Tag Archives: Westport Public Schools

We’re #5!

Posted on April 27, 2011 | 13 comments

There’s been a bit lot of back-and-forth on “06880” lately regarding the value of the Westport school system.

Everyone’s got a different rating method.  They range from standardized test score comparisons with similar towns in our “District Reference Group,” which seems fairly reasonable, to the dip-shitty Newsweek method, which takes the number of AP (and AP-type) exams administered, and divides by the number of graduating seniors.  (Theoretically, the top school could be one where every student takes every AP test offered, and no one passes any of them.)

Into the fray roars Forbes — sort of.  In a story befitting “The Capitalist Tool,” they’ve created “The Best Schools For Your Real Estate Buck.”

Using their methodology — combining the 17,589 towns and cities in the 49 states that administer standardized tests (see ya, Nebraska!) with results from the standardized National Assessment for Educational Progress federal tests of randomly selected 4th, 8th and 12th graders — they calibrated results of “individual cities in a single state with national standards to come up with an absolute score for each city.  It then graded them on a curve.”

I am not bright enough to figure out what all that means.  (Hey, I took math at Staples in the ’70s.  I must have been absent the day we studied this stuff.)

I am, however, bright enough to know that standardized tests — particularly when each state sets different standards — are not the brightest way to assess schools, teachers, administrators, learning, learning outcomes, creativity, blah blah blah, even bang for one’s real estate buck.

Whatever.

Forbes ran the data, crunched the numbers, threw salt over their shoulder, and came up with the highest-ranking city.  The one that got the “100” that the rest of the 17,588 towns and cities get curve-graded against.

The best-bang-buckiest town — the one we should all immediately move to, to maximize our investments in our kids and our homes and the future — is, of course…

…Falmouth, Maine.

Duh.

Using Forbes’ quasi-scientific methodology, Westport does not even make the top 10.

No Connecticut school systems do, though.  In fact, only 2 in the entire Northeast:  Barrington, RI (#4) and Bedford, NH (#5).  The rest of the top 10 includes Mercer Island, WA (#2), Pella, IA (#3), and from 6th to 10th, Manhattan Beach, CA; Moraga, CA; Parkland, FL; St. Johns, FL, and Southlake, TX.

But wait!

If you’re scoring at home using the “District Reference Group” method, Forbes has better news for Westport.  Sort of.

They’ve sliced and diced their list according to median housing prices.  We’re in the highest group — “$800,000 and Up” — and here the list is a bit more Northeast- and California-centric.

Westport — with a median home price of $931,690 (when?  2007?) and an “Ed Quality Index” of 87.81 — is the 5th best bang-bucking school district in the entire wealthiest Forbes quarter.

We trail the winner (Manhattan Beach, CA) and runners-up New Canaan, Lafayette (CA) and Palo Alto, but lead Darien, Orinda (CA), Weston (MA, not CT), Rye (NY) and Cupertino (CA).

This is described as "the women of the Manhattan Beach 6-man volleyball tournament." Yes, I understand these are not men, and there are more than 6 of them. But who am I to argue with the top school district in the category of wealthiest median home prices? Whatever they teach there must be right.

So there you have it.  Sort of.

But feel free to devise your own ranking system.

I have added together all the grades achieved by students in grades K-12 in every course taken (except physical education); divided by the number of parking spots in each parking lot; multiplied by the square root of parent or guardian’s IQ and cholesterol scores, and done something or other with the hypotenuse of the hotness factor of superintendents, boards of education and building principals.

I am happy to report that, by this perfectly logical method, the Westport school district is the 2nd best in the country.

Number one is — damn! — Falmouth, Maine.

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Posted in Economy, Education, Real estate

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Racing Toward — Where?

Posted on February 16, 2011 | 52 comments

“Race To Nowhere” — the much-heralded documentary — arrived in Westport last night.  It is not a feel-good film.

The audience of 600 at Bedford Middle School — mostly mothers, with a few dads and students sprinkled in — saw a depressing litany of all that ails education today.  Teaching to the test; too much homework; too many extracurriculars; too much pressure to get into the best college; cheating — it was all there.  Plus the heart-wrenching, math grade-induced suicide of a 13-year-old girl.

