tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post5053000927376295413..comments2024-01-08T03:21:35.616-05:00Comments on DeKalb County School Watch: Maureen Downey guest speaker at DCPC this amCerebrationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-85496298455254328072011-02-04T12:06:54.460-05:002011-02-04T12:06:54.460-05:00Cere--
My point is that Maureen refers to all '...Cere--<br />My point is that Maureen refers to all 'charters' as being the same thing, which they patently are not, and this leads to considering the better off (and New Birth was my reference) and the corporate in the same breath as the start-up not just in academic discussions, but also in other discussions, of legitimacy ("New Birth is in a church, ICS is in a church--hey, too many charters are in churches and they're all the same, you know"), of finances ("charters are just like vouchers--a scheme to bilk public money for the rich or corporations"), or of other topics.<br /><br />BTW, it's a little inaccurate to say only the "bad" charters can be shuttered--charters have to renew with DCSS and BOE every 5 years, and are thus subject to political whims that may have nothing to do with academy quality twice a decade.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-33280598873044841942011-02-04T09:45:59.233-05:002011-02-04T09:45:59.233-05:00I think the point is that charters, overall - like...I think the point is that charters, overall - like public schools - do about the same job educating students. Some do well, others poorly. It is hit or miss, just like it is in public school. For instance, you could compare a high-performing charter to a high-performing public school and get similar results. Same goes for bad ones. Only - the bad charters can be shuttered by the state, as the Academy of Lithonia was (only to return (resurrect?) as the Leadership Academy at New Birth).Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-50853348531144623992011-02-04T09:30:09.893-05:002011-02-04T09:30:09.893-05:00The problem with discussing "charter" sc...The problem with discussing "charter" schools is that one word is used to describe a vast range of differing things:<br />--for-profit charters. These are increasingly becoming the model, to the extent that chartering commissions are looking at community-based startups to have the same financial acumen as these corporate schools.<br />--conversion charters--as when an existing 'mainstream' converts to charter<br />--start-up charters, for the purists "true" starters, such as, in DeKalb, the International Community School. There are even subdivisions here, such as county-charters (ICS) vs. state-chartered (Museum School) and, shall we say, well-connected (the chater at New Birth) vs. less well-off<br /><br />Which in a nutshell is why I think Maureen or anyone else referring to "charters" as one uniform idea and dismissing "charters" as no more or less effective than other schools is basically inaccurate and lazy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-18911974892450003172011-02-03T07:57:43.204-05:002011-02-03T07:57:43.204-05:00We have such a good junior college system. I wonde...We have such a good junior college system. I wonder if there is something the university system could do that would create some kind of partnership. You apply and get accepted to your choice college, but agree to take the remedial classes at the Junior College. If you get A/B in your remedial classes, you pass onto your choice college. If not, you stay at Jr College. Just an idea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-46043744404813022492011-02-02T21:25:00.654-05:002011-02-02T21:25:00.654-05:00You should realize that one push of the regents an...You should realize that one push of the regents and national discussions is retention and time to graduation for universities. The problem with remedial classes in college is that the universities have to fund them and students are then behind on tracking towards graduation. It is a viscous cycle. Lower tiers of education are not doing their job, the student comes to college unprepared. Colleges are penalized for not graduating students on time, so remedial courses get in the way of universities posting positive improvements in time to graduation. There was discussion at some point about relating funding formulas to graduation and retention rates. Isn't this impacted by the population of students accepted by the universities in question? What would the impact of this be on changes in application requirements?<br /><br />I honestly think that lower level educational systems should be held responsible. If a kid gets to college unable to identify what a percent means, it is the system at the lower level that should be footing the bill....that child has not only failed, but the system has failed that child.<br /><br />How do universities take kids that step further in real preparation when the level of preparedness for higher order thinking simply isn't there?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-38809621574697490302011-02-02T20:43:23.318-05:002011-02-02T20:43:23.318-05:00If I got nothing else from this meeting, I appreci...If I got nothing else from this meeting, I appreciate my newfound perspective on students deserving the HOPE scholarship. We all tend to be so harsh - but these students did the best they could - given the teachers and staff they were given to educate them. They deserve a hand up - if they're willing to continue to do the work.<br /><br />Anecdotally, a friend teaches remedial courses at Perimeter, and says that by and large, the students who take the remedial courses do much better and have a better chance for completing college than "at-risk" students who don't.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-51372102659873974322011-02-02T20:24:41.217-05:002011-02-02T20:24:41.217-05:00There was this meeting today about the morals rela...There was this meeting today about the morals related to terrible schools. I will try to link it once it is archived.<br /><br />In the little bit I watched, they talked about how charter schools, when compared to only the schools in their states, really do perform better. It is when you throw them all one big box, mixing states that the results are less promising.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-79152332169696483592011-02-02T20:16:18.777-05:002011-02-02T20:16:18.777-05:00I really enjoyed Maureen's perspective. She b...I really enjoyed Maureen's perspective. She brought out so many points I had never considered and I feel enlightened on many topics. I never thought about the remedial college courses being the fault of the school/teachers... they absolutely are! I didn't agree with her on all her topics, but she was very informative, thoughtful and a great speaker.<br /><br />And you are right – the Kingsley teachers and staff did a WONDERFUL job on the “spread” - not only was it abundant, but really lovely.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com