WW-P Holds Back Students in Math
Thank you, WW-P News and Peter Shaughnessy, for the article “WW-P’s Curriculum Conundrum” in the May 12 issue. You have shed welcome light on a critical issue. We must shine that light even more intensely.##M:[more]##
As background, during the recent school board election, I presented data showing that WW-P holds back one-third of its students from achieving what they would achieve in the average American public high school. I also discussed some approaches to address the problem in math, with the hope that those ideas and others will be considered to address our problem. My election opponent, Stan Katz, has essentially agreed with respect to the math program.
In your May 12 article, Dr Victoria Kniewel, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, raised some objections that can be addressed.
Dr. Kniewel suggests we shouldn’t believe WW-P holds students back because “what we cover in pre-algebra might be what another district covers in algebra.” In reality, WW-P Math 7 students (who take pre-algebra in eighth grade) are NOT on track to take calculus in high school, even though most of those students would be on track for calculus in the average American high school.
Dr. Kniewel suggests “if a student is not placed in pre-algebra (in seventh grade) it doesn’t mean that they have no opportunity to later take advanced classes” and “There are opportunities to move ahead, even if a student isn’t initially put in pre-algebra, or on an AP track in another subject.”
That opportunity is largely theoretical and strongly opposed by the WW-P math department, and I’m astonished Dr. Kniewel would recommend students plan to take this approach. The math department has found students who attend summer school to get back on the calculus track don’t learn the material. They hammered this point repeatedly at this year’s high school orientation meetings, devoting three of the seven math orientation slides to this point. In addition, advancing out of sequence requires the principal’s approval. After the North orientation session for parents of eighth graders, Dr. Kniewel commented to me that you could just about hear parents’ jaws drop when they figured this out. The statistics show that most WW-P Math 7 students would be in pre-algebra (and on their way to high school calculus) in an average district, but few Math 7 students jump ahead into calculus in WW-P.
Dr Kniewel claims the district is ahead of the curve in math. Her analysis is flawed. Dr. Kniewel states “Overall, 40.4 percent of WW-P high school students take calculus, whereas according to the NCES, only 23 percent of students had taken a calculus course.” This sounds great until you consider the portion of highly capable students WW-P enrolls. Half of WW-P sixth graders test at or above the 93rd percentile in math on the Terranova test, according to www.ww-p.org. The NCES actually says 17 percent of 17-year-olds took a calculus course in 2004 (although Dr. Kniewel’s 23 percent would make my argument stronger) which indicates students above the national 83rd percentile take calculus in high school. Although Dr. Kniewel refuses to divulge what percentage of WW-P students test above that 83rd percentile, well over half of WW-P students would take calculus if they were in an average American high school. If WW-P gets just 40 percent of these highly capable students into calculus, that confirms WWP underperforms.
Dr. Kniewel asserts “WW-P is ranked very favorably against comparable school districts.” While it is true WW-P is ranked high on student aptitude tests (e.g. SAT) the district does not do as well on tests of achievement (e.g. SAT II and AP tests). According to Newsweek, nine New Jersey public high schools’ achievements are ahead of both WW-P high schools. Note that only one of the 9 ahead of WW-P is a magnet or academy. Thus, even though WW-P students have high aptitudes, WW-P achievements are not so high. An effective district transforms aptitude into achievement, but the data show WW-P does this poorly. I suggest this disparity is a direct result of the highlighted curriculum problems, which I believe exist in all departments.
While I understand the district’s desire to undergo a complete review to update the curriculum, I believe it is wrong to simply write off the current sixth graders. My message for parents of WW-P sixth graders is that if your child places above the 70th percentile in the Terranova test for math, but WW-P places your child in Math 7, consider overriding the recommendation. Place your child in pre-algebra and do not let WW-P hold your child back, just because WW-P is not an average district.
Dr. Kniewel did provide the News one encouraging quote: “We continue to use data to look for patterns and plan for improvement and growth.” I call upon Dr. Kniewel to fulfill this promise.
Brett Boal
31 Park Hill Terrace,
West Windsor
Curriculum Issues:
More than Math
I read Peter Shaugnessy’s article “WW-P’s Curriculum Conundrum,” with interest. Continuing refinement of the WW-P curriculum has always been an area of personal interest for me, and while my children were directly impacted, of great concern as well. I was pleased to see School Board candidate Brett Boal open this discussion during his campaign.
