The Wake Education Partnership is weighing in on the school board races.
In this week's edition of In Context, the Partnership takes on the issues of year-round schools, construction costs and the graduation rate for low-income students. Those issues have come up at the forums sponsored by the group.
The Partnership looks at the claims made by critics that Wake should follow the example of how Winston-Salem Forsyth Schools is building a high school much cheaper than Wake. The Partnership points out that Wake is building much larger high schools than Forsyth.
When looking at year-round schools, the Partnership says candidates who say they're costing taxpayers money or are saving $500 million aren't both strictly telling the truth.
The newsletter also analyzes the argument made by critics that Wake's graduation rate of 54.6 percent for low-income students is below the state average.
The Partnership argues that graduation rates for poor kids in virtually every large North Carolina school district lag behind the graduation rates of almost every small and rural district.
One thing to consider is that the Partnership is a strong supporter of the diversity policy. The group's leadership has passed resolutions in support of continuing the policy.
If critics win, the diversity policy would be in danger of being dropped or significantly revised.
Comments
So We Understand the Reason for Debates Now
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 21:46 — rainforestIt looks as though Wake Ed. Partnership held the school board candidate debates just to see what the issues were from the opposite side that they are supporting so they could counter. We all know that the status quo is their love. Citizens can see beyond this trick. Not ethical Wake Education Partnership.
So...
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 20:47 — Bob_SconceIsn't WEP a 501(c)(3) entity which is barred by the tax code from political activity?
This should receive
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 18:54 — changewcpssThis should receive immediate attention. Runnin' scared makes you show your hand. Incredible.
Bob, The NC State Board
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 21:22 — CaryCurmudgeonBob,
The NC State Board of Elections is reviewing the document for compliance. In my opinion, the document contains incorrect statements and paraphrases candidate statements in a clear attempt to influence election results.
I thought so too, as well
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 20:51 — AngelaWI thought so too, as well as the NC PTA and Wake County PTA, but they held the forum the other night, I suppose that's different than an endorsement though, that's "sponsoring"....
maybe Perry would know? what with his "due diligence" and all...
ooooo. Really good question.
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 20:49 — SDR256ooooo. Really good question.
OT-alert
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 17:15 — AngelaWRaleigh magnet sets a standard
http://www.northraleighnews.com/news/story/1309.html
A.B. Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary School, with more than 800 students from 64 countries, has thrived for more than a decade on a business and leadership model that puts kids first. It allows students to make decisions, set their own goals, draft class mission statements, and even help interview prospective teachers.
Covey, Raleigh Elementary Students Share Leadership Principles
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 09:40 — AngelaW(Harvey, you know the same guy for the status quo---think he likes his name in print more than caring about our schools!)
http://www.ncmagazine.com/stories/covey-raleigh-elementary-students-share-leadership-principles
From the NCDPI school performance data
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 17:37 — lferreriCombs Elementary performance on the EOGs:
Whites 77.9%
Blacks 39.0%
Hispanics 31.8%
ED 36.3%
LEP 18.0%
SWD 28.3%
Overall 59.3%
That's 2007-08 results In
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 23:12 — KeungHui (author)That's 2007-08 results
In 2008-09 it's:
Whites 90.2%
Blacks 47.3%
Hispanics 50.8%
ED 45.2%
LEP 42.4%
SWD 29.9%
Overall 72.1%
Mr. Hui - the 2008-09 results are interesting
Sun, 09/20/2009 - 11:39 — TrailerParkGirlI note that Hispanics and LEP appear to have made significant gains. Is that due to their being a special program there?
I seem to recall that in the public hearings I attended for the 2008-09 reassignment plan there was a large group of LEP parents from Combs (believe they were also largely ED) that were there to request reconsideration of their being reassigned to Dillard (so much for 'those parents' don't and won't care about education). They appeared to have translation devices and had a community representative address the BOE in English. I believe she ran what I understood to be a special community-based ESL program at Combs and part of the request was that these students would no longer benefit from that program if reassigned to Dillard.
Did I understand their presentation correctly and, if so, is there still a special program related to Combs?
(Dr. McLaurin then questioned these reassignments at the BOE reassignment vote hearing, was slammed by Head, asked if she wanted to make an unfriendly motion by Gill, and declined to make an unfriendly motion.) Those reassignments went through.
Similar stories
Sun, 09/20/2009 - 21:57 — SDR256A similar thing happened at Penny Road. Children were assigned there, the parents embraced them, the ESL teacher spent the year and FINALLY got their trust - they were far from home. They had been there one year and WHAMO - reassigned.
At-risk children are more at-risk for being reassigned. The system needs them for the numbers and no one speaks up for them.
