Can DC schools be fixed?

[MountainLaurel]

Kelly Miller Middle School opened its doors in a struggling Northeast Washington neighborhood in 2004, a $35 million showcase for the District's public schools, every classroom equipped with a whiteboard and computers. A particular source of pride was a media production room, where students could broadcast announcements and produce programs to be viewed on TVs wired in each classroom.

Three years later, there have been no broadcasts. The room still needs a last, critical piece of equipment, which fell into a bureaucratic chasm. Until a few days ago, the principal had never been told what the part was or when it was coming. For now, the $150,000 production room is a storage closet for unused books and furniture.

As Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) prepares this week to become the first Washington mayor with direct control of the schools, his team promises a clean slate and a rapid turnaround. Yet a detailed assessment of the state of the school system, based on extensive public records, suggests that the challenge is enormous: The system is among the highest-spending and worst-performing in the nation. Kelly Miller is one small example of a breakdown in most of the basic functions that are meant to support classroom learning.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/09/AR2007060901415.html?hpid=topnews

[LWolf]

1. Sure. Do this:

Make sure that there are enough school buildings so that no school houses more than, say, 300 students.

Make sure that every school is fully staffed with admins, clerks, librarians, counselors, nurses, pe teachers, music teachers, art teachers, special ed teachers, ELL teachers, and other support staff.

Make sure that no classroom ever has more than 20 students on the roster, and make sure that classrooms are fully funded at 15 students per classroom.

Make sure that classrooms are roomy enough to create comfortable workspace for all.

Make sure that teachers get adequate paid planning time, parent contact time, time for meetings and collaboration, time for staff development, without extending the work day beyond an 8 hour day.

Make sure that students are in school for 200 days a year.

Offer preschool, and mandatory full-day kindergarten.

Make sure that school buildings are clean, in good repair, healthy, and have fully equipped and functional libraries, classrooms, labs, teacher work rooms, and curriculum materials available.

Maker sure that mandated, standardized assessments don't take any more instructional time than a couple of hours per year, under any label, and that there are no "high stakes" attached.

Make sure that there is a comprehensive parent ed program, fully staffed, but not by teachers taking on extra duties. Add an organized, staffed, funded system to ensure that all children have all necessary medical care, supplies, clothing, food, supervision, and safe shelter. Staff and fund before and after school programs, classes, and tutors for those children who need them.

Make sure that teachers are paid a professional's salary, and treated like professionals. One teacher should make enough money to own a home, buy transportation, and make a comfortable living in the community she works in.

Make sure that the people at the district level, and the site admins, have a background in the classroom so that they have some sort of clue what is reasonable and realistic for classrooms when they start making policy.

[LWolf]

3. What, no takers?

Just what is so hard to understand, or to accomplish, about this?

You want change, you legislate and fund what will make that change. Simple.

Why be stuck in the dishonest, hypocritical propaganda set that insists that we super-hero educators can do it all without the support that normal people need?

[Indy Lurker]

2. Sounds like they need a better principal

"Three years later, there have been no broadcasts. The room still needs a last, critical piece of equipment, which fell into a bureaucratic chasm. Until a few days ago, the principal had never been told what the part was or when it was coming. For now, the $150,000 production room is a storage closet for unused books and furniture."

How can it take three years to figure out the camera is missing?

How can "nobody told me" be an acceptable excuse?

How can a missing window not be replaced? Call a local glass shop have them install a new Lexan window, and send the bill to the district. IF nothing else, this is an OSHA violation,

Sounds like this school system is full of incompetent people who need to be fired.

How do these people stay employed?


As for the recordkeeping for 11,000 employees, try

http://www.workforcesoftware.com

It took me all of 2 minutes to find it.