I attended this evening's ESEA Public School Choice Meeting at Chamblee High School. Here are some highlights:
- The term "NCLB" is no longer being used - ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) is the preferred term.
- AYP reports were to be released by the GADOE this week, but the release has been delayed until early next week.
- Dr. Audria Berry reviewed the high-level requirements for Public School Choice as required by ESEA.
- The following are the "Receiving" Schools for the 2010-2011 school year:
And I agree with the folks from Chamblee HS. They are going to further overcrowd an already over-crowded facility, so why was an annex not provided for Chamblee? Someone brought up having a Chamblee Annex at Cross Keys. Robert Moseley squashed that idea pretty quickly, but I think it certainly is worth taking a look at. So, basically, a school is better off not making AYP?
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Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) formerly known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)
Public School Choice Enrollment
July 21 – August 3, 2010
9am – 4pm
Monday – Friday
William Bradley Bryant Center
2652 Lawrenceville Highway
Decatur, Georgia 30033
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Visit DunwoodyMom's blog by clicking here.
For a presentation on AYP and explanation of the school choice transfers, download this pdf at the DCSS website.
225 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 225 of 225I think the poster was referring to the fact that Arabia is the only school in the south that made AYP (for whatever that's worth). Discipline issues, overall, are much worse in the south than in the north, and it is there, above all, that the system should start applying real rules with real consequences. It would look very, very bad for the community, at least at first. It is a bit misleading to suggest that, because all high schools have discipline issues, the profound performance and discipline gulf does not exist between the two parts. Know any African-American teachers at Chamblee, Lakeside, Druid Hills, Dunwoody who would send their own children to high schools in the south, with the possible exception of Arabia? A child I know felt she had entered a different galaxy when she transferred from SWD to Chamblee.
I am only stating this from memory, but I think Arabia does not have to accept AYP transfers as the law states that new schools are exempt for their first 4 years. (Double check me on that please - I'm not 100% certain I'm remembering correctly.)
Cere, you are half correct. This was raised with Mr. Moseley at the ESEA meetings last year and again this year.
Arabia Mtn has made AYP for two years and is an eligible receiving school. It is not exempt under state or federal law. It is simply DCSS decision making. DCSS has decided to create an Arabia Mtn annex at Lithonia rather than placing students within Arabia Mtn or adding trailers to comply with the NCLB school choice rules. I think the county wants to keep Arabia Mtn pristine but at what cost to the other schools in the system? At what cost to students who could benefit from Arabia's program?
I agree with previous posters. Why aren't SWD parents at the Board meetings? Where are the BOE members who support SWD? The county never backs the teachers when they catch the students cheating or being disruptive. Parents, demand that DCSS take a hard stance on discipline and BACK THE TEACHERS.
I hope Chamblee is A choice I just moved to lithonia and the schools here are terrible you dont understand if I cant attend there , or lakeside,or even dunwoody I think I may just get homeschool .There are people that acxtually want to learn out there this is coming from a yound teenager from New York .I cannot stand children who do not take school serious if I have to travel 100 miles to get to a better school .I'm dedicated just that much.
I agree with Anonymous @ 8:43. As I’ve said before, in my opinion, giving parents the option of transferring gives the school system an out when it comes to improving schools that have been classified as “inadequate”. And I’m sure a number of the transfers come through administrative transfers. I personally am aware of a number of them.
A lot of the administrative transfers are for students who, IMO, would probably do well no matter what school they attend. But sometimes, parents don’t want these transfers because they think the teachers are inadequate or that the school does not offer programs that the child needs. Many times, it is the perception of the environment. They want an environment that they perceive to be more conducive to learning. They want an environment where they don’t perceive that their child will feel threatened for being “smart”.
So when those students transfer, we may see a negative impact to the test scores (and other criteria for making AYP) to their home schools. The home schools are also impacted negatively because they lose the parents who tend to volunteer time at the school, interact with the teachers/administrators, attend PTSA meetings, are involved in booster clubs, and who act as liaisons with the community and the political structure. The parents who transfer their children are most likely not going to continue to put that effort into their neighborhood schools.
