Saturday, September 29, 2007
Editorial: Struggling toward school success
Clearly, three Roanoke schools need help earning state accreditation. But if this latest approach fails, try another.
From the RoundTable blog
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Make no mistake, the special committees established to help three Roanoke schools meet state accreditation standards aren't remedies initiated by the schools or the school system.
The committees are part of corrective action the state requires for schools in trouble. While three Roanoke schools -- Lucy Addison Middle, Stonewall Jackson Middle and Forest Park Elementary -- have made some gains, they remain in trouble.
If special committees can get these schools over the accreditation hurdle by identifying learning gaps that have kept them from hitting the mark for four years straight, then let the process begin.
Or continue. Already, according to a story Friday by staff writer David Harrison, the committees of teachers, administrators, outside experts, parents and the principal have met at least once. The bottom-line goal: Raise student scores on Virginia Standards of Learning exams.
The state accreditation process is lenient enough to permit opportunities for improvement -- some might argue, too lenient. There is no lowering of the boom, no closing schools and forcing students into accredited ones when standards have not been met.
There is the reasonable expectation that schools provide students with basic skills. Standards determine if schools are fulfilling that expectation.
Critics of the SOLs say they fail to assess students fairly and give a false measure of school quality. But state standards do measure how effective public schools are in their most fundamental role.
Three Roanoke schools, based on SOL results, aren't meeting those standards. The state now asks that the schools' principals relinquish some of their authority to others who can assist in achieving student success.
Addison Principal Robert Johnson says he has no problem sharing authority with a commitee. And he shouldn't -- not because at this stage he has little choice, but because the committee can infuse the school's plan for improvement with ideas from a broader range of people.
That includes ideas from parents, who must be willing and active participants.
The widespread public perception is that public schools are failing students. In Virginia, school accreditation findings released this week indicate otherwise; 91 percent of state schools are fully accredited.
But a small percentage still are not. For three Roanoke schools, the special committee approach is the next best chance for success. And if it too fails, other remedies must be tried.
