The Wake school system is getting a fresh round of national recognition for its diversity efforts.
Wake learned this week it will receive a special recognition award from the National School Boards Association’s Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE). Wake got the recognition for its "outstanding achievements and continued progress" after being nominated for CUBE's Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence.
"The judges felt the (Wake} school board's commitment to diversity should be really recognized," said Katrina Kelley, director of the CUBE program.
Wake is one of the few school districts in the country that still uses student assignment to try to keep schools diverse. Wake tries to balance the percentages of low-income students at individual schools.
CUBE was established to meet the needs and interests of urban school boards. CUBE is comprised of more than 100 urban school districts, including Wake, Durham, Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Cumberland and Guilford.
Wake will now be one of the five districts featured at the CUBE conference scheduled for Oct. 8-10 in Austin, Tex. Supt. Del Burns and school board chairman Kevin Hill will represent Wake at the conference.
"As part of the CUBE Award process, we are gratified that the National School Boards Association has recognized the hard work which has brought us to where we are as a school system today," Hill said in a district press release. "The dedication of our principals and teachers along with support from parents and the community has given us the opportunity to be recognized by our peers."
Kelley said Burns and Hill be asked to speak about issues such as how the diversity policy is implemented, student assignment and the community's response.
"They will be asked to present the Wake story," Kelley said.
Kelley said Wake will get national attention in the National School Boards Association's publications: "American School Board Journal," "School Board News" and the "Urban Advocate."
It would be ironic if Burns and Hill spoke at the conference days after critics of the diversity policy gained control of the school board on Oct. 6.
Comments
Conflict
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 22:18 — SDR256I find Wake County's achievements actually in conflict with CUBE's goals (see below). CUBE's goals are geared toward student success. Wake County's data is based on school achievment. We all know there is a world of difference. I wonder if CUBE understands that difference, or if it would be interesting to help them understand that. Readers may also find it interesting to look at the homogeneous photos of the 25 Directors of CUBE. What is the deep hidden meaning that 21 of them are white? Gee. Hope I don't keep any of you awake tonight pondering that mystery.
Mission, Vision, and Goals
As Approved by the NSBA Board of Directors
December 14, 2007
MISSION
Excellence and Equity in Public Education through School Board Leadership
VISION
Every school board demonstrates excellent leadership and advocacy to support
outstanding student achievement.
GOALS
As a partnership of Federation Members, NSBA has embraced four fundamental
goals:
GOAL 1
Every school board will lead its community in preparing each student to succeed
in a rapidly changing global society
GOAL 2
Congress, federal agencies, state legislatures, and the courts will actively support
policies and increased funding to strengthen public education and local school
board governance.
GOAL 3
Americans will value public education as the cornerstone of democracy and will
invest in public education, actively support the public schools, and recognize the
role of school boards as the community’s voice in this vital institution
GOAL 4
NSBA will be a creative organization that maintains a sound infrastructure, serves
its members and customers in a fast and flexible manner, supports continuous
improvement in its services and operations, and generates resources to support its
mission through NSBA programs and activities.
The decision-makers
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 21:40 — Bob_SconceSo, a bunch of "urban" districts decided to give Wake some award. I'm not sure that Wake should be bragging about this sort of award -- it's a bit like the drunken bum who complimented my shoes.
Here's an example of how they manage their own systems:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125012223083427629.html#mod=loomia?loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r2:c0.119062:b27116754
White People Considered for District 4?
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 20:03 — MissVfiestamom, To my knowledge there weren't any White (Caucasian) people who applied for the District 4 seat, formerly held by Rosa Gill. However, I'm sure that former US Senator Elizabeth Dole would love to know that a former staffer invoked her name when calling upon current School Board members to vote for the winning candidate. Incidentally, I think I was the only Republican candidate. At least the only one who knows Sen. Dole. Venita Peyton (www.VenitaPeyton.com)
What gains?
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 20:00 — AngelaWI found this curious;
http://www.nsba.org/SecondaryMenu/CUBE/CUBEAnnualAward/AwardFAQ.aspx
How much data do we need to include?
We ask that you provide five years of data including: test scores, AYP status, drop out rates, minority college attendees, AP class demographics, and any other data that you feel would provide the judges an insight on how your district is successful. This can be included as supporting materials or an attachment to your application.
What if we aren’t making great gains in achievement?
The judges look for progress in your district, not for a perfect district. If your district has shown improvements over the last few years and you feel that you’ve made strides in community relations, student achievement, or any of the four core areas, your district should apply.
Disgusting!
