Justice in Education

Throughout my days teaching and working with Schools Count I have long thought about and, yes, been puzzled by and thought long and hard about what it means to have justice and equality in public education. In the final analysis I am of the mind that justice and equality boil down to making sure that every child gets the very best education possible.

Justice isn't simply saying that the same number of dollars need to be spent on each child in America. A third grade child/school in rural America or a 9th grade student/school in urban Jacksonville, FL may well need more funds or resources provided than their counterparts in some other region of the country.

If schools have long faced deficiencies in some way, shape or form then something needs to be done to wipe out those shortcomings. It's not enough to simply throw up ones hands and say 'that's the way the cookie crumbles.' To take that metaphor a step further, I'll pose this question...why let the cookie(s) - students - stay crumbled?

We shouldn't

Dick

Final Thoughts on New Englewood H.S.

A mere 11% of those high school students in the Englewood neighborhood currently attend a high school - one of the four - within its area. 40% attend a high school at least four miles away! I have no doubt that the new high school, to be located where Robeson now stands, will attract a fair number of students.

But when 89% of those who could currently attend either Hope, Harper, Robeson or Team Englewood go elsewhere then there is much more going on and at stake than what a new building can address.

I know that CPS, for many months, sought the input of students, parents and residents concerning the issue surrounding the closing of the schools and erecting a new one in their place. With all that being said, does the brain trust (I'm not being sarcastic) see the need to look into other factors that may lead to attracting more than 11% of the neighborhood students to the new building? Are there other school related factors that can be addressed (and non-building issues as well) that will keep the kids in the neighborhood?

I have a simple answer to the above...YES

Dick

More on Englewood

So a new $85 million high school will be built in Englewood that will start accepting freshmen in 2019. $85 million is NOT an extraordinary amount to spend on a school. That being said, $85 million would do much good for the four Englewood high schools that are facing closure not to mention other district needs.

True the enrollments are down substantially at Team Englewood, Harper, Robeson, and Hope. But you can't tell me that closing all four of these institutions will take care of low enrollment, low test scores, students going to schools outside of the neighborhood and more.

Don't get me wrong, the CPS brass should address the above problems and more. But the problems run deeper than merely low enrollments and people leaving the neighborhood. Unless and until the school district, city government and civic leaders sit down to address the larger causal problems then a bright shinny school will not, alone, address the academic deficiencies along with the socioeconomic conditions which the good people of Englewood have long had to deal with.

Dick

On the Horizon...CPS School Closings

There's liable to be some real fireworks at the February CPS Board of Education meeting. Why will sparks fly you ask? The board will vote on closing a number of Englewood high schools; Hope, Harper, Robeson and Team Englewood. There are plenty individuals from these respective schools who are rightly upset.

Here's a bit of the background. Enrollments at these four schools is down anywhere between 70% to 85% over the past decade. CPS wants to close all four of these schools and spend nearly $85 million on one new school in order to try and keep the Englewood students in their neighborhood.

This dollar figure is but one of the sore points that confounds residents who care deeply about these four schools. And this reality concerning the loss of Hope, Harper, Robeson and Team Englewood is a deep wound that must be addressed.

I'll continue to follow this story as it gives one a snapshot into the ever increasing reality of school closings throughout Urban America.

Dick

Think on This

I'd like to invite you to take a moment and read a short section on the operation of charters in Illinois that comes from the IL. General Assembly, Article 27a.

"In authorizing charter schools, it is the intent of the General Assembly to create a legitimate avenue for parents, teachers, and community members to take responsible risks and create new, innovative, and more flexible ways of educating children within the public school system. The General Assembly seeks to create opportunities within the public school system of Illinois for development of innovative and accountable teaching techniques."

Sounds great, right? Here's what I find rather perplexing and, at the same time, rather disingenuous . Is this to assume that the traditional neighborhood schools don't allow teachers the opportunity to be 'innovative and more flexible'? I know many teachers who are always researching and promoting thoughtful and 'innovative and flexible' means for educating students.

If people somehow believe that charters and only charters develop 'innovative and accountable teaching techniques they are misinformed and perhaps misled.

Dick

Keeping an Eye on Charters

There's plenty of information out there regarding charter formation, charter companies and agencies that have much to do with setting up the rules and regulations regarding their operation. Yesterday I point out that the Illinois State Board of Education plays a role in these public schools.

One other organization that has much to do with the oversight of charters is the Illinois State Charter School Commission. As you know one of my personal points of interest, absent an elected board of education for charters, is the matter of monitoring these institutions.

When it comes to monitoring the commission states that authorities (could be the ISBE or some other group) "generally look to see that students within the charter are performing at a higher level than the district or state standard."    That sounds all well and good to an extent.

What happens when this level of achievement is not reached?    I ask this since it is typical for a charter to receive a five year contract.   So my point is this...if the standard is not met during this five year cycle what action is taken by the monitoring group?    Since there is no school board of LSC, as in CPS schools, how are parents engaged?

We could all use some answers since we are funding charters if one is within our school district.

Dick

More on Charters

Charter schools are subject to what is termed as "ongoing monitoring" by the Illinois State Board of Education. On the surface that is fine and appropriate. Of course this begs the question what is meant by 'ongoing monitoring?' Is the monitoring of charters the exact same template as used for other public schools? Good question.

Aside from that monitoring I believe it is even more critical that charters - which are public schools - have to adhere to the very same standards and ways of operating as the non-charters.

I have many beefs with charters but I'll just mention two. Charter school parents, in my view, should have the right to vote for a school board to oversee their 'public' school operation. The charter organizers could well use the oversight and input of a school board. These are important and valuable organizations for the traditional neighborhood public school system.

My second major concern is this...charter school organizations should never be 'for profit' institutions. The people who organize charters may most certainly have the best interests of students in mind but, there is no way that 'public' schools should ever use money that ends up in the pockets of those corporations who start charters.

Dick