Indeed they are at-risk in this way
Sun, 09/20/2009 - 22:32 — TrailerParkGirlOne of the saddest things to me about the Combs to Dillard move was that those nodes are near Combs (i.e. base) but were being removed to open up more magnet seats and were sent to a school already considered a 'high needs' school, which doesn't seem to make sense if WCPSS GM was following it's own logic. Another case of 2+2 doesn't equal 4.
What I find sad is that
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 08:41 — user12345What I find sad is that these folks are powerless ... contrast these situations with MacGregor Downs …. 25 kids? … Four interviews on TV … met with Mayor, Town Council …. Have a website, stickers … it is about who has the most money and influence …
You should find it sad so here's what I don't get
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 10:26 — TrailerParkGirlwhy do you keep trying to slam those that are pointing out how the system has failed the "powerless" and shuffles them around instead of trying innovation? Because you think innovation can't be done and/or it will cost too much and you can't move past the past.
People keep squawking about we'll have to throw more money at certain schools. What they do not mention is that due to public-private and public-public partnership and more efficienct allocation and use of resources community schools actually save funding dollars. Also, they squawk CMS has spent more - well, they've had more magnets and more of those magnets are county-wide and they've had more than twice as many kids taking AP courses and tests. Their ED students are doing relatively better while ours are doing relatively worse. Students, not schools. Students either graduate or don't, either are prepared for the workplace or not, either go to college or don't, not schools. Meanwhile, I've heard we haven't had enough AP availability and magnet access. Not saying CMS is the end all be all, just pointing out that if people are going to talk about spend differences we should also cover differences in what is being provided to students.
Programs that have a can do attitude like Capital Prep are producing results. Changing attitudes from hopeless to hopeful will take effort but should not take money. We've got to stop shooting ourselves and ED in the foot with the defeatism and low expectations. That is not going to stop with the stuck in the past, healthy schools over healthy students and 'schools are a business tool' status quo thinking.
Why did a system that claims to care so much about "diversity" ignore the pleas from the ED/LEP community but not the pleas from MacGregor? Why does Chuck Delaney say things like "it's apartments so they won't realize they've been reassigned"? Odd, don't ya think?
I agree with you that in
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 11:34 — user12345I agree with you that in such a large system that "people" get lost and the system can only interact with "groups" (e.g. PACs, CC, etc.) ... I agree if KIPP/CapPrep/VOTech are the innovations we can do them now... but until the "Groups" make that push, it won't happen ... personally, I think that the diversity solution Wake offers is not the best ... but given the other option of warehousing all the poor kids in poor schools used elsewhere is unacceptable... it is at least step up ...
How is it a step up?
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 12:53 — TrailerParkGirlThe achievement gap here (largest in the state) and sliding performance of ED students indicates that they are being warehoused in WCPSS. WCPSS just warehouses them in a different school every couple years. What is your defination of "poor" school - do you mean in funding or SE level of students? Some schools in other areas historically were "poor" because the districts are "poor" (i.e. the district population is 70% F&R). I think resulting issues have been addressed via funding reallocation formulas in many states. If you mean student SE level remember KIPP and Capital Prep are poor in that sense and they sure aren't warehousing anyone.
People have gone to WCPSS requesting KIPP but have been turned down! Why?! Maybe because allowing a successful higher poverty school would shoot their out-dated theories out of the water? Why don't we have a Votech HS - maybe because it would run up against their 40% F&R goal? This keeping of the lamest diversity policy I've ever heard of at all costs is hurting the possibility of getting positive changes and innovative solutions and IMO it's hurting real diversity because its defense of its justification is perpetuating divisions and negative stereotypes (on both sides) and continued failure for the ED.
Because powerful interests
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 13:51 — user12345Because powerful interests don’t care … Has Ron laid in the tracks for KIPP, VoTech? Have the mayors all come out and refuse to play ball with the schools until KIPP/VoTech was in place? No … the burning issues are YR, reassignments, magnets – all local neighborhood issues … WCSA does not even list KIPP or VoTech on their website as a goal …furthermore, I am guessing there is some state or federal red tape that also encumbers these innovations … diversity is not stopping these things .. It is a tax conscious pubic who things the schools are good enough for what they have to pay in taxes …
I agree that all these innovations would help ED students … anyone of them could have been implemented anytime in the last 10 years … there is no public will … the only will is to give me more options, convenience and lower taxes …
WSCA does not list on their website
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 14:29 — TrailerParkGirlThey have covered these things in meetings and at least used to have the presentations on the website. Please go check out the websites of the candidates for more detailed information.
Red tape - there are KIPP programs in NC, so if there's red tape they navigated it so we can too.
You are correct - actual diversity is not stopping these things, but WCPSS' assignment policies that get referred to as diversity do hinder these things. How do you suggest a KIPP program or Votech school be done and still meet the <40% F&R policy?
I'm curious how many of the current policy supporters actually know what the policy states or if they just think it says something like the goal piece of creating and maintaining a diverse student body (which is more broad and flexible).
