Keys Fillauer
By Oak Ridge Board of Education
We have been reading a lot lately about the dire straits of reading instruction and students’ abilities in reading, especially at the early grades. Although there are challenges, there is also momentum to make positive impacts on students’ reading proficiencies in all grades.
What is happening with elementary literacy?
Two school years ago, the state changed (for the better) the English Language Arts and math standards to make them more rigorous in order to ensure that Tennessee high school graduates will be better prepared in the future for college and careers. Most public schools welcomed the change because the former standards just weren’t serving Tennessee students well. However, changing standards also meant changing state assessments.
In Oak Ridge, we saw a drop in our elementary reading results on state exams after these changes. The drops in reading results were especially evident with our economically disadvantaged students.
Bob Eby
For us, this was and is unacceptable. We believe that all students can succeed, and we have expanded our literacy initiative as a result. This literacy initiative includes providing additional time and support starting in kindergarten all the way through high school to students who struggle in reading. We have trained reading specialists who provide intensive instruction to struggling students. We have a summer bookmobile program that is expanding to multiple elementary schools in order to help reduce summer reading setback. We have professional development for teachers on improving reading and writing instruction in the classroom, and we have purchased research-based materials to support them. In addition, we have recently been provided an opportunity to work with the Carnegie Foundation and the Tennessee Department of Education to systematically analyze our early literacy efforts in order to improve student outcomes. This work will begin in April 2016 and will last through September 2018.
But what about testing?
This school year, the state tests for English Language Arts have changed. The TNReady was created to align with the more rigorous standards adopted two years ago. We don’t know what will happen to our scores based on the TNReady exam. Its rollout has been fraught with difficulties; for example, it was supposed to be online, and then was turned into a paper/pencil format at the last minute when the online platform crashed. Because our students were preparing for an online assessment all year, our youngest students didn’t even know how to fill out a bubble sheet to answer their questions when they received an answer sheet on paper. Some of our students said that they circled their answers or put check marks in the bubble instead. The state recognized the magnitude of the problems associated with the testing and is actually altering its requirements for teacher and student evaluations as a result.
Angi Agle
Will we therefore hear that our students have done poorly on the tests when our results come out in the fall?
It is of critical importance to remember that in a changing test environment when standards and assessments are in flux, we need to look at more than the state report card to tell us what our students truly can and cannot do.
But what about phonics?
Our youngest students absolutely learn phonics. They also learn sight words, and they learn to read starting with picture books and working their way up to chapter books.
Please be wary of misinformation. If you ever wonder about what is happening in our classrooms, please come visit so that you can see for yourself the work that our students and teachers are doing.
Laura McLean
What can we do to help literacy in our community?
Oak Ridge is changing. We have more students in need than ever before. We believe that all children deserve a pathway to success, which is why Oak Ridge Schools has in place the Seven Keys to College and Career Readiness. The first key is for students to be reading proficiently at grade 3, and we are working very hard with our students in this area starting in preschool on up.
However, we have an achievement gap between our non-economically disadvantaged students and our economically disadvantaged students. This is not a problem unique to Oak Ridge, but it is true for Oak Ridge.
Some immediate areas in which the community could help are:
- Volunteer! Whether or not you have children in the school system, we’d love to have you come read to elementary school children. Contact Allison Peters at Willow Brook Elementary School for more information.
- Support the summer bookmobile project. You can donate to this amazing project at https://www.gofundme.com/tnbookmobile/donate?amt=100.
- Support the schools! We need your partnership. Teachers love their students and are committed to their success. Helping teachers help kids by supporting teachers in and out of the classroom is essential for them to continue the incredible work they do every day.
Paige Marshall
Thank you to everyone who is working in partnership with us in order to help us make strides with all students, including those who struggle. The Oak Ridge Schools Education Foundation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORAU, UCOR, Altrusa, and Rotary are some of the organizations that seek to make a positive difference with Oak Ridge students. We’d also like to acknowledge pastors Derrick Hammond and Jake Morrill, who have been working in positive partnership with the school system based on feedback from the community forums. Finally, there are countless volunteers who donate their time and resources in many ways, such as assisting in classrooms, mentoring students, or leading clubs.
In summary
We believe in the highest quality instruction every day for every child. We know we have some challenges; however, Oak Ridge Schools is committed to continuous improvement in order to ensure that all of our students succeed. With our approach and working together with the community, we believe we will give our students their best opportunity for success.
The Oak Ridge Board of Education is Keys Fillauer, chairman; Bob Eby, vice chair; Angi Agle; Paige Marshall; and Laura McLean.
***
Note: The submitted letters and columns published in the Opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of Oak Ridge Today or its staff.
Copyright 2016 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Trina Baughn says
Dear BOE,
Please stop blaming our poor kids for YOUR failures. For your failure to advocate for them against federal and state mandates. For your failure to prioritize spending in the classrooms over waste. For using them as an excuse to build a new preschool building. For attempting twice to cut off their very access to school. For repeatedly putting reading and math specialists on the chopping block when you could have cut administrators, travel or devices. You run one of the most expensive school systems in the state and have more than ample resources to effect change. The buck stops with you, yet nowhere in this puff piece do you accept responsibility for anything.
