The Broughton High School community is sweating out the possibility that the school will lose its magnet program.
As noted in today's Midtown Raleigh News article, fears have been heightened since the school board voted last week to demagnetize Daniels Middle School. Parents have been lobbying school board members to not target Broughton as well next week.
“It worries me that will trickle over to Broughton,” said Caryll Poole, who has children at Broughton and Daniels, in the article. “That’s the next short step.”
If Daniels' demographics were considered strong enough that no magnet was needed, parents wonder how nearby Broughton will fare in the school board's review.
Like Daniels, one of the questions facing the school board is whether to reassign large numbers of base students out to free up more magnet seats.
If the school board is willing to accept having a relatively small percentage of magnet students at Broughton, administrators say they can revise the draw areas to try to steer more students to Garner High School.
Click here and here for the handouts that administrators gave to school board members to help them with the magnet review of the secondary schools. It's well worth eyeballing the data.
Comments
Destroying a school (ditto)
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 17:57 — Holding Hope (not verified)FloydTurbo, you hit the nail right on the head. I would however like to think that members of the WCPSS board have more smarts than to remove Broughton's magnet status. I hope they prove me correct. Broughton's a superb school.
Hello? We need more magnets,
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 12:13 — raleighreaderHello? We need more magnets, not fewer. Leave this school alone and go do something about all the schools people are trying to leave, like Dillard.
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I doubt they will ever make schools like Dillard a magnet. I asked once about making Fox Road a magnet. Its a school that people avoid like the plague and I think its at 60% F&R this year. The response from a board member? "They will never make Fox Road a magnet because then not enough people in that area will go downtown".
If they made Dillard a magnet and it was successful, then people in Cary would apply for Dillard because its much closer to them than some of the other options. I would buy this argument from WCPSS IF all the magnet were located in high poverty areas such as downtown or SE Raleigh. But instead we have several magnets pulling base populations that are just as well off as those in North Raleigh or Cary neighborhoods.
Broughton Magnet
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 09:25 — dc (not verified)My understanding is that less than 10% of students who apply to go to Broughton magnet IB program actually graduate in that program. Obviously they are using the excuse of the "Magnet" program just to get to Broughton, when they have no intention of graduating in that program. How does it make since to reassign students out of their base school, to make room for kids from all over the county who are not actually graduating in the program for which they requested the transfer!!!
your understanding...
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 12:56 — Virtuous Yeoman (not verified)your understanding is incorrect, and vastly so.
First off, there are two magnet programs at Broughton--the IB Middle years, and the IB diploma. The MYP includes each student that is in 9-10 grades. The DP is only for juniors and seniors who choose to pursue the most rigourous available program. There is no way to compel, practically or otherwise, all 9-10 grade students to take the diploma program; it's only suited for students who want to pursue the most rigourous possible course.
However, if students transfer in as 11th graders to do the IB, then there are much more binding standards that they actually take the DP. As it stands now, between 40-60% of students in the DP are magnet students...
the only way to arrive at a "10%" number is to factor the % of DP students for the entire school population, which is fatuous.
put another way, ~1600 of the 2200 students at Broughton are in IB at the moment.
Nice Spin.
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 00:38 — Anonymous (not verified)Way to spin the post into your continued ranting about Leesville.
Hello? We need more
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 21:24 — Anonymous (not verified)Hello? We need more magnets, not fewer. Leave this school alone and go do something about all the schools people are trying to leave, like Dillard.
Agreed.
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 16:25 — Bob_SconceEvery school should be a magnet. The district's magnet program creates a system of haves and have-nots.
If ... you live close enough to a magnet that it makes sense to go there,AND the school district doesn't pitch your application because it wants to keep you in your current school AND you happen to win the lottery, THEN you get the best programs. If not, well, tough luck.
It's criminal. At least we have a number of good charter schools that allow parents some escape from the tyranny.
Too bad it wasn't just that easy!
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 10:57 — JSB (not verified)That's part of the problem - there are only so many dollars to spend at the schools. Broughton perhaps doesn't need Magnet status (and thus the funding and resources that go along with that status) as much as some other schools do. Demagnetizing Broughton will free up (in theory) cash and other resources to move to a school that will be "magentized" becuase it really needs help.
There is no such thing as "leaving the school alone" and just finding funds to focus on another at risk facility.
Do away with Magnets altogether, and spread resources around so that all schools have access to some additional things... that's an interesting train of thought and worth exploring. Doubt you'll see this BoE take it on though.
Maybe you will get a reality check and begin to vote right
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 18:46 — Anonymous (not verified)You had a good deal and now you will have to join the rest of us. You voted these uncaring BoE members in again and again. So I am sorry you lost your good deal, but I think it would be better to se what the rest of us are putting up with. Maybe next time you vote, you'll think about us. Let's make all the schools better.
I'd rather stay a base
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 13:51 — Anonymous (not verified)I'd rather stay a base family at Broughton than be moved out to let a magnet family in. Demagnetization is OK for some families.
To Be Fair...
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 12:08 — For Crying Out Loud (not verified)a school in WCPSS is not meant to distinguish itself from others. remember where you are! mediocrity and sameness are the goal.
??
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 11:17 — JSB (not verified)ummm... why is it acceptable to have mediocrity at ANY facility?
Good grief.
I agree.
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 13:25 — NWRaleighMomExactly. Honestly, I want to cry every time I hear magnet parents bragging about the program their children get.
My child is at least one year ahead of the curriculum although she is one of the youngest in her class. We've never been able to win the lottery. Our transfer request was denied. All my child's teachers recommended her to the AG program.
We do lots of enrichments material and projects at home. My children have private Spanish lessons. But why I have to drive them to the Spanish tutor Thursday night when they should've been learning it at school at more appropriate hour for them? There is no way I could add music lessons to their schedule.
I question sometimes whether I am a bad mother that my children do not have the same opprortunities as children in magnet schools.
What I am paying so much property taxes for? My money help ITB to have kind of programs my children would never have. Also, I am paying for ITB F&R kids to be brought in to our school instead of the ITB school. It does not help them and limits further already strained resources.
Destroying a school
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 10:00 — FloydTurboWCPSS is determined to destroy the school spirit and pride that so distinguishes NBHS from the mediocrity of their other facilities. No doubt they will succeed.
Destroying public education is essential to destroying America.
I completely agree
Wed, 10/15/2008 - 13:07 — Lisa_BSounds like what they're attempting at Leesville.
MYR at the ES didn't completely destroy our COMMUNITY SPIRIT, so MYR at the MS is their next attack. We need to keep our faith that there are some on the School Board who will come around and remember the VALUE OF FAMILY when it's time to finalize the assignment plan.
Too bad for all.
You are correct,
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 18:40 — No Mercy (not verified)You are correct, unfortunately so.
WCPSS' motto=Destroying the system one school at a time.
In your case the destruction dial has been placed on hyper speed.