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Option #3: Get Terry Grier Outta Here.

A superintendent who is interested in the actual education of students than his personal income and resume would add 10 points to students' scores.

Amos better stop that nonsense!!

He cannot be on that school board and talk sensible solutions. It's just unheard of! Now we all know that actual teaching of the students in Guilford County would never work. Amos is going to be an outcast on that board. We all know that the ONLY way to increase test scores is to bus some kids out and bus new ones in.

Poor Amos, just WHAT is he thinking?????

With the data that is flowing in from outside sources, such as the state "fix-it" teams, is there any doubt that our school district is broken beyond repair by the current players? Why is Grier still here? Why is the Academic Officer still here and being considered for the Human Resources position? What is the school board doing these days other than actually discussing how to fix this broken system? Why are we talking about more money and more new programs when the old ones haven't or won't work? Why does it cost GCS twice as much to build a school as other school systems, and when they are finished, they don't function properly? Why are school teachers leaving this system in droves for other districts?

Anyone have any answers to these questions? Does anyone care in this county?

It has to start much earlier than high school. Other board members have stated this on numerous occasions.

A student must WANT help. A student must want to learn. A student cannot learn if he is intent on causing disruption in order to get attention. The student must take responsbilitity for his own actions. Quit blaming the teachers.

Stormy,

Unfortunately, it's not only the teachers that are leaving in droves. many parents are either moving out of the county, or moving their chidren to private schools..it's not that we don't care, but our childrens' educations are paramount.

Ask yourself these questions concerning Algebra I test scores.

Students start taking Algebra I in seventh grade that are strong in math. The next 20-40 % of the students take Algebra I in 8th grade.

The students that take Algebra I in the 9th grade are transfers or students that are not especially strong in math. How do we expect these students to learn Algebra in a one block semester? I also wonder if the students are given the course the first semester are also tested in May? This would give a lot of time to forget the material.

We give some students two semesters to learn difficult AP material. It seems like students to which Algebra is difficult should be given the same opportunity. Algebra IA and AlgebraIB should be offered and there should be mandatory times that the student is offered and given tutorial.

I also wonder if having all students which find Algebra difficult in one class is the problem, it
helps to have students in the class that understand and can help those sitting around them.

If students make less than a B or a III on the EOG test, should they be placed in the high school Algebra courses to strengthen their understanding,
strengthen the classes, and strengthen the high school scores.

Why could they not take Algebra I in the fall and
Geometry in the spring unless they just blew away the end of course test?

Did any of you see the article in the Rhino about Grier's behavior when the state team working at Andrews H.S. tried to present its final findings to him at a recent meeting? He apparently was arrogant, standoffish and didn't seem to care at all what was happening at Andrews. He allegedly got up and walked out of the meeting too. And from what I'm hearing, none of the board members had been getting any of their monthly reports and they have not been able to meet with the board in open session to officially present its findings as required by state law. If this is true, this is grounds for Grier's resignation and any board member who disagrees oughta resign too.

Why are Eastern and Southern the only traditional high schools on the list not receiving Mission Possible Funding? My guess according to Grier's response it is because of Kirk Perkins not voting
for Grier's budget. Are we caught in a political fight at the cost of our student's education?

Dudley
Smith
Central
Andrews
Eastern
Southern
Bennett Middle College
Greensboro College Middle College
Middle College at A&T

Dear Wonder Why,
Only about 10% of students take Algebra 1 in 7th grade (at our school about 30 out of 400 students)--almost all pass in the county (again at our school 100%). Move on to 8th grade the other 90% take algebra 1(at our school 90% of these children passed). If you pass EOG then you move on the geomety or alg 2 in 9th grade. Only the ones that fail take Alg 1 again. You can ask to take it again, but they are pushed into Alg 2/geometry.

Now where does that leave us? With students in 9th grade that either moved here (as you said) or ones that have already failed this test once! No way are we going to get good results with the bottom of the barrel taking the tests in the 9th grade. Now some of these children don't have the ability to learn, many don't care to learn and others are just lazy. By pushing the students to take harder math, earlier.. the schools are having terrible passing grades in HS since the students taking the tests are usually the level 1's and 2's

The lack of planning and foresight, along with the results of unintended consequences can be very damaging, can't they?

You can't pass Algebra I if you can't multiply or understand fractions. The problem starts with social passing early on. Intervention needs to happen before Algebra I. Tutoring and teachers helping students ARE available. You cannot make a student learn who doesn't care.

http://www.bpe.org/reform.html

Here's an urban school system which has made some major reforms and reaped great results.