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School Boss: Kindergarten Students To Be Held To Higher Standard
August 13, 2009
Kindergarten is going to be different this year in Escambia County. There will still be plenty of crayons, nap time, recess, and Dr. Seuss, but there will also be focus goals and benchmarks for students and teachers alike.
Kindergarten teachers were back at work Wednesday, three days before other grade level instructors, to learn about Superintendent Malcom Thomas’ curriculum goal that says within three years 90-percent of all second grade students will read on grade level.
“That means we start this year in kindergarten with clearly identifiable goals,” Thomas told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday night. This year’s kindergarten students will be those second graders in 2012-2013 — three years from now.
“If you can’t read, it is going to be hard on you in every subject area at every grade level,” Thomas said.
The first major grade level indicator currently does not occur until the FCAT in third grade. But Thomas plans to change that, teaching teachers how to recognize and determine if a student is performing at grade level beginning at different points during kindergarten.
Thomas said he expects the kindergarten retention rate to increase.
“There was no accountability until the third grade FCAT,” he said. “And we are really handicapped at that point if a child has missed the basics of learning to read.”
The accountability, Thomas added, will extend to teachers as well. Kindergarten teachers attended a workshop Wednesday to learn more about the accountability plan.
The accountability plan will extend next year to the first grade, and to the second grade the following year, as this year’s kindergarten students progress.
Most schools, Thomas said, will give parents an opportunity to meet with their child’s kindergarten teacher to have the curriculum goals explained.
At Molino Park Elementary School, those meetings will take place today and Friday.
Comments
8 Responses to “School Boss: Kindergarten Students To Be Held To Higher Standard”
You all are trying to make your children grow up too fast! What is wrong with letting them enjoy their childhood? It only comes once in a lifetime! The more I see of this county and their attitudes, the less I like! For instance, I have a grandson who has problems…we’re still trying to figure out what all is wrong! Doctors are just going with what we have seen and that’s that! We can tell that there is more, but these Doctors don’t help! And now he is being sent to a school over an hour away, by car, because the local school “can’t deal with his problems”? what are we to do?? It’s wonderful if you have a gifted child, however I have talked to too many kids that have been gifted and have skipped grades! They all have the same story..they never fit in with their class mates! Why must you make them pay for you wanting a “gifted child”? Just so you can have bragging rights?? I’m happy to see my grandchildren just doing their best and enjoying things!
I wasn’t arguing the point of research that indicates students can excel academically when given the opportunity to be challenged. I completely agree. One of my daughters attended PATS through elementary school then later attended a magnet school during her middle school years. She greatly benefited from these programs and went on to be valedictorian of her graduating class. My point was that children need a well-rounded educational experience which might include participation in either school or community sports, arts programs, and social events. These activities can present a problem for a student whose classmates are at least one year older. Depending on how their birthdays relate to the school calendar, some could be nearly 2 years older. The same daughter I mentioned above had a “late” birthday as relates to the school calendar so she was not even 18 until 2 months after graduation. These issues need to be taken into account when considering grade acceleration.
Sorry for youer experince, waterlady. Research strongly supports acceleration as the most effective curricular modification for some advanced learners. The state of Florida allows acceleration but it is often a battle to have districts agree to employ this cheap and efffective match of learner to curriculum. Certainly, your experience is the minority, as seen by reserach. Both of my children have accessed accelerative options and, for one of them, it meant finally fitting in to a peer group, EPs are meant to devise a plan which will result in a year’s growth so, if one understands test scores and how to have a good ep written, it should be possible to accelerate. Problems, after the district channels have ben tried, may be relayed to the state for clarification of the acceptability of acceleration. Try Donnajo Smith at FLDOE. Also be aware that REpresentative Legg will be presenting a bill, third time, adddressing the gifted student during the next session. His past two attempts , which included mandated acceleration policies in each state, died in the Senate.
If you believe your child is academically ahead of his or her peers at any grade level (especially elementary) ask to have him or her tested for PATS (Program for Academically Talented Students). I skipped the 7th grade and would not recommend it at any level, but especially not for younger elementary students. By the time you get to high school, all of your friends can drive, date, and enjoy other privileges that come with age and it’s frustrating to be a year behind everyone else in that regard.
escambia county schools do have programs that allow the needs of students to be met, be it below…on…or above grade level.
Despite numerous studies showing the effectiveness of accelerated curriculum and promotion to a higher grade based on skills instead of age, Escambia County schools do not allow “grade skipping”.
I am glad kdg teachers got some extra training, nineth grade teachers could prob use some extra help also
Will they then be allowing those who enter already having mastered Kdg standards accelerate to grade one? I would be interested in that since many children form high SES homes are “proficient” on day one of class. Does this distrcit have an acceleration policy?