Sunday, April 29, 2007
Our schools, our future
From the RoundTable blog
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What are your priorities? Before you answer, what I really mean is "our" priorities. We are all a part of a community of individuals who must act for the greater good and not just for our individual needs.
So, when are you willing to make a stand? Now that we are clearer on the question, what is your answer? Stop. Think. When are you willing to make a stand rather than stand by and watch?
A priority most of us share is our children and grandchildren. Louis Armstrong said, "A man wants the chance to give his kids a better life." While this thought grabs our emotions, it also makes business sense. The revenue and costs generated and required to run a community depend on the productivity of its citizens.
If we create a prepared work force, our cities, businesses and individuals will see gains. The cost to support unprepared citizens through programs like welfare, safety and remediation will decrease. Serving the greater good also serves the community's business needs.
So how is our school system doing at serving the community's business needs?
In 2002, eighth-grade students were entering high school for graduation in 2006. How did those students perform and were they prepared to graduate four years later?
- 2002 eighth-graders scoring proficient or advanced level on SOLs: 56 percent in English and 47 percent in math.
- In 2002, 39 percent of Roanoke public schools were accredited.
- In 2002, instructional time was below requirements.
- In 2002, 210 students were overage by two years or greater for their grade level.
The division was a struggling system. Past decisions made for a challenging present.
What about the present?
First, as a community we have dramatically changed. While our black population has increased from 5,246 students to 6,142, our white population has decreased from 8,894 students to 5,666. Other subgroups have changed dramatically as well, including Asian from 79 to 252 and Hispanic from 15 to 549.
One of the most daunting changes is the increase in English-language learners. They do not know English well, yet are expected to perform within a couple years as well as those who do speak English. In Roanoke public schools, this ELL population has increased from 3 to 840 students.
Finally, the poverty of our division continues to grow as the number of children requiring free or reduced lunch has moved from 43 percent of the population to 62 percent. These last two statistics, ELL and poverty, have a large impact on the cost required to run our school system.
Our changing community presents new challenges for our schools. Yet, even with these challenges, our administration and, primarily, our teachers are helping our students achieve huge gains. In one year's time, the schools had the following results:
- Eighth-graders scoring proficient or advanced level on SOLs: 72 percent in English and 64 percent in math.
- 79 percent of schools are now accredited.
- Every subgroup of students increased achievement in math and English, some with double-digit growth in one year.
Yet we still have a long way to go.
- Four schools are in their third year of warning and face increased state action (potentially reconstitution).
- Our experienced teacher salaries are less competitive than surrounding districts'.
- We are constructing two of the largest projects in the city's history, new high schools (school system paying $63.5 million, city paying $47.5 million).
- Our school buses on average are 21 years old (standard is 12 years).
- Our schools have roofs more than 60 years old that need replacing ($1.15 million required in 2007-08).
- Most of our textbooks are not aligned with SOLs and are outdated (15 years old).
What about the future? That is the real question. Together, we have an incredible opportunity to make a difference for future generations. Separately, we will accomplish little. To continue to do things the old way will only give us the same or worse results.
Our children and our community deserve a better future, which requires better collaboration of all our leaders.
Imagine a community where graduation rates are high, all the graduates contribute to a qualified workforce, population and revenue base are increasing because of the quality of life, and every child has the opportunity to achieve and succeed.
Now with that picture in your head, what are you going to do to make it real? What are your priorities?
Bingham is a Roanoke School Board member.
