Fastest Growing Cites(Central GA) (Columbus, Warner Robins: school districts, income, live)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Families with school aged children, however either leave Bibb or pony up for private school and I don't blame them. That is the biggest reason Bibb is growing slowly and Houston is booming. I don't see that changing anytime soon as Bibb schools are generally deplorable and the community won't do what it needs to do to improve them.
How can you blame the public school system and not blame the local leadership?
I blame both. I blame apathetic voters who have allowed incompetent leaders to remain in power. The graph you show is metro population and includes Jones, Crawford, Monroe, and Twiggs Counties, but not Houston, Peach, or Pulaski...
back to schools though, that is the one major differentiation between Savannah, Columbus, Augusta, and Macon. All of the other cities have created magnet programs and pockets of excellence within the local school system giving parents who stay in the core county options for their kids. Macon has not been able to create such successful schools leaving families who live in Bibb, three options: private schools, move to another county, or put up with ineffective schools. People with the means don't choose the latter. The other issues that Macon residents face are a problem in every midsize southern city, but the school problem is not an issue in the others to the degree that it is here. I know many many many people who wanted to stay in Macon, tried to give the schools a go, but eventually moved to Monroe or Houston, even though they didn't want to. It is crippling.
I blame both. I blame apathetic voters who have allowed incompetent leaders to remain in power. The graph you show is metro population and includes Jones, Crawford, Monroe, and Twiggs Counties, but not Houston, Peach, or Pulaski...
back to schools though, that is the one major differentiation between Savannah, Columbus, Augusta, and Macon. All of the other cities have created magnet programs and pockets of excellence within the local school system giving parents who stay in the core county options for their kids. Macon has not been able to create such successful schools leaving families who live in Bibb, three options: private schools, move to another county, or put up with ineffective schools. People with the means don't choose the latter. The other issues that Macon residents face are a problem in every midsize southern city, but the school problem is not an issue in the others to the degree that it is here. I know many many many people who wanted to stay in Macon, tried to give the schools a go, but eventually moved to Monroe or Houston, even though they didn't want to. It is crippling.
MGM --- I thought the two new community high schools (Howard and the other one?) were an effort to reverse the situation you're taking about. Why didn't it work?
Chatham County has opened two new neighborhood high schools in the past 2 years (Islands and New Hampstead) to draw white families away from the private schools. Both are at capacity! Most of the other Savannah-Chatham high schools are also now zoned to neighborhoods. Savannah Arts and Woodville-Tompkins Tech are the only magnets remaining.
MGM --- I thought the two new community high schools (Howard and the other one?) were an effort to reverse the situation you're taking about. Why didn't it work?
Chatham County has opened two new neighborhood high schools in the past 2 years (Islands and New Hampstead) to draw white families away from the private schools. Both are at capacity! Most of the other Savannah-Chatham high schools are also now zoned to neighborhoods. Savannah Arts and Woodville-Tompkins Tech are the only magnets remaining.
Howard is a few years old and Rutland is about 10 years old. Those are the two best options as far as neighborhood high schools go, but where they messed up was not making them true neighborhood schools. Rutland busses in about half its kids from inner city areas around Houston Ave and the peach orchard (broadway) area and Howard busses in kids from the Payne City area even though they could walk to Central High. This was done in an effort to NOT have majority white and suburban high schools. The thinking among the school board and many of Macon's black leaders is that the school system is 72% black so the schools should represent that. Those were the words I heard directly from the former mayor and a city councilwoman during the last redistricting. So, the answer was to bus in inner city kids and so the suburban families who could continued to leave. They are told they are racist for doing it but the reality is that they dont want their kids in school with convicted felons and kids whose sole purpose in school is to disrupt instruction. I dont blame them.
