Metro School System Rankings/How to Raise the bottom?

[AcidSnake]

I would counter that in the real world, there will ALWAYS be winners & losers. Just hoping that you will be born in a wealthy family doesn't cut it. Someone has to be the garbageman just as someone has to be the billionaire derivatives trader.

What we should really be asking is how can we design a school system that allows each person to live up to their potential while acknowledging that resources are finite? I am not going to hold my breath & wait for a more equitable taxation system to happen especially considering how the progressive taxation system that FDR put in has for all intents & purposes, been dismantled.

The best that can happen right now is to make do with what resources are available & try to wring some efficiencies out of that.

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

This is why wealth matters. It's a good predictor of whether students are likely to do well on school. However, as Neil and Acid are doubtless thinking, of course being rich doesn't make a person smart, and a poor child can be perfectly capable of succeeding in school. It's just that in the real world, most of the time the rich kid has a environmental advantage. And this is why I agree with some earlier posts on this thread which answer the question of "How can we make poor schools better?" by answering "Have students from richer families." It's a bit of a cynical answer, but there's a lot of truth to it.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

I acknowledge that.

1) I would also hope that you acknowledge that it's way too simplistic to hope that just raising the tax base in any given school district will achieve better results for the students.

2)There are school systems in the U.S. that are not as wealthy as Atlanta's K-12 system but yet still manages to achieve the same results or better. Check this article out. It's just a primer to be sure, but I wonder where Atlanta stacks up if I did a little more research, eh?

Best And Worst School Districts For The Buck - Forbes.com

1. Of course...and I never said such a thing.


2. I'm totally sure.
And what's left out of the debate in the current day (and this is a serious problem...a big elephant in the room) is the issue of cultural advantage, cultural context, and cultural bias when it comes to education and so-called "achievement" in the U.S.

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by aries4118

1. Of course...and I never said such a thing.

You say you didn't, but in your reply on the 1st page of this thread to Netdragon, it seems like you agree with that notion.

Originally Posted by aries4118

And what's left out of the debate in the current day (and this is a serious problem...a big elephant in the room) is the issue of cultural advantage, cultural context, and cultural bias when it comes to education and so-called "achievement" in the U.S.

I'm always gamed for that discussion. The problem is that there is no way to discuss culture & schooling without it turning into a VERY ugly politically incorrect debate on race.

I know that when I tried approach to this issue, no matter what angle I come at it, I always ended up drawn & quartered like a turkey on Thanksgiving. Most people in this country no matter what background they come from, are simply not ready to have that type of conversation.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

You say you didn't, but in your reply on the 1st page of this thread to Netdragon, it seems like you agree with that notion.




...

Um, I do agree with the idea that more money should be put into education, but it is not the be all/end all/cure all.

[AcidSnake]

That's all I needed to hear.

Originally Posted by aries4118

Um, I do agree with the idea that more money should be put into education, but it is not the be all/end all/cure all.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by equinox63

1. In your opinions, out of Fulton, Dekalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, and Clayton County School Systems, how does each rank overall on a scale of 1 to 5 (imagining that there could be no ties)?

Cobb and North Fulton have the best but you need to pick the right school. Clayton is the worst. And you never know, but Milton County might form out of North Fulton in which case, it will probably have the best schools.

2. What can (realistically) be done to get the bottom two school systems closer to the top?

Nothing other than those areas become gentrified.

3. What do you predict will come of the bottom two systems in the next 5 to 10 years?

Well, Clayton lost accreditation, but didn't they manage to get it back? Anyway, perpetual accreditation issues.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Um, I do agree with the idea that more money should be put into education, but it is not the be all/end all/cure all.

No, I think we've righted a past wrong by spending adequate money on education. Now, it's getting discipline and the right attitudes in the classroom which is something that money can't buy.

[Memphis10AC]

I am a Spanish teacher who currently teaches and lives in Memphis. I was wondering if there is a large demand for Spanish teachers in Atlanta, how much teachers in Atlanta make (I'm a 3rd year teacher), and how easy it would be to transfer my teaching license from the state of Tennessee to the state of Georgia. Since this thread was about Atlanta area schools, I figured it would be the best place to ask. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[RainyRainyDay]

Memphis, this thread is definitely not the best place to ask your question. Please start a new thread. You can also search around for recent threads asking similar questions (about teachers moving or thinking of moving to Atlanta).