State Auditor Pickering’s War on Schools

There was a recent article in The Clarion-Ledger about the State Auditor’s crackdown on alleged absenteeism in Mississippi’s public schools.

The piece quotes audit chief Stacey Pickering as saying that “It’s more than one school, more than one district and more than one county” and, “It appears to be fairly common practice, basically to not have school around holidays and after tests.”

Of course, based on the fact that he has traveled the state with the leading detractor of the idea of free, public education for all children, AKA the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, this latest witch hunt should come as no surprise: 

While you are reading this right now, no matter where you are in Mississippi, the students in your community’s public schools are working themselves sick in preparation for the highly rigorous state test that will be given next month. In fact, they’ve been working themselves sick ever since the first day of school back in August.

Day and night, weekdays and weekends, our professional educators and their students live and breathe some form of test-based accountability that is geared towards the ultimate goal of scoring well on the state test in the Spring.

God forbid we allow our students to leave school early every now and then, and God forbid we give them a little flexibility around holidays.

Certainly we would not want to create a relaxed environment at school, for that would make our students – dare I say – happier. And happy students make higher test scores.

Higher test scores means fewer “failing” schools. Fewer “failing” schools means less demand for charters and school choice. Less demand for charters and school choice means less political victories. And, alas, less political victories would mean weaker political resumes for those in power who salivate at the thought of higher office.

God forbid someone’s political career be threatened.

But, wait.  Isn’t this supposed to be about the kids?

 

Name That School

Business and Technology Courses:

Accounting
Advanced Programming
Advanced Software Topics
Computer Applications
Desktop Publishing
Digital Media Design
Digital Photography
Digital Video
Graphic Design
Innovative Applications Using Technology
Keyboarding
Financial Technology
Multimedia Projects
Programming I – Beginning
Programming I – Foundations
Programming II
Telecommunications
Research Using Technology’s Information Tools
Web Page Design
Word Processing

Fine Arts — Visual:

Art 1
Art II
Painting I
Painting II
Drawing I
Drawing II
Ceramics I
Ceramics II
AP Studio Art
AP Drawing Portfolio
AP 2-D Design Portfolio
AP 3-D Design Portfolio
AP Art History

Fine Arts — Performing:

Theater I
Theater II
Theater III
Theater IV
Theater Production
Oral Interpretation
MHS Band, Level I, II, III, IV(Marching Band)
Instrumental Band, Level I, II, III, IV(Concert Band)
General Music
Jazz Band
Freshmen Singers
MHS Concert Choir
Piano
Guitar 1
Guitar 2
AP Music Theory

Foreign Language:

Spanish I
Spanish II
Spanish III — Honors
French I
French II

General Electives:

Driver’s Education
Family Dynamics
Health Education
Physical Education
Aerobics
Team Sports

Language Arts:

Compensatory Reading I and II
English I
English II
English III
English IV
Honors English I
Honors English II
Honors English III
Honors English IV
AP English IV
Creative Writing
African-American Literature
Mythology
Short Stories
Twentieth Century Literature
Public Speaking

ROTC:

JROTC Leadership and Education Training Program I, II, III, and IV

Mathematics

AP Calculus
Honors Calculus
Advanced Algebra
Honors Pre-Calculus
Honors Trigonometry
Trigonometry
Honors Algebra II
Algebra II
Survey of Mathematical Topics
Geometry
Algebra I
Transition to Algebra
Pre-Algebra
Compensatory Mathematics I and II
Statistics

Science:

Intro. to Biology
Biology I
Biology II
Physical Science
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Chemistry I
Honors Chemistry I
AP Chemistry
Honors Physics
AP Biology
Zoology
Botany
Genetics
Earth Science

Social Studies:

Mississippi Studies
Geography
World History From The Age of Enlightenment to the Present
Honors World History From the Age of Enlightenment to the Present
AP European History
US History (1877 to Present)
AP US History
Economics
Honors Economics
US Government
Honors US Government
AP US Government and Politics
Psychology
Sociology
Law Related Education
Minority Studies
Humanities I
Humanities II

Ross Collins Career and Technical Center:

Architecture/Drafting I
Drafting II
Automotive Service I
Automotive Service II
Business Fundamentals(Marketing I)
Marketing II
Career Pathway Experience
Construction I(Electrical)
Electrical II
Construction I(Carpentry)
Carpentry II
Collision Repair I
Collision Repair II
Culinary and Related Foods Technology I
Culinary and Related Foods Technology II
Health Science I
Health Science II
Information Technology
Teacher Academy
Welding Technology

– Average non-elective class size: 19

– 52% of teachers hold a Master’s degree or higher.

