Here's a look at how Johnston County is handling year-round school conversion.
As noted in today's article by Marti Maguire, the Johnston County school board voted Tuesday to start a single-track year-round school program. They're now waiting for the three schools being considered for the change to poll their parents to see if they want to switch.
Polling didn't occur when Wake converted 22 schools in 2007.
Johnston wants to have year-round schools for academic reasons. The three schools contemplating the move have high percentages of low-income students who typically perform poorly on state tests.
The goal would to be offer tutoring during the intersession breaks.
What's unclear is what will happen if a Johnston school switches to year-round and some families don't want to stay. The out for now is that all three schools are being sanctioned under No Child Left Behind and have to provide transfer options.
Things could change for those schools if No Child is changed or they exit school improvement status. Johnston, like Wake, could then be waiting for the state Supreme Court to rule on the year-round case.
Comments
One issue I see with this is
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 11:45 — Big_PictureOne issue I see with this is the fact that the F&R population wants a traditional calendar. Not that the F&R kids are the only ones who need intercession help, but a year round calendar probably is not the way to approach this if you want to help F&R.
Inaccurate
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 21:40 — supportwcpssI think you are making an assumption regarding F&R wanting a traditional. First only 1600 F&R opted out and Wake County has arond 40K F&R. Second, they might have opted out due to the busing and not the calendar.
Finally, while studies show overall the year round and traditional show no difference in terms of academic success, studies do show better results for this population.
There were 4019 students
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 07:44 — Eric_BThere were 4019 students opting out of year-round and modified calendar this year. Link here:
http://www.newsobserver.com/content/media/2008/7/3/0809optout.pdf
Of those 4019 students, 60% were F&R for a total of about 2400 F&R students opting out.
This is the reason why two schools next to each other, Hilburn and Leesville, have such high F&R differential. 42% vs. 17%. Chuck Dulaney admitted this and that is why he is threatening to do away with year-round if WCPSS loses the WakeCARES case.
I don't see why you are arguing the point.
My question is of all the
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 23:06 — vsheehanMy question is of all the F&R who were being reassigned to a MYR how many opted out? I think the kids who were F&R and already at a school that was being converted to MYR that there would be a lower number of kids who opted out. I wonder if my guess is true if the parents who opted out to a reassignment to a MYR were not upset about year round but the new loooong bus ride?
Good question. If MYR is a
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 10:21 — CaryCurmudgeonGood question. If MYR is a better format for F&R students, why were exactly ZERO schools inside the beltline converted?
Read the thread
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 09:18 — supportwcpssSimply challenging a point that was made that all F&R wants traditional. The numbers do not support that.
My numbers were from the previous year before you got involved.
Nitpicking
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 10:52 — Eric_BI think you're nitpicking. Nobody said all F&R wants traditional.
What is true and undeniable based on the numbers is that F&R students, despite being a minority of the population in WCPSS (28.4%), represent a majority of the year-round opt-outs (60%).
F&R students opt out at a rate more than twice the rate of non-F&R students. That's pretty significant.
EricB another bit of info
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 17:29 — Voice_of_Reason_If you look at Title I schools in WCPSS that failed AYP in the same subject two years in a row, they have to offer busing to good non-Title I schools by federal law. There are few F&R's that accept this offer or even apply.
[Caveat- WCPSS is now saying they are unable to do this in violation of the NCLB Act]
Your patience dealing with
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 15:20 — Big_PictureYour patience dealing with the trolls is admirable Eric B. The 2 of them attempt to put words into others' mouths every chance they get.
"One issue I see with this
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 21:55 — supportwcpss"One issue I see with this is the fact that the F&R population wants a traditional calendar."
Pretty obvious to me. No putting words in mouths.
You seem to have a good
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 21:44 — CaryCurmudgeonYou seem to have a good grasp of the numbers. 1600 F&R opted out of MYR. How many of the remainder did enroll in MYR?
Well...
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 21:58 — supportwcpssIt would obviously be the current F&R at every YR. I just counted a random set of 4 elementary schools and came up with 1000. Given over 40 YR ES I would say that is at 10K. Really rough numbers without going through all the data.
