The Wake Education Partnership is laying out the potential challenges of assigning Wake County students to their closest school
Today, the WEP released the second issue of "Understand Your Schools," which it says is in response to the new school board majority's efforts to change student assignment. In a nutshell, the WEP found that any proposal that relies on sending students solely to their closest schools would quickly create dozens of capacity problems.
The WEP says that the new school board majority knows it's not possible to assign all students to their closest school as it would require tens of thousands of reassignments. But it says its review is still important in light of what could be coming.
"But in broad terms, the school board is committed to providing more choices to parents, including the option of attending schools as close to home as possible," according to the WEP review. "In that light, a review of what would happen if all children were assigned to their closest school allows people to gauge the possible effects of future assignment proposals."
Looking at capacity, the WEP said that if all of today's students were assigned to their closest schools, about two dozen buildings would be at 150 percent of capacity. About two dozen more schools would be at less than 50 percent capacity.
The review also found moving students closer to where they live would lead to major shifts in the socioeconomic balance at schools. For instance, the WEP said at least 15 schools would have F&R rates of at least 67 percent while 27 schools would have F&R rates of less than 10 percent.
The WEP includes interactive maps showing how school capacity levels and socioeconomic mixes would be affected by sending children to their closest school.
The WEP adds that it's "not endorsing any particular plan in presenting this topic review." The WEP say "the intent is to help readers better understand an issue that is expected to attract intense interest in the coming year.
The WEP says it plans in the future to take a closer look at school board member John Tedesco's proposal for community-based assignment zones.
The WEP has been releasing these topic reviews on a periodic basis. The group's first one in January looked at the challenges of converting schools back to a traditional calendar.
UPDATE
As expected, groups that are critical of the new school board majority are latching on to the white paper put out by the Wake Education Partnership.
The Progressive Pulse blog for N.C. Policy Watch is pointing to the white paper to say that "the Wake school board majority needs to seriously re-thnk its goals, strategies and tactics."
Comments
blah, blah, blah,... let's look at NEW ideas..analyze THIS, WEP
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 21:18 — AngelaWDurham Schools Receive Grant
DURHAM, N.C. -
Moses Richards is a junior at Hillside High School in Durham, speaks four languages and is a top student. But when he started elementary school he couldn't even speak English because his family had just moved from Liberia.
"English is tough so I had to buckle down and study. It started in elementary school where my teachers were patient and gave me all the opportunities," Richards said.
But Richards is a success story. Kristy Moore with the Durham Association of Educators said there are still many African-American students who are struggling.
"We're seeing huge discrepancies between Caucasian and African-American males and we need to focus on that," Moore said.
So the district is taking a more than $1 million dollar grant and dividing it among six schools to start or improve existing programs.
"Each year we'll get $200,000. We do not have specific programs because we want the schools to come up with programs that will work best for their students then they will have to apply for a mini-grant from us," Moore said.
Principal of Chewning Middle School DeShawna Gooch said each school is unique.
"It's important to differentiate between each school. Each school is wonderful in its own way but they also have their own needs," Gooch said.
For example, elementary schools may focus on home visits by the district if children are having problems. In high school, a mentor program may be the key.
"All these programs have helped me build leadership skills and prepare me for college," Richards said.
Gov. Bev Perdue was in Durham to announce the grant. She said it's all about partnership. She said that this grant should lead to programs that spark relationships between the district and the community.
"It's not about the size of the grant, but the collaboration that exists because of the grant," Perdue said.
Those six schools will apply to the Durham Associations of Educators in the next couple of weeks and they hope to receive the money by the spring.
Sounds like a neat program.
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 21:38 — festusAnd I am happy for Durham. Happy to experiment with new approaches.
Did anyone else notice a glaring inaccuracy in the story? The hook is about Moses Richards, who is not African American. He is first generation, an immigrant. Immigrant kids often perform very well in US schools, even when they come from impoverished backgrounds. (And we do not know his financial background.)
....
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 22:13 — SideburnsPlease explain.
In my kids EL school, we had
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 21:48 — shank56In my kids EL school, we had a kid from Korea, a kid with 2 parents, dad was fluent and mom spoke broken English. The family had relocated for grad school and were classified for F&R. After one semester, their kid, who did not speak English, had surpassed the local F&R , AF-Am kids, and almost everone else, in math skills, and soon in language arts skills.
Home/ parental support = everything.
You are so right red_balloon!
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 14:59 — milly75You are so right red_balloon!
"Secondly, not all students are provided with the same opportunity. WCPSS has "schools within schools" and this is attested to by the Enloe parade as well as the EOGs."
