miss her HS experience(s).

That's one of the tricks to success I think.

a photo might help determine the others...

[ABSR 5309]

3 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

The son was lackluster with his academics till he decided he wanted to become an astronaut.  That motivated him to become the student he needed to be, and to get the grades he needed, to get into the schools he needed to achieve that goal.  Started learning Russian because he was convinced he'd have to go to Russia to get into a space program because the US had begun stepping back it seemed from space exploration. Decided he needed to get in to Annapolis or the AF academy.  Grades went from good to stellar.  

Point is, intelligent, motivated kids will do what it takes if they're truly focussed, have the mental chops, and are willing to put the time in.  

But did he start upping his Photoshop game?  How well can he hide Bert?

[Sbbruin 21843]

20 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said:

Our daughter said college was much easier for her because she had such a rigorous HS program. Humblebrag here, but she graduated from William & Mary  Cum Laude in 3.5 years.

I found the same thing.  College came pretty easy to me.  Freshman year first quarter was my best quarter ever.  Of course when I realized I could cruise, 2nd quarter freshman year was my worst.  I eventually learned to dial in the effort to where my last 2 years I don't think I got an A or a C in anything.  B's across the board.

[gyroprotagonist 2592]

my HS education was turrrible.  i entered UT in the EE program and was so far behind it was sad.  my small town had 1 HS and it's plan was to cater to LCD and actually make smart kids teach the dumb ones.  kids from Houston and Dallas were coming in with Calc I and II / Physics I and II credit from their HS.  basically starting with a 4.0 on 40 hours or so.  My HS did not even offer those classes.  I had a shitty study regimen because HS was so easy, so had to adjust fast.

our kids went to both public and private before they were diagnosed with dyslexia/dysgraphia.  then we moved to a private school that specialized in that and could tailor their classes to best remediate the issues.  We are lucky to be able to afford that shit and try to give a healthy amount to scholarship programs so other kids might get the same chance.  the tuition is insane though, no humblebrag

[Guest Lobo]

I was surprised to find out when I got to San Antonio, where I'd live for a whopping 9 months...that in high school...if you played a varsity sport...it counted as one of your 6 classes.  Far cry from an above average Illinois public high school where your varsity sport was before and after school and you did 7 academic classes in between, not 5 or 6.  It was odd.  The saddest part was seeing Seniors in San Antonio reading books taught in 8th or 9th grade in Chicago, and struggling with them.  

[TexasBeta 1261]

I was surprised to find out when I got to San Antonio, where I'd live for a whopping 9 months...that in high school...if you played a varsity sport...it counted as one of your 6 classes.  Far cry from an above average Illinois public high school where your varsity sport was before and after school and you did 7 academic classes in between, not 5 or 6.  It was odd.  The saddest part was seeing Seniors in San Antonio reading books taught in 8th or 9th grade in Chicago, and struggling with them.  

Yes. But our football teams would wipe the floor of your Chicago schools. So... we got that going for us. Which is nice.

[Wulaw Horn 19069]

On 3/14/2021 at 11:59 AM, Helobious said:

My cousin taught at one of the IDEA campuses in SA for 2 years. She said the principal decided to entirely drop science from the 6th grade curriculum, because it wasn’t going to be a promotion-dependent subject on the STAAR that year. There’s all kinds of pros and cons to public/private, and even homeschooling. But I’d never send my kid to a charter school. They do some weird shit.

Eh- science is a bunch of separate and discrete subjects that aren’t required (in the main) to build upon each other. Same with literature. Or history. It’s not like you need to have earth science or you are incapable of learning biology. Or chemistry. So, it might make sense in certain cases to skip science (or social studies or another subject that’s not linear) to make sure that the basics are strong. 
out another way- if you teach your kid to read really well by the end of 6th grade and they can add, subtract, multiply and divide they are probably going to be just fine in Jr High. 

[Guest Lobo]

Maybe Texas-wide, but not San Antonio programs.  When the Guards go 190 pounds in full pads and the tailbacks are Hispanic, no program in Chicago is losing a wink of sleep.  Anyway, was more of a commentary on how publics differ, and only after a long time living in Texas do I see now why private schools down here seem to be so much more pervasive of an education solution. 

