MEMOIRS and STORIES Journal entry: Saturday, April 26, 1986 (Age 18) – 7:15 P.M. (C.T.) Handwritten I am sitting across from Luke (who is doing his homework) at the kitchen table Dad made. I like the table when I first saw it. Dad might build a new room for Luke and/or remodel the kitchen. He’s done so much for our home. He built the garage, driveway, sidewalks, patio, the deck, the family room, and installed the skylight and the veluxe roof window. I hope I get as skilled as he does in building and remodeling. For the past week, I have been trying to determine the feelings from other people of their reactions to the knowledge of the high school rankings (academics) based on their average PSAT scores. On a scale of 100%, North Community High School was ranked at the “sixth” percentile. Edina High School was at 100% and Pipestone just below them. Washburn was at the “80th” percentile, but other Minneapolis public schools were ranked very low. The high school C.J. wants to attend is Armstrong, which rates at the 90th percentile. These are the responses I’ve been hearing: Teachers: The ranking of North High wasn’t done fairly. They should have done the survey with a five-year span of juniors in the Summatech program. The different classroom sizes also affected the average score on the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test). The principal: They [the surveyor] shouldn’t have done the survey with only two years of Summatech juniors. The students: because North High has so many deadbolts, they would ultimately lower the PSAT average score; this was only one test; I have attempted to deal with both sides of the problems with the PSAT testing. I must admit that I feel the students and the school staff are afraid or are unwilling to face the truth, the facts. Even Heidi supported the teachers. Mr. Minnema and Ms. Matsis feel the scoring was done unfairly. My views are the public schools have not educated its students well and the results of the PSAT scores do seem like solid facts. I have several arguments. I don’t feel that the class size that took the PSAT would significantly affect the average scores. The PSAT measures a person’s knowledge and reasoning skills on math and English. If everyone were to do well on the PSAT, then the average score would approximately reflect the score that would rank them “good”. It’s true a bunch of low scores can lower the score and affect the average score, but how can you argue with being at the “sixth” percentile or even at the “third” percentile like Henry High School’s. This is percentage remember, not numbers. I’m sure other schools averages were affected by low scores, too. Then you can argue that North High has so many deadbolts that the score can be affected. My opinion is that the majority of the PSAT takers would be students that were concerned about getting into college. I know that many students at North High don’t care hell about college. Many students didn’t seem very interested in college in the northern Minneapolis high schools when only I and a student from Edison went to a lecture concerning admission into college. I feel that students disinterested about college wouldn’t even care to spend money to see how well they would do in college. The number of students or the class size should not affect the average score or indeed the percentile. If the students had been prepared in math and English for the PSAT, it would have given a good average ranking. Having a larger class size does not affect the percentage except one way. If more students at North High were to take the PSAT, the average score would probably lower insignificantly with the addition of lower caliber students, but to those people who feel the score may rise. That rise will be insignificant. People complain that not many Edina students took the tests which means that those students did exceptionally well because they excelled in the areas the PSAT covers (important areas). Being at the 100 percentile is very, very, very good. Even if more students took the test at Edina their ranking would not change significantly, not compared to “six” percent or even “seventy” percent. I don’t think they would reach to 90%, because these are AVERAGE scores. People complain about the small class size of North High. Then they complain about Edina, which just doesn’t make any sense. The types of people doesn’t matter about rating the PSAT. If a school gets a low score, it means that the average student does poorly. Remember, these scores are average scores. The school probably has exceptional students, too. My mom believes that the percentage of students taking the PSAT was higher at Edina High than North High. If this is true, we have nothing to argue about. She also believes that parents are more involved with school in Edina than here. I don’t see many parents involved with their children’s education here. I don’t really accept it to with low-income families. I can’t feel any pity for these families. I don’t care how much money you don’t have, your homes don’t have to look that messy! If you can afford to even live in a house, you should have enough brains to keep neat and orderly. My dad and I feel that welfare has been too easy on people. It has made them uncaring and sloppy. So many more people get into welfare so they don’t have to work. It’s not just that. They do nothing. They just sit about. They don’t even attempt to find a job. Mom says that the city should get those people to work. Have them pick up litter and other menial tasks. Give them a goal for once in their life: serve for others. Now you see how kids could get influenced by their parents. Their parents won’t care about them. They won’t look after their education. I overheard Mom tell someone that when Luke’s teacher told her that there was no response when Hamilton Elementary School wanted to change their school so it would encompass only K-6th, then K-3, then K-2 so the other students could be shipped elsewhere. Mom bet that if that happened if Edina’s parents were around, the school would get flocked with parents because they care about their children’s education. Here, no parent cared obviously noted by no responses and very little parent involvement. This is very true and a serious matter that should be dealt with. My beliefs are that if the students had been prepared well with basic principles in mathematics and the English language, than they would do well on the PSAT, and the average score would reflect it. I’m tired of listening to excuses, and I’m tired of listening to “those deadbolts”. So what? Those deadbolts count, too. They also reflect the quality of education. They can not be blamed for the results on test scores. This is too serious to blame others. The actual “deadbolts” are those who don’t believe or understand the importance of enforcing quality education. You can talk about it but that sure beats the hell out of “nothing” if you know what I mean. From these reports, I am convinced that the educational programs and policies must be changed. I have written (and Dad has edited) a letter to be mailed to all the members of the School Board telling them how angry and disappointed I feel about this situation. I do believe that the family is the primary educational (if any) influence on the children, but I also feel that the School Board has done nothing to improve the education in the Minneapolis Public Schools. Dad says he meets many families while in his truth-in-housing business who want to or actually do move out of Minneapolis because they don’t like the schools. Some were probably based on prejudism I’m sure but many probably disliked the educational policies in Minneapolis.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 01:14:32 +0000