Reply #2: Grannan tells of another instance of uncorrected charter school spin

[madfloridian]

http://www.examiner.com/x-356-SF-Education-Examiner~y2010m1d17-Unjustified-press-exaltation-of-a-mediocre-San-Francisco-charter-school

"If only charter operator Envision Schools were half as successful at educating students as it is at persuading the press to print flattering articles about its schools, our education challenges would be solved.

Today's San Francisco Chronicle Insight section carries a pair of puff pieces praising Envision's City Arts and Technology (CAT) for its "remarkable results."

Dose of reality: While I'm not blasting CAT as a failure, its achievement ranks 12th out of the 17 general- education (non-continuation) high schools in the San Francisco Unified School District"

More:

"But more reality: CAT ranks 10th of SFUSD's 17 general-ed high schools in the percentage of low-income students it serves, and it ranks 15 of SFUSD's 17 general-ed high schools in the percentage of limited English speakers it serves. And of course "education reform" advocates never let public schools get away with justifying low achievement based on demographics -- that's "excuse-making" -- so CAT doesn't get to either.

Fuller's articles don't mention the odd policy at CAT and Envision's other SFUSD schools, Metro Arts & Tech, of giving no grades below a C. That would be called "grade inflation" or "lowered standards" at a public school, and would certainly give graduates a nice boost at getting into colleges. I know lots of kids at other fine SFUSD high schools who sure wish their schools had such a policy."

Boy, what a pleasant thing that would be to give no grade below a C