As has been indicated, many of the choice schools in South Dekalb are at the elementary level. The middle theme school has only been in existence for 4 years (going into the 5th year). And there is not yet a “theme” high school.
Many teachers and administrators note that parent involvement is high at the elementary level and begins to taper off to becoming rare at the high school level. And this is where parent visibility is needed most. I have seen comments over and over throughout this blog that parent involvement is a key in improving the quality of our schools. I agree. I’ve seen the difference in schools that require parent volunteer time. But how do you encourage/require parents to volunteer in schools for which there is no consequence if they don’t? It almost has to be an extreme situation before many parents will pay attention to what is happening (or not happening at their child’s school). For instance, we see how parents react when there is the threat of closing a school or the threat of taking away certain programs. When a student is on the verge of failing and possibly not eligible to graduate, that is when many teachers FINALLY get that parent’s attention, despite numerous phone calls, emails, letters, etc.
Does it have to come to that before parents will step up?
By the way (and correct me if I’m wrong), but wasn’t the 2009 -2010 school year the first year for Arabia?
I would like to understand from South Dekalb bloggers how bad things are at the high schools and what needs to be changed. I think we northerners don't really understand what it's like because we are caught up in our own frustrations.
Bloggers, probably from the north, often complain that the resident students are second class to magnet students at Chamblee, but perhaps their expectations are elevated compared to the reality in most of the county. My friend actually went to the trouble of moving to Chamblee from S. Dekalb so her younger child could attend there as a resident. (Her older child had attended Chamblee, I assume through the magnet program, so she had had experience with the school.)
Southwest Dekalb has a high achievers magnet program and should be a desirable school, but I only read negative things about it on this blog. I'm thinking of the comments by the posters who identified themselves as students glad to be at Arabia, and of the allegations of shameless cheating during AP exams.
Things are frustrating but still tolerable in northern schools. My daughter's (northern) high school has an old facility, widespread alcohol abuse among students, a lot of students who don't put forth effort, and a lot of students failing Math 1. The school went through staff turmoil. The beginning of her freshman year was chaotic due to a large influx of transfer students. The beginning of her sophomore year was even more horribly chaotic thanks to eSIS. She's had a few teachers who have a weak understanding of their subject. But she is LEARNING (especially now that she's finally able to take higher level courses), and she is with a group of friends who encourage each other to challenge themselves academically. Because of that, we're content.
I am glad that Arabia offers an alternative and I also welcome students who transfer north. But there is something a little odd about the opening of Arabia (the change in its stated purpose) and the way transfers are handled is even odder and more secretive. Neither Arabia nor transfers can help more than a few students escape a bad situation. So how did the situation get so bad, and what steps can be taken to fix it, and how can we get together to support change?
P.S. original S. Dekalb Anon, thank you for your kind words. Glad you spoke out and started this discussion.
I think that part of the problem is that it’s difficult to pinpoint the problem. For instance, “North Dekalb 5:21 Anon said...” that their child is finally able to take higher level courses. Aren’t those courses offered in South Dekalb schools? If not, why not?
I can assume that the number of students wanting to take accelerated/advanced classes is relatively small. Therefore, the offerings for accelerated classes may be more limited than in other schools – although that shouldn’t be a problem in magnet programs such as SWD.
There are limited seats available in magnet programs so of course, there must be some criteria applied to select students for these programs. But what about the students who may not qualify for the program due to testing or due to unavailable seats, who would otherwise do well in the magnet program environment? They either go to private schools (if they can afford it), get permission to transfer to other schools (administrative transfers?), or they take their chances in their home schools.
My child was in a situation last year where there was not an accelerated course offered for the science class he was scheduled to take. [I followed up with the counselors and the AP of instruction (a number of times) at the beginning of the semester to find out why. It was supposed to be looked into, but nothing ever occurred.] At any rate, he ended up in a general population class that also included a number of interrelated students. There was more discipline than learning going on and the teacher was pretty much unable to conduct labs (combination of class size and discipline problems). In the end, there was a lot of self-study and a reduction in motivation.
