I agree with Roxy about local control. I also believe that neighborhood
schools are essential to rebuilding community, increasing parental
involvement, pride in a local school and neighborhood, reducing (and in some
cases eliminating) transportation costs and reinvesting those funds into
classrooms, and, I believe, will yield higher student achievement for all
groups of kids. Volunteer programs and mentoring from families, faith-based
and other community organizations in then neighborhood are likely to
increase when it is a school close by that people know.
Like it or not, No Child Left Behind, state standards, and our own local
accountability expectations have shifted us from the deseg issue of 1-2
generations ago to the 21st Century issue: Raising Student achievement for
all kids of all backgrounds. To me, it makes sense to shift dollars from
transportation costs to the classroom where we can make more impact in that
area.
My child's neighborhood school, Groveland Park, is generally viewed as one
of the stronger neighborhood schools academically and parent-involvement
wise than several others. Still, the school has seen a loss of enrollment,
some of it to magnets and charter schools, others to an aging community with
fewer school-aged children. The school feels they have a lot to offer local
families, but the system of incentives has been aligned towards magnets. In
the past, and to an extent today, magnets received extra resources creating
an imbalance. They also have a transportation subsidy that most neighborhood
schools do not get (unless part of their attendance area is beyond the mile
limit). For example, Prosperity Heights Elementary on the East Side has no
buses (a walking attendance area neighborhood school only) except for a few
special education students, which would be true at any school. It is likely
some of the best kids in those areas bus out to Capital Hill, Adams Spanish
Immersion, a Montessori program (or other magnet school) who could be
strengthening that school. No comparable resources follow to Prosperity to
compensate for a lack of busing.
It was a key reason I proposed (and a majority of the board concurred) to
ask the school district to seek out grants aimed at creating incentives for
families to choose neighborhood schools. This would allow site councils
and/or the district administration to propose ideas, come to us for
authority to seek a grant (without being told it is not a district
priority), and get funding for such incentive programs. If the incentives
are linked to the neighborhood school, and program and support follows, I
believe more families will choose neighborhood schools without taking choice
away. It may put those magnets who are not successful out of business and
reconvert some to neighborhood schools. The popular ones that continue could
possibly be moved to neighborhood buildings where there are few students in
an area to support a neighborhood school on its own and free up magnet
buildings in neighborhoods where more neighborhood schools are needed
(generally the neighborhoods closest to downtown).
Give local schools a choice to get an "X" amount of dollars and the choice
whether they want to subside transportation citywide or put it into program
and staffing. Those who really feel a magnet or citywide choice is best can
do so. I think Phalen Lake School is one seeking that status as it has a
Hmong specialty program they feel can serve a broader area. My hunch is most
schools and communities would choose local reinvestment and neighborhood
school options, without killing choice altogether. It simply aligns the
incentives towards neighborhoods, with local control making the final call.
-- Tom Conlon
School Board
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roxy Foster" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2004 7:23 PM
Subject: [StPaul] Let the people speak-neighbrohood schools
As an advocate for school choice and local control. I would like to see this
become a local site based decision. I know some of you will say that site
based councils do not have enough authority or are not diverse enough to
make these kinds of decisions. But, think about it the district has a policy
on how schools become uniform schools. It is a very democratic process and I
have heard no revolts in those schools who have gone this way.
This kind of process could work for a school to decide to go back to a
neighborhood school. There could be several public meetings debating the
pro's and con's. The district would then know the sentiment of each
neighborhood. And, believe me parents and community would be involved in the
public debate.
Why not try it in one school, as pilot and see what the outcome would be.
After all, this is how charter schools are managed and they are public
schools.
Yes, parents can vote with thier feet, and when are we going to realize this
is already happening! Parents are making choices, to charters, private or
out of district.
I would like to hear what others have to think!
Roxy Foster
Greater East Side
Johnson High School parent
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