Comments on: A half-baked grading scheme for schools

By: Name Withheld

Name Withheld — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 14:31:30 +0000

renters dont pay .directly. but likely the tax figures into their rent.

By: Al

Al — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 04:47:30 +0000

Sandi…Federal, state, and local funds are sent to my county to provide for my child’s education. Some where in the neighborhood of $10,000 per year. The local part comes from my real estate taxes. So I am funding my child’s education, I do not want it all, half will do.

The only ideas for the left include more teachers, more funding, more retirement, more benefits to attract and retain high caliber teachers. 98% of Virginia’s core classes are taught by “Highly Qualified” teachers.

How many parents know their school can be Accredited but not make Adequate Yearly Progress? How many know the SOL scores, the SAT scores, etc…I suggest it is a low number.

However, I agree with you that politicians need to get out of the way and allow education decisions at the local level.

You know childless couples who own real estate do fund education, but renter do not….hmmm….you may be on to something.

By: Name Withheld

Name Withheld — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 03:35:57 +0000

#5 judith is completely correct.

By: Judith Marshall

Judith Marshall — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 02:36:00 +0000

This is just a way for profit running charter schools to come along and take state funds from our children. I give Richmond an “F”. NCLB is a waste of time. Our children need to learn material instead of being tested to death from multiple choice questions from an on- line company called Pearson. They make millions of dollars for these senseless tests. Instead of the state spending on our schools, they fund profit making corporations. These tests do not keep a child from college. Parents have the right to op-out of these tests. Check out the movement by parents on-line! This profit making scheme is what generates money for CEO’s. Our wonderful political actors in Richmond are backed by lobbyists to dissolve good public education. This is what President Thomas Jefferson wanted for Virginians. High Quality teachers are not allowed to teach the way they know how because of mapping charts for testing material!!! OMG,people get your heads out of the sand and see that this is a back door scheme from Gov. MC Donnell to destroy free public school system. This is the right of our children. BUT THEY WILL NOT FUND THE MONEY. More with less and Richmond has the nerve to grade a school. This is outrageous. Write to your delegate.

By: Sandi Saunders

Sandi Saunders — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 04:13:50 +0000

Al, do you seriously think parents have no clue when a school is failing? Nothing in this crappy idea gives any real information. It kicks a school when it is down and then what?

I suggest politicians get out of education and let educators do their jobs.

You already have the choice to send your child to any school you can afford. There is no school tax that you pay for the privilege so why do you think you should be handed the money spent on educating? Should childless people get their share too? It is a stupid idea that fools some people but it is just another way to get government money and to push toward schools being privatized like our successful prisons.

By: Al

Al — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 03:19:26 +0000

Sandi…that information would be nice to know. Better to know it and try to change things, than to let kids graduate with a diploma but reading at a 6 grade level.

What do you suggest?

I would like the $$ directed to my child and be allowed to go to the school I choose…yes school choice.

Keep doing the same stuff…get the same results. Choice is a personal and private decision. I would think you support it.

By: Sandi Saunders

Sandi Saunders — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 02:00:54 +0000

Yeah Al, because all those Lincoln Terrace and Westside Elementary parents will be able to pull their kids out of those schools and send them to…well anyway they will at least know they are not getting an education and that is really all that matters.

By: Al

Al — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:22:38 +0000

“Roanoke’s Lincoln Terrace and Westside elementary schools are among nine schools across the commonwealth awarded a D even though they are fully accredited by the state.”

“Existing standards set the bar so low that many schools providing an inadequate education to students are nevertheless accredited.”

Contradicting yourself aren’t you?

I one sentence you make light of two schools given Ds but yet are full accredited by the state.

In the next sentence you admit standards are such that schools providing inadequate education are accredited.

This simple scoring system will be a good thing for parents.