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 19:53 — AngelaWGiven the current budget issues AND the incorrect projections AGAIN thus costing schools teaching positions, putting MORE teachers out of work, they would DARE spend the money to send not one, but TWO people to accept thse platitudes??
New book out re: WCPSS
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 15:17 — momsateacherDon't know if this is the correct forum in which to share a new book I just found at the library today - "Hope and Despair in the American City: Why There Are No Bad Schools in Raleigh", by Gerald Grant, ISBN 978-0-674-03291-4. From the jacket blurb: "Grant argues that the chief reason for Raleigh's educational success is the integration by social class that occurred when the city voluntarily merged with the surrounding suburbs in 1976 to create the WCPSS". Author compares WCPSS to his hometown of Syracuse, NY. Haven't read it yet, but it seemed to fit this thread. I'm interested in discovering the outsider's perspective.
There was a thread about his book
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 20:49 — TrailerParkGirlwhen he was in town promoting it. Mr. Grant's son works for WCPSS and his grandchild(ren) attend WCPSS magnet schools, so he's not as much of an "outsider" as one might think.
Yes you are correct about
Fri, 08/14/2009 - 10:16 — dryeraseuserYes you are correct about that. I think it was sometime in April or May. We also found out his grandchildren attend Washington Magnet and Ligon Magnet Schools....oh and lets not forget we also found out that his son is an administrator at one of the WCPSS schools. Yeah you are correct.."not much of an outside" to this!!!!
The Emperor's New Clothes,
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:46 — Big_PictureThe Emperor's New Clothes, right? No substance, but no one dares speak out to state the obvious; there is nothing there.
Self-promotion by applying for meaningless awards while you continually fail those children you are claiming to care about. Such a crime. With WSCA, the truth will eventually be revealed and the children will finally be helped.
**
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:00 — choice4all"Kelley said Burns and Hill be asked to speak about issues such as how the diversity policy is implemented, student assignment and the community's response."
If the CEM meetings were taped will they also include the tape where Security threw a Leesville Mom out of the meeting because she went over the 3 minutes? She was asking for a response because no one answered her calls and she had no internet. Community response......Somebody needs to be all over this!
I'm sure the other recipients will be interested
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 13:46 — TrailerParkGirlI'm sure the other recipients (Atlanta 74.9% ED, Broward County, FL 41.4% ED, Baltimore City Schools 72.2% ED, and Jefferson County, KY 55.1% ED) will be very interested to hear all about how schools with >40% F&R cannot be healthy and how WCPSS manages to be so "great" when it has a whopping 28.2% ED population, (and yet hasn't made a dent in the achievement gap and the ED scores relative to other districts and state avg have been slipping).
The WCPSS sure has a tall
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:36 — shearertwThe WCPSS sure has a tall order....
2008 Wake County Demographics:
Adults w/ HS Diploma or greater - WC 91%, State 83.1%
Adults w/ BS degree or greater - WC 46.6%, State 25.5%
Single parent homes - WC 9.3%, State 12.1%
....
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:22 — SideburnsTPG,
Can you write me offline? Just ask Mr. Hui for my email address.
Thanks!
will be in touch
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 20:45 — TrailerParkGirlsent request to Mr. Hui.
TPG, Amazing post.
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 13:55 — shearertwTPG,
Amazing post. Shows exactly why this award is bogus.
WC has the most educated population of any county in the state (and is ranked fairly high nationally), has the highest per/capita income in the state (fairly high regionally) and can't keep up with one of the lowest performing states (w/regard to closing gaps, ED scores and graduation rates) and STILL gets an award. If it had any credibility before, the CUBE has none now.
priorities
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:14 — loriacfrom the Cube website:
I REALLY want to read this. However, should this have really been a priority back in the May timeframe when it was due. I bet this took a staffer weeks to put together, review, get approved, etc. At this point, teachers were learning who was not going to have their contracts renewed. I hope that given the budget crisis, Mr. Hill and Mr. Burns will decide NOT to travel to this conference. One can dream...
awards
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 21:04 — klanders65Most of these awards are like this. I once worked in a pretty low achieving school that I would not brag about at all. We had a lot of extra staff, who we weren't really sure what their jobs were. Our school won some national award for excellence. The team I was on as a teacher wondered how in the world we could have won this national award. It turned out we had enough dead weight sitting around our school to complete the portfolios and forms, to apply to win. Someone had to prepare applications for months.