Growing up up North, the only people that went to private schools were the children of hardcore Catholic working class parents (union tradesmen who couldn't make ends meet but would figure out a way to get their 5-10 kids private tuition) or the extremely, extremely wealthy (.01% types) and they basically shipped those kids to boarding schools.  But nobody in between really went that route.  But in Texas, particularly in the stories I hear from y'all about Houston and Dallas, and I see some if it in Austin...it's not uncommon at all for 1/3rd of the families in a given middle-class/upper middle-class/mass affluent neighborhood to have their kids in private schools.  It's not this religious driver or something only for the families making $1.0mm/year or more.  It's a huge swath of $150-$750k/year families that just choose it for a number of other reasons.  Sounds like it's that way in most Texas cities.  I guess it's sort of self-fulfilling cottage industry in some ways.  

[Helobious 9448]

2 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Maybe Texas-wide, but not San Antonio programs.  When the Guards go 190 pounds in full pads and the tailbacks are Hispanic, no program in Chicago is losing a wink of sleep. 

You shut your whore chicago mouth. SA has a rich history of cold hispanic RBs. If they had any size at all they’d be legit recruits instead of settling for UTSA walk on like this guy.

[TexasBeta 1261]

In regards to SA - I present 1983 Converse Judson.

[CooterBrown 18006]

Maybe Texas-wide, but not San Antonio programs.  When the Guards go 190 pounds...  

Nowadays, San Antonio high school girls basketball guards go 190 lbs.

Shit, Miss San Antonio is two fiddy and missing a foot from the beetus.

[WhatTheBuck 28777]

Private schools are fine. They just shouldn’t receive one goddamned penny of our tax dollars. Ever.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 3/13/2021 at 9:37 PM, Brew said:

 There is also an inherent sense of racism built into a lot of them. I would bet a large group of private schools especially in the south have origins to the years of desegregation. The largest one in our area was formed the same year as desegregation hit the school system.

 

Some racists thought integration of schools would create a racial jungle for their kids. 

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

26 minutes ago, Johnny Sack said:

Some racists thought integration of schools would create a racial jungle for their kids. 

Don't you dare name them.

[Cacti 191]

On 3/13/2021 at 9:09 PM, bschoolprof said:

Many public schools in suburban Houston, Dallas, etc are actually quite good. 

Overall, Texas’ public schools seem to match up very well when compared to their peers. 

Every few years, the National Science Board publishes, among other things, science and engineering indicators for most states. This report does not include reading rankings, nor does it include rankings of students beyond 8th grade. What it does do is rank states by quartile in 4th and 8th grade science and math achievement, and Texas does very well when compared with other states, especially those with high populations.

For example, in 4th & 8th grade math performance, Texas ranked in the 1st and 3rd quartile, respectively. In 4th & 8th grade science performance, Texas ranked in the 2nd quartile for both grades. Illinois beat Texas in only one of the four categories, while New York and California didn’t beat Texas in any category.

Actually, Texas’ scores are impressive considering that the state spends considerably less per pupil than the other three states mentioned.

Edited March 19, 2021 by Cacti

[Hank Scorpio 17729]

Wow I had no idea Texas education was so good, it’s almost like if you cherry pick a bunch of shit it looks great. If only there were comprehensive analyses of state education, I bet Texas would be near the top. 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

Or just look at standardized testing adjusted for demographics, as suggested by lib think tank Urban Institute:

Often called the “nation’s report card,” the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and mathematics assessments are administered to a representative sample of fourth- and eighth-grade students in each state every two years. NAEP scores offer something rare in education policy: data that are standardized across states and across time. Policymakers and pundits seize upon these data as evidence to support their preferred policies. But comparing NAEP scores assumes that states serve the same students—and we know they don’t.

A better way to compare and talk about NAEP performance is to use adjusted NAEP scores that account for demographic differences across students in each state. These adjusted scores allow for students to be compared with their demographically similar peers using factors such as race, receipt of special education services, and status as an English language learner. These are factors we know can affect test results, yet they are not shown in NAEP scores. The interactive tool below brings those adjusted NAEP scores to life.

https://apps.urban.org/features/naep/

When 2019 NAEP scores are adjusted for demographics, Texas students rank 4th in fourth-grade reading; 22nd in eighth-grade reading; 2nd in fourth-grade math; and 4th in eighth-grade math.

http://news.texasschoolalliance.org/2019/11/01/texas-ranks-high-on-nations-2019-report-card-when-scores-are-adjusted-for-demographics/

[BabaYaga 15290]

1 hour ago, Cacti said:

Actually, Texas’ scores are impressive considering that the state spends considerably less per pupil than the other three states mentioned.

It's almost as if throwing more money at the problem isn't always the best approach or indication of priorities