There are some good neighborhood elementaries in Bibb, but the problem starts at 6th grade. There is not one middle or high school in the county that bests the state average and only one high school (the votech school, Hutchings) that has met AYP in years. All 7 Bibb high schools are currently in needs improvement status and 6 of 7 high schools are under (or just finished) a SIG Grant for state directed school improvement given to schools in the bottom 5% in the state (the same grant Beach in Savannah had if that gives you an idea of what we are talking about) Howard escaped it, but ranks below average compared to the state so I suppose it is the best of the worst.
Demographically, Southwest and Northeast might be expected to be on the worst in the state list, but the other 4 (Westside, Hutchings, Rutland, and Central) are a direct result of years of failed leadership. Charters are not my favorite idea, but leadership is so awful that I think an option that removes the Bibb BOE from having input is the only way most residents with choices would try the public schools again. A new charter was recently approved dspite the objections of two old school racist stalwarts, but that might be the choice many are waiting for.
It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Hopefully for Bibb's future it will work.
Location: Metro Atlanta (Sandy Springs), by way of Macon, GA
2,014 posts, read 5,099,557 times
Reputation: 2089
As bad as Bibb County public school system is, we can't put the other 2nd tier cities up on a pedestal.
According to schooldigger.com, out of 160 school districts, Bibb County is 145th, Muscogee County is 136th, Richmond County is 150th, Chatham is 110th and Dougherty is 126th.
Some of these districts may have been able to zone an area for a couple high schools that are "good" but the demographics for these counties arent that much different. For the majority, If your kid attends a public high school in either county, the odds are they're going to be in a school with a bunch of class clowns who dont care about being there.
As bad as Bibb County public school system is, we can't put the other 2nd tier cities up on a pedestal.
According to schooldigger.com, out of 160 school districts, Bibb County is 145th, Muscogee County is 136th, Richmond County is 150th, Chatham is 110th and Dougherty is 126th.
Some of these districts may have been able to zone an area for a couple high schools that are "good" but the demographics for these counties arent that much different. For the majority, If your kid attends a public high school in either county, the odds are they're going to be in a school with a bunch of class clowns who dont care about being there.
Location: Metro Atlanta (Sandy Springs), by way of Macon, GA
2,014 posts, read 5,099,557 times
Reputation: 2089
Quote:
Originally Posted by Columbuskidd92
Now,I don't believe that ranking.
Sadly, a very large amount of the kids in ALL of those public school districts are low income inner city kids. When you get to the high school level, there are fewer schools to mask that problem. I agree that a place like Columbus has done a better job and able to offer A COUPLE high schools like Northside and Columbus that are better than any we have in Bibb County, but the fact is most of the schools in all of these counties are of the Spencer, Josey, Southwest, etc. variety.
"MCSD's combined graduation rate for its nine high schools dipped from 68.17 percent in 2011 to 67.52 percent in 2012, according to data the Georgia Department of Education released Tuesday. That trend goes against Georgia's average, which increased from 67.4 to 69.7 -- and MCSD fell from above the state average to below it.[LEFT]
Read more here: Muscogee County's graduation rate falls below state average | Latest News | Columbus Ledger Enquirer[/LEFT]
The Muscogee County School District's high school graduation rate decreased from 2011 to 2012 while the state average and similar districts improved.
Muscogee's graduation rate still is significantly better than districts of similar size and poverty level, such as Bibb County, Chatham County and Richmond County, but those districts improved: Bibb (51.34 to 52.3), Chatham (54.43 to 63.31) and Richmond (54.63 to 59.19)."
None of our school systems, or really the state in general, is anything to write home about.
As bad as Bibb County public school system is, we can't put the other 2nd tier cities up on a pedestal.
According to schooldigger.com, out of 160 school districts, Bibb County is 145th, Muscogee County is 136th, Richmond County is 150th, Chatham is 110th and Dougherty is 126th.
Some of these districts may have been able to zone an area for a couple high schools that are "good" but the demographics for these counties arent that much different. For the majority, If your kid attends a public high school in either county, the odds are they're going to be in a school with a bunch of class clowns who dont care about being there.