I found it ironic and so funny (I have a sick sense of humor from so many years in education) when this person who completed the forms and was in charge of this award put together a celebration, complete with banner and t-shirts to be sold by the PTA as a fund-raiser. They were printed with Award for Excellance! [sic], and our school name.
I'm guessing the award was
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:21 — shearertwI'm guessing the award was primarily based on:
"media accounts" and the "board self evaluation tool"
Liberal do-gooders awarding liberal hacks... WOW
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 11:05 — fiestamomLiberals from afar awarding a program hurting (yes, I said hurting) inner city kids. Low income kids being forced into hour long bus rides, one way. And they get an award from it.
WHOAA! I thought that our
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 12:30 — PlatowasrightWHOAA!
I thought that our busing program was all about evening out the effect that poverty has on school scores. WHO COULD HAVE EVER GUESSED THAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT NO SCHOOL HAD TOO MANY BLACK PEOPLE?
Gosh.
Mr. Hui - can you obtain WCPSS' submission for this award?
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 10:22 — loriac'A panel of judges selected finalists based on the school districts’ submissions and independent research.
Applicants must present evidence that exhibits their accomplishments in four core areas: school board
governance, community engagement, closing the achievement gap, and academic excellence. '
The above is from the CUBE website:
http://www.nsba.org/SecondaryMenu/CUBE/CUBEAnnualAward.aspx
http://www.nsba.org/SecondaryMenu/CUBE/CUBEAnnualAward/2009-CUBE-Annual-Award-Finalists.aspx
WCPSS applied for this award - I would be interested in seeing their submission and independent research.
CUBE Award
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 12:59 — RMC10Someone should send this blog's link to the CUBE CEO. I think it is a self'nomination award submission process.
I'd love to see how they
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 10:43 — shearertwI'd love to see how they established themselves as be successful in any of those 4 areas.
school board governance (if by governance they mean the school board being governed by the administrators)
community engagement (only if "engagement" is defined as "battle: a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war")
closing the achievement gap (I cannot possibly imagine how they could spin this one unless by "closing" they really mean "opening")
academic excellence (perhaps they only considered the data from the magnet schools)
Well done
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 10:32 — RichardAndersonA+ on reading comprehension for loriac. Perhaps calling CUBE would bring about their entry?
Well then let's respond...
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 10:15 — avila65"Kelley said Burns and Hill be asked to speak about issues such as how the diversity policy is implemented, student assignment and the community's response."
As the Community, maybe we should respond to CUBE directly instead of letting Burns and Hill speak on our behalf.
And,
"They will be asked to present the Wake story," Kelley said.
Oh really, and which story will that be? Whatever it is, it will certainly be "a Story." We should all be able to see their noses grow from here!!!
So what?
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 10:15 — kmisegadesAnd just how does this help the kid who has drops out of school at age 16, can't read and write and has no skills to be an independent adult? Didn't we just read that the HS graduation rate dropped AGAIN in Wake County?
Urban..?
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 10:02 — randyowensAs wierd as it seems, Wake County DOES fit the census bureau's def of 'urban' in that it has 'A cluster of one or more block groups or census blocks, each of which has a population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile at the time'. While the avg density in Wake county in 2000 was only 754 people per sq mile, there are definitely areas of 'one or more blocks' which are higher. Raleigh has roughly 1600 people per sq mile as of 2000. To be classified as RURAL, the area has to have 'All territory, population, and housing units not classified as urban' according to the Census bureau. It's odd, but those are the facts according to their web site.
I tend to believe that 'urban' means something quite different to the folks who label themselves as 'urban' groups. I say let the school board get their reward, and head to the polls this fall to put a team in place that will DO AWAY WITH forced bussing based on income (race). It causes nothing but problems as best I can tell!
wake award
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 09:36 — sweetseaBusing innocent little kids who are used as pawns in social experimentation that has yielded absolutely nothing in the furtherence of education and the idiot school board proponents of such are rewarded by another bunch of like minded leftist idiots. Wasting millions of gallons of fuel and the equivilent of days of these kid's lives is the only result and it is not worthy of adulation. Get rid of the school board members that support this foolishness in the next election.
And so we see the machine
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 09:27 — dryeraseuserAnd so we see the machine called WCPSS getting another award...which is the ONLY reason for doing this.
WCPSS reward: Another job
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 09:25 — avg_joeThis just shows the WCPSS commitment to serve everyone but parents that elect them and their school-aged children.
THIS OCTOBER, we need to vote in a school board that represents parents for a change.
Enough with half-baked ivory tower ideas that just makes life miserable for teachers and students alike.
Let's hope the next reward WCPSS (and their hand-picked successors) receive is a job in a completely different line of work.