We live in Cary - several neighbors go to Carnage Middle and shared with us that "their children have little to no interaction with the F&R children so they send them there for all the cool electives that our base does not offer." This is not about helping poverty children receive a better educational experience - this is and always has been all about numbers
I heard about that too
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 18:12 — MomknowsbestMy friends with kids in Carnage said the same thing too. The AG kids do not have to mix with the base/F&R kids. How is this working for diversity? It's a farce and travesty to others who can't get in because they live in the wrong node. My children's pediatricians' kids all attend the AG magnet schools. One of them told me that he knows someone who told him that she knows some influential people and thats how her kids got in. Is this really happening, this nepotism?
Correct me, but it is my
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 18:53 — shank56Correct me, but it is my understanding that AG magnet kids in middle are separated now for math and language arts, but they are mixed with all others for science, social studies, PE , and electives.
This is taken directly from the Carnage Middle School website:
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 20:11 — milly75This is taken directly from the Carnage Middle School website: (see bold text)
"The Fred J. Carnage Middle School AG Basics program is based on research showing that academically gifted students have exceptional potential which must recognized, nurtured, challenged, and expanded.
The philosophy of the AG Basics program is implemented through curriculum and instructional strategies that provide differentiated services to match students' gifted characteristics.
Fred J. Carnage Middle School has one AG team at each grade level. Academically Gifted students receive differentiated educational services in the four core areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
A full-time AG resource teacher coordinates the program at Fred J. Carnage Middle School, providing support and assistance to both AG teachers and their students."
Providing differentiated
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 20:24 — shank56Providing differentiated services is NOT necessarily the same as "HOMOGENEOUS GROUPING.
In homogeneous grouping, all the AG students would be exclusively in the same classes. It is my understanding that this only happens in math and language art in middle schools.
Teachers differentiate their instructiion to all levels in a classroom- whether AG or not- and hopefully whether in any school - magnet or non-magnet school .
Edit to ask: Does this make sense? I've heard that Ligon only groups for math and language arts now. May be wrong. Any parents out there? I can find out - maybe tomorrow. Distracted by the Saints online.
The level of differentiation
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 20:29 — red_balloonThe level of differentiation is atrociously different between magnets and non-magnets. Take a look at the electives at magnets in ES. Sans the same standards at non-magnets, it simply is not possible to differentiate to an extent that would keep the more capable students interested and challenged. No such worries in the land of plenty a.k.a. magnets.
r_b, The level of
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 21:01 — shank56r_b,
The level of differentiation anywhere is highly dependent upon the teacher's ability and WILLINGNESS to reach each student, whether AG or not. Yes, it is hard with mixed classrooms, but there are good teachers who can do it - and who will tap every resource available, including parent volunteers to make it happen.
Also, attitude is everything in looking at what the teachers expects from her/him self. I'll let it go at that. See willingness above.
Anybody on here trying to
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:27 — milly75Anybody on here trying to defend the inequities and unfair distribution of services between schools in this school system is obviously already assigned to one of these higher level learning schools. John Tedesdo and majority want a change from serving only a small portion of students all the extra perks and give many students the same wonderful opportunities these magnets have experienced for years! How can ANYONE see a problem with that?
spreading the (non) wealth
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:05 — SchoolParentThe reason why non-magnet schools don't have the "wonderful opportunities" that magnets have isn't because of some magic wand. Magnet schools get federal funding for those programs and therefore can afford to have them. There is no funding for special programs at non-magnet schools and the county isn't willing to step up and spend more to get them. And what happens if you do not achieve balanced SEC at a school? NO MAGNET funding, because the funding is tied to school diversity. So for all you out there who think it is possible to have magnet programs spread evenly throughout the county AND be able to pay for them via federal magnet grants, think again. No diversity = no federal magnet grants = no magnet programs UNLESS the CC is willing to pay for them. Good luck with that.
Federal funding??
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:55 — Eric_BI don't think there is any significant amount of federal funding used to run the magnet program. Can you cite a reference for that contention?
By far, most of the federal funding is used for Title I programs targeted at low income students and not at magnet programs. It's been some months since I looked, but federal Title I funding is something like $69-80 million in the WCPSS budget. I can't remember the exact amount.
Funding for Magnets
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 14:16 — SchoolParent"The WCPSS Magnet Programs Department has won its seventh Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) grant from the Department of Education. The 2007-10 MSAP grant will provide funding for E. Garner Magnet Middle School, Garner Magnet High School, and Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School. The three year total awarded to these schools is $8,320,469, the fourth largest grant award out of 41 funded districts."
source: WCPSS website - go to magnets, then grants (I would post the link, but the blog rules prevent it).
Please note that this is 7th MSAP grant this county has received. I do not know what the total is for the entire school system historically, but I will try to find out for you.