Maybe more parents would keep their children in their home schools if they felt that the challenging course would (more times than not) be available. Having classmates that encourage each other to challenge themselves is a bigger motivator than you may think. Teachers are more inspired as well when they have students who want to be challenged and are willing to do more than what is required.
So why is the climate in North Dekalb schools perceived to be more inducive to learning than South Dekalb schools? Is it the administration? Do teachers feel that they cannot find creative ways to reach their students? What about the students? Why are their attitudes such that they don’t feel a need to learn? What values are instilled by their parents regarding education? What about the curriculum? If teachers are teaching the tests more than they are teaching students how to learn and how to analyze, then how does that motivate a student to want to learn? Is everyone taught the same thing in the same way? If “experts” say that people learn differently then why do we continue to use a cookie-cutter approach to teaching? Everyone isn’t planning to go to college, and even though you have the various diplomas, what is different about the required curriculum?
There is a very good online conversation with Linda Nathan available to read at TEACHER magazine's website discussing her book "The Hardest Questions Aren't on the Test".
in this space. In her highly praised book, Nathan, founding headmaster of the Boston Arts Academy, describes how she and her colleagues have created a thriving and academically competitive urban public school in part by encouraging a culture of dialogue, collaboration, and creative enterprise.
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I hope this book might help to change the current obsession with testing as the way to improve schools. I worry that in “The Race to the Top” we are merely stepping on one another instead of working together for all our students. -Linda Nathan
No matter what programs are purchased by DeKalb County or how many Instructional Coaches are put in place or how much in service training the Central Office personnel do, there will be little to no science labs in classes that number 34, 35, 36...
It is unsafe for students. The science teachers bear the legal and ethical responsibility for student safety. DCSS has a policy that science teachers do have to conduct a single lab all year long.
See what the National Science Teachers says the research studies on student safety in labs says:
"Overcrowding has two research-based safety concerns: sufficient supervision and adequate individual workspace. Classes containing more than 24 students engaged in science activities cannot safely be supervised by one teacher. Additionally, research data show that accidents rise dramatically as class enrollments exceed 24 students or when inadequate individual workspace is provided (West et al. 2005)."
http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/liability.aspx
DCSS must reduce classroom sizes (science, math, Social Studies, and Language Arts), if to have any hope of student achievement increasing. Individual help decreases and discipline problems increase with an increase in class sizes. The current plan to increase student class sizes will not work. All teachers know this, and parents need to understand this as well.
Increased class size is not a North/South issue. It is an issue for all students all over DeKalb county.
Class sizes are being increased across the state and the country, not just in DeKalb. I just heard that a N. Georgia school district just lopped 10 more days off their school year.
In the last 8 years, the percentage of funding of education in DeKalb has switched from 60 percent state to 40 percent state. At least DeKalb has a large tax base, many systems in GA are very dependent on state funding.
Things are bad -- this is why the election matters so much in November.
@ Cerebration 9:59
"Discipline and uniforms could be a good addition to help turnaround the newly consolidated neighborhood schools. "
Strange you should say that. Uniforms are one of the main things Johnny Brown was slammed for.
IMHO, many of the so called "choice" schools are no better than the home schools that the kids are transferring out of. Other than Fernbank IB, what other IB ES has great ITBS scores? From what I've heard from some Bouie Theme School parents, the level of instruction & test scores are dipping there also.
I just pulled my daughter out of Flat Rock and will be sending her back to the private school where she started K5-1. Both of my older children were in DCSS K5 - 12 and I regret not having pulled them out after ES. I will not sacrifice another year of my daughters education. She is already a full year behind her counterparts that she left back at the private school. IMHO, DCSS is far too focused on teaching to the statewide tests and trying to achieve AYP rather than providing a challenging curriculum. I'm one of those parents that volunteer, serve on the booster club, provide supplies, attend PTA meeting, talk to my BOE rep and I'm just plain TIRED!!! Until a majority of parents start doing their JOB--nothing will change in DCSS.
I hear you loud and clear msbssy. This is the same story at Lakeside. I know several -- many -- people who have pulled their kids after freshman year and gone private - only to learn that their kids were at a minimum one year behind in math and science. These were kids in high achievers classes at Lakeside.
