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DEL.ICIO.USIt’s Cox
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kathy Cox, a Peachtree City republican, was elected Tuesday to a second term as state Superintendent of Schools. Here’s Bridget Gutierrez’s story.
Not exactly a shocker, but it’s still a significant development in Georgia education. She will have time to fully implement the curriculum her administration created. She has close ties to Governor Sonny Perdue, and this could give her greater influence on overall education policy.
So let’s talk. How do you want your state school superintendent to spend the next four years?
Comments
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By Broken Record
November 8, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this
I wish Ms. Cox would implement statewide yearly reading assessments on ALL grade levels, and put any student not reading on grade level into reading bootcamps, intensive classes with programmed reading skills lessons to would bring them up to grade level. Any new student should also take the reading assessment. If we help poor readers then they will do better in school, and bring scores up for lagging schools. Second I would love to see a statewide program begun to allow ability grouping in schools within 3-4 chronological age/grade levels, ex. K-3, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Ability grouping would allow bright kids who are ready and willing to learn to be taught on pace with their abilities, and the students who need more time, are mentally challenged, or are not ready would be placed in classes to allow a more measured progress.
By V for Vendetta
November 8, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this
As far away from stickers as possible. OK, ok, seriously…
She can win me over by minimizing the impact NCLB has on our education here in GA. I would also like to see kids held more accountable for their mistakes, especially discipline! Harsher punishments across the board! I know that kind of mandate usually doesn’t come down from the top, but it would be nice if individual schools felt that they could get tougher on crime without facing a backlash and being “thrown under the bus” by the higher powers. Just a thought.
By Elaine
November 8, 2006 11:19 AM | Link to this
I want her to focus on improving teacher quality in all schools, urban, suburban, and rural. I want her to be a driving force in removing beaurocratic obstacles that take away from academic focus in the classroom. She has to be the champion of these things, the politicians will talk a good game, but few will commit. She needs to. I do not want her to focus on religious issues. Stay away from intelligent design, parental permission, and the religious influence in Georgia’s education - it takes your work off focus.
By Molly
November 8, 2006 11:29 AM | Link to this
I want her to ensure that the needs of all the students are being met…not just the ones at risk of failing the CRCT. NCLB has brought great focus to the children at the bottom of the curve, but those at the top are being ignored. Each child should be working at a level that provides for challenge and growth, even if they have already surpassed the state standards. Bright children should not be forced to endless review for a test they could pass in their sleep.
By JustMe
November 8, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this
I don’t want her to do many things….. most of which have already been mentioned. Honestly, I am neutral on NCLB. I do think that some of it is okay because we do need some sort of measuring stick to tell how a school is doing.
Some things that I do want her to do:
Set a state-wide recommendation for school system budgets. For example: 60% should go to classroom teacher salaries, 20% should go to adminstrators, etc. There are some school systems that are way too top heavy (meaning that too much of the budget is spent on paper pushers and the money does not reach the classroom ).
Stop handing how teaching certificates like candy. Yes, I know, there is a teacher shortage. But we need qualified teachers and not just a warm body.
Fight to increase teacher pay. This is how to attract more qualified people to the profession.
Fight the school systems to force them to STAY OUT OF THE CLASSROOMS!!! Let teachers do their job. If the results are bad, get rid of the teacher, but do NOT come into the classroom and tell teachers to read a script (or some other nonsense).
If she can do those 4 things, then I will appologize for not voting for her. But, for some reason I feel that she only wants to “play politics” with education (get her name in the paper) because she has higher political aspirations.
By decaturparent
November 8, 2006 11:56 AM | Link to this
Ditto to everyone above.
Wow, y’all have saved me a lot of typing today.
By SNY
November 8, 2006 12:15 PM | Link to this
There is absolutely nothing that this woman can do for me!! I don’t like her and I don’t trust her. My children’s education is much too important to me for her to be in office. I didn’t vote for her and I am not sorry that I didn’t. She is not what Georgia needs to move education where it should be in order to be a competitive force with the rest of the country. I have no doubt whatsoever that the children of Georgia will continue to fail and fall behind national standards with her at the top. I spoke with my husband about moving out of the state after the results were published last night. I am not willing to risk my children’s future and education on a system that isn’t getting any better and isn’t going to get any better under its current leadership. It doesn’t matter how plugged in you are as a parent, if the school isn’t giving your child what she/he needs to compete, then your hands are tied. I don’t want my hands to be tied. I want a say in what is being taught to my children. She isn’t going to get the job done then all of you who voted for her are going to be mad all over again. Why did you put yourselves through this? Why not give someone else a chance to fix her mistakes? She isn’t going to fix them because she doesn’t think that she made any. One must consider what they have done a mistake in order to be in the correct mind frame to correct the mistake. If she is always right, in her mind, then why would she change? As soon as my husband can get a transfer, we are outta here.
By AK Yarborough
November 8, 2006 12:35 PM | Link to this
As a 6th grade teacher, I would like to teach my subject World Geography-not what they need to know for the CRCT only!!!!
By Amy
November 8, 2006 12:40 PM | Link to this
And where would you go where it’s better? My husband is a teacher and we were looking nationwide for jobs last year. The system is worse here why?
