It appears that preliminary ISAT scores are out. The only District 150 school whose scores are being released at this time is Quest Charter Academy. Quest did not release the results of it's ISAT scores for the 2010-2011 school year.
Stating that "Quest students outscored District 150 students," implies that a Quest student is not a District 150 student; and if you continue to read it in the press, people begin to believe it.
The ISAT information that was given doesn't tell us what Quest's annual progress is, as the Quest scores were pulled out of all other District 150 scores to make the comparison. So... did Quest make AYP?Stating that "Quest students outscored District 150 students," implies that a Quest student is not a District 150 student; and if you continue to read it in the press, people begin to believe it.
Quest students score high on ISAT
Preliminary scores exceed District 150's results
Based on preliminary results of Illinois Standards Achievement Test, Quest Charter Academy students outscored District 150 students in every comparable subject at every comparable grade level and tested second best of 27 Concept Schools - the private company that operates the publicly funded school - on a national standardized test that measures student progress.
The gap between Quest and District 150 students' ISAT scores widened the longer the students were at Quest.
- Fifth grade - 69% of Quest students met or exceeded reading goals on the ISAT test, compared to 62% of District 150 students.
- Sixth grade - Quest students came in at 80% on the reading portion of the test, compared to 64% to District 150.
- Seventh grade, it was 78% of Quest students, 64% of District 150 students.
"You may say 78% in reading is not that high... But it is high for the population we're getting."
Quest Principal Engin Blackstone.
More than half of Quest students are performing below grade level academically when they arrive at the school, Blackstone said. About 70% come from families that meet federal poverty-level guidelines.
Blackstone emphasized the ISAT results were preliminary and would not be finalized for several months.
Source
43 comments:
Wonder who is burning the midnight oil during ISAT testing? Mr. Blackstone is fooling no one, except, perhaps Glen Barton and company.
So dude says 78% ain't bad considering the population they're getting. I wonder how the Quest parents feel about that comment. "The population we're getting." Nice. Dumbass. I'm tired of these numbskulls bad mouthing our studenrs. Educate them as best you can and shut the hell up about it. It's like the letter Lathan wrote in which she says 80% of our district's Peoria Promise students enter ICC having to take remedial courses. Hey, after all of the BS so many of our students have been through in their lives, I say CONGRATULATIONS to them for persevering and MAKING it to COLLEGE. If they have to take a few remedial courses to get up to (college) speed SO WHAT. To use that statistic to try to justify your own actions is wrong. Congratulations, too, to our city for giving so many students an opportunity they wouldn't otherwise have if it weren't for Peoria Promise.
Yeah, that 78% comment irked me too. Nothing like a back handed compliment aimed towards your clients, huh?
Yeah. (Oh. That was my post above. Heavy A-D.) I still think that in 100 years they'll look back and see this era in education as being worse than the days of separate but equal. The reason is because instead of building up blighted neighborhoods and helping those most in need of education, the system sets these neighborhoods and students up to be beaten down by the system. Blackstone - case in point. Beat down the disadvantaged kids to make yourself look good. And look at how the current 150 administration does it to justify their actions. In America, we do an honorable thing - we try to educate everyone. Unfortunately, these tests that measure isolated subskills make it seem as though we're incompetent. The system is set up for a few people to make a lot of federal money off of the hysteria. Look at all of the programs 150 has bought over the last ten years. Look at the FOR profit organizations leaching onto federally funded districts.
I think there are ISAT scaores for Quest for last year.
http://iirc.niu.edu/School.aspx?source=Test_Results&source2=ISAT&schoolID=48072150025027C&level=S
It looks like Quest really didn't improve much at all. The year they opened, the kids were performing the same as after two years. And. . .I bet if you were to look at the kids' scores from before they entered Quest, you'd find that they were all performing at the level they're performing now. It'd be like changing the name of Washington Gifted to Quest II next year and having Quest II claim they did such a great job that 100% of their students met or exceeded on the ISAT. So stupid. So stupid.
My son was a high honors student when he went to Quest from his other District 150 school. He was a high honor student when he left Quest and District 150. He is a student of highest honors now at his private school.
The majority of students at Quest are there because they and/or their parents are motivated. If Blackstone is bragging about Quest pulling decent students away from other District 150 schools and taking the credit as if they are doing something more or better, I beg to differ.
