Bucks County Herald – September 13, 2007

Lisa Andrejko PSSA Scores & Poverty in Pa Run Schools

Dear Friends,

Is there a correlation between a family’s income and Pennsylvania’s student test scores? It’s back to school time for the children in Bucks County’s 13 school districts. Several recent articles about public education sent me on a visit with Lisa Andrejko, the new Superintendent of the Quakertown School District.

I compared a Philadelphia Inquirer story (March 25) to a Morning Call report (Sept 2) about the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) scores in math and reading for the fifth, eighth, and 11^th grades. In every school of the six, I found that the scores were lower for students who had higher percentages of low income. And in each school district, regardless of income, the reading scores were significantly higher than the math scores.

The six school districts’ real estate tax wealth speaks volumes. Only one percent of New Hope-Solebury’s students were in the low-income category, compared to 33 percent in one of Quakertown’s (seven) fifth grades.

In the eighth grade, Palisades low income stats were 6 percent compared to Quakertown’s two eighth grades, 9 and 11 percent; Pennridge’s two eighth grades, 11 percent; Souderton, 7 percent; Upper Perkiomen, 12 percent. And New-Hope Solebury? Zero percent.

In the 11^th grade, low income statistics were similarly predictable: Palisades, 3 percent; Pennridge, 4 percent; Quakertown, 11 percent; Souderton, 3 percent; Upper Perkiomen, 8 percent. And New-Hope Solebury…zero percent.

New Hope-Solebury’s PSSA ratings are among the highest in the state. Does wealth matter when it comes to academic performance, I asked?

“There’s a correlation between economic status and performance,” Andrejko replied. She emphasized correlation, not causation. There are plenty of high achievers who come from low family incomes. “Size of the school district and the number of special education students also matter.” But wealth seems to count more.

I wondered why every grade in all six school districts experienced higher achievement in reading as opposed to math?

“It’s the nature of the subject,” Andrejko answered. “There’s no shade of gray in math. It’s either right or wrong. It requires memorization and sequential thinking. If you miss something, everything goes awry. Math takes less interpretation. But in a more language rich environment, kids will do better in both reading and math.”

I also asked her about an idea I’ve had for years…how to insure that every student in Pennsylvania’s 501 school districts receives an equal education? The quality of public education in Pennsylvania is often equated to zip code. Because most of the support for public schools comes from property owners’ taxes, wealthier districts spend more money on their kids than poorer districts can. That’s why the New Hope/ Solebury School district invests more on its students than Quakertown does.

Wouldn’t it be fairer to have the state educate its children and collect an education tax to do so, I wondered?

Andrejko disagreed. “Pennsylvania is a local control [of public schools] state,” she answered. Using the wealthy, Main Line Lower Merion School District as an example, she added, “Many communities may choose to do more than the minimum requirements. One size doesn’t necessarily fit all.

What about having a county administered and funded school system, like Maryland, I pressed? There’s a tremendous disparity between a less wealthy school district like Bristol, compared to New Hope-Solebury. Wouldn’t one, Bucks County school district even out the disparities, which exist between the present 13 [districts]?

“I don’t think that the idea would ever fly here,” Andrejko concluded.

Finally, I asked her whether the Quakertown school district had to give incentives to attract new teachers? I’d read a New York Times story (Aug. 27), which listed recruitment bonuses up to $10,000 to fill vacancies. That’s not the case in Quakertown.

“We haven’t had to offer incentives for new teachers,” Andrejko answered. “That’s because our school district is a good place to work. Parents are involved and there’s strong community support. New teachers want to come here.

“And we have outstanding tools for teachers,” she added. “For example, we have a three year professional development system for new teachers. And every new teacher has a mentor teacher. It works very well.”

My guess is that with the exception of New Hope-Solebury, the other five superintendents’ reflections would be similar. There’ll be more news ahead. The school year has just begun.

Sincerely,

Charles Meredith