Oct
15
2008
Atlanta Schools are Models of Reform
Posted by admin in Middle School Article, tags: Atlanta Schools, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, Nontraditional Programs, Student Support StaffEveryday educators, whether they are teachers, administrators, or board members, are striving to improve the services they offer. Teachers attend in-service training; principals meet with other administrators in their district, state, or even the nation; and board members travel to see what other districts are doing right All with the intention of gleaning the best methods and practices for their own schools. Atlanta Schools are no exception. As of the 2006-07 school year, Atlanta Schools were made up of the following:
* Traditional schools (89) * Elementary schools (59) * Middle schools (16)
* High schools (14) * Nontraditional programs (2)* Charter schools (7)
* Adult learning centers (1) * APS Learning Institutes (99)*Title I Schools (89)
* Year-Round Schools (3) * Schools of Excellence (2) * Magnet Schools (7)
Atlanta Schools serve a large number of students. The enrollment for the past school year (2006-2007) was 49,392. The students of Atlanta Schools represent many diverse, ethnic groups:
* African-American 85.98% * American Indian/Alaskan .03%
* Asian .59% * Caucasian 8.37%
* Hispanic 4.10% * Multiracial .93%
The operating budget in the past school year was $582,839,767. Atlanta Schools employ a total of 6,536 employees. 3,465 of these are full-time teachers, 226 are members of the Student Support Staff. 1,900 of Atlanta Schools teachers hold advanced degrees, and another 42 have achieved National Board Certification. The beginning teacher salary for the ’05-’06 school year was $40,157.
Atlanta Schools have embraced many models of school reform, and have implemented them throughout the district, to serve individual areas as needed. Samples of these models are:
America’s Choice: This model enables all students to reach internationally benchmarked standards. Learning is focused on getting all Continue Reading
Jun
18
2008
Desegregation in San Jose Schools
Posted by admin in Middle School Article, tags: Deep Roots, Elementary Age Students, Elementary Schools, Silicon Valley, Student PopulationYou know that racial gap that’s getting so much attention? Well, I’m thrilled that it’s on the minds of politicians, because it’s a problem. Unfortunately, it’s a problem with some pretty deep roots. In 1971, San Jose Public Schools had a dilemma. It seemed to parents that the schools were knowingly and purposely segregating students. Hispanics were the group most targeted in this segregation. So some parents filed a class action suit with the intention of forcing the district to remedy the situation.
San Jose Schools began to address and remedy the problem. For 18 years – from 1985 when the Federal Court Order was settled, to 2003 when they were able to demonstrate that they had complied with it, the district has implemented the changes required by the court order.
A large urban school district, San Jose Schools serve approximately 32,000 students. San Jose Schools are located fifty miles south of San Francisco, in the heart of the Silicon Valley. This is a geographic area of over fifty square miles. The eleventh largest urban school district in California, it has thirty-one elementary schools, seven middle schools, and seven high schools.
The student population is:
31% Anglo 49% Hispanic 13% Asian
3% Black 4% other.
From 1985 to 2003, San Jose Schools followed the plan to desegregate all of its schools in accordance with a Federal Court Order signed on behalf of the Hispanic student population. The decision is based primarily on making school choices available in the San Jose Schools. School choice is another hot topic. Frankly, I think that choice pushes all schools to improve. But not everyone aggress.
The court order was modified in 1998 to allow elementary age students to attend their neighborhood schools. As a result of the Federal Court Order, the San Jose School offers parents and students a wide variety of middle and high Continue Reading