• Aug 15 a With personnel going back to work this week and kids returning next week, let's focus on how the Pentagon spends that $12,640.06 per ankle biter and the results from those tax dollars.The following comes from the this year's data that was released from the Gold Dome this week.
  
• Aug 15 a At Big Otter Elem 76% of the students can NOT do math at grade level; 67% can NOT read at their grade level; and about the same for science, 74%
• Aug 15 a Clay Elem has been known as the great grade school in this county. There's no reason for that based on assessment testing. As a matter of fact, Clay Elem has been on a downhill trajectory since 2016. Back then, things weren't all that rosy test score wise. In math 76% of students fail to make grade level performance; in reading, is almost as bad with 65% unable to operate at grade level; and finally, science results show a 75% don't understand science and maybe, just guessing at answers hoping for a bull's eye. Here's the proficiency rate at Clay Elem
  
• Aug 15 a Lizemore Elem: 74% CANNOT do math; 70% in reading are failing; and, for science testing, the highlight is 89% way behind grade level. Overall,, this school school's overall performance has been rocketing downward since the 2017-2018 school term
• Aug 15 a  Our most rural school, H E White Elem is right there in that same pack. 66% can't do math; 58% unable to read on grade level; and 59% find science waaaaay above their abilities. At this school, proficiency rates were up until 2019 but now, dropping like a brick
• Aug 15 a  Here's comes Clay Middle School. Seems like, after so many years of sitting at a desk, the yard apes should have picked up something. Right? Wrong!
  
• Aug 15 a For CMS, in math, a full 89% can't do math on their grade level; reading escapes 63% of the kids; and, 74% of the kids have given up in the field of science. Overall, since 2017, the CMS trend in proficiency has been plummeting.
  
• Aug 15 a The future of America, our high school 11th graders, it's very sad. At CCHS 89% cannot do math; 66% can't read; and, 85% are on some other planet in science. At that school, learning trend has been pointing down since 2017.
• Aug 15 a From the W Va Board of Ed website: Overall results showed 40% of West Virginia students were proficient in English language arts (ELA), while 28% were proficient in mathematics and 27% were proficient in science. Additionally, results reflect a decrease in percent proficient from 2019 results

   When parents and taxpayers in general see such pitiful performance, at first they say, that crap ain't true. After they get over the shock, they start realizing their children are not getting a strong education . When 2/3's of the students can not operate on grade level, that has to mean, your tax dollars are being wasted. The School Levy that was suppose to be the best thing since canned soup, that doesn't seem to be working either.
   When the Pentagon looks you straight in the eye and says, those scores are down due to COVID, that's hogwash. Based on annual testing, Clayberry schools have never been very successful in their efforts to educate.
  It's hard to educate when a system does not have trained, certified teachers. More often than not, the School Board hires teachers without the credentials for the field they are teaching. Even worser, the criteria to be hired has been lowered in recent years.
  There was a time when people went into teaching as a life's goal. Those folks knew it was a worthwhile career and one that could make a difference in a child's life.
   That's not the case nowadays. Teaching has become the last ditch job to get thru hard times and until finding a more glamorous career.
  Poor education, especially math deficiencies are killing the state. Take for instance, try to find a local cashier that can make change without the aid of a calculator. If you actually look at the figures above, education stops in the 3rd grade.
  The pandemic didn't help matters but we're really in a more pitiful shape... more so than ever.

AW