Changes for Johns Island elementary schools? (Springfield: house, lawsuits, shop)
Charleston areaCharleston - North Charleston - Mt. Pleasant - Summerville - Goose Creek
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.
I sure hope this initiative is successful! Johns Island schools have been improving, but slowly and a concerted effort like this could help speed things up. Angel Oak probably has the most momentum going for it right now and would be the right school to start with imo. Unfortunately the process will still seem slow to families who need improved schools now but at least it would be movement in the right direction.
I don't see how a community panel will change anything to be honest. They could make the schools above average instantly if they wanted to, no panels or extra money needed. Just stop allowing Johns Island students into Harbor View or WA. Done.
I don't see how a community panel will change anything to be honest. They could make the schools above average instantly if they wanted to, no panels or extra money needed. Just stop allowing Johns Island students into Harbor View or WA. Done.
I think what they're aiming for is to make the local schools more appealing so Johns Island residents feel good about taking their kids there. There's already big incentive built in for parents given the travel time and inconvenience of taking their kids off the island. To stop allowing Johns isl kids into other schools without doing anything to improve the existing schools would create such an uproar, they'd never hear the end of it. I'd bet it would generate lawsuits.
I agree but it is the truth. It is almost a chicken and egg situation: people won't send their kids to the schools because of the low rating, the rating won't improve because people won't send their kids to the schools, people won't send their kids to the schools because of the low rating, repeat loop.
As the first article points out, Angel Oak doesn't have the facilities that other schools have and putting them on an equitable footing there is an important step.
John, I agree about the chicken/egg loop but that loop can be broken by making the school more appealing in other ways. That will draw a certain % of those in the newer communities (early adopters?) and eventually, it will snowball to change the school. This is happening at Springfield Elementary and at Stono Elementary but it's a slow process.
What if they just taught the current kids that are there and had them surpass everyone else in town?
Outside of immigrant communities it is uncommon for schools to significantly out perform their demographics.
Johns Islands schools are a mess for a host of reasons. There is a definite racial component of both ends. If you flood some of those schools with white (& often higher achieving) students you would have a lot of people unhappy about the loss of character. On the other hand a lot of people moving to Johns Island have either no intention of sending their kids to public school, not intention of sending their kid to a school with a lot of minorities, or no intention of sending their kid to a school that is seen as poor. One couple I'm friends with only moved there because their kids were already ensconced in private schools and they were house (really lot) shopping with no regard to the related schools.
If those schools come up to West Ashley (much less James Island) standards we'll really see a boom on the island.
The schools are in terrible shape, no resources, and many areas are poor that attend the school. I know Mt. Zion Elementary is right next to one the worst areas (poor, crime, and many illegal aliens in the area) on Johns Island.
Each morning I see lots of kids with parents going over the Stono Bridge to James island.
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.
