In a recent column on the recommendations that would come out of the CES/HES Merger Task Force, I wrote:
"Of the three proposals the Task Force will report to the full Board of Education on Monday night, only the creation of a magnet school program at CES can claim to directly address the Free & Reduced Lunch disparity the group was charged with impacting."
Now, there is strong evidence from right next door that the magnet school approach will have exactly the impact the Board claims to seek, and in an amazingly short period of time.
Today's Durham Herald-Sun has an article by Carolyn Rickard about a planned parental vote on requiring school uniforms at Durham County's W.G. Pearson School. While coverage of parents having an actual voice in decisions made by their public school system is always of interest to me, this quote from the article reveals a clear solution to the problem the Orange County Board of Education had hoped to address with Dennis Whitling's disastrous plan to merge CES and HES:
"Until 2006, Pearson was a traditional school drawing students mainly from the poor neighborhoods that surround it. When it became a magnet, though, it suddenly began enrolling students from all over Durham, reducing the percentage of students in the free and reduced-cost lunch programs -- traditional indicators of poverty -- from about 83 percent to 60 percent."
In only one year as a magnet school, W.G. Pearson was able to attract enough diversity from across Durham County to lower its FRL percentage 23 points!
With strong support from the Board's Task Force and local models of magnet programs that have actually improved a school's FRL balance, the Board should immediately repudiate Dennis Whitling's unsupported "Big Plan" and aggressively pursue the creation of a magnet school at CES.
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30 comments:
I'm all for magnet and uniforms.
Can we get a dialog going about what kinds of magnets would be of interest?
Don't tell me it costs too much. It is cheaper than letting this situation persist - think of it as an investment in our children.
I also agree about the magnet school and uniforms. If everyone is wearing the exact same thing, it makes it a little easier to notice the kids who may not dress in name brand and would prevent teasing b/c of what a child wears. I am all for uniforms! Should have been implemented years ago at all schools, not just Orange Counties.
Anyone opposed to uniforms? Not expensive, just khaki or navy on the bottom and white or navy on top. Something simple like that. I think even Target had a uniform section of kids clothes in the fall. We have to buy clothes anyway. I was just wondering what the other side of the argument would be.
It would definitely set a new magnet apart though - in a good way.
I also want to know what type of magnet would appeal to others. I know what I would like and what would entice me to stay in the school district, but I'm very curious about what others want - especially mothers of boys. What kind of school would make any mom in Orange Co. have her withdraw from his/her current elementary school to attend a new magnet?
Kylie
I think uniforms at HES would be a great idea as well. There are children at HES that cannot afford designer clothes.
What do you all think?
I don't want to turn my child into a cadet. Let's stay away from making our children look all the same.
Can you give me some more information about why uniforms sound bad to you?
One nice thing is that it levels the playing field for all of the kids. Disguised lunch codes to hide free lunch status coupled with khaki/polo shirt uniforms would really eliminate social status snobbery in school.
It also makes getting dressed in the morning a snap. Have you talked to anyone who has lived in a district that uses uniforms? They aren't really uniforms, more like dress codes.
The kids don't all look like robots or anything.
Just my .02
Ever heard of the book 1984? Although this is different, the same premise "big brother is watching you" exists. Don't wear your uniform on a given day, and the child is shamed. Believe me, this happens.
Uniforms wouldn't turn your child into a cadet, nor would it make everyone look the same. Do you shop at a store that only makes one of a kind clothing? Of course you don't!
I'm fine with uniforms but more interested in the magnet idea. How far has this plan been developed, ie. what type of magnet model would they follow? I wonder if my child still be able to attend CES, if not accepted into the Magnet program, if there were an application process.
BTW - I love this site and have been following it for a long time, I've just never posted.
Okay.....I think it is a bizarre thought to compare kids wearing khaki bottoms and white or navy tops to the book 1984. It has nothing to do with anyone watching you or everyone becoming droids at all. It is one tool to eliminate the stigma of not having have Gap or Gymboree clothes. Some people don't realize that there is a definite difference between the haves and the have nots when it comes to dressing their kids for school. If the goal is to have our Free Lunch kids feel better about themselves, then khakis and white/blue shirts would absolutely help because they wouldn't stand out as underprivileged by their clothing. I don't know if I'm explaining this so you can understand, but uniform-type clothes have nothing to do with big government or people losing their identity.
Magnet schools cost MONEY. If you really care about creating magnet schools, please contact your County Commissioners! The Board cannot create magnet schools without funding!! Hello!! The County Commissioners have historically not funded our schools to an acceptable level.
Uniforms are not a bad idea. However, NAVY and WHITE? Please tell me you are joking!!