Bad news keeps coming
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 08:43 — MorrisVMorrisFor Anti-Diversity folks who wait around the newsroom looking for WCPSS bad news, it is another bad day.
Anti-Diversity = WCSA = GOP
Bad Day?
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 10:29 — thegloveBad day? LOL Hardly. What cave did you crawl out of!? There is nothing but optimism these day. We all know that there is an army of citizens waiting to vote this October, including local leadership from all political persuations. They are chomping at the bit to bring about change that puts education first and addresses the needs and concerns of students and parents in the County. You may want to consider just out of touch you will appear when that becomes the reality. It's gonna happen.
Also, I've read these blogs and have found not one single poster opposed to
diversity. Are you being disengenuous or are you really that simple? Do you
really think that this lame and amatuerish tactic is going to resonate with anyone
besides the commiited-to-failure, non-thinking status quo folks?
"Also, I've read these blogs
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 11:20 — MorrisVMorris"Also, I've read these blogs and have found not one single poster opposed to diversity."
It is in all about how you define "diversity" which these bloggers define as people within their gated community - an Indian doctor or Asian lawyer lives next door is progressive. People outside the gates are too diverse for these bloggers - diversity is great as long as I am not unaffected.... Keep "them" in their own neighborhoods...
LOL, thanks for the
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 13:29 — thegloveLOL, thanks for the clarification on my question of whether you are simple or being disengenuous. It appears you are both.
Here we go again
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 12:32 — TrailerParkGirlYou are all about diversity, as long as it is your very narrowly defined mixing of stereotypes of one side with stereotypes on another side of your imagined gate.
If you want to find a prejudice bigot, not to mention a hypocrite, don't go looking for a gate - look in the mirror.
Like Richard, I'll let the folks in the trailer park in my node know you think they took all the gates and I'll let my middle class black friends know they apparently are a figment of my imagination.
"I'll let the folks in the
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 13:29 — MorrisVMorris"I'll let the folks in the trailer park in my node know you think they took all the gates and I'll let my middle class black friends know they apparently are a figment of my imagination. "
Ha ... you have "friends" in the trailer park?? ..your WCSA is lead by affluent Whites … the candidates being endorsed are all affluent Whites … I doubt any of your trailer park buddies is invited to dine with the candidates in Weston …
As someone mentioned earlier their beef with diversity is ….
“I also do not want my child going to school with kids whose parents are crack-heads and spend more time in the jail/prison system”
…. Be honest … you don’t care about anyone outside your family / neighborhood …
Be honest - you don't know what you are talking about
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:31 — TrailerParkGirlI, like John Tedesco the WSCA D2 candidate, grew up in a high poverty area, although while he was F in "F&R", I was "R" or just above "R" depending on which point in my student life. That by the way made me a"rich" kid in the eyes of my "F" classmates. I lived in a trailer park in MS, thus my username. Do you assume everyone who is white is and always has been affluent? Do you not know that in raw numbers there are more white people in poverty in America than any other race?
I have not met the people that live in the trailer park in my node (thus use of "folks"), but neither have I met the people in the $2M home on the edge of my node. I have not met everyone in my node. That does not mean I do not care about them or think a certain way about them. There are homes in every price point in my node. As I've said my area is diverse. Obviously, having lived in a trailer park (different state), yes, I've had friends in trailer parks, even the one in Cary. OMG - yes, Cary has a trailer park. I've also lived in areas referred to as "the ghetto." I don't know anyone in Weston. I DO know affluent people who have dined with people living in poverty. You make far too many assumption about how close minded other people are just because you are close minded.
I care about people outside my family/neighborhood, even people I don't know. Due to my background, I can't stand the viewpoint that F&R people can't do something or create unhealthy schools, which is what the "diversity" policy is based upon. As I posted in another post, the road out of the trailer park for me was paved with the words CAN DO, not can't.
Branding everyone the same based on something said by one idiot in counterproductive. Just like I don't assume ED people or black people are crackheads just because one of them is one. If everyone kept automatically assuming people are a certain way based on the color of their skin or where they live or how much they make, we'll never get anywhere.
Who's the racist?
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:23 — fiestamomMorris v Morris, you're not judging people by their skin color are you?