By 4th Year in Hell
November 8, 2006 12:47 PM | Link to this
Wow….Ms. Cathy does not seem very well liked on the get schooled blog! SNY, I completely agree with you…you should move. I have a good number of friends who came to Georgia to make some cash and have decided to move back north (after making such cash) in order to raise their family. Home is where you make it! Georgia, especially Atlanta, is not the place to educate and raise your children. It’s all business. Dealing with children seems to be more of a burden for quite a large majority in our state. If educating the country’s future was a top priority, this state wouldn’t have (and re-elected) a govenor who was more worried about gas prices than education. We would have a state that wouldn’t kow-tow to the religious right pertaining to the science curriculum. This state’s educational system is laughed at by every other state. I am not kiding…Georgia was the butt of many jokes as I was going through teaching college. I have no children now, but the day my wife tells me she’s pregnant is the day I pack up and leave the money making in the ATL. If you love your kids move out of Georgia so that they may have a competitive chance in America’s future economy.
By catlady
November 8, 2006 12:48 PM | Link to this
By jim d
November 8, 2006 01:00 PM | Link to this
I’d just be happy if she’d pull her head out of the sand and grow some baqckbone. (it could happen)
By cleves
November 8, 2006 01:57 PM | Link to this
It’s embarrassing that we re-elected her to be incharge of education in this state. Does anyone know if evolution is the only science she chooses not to believe? Does she believe in plate techtonics? Gravity?
By Vicki
November 8, 2006 02:10 PM | Link to this
Molly, I completely agree with you. The bright students tend to be cast aside to work with the “children at the bottom of the curve”, as you stated. In Math, the students who excel in Math are placed in “ability group” and are studying the curriculum a grade level ahead.
The students who excel in Language Arts need to be place in “ability groups”, too. These students sit through endless review stifling their creativity and desire to be at school. I personally see this every time I’m in a classroom. The children do need to be working at a level that is challenging for them.
Teach the children, not to the test!
By Janine
November 8, 2006 04:00 PM | Link to this
cleves@1:57I agree….It is embarrassing…the evolution thing ruined her for me! We are the laughingstock of the nation. I,too, wish that we could count on her to do anything even close to the things mentioned by Broken Record, Justme, V,catlady, AK Yarborough and others. But, Woe to all,Justme hits the target….a dime to a doughnut she’ll continue to “play politics”..business as usual.
By Broken Record
November 9, 2006 08:23 AM | Link to this
Janine, Yes, Cox’s handling of the evolution debacle was unbelievable and unacceptable!
Patti, Did you have an opportunity to talk with Cox before or after the debate? Does she read Get Schooled? Do you think the voice of ‘we the people’ can make an impact on her actions?
By WFC
November 9, 2006 08:33 AM | Link to this
Nothing that Cathy Cox or any other politician will do will have a very great effect on the classroom. Any disgruntled parent has a much greater effect.
By Jeff
November 9, 2006 08:36 AM | Link to this
Evolution is more of a religion than a science….
Fossil records: Fossils are produced by pressure… the ASSUMPTION is ground pressure. Ever thought of the power of WATER pressure… Same effects in FAR less time…. there is incontrivertible proof that the earth was once COVERED in water…..
By ginger
November 9, 2006 09:10 AM | Link to this
I would like for her to 1.)do away with NCLB for GA, 2.)let the teachers teach rather than be worried about the admin. getting in the way.3.) get the kids out of the classroom that don’t want to be there and show it by being disruptive, violent, or disrespectful. I taught my own, and 30 others in my house in MS, and they learned a lot. We got a lot accomplished, and the SAT scores were very good. Why? Because I didn’t deal with nonsense, I didn’t have to worry about admin., the parents and I communicated, and I could take the time to teach the subjects at hand with varied mathods, not to some standardized test. The kids loved me, minded me, and did well. I had one exception, and he was told that if he wanted to learn, he was welcome. If he didn’t want to learn and not be a disruption, he was to leave, immediately. The ability to kick out the troublemakers who don’t want to learn would do a great deal towards improving the lot of the students who are there to learn. Education is a privilege, not a right.
By high school teacher
November 9, 2006 09:15 AM | Link to this
I’m excited that Kathy Cox was re-elected. She inherited quite a mess when she took over after Schrenko. Four years isn’t enough time to clean up and to start new programs. I’m glad that Georgians have given her a chance to continue her work.
I echo Molly’s sentiments: NCLB = lowering the bar for the high achieving kids.
By Broken Record
November 9, 2006 09:38 AM | Link to this
Uh Jeff? Ever hear of carbon dating? carbon dating Function: noun: the determination of the age of old material (as an archaeological or paleontological specimen) by means of the content of carbon 14 Your pressure theory just blew up.
By JustMe
November 9, 2006 10:02 AM | Link to this
If I could pick one thing, just one, for Cox to accomplish….
Creative a respectable, viable, vocational diploma option. Not all students are college material or college bound yet GA seems to shuffle everyone towards that degree. Our society needs skilled carpenters, plumbers, electricans, etc.
Cox needs to mandate that every school system create at least one school option devoted to vocational education.
Note that if a student does get a vocational diploma, this does not prevent them from going to college.
By JustMe
November 9, 2006 11:43 AM | Link to this
Sorry - fogot to add….
I remember when I was in public school, we had wood shop, metal shop, auto shop, and a variety of things that opened our eyes to career choices outside of college. These days, all of these great classes have been cut in order to prepare students for these standardized tests - what a shame.
By OldSchool
November 9, 2006 11:45 AM | Link to this
JustMe, the viable vocational option exists. For us down here below the Gnat Line, the funding to update our shops just doesn’t exist or isn’t forthcoming. We are operating with 1974 equipment and doing a dang fine job…as far as we can.
It takes bright, motivated students to be successful in today’s Career, Technical, and Agriculture programs. It ain’t your daddy’s vocational school anymore! Go visit Maxwell High School and see for your self.