AL-
My thoughts EXACTLY!
If preliminary scores are out...has anyone heard about any other schools?
I think the PJS headline or line should have said, "Quest students score higher than OTHER District 150 Students".
But these results are preliminary, so I am in favor of waiting for full report; I'd also wait one more year for a better measurement of Quest vs. the other similar Dist. 150 school grades; then make a judgement on its success. But any positive news in education in Peoria is good to hear.
Any positive news--as long as it isn't "doctored" or exaggerated. AD and Al and Emerge have it right. AL is right because they are many students like his son at Quest. They were already good students at District 150 before they moved to Quest and they would have progressed to the same degree at the regular District 150 schools.
How do all feel about Quest receiving free legal services from Caterpillar lawyers? Wow! I hope any Quest parents or teachers who have a complaint against Quest are ready to go against the big guns.
That whole Quest set-up seems bizarre.
The deal seems complex their financial situation seems to have changed since they went to the County for money.
Quest and D150 are separate legal entities with different governing boards, budgets, etc. Of course, they also have a contractual relationship with each other and serve the same student base by geographical area. So, I get your point, and in one way I can see why you'd say Quest students are District 150 students. But on the other hand, they're also separate, and I don't think it's unreasonable that the paper worded its story the way it did.
congrats to terrie armstrong and angie stockman from quest on your new ventures.
Of course, C. J. is right in that Quest is technically not a District 150 school. However, Quest cannot take total credit for the improvement of scores until the students are educated at Quest from day one of their education. In other words, if a child was in District 150 for 4 years and then enters Quest, District 150 can, also, take credit for 5th grade scores, etc., in that 150 laid the foundation.
So who gets "credit' for the District scores then?...sure wish teachers from D150 worried more about getting the job done rather than "who get's credit". It seems like a teacher will holler for credit when something goes well - cuz admin certainly didn't deserve it - but it's parents, admin, or someone else's fault for bad results. Just sayn.....
hope yo momma doesn't take credit for you
As long as Quest is under charter with District 150 it is a District #150 school.
Yes, as I mentioned, it's a District 150 school in one sense. But in another sense, it isn't.
For example, when District 150 sold Quest (via Peoria County) the old Loucks and Columbia school buildings, tangible assets were exchanged between separate corporate identities. District 150 wasn't selling buildings to itself. So in that sense, Quest is not a District 150 school, and it's reasonable for the paper to recognize them as separate entities.
As local officials interpret state law, public school districts cannot sell buildings to charter schools. In this case, Peoria School District 150 sold the two buildings to Peoria County for $300,000. The county sold the buildings to Quest. But Quest will repay District 150 $30,000 a year for 10 years.
Peoria County also extended a $500,000 line of credit to the charter school board to make repairs on the building.
Anonymous said...
"If preliminary scores are out...has anyone heard about any other schools?"
It would appear that Quest has heard about other schools, hence the comparison...
The Quest Principal (who has been under scrutiny lately) is surely looking to impress (which is fine), so they rush to release test scores they are proud of (and so they should).
The District 150 Superintendent (who has been under scrutiny lately) looking to impress at a time when her contract renewal is up for review (which is fine), so they don't rush to release test scores they are NOT proud of?
Sheer speculation - excuse me.
What are Stockman and Armstrong's new ventures? are they leaving Quest?
terrie armstrong new job as principal in east peoria
angela stockman new job as prinicpal in galesburg
I haven't done my research to know enough for any intelligent argument. I just have a question.....is it weird that the board president is loaning the school money? Sounds odd but, again, I don't know much about charter schools.
I haven't done my research to know enough for any intelligent argument. I just have a question.....is it weird that the board president is loaning the school money? Sounds odd but, again, I don't know much about charter schools.
Is Quest outperforming District 150? Wrong query.
Is Quest meeting the goals of its charter should be the question.
Are students progressing in science and math at a sufficient rate to gain entrance into college degree programs leading to jobs in fields that draw on that knowledge & skill set??
What percentage of students are scoring in the 80% or above on the ISAT math section??
How many 8th graders are enrolled in Algebra I and earning a B or higher?
Lets be honest here.
Excellent questions Frustrated the exact thought process my wife and I went through before we made the decision to remove our high honors student from Quest and 150.
