I won’t be posting very much the next couple of days. My wife has gone to the “Hearts at Home” conference in Bloomington, so I’m Mr. Mom this weekend. And, of course, I still don’t have a computer since my son destroyed my laptop.
But, that will soon change. I have ordered a new laptop and it should arrive sometime next week, so I’ll be back in business soon.
In the meantime, please use this as an open thread to talk about whatever you wish.
I see that once again the PJS has taken the path of protecting King Hinton at district 150. There was only one article about the dismal results for NCLB. Let’s face it people 150 has sunk yet even further under Hinton’s “leadershipâ€. Furthermore is research director Chumbley the top dog there now since he was quoted throughout the article? What about words from double talking Hinton or his entourage of well paid assistant superintendents, let alone ANY board members? Was this latest failure not worthy of follow up reporting and interviewing? Gosh, folks, even the deceased residents get mentioned for two days in the obit pages in the PJS – but giant 150 blows it again and that quickly becomes yesterday’s news. Hinton needs to go and so do those gutless board members who protect him! ^oo^~.
Kat – Let’s see what Clare Jellick’s article in Sunday’s paper has to say. According to her website, she will be breaking down the detailed testing results in a new way so am curious to see what she does.
CJ you mean to say you can’t multi-task like your wife? This has got to be interesting. We should have a hidden camera in your house to see how you handle all the little things while the other half is gone. Oh the things I could say about this, but I won’t. I’ll be good for a change.
one_feral_cat—is Don Jackson and the NAACP paying you to say that?
Ryan,
Ryan,
Let me get this question straight. Is Don Jackson and the NAACP paying me to knock King Hinton, whom I assume Jackson would call “a brother� and a “brother†in a high position being paid $200,000 PLUS in salary and benefits in Peoria, IL? To my knowledge Jackson supports Hinton like a 200 ton rock supports a grain of sand.
No, Ryan, I happen to know Hinton. That man is not the “brillant†nor a “leader†or other terms used by the PJS to support him. I do give Hinton credit for being EXTREMELY good at double talk. I’m not the only Peorian who has learned to analyze what Hinton says in public – it’s double talk – he is NOT smart! Couple that ability with the stupidity of certain “in power” members on the 150 board and you have King Hinton!
And last but not least I happen to be a WASP – now you have any other questions? ^oo^~
Well, Claire did have an interesting way to talk about 150’s shortcomings:
Use the first 7 paragraphs to talk about how well Congerville and Goodfield scored!
Creative writing at its’ best.
Excuse me, should say Clare.
I clicked on Clare’s blog and it’s gone. Interesting.
I would like to have my three comments deleted. I did not realize she wrote about 150 on the 14th and my apologies.
We’ve all heard Ken Hinton’s excuses for District 150’s poor performance – high poverty rates, the effect of subgroup performance on the district’s overall performance, etc. Based on what the administration said, it was my understanding that the subgroup students received the same test instruments as the non-subgroup students. But, according to Scott Russell (Sup’t. of Morton District 709), “special needs students who took Alternative Assessment exams and who attained the status of meeting/exceeding state standards doubled since last year.†That seems to invalidate the District 150 administration’s assertion about the special needs student subgroup. If the special needs student subgroup take an Alternative Assessment exam, why did Hinton and Chumbley lead us to believe they took the same exam as the students in the general population, and that their poor performance caused the majority of the problems with AYP?
According to the Annual School Report card data, four Peoria County districts have over 50% of their student population at or below the poverty level – District 150, Peoria Heights, Pleasant Hill, and Pleasant Valley. Two of the districts (Peoria Heights & District 150) are not making AYP and are on early warning status.
District 150 spends $10,234 per pupil per year; Pleasant Valley, with a slightly higher poverty rate than #150, spends $6,898 per pupil per year ($3,336 less than #150 spends) and they are making AYP. How is #150 spending that $10,234 per pupil and why isn’t it working? If Pleasant Valley can spend $3,336 less per pupil per year than #150 and makes AYP, what does that do to the Dist. #150 administration’s assertion about poverty being a major contributing factor to their poor performance?
The ranking of the bottom five schools by ISAT composite scores was predictable. I don’t quite understand how Glen Oak met AYP with 46.6% of the students meeting/exceeding standards while Trewyn (with a statistically significant 11.1% increase over 2005 scores) failed to meet AYP at 46.8% of the students meeting/exceeding standards.
Of particular note is Harrison’s continued decline. It is interesting to me that Principal Aurthur Perkins of Harrison Primary School receives a large extra-duty stipend to mentor other principals in the techniques of running a successful school when her school continues to fail and is on early warning status. Why isn’t one of the principals of a successful school (Whittier, for example) serving as the principal mentor? Doesn’t that make more sense? At least the payment of a large stipend would be logical.
Boggles the mind, doesn’t it?
PrairieCelt,
Terrific analysis of the published information! You really sliced and diced it showing us the finer points. As we all know the PRESENT people in power at district 150 board don’t have the guts nor desire to answer your excellent points. After all, why should “they†have to answer to the “public†?… they have their own fiefdom with their own King Hinton and MOST IMPORTANTLY they have a rich taxpayer base which continues to be taxed that never asks nor demands accountability. How else can anyone – even the PJS – have let King Hinton and court jester Cahill squander nearly $900,000 they way they did?
And lastly – about Principal Perkins and her stipend for being an “example blah blah blah†could it be because she is the blood sister of Asst. Superintendent Hannah? After all if Hinton can place his son in law as the number 2 person in Human Resources at 150 and pay him enough money to be able to strut around and brag about his $2,000 Italian made suitS then what’s the big deal in Hinton’s mind about paying Perkins a big stipend? …Can’t you just hear the NON CITY OF PEORIA RESIDENT HINTON saying “stupid Peoria taxpayers deserve it!â€
Again – King Hinton – must GO!
As the parent of a student in district 150’s lovely special ed program, I can tell you that district 150 doesn’t give their students the modified test. We asked about it because it is unfair that our child should be tested out of grade level. I think it all comes down to the money. They can whine about needing more money because they are testing poorly and blame the kids that need the most help but are always the first ones to see their funding cut.
Hula: Why aren’t they administering the Alternative Assessment instrument? That is unbelievable. You are right – it doesn’t make any sense to subject children with learning disabilities to the same evaluation instruments. If employers have to implement “reasonable accommodations” under ADA for their employees with special needs, why don’t districts do the same things for students with special needs with testing? The option appears to be available to them. Do you suppose the #150 brain trust isn’t aware of the alternative instrument?
Guess Dr. Russell sort of “let the cat out of the bag” on that issue.
Giving the children extra time on a test that is totally above their level is all the accommodation the kids get. It is easier to place all the blame on the kids not in the mainstream than to do the job we pay our taxes for them to do.
Special Ed in district 150 is far more than learning disabilities. It is a dumping ground for behavior problems that the teachers don’t want to deal with. The crap my kid has to put up with for a sub par education is astonishing. During a room party one student punched the teacher’s aid just because she felt like it. In this type of environment my kid is supposed to be able to learn.
Mazr, do you seriously want your comments deleted, or are you just saying that rhetorically?
My wife went to “Hearts at Home” as well. Said it was great and was happy the children and I had not destroyed the house while she was away.