Well, the PSSA scores have been officially released to the public (visit www.paayp.com for detailed information).  The good news is that Slippery Rock Area School District has met all of the Academic Year Progress (AYP) targets: attendance, academic performance, and test participation.  They have met all of the targets for student proficiency in Reading and Math. So according to the State's criteria, the District is doing fine.

64.3% of 5^th graders are proficient in Reading. 71.5% of 8^th graders are proficient in Reading.  64.7% of 11^th graders are proficient in Reading.

In Math, 74.5% of 5^th graders are proficient, 78.4% of 8^th graders are proficient, and 48.7% of 11^th graders are proficient. (I guess the State thinks having 51.3% of 11^th graders who NOT proficient in math is adequate, and surely they know best!)

 It seems that most of the District's high school graduates can read, but less than half of the high school graduates can do math.  The students seem to be pretty good in math when they're in 8^th grade, but what in the world is happening between 8^th grade and 11^th grade?  Why are the proficiency scores dropping from 78.4% in 8^th grade to 48.7% in 11^th grade?   Maybe it's the test. After all, the PSSA tests are becoming more difficult.  Maybe it's dropped like this in other districts, too. 

I wonder how Slippery Rock's scores compare with Grove City's scores? Let's see. 

In Grove City, 78.1% of 5^th graders are proficient in Reading.  77.3 % of 8^th graders are proficient in Reading. 81.5% of 11^th graders are proficient in Reading.

 The Math scores in Grove City show that 79.3% of 5^th graders are proficient, 82.1% of 8^th graders are proficient, and 72.8% of 11^th graders are proficient.

Ok, ok. So all of their test scores in Grove City are higher. No big deal. Slippery Rock still met the State requirements.  No big deal?  How is it possible that only 48.7% of Slippery Rock's 11^th graders are proficient in Math while 72.8% of 11^th graders in Grove City are proficient in Math?  Why such a huge difference?

The scores may be alarming for some in Slippery Rock, but notice what happens between 8^th grade and 11^th grade in terms of Math.  In 8^th grade, 78.4% of the students are proficient, but by the time they reach 11^th grade, only 48.7% are proficient in Math.  That's a mighty big decline, and it's a decline that you don't see in Grove City where it only drops from 82.1% in 8^th grade to 72.8% in 11^th grade Math.

What's responsible for the dismal math performance?  It must be the students, the Board and Superintendent might say.  The students just don't care and don't try.  Why not make proficient PSSA scores a graduation requirement, they have suggested?  (Wonder what this would do to graduation rates? Drop out rates?)

It could be the curriculum, I guess.  If my memory serves me right, Dr. Beaton and Dr. Nogay began to map the curriculum when they were first hired.  Their next step was to align the curriculum to the State's Academic Standards.  This was accomplished, apparently, because the curriculum is now on a CD, the administration proudly claimed.  Let's see.  The curriculum matches the standards and the standards match the PSSA test.  Dr. Nogay has apparently received some training from the State and the IU regarding curriculum mapping, presumably the same training that was available to administrators in the Grove City district. 

I'm sure the next group to be blamed will be the High School staff and administration. Surely they have some responsibility.  Of course they do, but they aren't the ones getting paid the big bucks to develop a curriculum that will help prepare students to be proficient in Math and Reading.  They aren't the ones with the ultimate responsibility for what is taught.  They aren't the ones in charge.  The Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent are. 

Where is the oversight from the School Board, our elected officials?  Why aren't they holding these administrators responsible for doing their jobs?  Instead, they just offer them pay raises, new contracts, and praise for meeting the State Standards.  If it looks good on the surface, no problem.

And to be fair, the Board is supporting the High School.  They're getting a new gym after all.  Even though the school is bursting at the seams, and there aren't enough desks or books for each student, maybe we should just be grateful that we have police in the school to direct traffic and give tickets for smoking and cussing.  It's easy to tell what's important in this District.  All that matters is that it looks good on the surface – but don't look too closely or you'll see the real problems – problems that our Board, Superintendent, and Assistant Superintendent are eager to ignore.

The only things I've seen implemented in the name of test scores have nothing to do with the real problem.  Instead, the district's response has been to cut time from recess, art and music in the elementary schools.  Homework at the middle school is discouraged.  High school teachers are being told not to give so many grades for homework.  These are not answers.  They are just band-aids for bigger, systemic problems.

But hey, maybe there is a solution! Instead of hiring so many folks from Hermitage, maybe we ought to see if we can hire someone who knows what they're doing – someone from, say, Grove City???  Comments?

Why were the Slippery Rock School Board members "quiet" during the recent public meeting concerning the proposed Taxpayer Relief Act? Are they really against the citizens paying lower taxes?

Maybe. They didn't seem to have an opinion one way or another during the meeting.

Not only does the Taxpayer Relief Act provide the average property owner a reduction $192 in taxes, it also requires the districts who approves it; to put tax increases on the ballot for approval.

This is the real reason our Board and hundreds of others across the state don't want it. Without the power to raise taxes as they see fit, what power do they have? I would guess that not many of the "community leaders", the lawyers, doctors, pastors, business owners and university administrators, would even bother to run for the office if the taxpayers were given the power of making taxation decisions.

The superintendents don't want it because they fear accountability.  Well, not all of the superintendents.  Some are travelling around the Commonwealth to speak in support of Act 72.  Not our superintendent, though.  I guess she's content with having the Board make all of the financial decisions.

This year in the Slippery Rock Area School District our board decided to build a new gym at a cost to the taxpayers of over 6 million dollars. This money wasn't in this year's budget-they borrowed most of it.The rest will be funded by the 3.5 mill tax increase and taking some from the Capital Reserve Fund (savings account). It seems the board waited just long enough that the costs have gone up 10-15%.  Speaking of the Capital reserve, most districts should have between 5% and 10% of the operating budget in reserve. We have less than 5%, but they are taking from it anyway, hoping the sale of property will replenish it. Hummm.

How many people really believe that the district would be getting a second gym at the High School if the voters had to approve it?   Especially since some of our students in overcrowded classrooms don't even have desks.  Are the taxpayers' priorities be the same as the Board's?  I don't think so. 

The Slippery Rock Area School District Board of Directors better hope Act 72 is found to be unconstitutional.

If the Taxpayer Relief Act becomes a reality and provides real tax relief in the districts that approve it, what excuse will the Slippery Rock Board have? Probably none. They will already have been voted out of office!

Robert Pratt

 Our administrators, according to local newspapers, say our district is "insane" because our PSSA scores are low and not meeting the standards. They have also claimed 5th graders don't have the skills to read the "bigger words" in their Social Studies book.  According to the superintendent we even graduate high school students who can't read!

Funny how some district administrators  have figured out how to have good test scores (65% proficient in math and reading) without limiting Art, PE, and Music, even when 33.8 percent of the students are economically disadvantaged! 

What! 65% proficient in math and reading!  What school district?  What Administrator?

Northgate School District and Superintendent Reggie Bonfield!

 According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review our previous Superintendent was quoted as saying:

"I think too many people use socioeconomic status or other variables, which we can't do anything about, as excuses," Northgate Superintendent Reggie Bonfield said. "I think what kids achieve has more to do with how they're approached and how the staff works with them."

Go figure!