Reviewing Broughton's magnet program

I know they are serious about this

informasi beasiswa

Virtuous Yeoman,

First I'm glad that you are posting under one name so we can continue a discussion back and forth. :-)

I would argue that your SES status and the SES status of your node have a lot to do with each other. The lottery selection criteria include both the node F&R% and the school F&R%. People who can afford to live in a low poverty area assigned to low poverty schools are generally going to do so. Of course this is not true for everybody, but I do think that most people live in the nicest, safest place they can afford--F&R and non-F&R alike.

You stated that "Honesty about your goals and motives would lend a bit more substance and credence to your comments." I would be happy to talk to you about my goals for WCPSS and what my motives are. You can email me at voiceforequity@gmail.com to ask me anything you want. I will post a little bit here and am willing to discuss here as well.

In a nutshell, here are some of Voice for Equity's concerns:

Low income children who are bused 12, 15 or even 18 miles from home. WCPSS does not track how the F&R population performs academically, only the performance of the school itself. I am in favor of the diversity policy, but not in favor of how it is carried out. It cannot be successful unless we are actually improving the academic outcome.

Of course, the diversity policy isn't only about academic performance--teacher retention and attracting high quality teachers are two issues for high F&R schools. I believe in the 40% 'rule', but in last year's reassignment plan over 60% of the children in low income nodes were moved from a school with less than 40% F&R to a school with less than 25%. Why are we worried about moving F&R kids out of healthy schools when we have plenty of kids in schools over 50, 60 and even 70%?

Rim schools and Garner schools are the ones hurt the most by the assignment policies and magnet selection process right now. I absolutely believe that the issues in my neck of the woods (North of 540) pale in comparison to the issues of those areas as well as of those in Eastern Wake County or those living downtown or in SE Raleigh.

Eastern Wake Schools and Garner schools suffer some of the highest F&R%, worst test scores and lowest graduation rates in the county and yet they get little attention. If those conditions existed anywhere else in the county, particularly central Raleigh or Cary, they would not be tolerated by WCPSS or county leaders.

If this was only about me and my own issues with the system, I would have applied for charters or moved out of Wake County. I have been researching and working on school issues for several years now. I have talked with and met with people in all parts of the county to understand their issues. I do not want any solutions for problems in my area (or any area) to negatively impact another part of the county.

I am by no means claiming to be only concerned about others. Of course I have my own family's issues and concerns to fight for and I do so. I won't apologize for that and I don't blame anybody else for doing the same for their own families. What started off as an interest in lower income children ended up leading to another interest in the unfair distribution of *some* of the magnet schools. I was disturbed by what it meant for my family and families like mine as well as for the low income nodes that are systematically removed from some of the magnets and bused far from home.

I am not against the diversity policy and my kids have always been in a Title 1 school (2 different elem schools). I am not interested in some insulated 'white bread' world for my children. What I want for ALL Wake County children is access to the BEST education that we can offer them. Not the best reserved only for some, but the best for everybody.

So that was more than a nutshell but like I said, I am open to discussing my goals and 'motives'. You might still think poorly of me or my goals, but at least you will know what they are. ;-)

The climate of Broughton and it's IB influences enhances learning and questioning and working with others. We have attracted students from many various cultures and have provided them an environment whereby students are encouraged to learn and respect each other's differences as well as similarities.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hate that all these posters are anonymous and that I can't continue the conversation with them knowing that I'm talking to the right person! lol

I absolutely appreciate the IB program--my family was in the IB program at the elem level for 3 years. I wish that each WCPSS offered the same level of academics and learning that Broughton does.

The fundamental problem is that magnet schools are supposed to be achieving 3 goals:

1)Reduce pockets of poverty
2) Help to fully utilize the facilities
3) Provide expanded academic opportunities.

Again, with a 67% base and only 25% F&R, Broughton (and Daniels) are not reducing pockets of poverty. Compare that to Enloe or SE Raleigh and you will see the difference.

Broughton is not in an underpopulated area and it would be possible to give Broughton a healthy base population to fill the school. Its at 106% capactity right now including the trailers (if I am reading this document from WCPSS correctly).