It’s not a perfect film.  In trying to cover everything — from high-performing suburban schools to those in inner cities; from kindergarten through high school; from the perspectives of students, parents, administrators and mental health professionals — it felt at times like rocketing from math class to Spanish to social studies.

And, paradoxically, at 85 minutes it was about 20 minutes too long.  If I were in class, I’d have been staring at the clock.

But “Road to Nowhere” is definitely worth seeing.  You may not like the parade of sad, tired, pressured kids — and they may be no more representative of their generation than the images of their demandingly conflicted parents — but all those voices, and messages, are important.

Among the main points:

  • “Everyone expects us to be super-heroes.” — A student
  • “We’re all caught up in this.  We’re all afraid our kids won’t be as successful as we were.” — A parent
  • Students today are told they have to succeed in the classroom, on the playing field, in the community.  “And among all that,” a teenager says, “we have to be unique.  And find ourselves.”
  • “Kids look great on the outside.  But underneath, they’re bleeding.” — A mental health professional
  • Recognizing the rigors of homework, an AP Biology teacher cut his homework assignments in half.  Those students did better on the all-important AP test than his previous classes.
  • “Cheating has become another course.  And the more we do it, the better we get.” — A student
  • “My AP course has become a runaway train.” — A teacher
  • “I’ll never have to speak French again!” — A student, following her AP French test
  • “We’re raising a generation of training wheel kids.  They never learn how to fall.” — A mental health professional
  • “If all you get are A’s, there’s only one way to go:  down.” — A parent
  • “It’s a lot harder being a teenager than it ever was before.”  — A parent
  • “I’m worried about my pre-teenage daughters getting into good schools.  And I write books on this stuff!” — An educator

Half the audience stayed for a discussion afterward.  Topics ranged from poor teachers to peer pressure exerted by parents.

But — as gloomy as the film is — an upbeat note was sounded by Brian Fagan.  The assistant superintendent for curriculum (“and homework,” he joked) said:

“None of these issues are unfamiliar to me as an administrator, or to Westport public schools.  Are we vulnerable to some of the criticisms in the film?  Yes — but in constructive ways.

“We do have conversations about these issues, and we’re actively working to mitigate them.  Our discussions are lengthy, and complex.  None of these problems are easily addressed, or conveniently repackaged.  But we’re definitely talking about them, and we look forward to continuing the conversation.”

(A follow-up discussion to “Race to Nowhere” is set for Monday, March 14 [7 p.m.] in the Staples cafeteria.  Like last night’s film, it is sponsored by the PTA Council.  Another showing of the film — sponsored by the Teen Awareness Group — will be held Tuesday, March 8 [7 p.m.], in the Staples auditorium.)

52 Comments

Posted in Children, Education, People, Staples HS, Teenagers

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99% Chance Of A Snow Day Tomorrow!

Posted on January 6, 2011 | 25 comments

No, that’s not Elliott Landon speaking.

Or me.

It’s the “Snow Day Calculator” — and that website is as scientific as it gets.

First you enter your school’s zip code.

Then some very important information:

  • Type of school (public, urban public, rural public, private/prep, boarding)
  • The number of snow days already this year
  • “Leniency of administration” (easy, okay, harsh)
  • Is there a special event or activity scheduled?
  • Is your school in a mountainous area?
  • Hype for a snow day (0 = no one talking about it; 1 = many kids talking about it; 2 = kids, teachers and media talking about it; 3 = administrators are talking about it too!)

Click “Calculate” — and it’s 99% certain Westport kids can sleep in on Friday!

But you should still call 203-341-1SNO tomorrow morning.

Just in case.

Even Westport's crack snow plow drivers will be unable to help Westport schools open tomorrow -- or so says the Snow Day Calculator. (Photo by Luke Hammerman/Inklings)

25 Comments

Posted in Children, Education, Staples HS, technology, Weather

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The Education Budget — Remember That?

Posted on March 19, 2010 | 6 comments

In 2009, Westport was engulfed in a battle over the education budget.

This year:  not a peep.

There have been a couple of articles in the local press, and 1 or 2 letters to the editor.  Beyond that:  nada.

