Title
Authorizing the City Council Committee on Education to hold hearings to discuss how we can better implement educational standards in the early childhood years from Pre-K to 3rd grades to prepare our children for success later in life.
Body
WHEREAS, Statewide educational standards are required to be met before students are allowed to move on to the next grade level or graduate. However, local school districts are given the latitude to make the determination of whether the “standards” have been “met”; and
WHEREAS, Starting from the 3rd grade, students in Pennsylvania are tested every year to see how well they are learning. The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is given in 3rd-8th grades and the Keystone Exam is administered in high school; and
WHEREAS, Statewide, 61 percent of students taking PSSA exams this past spring passed the reading tests, and 43 percent passed the math tests. In Philadelphia, the scores were much lower, 33 percent passed the test in reading, and 19 percent passed in math. Both scores in Philadelphia went up one percentage point from last year’s scores; and
WHEREAS, Standardized tests are an effective way to show how our children are doing academically and what areas need to be focused on. However, they do not tell the whole story. They do not show what is being implemented in the classroom, how information is being presented and if the form of delivery is effective for everyone; and
WHEREAS, If every classroom is theoretically teaching according to the standards set by the state, why are the outcomes from school to school so drastically different? How are some schools able to implement educational standards with success while others are not; and
WHEREAS, A stronger focus needs to be put on educating our children effectively when they are young and getting them up to grade level in both reading and math by third grade. This will give them a solid foundation for the continuation of their academic careers as well as success in their professional lives; and
WHEREAS, Development in childhood and early childhood produce long-term benefits in school achievement, grade chcfpat0retention, placement in special education, and social adjustment; and
WHEREAS, In 2015, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which requires that all students in American be taught to high academic standards that will prepare them to succeed in college and careers, and ensures that vital information is provided to educators, families, students and communities through annual statewide assessments; and
WHEREAS, Parents should be active participants from the beginning of their child’s education; when their child is still excited about school. Parents should be educated about their child’s curriculum so that they will be informed about what their child is learning, what milestones need to be met and how they can become invested in the subject matter that their child is engaging in; and
WHEREAS, Providing a proper education for every child is a complex issue without a simple solution. However, someone has to be accountable for our students’ progress; and if progress is not being made then something needs to be changed; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the City Council Committee on Education hold hearings to discuss how we can better implement educational standards in the early childhood years from Pre-K to 3rd grade to prepare our children for success later in life.
End