Wilkinsburg High School Protest (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: school districts, college, live)

[gg]

Originally Posted by UKyank

While I'm all for a more even across the board funding for education I also don't believe all the money on the world thrown at many of the schools that produce failing students would significantly improve their performance.

Correct. This is why I brought up Kerr Elementary. Same fudging as O'Hara/Fairview/Hartwood, but different result. Why? Not funding, but parenting. It is the first step. Boarding is the ultimate situation, but very expensive. Agassi's school out in Vegas has done wonders for kids. Taking them from the horrible home life and really just taking over.

[BrianTH]

It is true that district-level funding doesn't necessarily have much to do with student outcomes.

However, money spent specifically on instruction has been found to have a positive correlation with student outcomes. The difference, of course, is that districts spend a lot of money on other things beside instruction, some less justifiable (like athletics), some largely unavoidable (like transportation).

Of course funding is not the only factor relevant to educational outcomes, and indeed not the only relevant school policy factor. But it isn't as irrelevant as some have claimed.

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by squarian

Their t-shirts read "violence in school, low expectations, no opportunity, no incentives; Wilkinsburg students want a fair education NOW"

Good show!


Wilkinsburg Students Wearing Protest Shirts Held in Administration Office - Forest Hills-Regent Square, PA Patch

"No opportunity".........please

[squarian]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Boarding is the ultimate situation, but very expensive....Taking them from the horrible home life and really just taking over.

Sounds like an argument for school vouchers.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by squarian

Sounds like an argument for school vouchers.

I think vouchers can be a very effective stick to keep low-performing publics in line--shape up or else risk your students scattering to the (private/parochial) winds.

[squarian]

Originally Posted by UKyank

And no, I don't know the solution to change community mentalities

Neither do I, but I do think that 16-18-year-olds who can get themselves together, get some adult help, get some t-shirts made and agree on a slogan (if not a full-blown program - maybe we'll hear more about that eventually), and then summon up the courage to stare down authority - are exactly the kids we talk about when we use the fond term "meritocracy".

The best and brightest deserve a ladder out. Whether that's merging districts, setting up charters, school vouchers, scholarships, whatever, they've shown they care about their own education - so does anyone else?

[groar]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

I think vouchers can be a very effective stick to keep low-performing publics in line--shape up or else risk your students scattering to the (private/parochial) winds.

that is exactly what happened in wilkinsburg though. the school population is tiny and consists only of the kids who have absolutely no other option. granted, vouchers could help more kids get out, but hemorrhaging students to private and parochial schools doesn't seem to have helped keep the district in line as far i can see. it's just gotten worse for the kids who are stuck there.

[squarian]

Originally Posted by groar

that is exactly what happened in wilkinsburg though. the school population is tiny and consists only of the kids who have absolutely no other option.

it doesn't seemed to have helped keep the district in line that i can see.

If it's a stick, it should probably also come with a noose. That is, beating on an underperforming district (which is an understatement in connection with Wilkinsburg) may create some useful incentives - but if after administering a thorough drubbing, the district still hasn't changed, you're just beating a dead horse, as it were.

Better for everyone to put the poor, hopeless, damaged thing out of its misery.

[groar]

personally, i think a merger with pgh or woodlands hills (preferably pgh, for the magnet schools) would be the best thing. i've even considered running for the school board to try to promote looking into a merger. but i don't think i have the stomach to be that involved in local politics.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by squarian

If it's a stick, it should probably also come with a noose. That is, beating on an underperforming district (which is an understatement in connection with Wilkinsburg) may create some useful incentives - but if after administering a thorough drubbing, the district still hasn't changed, you're just beating a dead horse, as it were.

Better for everyone to put the poor, hopeless, damaged thing out of its misery.

My thoughts exactly.