Plummeting Test Scores in AISD 2021 (Austin: apartment complexes, home, neighborhoods)

[cheeva]

Interesting read:

https://www.kut.org/education/2021-0...uring-pandemic

AISD was singled out.

In spring 2021, 60% of students in third through eighth grades passed their STAAR reading test, and 48% passed their math test.

This is a significant drop from spring 2019, the last time students took the test. Then, 73% of third-through-eighth-graders passed their reading test and 74% passed their math test.

Wow - math scores plummeted in AISD from 74% down to 48%

Before you make excuses about COVID and how everybody did worse, there was an EXPECIALLY pronounced deterioration in Austin ISD.

Compared to the statewide results:

The drops are reflected statewide. Sixty-seven percent of students in third through eighth grade passed the reading test and 61% passed the math test.

[ashbeeigh]

Everyone declined. It was a 4% drop across the state, per what I read (I’ll have to find that article). AISD gets pulled apart because it is the city of Austin’s district. I’d love to see the numbers for other districts., too. Not to mention kids could opt out of testing without the consequence of not being promoted this year. There are so many variables here. But nothing I say will change your opinion, Cheeva, so I’ll back out of responding to you after this post.

[kitkatbar]

AISD got computers to kids. They drove busses equipped with wifi out to apartment complexes in parts of town where kids were likely to not have internet connections. AISD made sure there were meals prepared and drove THOSE out to drop off sites within the neighborhoods so kids wouldn't go hungry. AISD did everything they could have done. It's a pandemic.

You're seeing clear results that the majority of kids do not do well with virtual instruction.

[cheeva]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

Everyone declined. It was a 4% drop across the state, per what I read (I’ll have to find that article). AISD gets pulled apart because it is the city of Austin’s district. I’d love to see the numbers fir other districts., too. Not to mention kids could opt out of testing without the consequence if not being promoted this year. There are so many variables here. But nothing I say will change your opinion, Cheeva, so I’ll back out of responding to you after this post.

Austin ISD had much worse than a 4% drop. This is not about my opinion. This is about AISD and it's STAAR test results plummeting relative to everyone else, and what the recovery plan is for AISD, or if it's too late.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by cheeva

Austin ISD had much worse than a 4% drop. This is not about my opinion. This is about AISD and it's STAAR test results plummeting relative to everyone else, and what the recovery plan is for AISD, or if it's too late.

I'll need to see "everyone elese's" scores to compare.

[Trainwreck20]

A huge number of Austin area students did not take the STAAR - namely, the parents that could afford to keep their kids at home for the whole year. Those that could not keep their kids at home sent them to school and they took the STAAR. This is most likely a reflection of the schism between economic groups.

Curious as to the level (HS, MS, ES) differential - more ES went back and very few HS went back, relatively speaking.

My daughters scores were up slightly in Sci and Reading and flat in math, fwiw.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by kitkatbar

AISD got computers to kids. They drove busses equipped with wifi out to apartment complexes in parts of town where kids were likely to not have internet connections. AISD made sure there were meals prepared and drove THOSE out to drop off sites within the neighborhoods so kids wouldn't go hungry. AISD did everything they could have done. It's a pandemic.

You're seeing clear results that the majority of kids do not do well with virtual instruction.

what AISD didnt do was start in school instruction in a way that worked. Suburbs did it just fine.

AISD did in school instruction that was still virtual, while other schools had actual classes

[cheeva]

Originally Posted by Austin97

what AISD didnt do was start in school instruction in a way that worked. Suburbs did it just fine.

AISD did in school instruction that was still virtual, while other schools had actual classes

That was a huge unforced error on the part of AISD. With the retention problem it already had, it probably accelerated the loss of students by 3-4 years.

[riaelise]

You really got a boner for AISD don't you lol..

test scores plummeted just about everywhere...

Not all kids are cut out for virtual learning, despite a district's efforts. Our charter had an excellent online option. My elementary schooler has done well but my high schooler flunked her second semester, despite being a good student the year before. Not much teachers (or the online program) can do when the kid lost motivation, hated logging in to a computer, and overall dealing mentally with a pandemic. It was very challenging for teachers and students alike. My daughter went to summer school in person and did virtual instruction there (with teacher interaction) and there was immediate improvement.

so no duh test scores sank. finger pointing does nothing. all one can do is try and move upward and onward.

[CarnivalGal]

First, as a former educator, I can tell you that the STAAR test is absolutely, positively not an accurate measure of academic ability. In fact, it's absolutely abysmal.

Second, every district had a decrease. And as a previous poster mentioned, A LOT of kids didn't even take the test, so the numbers are an even less accurate respresentation. My own kids, who normally score in the 95% or above, didn't take the STAAR this year. You know who did? Kids who were 100% in-person. Most of those kids were in-person for a reason - they have an IEP or 504 and require special services and accommodations. Those kids generally don't score as well. Also economically disadvantaged kids whose pareents can't afford a tutor or nanny, who also don't generally score as well.

They should have absolutely just scrapped the STAAR test this year like they did last year, since the "data" is not accurate at all and basically useless.