With a 67% base, Broughton is not providing its opportunities to enough of the non-base population. Far more students at Broughton are base than they are magnet. If the rest of us are denied certain programs, coursework and opportunties, then any magnet school should be comprised of more magnet students than base students.

This isn't about who is elite and who isn't or about how much money people make. It is about adhering to WCPSS's own policies. They have chosen to make F&R the statistic and descriptor of choice. They use it as a basis for their assignment policy and their magnet & yr admissions policy. That is what we have to go on.

It is frustrating to people like me that the rest of us are sacrificing programs at our own schools to give them to base populations that aren't F&R. We are sold on the magnet school program as being necessary to avoid 80+% F&R schools that are empty because nobody wants to send their kids there. That's not what's happening with Broughton or Daniels (or several other magnet schools).

If, in fact, it does become a requirement that all magnet students become DP candidates, you have an issue of 1) the lottery would have to include a look at a student's academic credentials or else, WCPSS is setting itself up for failure, 2) overgrowth of the IBDP at BHS which would require more funds to train new teachers, test distribution, etc. And funds are our issue in the first place.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is an interesting side issue that applies to other magnet schools as well. Currently the lottery doesn't look at academic credentials for any of its magnet programs except acceptance to the AG component of Ligon and Carnage (I think Carnage is the other AG middle). The lottery doesn't account for the people who truly want the academic opportunities for their children and those who just want to escape a 'bad' school. Or those who just want to remove themselves from the reassignment process.

We spent 4 years at a magnet elem school and I can honestly say that I have only met TWO other people besides myself whose ONLY reason for being at a magnet was because of the program. Of the families I know in the magnet program, about half are there because they aren't pleased with their base school and half are there because they don't want to worry about reassignment.

Although I understand those reasons and I don't fault those families for doing what is best for their kids, its frustrating to me. WCPSS limits the academic programs that other schools can offer yet they give no consideration to the people who actually want those academic programs. I don't know that there is a solution, but your comment just reminded me of it.

"This statement could not be more exquisitely false and is indicative of wishful daydreaming on the part of those with a north raleigh persecution complex. In fact, the lottery spots are utterly irrespective of a student's base (outside of the attendance district, obviously) or SES. In point of fact, many magnet students in both IB programmes at broughton come from north Raleigh, Knightdale, Cary, Apex, and areas beyond 540. "
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you really know how the lottery works? Look here for the actual lottery criteria put out by WCPSS. http://voiceforequity.blogspot.com/2008/02/magnet-selection-criteria.html

Your chances of getting into a magnet school is absolutely tied to the SES status of your school and of the node in which you live. It is true that you chances of getting into a middle or high school magnet are more dependent upon whether you are coming from an elementary school in the same magnet theme. BUT, your chances of getting into that elem magnet school were mostly influenced by the SES status of your school and your node.

Nowhere did I say that there aren't students from all parts of the county attending Broughton. Nowhere did I say that every single child at Broughton is wealthy. But the chances are stacked in favor of non-F&R students coming from low poverty schools.

Broughton is composed of 67% base population and only has 25% F&R. The magnet program is not reducing pockets of poverty, which one of the main goals of the program. If Broughton is to remain a magnet, it should have ONLY a low income base and the rest of the students should be magnet applicants.

There seem to be so many false notions swirling on this blog that I'd like to clarify a few things and offer a personal testimony to the IB Programme at Broughton. It seems to me that the school board should be turning to administrators, teachers and students who actually know, understand and have experience inside of International Baccalaureate, rather than responding to calls from uninformed members of groups like Voice for Equity with a clear victimization complex.

First of all, to respond to the notion that Broughton's magnet program was established as a way of giving the already-advantaged extra programs, this is simply false. Broughton's program was established because of an aging population within the base. There were not enough high school aged students to fill the school, and therefore it gained magnet status. When you give a school magnet status, you have to offer an incentive for people outside the base to attend, hence the IB programme.