– No tuition.

– Not a college.

– Not a charter school.

– This is Meridian High School, a traditional Mississippi public High School.

PSW

CHARTER SCHOOLS, TAKE TWO.

A new year is about to begin, along with a new attempt to create publicly funded, privately managed charter schools in Mississippi.

Despite the legislature’s failed attempt to pass a charter school bill in 2012, which was due in large part to stiff resistance from educators and parents from across the state, charter proponents will be at it again in 2013.

Indeed, unlike our neighbors in Alabama, whose elected officials actually listened to their constituents’ well-founded objections to the return of separate and unequal public education to the Yellowhammer State, Mississippi’s political class has taken the opposite approach by essentially saying “To hell with what the people think”.

The facts surrounding charter schools remain unchanged, and you can find plenty of them here, here, and here.

School choice has existed in Mississippi for over a decade now.

Teach for America really wants charter schools in our state.

Wal-Mart and Microsoft really want charter schools in every state.

Charter schools do not offer real, honest competition.

And, yes, two essential questions still linger unanswered:

1) What happens to the kids who don’t get in to the charter school?

2) Why not strengthen all of Mississippi’s public schools?

I urge you to ask our elected officials in Jackson these questions.

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PSW

 

 

A few words on Newtown.

Last Friday morning in Newtown, Connecticut, twenty innocent children were murdered in cold blood. Six of their teachers were also killed.

I have spent a lot of time on this blog bragging about the students and teachers who populate our nation’s public schools. I have done so with anger towards those who wish to tear down our teachers and students.

But, today, I am not angry.

Today, I am simply heartbroken, deflated and disappointed.

How little and petty my feelings are compared to what those parents are going through in Connecticut right now. How utterly clueless I am….

Yet, still, I grieve.

Every school teacher and every administrator in America would have done the same thing that those heroic staff members did at Sandy Hook Elementary.

Every. Single. One.

Please keep that in mind the next time you hear someone bash America’s schools.

May these names be burned into our collective conscience for many years to come:

Charlotte Bacon, 6

Daniel Barden, 7

Olivia Engel, 6

Josephine Gay, 7

Ana Marquez-Greene, 6

Dylan Hockley, 6

Madeleine Hsu, 6

Catherine Hubbard, 6

Chase Kowalski, 7

Jesse Lewis, 6

James Mattioli, 6

Grace McDonnell, 7

Emilie Parker, 6

Jack Pinto, 6

Noah Pozner, 6

Caroline Previdi, 6

Jessica Rekos, 6

Avielle Richman, 6

Benjamin Wheeler, 6

Allison N. Wyatt, 6

Rachel Davino, 29

Teacher

Dawn Hochsprung, 47

School principal

Nancy Lanza, 52

Mother of gunman

Anne Marie Murphy, 52

Teacher

Lauren Rousseau, 30

Teacher

Mary Sherlach, 56

School psychologist

Victoria Soto, 27

Teacher

“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us and, therefore, we ought to lay down our lives for one another.” 1 John 3:16

 

 

 

 

 

THE POWER OF SHOWING UP

Something profound took place on Tuesday, November 6th, 2012. It was a true act of civic duty, an authentic exercise in democracy.

It was something that can change history and affect lives. It costs nothing. In fact, all a person has to do is show up.

It was on this day that a friend and I toured our City’s public High School.

Yes, there was also a Presidential election on that day, but a public school tour is no less important, no less dramatic. In fact, a sixty-minute walk-through of your local public High School might have more of an impact on your community than the person or the party who presides from the Oval Office.

