Erin Clarke, Christen Lish, Jenn Ross, and Julie Tangemann Bear Major Responsibility for the Wretched Levels of Student Science Proficiency in the Minneapolis Public Schools
Year after year, students
of the Minneapolis Public Schools record dismal proficiency rates in science.
Perpend >>>>>
Minneapolis Public Schools
Student Proficiency in Science, Based on Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments
(MCAs) for Academic Years Ending in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019
Science
2014
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
African American
11% 15% 13%
12% 11% 14%
American Indian
14%
16% 13% 17% 14% 17%
Hispanic
17%
18% 21% 19%
17% 16%
Asian
31%
35% 42% 38%
37% 40%
White
71%
75% 71% 70%
71% 70%
Free/Reduced
Lunch
14%
15% 17%
16% 15% 14%
All
33%
36% 35%
34% 34% 36%
Among Davis Center
(Minneapolis Public Schools central offices, 1250 West Broadway) decision-makers
responsible for design of the academic program, Superintendent Ed Graff and
Interim Senior Academic Officer Aimee Fearing have ultimate
responsibility; key roles in implementation are occupied by
Associate Superintendents Shawn Harris-Berry, LaShawn Ray, Ron Wagner, and
Brian Zambreno.
But by specificity of
title and function, MPS Department of Teaching and Learning staff members Erin
Clarke, Christen Lish, Jenn Ross, and Julie Tangemann are particularly culpable
for low science proficiency rates.
Erin Clarke is
a K-8 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) District Program
Facilitator (DPF); she is the only member of the MPS Department of
Teaching and Learning who has an advanced degree in a legitimate academic
field, but this degree is in geology rather than in the very most key science
subject areas of biology, chemistry, and physics.
Christen Lish is AVID
(Advancement Via Individual Determination) Coordinator; she holds
only the very general and lightweight master’s degree in science education,
with a bachelor’s degree in education: Lish has insubstantial
credentials as a scientist.
Julie Tangemann is doubly
culpable for maintaining DPF roles in both literacy and science, for which in
both cases MPS student proficiency rates are abominably low; she has
only degrees in education, with no indication of any academic training in
science training whatsoever.
Jenn Ross is K-12 Science
DPF; she does have a bachelor’s degree in biology but a master’s
degree only in science education.
Full credentials for these
Davis staff members with explicit responsibility for science are given as
follows:
Erin Clarke
B.A., Geology
College of William &
Mary
M.A., Geology
University of Wisconsin
M.A. Education
University of Minnesota
Christen Lish
M.A., Science
Education
University of Minnesota –
Twin Cities
B.S.,
Education
University of Minnesota –
Twin Cities
Licensures:
Life Sciences
Earth and Space Science
Jenn Ross, K-12 Science
DPF
M.A., Science
Education
University of Iowa
B.S.,
Biology
Drake University
Licensures:
Life Sciences
Science 5-8
Julie Tangemann, K-5 Literacy DPF, K-5 Science
DPF
M.A.,
Education
St. Mary’s University of
Minnesota
B.A.,
Education
University of St. Thomas
Licensures:
Elementary Education
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Students in grades preK-5
learn very little science at all. An MCA in science is administered
to grade 5 students, who perform predictably poorly.
Middle school students do
take courses bearing the names Science 6, Science 7, Science 8; a
science MCA is administered in grade 7, also yielding predictably low proficiency
rates.
Low proficiency continues
at the high school level, indicated by results on the science MCA, low scores
on Advanced Placement tests, and poor performance on the science portion of the
ACT college preparedness exam.
Heretofore, Erin Clarke,
Christen Lish, Jenn Ross, and Julie Tangemann have operated below the radar as
to their insubstantial credentials and their roles in poorly designing and
implementing science curriculum at the Minneapolis Public Schools; they
share responsibility with the highly paid Graff, Fearing, Harris-Berry, Ray,
Wagner, and Zambreno.
In my book, Understanding
the Minneapolis Public Schools: Current Condition, Future Prospect,
I reveal the knowledge-deficiency of the science program at the Minneapolis
Public Schools, with elevated specificity as to the culpable staff members.
The days of designers and
implementers of science curriculum at the Minneapolis Public Schools
academically abusing the students for whom they have sacred responsibility are
over.
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