“Proposals now open for equity, respect and belonging initiatives at Penn State”

Bison13

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Anecdotes are always interesting, of course.

But the truth is that US public schools have, by and large, plummeted wrt actual education.

Basic education - math, reading, etc - have seen significant drops in proficiency (and heartbreaking numbers of semi-literate level kids, even among those "graduating"). Two years post-COVID they still have shown no indications of sustained rebound.
The effect on higher education? Obviously, with those raw materials coming in the front door, the results track all the way up to higher ed.
It is stunning the number of classrooms/seats now set aside for "remedial" courses in Math and English - even at major Higher Ed institutions. Kids who were accepted at "quality" universities.
How does that happen? Until that question is honestly answered, one can't even begin the work on "how does it get corrected?".
I can’t possibly agree with this more. Everything you said about kids knowing basic facts in math and English is true. Kids are socially promoted because of the school systems fear of having a 15-year-old seventh grader beat up a 12 year old one.

the whole ‘remedial’ classes in college is a joke. Why are we accepting so many kids who can’t do algebra or read at a 10th grade level? These no credit classes add at least a semester to their college career if they actually pass them. So many here in MD never pass them and end up dropping out with unnecessary debt.
 
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PSUJam

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Anecdotes are always interesting, of course.

But the truth is that US public schools have, by and large, plummeted wrt actual education.

Do you agree the tax base of each public school district is directly related to the success or lack thereof wtr to actual education in Pennsylvania?
 

Bison13

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Do you agree the tax base of each public school district is directly related to the success or lack thereof wtr to actual education in Pennsylvania?
If by tax base you mean two parent households who are involved in their children’s education, then yes, but if you just mean the property values being higher, and bringing more money, it’s no.

I worked in a small rural school system in western PA that had some of the highest SAT scores and college placements in the state. Their average household income was half of suburban Pittsburgh districts, but it was just a district that’s community knew what it was, blue-collar families who helped each other out, but also hold each other accountable.
 

Nitwit

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If by tax base you mean two parent households who are involved in their children’s education, then yes, but if you just mean the property values being higher, and bringing more money, it’s no.

I worked in a small rural school system in western PA that had some of the highest SAT scores and college placements in the state. Their average household income was half of suburban Pittsburgh districts, but it was just a district that’s community knew what it was, blue-collar families who helped each other out, but also hold each other accountable.
That’s true. Parental involvement plays a big part in the students’ academic success. Parents who read to their children for example see higher levels of reading skills among their kids. Parents who take an active interest in their child’s academic performance see better results. Teachers can’t work miracles, at least not alone.
 

kgilbert78

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Oct 25, 2021
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Do you agree the tax base of each public school district is directly related to the success or lack thereof wtr to actual education in Pennsylvania?
In my part of the world, the difference between city and suburban school districts in funding is not as much as one would expect. It's what they do with it. But we're about to have a levy go on the ballot for our city schools, and we just had our triennial home value revaluation. And state grades for the systems come out tomorrow. Should be interesting.
 

GrimReaper

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In my part of the world, the difference between city and suburban school districts in funding is not as much as one would expect. It's what they do with it. But we're about to have a levy go on the ballot for our city schools, and we just had our triennial home value revaluation. And state grades for the systems come out tomorrow. Should be interesting.
Don't necessarily equate school funding with income levels and relative property values in a district. In NJ some of the highest funding per student is in the poorest districts. Money comes from the state instead of property taxes. And, BTW, not that it's a surprise,those high-funded districts are among the poorest performing.
 
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laKavosiey-st lion

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Oct 30, 2021
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Yeah - we send our kids to a peer school in the DC area to the one mentioned in the article (Sidwell Friends). We are fine financially but tuition for two is significant for us - meanwhile, my daughter is invited to a play date at the former home of Max Scherzer with her classmates. I do think there are a lot of benefits (safety being #1 for me) but it can be a lot…
What’s 47x2?
The school employs 273 full-time teachers and staff. 84% of faculty hold advanced degrees. Tuition for the 2022–2023 school year ranges from $47,200 for grades PK-2, to $51,650 for Upper School. The school does not compute GPAs or assign rankings to its students, nor does it release score averages for the SAT and ACT.
 

Midnighter

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What’s 47x2?
The school employs 273 full-time teachers and staff. 84% of faculty hold advanced degrees. Tuition for the 2022–2023 school year ranges from $47,200 for grades PK-2, to $51,650 for Upper School. The school does not compute GPAs or assign rankings to its students, nor does it release score averages for the SAT and ACT.

Is that Sidwell tuition? For us, it’s about the same plus extra for bus and lunch (shuttle buses are free though if you can use them). Lunch included in Upper School but tuition is higher. Not to mention annual donations to advancement and scholarships.
 

Bvillebaron

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It’s not everywhere, but quite a few states have at least portions of their school systems that give no grade less than 50% even if the kid didn’t attempt it. Here in Maryland that’s basically every school district. Also, it’s not that they’re giving every kid a 2.0 GPA but rather they’re calling regular classes honors to weigh their GPA so that everybody can feel like they are an honors student in an attempt to get all GPA is above 3.0. it’s almost impossible to fail a kid unless they just don’t come to school anymore. There’s a funny cartoon that shows a picture of a kid failing a test back in the 70s and their parents cussing the kid out and then on the other half of the picture, it’s a current day student failing a test, and the parents and principal cussing out the teacher. public schools make sure 98+ percent of their kids graduate, even if they are not capable of doing the work.
That about sums it up.
 

