Jul
14
2008
What Can the Washington Dc Schools Teach Us?
Posted by admin in Middle School Article, tags: Dc Schools, Income Students, Jaws, Public School System, School ChoiceA mix of political power and extreme poverty, the Washington DC Public Schools face a struggle that epitomizes the state of education in this country. While the elite and affluent live in the best districts, or send their children to private schools, many students in the Washington, DC Schools function in poverty and need.
Why does this matter? The discrepancy between the haves and have-nots in the Washington, DC Schools mimics that which has led to the glaring racial achievement gap in the country. Recently, studies reporting on the gap percentages in all states have gotten a lot of attention. Also, reports on the correlation between income and achievement have received a lot of press. Although I don’t think any jaws are dropping; the question for Washington, DC schools isn’t if poverty leads to low achievement, it’s what to do about it.
Methods in the Washington, DC Schools
The initiatives that the Washington, DC Schools implement are an important barometer for the rest of the schools in the country. If efforts work, they will be duplicated. If they fail, it is a cause for concern, and considered a waste of money. Vouchers are one big issue. Due to declining enrollment in the Washington, DC public schools, and a desire to offer school choice to low-income students, a federal program offering $7,500 school vouchers was offered to needy students in the Washington, DC Schools.
Not everyone is fond of this method because they are afraid it will actually encourage more students to leave the Washington, DC Schools for charter or private schools. Many feel this could degrade the quality of the system. Ironically, this is the same concern when affluent and educated families leave the public school system. The Washington, DC Schools loose both per pupil funding and the most involved parents when this happens. Vouchers may exacerbate the situation.
However, this may be Continue Reading
Oct
23
2007
Magnets in the St. Louis Schools
Posted by admin in Middle School Article, tags: Charter Schools, Language Immersion, Magnet Schools, Public Education System, School ChoiceJust like any other big city the St. Louis Schools in Missouri have some challenges in educating the city’s youngest population. Religious and private schools are an option for many. The public St. Louis Public Schools don’t have the best reputation. Charter schools and magnet schools are both alternatives to the traditional model of St. Louis Schools.
St. Louis Schools offer charters, independently run institutions, as one version of school choice. The problem with charter schools anywhere is that you never know what you’re going to get. Various local and national organizations run charter schools, and their success rates have been all over the board. I’d recommend that any parent looking at a charter in the St. Louis Schools only do so if it already has a good success rate, or you know families who are happy with it.
How are Magnet Schools Different from Charter Schools?
St. Louis Schools also has a wide spread magnet program. A magnet school is one with a specific focus like math and science, or language immersion. It’s common for a magnet school to be housed inside a larger school, but they can also be independent. Unlike a charter school, a St. Louis Schools magnet is fully part of the public education system and must abide by all the same rules. While this does mean some consistency, it also means some challenges.
The other difference is that students are accepted in a St. Louis Schools magnet by a lottery system. There are some groups that get preferences: continuity with another school, siblings who attend, and neighborhood kids are the top three. This can cause some problems as students clamor to get into the most popular St. Louis Schools magnet programs.
One of the biggest benefits to the St. Louis Schools magnet programs is that you tend to get a high level of parent involvement because parents have to take action to get their children into Continue Reading