Here are the NYS standardized 2008 test scores in English and Math for grades 3 through 8.
| English |
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
| Brighton |
91
|
90
|
93
|
88
|
94
|
85
|
| Pittsford |
92
|
96
|
96
|
93
|
94
|
88
|
| Victor |
86
|
84
|
90
|
88
|
87
|
78
|
| Webster |
83
|
84
|
91
|
84
|
87
|
73
|
| Math |
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
| Brighton |
98
|
95
|
96
|
93
|
92
|
90
|
| Pittsford |
99
|
98
|
97
|
96
|
96
|
96
|
| Victor |
97
|
93
|
86
|
93
|
95
|
84
|
| Webster |
95
|
89
|
91
|
90
|
93
|
88
|
Pittsford, Victor and Webster are shown for comparison purposes to similar socio-economic suburban districts.
So…”How we doin?” Pittsford looks “ahead” by a bit. But Victor and Webster are close 2nds.
Interesting that, in general, the students in grades 3-5 are doing better than grades 6-8 with a significant fall-off in grade 8.
Per the D&C: “Test scores are never the whole story in a school district. But they shine a certain telling light.”
By chance, I played tennis with an engineer from T-Mobile.
He told me that T-Mobile wanted to put up a cell antenna on Brighton School property.
The cost for the installation would be 100% paid by T-Mobile with Brighton specifying all installation requirements.
The BCSD would then be paid approximately $18,000 each year.
A number of options were discussed including:
1. Replacing one of the football field light poles with a new one that would support the antenna and the existing lights.
2. Building a “flag pole” directly behind the press box stand .
3. Rebuilding the cuppola on top of the High School to enclose the antenna inside.
The opportunity to receive approximatley $18,000 annually in “free” money was rejected. While $18,000 is not a large dollar amount within a $58,000,000 budget, it was FREE money.
I asked the engineer why the opportunity was rejected. He said that the BCSD considered the potential complaint from some residents a greater issue than the $18,000.
Would you have refused to consider this opportunity?
Newsweek Magazine publishes a ranking of 1,300 public high schools.
While the criteria for any ranking can be questioned, it bothers me that Brighton continues to FALL from the lofty position it held in 2003.
Here are the rankings (for the last 5 years published):
2008 #158
2007 #87
2006 #93
2005 #47
2003 #26
The Brighton budget went UP from (approx.) $43 million to $58 million during this period…a 35% increase to $15,700 per student.
Should our ranking have fallen from #26 to #158 with 35% MORE money being spent on the SAME number of students during this period?
Of interest: Little Rock Central, in Little Rock, AR, ranked #36 this year. This school district is spending $10,614 per student. And 34% of their students qualify for subsidized lunch vs. Brighton’s 9%.
Makes you wonder…..
You can read the full Newsweek article at: www.newsweek.com/id/39380/