It does appear that the majority of our students are above average in math and perhaps more of them would benefit from the opportunity to take Algebra in Middle School. I also support Assistant Superintendent Victoria Kniewel’s position that courses cannot be compared from district to district solely based upon the name being used. That being said, several years ago at back-to-school night my child’s eighth grade Algebra teacher explained that the course was actually an Honors Algebra course. If so, and it’s difficulty would seem to validate this, perhaps what the middle schools might benefit from is not another section of this course, but rather a section of the regular Algebra course offered at our high schools. As the parent of both a high school graduate and a current junior, my anecdotal experience indicates that many of the students taking Algebra in the middle school subsequently leave the honors math track either in freshman or sophomore year, but still maintain the opportunity to take Calculus in their senior year. Thus, there does appear to be a valid reason to want all students with the ability to be successful to take Algebra 1 in middle school.
While math may lend itself to easier analysis, I am more concerned about the fact that where we are truly disadvantaging some of our stronger middle school students is in Language Arts and History, where all students regardless of ability take exactly the same classes.
For many years I have raised this concern, only to be assured that we do not need to provide a differentiated program for students with stronger verbal skills. Board member Stan Katz also was quoted as disagreeing that this presents a problem. On this we will have to agree to disagree. I support my concern with the following facts:
1.) The SAT test has been changed to include an additional Language Arts section, clearly reflecting a national emphasis on the importance of reading comprehension and writing skills, and
2.) Our district’s SAT results are consistently better in math than verbal. The honors LA program beginning in freshman year that was initiated six years ago has met with great success in terms of student enrollment. We still do not offer an honors History course until the sophomore year. Freshman History students with strong interest and ability would be better served by the opportunity to take a more challenging class as they do in subsequent years.
As the parent of a rising senior I am extremely pleased with the variety of course offerings available for my son and his peers. Seniors are restricted not by a deficit of choices, but rather by the number of periods in a day. My incentive for commenting at this juncture is to provide insights based upon seeing the process through to graduation. I conlude by stating that I believe that on the whole our students receive a wonderful education, but that does not mean that there are not areas where we can continue to improve.
Rona Burke
5 Perrine Path, West Windsor
Clean Up Needed
The residents of Penbrook Court take great pride in maintaining their lawns and landscaping which results in a neat, attractive neighborhood. The problem we have is the island in the middle of the cul-de-sac (see photo above). The island, which is owned by the township, consists of overgrown bushes surrounded by weeds with sparse areas of grass. The overgrown bushes create a driving hazard since there is no way to see if a car is coming around the cul-de-sac. We have many young children who frequently play in this area.
Each year the Public Works Department needs to be contacted since they never come out to maintain the island. Several weeks ago the Public Works Department was contacted regarding the condition of the island. Needless to say, the island is still a total disgrace! With all the taxes we pay, the least we can expect is that the township would maintain their property in the same manner as the residents do.
David and Joanne Benfer
Mike and Shawnee Luzzi
Water
New Jersey Environmental Commissioner Urges Water Conservation Statewide Wildfire Danger continues to be high across New Jersey
As an unusually dry spring continues to deplete New Jersey’s water resources, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson declared a drought watch on Monday May 8 and urged everyone to use water wisely.
“Water is a resource we can’t afford to take for granted,” Commissioner Jackson said. “Before demand peaks, we are asking every resident to help avert a possible water crisis. Right now, we have enough to use, but not enough to waste. All of us can take simple steps to conserve the supplies we will desperately need later if the spring and summer remain dry.”
The DEP’s tracking of New Jersey’s six drought regions shows a steady decline in key water-supply criteria, including precipitation, stream flow and unconfined ground water levels. Stream flows, which react to fluctuations in precipitation, are considered severely dry throughout most of New Jersey. In the northeast drought region, stream flow levels are extremely dry. Ground water levels are moderately dry in all six-drought regions.
As New Jersey begins its high seasonal water demand period from May through September, already-low water supplies may be further diminished without normal to above-normal rainfall.
To avoid the need for more restrictive, mandatory water-use measures, the DEP urges the public to take steps to voluntarily conserve water, including:
* limit lawn watering to twice a week, preferably in the morning or early evening to minimize evaporation. Water landscaping by hand only as needed. * Fix leaking faucets and pipes in the home, and turn off the faucet while brushing teeth and shaving. * Turn off faucets when not in use. * Install water conserving faucet and showerheads. * Run washing machines and dishwashers only when full.
Further, campfire restrictions are in place in northern New Jersey to prevent brush fires. Fires directly on the ground are prohibited unless in a prepared fire ring, which must be constructed of steel, stone, brick, or concrete with a gravel or masonry base.
To learn more about water conservation visit the conservation section on this website or visit www.njdrought.org. For additional information on fire restrictions, visit www.njwildfire.org.