Per the most recent State of TN report card:
Grades 3-8
 43% general population performing -below- grade level in math
 44% general population performing -below- grade level in reading
 58% economically disadvantaged population performing -below- grade level in math
 58.5% economically disadvantaged population performing -below- grade level in reading
https://www.tn.gov/education/topic/report-card
Matt Bailey says
Here we go again. Federal and state mandates are just that–non negotiable orders, usually unfunded, that are required actions and cannot be ignored as long as you take their money. It’s funny how that works.
Regarding the new pre-school: It’s likely the oldest educational facility in town and serves a very important segment of our community, bringing early childhood education to an under served portion of our cities population. We either spend money to fix it, or replace it. Either way, it costs money. The study that was completed supported a new facility, I believe.
We’ve addressed your bogus claims about too many administrators compared to other systems in the past, but it must be getting close to another election, so here we go again. Your comment about schools having ample money is similar to your comments about the expense of the marina bathrooms. You have no construction background so you really have no idea about costs, and you’ve been challenged about your educational background and knowledge previously. You’ll remember that you presented yourself as an expert on the high school, yet when I challenged you to reveal when you had ever personally visited ORHS, you simply ignored my request. Wonder why.
Regarding responsibility, for years you have failed to affect any reasonable change that you have demanded from City Council or the schools. You ran the campaign of a candidate with an unfortunate background, all the while withholding a key piece of information. It was unfair to her and our community. And you only revealed it after the media contacted you about it. So much for your desire for transparency. At what point do you accept responsibility for your failures as a council member and purported city leader? Nothing happens here without four votes and you frequently seem to be three short.
Joseph Lee says
Well said. Thank you Mr. Bailey.
Joseph Lee says
Big surprise. Councilwoman Baughn slams our schools again. She must be returning to her roots.
Returning to Texas would be fine by me. This unfortunate situation will be resolved in November..
Mike Mahathy says
Once again the councilperson in comment to this article tries to interpret data and twists facts to use against our school system. I need not address the points individually. No need. The vast number of Oak Ridgers know what our school system is and what is being accomplished.
I couldn’t be happier with Oak Ridge Schools. Is everything perfect? No, nowhere. I have three children in Oak Ridge Schools and YES we moved to Oak Ridge for the schools though now we appreciate otht amenities. My daughters have worked hard. One of them has a 504 plan. We have had to advocate for her, often, but her teachers have been dedicated in working with her, but enough about mine.
The devices were brought up in the comment. Let me address those from my parent view only. First, no extra school funds were used to procure them. Yet, let’s remember, the city, county and state governments provide local school general funding. They only provide general funding. It isn’t their role to dictate how it is used. I appreciate administration and the BOE in enhancing education with digital assets. Thank you! Anyway that doubts of these devices are successful please consider taking a stroll through RMS (not all at once please). You will observe children engaged in learning. I have observed children learning before and after school. For those that say they take the place of teachers, I say politely, you are wrong. The devices that provided even more resources for teachers and provide immediate access to textbooks and teaching materials. They can assign specific digital resources for children with specific needs that may differ from the regular class curriculum. And the program has only begun! Thank you Dr. Borchers and staff! Thank you middle school principals and teachers do your professional lead in moving this program forward. As an aside thank you for implementing professional learning communities (PLC) to our schools.
By the way, these devices that a few deride are an asset, might even say equalizer, in increasing opportunities and performance by struggling students. Our schools are not done. There always will be room to do better. I am confident they will as long as we a community expect that and support that. Of those two I would venture to say the first is the most important.
Thank you BOE for putting students first and for providing opportunities for all to success! To the parents of students in Oak Ridge Schools, please help your children take advantage of those opportunities! If we do the future for our children is bright.
Philip W Nipper says
I respect and admire our BOE members, administrators and teachers for their dedication, the long hours, the often thankless efforts and their desire to always make improvements with a goal of producing outstanding graduates with a better than average public education. Like the article said, Oak Ridge is changing. The BOE, City Council and the general public need to always have a full understanding of all the issues facing our school age children and always be willing to embrace the best solutions in order to meet the end goal. Providing divisive, “finger pointing” commentary and unprofessional leadership is not a method that will help us meet the goal nor improve on BOE / City Council relationships. That style of leadership only becomes part of the problem vice utilizing a style that could be an important part of the solution. Its hard, I know. But true and trusted leaders, leaders with a passion for excellence, experienced leaders who have a genuine desire to make things better, somehow most always, find ways to make things work. That’s the kind of leader I want working for me.
Jeanne Hicks Powers says
Just putting an idea out there…. in my home state of NY, parents are involved in an “opt out” program for all this extra testing relating to common core! The movement is to push refocus upon education rather than standardized testing/teaching to the test and using these results to grade a teacher. Some LI (Long Island) districts were any where from 40%-86% of the students having “opted out”! Imagine that…. Focusing upon the child’s educational needs….