If you missed it, here’s what’s happening:

The Board of Education has requested a 2.13% increase for 2010-11.  Word on the street is that the Board of Finance — which votes next Wednesday (March 24) — intends to keep the Board of Ed budget flat to this year.

Earlier this month, the Board of Ed made its case to the Finance men and women.

The main points:

  • Recent district awards include “Best High School in Connecticut” (Connecticut Magazine and Business Week); national honors for Science Research; a nationally recognized theater program; a Gold Medal for Inklings; a national “Blue Ribbon School” honor for Bedford.
  • 54% of graduates attend Barron’s “Top Rated” colleges; graduation rate is near 100%
  • An extensive World Language program includes Mandarin; AP test participation has increased 130% over 8 years, with strong results.
  • The middle school has a successful “team teaching” concept, and elementary school class sizes work well
  • Staples’ “Spectacular Student Challenge” and Moody’s Math Challenge illustrate the success of collaborative learning and real-life analytical, problem-solving skills.

Turning to actual figures, the Board of Ed cites:

  • An increase of $2,011,002 over the 2009-10 budget
  • Projected staffing is flat compared to the current budget
  • The new Westport Education Association contract — with a net 2% annual increase — is included in the proposed budget
  • Ongoing negotiations with 4 other unions will impact the 2010-11 budget
  • During the budget review process, $374,000 was removed from the initial recommendation; this includes bus savings of $225,000, heating savings of $148,000, and lowered supplies and equipment costs of $112,000
  • Salaries and benefits account for 82% of the proposed budget; supplies and equipment count for just 3.6%
  • Of the 15 full-time equivalent school positions eliminated last year, none were added back this year, and none will be added back next year — despite protests from parents who have seen services reduced
  • In Westport’s District Reference Group of 10 similar districts, the 2-year budget increase of 2.67% (0.54% in 2009, 2.13% in 2010) is the 9th smallest.  Redding’s is 8.10%; Darien’s is 8%; 3 others are more than 5%, and Wilton, Ridgefield and New Canaan are all at least 1% more than Westport.  Weston, at 1.64%, is less than Westport.
  • In that  District Reference Group, Westport’s cost per student of $16,325 is squarely in the middle.  Region 9 leads at $17,895; Greenwich, Weston and New Canaan all have higher costs per student.  Redding, Wilton, Darien, Easton and Ridgefield all have lower costs per student
  • The 2.67% increase over 2 years has been accomplished by adjusting school start times; eliminating 4th-grade paraprofessionals; reducing library paraprofessionals; consolidating department chairs; reducing individual music lessons at Staples; reducing the gifted program staff levels; lowering school building utility costs via aggressive contract management; negotiating a new bus contract; negotiating a new WEA (teachers union) contract, and implementing a townwide telephone system

The Board of Ed’s final points addressed key reasons to approve the budget as submitted:

  • With 82% of the budget related to personnel, any reduction will impact employees, students, and programs that define the schools
  • Benchmark data show Westport to be District Reference Group leaders in cost containment
  • The Board of Ed works with the town to seize opportunities to lower costs without impacting services
  • Westport’s schools are the town’s most significant attraction; property values reflect the strength of the schools
  • “A move from Great Schools to Good Schools is in no one’s interest.”

The Board of Ed has presented its case.  The Board of Finance votes Wednesday.

Speaking out after that point — about class size increases, program eliminations or anything else — is less effective than making opinions known now.

It’s been a silent budget process so far.  Feedback is welcome; click the “Comments” link at the top or bottom of this post.  To contact Board of Finance members directly, click here.

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Posted in Education, Politics

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Be Careful What You Wish For

Posted on March 15, 2010 | Comments Off on Be Careful What You Wish For

Tonight’s announcement that Westport schools are closed again on Tuesday was greeted with predictable whoops of joy, fist pumps and celebratory dances.

And yet…

How many games of Apples to Apples can you play with your mother and siblings?

How long can you eat cold cereal (without milk) in a dark, freezing room?

If this keeps up, we’ll be going to school until June 30.

Unless, of course, there’s a cataclysmic lightning storm that day.

Comments Off on Be Careful What You Wish For

Posted in Children, Education, Teenagers, Weather

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