E
Anything you do to fix the problems of imbalance in this district will cost MONEY. Why not put our MONEY where our mouths are and do something tangible for once. Status quo will not work toward balance and closing the achievement gap. Magnet schools are an excellent option for our district.
In regards to uniforms, my nieces and nephews where khaki or navy pants; white, gold, hunter green, or navy blue shirts depending on which school they attend in their district. That is the standard in uniforms.
What is wrong with navy and white? It would seem neutral colors would be the best choice. Navy, khaki, and white are what you see in the stores that sell uniforms.
It is a wonderful idea that would help kids focus on learning and not on who is wearing what.
Yes, I know that Magnets costs money and there appears to be some support through Federal desegregation efforts. However, we need to look at the cost of the other side:
-Operating a full elementary school for 200 children when several other schools are bursting at the seams. For me this is about 1/3 of the issue. How do we fill CES' halls with children who can instill the "Peer Effect".
-The cost of having these children thrown into middle school when the social class divide has widened the gap instead of closing it. What happens when the FRL tweens are in school with the Non-FRL tweens - what is the cost of the tension btw these groups? Are we creating future issues that we'll dump on our middle schools?
-Academic success and classroom behavior is an undeniable issue at Central. I know that this statement makes people bristle, but it is true. What is the cost of NOT having the kids learn how to behave in class and on field trips.
-What are the future ramifications of children without support at home, who just get pushed through the system without really learning. They drop out and perpetuate the cycle of welfare. Can you put a price on a child who is supported through school b/c his/her teachers aren't overwhelmed with FRL-type needs? Can you put a price on a child who is inspired b/c his classmates are headed to college and he doesn't just settle for a minimum wage job - he finds a way to go to college to?
So, I guess what I am saying, in the end, is wouldn't it be nice if we had a School Board who worked with the community instead of against it? What if the BOE had approached the parents and said, we have an awesome plan to better our system, but we need money. Parents please attend a meeting where we develop a strategy for working TOGETHER to get our schools fully funded. I think we could have really accomplished a lot had the BOE thought about the big picture instead of just how to get the FRL stats to look better on paper.
Hmmmm......maybe I'm still a little frustrated. The BOE says a solution costs money and that isn't our fault we don't have any. Someone has to stand up for the kids in our district and look beyond the immediate costs to the long term benefits. Can we work together on THIS????
I am missing the offensiveness of navy and white. Please elaborate.
What I would really like to know is how parents of FRL kids feel about uniforms. I am presuming that it would make life easier, but would love to hear from a parent who is struggling to clothe their kids - especially with gas prices!!
I also thought uniforms would make it easy to provide assistance for families. While at the store, a mom could buy an extra set and send it in. Then families in need could request a shirt/pants in a size and if it was in the free closet, they could have it. I guess it would make hand me downs easy too.
Navy and White are the universal colors for Caucasians!
E
Just out of curiosity, what are the "universal colors" of Asians, Blacks and Hispanics?
Okay, I checked my Caucasian handbook, and I can't find anywhere that states navy and white are our universal colors. In fact, my closet is totally devoid of both navy and white clothing (unless you count blue jeans)!
Oh, woe is me. I feel so out of touch with society. Thank goodness we have E as a bone fide member of the fashion police to set us all straight!
Dear E:
I think you are trying too hard to be a cutting-edge thinker. Most of us are normal citizens who have Black, Asian and Hispanic friends. We don't over think the friendships or worry about wearing colors that are perceived as too Caucasian.
If you are having to put so much effort into racial issues and enlightening everyone, you might be part of the problem. Thinking like that puts up a road block between the races. I mean just how upper crust are you anyway? Hillsborough is nice little town, not an Ivy League mecca. In H'boro, we don't need someone to make a big deal out of natural alliances. I don't have a single black friend who would think Navy and White are the White Man's uniform. You are being ridiculous.
Tink's Mom
E;
You are truly ridiculous. You must be the most one-sided bigot I have ever seen. Let's see you come up with an aletrnative since everything that anyone else comes up with... you have a problem with.
Go hide your head under a rock... that's about as much as we get out of you anyway.
Spider Mom:
I Love your post. Thanks for chiming in.
I have asked E to contribute to the conversation with on measly idea and it has never happened.
E's only comments are that of criticism without any positive suggestions or ideas.
E has made one point that needs to be addressed: What are the costs of adding magnet schools? I am 100% in favor of creating magnet schools, and I believe we need to get an idea on how much this will cost. I don't think it's going to cost much in the whole scheme of things.
At the same time, I think the County Commissioners have done an adequate job of funding our schools. Last year Dr. Carraway asked for an approximate 17% increase over the previous year. When she announced this in a public forum, she stated that Orange County Schools would never get this because the Commissioners were not in tune with the needs of our schools. At least we do not have to worry about her saying something as confrontational this year.
