The document below was part of a presentation made at the EPISD board of trustees meeting the other day:
It certainly does not look good.
Before any of our loyal commenters point this out, let me say that I know nothing about how to interpret these results. Having more students taking the test could certainly explain the decrease in scores.
What got my attention is the last paragraph. “16% of those who took the SAT in the class of 2015 met the College Readiness benchmark”.
EPISD is teaching the kids what the state requires. Our kids score about as well on the state tests as those in other large cities so it would appear that EPISD is doing what the state expects. Could it be that the state is getting in the way?
Maybe as citizens we should find ways to help educate these kids.
Maybe some of our readers can enlighten us.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Not to worry. There’s always UTEP to take the other 84 percent 🙂
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It has been suggested elsewhere that these tests no longer carry much significance, and should be done away with entirely. We already know that the failed “No Child Left Behind” has pretty much left ALL children behind, and that very few public school graduates today are ready for college level study. Personally, I still say we need to go back to the 3 R’s, and push for Art, Music, and vocations, like we did way back when.
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we should encourage episd to bring back vocational programs in force before we vote for a billion dollar bond. welding, hvac, electrician, plumbing and drafting. those pay dividends. we deserve better but get worse
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We could bring back the trade skills program and have the kids in those programs do the maintenance on the schools, which would also save money. Gosh, that would be a win/win. Right? 🙂
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I only know what I experience If an individual raises an issue on the cash cash cow bilingual or duel language they are deemed racist xenophobic individuals. Yet students across the state who are fortis te enough to attend private schools with parental input that have a vocabulary reading writing skills based program see their children fare better on ACT and SAT tests.reading vocabulary skills are built in all course studies. Students cannot describe many articles except to call them a thing. When you have ESL Courses at Community and UTEP what do you expect, Having volunteered in the EPISD Schools Children have no life experience and if they do not know what a disarmebor is they can’t call it a screwdriver. If you do not leave s basic language in either language start at square one and teach English. If you can’t put a name on 200 pictures in either language teach the English. If you can’t speak one language you can’t learn another
Sent from my iPhone
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Arizona had (may still have) an English immersion program for Spanish speaking students. It was (is) excellent with the students getting up to speed in a year. Here, with duel language, the kids graduate and still cannot speak English, or very little of it, certainly not enough to score well on tests. Check out the SAT scores of the kids in the Phoenix / Scottsdale school districts, Are their kids just smarter than ours? Or have we capitulated to the Chicano group?
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“duel?” Sounds like you could use some English immersion yourself.
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Rather harsh judgment considering your own grammar and writing skills
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At one point, a long time ago, AP courses were meant only for students that showed high aptitude in the course that was being offered. For instance, a student with a high math aptitude, on a college path, would be ASKED to be in AP math courses.
Then the legislature changed the law and the rules, so that schools could no longer have requirements like that. Let me repeat that: The legislature changed the rules. AP courses became “open enrollment” so that any student wishing to take the course could sign up whether they displayed an aptitude or not.
Over the years, and because of that, the number of students passing the AP end of course exam has fallen because more students are taking the course, yet are not necessarily qualified to do so. AP courses are essentially college courses. Not all students are college material. Yet we treat them as such because that is what the state asks us to do.
EPISD has a COUNTY WIDE Career and Technical school, located on Walnut street which is a model campus for all Vocational ed schools in the area. You should visit it some time Just Sayin’.
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I believe a conversation with our trustees would benefit our kids. Hoping for a time after the holidays, and an invitation will be forthcoming. Xavier Miranda
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