Now you can call me Lucky ’cause Lucky’s my name,
Singin’ and dancin’, that’s my game.
I never did a whole day’s work in my life,
Still everything seems to turn out right.
Like a grasshopper on a summer’s day,
I guess I love to play, and pass the time away.
‘Cause I was born ‘neath a lucky star!Makin’ people happy, that’s my favorite game,
Lucky Seven is my natural name.
Slippin’ and slidin’ my whole life through
Still I get everything done that I got to do.
‘Cause I was born ‘neath a lucky star!
Not so fast, Lucky Seven Sampson! Here in MoCo, those “slipping and slidin’ my whole life through,” “born ‘neath a lucky star” ways are NOT cool. Not with MCPS anyway. Seven may be the magic number, but the only star they’re interested in is the Star Trajectory … soon to be known as the “Seven Keys to College Readiness.”
What are those? The “Star Trajectory/Seven Keys” comprises the seven increasingly referenced measures that senior MCPS leadership has determined students need to meet in order to reach the ultimate “star”– 80% of students “College Ready” by 2014, with 100% graduating high school. They are:
- K-2nd Grade: Kindergarten reading at Level 6. Terra Nova 2 scores at the 70th percentile
- Grades 3-8: MSA Reading at Advanced Level
- Grade 6 Math in Grade 5
- Algebra I by Grade 8 with an A or B
- Algebra II by Grade 11 with an A or B
- Pass an AP/IB exam
- Score 1650 on the SAT or 24 on the ACT
Are these worthy system goals? Sure. The problem is, this is also the MCPS vision for gifted education. If your child is hitting these marks, MCPS believes it has provided accelerated and enriched instruction and they’ve done their job. But can one-size-fits-all “goals” and corresponding “services” meant for 80% of the school population honestly be considered rigorous and appropriate for highly able students? Where are their goals? Where are their “services” and “programs?” (Oh that’s right…they’re hanging in the balance or else have already fallen by the wayside.) Additional thoughts: the MSA is a grade-level measure…and its “rigor” open to question. The Terra Nova is a grade level achievement test as well. The goals, sigh, are math heavy (see previous blog post re a critique of MCPS math acceleration.) A 3 on one AP doesn’t get you far these days. And as for the SAT, a 1650 breaks out to a 550 on each section.
But no matter. The PR machine is gearing up. After spring break MCPS will be providing parents with information to help them understand the Seven Keys and make sure their children are on the path to college readiness. A Seven Keys brochure containing information, tips and questions parents can ask will be sent to schools for backpack distribution. A mini-website for parents, staff, and students will be launched, there will be a DVD on the Seven Keys specifically for parents, and a series of Parent Academy workshops, with free childcare and interpretation, is slated in each cluster.
Among the suggested questions parents can ask:
- If my child is not on track for achieving one or more of the Keys, what support does the school offer? What can I do at home to help my child do better in school?
- If my child is on track for the Keys, what enrichment or support might help my child? How can I help at home?
Notice: If your child is “not on track,” the school offers support. If your child is “on track for the Keys” enrichment or support is left for you to provide at home.
Think about it.
A goal of having 80% of the kids achieving at the 70%ile level is fairly ambitious. If course, it doesn’t do a thing for those already above the 70%ile level.
What is this- Lake Woebegone?
This is a good list of goals for a very solid general education. I would suggest trying to rewrite this list to show expectations for gifted students. At the very least, gifted children should be tested on above grade level tests to show progress on above grade level skills.
1. K-2nd Grade: Kindergarten reading at Level 20. Terra Nova 2 scores at the 70th percentile on an above grade level test.
2. Grades 3-8: MSA Reading at Advanced Level on an above grade level test.
3. Grade 6 Math in Grade 5 with 90% mastery
4. Algebra I by Grade 7 with 90% mastery
5. Algebra II by Grade 10 with 90% mastery
6. Pass 3 AP/IB exams with a 4 or 5
7. Score 1700 on the SAT or ?? on the ACT
Crimson Wife…lol. It’s been said before.
Kevin…. Exactly.
Carrie…. Some good ideas. They do not, to my knowledge, offer above grade level tests. Some middle schoolers on their own will do the Talent Search SAT. As far as I know those scores are reported back to the school system–with no acknowledgment or fine tuning of a child’s academic program.
SOM -
I’ve been thinking a lot about how to increase rigor for gifted children in schools. And it seems to me that everything in the system is so driven by test scores, that at the very minimum, gifted kids should be offered above grade level tests in at least reading and math. Otherwise — if they are already starting the year having mastered most of the grade level material — how could the students really show that they had learned anything new all year?
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