"How do you suggest a
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 16:36 — user12345"How do you suggest a KIPP program or Votech school be done and still meet the <40% F&R policy? "
First 1/3 of the schools don't meet the policy so obviously it has not been widespread or had much of an impact ...
Second, adding another non-compliant school means 48 vs. 48 which would get lost in the mix.
Third, if an existing >40% school became a KIPP school it would not affect the numbers ... same old >40% school with a different program ...
So you think the policy
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 21:40 — TrailerParkGirlshould be kept as is but continue not to be met in some areas in favor of more effective solutions?
In any case, trying those solutions will require BOE members who are willing to listen, support innovative solutions and can think beyond just the status quo that has been in existance and I'm not feeling that from the status quo candidates like Lois "schools are a business tool and kids can go to any of 26 schools" Nixon and Rita "we don't have any MYR schools" Rakestraw for example. They don't even understand the current issues and reality. That is not a good sign for their potential to help improve education for any students.
A lot can happen when the
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 14:12 — woodstockA lot can happen when the public respects and trusts its school board. As it is, the public has no faith in the sitting school board.
Also, the school board's $5M PR machine, WakeED Partnership, the N&O and even the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce keeps telling the public how wonderful things are, so why would anyone want to pump more money into what is already working so well? Of course it is all a ruse for another purpose, and our poor and minority students are the pawns that make it all work.
2008-09 results
Sun, 09/20/2009 - 09:05 — lferreriIs that with retesting? I didn't see 2008-09 on the NCDPI web site yet so I don't know. The gap is still very large in my opinion.
Click here for a link to
Sun, 09/20/2009 - 17:34 — KeungHui (author)Click here for a link to search for the latest disaggregated results. It's reasonable to assume that at least some of the 2008-09 gains came from retesting.
Thanks
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 09:30 — lferreriThanks for the link.
Nice politically correct
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 09:22 — shearertwNice politically correct wording Keung. Let's try again.
We can assume that MOST of the 2008-2009 gains came from retesting.
In the absence of specific
Mon, 09/21/2009 - 10:52 — KeungHui (author)In the absence of specific school data for pre and post retesting you can't say which definitely had more of an impact. Every time the tests get renormed the schools tank the first year. They improve in the following years as teachers get a better feel for what will be asked of the students. Reading would have gone up somewhat because 2008-09 was the second year of the new exam. The math scores have been increasing since they renormed a few years ago.
Did the Same Kids Exist in Both Years
Sun, 09/20/2009 - 17:06 — JanisTangoThese stats don't mean anything unless your test group remained the same. Does anyone know if that is the case? That is the thing that drives me crazy about WCPSS healthy schools policy. If you change the student demographics in a school like what is happening with the reassignments and people that are leaving the schools, these stats are worthless. I want to see the numbers of real students year and year and whether or not these specific students are improving. Of course WCPSS PR would find students that would support their case so I guess that wouldn't work.
OT: Knightdale High suspends 'smart lunch' after fights
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 16:28 — Eric_Bhttp://www.wral.com/news/local/story/6032869/
Smart lunch was put in place at many high schools to accommodate the Wednesday early releases...
54.6%
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 11:41 — CaryCurmudgeonRemember this number. WCPSS has been collecting soccer awards for diversity for ten years. For ten years they have hid their dirty little secret, shuffling poor children around in order to make schools look "healthy." Local business has pumped money into WCPSS and WEP to maintain this grand illusion. Academics have made money selling books about this grand illusion.
I am saddened that otherwise good people are still defending a system that fails those who need help the most.
Evidently, WEP has recognized that failure on this scale presents a huge risk for maintaining the status quo. Their latest spin is that we still do ok compared to other major metropolitan school districts. Well, we're within one point of CMS, who Stan and his crowd accuse of Academic Genocide. I agree with Stan on this, when barely half of our economically-disadvantaged students graduate, academic genocide is an appropriate label. Funny how words can come back to haunt you. I'm sure on the next turn of their spin machine, WEP will let us know that we have the highest ED graduation rate among counties beginning with a 'W.'
Reading this issue of "In Context" gave me reassurance that we are working on the right cause, and that the status quo is scared.
Year-round again...