If F&R really didn't like YR wouldn't they all opt out. With less then 10% opting out it appears that isn't the case.
Which schools did you
Fri, 02/13/2009 - 06:15 — vsheehanWhich schools did you sample? If you are taking a sample in this case you need a control group with the same circumstances.
You need to control for if this was a new school assignment for the F&R population and the school was MYR. Was the school the F&R populations traditional school/ Also were the F&R compared both bussed to the school or were they in the neighberhood.
I know this comes as a surprise to supporters of the bussing plan but there are schools with Free and Reduce kids outside of Raleigh. While WCPSS and the BOE are making the Magnet schools 33% F&R some of the schools that have kids bussed in are already at a 30% level of F&R. Both middle schools near us allready have a F&R of 30% then the BOE buses in more F&R.
But hey we live in the suburbs we do not matter.
If you plan to tackle a stats problem make sure you do it correctly or your stats are just misleading. Eric B could do the stats for you or Patti H's SAS friend.
Polling Didn't Occur
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 11:41 — local23When they decided to open all new schools as MYR, regardless of what parents thought and were never asked along with the fantastic VYR program.
This irresponsible, costly and damaging mistake was done on many other schools that opened between 2001 & 2006! It's just not the 22!
What a Great Concept
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 07:06 — For_The_ChildrenHats off to Johnston County for requesting input from parents - a true democracy - not a dictatorrship like Wake County. This county knows that its the parents that know what is best for their children, and that they are NOT just a number.
OT Black males perform
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 21:23 — vsheehanOT Black males perform poorly on reading exams
http://www.triangletribune.com/index.php?src=news&refno=1662&category=News
A dangerous subject
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 08:23 — Voice_of_Reason_This is one of those articles that if commented on other than to totally bash the school system you will be labeled a racist.
I have two questions: What are the gaps in the different economic strata? And second, how do you attack this problem without segregating (if it truly is only black males) or ability grouping? The former even the mere mention of it labels me a racist to some (I'm not). The question is rhetorical.
This appears to be a serious issue but given the political climate it would be next to impossible for white educators to even discuss without significant risks. Suggestions in the article of eliminating EOGs only hide the issue and doesn't attack the root causes. At least the topic is being brought to light, a good first step to finding a solution. The ability to read and understand is paramount to success in life.
now now, WCPSS allows for
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 21:07 — AngelaWnow now, WCPSS allows for parental input, like recently at the reassignment hearings, right? they "made changes based on parental input"
(ok, ok, don't shoot me, someone would point that "fact" out sooner or later) ;p
How refreshing. Actually
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 21:02 — Big_PictureHow refreshing. Actually asking parents for input. What a novel idea.
I agree--Johnston County is
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 20:22 — raleighreaderI agree--Johnston County is doing this for the right reasons and is doing it well. I will be very curious to see if this helps boost academic progress, especially with the intersession tutoring. I hope it does.
What a concept, basing a
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 18:14 — CaryCurmudgeonWhat a concept, basing a decision on input from parents instead of just deciding what's best for them. Hats off to the Johnson County school board for doing it right.
No kidding!
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 21:19 — g88ky07A school board actually "polling parents" to see what THEY want??? What??? Not forcing them into restructuring their lives, abandoning their friends, not forcing their parents into having to make a choice whether to OPT OUT, give up or MOVE, say it isn't so!
Good for you Johnston County! That, and many other reasons, is why you are doing a better job and will continue to educate YOUR kids better than sad ole Wake County. A county with a bunch of hacks and has been's in charge of education!
Education
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 18:19 — SideburnsAnd doing it purely for educational reasons. WCPSS doesn't provide intersession tutoring.
Really?
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 23:23 — Bob_SconceMy impression is that Wake does, although it's somewhat limited -- they call it "Wake Academy" or something like that.
Possible
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 07:17 — SideburnsSimilar to everything else is Wake County, maybe it occurs at some schools but not at all.
Yes, they do have it but
Thu, 02/12/2009 - 06:07 — vsheehanYes, they do have it but room is limited. My daughter went for 1 week . It helped but there isn't enough space for every kid who needs it to go every break. Instead you can go one week out of the whole school year. The program is good but useless because of the amount of times a kid can go.