Please DO NOT contact the County Commissioners demanding for more money. Instead, ask questions to the current Board on how the money allocated can be better spent. There was little, if any, process improvements identified last year. The Board of Education did not do their jobs in creating a sound budget, and therefore E and the gang spout out "County Commissioners do not care about education!" Truth of the matter is that the budget was nothing more than a wish list.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/orange/story/809182.html
How do we feel about these options??
C
Exactly. Instead of pointing fingers at the Commissioners, I'd like to see an actual strategy come from the BOE. Something like:
Dear Parents, we need your assistance in getting our budget fully funded. Please consider attending a strategy meeting. We would like to start a letter writing campaign, have parents attend the CC meetings and develop a plan explaining why we need to be fully funded.
You get the point. The BOE needs to play the game and GET the money, not just demand it. However, we as citizens need to remain involved and ensure that we are doing our part in attending CC meetings and getting the best for our children. I truly believe that this is a case of the squeaky wheel -- with the caveat that the squeak not be antagonistic.
Tink's Mom
Of course there is very wasteful spending when it comes to our tax dollars. For example, Liz Brown gets paid to attend meetings and she gets paid whether there or not. There were several things that I saw on the budget that were not in the interest of the school system.
Someone needs to go through the budget and do some major cutting and adding. Honestly, how much extra could a magnet school cost? If you use the CES building, well, you have a building.
This is not rocket science people. Magnet schools are not geared to help those kids testing below grade level. If the magnet type classes are geared towards higher academic achievers (and they are or they would not attract students), then the low achieving kids (poor, average, and wealthy) end up segregated within that school. What you end up with are parallel tracks for more gifted kids who excel academically and the kids who struggle more to test at grade level. Thus, while the overall statistics and demographics of the school may look better, the same kids who struggle today will continue to struggle in the magnet school. I repeat, offering classes to attract students into a school does not address the needs of low achieving students that struggle to test at grade level. All it does is hide the struggling students within a larger pool (just as a merger between HES and CES would). I understand why magnet schools appeal to parents of higher achieving students, but they are not the answer to poor academic performance by poor and minority students.
Please remember that poor academic performance by poor and minority students is not unique to Orange County. This is occurring throughout the entire country. There are only a few things that have been proven to help kids that are testing below grade level. First, the school can and already does identify those students who are, in fact, testing below grade level. Those kids should be offered rigorous before school and after school academic programs and those programs should be free. Second, classrooms should not have more than 15 or 20% of the students testing below grade level. When that percentage is higher, the teacher is overwhelmed by the needs of those poorly performing students and has less time and energy for the rest of the class (and then all students do less well). If the BOE would implement just these two suggestions, then every student in every grade in every school will benefit. It really is just that simple.
"This is not rocket science people. Magnet schools are not geared to help those kids testing below grade level. If the magnet type classes are geared towards higher academic achievers (and they are or they would not attract students), then the low achieving kids (poor, average, and wealthy) end up segregated within that school."
This is an interesting comment. Can you provide evidence to support your claim?
That view of magnet is exactly what I need -- another perspective and information. This is the kind of dialogue that I need to think and process and problem solve. Thanks so much.
So with those two proven strategies, it sounds like we need to restructure everything. That might meet a lot of opposition b/c it is so radical, however, the benefits would be monumental. I think people here have romanticized pull-out gifted programs and see them as a status symbol. I was in a pullout program as a child and it did me no good (I won't bore you with the details). My point is that mixing high achievers with low achievers does benefit the low achievers and would be acceptable as long as the percentage of low achievers was kept at 15% to 20%. Otherwise, you will have high achiever parents pulling their kids and demanding a gifted program. And I have to say that if my child was a high achiever, I would probably feel the same way. I wouldn't leave my high achiever in a class that had teacher attention diverted constantly.
Anyone else have some thoughts on balancing the schools from a different angle?
Tink's Mom
My child is a struggling, very bright, very middle class child. We own our own home, both of us went to college, and I have been a teacher in this area. Our child does not cause problems in the classroom or for the teacher and we are incredibly involved in what happens at school and at home in our child's education.
When I went to school in the CHCCS I was a Gifted and Talented (now called AG)student who was always paired with a child in my class who was struggling. This was beneficial for both of us--I learned in a very real way how to help others understand concepts that were difficult for them to grasp(probably why I became and educator), that those kids learned when paired with me, and that they benefitted as much as I did--by not always being with kids who had a harder time learning, and both of us always became friends. If your child does not struggle you likely do not know how that setting apart of children who may not be doing as well as the majority of the class, happens. Children pick up on it very quickly and teachers try to curb it but it happens. We are thankful for a wonderful teacher at HES who cares about what happens for each child in her class, but our child is still paired with children who are performing on a similar level.
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