Midnighter

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Though I recommend against it, the DC Urban Moms Private/Independent School message board can be quite entertaining/cringeworthy. Many folks there legitimately looking for answers to questions, but most are trolls which leads to funny interactions like:

Subject: What is even the point of private schools?
quote
Anonymous
with how it is nearly impossble for kids to get into Ivys unhooked.

with the insane woke brainwashing and the inbedding of politics into the circirulum and the loss of traditional learning

with schools and universities disregarding objective measures like SAT scores, AP test scores.

with top universities graduates having problems paying off their student loans and getting jobs


It all just feels pointless.

09/08/2023 11:07
Subject: What is even the point of private schools?
quote
Anonymous
Just say you didn't get into any of the top private schools, OP.

 

Midnighter

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Oct 7, 2021
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Does Penn State have one of these available?

 

GrimReaper

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Oct 12, 2021
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Though I recommend against it, the DC Urban Moms Private/Independent School message board can be quite entertaining/cringeworthy. Many folks there legitimately looking for answers to questions, but most are trolls which leads to funny interactions like:

Subject: What is even the point of private schools?
quote
Anonymous
with how it is nearly impossble for kids to get into Ivys unhooked.

with the insane woke brainwashing and the inbedding of politics into the circirulum and the loss of traditional learning

with schools and universities disregarding objective measures like SAT scores, AP test scores.

with top universities graduates having problems paying off their student loans and getting jobs


It all just feels pointless.

09/08/2023 11:07
Subject: What is even the point of private schools?
quote
Anonymous
Just say you didn't get into any of the top private schools, OP.

My wife spent the early part of her career teaching in private schools so we developed a perspective of sorts. Family situations and the individual needs of the child should always determine choice. But in general, we don't see any advantage over an excellent public school, unless you're sending the kid to Saint Grottlesex, one of the academies (save, perhaps, Milton), or, stretching it a bit, Lawrenceville. Would offer the disclaimer that following this advice might turn your normal, well-adjusted, bright kid into a sociopath, for which the writer takes no responsibility.
 

PSUFTG2

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Jul 1, 2023
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Actual total costs at OSU? Probably 10 times that, maybe more, maybe less - but who could say.

Looking simply at "Base Salary of personnel with XXXX in their titles" is just a jumping off point. That would be a good proxy for costs if all those folks did was sit silently in an office and wait for check deposit day.
But, of course, that is not the way it works.
Each of those folks has some "initiative, program, or directive" they are involved in - which then requires scores of folks throughout every part of the institution to devote a portion of their time and effort (which costs $), along with whatever ancillary operating and indirect administrative burdens, to those causes.
What is the true total cost at OSU - or elsewhere? Who knows?



[FWIW: Figures like the ones compiled for OSU in the above graphic are relatively easy to get from other public universities. I have far more detailed financial information from many of them - University-wide (which is more meaningful, and I am more interested in), not just the DEI bit (which is obtuse at best, and I am less interested in). All made available to me with a simple on-line or telephone call request to the particular school. Penn State, of course, is the outlier in that accessibility.]
 

BobPSU92

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Oct 12, 2021
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So you think Shedeur is "a stupid made up name," jackass? It's Ancient Hebrew and can mean (among others) "field of light:, "bringer of light," or "light of the Almighty."

So it was made up a long time ago.

😁
 

step.eng69

Well-known member
Oct 12, 2021
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Can‘t put a price on feeling diverse, equitable, included, and belonged.
No you can't.........
This is one of my favorite movie personalities.
She's the real meaning of feeling diverse, equitable, included, and belonged.



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Ivory Snow model. Will anyone admit to recognizing her?

It seems everyone has heard the whisper that the cute little baby on the Ivory Snow box grew up to be porn star Marilyn Chambers.

It's true Chambers does appear on the box, but not as the baby — she was the young mother holding the infant.

Marilyn Chambers was born Marilyn Ann Briggs on 22 April, 1952 in Providence, Rhode Island. When Procter & Gamble was casting about for an image of fresh-faced young lady to use on boxes of Ivory Snow laundry detergent in the early 1970s, they selected the now-iconic photograph of Marilyn Chambers posing as a loving young mother holding a bright-eyed, adorable baby. That photo became synonymous with the much-touted purity of the product (99 44/100% pure, according to the company), a circumstance that proved ironically embarrassing for Procter & Gamble when they learned that the New York model whose picture now represented their product had since moved to San Francisco and turned her hand (and other assorted body parts) to the making of porn films. She became an instant hit with her appearance in the 1972 porn classic Behind the Green Door, a film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to a standing ovation. Earlier in her fledgling career, she'd had a small part as Robert Klein's girlfriend in the 1970 film The Owl and the Pussycat and had also appeared in a 1971's Together. But from Behind the Green Door on, most of her onscreen work was in the adult film industry.

Though a young lady in a dirty business, Chambers proved early on she had a good head on her shoulders: she was smart enough to negotiate a contract that gave her 10% of the gross receipts for her films. (This was back in the pre-VCR days, of course, when watching a skin flick didn't mean renting one from the local video store and viewing it in the privacy of one's bedroom, but making a trip to the local sticky-floored pussycat theater.) Based on estimates of the box-office receipts for Green Door and The Resurrection of Eve, she earned more than $3 million in two years. Her life wasn't all skittles and beer, though — she went through a few divorces and battled drug and alcohol addiction before passing away at age 56 in 2009.
It's interesting to note how this tidbit about Marilyn Chambers and the Ivory Snow box is processed by those who come across it. Invariably, those who remember Chambers being in the shot always cast her as the baby. It's that old "innocence transformed into evil" motif — a pretty girl in a soap ad two years later going on to star in a porn film doesn't provide nearly the moral shock factor of an adorable little baby's growing up to follow that particular career path.
(And to clear up another long-standing rumor, no, that baby on the Ivory Snow box isn't actress Brooke Shields. Brooke did appear in some Ivory Snow advertisements as an infant, but her picture was never used on the box.)
 
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