It is no longer the case that the Broughton base is aging. It has been revitalized in many ways. However, this should not result in the removal of the IB programme from the school. That decision would represent a real ignorance of the nature of the program as well as a gross mishandling of funds. The idea that Broughton's IB could simply be picked up and moved to Millbrook is practically laughable. The amount of training (EVERY Broughton teacher is trained in the philosophy of the IB Middle Years Programme at the least, and many are trained to teach specific Diploma Programme courses) and infrastructure-building (staff at Broughton, offices, literature, recognition from the IBO in Wales) that has taken place at the school is enormous, and enormously expensive. That being said, the major investment at Broughton has been made. Broughton has also come to embrace the culture of internationalization. It has poured a huge amount of energy into creating an environment conducive to globally-recognized academic discourse. And the program has grown tremendously. The Diploma Programme, the most rigorous academic course in secondary school, which involves taking a minimum of 12 classes that earn the equivalent of AP credit, now encompasses 20% of Broughton's junior and senior classes. This is remarkable. It is surely among the largest, if not the largest, public school IB Programmes in the state. Those who still cling to old notions of "ITB" insularity, let me assure you: Broughton is (some might say it has become) an outwardly-focused community. Clearly, the idea that the school board, with the stroke of a pen, could seamlessly move all of this training, infrastructure, and culture to another high school is outrageous.

I believe the solution to the issue of Broughton's low F&R numbers would be to redraw the districted base and allow more magnet students. I agree with those who advocate for this. As a former magnet student and IB Diploma recipient, I can attest to the absolute superiority of this course of instruction, its method of readying students for higher education while fostering an appreciation for choice-driven, dialogue-based learning. The program contributed immensely to my development as a student and person. It fairly emphasizes both formal and experiential education, so much so that I was driven to spend a year traveling the world after high school, a decision I know has profoundly shaped my life in a positive direction. I want as many people in Wake County who desire this kind of education to have access to it. Let's give them the opportunity at a school which has already fostered and embraced it. If the school board seeks to prove that it is not partial to Raleigh's most influential neighborhoods, they can begin by opening up Broughton to more magnet students.

I urge the school board to take caution in this decision, to consider carefully what the IB programme is and what it means to establish one, to avoid archaic and oversimplified ideas about Raleigh's demographics, and to keep the IB programme where it is flourishing.

Greg Randolph
Broughton IB Class of 2007
UNC-CH Class of 2012

As a taxpayer I think that the way we assign people to magnet programs is just wrong on so many levels. It protects old money neighborhoods, and it is not based on merit. It drains money from the school system as a whole. If merit were a criterea, I might relax my stand...but it's not. Sure some get an advantage, but at the expense of who? Build new schools in these areas, tear those small schools down and rebuild them with greater capacity. It's about fairness and equity.

Income really has nothing to do with the issue at hand, which seems to be that many folks don't understand the quality of Broughton's IB program. The climate of Broughton and it's IB influences enhances learning and questioning and working with others. We have attracted students from many various cultures and have provided them an environment whereby students are encouraged to learn and respect each other's differences as well as similarities. The IB program prompts educators to continually challenge themselves, revising techniques and approaches to relate to our diverse populations. There is an amazing rapport between the students and teachers at Broughton. I do feel that the IB program has promoted these relationships. Many other issues are also at hand here and have been touched on by other's input, I just wanted to make this point.

As an IB Diploma recipient and a graduate of Broughton High School, I can purely say that the IB Program at Broughton is a flagship for all programs of its kind in NC.

The BOE has a really unique situation in their hands here--- and the main issue it revolves around is F&R students--- the magnet program at BHS really helped facilitate income diversity within the school when it was first implemented, but now that this academic program has launched in the way that it has, it is absolutely UNFAIR that it should be taken away, despite the distribution of family incomes in the school.

So for those of you who are complaining about the fact that you "thought your tax money was going towards F&R students" but it's not-- think again. Think of how ridiculous your argument truly is- millions of dollars have been spent already in training sessions, pilot programs, and test distribution at Broughton. THAT is your tax money, too. So if the magnet program gets taken away...what good does your tax money really do if you just reverse the affects of it? The problem of F&R will rise again at Broughton just because of the distribution of the city-- whether in 5, 10, or 20 years. The BOE should consider other methods of distributing funds.