"WCSA is lead by affluent Whites … the candidates being endorsed are all affluent Whites"
Just pointing out the
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 15:11 — MorrisVMorrisJust pointing out the similarities toSouth Africa
While I hesitate to even
Fri, 08/14/2009 - 08:28 — wsca_09While I hesitate to even respond to your ignorant comments, MVM, I must clarify that official WSCA's meetings have been held in Garner, Morrisville, Knightdale, Holly Springs, Cary and Wake Forest. We have been hosting and attending events all over the county for almost a year. There was no sign on any of the doors that restricted entry to anyone. I would enjoy talking to you offline anytime: 285-3302.
We talking about the same South Africa?
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 17:33 — fiestamomYou talking about South Africa, where the ruling majority now confiscates WHITE property owner's land?
How many rich white people were considered for Rosa Gill's seat? Who did the deciding on that?
Strike two!
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 11:31 — RichardAndersonI'll make sure I tell my Mexican next-door neighbor that he doesn't fit my definition of diversity and shouldn't be within my community. I guess to fit your stereotype I should assume he stole the gate to the community since there isn't one.
Don't you get tired of being so flagrantly wrong?
Here we go again
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 08:48 — RichardAndersonAnti-Diversity = WCSA = GOP
Don't you have a different record to play? We all know the source of your playbook.
“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield
no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly
- it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over” - Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda
Yes, that is an intentional play to Godwin's Law.
Also, tell me the good news here if you are looking for a school system to provide the best education possible.
Hmm....
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 08:39 — Bob_SconceThis is exactly one of the problems Wake has -- considering all the respect that it gets from CUBE, the NYT and other members of the mutual admiration society, how much pressure must the board and the administration feel to keep this abysmal policy going? Kevin Hill and Del Burns surely like going to the cocktail parties at these events, where their colleagues treat them with esteem. That's fairly strong incentive to keep a policy going, even if it's failing.
Two other thoughts:
(1) Considering the budget situation, does it make sense to send two people to Austin on unnecessary travel. Couldn't they just email in a video thanking them for the award?
(2) Wake is NOT an urban district. Parts of it are urban (or, at least as urban as it's possible to get in Raleigh, NC), but the lion's share of the students are suburban or rural.
"(1) Considering the budget
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 19:23 — Apexter"(1) Considering the budget situation, does it make sense to send two
people to Austin on unnecessary travel. Couldn't they just email in a
video thanking them for the award?"
Indeed --- particularly considering the fact that they have banned out-of-state travel for staff training. Back patting, apparently, is exempted from the ban.
http://www.garnercitizen.com/2009/07/wake-county-schools-face-budget-cuts-new-challenges/
Policy
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 08:32 — quetouUh oh. A diversity program receives an award? Now that is going to anger a lot of white parents! Anything positive that has to do with black folks mixing with little Betsy and Jimmy is not going to play well with that status quo.
To clarify
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 12:57 — TrailerParkGirlThe diversity policy does not use race as a factor. It uses socioeconomic status. It is not about students. It is about creating healthy schools. It is about not having too many students who receive Free & Reduced Lunch in a school because supporters of the "diversity" policy believe too many F&R kids in a school means that the school cannot be healthy.
pleas
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 12:43 — parafrog1the only thing that is important is that our kids get a good education. so if the kids are from black,white,asian,or hispanic background, the only thing i care about is if their parents are as invested in their education as i am in my daughters. so no i do not want my child going to school with children whose parents are not as invested in the childs education as i am in mine. I also do not want my child going to school with kids whose parents are crack-heads and spend more time in the jail/prison system then they do with their kids. so make it a Black/White thing if you wish, just proves my point even further. i want my child to grow up excepting responsibility for her actions and not blaming others when she fails or makes a mis step.
Only four comments
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 08:37 — RichardAndersonOnly took four comments to have racism accusations come out. Is that a record?
Seriously, take Godwin's Law, change Nazis for racism or segregation, and apply it to conversations about WCPSS.
Only thing that matters
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 21:56 — jmbrabenThe community I grew up in was a mill town in northern MI. My family was at the bottom of the socio-economic barrel. There was no F, there was no R. You dragged yourself up, or you stayed where you were. My parents pushed me to succeed academically, and I received scholarships, I received my degrees, I live in Cary in a very (racially) diverse neighborhood of many people who have been handed little in their lives. In my children's schools, I see successes from all backgrounds...the common denominator has nothing to do with lack of F&R or where you live.
If your parents care, you have a chance, if not, you are pretty much doomed to failure. I'm not saying that parents who care are the only ingredient required for producing a child that is productive member of our society, but it is a necessary ingredient.
If WCPSS can figure out how to bus better parents to the homes of those children whose parents don't care, I'd be all for it. Unfortunately the money they're currently spending on bussing has a rediculously low return on investment.