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Uploaded: Saturday, October 6, 2012, 6:50 AM                                            
Updated: Monday, October 8, 2012, 6:52 AM

Pleasanton schools post gains in meeting 'No Child Left Behind' goals
California Standards Test shows Asians, whites, Filipinos above 78% proficiency requirements

by Glenn Wohltmann
Pleasanton Weekly Staff

Posted by William Tell, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 8, 2012 at 11:25 am

Pleasanton schools are a real-life example that certain minority groups whose culture doesn't value education just can't perform as well as others. It must be embarassing when people come to this country and can't even speak the language and in a few years they're outperforming you academically.

I also love how this politically correct article has to mention that African American scores have come up, but then mentions later that they are one of the ethnic groups that scored 50% or lower. And it fails to mention how much lower.

So what gives? These are all students who attend the same schools. Are certain subgroups told to cover their ears and eyes and not learn? Is the curriculum culturally biased - e.g., not translated into ebonics and not using enough drug deal and sports scenarios in the math word problems?

Posted by Sam, a resident of the Oak Hill neighborhood, on Oct 8, 2012 at 12:29 pm

William Tell said: "I also love how this politically correct article has to mention that African American scores have come up, but then mentions later that they are one of the ethnic groups that scored 50% or lower."

What do you find "politically correct" about the article in regards to African American test scores? There's nothing "politically correct" here. On the contrary, the article tells it like it is. As you yourself stated, it says that African American test scores have come up but that is is still among the ethnic groups which score at a level of below 50% proficiency. That's factual - no "politically correct" spinning at all.

In your far-conservative eagerness to automatically label anything and everything put out in the media as an example of "politically correctness" you blinded yourself to the simple fact that this particular article is completely factual with absolutely no spinning of political correctness.

Concerning why some ethnic groups do better than others, yes, it's not so much a matter of innate smarts as it is about cultural emphasis on education. Also, well educated parents tend to promote the importance of education to their own children, and may be better equipped to help their children with their homework and develop good study habits. Conversely, the children of parents who are not well educated are at a disadvantage. How to break the cycle and ensure that these children get a good education not just for themselves, but also so that they serve as good role models and guides for their own future children is an important problem.

Posted by Kathleen Ruegsegger, a resident of the Vintage Hills Elementary School neighborhood, on Oct 8, 2012 at 1:18 pm
Kathleen Ruegsegger is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com

Sam wrote: "Conversely, the children of parents who are not well educated are at a disadvantage. How to break the cycle and ensure that these children get a good education not just for themselves, but also so that they serve as good role models and guides for their own future children is an important problem."

Here we can agree. Some schools work to actively engage these parents and to provide tools and events to educate the parents, at least about the importance of K-12 education and higher learning. Here is one example: Web Link

Posted by Milan Moravec, a resident of San Ramon, on Oct 10, 2012 at 12:39 pm

Prop 30, 32, 38, are not the way to solve the education, University of California state's fiscal crisis. The Sacramento politicians and their lobbyists have fooled us before. Don't let them fool you again.

Posted by The Facts are Politically Correct, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 10, 2012 at 3:46 pm

Any article that includes facts for some groups, but omits them for other makes itself liable to the charge of conforming to the lie of political correctness. As I read this article, it clearly is subject this charge.

The article in various paragraphs mentions at total of seven groups, some of them overlapping: Asians, whites, Filipinos, English learners, African-Americans, students with disabilities, and socio-economically disadvantaged students. The information offered regarding each of these groups varies by paragraph. Specific scores were sited for four of the above seven groups: Asians, whites, Filipinos, and English learners. Such was not the case for three of the above seven groups: African-Americans, students with disabilities, and socio-economically disadvantaged students. The only ethnic group lacking specific score information was African-Americans. General statements indicate that this group scored "50% or lower". Such selective factual presentation is clearly indicates subjugation to the lie of political correctness.

Posted by Daniel Bradford, a member of the Foothill High School community, on Oct 10, 2012 at 10:25 pm

The little man hiding behind the pseudonym "William Tell" wrote: "Is the curriculum culturally biased - e.g., not translated into ebonics and not using enough drug deal and sports scenarios in the math word problems?"

Someone once assured me there are no racists in Pleasanton. Now I know it's true.

Posted by Sam, a resident of the Oak Hill neighborhood, on Oct 10, 2012 at 11:41 pm

"The Facts" said: "Any article that includes facts for some groups, but omits them for other makes itself liable to the charge of conforming to the lie of political correctness. As I read this article, it clearly is subject this charge.....General statements indicate that this group scored "50% or lower". Such selective factual presentation is clearly indicates subjugation to the lie of political correctness."

I think that you have a pretty weak argument. There's no sugar-coating in the report. It says that certain categories of students score at a proficiency level of 50% or below. For a conservative, you've got a pretty thin skin if you're screaming "political correctness" because they don't give the actual figures below 50% for those groups. When the proficiency level gets so low that it's under 50%, the exact value becomes largely irrelevant. The point has been made: Those groups need additional help.

Posted by Article conflicts with CDE report, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Oct 11, 2012 at 10:00 pm

The Contra Costa Times is reporting that the PUSD is failing in No Child Left Behind standards and in fact is in Program Improvement. The article indicates PUSD is failing Federal standards. I haven't heard anything from Ahmadi regarding actually helping students with disabilities so I assume the Contra Costa Times story is true, yes? Here is the article-

Web Link

The quote is:

"Pleasanton Unified went into "Program Improvement" status this year, as fewer than 78 percent of its low-income and disabled students showed proficiency in math and English."

Dublin and Sunol Glen are not in Program Improvement, by the way.

Posted by Stacey, a resident of the Amberwood/Wood Meadows neighborhood, on Oct 11, 2012 at 11:18 pm
Stacey is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com

Now be fair. If you are familiar at all with the NCLB requirements and how California chose to implement them, you will know that everyone is set up to fail eventually. Even the best schools and districts cannot meet the rapid ramping up of the proficiency threshold when the average annual increase in California is only 4%. The article you cite lists Palo Alto, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek amongst districts with PI. In this case it isn't the districts, but the lack of realistic expectations.