RE: Realtor’s glowing praise of Wichita schools’ students’ performance

“For two years in a row, the Wichita school district has produced nineteen national merit scholars. For this school year, The National Merit Scholarship Corp. announced in September that 22 Wichita school district students qualified as semifinalists. Impressive? You bet! This education has to rate an “A+” in anyone’s grade book.

http://www.homes101.net/kansas-realtors/wichita-c1125/“

REALITY CHECK:

This isn’t what USD 259 has reported. It states that there were only SIX USD 259 NMS Semifinalists announced last fall:

http://www.usd259.com/news#Six_students_named_National_Merit_semi-finalists

“The 2006 National Merit Semi-finalists are Tyler Danaver, Kaitlin Henderson, Whitney Lohrenz, William Wheeler and Elisabeth Wright, East High School and Dane Saksa, Southeast High School. ” [these are Class of 06 May-graduated students]

Of the six semifinalists announced in fall of 2005 only ONE, Kaitlin Henderson, received an NMS program scholarship, Kaitlin Henderson. Earth calling Realtors: 1 is about 95% short of 19. As for the Realtors’ claim that “22″ Wichita School District students were semifinalists, 6 is 73% short of 22.

Personally, I recall consistently seeing many more than six NMS semifinalists reported in the Eagle in past years, but there have never been 22 USD 259 semifinalists in any given year in the past five years, based on WE reports. For example 16 USD 259 students were named semifinalists in fall 2004.

As for two perfect ACT scores scored by USD 259 students, that is unsubstantiated as well by the Realtors, but more importantly, it may well be true. But here’s the thing: I was in Chicago last spring and read in the Tribune that 33 Chicago-area students scored 36’s. Assuming roughly ten times as many students in the Chicago area as in Wichita, 2 Wichita students’ scoring 36’s doesn’t indicate anything beyond statistical normality. Chicago has a far higher percentage of African-American and Latino kids than Wichita, as well as other low-income students.

For a truly impressive performance, consider that Lincoln HS in little Sioux Falls, South Dakota, had 14 NMS Semifinalists in 2004-05.See:www.nationalmerit.org/05_annual%20report.pdf

According to The School Report at homefair.com, the Sioux Falls School District’s three high schools had 17 total NMS Semifinalists, out of a total district enrollment of 22,000, i.e. less than half of USD 259’s enrollment. To achieve parity, USD 259 would have to have about 38 semifinalists.

I’ll leave it to readers to decide whether they want to believe district and Eagle-reported facts or Realtor-reported feel-good puffery.

Pay no attention to the hundred or so that were . . .

As for those who complain about paying taxes for a type of education their children don’t receive because they CHOOSE not to use public schools, what about people who have no children? What about people who don’t pay property taxes? Of course it isn’t equal. Nothing is. But it’s as close as we can get to a way to educate the masses.

Apophis: That’s what they are saying about the media coverage on Iraq.

Don’t let Original Steve get to you, Apophis. He gets his jollies disrupting the discussion and irritating people. He’s the worst kind of troll.

But then I’d probably be hateful too if women rejected me the way they have him. A man with no penis doesn’t deserve the ridicule he’s had to bear.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0715-01.htm

This, BTW, was sent to me by someone who works in a private school…

Each school is alloted X dollars for each student. When that student is placed in a voucher program, the school looses that money. So while the total number of students adds up to the money needed to run a school, it is still about education.

I suggest, RA, you redo your thinking and start thinking about the education of the children instead of yammering on about something each school can do little about.

You will never get an objective study from that source. There is to much at stake politically for any other result to be published by the government.

A free-market competitive solution is the only way to balance educational costs and quality while giving individuals control over their children’s education.

Posted by: Garyc. | July 18, 2006 at 11:21 PM

In other words, the want the student only for the money.

Yes, but if they don’t have the expense for the student, why should they have the money for the student?

The parents tax money should follow the student wherever their student goes.

Do you think that it is fair for their parents to pay tax money to educate you child when they have to pay out of their own pocket for their own child’s education?

RA

Build up their empire? WHAT?

So what do you want RA ? Separate but equal. A school system on every corner. Massive duplication of services… First it was discipline now it”s the all my money rant. Just hate those evil socialist union members? Give us some answers?

Oh, Ian Santiago…………when you totally f*** up your kids by home schooling them, don’t bring them to a public school to straighten out your mess.

Back in college, I learned that equals subtracted from equals leaves equals.If it cost $7,500 dollars a year to educate a student, then the public school system is saving $7,500 by not having that student there. True or are they lying to me?

Where is the school out? If all the students went to private schools then there would be no need for public school and the expense would be zero

The public schools want that student for the money, not because they think they can give him a better education but to build up their empire!!!

Of course if the public school sucks, then a voucher program, in my opinion, is better than a crappy education.

Posted by: GaryC. | July 18, 2006 at 06:52 PM

I believe that if were true then public education would be nothing but a handout.

However, I see thing a little bit different. If it cost $7,500 dollars a year to educate a student, then the public school system is saving $7,500 by not having that student.

So why not give that parent a tax credit of $7,500 if he will home school his child or send him to private school. It’s not the government’s money. It is the parent’s money that he has paid in taxes.

I am neither for nor against Edison. What I am for is better education for the children, and future leaders. If that is public school, so be it. If it either school for profit, or vouchers (there is a difference), so be it.

I really don’t give a damn how it’s done, but education needs some serious overhauling, and our children deserve the best. Put that in your condescending pipe and smoke it.

Private school vouchers are nothing but a handout. Why the hypocrisy?

So many others don’t have your “tolerance” for your position on race.

Your kids may find that the inferior races are superior at kicking their ass . . .

V.L.R.B!!!