I disagree about Savannah Chatham Public Schools, which rank highest among the urban districts you list and are indeed a viable option for families of all races and demographics who once had no choice but to go private. There are many good things happening in SCCPSS and scores of families are pulling their kids out of private schools and going the public option. Things are not perfect and there's still plenty of room for improvement of course. But 20 years ago Savannah's schools were considered worst in the state and that is far from the case anymore. The turnaround has been remarkable and I've witnessed it with my own eyes. The best example is what happened at Beach High School, which MGM mentioned. The historical (and traditional) black high school in Savannah and oldest black high school in Georgia (established 1867!). Three years ago things had gotten so bad that the state threatened to step in and take over the school. This led to the firing of the administration and 75 percent of the faculty. An entirely new staff was brought in, along with an infusion of cash from the Obama administration. This past school year, tests scores were through the roof and students who were once failing exceeded every academic measure. Beach is now recognized nationally for improvement and this fall moved into a brand new $45 million campus.
There's no reason why this can't happen in Macon. But it can't happen without the support of the entire community -- black and white. That was the difference in Savannah, where about 10 years ago the community passed the first of two 5-year SPLOST measures to improve schools. About $750 million has been invested in the years since and a third referendum is coming up. It also would not have come without an effective school board and superintendent, who succeeded in doing away with busing and entitlement programs (like academies for felons and unwed mothers) and pledged to raise the bar for ALL schools in ALL neighborhoods -- which they've largely done.
ALSO ... I like how you posted a link to "graduation rates plummet" hoping people would overlook this part of the story: ... after state officials applied the new national method for calculating graduation rates.
Location: Metro Atlanta (Sandy Springs), by way of Macon, GA
2,014 posts, read 5,099,557 times
Reputation: 2089
Quote:
Originally Posted by Newsboy
I disagree about Savannah Chatham Public Schools, which rank highest among the urban districts you list and are indeed a viable option for families of all races and demographics who once had no choice but to go private. There are many good things happening in SCCPSS and scores of families are pulling their kids out of private schools and going the public option. Things are not perfect and there's still plenty of room for improvement of course. But 20 years ago Savannah's schools were considered worst in the state and that is far from the case anymore. The turnaround has been remarkable and I've witnessed it with my own eyes. The best example is what happened at Beach High School, which MGM mentioned. The historical (and traditional) black high school in Savannah and oldest black high school in Georgia (established 1867!). Three years ago things had gotten so bad that the state threatened to step in and take over the school. This led to the firing of the administration and 75 percent of the faculty. An entirely new staff was brought in, along with an infusion of cash from the Obama administration. This past school year, tests scores were through the roof and students who were once failing exceeded every academic measure. Beach is now recognized nationally for improvement and this fall moved into a brand new $45 million campus.
There's no reason why this can't happen in Macon. But it can't happen without the support of the entire community -- black and white. That was the difference in Savannah, where about 10 years ago the community passed the first of two 5-year SPLOST measures to improve schools. About $750 million has been invested in the years since and a third referendum is coming up. It also would not have come without an effective school board and superintendent, who succeeded in doing away with busing and entitlement programs (like academies for felons and unwed mothers) and pledged to raise the bar for ALL schools in ALL neighborhoods -- which they've largely done.
ALSO ... I like how you posted a link to "graduation rates plummet" hoping people would overlook this part of the story: ... after state officials applied the new national method for calculating graduation rates.
I think it's pretty clear you have an agenda ..,
This is great, but it doesn't disprove anything I posted. My only point is that the demographics in each of these counties will always present a problem for their public school systems as long as there are so many poor inner city kids with no interest in school at all. There's no denial that places such as Savannah and Columbus are doing a better job than Macon, but my point still stands.
What you're saying that took place at Beach just doesnt seem to work in most cases that I've noticed.
Lets build a new facility...
Lets get more computers...
Lets try different teaching "strategies"...
Lets bring in different teachers....
same results...in far too many cases.
This won't change on a widespread level until these kids and their parents learn to value an education. It starts at home.
Last edited by Southern Soul Bro; 09-28-2013 at 04:08 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