Found this
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 14:47 — Eric_BI found this here:
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:9rRBUjayz-wJ:www.wcpss.net/magnet/pdfs/MagnetHistory.pdf+federal+funding+magnet+programs+wcpss&hl=en&gl=us&sig=AHIEtbRuvRTe85WFe-przrmqh0NxPlFRmQ&pli=1
So WCPSS received the following federal MSAP grants for magnet programs:
Now, $37 million is a big chunk of change, but it is spread out over 24 years and the grants never covered all magnet schools. They were grants for specific programs and benefited specific schools. If changes to the magnet program were made and some programs were added or eliminated, it would not mean that this funding would go away. Other magnet schools could apply for similar grants.
BTW, I did not see anything originally because there are no MSAP grants in the 2009-10 WCPSS budget.
You pay.
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 16:47 — DrActualFactualEric, a couple of months ago I searched on grant funding and came across a report that indicated that Enloe had received a multiyear grant but missed some of the benchmarks. If I remember correctly, the grant amount diminished over time and when it ran out (of course we can't just let schools go under) the school system saw to it the school kept going. I wish I could find the dollar amount associated with that report. It was not something that I kept, but I was very surprised to think that not only would we make up the funding difference but that it wouldn't return to a non-magnet funded school if the funding is lost. Keung, has there been an instance where the grant funding for a magnet school is lost and the school loses it's magnet status and programs?
WCPSS had stepped in when
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:27 — red_balloonWCPSS had stepped in when Fed assistance was denied for magnet schools. You can search Keung's posts for details. Therefore, it is incorrect to assume the county will not spend on these programs. I am not stating the county will spend but that it is incorrect to imply that Fed assistance is necessary for magnets. Secondly, here's what you find on the Fed's "Magnet Schools Assistance" page by way of objectives:
- prevent minority group isolation
- provide all students with the opportunity to meet challenging academic content and student academic achievement standards
WCPSS has 26% AA, 12% Hispanic, and 6% Asian students. Reflect on these statistics to understand the bias inherent in the definition of "minority group".
Secondly, not all students are provided with the same opportunity. WCPSS has "schools within schools" and this is attested to by the Enloe parade as well as the EOGs.
funding aside (because I do
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:11 — JSBinNCfunding aside (because I do not have enough knowledge on that to comment) - non magnet schools are forbidden from offering anything in terms of "specials" that might compete with a magnet school.
Or at least that is the party line. You can search through different schools websites and see how things differ.... some of the more affluent or connected non magnet schools do seem to be able to fund things that I would consider "competitive" offerings. I don't know how or if those types of things are monitored.
The bottom line is that there are vastly different experiences for school children across Wake county - and it is very much defined by your base node and where that allows you to be assigned.
I agree. Offerings are
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:42 — NWRaleighMomI agree. Offerings are different for many reasons. Principals of overcrowded schools have more funding they are able to spend. That would explain why Wakefield is able to offer decent number of AP offerings. Lacy has a private foundation which funds Spanish, Science Lab, additional AG resources. Good for them, they funded it and are not taking money from my child's school.
I have a problem when Wake instead of helping underenrolled and high poverty schools, offers Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Dance, Robotics and dozens of other courses in Wiley, which has one of the most affluent bases in Raleigh.
I totally agree. It's
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 13:09 — JSBinNCI totally agree. It's wrong on so many levels to me.
Can you prove this?
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:24 — Duhhuh666.. And what happens if you do not achieve balanced SEC at a school? NO MAGNET funding, because the funding is tied to school diversity..
Can you prove this?
Lies
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:17 — NWRaleighMomAbsolutely not true. Federal funding does not account for all the additional funding. Most of the funding comes out of WCPSS Instructional budget. My kids' schools has higher F&R % than most of the magnets and they have no special programs. If we want to take an opportunity of an additional federal grants, the recepients should not receive additional county funding and not be picked by an unequal lottery system.
Cite source please. See
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 14:25 — carson79Cite source please. See above info on grants and refute if you can or else explain what you mean.
There were several blogs
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 15:23 — NWRaleighMomThere were several blogs with information how WCPSS' instructional budget is spent. I was under impression before that all magnet 'extras' came from federal. It was a shock to find out that it came from my taxes. I asked Mr. Hui and he confirmed that this is exactly the case.
With Ron and Tony in control
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:16 — shank56With Ron and Tony in control now, they can certainly make strong academic offerings a reality across Wake.
Why not?
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:23 — NWRaleighMomAfter Enloe students are sent back to their base schools, their parents will demand strong academic courses at all the schools. Everyone benefts.
WRONG. The schools tha
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 14:27 — carson79WRONG. The schools tha tthe Enloe kids go back to will benefit, which are weighted to wealthier areas, right?
SO NO - not everyone benefits - not even a little bit.
Benefits
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 15:35 — NWRaleighMomThere are instructional dollars to pour back into schools where they rightfully belong. They can be distributed according to students population in the schools, by giving preference to smaller schools(Eastern Wake), or any other parameters.
