What's behind the Bridge projects, HSA figures
Here's a video shot by Sun photographer Kim Hairston and narrated by Southside Academy math teacher LaShaviar Burns on the Bridge project grading process. It was filmed during the weekend grading session at Edmondson-Westside following last month's onslaught of Bridge submissions.
I went to a City Council education committee meeting last week about Bridge and HSAs. Most of the information presented in a PowerPoint by school system officials was review to me (and those of you who have been following my coverage here). But two slides stood out, showing the breakdown of where students who entered high school in 2005 -- those who are supposed to be seniors now -- ended up. The first slide shows where they were last fall; the second shows where they are now.
Between the beginning of the year and now, the size of the class of first-time seniors grew from 3,984 to 4,088 as students who were behind in credits got promoted. But the number of students who should be seniors and are still underclassmen shrunk by more than the number of seniors grew. I've asked if that means they dropped out and am awaiting a reply. The number of students who started high school in 2005 and are still juniors declined from 592 last fall to 399 now. The number who are still sophomores went from 377 to 259. And 170 are still freshmen, down from 248 in the fall.
Of the 4,088 seniors, there are still 109 who have not passed any HSAs (down from 678 at the beginning of the school year) and 141 who have passed only one (down from 403). On the bright side: 1,968 (up from 689) have passed all four exams needed to be eligible for their diplomas. The number who have met requirements overall has gone up from 2,373 to 3,336.
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
Most of the BCPSS Bridge and HSAs presentaion was a regurgitation of reported data. The data did show positive increases where students who entered high school in compareason those who are supposed to be seniors now ended up. "I have to agree with Sun Paper Inside ED reporters major concern for asking BCPSS if that means they (sutdents) dropped out." She is awaiting a reply.
But in my opinion the City Council Education Committee meetings lack any streamline connection between both bodies City municipal governance and City Schools education operation and education governance taking place in our Baltimore City. I receive City Council education committee email meeting notices and announcements direct from city hall so I attended the PM City Council education committee meeting last week. If any of you In SideEd posters attend any of the council education committee meetings both sides commonly appear not to have much if any bridge or process of information exchange or overall relationship. So the reallity is without question how much does the council education committee contribute to academician, of promoting its and the citizens academic ideas or philosophy.
Posted by: Interested & Engaged BCPSS Parent | April 27, 2009 7:54 AM
Numbers, numbers, numbers--the only ones that will really matter are the ones that say how many students actually graduate. To that end, we have been warned that we must have done everything short of writing the projects ourselves to be sure that our students pass. This means visiting the homes, going to their jobs, and making phone calls ad nauseum. When will the responsibility for graduation be placed on the shoulders of the students as they are the ones who should care the most? Yes, I am a tad bitter.
Posted by: vetern teacher | April 27, 2009 9:25 PM