It's obvious by the pictures at this meeting that we still have alot of work to do to get the information and options to those parents who need it most. Our parent liaisons will be working diligently at all open houses and principals are working on using the call out system and other options to get this information out as it is so critically important in our achievement scores rising. Also School Board Member Elect Alan Coverstone was in attendance and is already at work.
Metro Schools’ failure to meet Federal No Child Left Behind laws mean more students have the option of attending schools other than their zoned assignments. According to NCLB, all students of schools considered “High Priority” have the option of attending another school in the district. Parents have until Aug. 21 to apply for qualifying students to transfer, and those approved will start class at their new schools Sept. 8. Parents will be notified of transportation options the week of Sept. 3-7.Denise Gregory, director of choice and supplemental educational services for Metro Nashville Public Schools, said Tuesday that more schools than last year — 19 last year, compared to 28 currently — are in the “High Priority” category. And more schools on the list this year are high schools, which have larger numbers of students.“People need information, and every single situation has its own little nuances. You must address those nuances, or you haven’t helped that parent make a good choice for their child,” Gregory said. “That’s why [we’ve] had 15-hour days for the last three weeks.”Last year, Gregory said, about 100 students ultimately opted to attend the choice schools offered to them as a result of NCLB.The district organized a forum Tuesday night for informing parents about choice and tutoring options that accompany the NCLB status of “High Priority” schools. Though 28 schools worth of children are affected, only about 20 parents attended the meeting. Gregory said letters were mailed to every family affected. The district has also reached out to the community through public events, including the Mayors First Day Festival.But some forum attendees, including school board member Karen Johnson, said they believe more measures must be taken to communicate with parents.“I think there’s still much work to do to get this information out. I think that’s obvious, [based on] the attendance tonight,” Johnson said. “I think it is incumbent on all of us to make sure the information gets into additional outlets. … This impacts our achievement scores. If we don’t get this information out to the families who need it the most, we won’t see the significant change that we’re all desiring.
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School Choice Forum Draws Eight Families
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008
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School Choice Forum Draws Eight Families
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008
WPLN
Only eight parents attended a forum on school choice last night, despite an increased number of Metro schools required this year to give students the option of leaving.Twenty-eight schools in the system are deemed high priority for missing federal benchmarks – nine more than last year. Students at those schools can transfer with transportation provided by the district.
The high priority schools are also required to provide tutoring if students choose not to leave. But many parents were surprised to learn last night that only children on free or reduced-price lunch qualify for the after school help.
Coyanna Clay Brooks, who has a son at Brick Church Middle School, says he won’t be eligible.
“I do not have a choice. And I just feel like if tutoring, if the school is failing, tutoring should be offered to all children. It shouldn’t matter about a money criteria.”
The school district is encouraging parents to take advantage of the tutoring, which is paid for by the state. Only 15-hundred Metro students signed up last year, though ten-times that were eligible. This year, even more students could participate. They can sign up anytime between now and Spring Break.
To transfer out of a high priority school, however, the district has set a deadline of Thursday afternoon at 5:30. Parents must file an application to pull their child out of a zoned school by then. Several hundred have already applied.
By Blake Farmer
Only eight parents attended a forum on school choice last night, despite an increased number of Metro schools required this year to give students the option of leaving.Twenty-eight schools in the system are deemed high priority for missing federal benchmarks – nine more than last year. Students at those schools can transfer with transportation provided by the district.
The high priority schools are also required to provide tutoring if students choose not to leave. But many parents were surprised to learn last night that only children on free or reduced-price lunch qualify for the after school help.
Coyanna Clay Brooks, who has a son at Brick Church Middle School, says he won’t be eligible.
“I do not have a choice. And I just feel like if tutoring, if the school is failing, tutoring should be offered to all children. It shouldn’t matter about a money criteria.”
The school district is encouraging parents to take advantage of the tutoring, which is paid for by the state. Only 15-hundred Metro students signed up last year, though ten-times that were eligible. This year, even more students could participate. They can sign up anytime between now and Spring Break.
To transfer out of a high priority school, however, the district has set a deadline of Thursday afternoon at 5:30. Parents must file an application to pull their child out of a zoned school by then. Several hundred have already applied.
By Blake Farmer
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