NYC Wins Top Public Education Award (New York, York: environment, showing, rental)

[cyrusjul]

NYC Wins Top Public Education Award


Tuesday September 18, 2007 10:01 PM
By SARA KUGLER
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - The city's school system, taken over about five years ago by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has won the country's top prize for urban school districts for its student improvement and success reducing achievement gaps between rich and poor, and minorities and whites.

New York City's system - with 1 million students the nation's largest - was awarded half of the $1 million Broad Prize for Public Education, handed out annually by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. Graduating high school seniors will get the money in scholarships.



Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007 (broken link)

[Hustla718]

Originally Posted by cyrusjul

While the overall graduation rate is inching upward, still roughly half of New York City high school students do not graduate in four years.

That's all that matters... It's actually significantly more then half.

Two years ago we were the third worst school district. Now we are still the third worst but a few points higher.

This is like declairing victory long before the war is over...

USATODAY.com - Big-city schools struggle with graduation rates

The problem in our schools is beyond the control of the city. It has to do with high poverty rates among our children and their screwed up families. No guidance, no encouragement to do well in school. It also drags down the other kids. However there are some problems that city can fix to solve quality of learning problems in the classroom. Like overpopulation.

[NooYowkur81]

A lot of the education stuff implemented during the Bloomberg years is solid stuff but it's going to take a few years before real results start showing.

[Hustla718]

Originally Posted by NooYowkur81

A lot of the education stuff implemented during the Bloomberg years is solid stuff but it's going to take a few years before real results start showing.

I have a problem with the school within a school program.

Instead of having one building with one school and one principle, the schools have been divided into 3 with 3 principles. Same building.

The goal was to have greater concentration on a smaller group of students but now this just leads to overpopulation as they fit even more students then the original schools held.

That is one problem. Another is decaying schools, a poor learning environment. Schools with leaks, broken windows, graffiti inside, broken desk. Then there is a lack of materials, textbooks and those textbooks they have are out of date.

These are two obvious problems that are not being solved, the city is money hungrey and won't supply the teachers. Renovations are slow and parts provided by the lowest bidder guerentee things will break down again. Overpopulation can make the children feel lost in an ocean of students. It can also increase tensions.

The Board of Education doesn't deserve an award, they should at least wait until we see real results.

[Elvira Black]

Hustla, I agree that parental concern and involvement is CRUCIAL. Education is the number one factor for future success, in my opinion.

[Rachael84]

I find that hard to believe, knowing how disorganized my school is in the South Bronx that I teach at. The city has a looooooooong way to go to be one of the top urban districts.

[Guywithacause]

Until the issues of extreme poverty and segregation are solved, the public school crisis will never change. And how can they? The kids go home to a housing project with drugs and violence at every corner, and insecure and oftentimes dangerous home environment, no family unit, a broken community, rampant substance abuse, and no money for the basics,....and no education/skills to get any money. So going to school and learning 4+4 is really the least of these kids' and parents' worries.