DeKalb's just not doing the job they used to do. DeKalb used to be one of the best school systems in the country. Simply adding the word "Premier" to the logo will not make it that way again.
We're in trouble. We have an interim superintendent, an interim curriculum superintendent (neither one with much experience at this level) - a divisive board hung up on racial issues, a former superintendent indicted on criminal charges along with his hand-picked director of construction, legal fees that are bleeding us dry and a system that (to my knowledge) has never made AYP. On top of this, SACS and the state of Georgia keep insisting that "all is fine" and they don't need to intervene on our behalf.
I'm curious -- since Arabia MET AYP - why were they chosen to receive the following language learning system grant - reasoning that it fulfills NCLB requirements??? Why not implement this in a school that did not make AYP?
From the 6/14/2010 - 6:01 PM - DEKALB BOARD OF EDUCATION BUSINESS MEETING
Rationale
The Renaissance 2200 System technology will support all aspects of the curriculum and textbook media. Renaissance 2200 technology supports classroom instruction by providing students with practical experiences. The system allows the teacher to use a teacher-defined scoring rubric to evaluate the students’ recordings.
Quick Summary / Abstract
Presented by: Ms. Stacy Stepney, Director, High School Teaching and Learning
Summary
Following the state adoption cycle, World Language teachers and students will receive a new textbook series which is fully aligned to the Georgia Performance Standards and will serve as an instructional resource for at least five years. The language laboratory system will enhance the teachers’ instructional delivery by providing simultaneous student practice which will improve the students’ overall verbal proficiency rate. The selected vendor is Stevens Learning Systems, Incorporated.
Details
The Renaissance 2200 Language Laboratory System includes 36 student stations. The components of each system are as follows:
Quantity Part No. Description
1 ea. 70503 Renaissance 2200 System Controller & SLSI Software
1 ea. 71606 Dell “E” Series Laptop Computer
1 ea. 71607 Dell Docking Station for Laptop
1 ea. 70031 DVD Player/CD-RW External Drive
1 ea. 70405 Renaissance Full-Class Digital Recorder & Software
1 ea. 71622 Flat-Screen 15-Inch Monitor
1 ea. 71605 VCR/DVD Player Assembly
1 ea. 90087 Audiocassette Recorder Program Source
2 ea. 70030 CD Audio Program Source
1 ea. 70503 Renaissance Console Desk
3 ea. 76312 Motorized Overhead Tray for Twelve (12) Students
40 ea. 70010 Teacher/Student Headset with Call
Financial Impact
Total cost is $51,140.00. Arabia Mountain High School will use the following grant to pay for the installation of two language labs: Fund for the Improvement of Education program; Title V, Part D, Subpart 1, Sections 5411-5413 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act.
And here's another thing to ponder --
Why are we spending over $12,000 a month for trailers at SW DeKalb - when so many high schools surrounding it have hundreds of available seats?
Lease Extension For Modular Classrooms
Rationale
The District currently leases 13 modular classrooms under Bid # 05-9. If the modular classrooms are re-bid and the current vendor is not awarded the new lease contract, then the cost of the current vendor to disassemble and remove these units would be approximately $11,000 per modular unit.
Quick Summary / Abstract
Presented by: Mr. Steve Donahue, Executive Director, Plant Services
Summary
The District currently leases 13 modular classrooms under Bid #05-9 from Modular Space Corporation (formerly GE Capital Modular).
Details
This will allow the District to continue leasing with Modular Space Corporation (formerly GE Capital Modular).
Financial Impact
General Operations Budget 2010-2011: $1,391,414 Budget Code: 101.38.96.00.016101.752.0000
Goals
Goal #4-To ensure fiscal responsibility in order to maintain safe and healthy learning environments
Contacts
Mr. Steven Donahue, Executive Director, Plant Services, 678.676.1564
Supporting Documents
Modular Space Lease Renewal
Requested Action
It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the lease contract extension for modular classrooms to the vendor Modular Space Corporation (formerly GE Capital Modular) (Bid #05-9), for a period of one (1) year.
Status
Reviewed by Board Counsel
Arabia is the one place in the south where investments such as this can be put to good use. The question, of course, is, why? Parents prefer Southwest to many of the other schools, despite all of the problems there.
