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...Local Educators Claim JanesvilleStudents Are Faring Above AverageNational statistics that show students’ math abilities are taking a nosedive are debatable among local school officials Although Janesville students were not among those 71.000 students sampled inthe National Assessment of Educational Progress survey in 1978. Research Coor dinator Gerald Noblitt said. Janesville is consistently above the nationalnorms‘ It s ver, very sad that public schools are not doing a better job,” he said on learning of the achievement decline He noted however, that results of last year’s standardized mathematicstests in Janesville indicate students are faring above the national averages with no educational or statistical evidence toprove otherwise While Standardized Testing Serviceresults are one instrument used in de termming how Janesville students stack up academically with other districts Noblitt said teacher reports and statewide assessments warrant equalconsiderationResults of the 1978 mathematics test administered by the Wisconsin Pupil Assessment Program revealed scores of fourth, eighth and 12th grade students remained above the national averages for the third consecutive vear• HWvJohn Holcomb, instructional mathe matics manager at Parker High School, said Janesville students are taking as much mathematics now as in the past with no documentation to proveachievement is on the decline“We all saw a dramatic drop five or six years ago.” said Holcomb, ‘ but it s leveled off Some changes have been made in the K 12 curriculum I wouldn't call it a back to basics' movement but a recommitment to things that are funda mental and a cutting down on the sym holism that typified what parents remembered as the modern math eraHolcomb believes Parker offers a varied program of ability level classes for those students who need remedial math as well as college bound coursesAsked whether it's any more difficult now for teen-agers to grasp the concepts of fractions, decimals and percentages, he said, 1 don't know if it’s any more mystifying than in the past Ask any man or woman on the street about common fractions and common denominators, and none will be able to do itHe is hopeful the use of metrics w ill easethe dilemmaRaymond Anderson, instructional manager for Craig s mathematics department, agrees with national assessment officials that there has been aCorrespondentTo report Sharon news to The Janesville Gazette contactMabel Jackson Route I, Box 6Sharon, Wis 53585 Phone 738-9120decline in mathematics but also edu cation, in general“Too many kids take the easy wav out and if they can get by, they will he said For our lower ability students the results are a fair assessment Over the last 10 years, education in high school has been secondary to jobs' and other activitiesAnderson said there are many more students enrolled in math, but too manyJBp .are low ability students w ho don t follow 8*counselors' recommendations to take higher level courses * You can t blame the school system entirely,” he said “but society in general and its attitudes ’**
Newspaper Details
Janesville Gazette
Janesville, Wisconsin, US
Fri, Sep 14, 1979
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Hedberg P.
Wisconsin, USA 03 Jul 2023
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