Maynard Jackson's Turnaround (Atlanta, White: middle-class, 2015, transfer)

[cqholt]

Turnaround of Atlanta’s Maynard Jackson High offers national model | Get Schooled

The results have been remarkable. Graduation has risen from 57 percent in 2011 to 72 percent in 2015, test scores in all of core subjects have markedly increased, and enrollment shot up from 571 to 1141, in just four years. This year, Maynard Jackson has the highest increase in state College and Career Ready Performance Index score of all high schools in the district. In fact, the CCRPI score is higher than Grady High School’s, which is widely regarded as one of the best public high schools in metro Atlanta.

[jsvh]

Jackson cluster is doing great! They have a lot of dedicated people at those schools!

[arjay57]

Wow, that is great news!

[aries4118]

Whoa...Jackson High is now 27% White.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by aries4118

Whoa...Jackson High is now 27% White.

Look at the gentrifying neighborhoods that feed into it; Grant Park, Cabbagetown, Ormewood Park, Renyoldstown, Edgewood, East Atlanta, Kirkwood, East Lake, etc.

[fourthwarden]

As a Grady cluster Alumn, congrats to them!

[whodean]

This is excellent, hopefully more intown schools will do the same. Wonder how the demographics changed in this area, is the improvement primarily due to gentrification?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Look at the gentrifying neighborhoods that feed into it; Grant Park, Cabbagetown, Ormewood Park, Renyoldstown, Edgewood, East Atlanta, Kirkwood, East Lake, etc.

I know--that's my point. They've had the pop for a while.




Many whites have had their kids in the charter school(s) K-8, and have gone private or used "transfers" starting in 9th.




I am guessing many from the charter schools have started sending their babies to Jackson High.


Now, the focus needs be on getting wider neighborhood participation at Parkside Elementary, Burgess-Peterson Academy, King Middle, Whitefoord Elementary, and Toomer Elementary.


Toomer has had the most progress. Then, Parkside. And BPA has emerging interest.


Will this continue on to King?

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by whodean

This is excellent, hopefully more intown schools will do the same. Wonder how the demographics changed in this area, is the improvement primarily due to gentrification?

Lots of gentrification already there.


Now, they are starting to go to the high school (see my post above).




A big issue is that the SE Atlanta neighborhoods have an extremely high amount of charter schools and charter participation which has kept many middle-class families away from the public schools.




Charter schools were not an issue (due to lack of existence) when the east/north-east Atlanta neighborhoods were gentrifying/rejuvenating (Mary Lin, Inman, Grady, and "Morningside continue to Inman instead of private" families).

[CCATL]

Originally Posted by aries4118

I know--that's my point. They've had the pop for a while.




Many whites have had their kids in the charter school(s) K-8, and have gone private or used "transfers" starting in 9th.




I am guessing many from the charter schools have started sending their babies to Jackson High.


Now, the focus needs be on getting wider neighborhood participation at Parkside Elementary, Burgess-Peterson Academy, King Middle, Whitefoord Elementary, and Toomer Elementary.


Toomer has had the most progress. Then, Parkside. And BPA has emerging interest.


Will this continue on to King?

King is already improving, and has leadership trying to make inroads into the community in various ways. There are a lot of really great dedicated people there. Like you said, charter schools have been the primary problem in this cluster, but those are all full now and the lottery has way more applicants than spots. That's why the elementary schools are improving so quickly. King is the only middle school that these kids can go to, so in time, we'll see it become more diverse in terms of both SES and race, which can only do good things in terms of their public perception. They are already a resource loaded school, so I'd have no qualms about sending my kids there now as is.