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[Dooner987]

My kids go to school in Milton, NH. This school system has been listed as "in need of improvement" with the state for a while. My son, in the 6th grade. He repeatedly misses his homework, ie. not passed in on time. Now back when I was in school (graduated in 92) if my homework wasn't passed in on time I received a failing mark for it. My son is allowed to turn in his homework late. A day, a week, a few weeks, and get a passing mark for it. While I appreciate the fact that he's given the chance to make it up, and achieve a passing grade I fail to see where this helps a person in life. To me it seems it's a way for the school system to "bend" a little and help a student out to get a better grade. This to me also seems a way to skew the numbers for the state. To get higher marks for the students to get the system out of the "school in need of improvement" status.  Fudging the numbers if you will. Still ok with that I guess... but.... it does nothing to help them with lessons in life. Employers expect and demand quality and timely work. If not, we as employees fail. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm thinking a private school system without government involvement, or incentives may be a much better choice for them.

[John Edward Mercier]

I believe the status is simply based on testing... not completion of homework assignments.
So I can't see how it would help them 'fudge' the numbers, other than completion of the assignments adds to your child's knowledge base which could later be used on the tests.

[lildog]

The "needs of improvement" rating for schools is based on state tests issued once a year and has nothing to do with day to day operations within the school.  If you contact school administration they can give details of what caused your school to fall into that rating.

I personally wouldn't give it too much concern because the "needs of improvement" rating system itself is flawed.  They test all students and do not weigh each group differently so special needs students are expected to test at the same rate as a student without learning difficulties.  Towns with higher then average special needs students will always test lower as a result.

As I stated, if the rating is a concern I'd reach out to the school administration.  The details should all be public information and most school officials are friendly enough.

[escapist_reborn]

My kids go to school in Milton, NH. This school system has been listed as "in need of improvement" with the state for a while. My son, in the 6th grade. He repeatedly misses his homework, ie. not passed in on time. Now back when I was in school (graduated in 92) if my homework wasn't passed in on time I received a failing mark for it. My son is allowed to turn in his homework late. A day, a week, a few weeks, and get a passing mark for it. While I appreciate the fact that he's given the chance to make it up, and achieve a passing grade I fail to see where this helps a person in life. To me it seems it's a way for the school system to "bend" a little and help a student out to get a better grade. This to me also seems a way to skew the numbers for the state. To get higher marks for the students to get the system out of the "school in need of improvement" status.  Fudging the numbers if you will. Still ok with that I guess... but.... it does nothing to help them with lessons in life. Employers expect and demand quality and timely work. If not, we as employees fail. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm thinking a private school system without government involvement, or incentives may be a much better choice for them.

I would always advocate a private school or other alternative form of education, especially over an "in need of improvement" school.

However, unless you're absolutely dead-set on raising an automaton, I wouldn't sweat the late assignments that much, as long as he's learning. As someone who was homeschooled most of my life and later had some bad experiences with public university, I can say that it's hard to turn everything in exactly on time when the child realizes (even on a subconscious level) that homework is essentially pointless. It has no bearing on whether or not the child learns. As I've learned first-hand from nearly a decade in the working world, gearing a child towards creativity and learning, rather than obedience, will make him or her so much more prepared for today's dynamic, creative work environment. Conformity and uniformity do more harm than good.

[John Edward Mercier]

Then why would you advocate a private school?

[escapist_reborn]

Then why would you advocate a private school?

Over a public school. I would advocate homeschooling over anything.

[John Edward Mercier]

My point is that private school tends toward more conformity and uniformity.

[escapist_reborn]

My point is that private school tends toward more conformity and uniformity.

Than public school?

[Ward Griffiths]

My point is that private school tends toward more conformity and uniformity.

Than public school?

More often than not.  M. Mercier is probably referring to religious schools, generally run by Holy Church, which emphasize that.  Not that the "secular" (generally meaning protestant) prep schools around New England are any great hotbeds of individualism.

I went to public schools, myself.  But I'd fortunately taught myself to read before kindergarten, so my schooling didn't really interfere with my education -- I was able to spend class time figuring where the bullies were going to look for me so I could plan to be somewhere else (95% success rate).

[John Edward Mercier]

No. Many private schools have a dress code/etc that is used to induce conformity and uniformity to a norm.

[maxxoccupancy]

Some parents prefer schools with uniforms.  I never liked uniforms until I heard from students who wore them.  It's a completely different environment sans judgmentalism and the stress and peer pressure to wear faddish clothes.  Schools that make uniforms standard have seen fighting and bullying go down and test scores go up.  There are fewer distractions, and what you wear doesn't define you.

[John Edward Mercier]

How would that be non-conforming?

[TJames]

Public schools teach conformity to the state. In some schools conformity is taught. Private schools are not strongly statist but they are not individualist.

[John Edward Mercier]

Huh?

[Dooner987]

 I think, from what I understand anyway, that if I could afford it I would send my kids to a private school. Just for the sole reason that public schools accept federal monies. In doing so they have to follow mandated curriculums. Of course big brother wants to mold our children the way they feel they should be. get the government out of the schools and teach kids what they should be taught.