Re: What Are the "Best" Schools In Your Area?

In the Chicago data, the Sun-Times makes the following comment:

"Thousands of kids who were still learning English were required to take state tests for the first time, dragging down results in some schools with heavy immigrant populations. As a result, the number of schools that missed their federal No Child Left Behind progress targets based solely on limited-English students soared from eight to 66 statewide."

While I don't dispute that comment per se, I take exception to the apologist attitude behind it. If you read between the lines, it's creating two categories of failed education:

1) Category of people who score low academically because they need remediation.

2) Category of people who score low academically because, well, they're disadvantaged language wise.

That attitude carries over into our everyday adult society as well. I'm all for diversity, but it needs to be diversity that commits to assimilation into our society. It is NOT ok to immigrate here and then not prepare your kids to get educated, grow up, and enter the workforce without a commitment to learning English. If you don't, you handicap them and collectively you handicap our society. To "excuse" kids for performing poorly on standardized exams because of their language barrier is to excuse this behavior.

Fine, if you can prove that the child has been living in the U.S. for less than a year then maybe I'm sympathetic. Excuse them from the exam. But if they've been living here for years, or in some cases all their lives, then stop apologizing for their POOR PARENTING. Language barrier or not, your kids are performing low on the standardized exams which are a decent (although not perfect) proxy for how ready they are to function in society. Let me give you a hint: Speak English to them at home. If you can't speak English yourself, then learn it.

Re: What Are the "Best" Schools In Your Area?

It doesn't matter how well you speak English. Just so ACORN can register you to vote Democrat, the government will be pleased.

Re: What Are the "Best" Schools In Your Area?

I don't think the concept of "best school" in the Naperville area (where I live) is going to last very long. The school districts, especially District 204, seem hell-bent on social engineering to create equality. Who cares about the inconveniences of distance and travel time.

"Weve taken care of everything
The words you hear the songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure to your eyes
Its one for all and all for one
We work together common sons
Never need to wonder how or why

We are the priests of the temples of syrinx
Our great computers fill the hallowed halls
We are the priests of the temples of syrinx
All the gifts of life are held within our walls

Look around this world we made
Equality our stock in trade
Come and join the brotherhood of man
Oh what a nice contented world
Let the banners be unfurled
Hold the red star proudly high in hand."
-Rush, "2112"
Inspired by Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand.

Re: What Are the "Best" Schools In Your Area?

Actually, "2112" was inspired by Ayn Rand's "Anthem", not by her "Atlas Shrugged". Both are excellent, of course. :-) Viva Neil Peart.

Re: What Are the "Best" Schools In Your Area?

Lori,

You and your readers might be interested in an analysis I do of the top performing school districts in the Chicago area based on the ISBE report card data. There is also analysis of, and links to, a number of studies and lists of best schools. All this at QE203.org. My emphasis is on District 203, and you will see what a bargain financially the district is compared to its peers, as well the excellent academic performance of it's students.