Also, powerful parents will be lobbying CC for more school funding for all schools.
disagree - these powerful
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 16:36 — carson79disagree - these powerful parents will be concentrated in the high wealth schools - do you think they will buck a historical and nationwide trend and lobby for increased funding for the schools that they already complain about?
Not sure about the wealth
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 16:57 — NWRaleighMomNot sure about the wealth but children of politically connected and liberal parents attend magnet schools. Would you expect them to be against increased funding when they go back to their base schools?
Ironically, liberals in this county are already bucking a trend by advocating lower taxes which is unheard of anywhere else.
Would you expect them to
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 18:47 — carson79Would you expect them to be against increased funding when they go back to their base schools?
Yes.
What are you saying?
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 20:40 — NWRaleighMomContinue reward these mean families with magnet goodies? What is the point? I think you are wrong - as we know from the endless parade of Enloe students they attend magnets only for diversity. Lets send them back to their diverse base schools.
No majority
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:49 — NWRaleighMomUnfortunately, there is no majority on this issue. With Goldman so eager to protect magnet goodies for her own children, our kids will be denied equal opportunities at least until another election.
Tedesco's reaction
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 01:10 — sanfranMethinks you protest a bit too vehemently, John. Is the analysis striking too close to home?
Lawsuits anyone?
Mon, 02/08/2010 - 21:49 — MomknowsbestCan we sue the school system for discrimination and failure to deliver equal education?
Who is being discriminated
Mon, 02/08/2010 - 23:00 — Duhhuh666Who is being discriminated against and what is "failure to deliver equal education"?
You're right. Wake is an
Mon, 02/08/2010 - 23:37 — NWRaleighMomYou're right. Wake is an absolutely equal and fair school system. All schools are funded the same amount per student regardless whether it is a magnet or non-magnet. All children have the same chance of winning the magnet or YR lottery regardless of the node they live in or base school they are assigned to. There are no bases for a lawsuit whatsoever.
Lawsuits anyone?
Mon, 02/08/2010 - 21:44 — MomknowsbestCan we sue the school system if they don't deliver equal education???
define equal education?
Mon, 02/08/2010 - 21:51 — Duhhuh666define equal education?
"define equal
Mon, 02/08/2010 - 23:09 — user12345"define equal education?"
How about defining unequal?
How about Knightdale / Garner's 8 AP courses vs. Western Wake where all the school average 19.
Thats a good start, dont
Mon, 02/08/2010 - 23:18 — Duhhuh666Thats a good start, dont forget how many are offered at the magnet schools verses traditional high schools. My point was the system we have provides unequal education.
"My point was the system we
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 09:17 — user12345"My point was the system we have provides unequal education"
And my point is that the affluent always come out on top of these unequal arranagements
Middle class
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 13:29 — MomknowsbestAnd middle class are left in the wayside, as usual.
!!!
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:01 — choice4allAnd my point is that the affluent always come out on top of these unequal arranagements
Maybe because some people are tired of the nonesense. These same people work hard and hold their hands up instead of out. Lots of us "Stepped aside" for the greater good and had YR shoved down our throats while being told to "get over it". We saw massive reassignments and then ALL support to handle these assignments were laid off. But the Magnets survived. The Magnets survived.
WEP predicts gloom and doom and spent money to produce this report and spew the rhetoric of it all over the Media. Sad. Why is it we only hear from the good Rev Barber on the possible destruction of this school system? I saw more families complain about the closing of the Garner Library, due to budget cuts, than I have about how theywant their children to be bused 20 miles away for the greater good. I have only seen the elite Enloe Magent students throw their little tantrums and have seen the parents who would be threatened with reassignment, throw out the race card and spin it so that they can keep what they have. Really Sad.
Maybe you missed the
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 22:00 — festusMaybe you missed the Southeast Raleigh students also testifying to the importance of magnets/diversity policy in their school? I haven't heard the rage and vitriol directed at those kids that I heard directed at the Enloe children. Why not? Did people miss that meeting?
stats for you
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 22:12 — red_balloonEnloe EOCs: 46% Blacks; 38% EDs
SERH EOCs: 56% Blacks; 49% EDs
Besides, the Enloe parade has done a fabulous job of highlighting what is wrong with the magnet program.
Fuller offers up to eight
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:57 — red_balloonFuller offers up to eight electives. The reason it is allowed to offer these electives is because it is not in an affluent area. A comparative school in an affluent area offers a grand total of zero electives. Your point is based upon inadequate knowledge and/ or faulty reasoning.
Sounds like John Edwards 2
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 09:41 — Duhhuh666Sounds like John Edwards 2 Americas....
Or George Bush's
Tue, 02/09/2010 - 15:42 — user12345Or George Bush's compassionate conservatives