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 11:14 — Eric_BWEP is full of it when it comes to year-round. Here is a table showing the 22 schools converted to year-round with their enrollment before year-round conversion, their enrollment afterwards, and the net change:
School
20th
Day Membership 06-07
10th
Day Membership 09-10
Change
in number of students
Ballentine ES
757
668
-89
Baucom ES
904
704
-200
Brassfield ES
687
770
83
Green Hope ES
837
856
19
Highcroft ES
862
744
-118
Hodge Rd ES
663
752
89
Holly Springs ES
818
1068
250
Harris Creek ES
832
845
13
Knightdale ES
676
523
-153
Leesville Rd ES
902
1045
143
Lockhart ES
759
734
-25
Middle Creek ES
980
944
-36
Olive Chapel ES
925
1031
106
Pleasant Union ES
693
670
-23
Rand Rd ES
737
606
-131
Salem ES
769
943
174
Vance ES
452
611
159
Wakefield ES
1109
813
-296
Willow Springs ES
897
882
-15
East Wake MS
949
976
27
North Garner MS
873
1251
378
Salem MS
1050
1318
268
While the 3 middle schools are serving more students after the YR conversion, the elementary schools that were converted are now serving a net total of 50 students less!
(Not to mention that Leesville Middle is now serving 36 students less this year than last year after the YR conversion and 71 students less than the enrollment high of 1317 in 2007-08).
We are spending an extra $1.9 million per year for the increased operating costs of these 19 elementary schools when enrollment has declined overall!
How does this save $500 million or any money at all?
Sources:
http://www.wcpss.net/bond/downloads/quick_reference_guide.pdf
and 10th day enrollment figures for 2009-10 just released by WCPSS.
You know your numbers are
Sun, 09/20/2009 - 17:20 — user12345You know your numbers are up 623 kids YTY ... a healthy 3.4% annual growth ... it seems like they need to re-balance some of the schools and build another one to absorb the 623 left over ... Did you say they spent $1.9M to absorb these extra 623 kids which is $3000/kid ... about half the cost of average funding??
ROFL !!!
Sun, 09/20/2009 - 17:41 — CaryCurmudgeonROFL !!!
A little birdie
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 09:13 — Voice_of_Reason_Maybe someone would like to look at the second grade racial makeup in second grade tracks at WES. This looks almost like segregation to me, It may just be the way diversity busing just are skewed. Also the WES base area real estate has taken a huge hit especially those families with young children. Disproportionate to the rest of Wake County. And it is amazing how many new kids are going to private school in thatarea, maybe the reason for the huge decline in enrollment....Just wondering.
BTW, the migration to private is due to the huge decrease in performance of WES since MYR went in effect and the reallignment of diversity bussed students the year before.
and the ONLY reason LES
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 11:22 — AngelaWand the ONLY reason LES shows a positive of 143 is the 200 applications students WCPSS allowed despite staff cuts.
Yeah, I should have
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 11:35 — Eric_BYeah, I should have mentioned that. For 2008-09, Leesville ES only had 712 base students attending, according to this:
http://www.wcpss.net/demographics/enrollment/tbl08AssignIndicator.pdf
Did you know that of the 19 elementary schools converted to YR, Leesville Elementary is the only school with YR application students sent to it to bump up the enrollment numbers!? (Well, not quite true, Knightdale had 3 YR application students last year compared to 177 for Leesville.) This despite the fact that Sycamore Creek is YR and has 400 open seats less than 2 miles away!
That sounds like major
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 15:19 — changewcpssThat sounds like major manipulation by WCPSS. A most excellent case study showing that MYR is not justified. Why not encourage the press to do an in-depth analysis of that school to show the failure of MYR? This needs to be exposed.
Sycamore Creeks Wasn't In Last Year's Reassignment
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 15:07 — JanisTangoSycamore Creek is also not having any kids reassigned to that school over the next three years. It was not included in the reassignment plan because according to Chuck it will be used for overflow from Brier Creek which is also a YR that is under enrolled. Several parents in our neighborhood begged Patti Head to let us go there (we live less than a mile and have less than 40 kids in ES) and she had every excuse in the book. The elementary school that we are reassigned to lost a ton of kids from this neighborhood this year. All the parents I've talked to that have small children in ES don't even want to consider our current ES assignment as an option. They are already looking into charter, private, magnets, etc. They are ruining schools, neighborhoods, etc in this mess they have created! They wonder why parents complain!
Eric what is the total capacity of all MYR schools compared to the enrollment?
all the charp show from the
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 20:47 — helena1987all the charp show from the upstair that we do maby have some choose to plan the next seasion works .not everyone known waht we show in our job.
charm bracelets
yes I did know that ....(thanks to Chucky and Patti)
Fri, 09/18/2009 - 12:15 — AngelaWalso Brier Creek is underenrolled @ about 700 and some of the application students WCPSS "accepted" @ LES are from Brier Creek!!
and thus, ANYONE who keeps INSISTING that MYR, (FYR whatever you want to refer to it as), is about GROWTH shall be convinced that it is not only a foolish assertion, but idiotic and a LIE and saves NO money by having underenrolled schools that ALWAYS operate 12 months (another truly "DUH" statement by WEP)
and BTW, this wasteful use of taxpayer's money is nothing new, I've been screaming about it for years now, WEP's decision to address it now and in the manner shows something.