"Lease Extension For Modular Classrooms"
I've been told by a couple of DCSS administrators that the school trailers contract was questionable enough to warrant a federal investigation. We parent's/taxpayers pay so much for trailers, while there is classroom space throughout the county.
No BOE member has ever challenged staff to explain why. I pray DCSS one day finally attracts the US Attorney's Office. That may be the only option we have to clean up the graft.
DCSS clearly needs to redistrict. However, parents across the county will fight this tooth and nail.
Parents don't believe all schools are equal, and quite frankly they are not. There are middle schools that offer 3 languages and there are middle schools that offer none. Some high schools may have 20 AP classes, gifted classes in every subject/grade level, etc and some that don't even come close. Elementary schools that have 4 specials and some that have 2.
This is why, while redistricting can be contentious in Gwinnett/Cobb/Fulton etc, there is a sense among parents there that at least the offerings are consistent.
We are so incredibly far from that point in DeKalb.
The greatest obstacle to redistricting could very well be the economic collapse in south Dekalb. This factor is easily underappreciated by those who do not live in the area. Many schools need to be closed. In the current political environment, the necessary actions will invariably lead to cries of "racism." Neither the current board nor the central administration is able to deal effectively with these issues.
Chamblee middle did have an annex at Sequoyah. It was a lot of work on the \API at Chamblee to build a master schedule, secure textbooks, etc for students not housed in their building. Also difficult for a principal to supervisse teachers not under her watch. Teachers in the annex also belonged to Chamblee and were used to fill openings first the following year that Chamblee had openings. The AP in charge of the annex also belonged to Chamblee Middle and was moved there when annex was discontinued.
Tucker has also had an annex before at Columbia MS. Those teachers were then moved to Tucker the following year. Who knows where the teachers come from for the annex. Question-if the teachers come from sending schools, how does that benefit the students. That is why they left in the first place.
Teachers from the failing schools are not allowed to teach the transfer students. So, if School A fails and School B is a receiving school, then the transfer students must be taught be teachers from School B. It is a major hassle.
July 17, 2010 10:23 PM Chamblee lost so many teachers because of low projections of students coming in. The resident program in 6th grade is very small and the magnet 6th graders remain at Kittredge. Many good teachers were snatched quickly by other schools. And now Chamblee MS will have be a receiving school. I don't think they can get those who were displaced back. They surely will be missed. Hope they get quality teachers. The last time Chamblee teachers got teaches displaced because they were an annex were from sending schools. These teachers were placed in the resident program and they did teach the kids who were annex kids. There definitely weren't openings for these teachers in the magnet program. So the requirement that the sending schools'teachers not teach annex kid was not followed. I maybe mistaken, but they were resident teachers and annex kids became resident kids
To answer you question: July 19, 2010 10:31 PM
When a student transfers to a school that makes ayp under school choice, they can remain until the highest grade level. This is true even if their home school subsequently makes ayp. For example, if you transfer as a 6th grader and then your home school makes ayp the following year or comes of the needs improvement list, you do not have to go back. You are supposed to go back to your home high school. However. most parents find a way to circumvent this requirement, by getting an administrative transfer or being less than forthcoming about their true address and can now produce an affidavit so they can remain in the high school that their peers for 3 years will be attending. Which I don't blame them, they have made good friends and are really great kids who have assimilated into the new community.There are some exceptions, so I agree with the comment that their be a behavior requirement. If you are suspended repeatedly or are are sent to alternative school, then you should go back to your home school.
@ Anonymous 8:43
"Who knows where the teachers come from for the annex. "
I know where they came from in the case of Chamblee MS annex. They were hired "off the street" - exactly the same way as many of the teachers that were hired at the "sending" school.
Not say that the annex didn't have excellent teachers - Just that their qualifications were no different than any of the new teachers the "sending" schools hired that year.
Does Arabia Mountain High (Regular NOT Annex) have any available seats ? I applied my daughter and she is number 8 on the waiting list. I also apllied her for the ESEA Pblic School Choice ? Can anyone help me ?
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