One thing is for sure: As a Wake resident, I'd rather hear the BOE talking about methods on how to increase the number of magnet programs in the county rather than take them away from booming schools.

BROUGHTON's reputation is at stake- and even though the school does have a reputation of falling prey to ITB elitism- there's so much more behind the scenes that is completely being ignored here!

And so, PLEASE, for those of you who speak without having done any research on the accomplishments of this GRAND school, I ask of you to remove the tie between finances and quality education for once and think reasonably: eliminating such a long-term investment in providing quality education just does not make sense.

This problem that we are learning about here has nothing to do with who lives where in Raleigh, and just to prove that schools are not districted by neighborhoods, look at the last Wake County Reassignment that sent some ITBers to Athens or Enloe even though Broughton was closer... But as I said, this argument is not about houses, but rather education.

I am a graduate from Broughton High School, and yes I am in fact an IB Diploma Graduate that managed to get his diploma. My junior year of high school my OTB neighborhood got redistricted to Sanderson. I was able to stay at Broughton since I had attended the school for the past 2 years, but I had to apply to Broughton as a magnet student. The IB Program at Broughton has grown to be the most successful in Wake County. Since Wake County has already de-magnetized Daniels (my magnet middle school) I would not put it past them to revoke the status from Broughton at the flick of a pen. This year the IB Program has grown to its largest number ever at Broughton. Just from experience as a student, most of my friends that were in the program also were magnet students. Most of the magnet students did in fact join the IB Program. I strongly agree that if there are magnet students at Broughton they should be required to stay in the IB Program.

We are forgetting the most important aspect of this argument.... De-magnetizing Broughton High School will greatly diminish the educational potential of Wake County and Raleigh. Raleigh will no longer get national as well as international status as having two 2 successful IB school's in Wake County. Wake County has spent hundreds of thousands if not almost millions on ensuring the success of this program at Broughton. Teachers have been trained for many years in Florida, and Canada.

This problem can be fixed, but the community needs to put neighborhoods past them and look at the real problem here. Our future children and generations that attend Broughton will not have the privilege of being able to take part in this great program that Broughton has to offer. As a graduate of Broughton's IB Program I can say that I do not think that I could have gotten a more rigorous or worldly education in high school anywhere else. Just outside of the education aspect the IB community of students and teachers is remarkable. These students and teachers have helped to start some great fund raisers and programs as well as clubs at Broughton. I have learned at UNC-Chapel Hill and while at Broughton that education is the most powerful thing us as students and humans posses. To deprive a student that happens to live ITB or one that may be a magnet student going to Broughton for a great education is like taking a golden opportunity away from them. Education is one of the most important aspects of our life. It is our building block from which we, as students, enter the world. The IB Program cannot be taken away from a successful school.

Since when does success get punished? Wake County Board of Education needs to see the success of this wonderful program, and the community needs to unite in order to change a rule rather than punish all. Education is our future; we should not put our future leaders in jeopardy of obtaining a successful and worldly education.

I hope this helps many of you! And if anyone has a question about the IB Program as a graduate, I can try to answer your questions or at least redirect them to someone that can!

Remember, the best solution here is to change the current policy, and not to destroy the program and punish the kids.

Thanks again, Matthew Stevens

Paying $200 to $250 per sq. ft to live ITB is not something that my family can afford to do. Yes, I have a much bigger house OTB than I would ITB, but I probably paid less than the vast majority of people buying ITB in the past 5 years. If you want to pay more (and can afford to pay more) money per sq. ft to live in what you consider to be superior surroundings, then that is truly great for you. I have no problem with the fact that there are always going to be people willing and able to do that. I have a problem with those people receiving more than their fair share in the public school system.

And about all those taxes you've been paying. Considering the fact that they didn't do any property re-evaluations for 8 years, you've probably not been paying your fair share compared to how much your property value has risen.

The comparison between Broughton and Wakefield would be funny if it weren't so frustrating. Yes, Wakefield has money. But they don't get rewarded by receiving more educational opportunties than everybody else like ITB is.

Is it "elitist" to point out when people don't know what the word "elitist" means, despite their profuse attempts to use it so broadly?

prolly so.