To say that public schools are important would be an understatement of the highest degree. Our country has a unique system of instruction, one that has been called “the greatest American idea”. Unlike many of the world’s industrialized nations, our public schools are open to all children; free of charge and regardless of race, religion, income or learning style. They are microcosms of raw democracy; required by law to enroll all who apply and to provide the learning needs of every student — regardless of the space or complexities that are required to do so.

The reader may wonder how in the world a seemingly mundane school tour could be more dramatic than a Presidential election. The answer to this question can be found in the faces of Mr. Abdella’s History class, where we saw the diverse future of Meridian hanging onto his every word with laser-like focus, responding with intellectual comments and challenges that would rival the world’s greatest thinkers.

Indeed, it was dramatic to look into Mr. Berg’s Art class, where students were thoroughly engaged in the abstract creativity that is required of today’s modern, global economy; an economy that is based on scientific understanding while relying on the essential, complementary component of artistic innovation.

And, yes, it was dramatic to hear what was perhaps the most powerful lesson of the day, as Principal Victor Hubbard looked at us at the end of the tour and said, very thoughtfully, “Our students really do love to see visitors from the community.”

This wasn’t my first tour of a local school, but I left with the same, immeasurable impact that always occurs when I see “the greatest American idea” in action. I always tell people about these tours, and I do so with a profound hope that they, too, will visit one of our city’s schools and become inspired.

Inspiration is a powerful thing. It is larger than one person, even if that person is the President of the United States.

Big Money In Washington State

Charter schools are currently not allowed in Washington State. However, that may change this November when its residents vote on a ballot measure that, if passed, will open the state up to charter schools.

There are people with a lot of money who really, really want charter schools in Washington State. They want ‘em bad. So bad that they’re pouring in millions of dollars in an effort to pass the measure.

One of them is the second wealthiest person on the planet. Another is the eighth wealthiest in the United States.

Here is the complete list:

http://www.pdc.wa.gov/MvcQuerySystem/CommitteeData/contributions?param=WUVTIFdDIDUwNw%3D%3D%3D%3D&year=2012&type=initiative

Got School Choice? Yep.

In 2001, the United States Congress passed a sweeping piece of education legislation known as “No Child Left Behind”. The law established an unprecedented emphasis on the relationship between federal funding and test scores.

There has been much talk over the last decade about the law, most of which has centered around the pros and cons of tying dollars to test results. We often hear catch-words such as “accountability” and “growth”.

However, a new phrase has emerged in the education discussion — “school choice”. Many are claiming that too many of America’s children are “trapped” in “failing schools” when, in fact, according to No Child Left Behind, children who are enrolled in “low-performing” schools are free to leave at any time.

I’ve been familiar with this part of the law for some time, but I recently decided to dig a little deeper, at least from a local perspective. I wanted to know:

1) How many of my city’s schools qualified for NCLB’s “school choice” provision in 2011-2012?

and

2) Of the students who were eligible, how many took advantage of it?

I contacted MPSD’s central office and discovered the following:

– Two out of the District’s ten schools qualified for school choice in ’11-’12: George W. Carver Middle School and Magnolia Middle School. Each were labeled by the State Department of Education as “Low-performing” or worse for two consecutive years.

– G.W. Carver showed a total enrollment of 370 students. Nine(9) of these students chose to enroll in a different school; about 2% of the school’s total population.

– Magnolia showed a total enrollment of 371. Like Carver, nine(9) Magnolia students chose to enroll in another school; about 2% of the school’s total population.

– In a school district with 6,254 students,  741 were eligible for school choice. However, of that 741, only 18 individuals chose to switch(2%).

– Keep in mind that the school choice provision has been available since 2001.

– I went on to ask the person at central office if space was limited to students wishing to transfer. Her answer was  “No. We would be required to provide choice regardless of the capacity of the receiving school.”

My investigation was complete. I learned a lot from it.

However, nagging questions remain:

If “school choice” is so wonderful, and if it already exists as an option, why aren’t more families taking advantage of it?

Perhaps many of our children’s “low-performing” schools aren’t truly deserving of a “low-performing” label?

Perhaps some schools face bigger challenges outside of the classroom than other schools?

Perhaps these challenges are partially reflected in test scores?

PSW