There's a war of words between some school board members over Wake's diversity policy.
School board member Ron Margiotta and four community members fired the initial shot in February with an open letter calling for an end to the diversity policy in favor of neighborhood schools. As evidence, the letter cites Charlotte-Mecklenburg's academic performance compared to Wake.
Kevin Hill, vice chairman of the school board, has responded with his defense of the diversity policy. While Hill stresses it's only his personal opinion, he shared his letter with other board members before attending last week's UNC Conference.
"If the WCPSS were to abandon their policy aimed at healthy schools and turned to a “neighborhood based” assignment policy, I strongly believe we would end up with a school system of schools defined as “haves” and “have nots," Hill writes.
We would also be turning our backs on a large percentage of students who need and deserve what a quality education can provide. As a lifelong educator, I will continue to advocate and support policies designed to benefit ALL of our children, regardless of where they live!"
You can read Hill's letter for yourself, but I'll briefly summarize his points.
Hill is stressing the diversity policy is aimed at schools and not individual students. But he said creating healthy schools should "help foster improved academic achievement for all students."
Hill acknowledges the gains that Charlotte has made academically. But he said that's because the district was so far behind Wake.
"Are students in the CMS gaining ground on students in the WCPSS? Yes, and they should be. As stated above, they had much more ground to cover since 2001-2002," Hill writes.
Hill accuses the authors of the open letter of not pointing out that Wake has a higher percentage of elementary schools meeting their No Child Left Behind performance targets than Charlotte. He also points out how student achievement in Charlotte schools drops once they exceed 50 percent F&R.
Comments
Horace Tart
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 20:46 — Beebobhttp://www.garnercitizen.com/story1.html
Can't WAIT
Mon, 04/13/2009 - 14:54 — g88ky07to read this garbage!
THEN I'll have more to say!
Very Well Argued Letter
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 13:47 — chaboardThanks Kevin.
If WCPSS is looking to CMS
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 17:50 — Big_PictureIf WCPSS is looking to CMS as an idol, we are setting the bar too low. Such a sad state of affairs and we are truly missing the mark. Bigger and better can be achieved thanks to a new BoE in October.
Narrow
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 00:02 — SDR256I do not understand why everyone narrowly focuses on CMS or Wake. Neither one has been successful. WSCA is actively gathering alternative solutions for a NEW portfolio of solution components.
You miss the point
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 16:07 — kmisegadesYou miss the point of our letter. We never recommended that WCPSS emulate CMS in all aspects, only that it end socioeconomic assignments. WCPSS has in the past claimed educational benefits from its policies, which we doubted. We have asked for proof for years and it was not conclusively delivered. Our letter cited evidence that CMS' return to neighborhood schools coincides with a dramatic improvement in academic performance, despite having far more ED children than WCPSS. The argument that neighborhood schools "resegregation" is false at best and diversive at worst. Segregation in the past was forced separation based on race. Neighborhood schools are all about choice where one chooses to live. In 2009 in America, only one's income limits where he may live, not his ethnicity. Anyone who has visited neighborhoods in Western Wake County will see plenty of evidence of this.
Clarification
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 21:57 — SDR256No no no. I didn't mean to imply that your original letter was validating either model. Not at all. You were simply responding to a comparison that the media has continued to exploit. Narrowing this to two solutions is not solving the problem, but it does make for a very dramatic black and white story.
Not sure what you mean
Mon, 04/13/2009 - 08:48 — kmisegadesI'm not sure what you mean by "You were simply responding to a comparison that the media has continued to exploit" The Queen City University study perhaps? It was released after our letter, which cited first-order statistics from the NCDPI. The Queen City report failed to mention the most important findings, namely the trend of CMS scores upward since neighborhood schools were again embraced. CMS has narrowed the gap relative to WCPSS, despite having far more ED kids. Please read also our recommendations at the end of the letter, which include more than termination of busing in Wake County.
Continued debate however on the subject is futile. The battle lines have been drawn and government schools are circling the wagons. The best evidence - statistics you'll never see in the N&O BTW - is the booming growth in non-government schools as parents vote with their feet. That is my primary focus with Thales Academies. More K-8 schools are coming in Wake County and our first high schools are now being planned.
The point is not to say
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 06:08 — Eric_BThe point is not to say that Wake should be like Charlotte. It's just that even without the socioeconomic diversity plan, low income students Charlotte are outperforming Wake. If the socioeconomic diversity works, why is this the case?
I agree that we need new ideas and new approaches to solving Wake County's problems.
Good Response
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 14:30 — user1234Kevin Hill’s letter is really well written and researched. Comparing things is always difficult but Wake appears to do well. Hopefully CMS will close the gap and catch up with Wake which is not a bad thing and we should be happy for their progress. Ultimately, these arguments will come down to how to educate ALL children, WCPSS has picked a policy that delivers good results at a lower cost than CMS which is exactly what a fiscal conservative likes to hear. Hopefully, we won’t revert back to educating a select group of kids in well connected schools really well and warehousing the others.
Disingenuous hackery from user1234
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 06:37 — fiestamomOnce again user1234 relies on dishonesty by setting up a straw man.
From User:" we won’t revert back to educating a select group of kids in well connected schools really well and warehousing the others.".
Because a neighborhood school policy means that select kids get a good education, and poor kids get warehoused./s The school board could stop diversity bussing right now, take the savings from transportation and put it in schools where it will (cough cough) educate kids. Stop the deceit user1234!!!!