To answer your questions: no, no, not enough, and very few
8th grade syllabus for Quest. Class thought by Mr. Luther (new County Administrator's husband)
COURSE SCHEDULE (Pre-Algebra)
There will be at least one test per topic below. Additionally, students will be responsible for completing at least one project per quarter, as assigned by the teacher.
Tools of Algebra Weeks 1-3
Operations with Integers Weeks 4-6
Operations with Rational Numbers Weeks 6-8
Expressions and Equations Weeks 9-11
Multi-Step Equations and Inequalities Weeks 12-14
Ratio, Proportion, and Similar Figures Weeks 15-17
Percent Weeks 18-20
Linear Functions and Graphing Weeks 20-22
Powers and Nonlinear Functions Weeks 23-25
Real Numbers and Right Triangles Weeks 25-28
Distance and Angle Weeks 29-32
Surface Area and Volume Weeks 33-34
Statistics and Probability Weeks 35-36
Quest 8th grade Science, taught by Mrs. Reardon
Handouts and Notes
Study Island
Puzzles, Games and simulations
Atmosphere: Simulator, Riddles, Challenge
Atmosphere: Past,Present and Future
Unit Links:
Rocks and Minerals
Weathering and Erosion
Natural Disasters: Is Planning Important?
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Fossils
@ C.J. the statement below is from a press release from the Development Director of Quest, regarding a Regional Science Fair on May 4, 2012 in Champaign:
"Quest Charter Academy will be the only school in District 150 to be represented at the State Finals!"
Who was the last person to handle the tests before they were turned over to the state?
Next year bring in an independent proctor and there may be substantially different percentages in test scores -- just guessing.
Nice of them to continually blast the district with whom they're supposed to be collaborating. As a district, we do need to progress . . . to offer educational options. I have five kids - four in 150 and one soon to be - and none of 'em will go to Quest. However, I'm glad parents who DO want to send their kids to Quest can. I find the fact that Quest feels the need to out 150 down to make itself look good to be disgusting but maybe they'll grow out of that. (Quest isn't an option for my kids because, quite frankly, the school creeps me out. Seems like a Stepford kind of situation where all of the graduates will turn out exactly like the CEO of Caterpillar.)
A-D
Quiet on the 150 front. I am interested to see their test results.
Rumor has it only two schools made AYP (not sure if that includes quest)
Emerge - I am not against Quest. You know I am pro-choice. But . . . I just wanted to point out that it is a waste of effort to play one school vs. another. The question should be, is a school delivering what students need. It seems Quest is not doing all that bad. It takes some time to turn things around.
IMO, however, Algebra I (not pre-algebra)is the performance level that a majority of students should be performing in 8th grade if they are college bound and expecting to pursue a major such as engineering, pre-med, careers in research, etc. I realize their are other careers with a foundation in math and science in which students do not have to excel in the same fashion, but parents and students need to understand the distinction while there is time to make course correction, one way or the other, if they so desire.
Sounds like Al made a course correction because he was able to make those determinations on his own. Other parents may not be as in the know to make the best choices for their student. Al also seems to imply that his honor student was one of few rather than many. If you want to push students to excel in the upper ranges it sure helps to have a collective of other high performing students to feed off of.
I know you are not against Quest. I appreciate your insight on advanced programs, that's why I posted the syllabi.
I agree with Al; and I would add that culture and environment are just as important as academics for nurturing the whole student.
"You may say 78% in reading is not that high... But it is high for the population we're getting."
This comment seems to lower expectations.
I believe all a kid needs to meet on ISAT is to be at the 38th percentile! quest's scores are nothing to brag about!!!!
Notice Blackstone didn't brag about the math ISAT numbers. Quest is a Math Science Technology school. The math scores must not be as impressive as the reading scores.
One should never make any kind of assumptions or comparisions with preliminary data. Furthermore,if a school has not meet AYP which is 92% for all students meeting/exceeding on the ISAT, it is nothing to celebrate.
We should never mislead the public.
So true about the 92% as the only bragging rights--by now the public should be on to all the hype about 5 to 10 point gains when the schools is still way below 92%.
District Watch will meet Sunday, June 17, at 6 p.m. at Monical's on Lake and Knoxville. This is a very, very informal meeting--all are welcome. Remember the only June board meeting will be this Monday, June 18.
Post a Comment