The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
A package of education reform measures backed by Gov. Bob McDonnell is gliding toward passage in the House of Delegates, despite strong opposition from the Legislative Black Caucus.
Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake, objected Monday during debate on one of the measures, which would establish "laboratory schools" operated by state universities in partnership with local public school systems.
"Why not just shut down the public schools?" Spruill asked. "We've got three new kinds of schools now: charter schools, virtual schools and laboratory schools."
Legislation to facilitate the creation of charter schools and virtual school programs has already passed the House. The laboratory schools bill, HB1389, sponsored by Del. Christopher Peace, R-Hanover County, gained preliminary approval Monday.
McDonnell, a Republican, and his allies have argued the programs will foster innovation. Students for the laboratory schools would be chosen by lottery.
Black caucus members have warned that such measures, together with pending budget cuts, threaten the viability of Virginia's public schools - particularly those serving large numbers of at-risk students.
Pat Mullins, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, defended the bill: "Under the governor's plan, teachers and administrators will be able to take the new ideas from these laboratory and charter schools and improve our existing public schools, giving our children an even better education."
A spokesman for the black caucus said later that Spruill's remarks were not sanctioned by the caucus.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
So Sad....
The endorsement by McD and the conservatives of laboratory schools at Virginia's universities because they offer innovative ideas is laughable. Aren't these the same universities that graduate those "horrible" teachers that teach so many of Virginia's children in those "incompetent" public schools?
This clueless approach is further evidence of the conservative's agenda to destroy public schools and their inability to support any effort for real reform.
And supported by a governor whose whole educational background only consist in graduation from a religious high school and universities? Never ceasing to amaze....the sad part is, their supporters are being lead ignorantly to the eventual "slaughter."
McDonnell support to write him directly to say-No Ed Schools
Instead, implement old ideas that work...see the Jesuit philosophy yield results in Chicago Charter School Urban Prep Academy. Every one of the 107 students in Urban Prep's first senior class has been accepted to a four-year college.
The overall college acceptance rate for Chicago public school graduates is 52.5 percent.
When these seniors entered Urban Prep as freshmen, only four percent read at grade level. And 82 percent of the school's students come from low-income families.
Urban Prep helped the kids make up ground by implementing a tough, college-prep curriculum that required double periods of English. Urban Prep students spend 72,000 more minutes in the classroom than their peers at regular CPS schools. Imagine if the teacher’s union controlled the school.
Does Virginia have a Tim King to lead the Charter Schools?
Tim King is an American educator and nonproft leader, and currently the founder and President of Urban Prep Academies, a network of all-male charter public high schools in Chicago. In 2006, he was named one of "Forty under Forty" by Crain's Chicago Business.I
King was born in Chicago and attended St. Ignatius College Prep for high school, and Georgetown University for his bachelors and law degrees. While in law school, King became involved working as a teacher at a nearby Catholic high school, and eventually determined to pursue teaching as a full-time career. After completing his law degree, King was named President of Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago, an all-male, predominately African-American school on the city's South Side. During King's five-year tenure as President of Hales, 100% of the school's graduates were admitted to college.
more on successful charter schools in Chicago.. www.urbanprep.org/about/history/index.asp
THE DISCUSSION THAT IS NEVER HELD
is that school costs are per pupil. If local school boards approve charter schools, then the $ spent follows the child. When traditional public schools don't have to educate the children that attend a charter school their costs drop on that per pupil number. One way or another, the funding follows the child. Giving each child the best opportunity is a positive step. Many charter schools are filled with at-risk students that are given an extra chance to excel.
spending
one can help but wonder out loud of all the people howling and screaming about underfunded schools, education, etc. actually pay any taxes? for that natter do they even get involved in the education of their little cherubs at all? schools have become day care systems for propagandizing and socializing children into a passive compliant dogmatic proponents of all things collectivist. unfortunately there are far fewer rich than poor and they can support only so much. go reread a history book find out what happens to collectivist societies. one hundred and fifty years ago children were educated in one room by one teacher and that for the most part worked. we obviously don't want to go back there but you cant convince me that there isn't enough money for education.
One percent. 1% percent
Take 1% of the Federal Defense budget and apply it to the Federal Education Budget.
No weapons contractors will go out of business. We will still be able to wield our economic might and force our econimic will on lesser countries.
Priorities. Its all about priorities.
Put educating children before killing children.
Like giving more sugar to a diabetic
Giving more and more money to the education organizations run by the government today, is like giving more sugar or carbs to a diabetic. (no offense to diabetics please). Diabetics need insulin to make use of ALL the food carbs their body consumes. INSULIN is needed, not more food. Diabetics often feel hungry, (feel they need more food) but without the insulin they cannot use the extra food. Similarly, schools need management and leadership--INSULIN" that can make good use of the money (metabolize the food) that is allocated to them. With insulin, the publicly funded school can perform just as well as a privately funded school. Don't just blame the parents and kids. Schools don't need more money (sugar) they need (insulin) management and leadership.
already available
Student loan forgiveness for teaching degrees already exist. There are state and federal programs for grants. There is also a federal program that will forgive the cost of loans, after 4 years, for teachers earning degrees in math, science, special education, and for those working in underserved areas or high poverty areas.
The problem is, the overwhelming majority of educators have a degree in early childhood education with little core education in advanced science and math. There are a growing number with math or science endorsements but these only cover teaching and math and science through middle school.
amazing, how many teachers don't live in the modern age
go on any college website and look at how many courses are available online, many of them even have lecture and lab sciences that can easily accommodate students in more rural areas (you know those not near big universities) by partnering with the high schools. Lecture online and video conferences for lab at their high school with a qualified TA or student teacher oversight. Advanced math course can easily be taught via online lecture and video conferencing and the college system is already doing that every single day.
Virginia has a shortage of highly qualified math and science teachers, uniting with the college to make dual use of resources is smart and beneficial for students.
Unfortunately too many of our teachers do not have advanced degrees in math and science, this is one way to help address this shortage.
FRANKLY
the cost for college credit classes taken in High School should be the responsibility of the parents, not the taxpayers.