Nothing New on ISAT's

Kudo's to the students at the various schools who scored well on the 2014 ISAT's. The schools always near the top of the list of high performing schools, year in and year out, are still right there. In Chicago these are the 'classical' and 'gifted' schools for the most part. In the suburbs, the schools are New Trier, Hinsdale Central, Stevenson and other north side suburban schools. It is what one would expect.

Yes, there were some CPS neighborhood schools who made some real progress on ISAT's this year. Well done!!

What you typically won't see, though, in terms of great gains on the standardized test are schools where 80% (and above) of the students come from low income families. I have discussed at length the many disadvantages facings students and families with high rates of poverty. In fact, poverty is just one of many variables working against these good people.

Before anyone shouts out that the parents are to blame or the schools are to blame, kindly take stock of the very real conditions that these students and families have to contend with on a daily basis and then you will understand why scores don't often go up. In fact, you'll reach the conclusion that it isn't all about the scores.

Dick