Poor grades for middle schools State has harsh words for facilities in the region's urban centers By SCOTT WALDMAN Staff writer Published 12:25 a.m., Thursday, August 4, 2011
The state Education Department considers virtually all the middle schools in the Capital Region's urban centers to be among the worst in New York.
Four of the five district middle schools in Albany, Troy and Schenectady have not met state benchmarks for educational achievement. That means they must undergo complete restructuring or risk takeover by the state.
The schools suffer from myriad problems and have some striking similarities, including low expectations for their students, most of whom are minorities, according to recent reports from the state Education Department. Also among the reports' findings: Teachers heavily favor the "chalk and talk" model, where they are lecturing students instead of encouraging higher-level thinking generated by class discussion and small group sessions; tenured teachers are rarely, if ever, reviewed by administrators; principals only last a few years at most; and some schools suffer from high rates of teacher absences.
The trouble at the schools suggests educational opportunities are lacking for some of the most at-risk students in the region at a critical juncture in their development.
This can lead to higher dropout rates and low student performance that leaves many children academically unprepared for high school and beyond. Those who suffer are mostly minorities and poor, and many have special education needs, according to the Education Department.
"They're growing developmentally, emotionally, socially; it's massive changes," said April Tibbles, a spokeswoman for the Association for Middle Level Education, a national group of middle school educators. "You're going to have kids entering high school who aren't prepared."
While there are other options in prekindergarten through eighth grade in Schenectady and Albany, most public school students in the three cities move through a middle school that includes grades six through eight. In the 2010-11 school year, 2,438 children attended one of the Capital Region schools on the state's list.
A student's middle school experience directly affects his chances of graduation, according to Robert Balfanz, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University. He found that achievement gaps between white and minority students become "achievement chasms" in the middle grades, particularly in high-poverty schools like those on the state's list. He also found that teachers committed to change and stronger relationships with parents can help turn around struggling schools.
"Students' middle grades experiences are critical in launching them toward achievement and attainment or placing them on a path of frustration, failure and, ultimately, early exit from the only secure path to adult success -- finishing high school," he concluded.
The state reports indicate that each school has its own serious set of challenges which have led to its designation on the state's "lowest-performing" list.
The Troy district's only response to questions on how it would improve the school in light of the difficult report was a two-sentence statement that indicated a plan was forthcoming -- at some point. Schenectady officials did not even respond to request for comment.
The state issued severe recommendations for Albany's Hackett and Troy's Doyle middle schools, including a significant change in staff. Observers found little indication that either school was on track to make significant academic improvements. A high percentage of children entering each school did not have grade-level skills.
Oneida Middle School in Schenectady smells like mildew and has peeling paint throughout its building and leaking ceilings, one of the reports noted. State observers recommended that it develop a coordinated improvement plan and that more time should be put toward that effort by educators at all levels throughout the district. The school's poor physical condition must be addressed immediately, the department found.
Some of the curriculum at Schenectady's Mont Pleasant was not up to state standards. The principal doesn't evaluate tenured teachers, the department discovered. Teachers told state investigators they were concerned about the way some students were promoted to the next grade, or retained. Administrators spend too little time overseeing teachers and students.......................>>>>.................>>>>...............Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Poor-grades-for-middle-schools-1719411.php#ixzz1U3SMiLaM
"Oneida Middle School smells like mildew and has peeling paint throughout its building and leaky ceilings"
The school district should be ashamed of themselves! We know that the education is bad, but to be so callous as to allow middle school students and teachers walk around in a building which is run down and ignored? And no comment from the District.
Here's an idea, move the Admin offices to Oneida. Let them spend time in this building. Let them smell the mildew.
"Oneida Middle School smells like mildew and has peeling paint throughout its building and leaky ceilings" The school district should be ashamed of themselves! We know that the education is bad, but to be so callous as to allow middle school students and teachers walk around in a building which is run down and ignored? And no comment from the District.
They have no shame. With a budget of over $150 MILLION there is no money for paint? Moving the district office will do nothing-Mt Pleasant is also a mess. The State must take over. There are still too many stale leftovers from the explosive Mad Bomber/Elys days. Mass firings never took place and too many are still looking the other way. It's all about the kids-except when it's all about feathering your own nest.
They closed neighborhood schools which hastened the decline of neighborhoods, to "save money" but it seems any savings were used up in increased spending on cronies. The teachers have it hard enough trying to deal with difficult kids. The taxpayers are paying top dollar for the schools and not getting their money's worth from those in charge.
What makes people believe that the State, which is even a larger bureaucracy can take over a local school district and get better results?
The Schenectady teachers and administrators are much like the non-profits in Schenectady; they are parasites that use the plight of the City to make a comfortable living. They tell you they need more funding through higher taxes so they can "help" the community, but in reality, they could really give a sh*t about the people they and neighborhoods they claim to be in business to help. I know teachers that taught in Oneida Middle School, you would be frightened to hear what the attitude many teacher have toward their job. It's just a paycheck. Just like Morris, who takes his 6 figure paycheck and moves his family out of the City into Rotterdam. It's just a paycheck.
It would be interesting to see how many Schenectady City School District administrators and teachers actually live in the city. Or how many CEO’s of Non-Profit’s located in the city actually live in the city. I would guess well below 50%.
Logged
They have no shame. With a budget of over $150 MILLION there is no money for paint? Moving the district office will do nothing-Mt Pleasant is also a mess. The State must take over. There are still too many stale leftovers from the explosive Mad Bomber/Elys days. Mass firings never took place and too many are still looking the other way. It's all about the kids-except when it's all about feathering your own nest.