Poor kids ARE NOT being educated now. Supposedly "well connected' kids, and poor kids aren't being educated in WCPSS either, they're all being warehoused, it's just that the warehouse moves every school year.
Straw man arguments work for Obama, but they don't work here, b/c I will call you on it every time.
Stay with the program
Sun, 04/12/2009 - 11:20 — user1234"The school board could stop diversity bussing right now, take the savings from transportation and put it in schools where it will (cough cough) educate kids. "
Again, for the millionth time ... transportation funds comes from the state and if everyone walked to school ....NOTHING would be redirected to classrooms. Can you say that with me - NOTHING ... that can help you remember next time. Second, CMS spends a higher % (6% vs. 5% for WCPSS) so 1) 5% to move ALL kids is not a lot and 2) any savings can NOT be directed to classrooms.
Not quite true....
Sun, 04/12/2009 - 15:08 — Bob_SconceNot quite....
"Of Wake's $63 million transportation budget, $46 million comes from the state."
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/1463501.html
I am unaware how state money is apportioned, but if it happens as the state does with other pots of money, then the state gives a flat amount per student. If that's correct, then the first $17M that Wake saves would be available for other purposes.
In any case, I'm as unhappy when my state income tax payments are wasted as I am when my local property tax payments are wasted.
Good points ... btw, I
Sun, 04/12/2009 - 16:05 — user1234Good points ... btw, I noticed that CMS spends $50 more per student than Wake on transporation which I don't know it is related to neighborhood assignment, higher costs, more buses or more routes. So, I don't know if you can say Wake "wastes" the money.
Different approach
Sun, 04/12/2009 - 18:06 — Bob_SconceAs I understand CMS' student assignment plan, students (especially low-income and low-performing students) have a lot more choice about where they go to school than Wake County allows. So, at least some students have a choice of several nearby schools where they can go, with transportation provided by the district. That certainly increases transportation costs.
Wake County's dilemma:
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 10:03 — AngelaWWake County's dilemma: Diverse schools vs. neighborhood ones
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 09:43 — AngelaW
http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A366938
Change in way dropout rate is calculated.
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 14:09 — DrActualFactualI had no success in googling for a reference as to when and how Wake Co. or NC calculates the dropout rate but if I remember correctly it has changed within the past few years. I recall June Atkinson addressing this issue on a tv spot. Louise/Angela/Eric/Mr. Hui..... I raise this question with regard to the paper presented at the conference and the above referenced link in indyweek. How do they correlate date-wise to each other; which version/method of calculating was used, are they reporting the true increase/decrease with consideration to this change? I apologize if my question is muddled in phrasing but I am definately not clear on the dropout rate/numbers accuracy.
WCPSS pathological liers
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 16:09 — kmisegadesNote that former WCPSS Superintendent made a name for himself nationally a few years ago by claiming that Wake County had a graduation rate of 98%, when it was in fact under 70%. Who can believe any statistics from WCPSS?
WCPSS pathological liers
Sun, 04/12/2009 - 11:36 — user1234Note that former WCPSS Superintendent made a name for himself nationally a few years ago by claiming thatWake County
Hmmm … what do you teach at that school of yours … first, you don’t give us a reference to verify your statement, second, I assume the % was based on some denominator like kids in the 12th grade not the ones that entered in the 9th which might be how some people measure it and finally you equate one administrator’s number (grad/12th graders vs. grad/9th grade entering) to everyone in WCPSS as being pathological liar? That is quite a jump in logic.
Especially after asking these four questions
Sat, 04/11/2009 - 21:41 — FalcWho is sharing the information? Why are they sharing the information? What information are they sharing? What information do they fail to share?
One example:
Who is sharing the information? WCPSS
Why are they sharing the information? To respond to questions about how far students travel to school
What information are they sharing? Straight line distance from school to home
What information do they fail to share? Actual miles traveled
So for another $1M of
Sun, 04/12/2009 - 11:14 — user1234So for another $1M of non-educational spending WCPSS could get a better maping program to tell you the actual roads like Google Maps .... not worth it ... who cares ... the public school four miles away teaches the same material as the one six miles away ...
The 4 year graduation rate
Thu, 04/09/2009 - 14:29 — Eric_BThe 4 year graduation rate calculation changed between the 2004-05 and 2005-06 school years. If you look on ncreportcards.org you can see that the graduation rates dropped significantly when they went to the new model.
In 2004-05, WCPSS's "AYP On-Time Graduation Rate" was >95%.
In 2005-06, the graduation rate was reported as the "AYP 4-Year Cohort Graduation Rate." This rate was only 82.6% for WCPSS.
Bill Lynch has pointed out significant problems in the way the 4 year graduation rate is calculated. To figure out if a student graduated in 4 years, you need to know what year the student entered high school.
If you undercount dropouts and count students that repeat grades as graduating in 4 years, then the calculation is invalid--the numbers are not accurate and it overstates the 4-year graduation rate.
Bill has proposed a simple solution. Tag each student's record with the year the student first entered 9th grade in high school. It is then simple to calculate whether each student really did graduate in 4 years.
The NC DPI and the LEAs do not currently do this! The numbers are "best effort" and no attempt is made to audit whether the numbers provided are valid and whether a given student really did graduate in 4 years.
I'm summarizing what I know. Bill Lynch can give many more details.