Recent Comments
Re: “Green light on UR plan with a warning”
Partnering with the U of R frees East from the dysfunctional bureaucracy of CO and provides East with needed advisory support and the opportunity to transform itself. Once East proves that urban schools can turn themselves around - and into highly competitive high schools- with beautiful facilities, with sports and other after school opportunities that large suburban schools offer, there is no way charter schools will be able to compete- with their large class sizes and under paid/uncertified/inexperienced teachers and few extra curricular opportunities located in warehouse type facilities.
Re: “Committee to screen East High proposal tonight”
I think you misread the info posted on the ST website. They fire the entire staff and relocate the vast majority of underperforming students. The "training" you refer to is for the newly hired staff. The "money back" guarantee sounds sexy but is a Trojan horse. Underperforming students are moved out of the school. Sadly, they are NOT turned into performers based on new management.
Re: “Green light on UR plan with a warning”
George- the person appointed from the U of R to lead the transformation of East High is not an ivory tower theorist- he is a former superintendent. City schools - including East - can benefit from outside leadership. If you read the initial proposed changes, you will see there are some simple fixes- control over scheduling, control over course offerings, control over summer school programs, control over disciplinary policies, etc. that will improve the quality of the educational programs. Schools like East have suffered because of Brizard's failed initiatives such as no retention, no suspensions, no electives and no remedial programs. Because of Vargas's initiatives to improve elementary programs, CC curricular changes, the addition of extra-curricular programs, and the school renovations, the assistance from the U of R is icing on the cake. Personally, I think the rude awakening is coming for the CO bureaucracy and charter schools - when East is able to transform itself. "Campus schools" have a tradition of excellence. A balance of theory and practice has proven to be a winning combination time and time again.